Industry Watch: Virtual Legal Public Relations
June 2006

Q&A with Liz Bard Lindley, Vice President, Director of Public Relations, Jaffe Associates

Q: What is Jaffe Associates?
Jaffe Associates is a public relations and marketing firm that specializes in the representation of law firms nationwide. We work with large, multi-practice, national law firms, regionally-based mid-sized firms with a staff of 25-250 lawyers, and also with law firms who have fewer than 25 attorneys, handling publicity needs, crisis communications, and marketing support. Our clients are thought-leaders in an unlimited number of areas pertinent to law and business, and are quoted as sources in top media outlets as well as the trade publications that reach their clients and prospects. We arrange these interviews, as well as bylined article placement and speaking engagements, all with the goal of raising a firm's or lawyer's visibility and positively impacting the firm's business development goals. Our public relations team has law firm pr expertise and pr agency expertise, and when I hire additional staff I look for media specialists who understand the nuances of promoting lawyers. Jaffe is set up as a virtual consultancy. Originally based in Washington, D.C., Jaffe became a fully virtual company several years ago, so that each employee works from his or her home office, but in a collaborative, team environment of people who are serious about doing the highest quality pr work.

Q. How did the concept of a "virtual consultancy" first come about?
Our founder and president, Jay M. Jaffe, read an article in Business Week magazine about virtual companies about 15 years ago. He began thinking about how he could turn a business consultancy into a virtual business.

Q. Your associates seem to be located all over North America. While the idea of being able to work from 'wherever' is quite attractive, how do you manage to build a sense of camaraderie?
We stay "connected" by the use of technology including phone, email, IM and text messaging. We conference call a great deal and use Webex for staff meetings. We also see each other at company retreats, and during client visits to various cities nationwide. I'm based in New York and New Jersey, but if I travel to the Midwest, or anywhere else, I visit with my staff. Likewise, when my staff visits clients in New York or the northeast, we get together.

Q. Do most of your associates find you or do you recruit?
A combination of both. Many candidates are attracted to the concept of working from a home office. The most suitable candidate is first and foremost someone who understands the complexities of doing law firm PR, and has superior media relations skills. Working from home requires discipline and self-motivation, of course, but we still work as a team and therefore the ability to collaborate with colleagues is immensely important. We continue to grow, so I am always interested in hearing from public relations professionals who might fit well with Jaffe.

Q. What is the biggest challenge in working this way?
From a management perspective, the biggest challenge is ensuring that the staff feels connected. I make every effort to engage the staff in the same types of meetings and communications that would occur in an office environment. We can't peek in over each other's cubicles, but we can use IM to stay in contact. Another challenge is knowing when to "leave the office" - because the convenience of working at home also includes a feeling that work is always "on".

Q: Do you maintain a 'virtual' relationship with clients or is it more 'hands-on'? Are the clients immediately comfortable with the concept or does it take some salesmanship?
Clients seem to be very comfortable with the concept today, although it was more difficult in the beginning. The relationships are a combination of hands on and totally virtual. For some clients we establish an on-site office and we're able to "walk the halls" as needed. Other clients are entirely comfortable communicating by email and phone, as they know we are reachable at any time, whether by cell or Blackberry.

Q: You focus on the legal profession. How did that come about? Do you ever handle firms in other fields?
When the rules changed about lawyer and law firm promotion in 1977, Jay Jaffe saw an opportunity and went for it. Since that time, Jaffe Associates has focused on doing PR and marketing for law firms. We do, however, handle many other types of businesses but we are very selective to make sure that we can properly serve them. We do a lot of crisis communication work as it relates to high profile lawsuits.

Q: The legal profession presents an interesting dichotomy. Lawyers are often reviled while at the same time being revered. What problem does that present in promoting your clients?
While the lawyer jokes will never go away, and trust me, we know them all, neither will the need for people to use lawyers for simple business transactions to the most complex litigations. Plus, journalists rely on lawyers to help them analyze complicated legal and business issues for their readers, and we are valued for providing solid, reliable sources to journalists not only through our direct pitching but through our weekly legal news feed www.JLNS.com (Jaffe Legal News Service).

Q: Your website proclaims, "we will not accept new business if we cannot ensure results or if the client is not committed to seeking a new level of success." Can you give an example or two of rejecting or dropping a client? (No names, of course, just the circumstances.)
I recall one situation where we ended a relationship with a client who had been verbally abusive to a Jaffe staff member. In addition, we have rejected bidding on many requests for proposals because we just haven't felt as if the firms were truly serious about public relations. When a firm is ready to get serious, we're ready to work together. Public relations is a team effort and requires a commitment.

Q: The site also says, "It has got to be fun or we'll stop doing it." What constitutes 'fun'?

Fun means work that brings a smile to your face and a sense that you have accomplished something for your client or for yourself. If it ever gets to be drudgery we shouldn't be doing it. Fun is also the camaraderie amongst our staff, despite the virtual nature of our offices.