As internet speeds get faster, visual storytelling is not only more accessible, but increasingly in demand. That means video, for lawyers, is a no longer an optional marketing tactic. More than a blog post or photo, a good video can show potential clients how you speak and carry yourself. Short of meeting you in person, it’s the best way for them to gauge your fitness as a lawyer.

Of course, you can’t just throw any old video up there and hope it resonates. From planning to scripting to search engine optimization, video is a big time investment for any firm. That’s why it’s important to figure out an effective strategy before you even begin. To avoid reinventing the wheel, why not try learning from law firms that are already producing great video?

In the tradition of Six Great Attorney Bios You Wish Were Yours, we’re showcasing the best of the best. Here are five great examples of effective video for lawyers:

DiCello Levitt – Pursuing “Justice in all its DIMENSIONS”

Looking to articulate stronger, clearer messaging, DiCello Levitt worked with Knapp Marketing on a brand campaign that culminated around a single phrase, “Justice in all its DIMENSIONS”. Utilizing video to further highlight their brand and messaging, Knapp assisted the firm in a highly successful – and low cost – social campaign using video as a tool. Passing the mic to the firm’s attorneys, they were able to share what Justice in all its DIMENSIONS means to them personally. 

These attorney-made cell phone videos now appear on their bio web pages and were shared via their personal social media profiles. Knapp also created additional videos for the campaign, combining several individual videos into “composites” – like the one you see here – further articulating their shared commitment to justice and a living, breathing brand statement.

Porter Wright – “Pelotonia 2017”

In order to be successful, a law firm video doesn’t need to have a narrow focus. In a video series that shows its firm members getting active for a good cause, Porter Wright bucks tradition and ends up being just as eye-catching as the most essential legal tutorial. It’s an example of how to effectively promote a law firm’s brand while humanizing its lawyers.

Porter Wright’s community series shows what its lawyers are like outside of the courtroom. In that way, it conveys them as likable human beings who are more than just their job titles. By indicating the good causes that the firm and its people care for, it shows (instead of tells) just how willing they are to take action for causes they believe in, and by extension, the viewer can presume, for causes their clients care about, too. In this way, it humanizes, brands, and demonstrates community service all at once.

Amin Talati – “Lawyers for the Lifecycle of Food, Dietary Supplement & Cosmetic Products; Brand to Generic Drug Leaders”

This law firm video doesn’t feature a single lawyer. Instead, it uses recognizable visuals from daily life in order to convey exactly what Amin Talati does. It’s a reminder that video for lawyers does not equal “video that appeals to lawyers.” It must be tailored to the clients. And sure enough, they’ve received overwhelmingly positive client feedback including, “Other law firms don’t understand us but it’s so clear you do.”

How is this accomplished? This video is intended to appeal not to lawyers, but to the specific audience these lawyers work with: companies in the food and health-focused products market. This target market expects high-quality marketing which highlights their products. In addition to being consumer-facing, this video shows products made by firm clients and how they make a difference in people’s lives. It closely aligns the firm’s mission with the mission of its clients. If anything, it identifies more strongly with the client industry than the legal industry. It’s no wonder that clients responded enthusiastically to being put first.

Proskauer – “What’s it like to be a summer associate at Proskauer?”

Finding new clients shouldn’t be the only focus of a law firm’s video marketing strategy. By adjusting the focus, an effective law firm video can also attract new talent.

This Proskauer video about its summer associate program is doing more than you might expect. Most obviously, it is a recruiting tool targeted at young associates looking for a law firm that matches their values. But its secondary purpose is to do the same for lawyers with much more experience. Lawyers may be endeared to a firm that spends so much effort cultivating the next generation of lawyers, which makes this double as a pitch to prospective employees, too.

All of these examples show that there is no single formula for developing effective video for lawyers. Instead, the process is highly customized and dependent on a firm’s specific strengths, causes, and clientele. Lawyers can take the guesswork out of determining where to focus their video strategy by working with an experienced law firm marketing agency.

Daniel Muessig – “Thanks, Dan!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KfACTAOPa0

This is by far the most popular video on the list because it takes a major risk: it makes humor out of inverting expectations for what a legal advertisement should be. Muessig, a 2012 University of Pittsburgh Law School graduate, made a surprising ad that initially appears to condone criminal behavior. However, it’s just an eye-catching gimmick: all of the “criminals” featured in the video are local community members and friends.

“The most effective way to reach people was to create something new and fresh and different from every other legal ad that’s out there,” Muessig told WTAE-TV Pittsburgh. “Our phones have literally been vibrating off the hook.” However, be warned that while this viral video courts a youthful sense of irony, oldsters might not get the joke. Millennial humor makes a mockery of everything, so it works for that age bracket, but for other viewers, it goes too far. Muessig’s hit count is enviable, but the video was only successful because of how well he knew his audience.

Want more tips on video marketing for lawyers? Check out our guide to legal video SEO.

Full Disclosure: Amin Talati and DiCello Levitt are happy clients of Knapp Marketing.