Credibility is key. As an attorney, it's incrementally
acquired a number of different ways. It may be by the
recommendation of another attorney or client. It may be by the
incredible results you've attained in previous cases. You may have
built credibility by having a fantastic website with stellar online
reviews. Perhaps you've gained credibility by volunteering for a
local cause.
An equally accepted proposition is that credibility is easier to
destroy than to build. But let's not let that minor detail derail
our vision. After all, it's simply not that challenging to build
credibility every day. And I don't just mean credibility for you
personally. You should be building credibility for attorneys
generally, because having public sentiment in favor of attorneys is
good for your business.
In the summer of 2007, my wife and I attended a party. There were
a couple hundred people there, of all ages and careers. The guy I
remember most introduced himself jokingly as "a liar." With a wide
grin on his face he quickly corrected himself. "Did I say liar? I
meant lawyer."
Six years, two bar admissions and hundreds of clients later and
that moment still irks me. Do we not have a difficult enough time
battling the negative perceptions created by others? We actually
have colleagues who resort to deprecation of our chosen career? For
some time now, I've combated similar conversations head on. "Have
you considered another career path?" Or, "That's some marketing
program you've got there." But I'm going to take a wider swath at
the issue now. To all those attorneys who make bad attorney jokes
for the chance of a fleeting chuckle: cut it out!
The good news is that we - our MBA community - can make a distinct
difference in consumer perception of lawyers. How? Speak positively
about your practice and the practice of law always. Share your
great results with friends, family and former clients. Volunteer
for worthy causes and make a difference when it doesn't directly
benefit your bottom line. Cut out any negativity you preach about
the legal profession, including that of difficult opposing counsels
or a judge that didn't rule your way. Make it a daily goal to
spread the word about how lawyers are doing great work.
A positive public perception of lawyers means more people will
look to us for solutions more often. It means they'll think of us
as positive contributors to society rather than as an elitist,
isolated group. Spread the word, members, and you'll see a positive
characterization can overtake negative sentiment when we have
credibility. Yes, there will always be individuals who seek to put
us in a negative light. Our goal should be for that
characterization to be overwhelmingly isolated and unpopular. Let's
get to work, and let's raise the bar.
Damian J. Turco is an attorney licensed in Massachusetts
and Florida and the owner of Mass Injury Firm. He serves as the
vice chair of the MBA's Law Practice Management Section Council, is
a member of the Boston Inns of Court and practices primarily in
Boston.