How Law Firms Conduct Successful Media Relations – a Practical Guide

In this article, we show how law firms can strategically organise their media relations and what mistakes they should avoid.

Why Media Relations are Important for Law Firms

The media are still regarded as key multipliers for reach and reputation. Anyone who is quoted in the newspaper or named as an expert in a specialist magazine gains visibility - far beyond their own website or social media channel.

Cooperation with the media offers the following advantages for law firms:

• Positioning as experts in certain areas of law
• Strengthening reputation with potential clients and partners
• Building trust, especially in sensitive or complex legal issues
• Reach without an advertising budget, as good PR replaces expensive adverts

Step 1: Targeted Choice of Topic

Not every legal issue is of interest to the media. The key is to prepare topics in such a way that they are relevant to the public or specific target groups. Possible hooks:

• Current legislative changes (e.g. new data protection law)
• Sensational court judgements (with commentary)
• Socially discussed topics with a legal dimension (e.g. climate lawsuits, labour law in the platform economy)
• Economic developments with legal implications (e.g. insolvency law in times of crisis)

Tip: Always think from the journalist's perspective - what is new, relevant, understandable?

Step 2: Writing Press Releases the Right Way

Press releases are still a key instrument of media relations. They should be short, clear and concise - ideally on one page. A well-formulated introduction with news value is important: What happened, why is it relevant?

Structure of a good press release:

• Headline: short, informative, no clickbait
• Lead: The most important message in two to three sentences
• Main text: Who, what, when, where, why - explained clearly
• Quotes: Authentic and meaningful, e.g. from the responsible partner
• Sender: Brief profile of the law firm, press contact

Step 3: Establish and Maintain Media Contacts

Building a resilient media network is not a sprint, but a marathon. It is important to build long-term relationships - based on reliability, expertise and mutual trust.

What helps:

• Research which journalists write on ‘your’ topics
• Get in touch personally – e.g. by email with a specific topic
• Offer yourself as a dialogue partner – also for background information
• Get in touch proactively with topic ideas, assessments or analyses
• Be reliable in your communication – speed of response counts

Tip: Specialist media, industry portals or local newspapers are often more accessible than large leading media - and often no less effective.

Step 4: Prepare Interviews and Statements Professionally

When journalists make enquiries, this is a good sign - but also an opportunity that should not be wasted. Prepare yourself well:

• Clarify the context of the interview and possible questions
• Formulate clear key messages in advance
• Remain factual and understandable, even with complex topics
• Quotes often have a stronger impact than technical terms – set the tone

If you are unsure, a short media training session can help you to appear more confident.

Conclusion: Media Relations is not a Coincidence, but a Strategy

Successful media relations are based on relevant topics, clear communication and reliable relationships. Law firms that regularly appear in the media with well thought-out articles, well-founded assessments and a professional demeanour are rewarded with growing visibility, greater credibility and a strong expert status.

Whether you're a large law firm or an individual lawyer, those who make a targeted contribution to the public debate today not only help to shape how they are perceived, but also create trust before a client relationship is even established.