Whether you are in the process of rebranding a big law firm or starting your own, deciding what to name it is crucial. Most American lawyers are unaware of the impact of US law firm management on their legal practice. The first step to becoming one of the best law firms in Arizona is to have a name that will set you apart from competitor law firms.
Aside from providing top-tier client service, be it in family law, business law, corporate law, or any other law practice, legal professionals need a stand-out name that reflects who you are as a law firm.
- What’s in a Name?
The process of naming is crucial for attorneys and lawyers opening their first law firm, merging or breaking up with partners, or rebranding an existing law office. Regardless of firm size, a name can affect not only marketing efforts, but also the way you attract and hire good staff. This is something that one should take into account when matters related to US law firm management are discussed. For both small and big law firms, such a seemingly simple thing can make or break your law business online.
Most people in need of legal advice do not specifically look for big law firms. Regardless if you are just starting or are one of the biggest law firms in the area, keep in mind that clients are simply looking for experts for their legal needs. They will likely not know what the terms arbitrations, jurisdictions, insolvency, mediation, negotiations, or settlements mean. They would not be familiar with the terms used in the courtroom, such as plaintiffs, defendants, prosecutors, or verdict. They are just looking for what fits their definition of the best lawyers in America, and you can use your firm name to show that you are one.
- Clarity is Key
Keep in mind that potential clients will look through a lot of possible firms, but they will not look through all. This is why you should put effort into thinking of a name for your legal practice.
The practice of law is a very broad topic. Clients could require a law firm for legal matters between a creditor and a debtor in a restructuring bankruptcy, or for disputes on land use that could lead to real estate law litigation. Under criminal law prosecution, they could be looking for lawyers for legal representation and criminal defense. Your law firm name should clearly show which areas of law you cover.
Think through every part of the name. The phrase ‘law offices of’ may or may not apply to you, depending on whether you are a solo practitioner or your office have multiple locations. If there is more than one partner in the firm, determining the order of the names is crucial. Be mindful of hidden traps, such as combinations that can lead to awkward acronyms. The order is not always by age, alphabetical, or how they sound when pronounced together. Often there is a message conveyed, and this message should be clear.
- How You Can Establish Trust
When thinking of a name, one thing you should consider is how people can recognize you as a trusted firm. Assume that you are a personal injury law firm. Victims of medical negligence or wrongful death would be looking for an expert on health law and medical malpractice law to help with their case. If you are a labor and employment law firm, clients having problems with worker’s compensation and employee benefits would want an expert on labor law or employment law with who they can entrust their papers with.
In all fields of law, regardless if it is popular like immigration law and finance law or very specific like maritime and environmental law or energy law, clients are looking for the best lawyers to handle their legal issues. This is an opening for you.
By tradition, a major law firm would usually include all the top lawyers in their name. While this could indeed help establish trust, multiple names may be a mouthful. It is not easy to pronounce a name with five or more surnames, so opting for a shorter one might be necessary.
- What to Include and Not to Include
When naming your law firm, whether there is one or several firm owners, it helps to decide what must and must not be included. If you are a litigator, it might be unnecessary to include the terms business litigation or securities litigation in your name. However, including ‘estate planning’ in your name might be helpful for people with issues on probate, drafting wills, or trusts and estates tax law. Similarly, if you are an intellectual property law attorney, putting IP in the name could help clients see that you can help them with intellectual property litigation, trademark and patent investigations, and dispute resolution.
When naming your firm, try looking into the basics of US law firm management. Include your location when it is relevant. Including the state in the firm name works for some better than others.
In essence, your name should be able to show potential customers that you can give them the specific legal services that they need.
- Complementing a Good Firm Name
While people understand that the legal profession can be quite complicated and super lawyers do not exist, certain law firms simply stand out from the rest. After thinking through your firm’s would-be name very carefully, there are other things that you should also give importance to.
Establish professionalism through your name and prove it through your track record. An experienced attorney at law or the largest law firms should feature any award or official evaluations that recognize their practice, either locally or nationally. Feature (both in your physical office and on your website) prestigious awards that you have received, such as being one of the top law firms in particular areas of practice or even law firm of the year. Feature rankings showing that you are a leading law firm.
Whether you are a small or large law firm, you need a reliable law firm marketing agency to help you. Advantage Attorney Marketing can help you become one of the leading law firms in your area. We can take care of your legal content marketing strategy for you. Contact us at (866) 391-5001 or send us a message for a free consultation.
