United States: Second Annual Report Provides New Data On Law Firm Media Performance

Originally posted Thursday, December 9, 2004

• How Vinson & Elkins Decreased Negative Coverage of Its Enron Representation
• Jones Day Leads the Pack in the Use of Media as a Marketing Tool

The second annual edition of PR's Return on Investment: The Annual Law Firm Media Performance Report provides revealing new data on how law firms manage media relations during a crisis, as well as how global, national, and regional firms incorporate publicity campaigns as part of their marketing.

The report was written by Levick Strategic Communications, LLC, the leading legal profession communications firm, with empirical research by CARMA International, Inc. the pioneer media research company.

For one major law firm, the "return-on-investment" in media relations was measurably dramatic. Based on CARMA’s analysis of positive and negative coverage, Vinson & Elkins substantially decreased the volume of hostile press it might have otherwise received as a result of ongoing inquiries into its representation of Enron.

V&E’s overall favorability rating was 43 (on a scale of 1 as most negative and 100 as most positive). Though still on the negative side, a 43 during such a high-profile crisis suggests a strong and smart media strategy.

Significantly, the research showed a direct correlation linking the firm’s rating to the participation of spokesperson Harry Reasoner. The more the firm responded to media inquiries, the better its rating became.

Such data is a unique confirmation of the common wisdom proffered by communications counselors – that the best way to deal with the media is to engage it head-on.

PR’s Return on Investment also updates the data published in last year’s report on total media volume for national and international firms as well as in eight separate city markets: New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco/Palo Alto, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Houston/Dallas, and Boston.

Many of the same trends uncovered last year for 2002 recurred in 2004 for 2003. For example, law firms with one or more signature practice areas generally out-performed other firms in the media as reporters typically gravitated to brand-name practices for expert commentary.

For the second year in a row, Jones Day amassed the largest total number of media placements: over 2,000 (in which the firm name is used). It is the only firm in the study to surpass the 2,000 mark as the nearest competitors each posted around 1,700 placements. Most impressive, Jones Day upped its 2002 totals by around 300.

"A closer look at the data suggests why," said Richard Levick, President of Levick Strategic Communications. "The firm has invested in media outreach, not just for its offices in the larger cities, but in cities like Pittsburgh and Columbus, Ohio as well. It shows a real commitment by the firm to integrate marketing and business development."

The research on V&E and Enron is one of three new reports based on CARMA research. The others analyze the use of media in promoting national mergers and in growing New York offices.

Quantity and quality of media placements were tracked for the merger of Piper Rudnick with Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand and for the merger of Bingham McCutchen with Riordan & McKinzie. The data shows significant increases in total positive coverage when multiple spokespersons talked about why their mergers are important to clients instead of only discussing the strategies behind the mergers.

Media performances were also analyzed for three San Francisco firms with major New York offices: Morrison & Foerster; Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe; and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe. All three firms generated a fairly unusual volume of articles about their New York offices because the challenge that drove them to seek such exposure – the difficulty of establishing a brand in New York – is itself a newsworthy story angle, at least for legal reporters.

Click here to read the report in full.

Levick Strategic Communications, LLC is a global leader in corporate and legal communications. Founded in 1998, the firm revolutionized law firm marketing and litigation communications. Levick has handled the media on the highest- profile matters, from Napster and Guantanamo Bay to the Catholic Church controversy and the Rosie O’Donnell Rosie magazine lawsuit. In February 2004, Levick published Stop the Presses: The Litigation PR Desk Reference. Richard Levick was recently named by PR News as the Public Relations Professional of the Year for U.S. Agencies.

Founded in Washington, D.C. by Albert Barr nearly two decades ago, CARMA International, Inc. pioneered the commercialization of customized media analysis. Today CARMA is the world leader in media research, with an unmatched global presence. This background enables CARMA to provide expertise on a local and global level, while offering clients in nearly every industry a comprehensive, integrated and consistent approach to global media measurement. CARMA analysts assist PR professionals with maximizing the effectiveness of their outreach while providing strategic insights for future planning. CARMA is a privately held company headquartered in Washington, D.C. and can be reached at 202.842.1818 or www.carma.com.

Richard S. Levick, 202 973 1302, rlevick@levick.com
Larry Smith, 201 854 3288, lsmith@levick.com

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.