Niche Specialization for Lawyers
In a dynamic legal industry where today’s demand for efficiency and the need to stand out competitively are higher than ever, firms must find alternatives to capture new business. Refining your firm’s focus and narrowing in on a specialized area of practice can help you gain a competitive edge along with greater efficiencies and credibility.
Five years ago, my law firm made the leap of faith. We changed the name of the law firm from Gursten, Koltonow, Gursten, Christensen and Raitt, to “Michigan Auto Law.” Five years later, this decision has turned out to be one of the most important decisions we’ve ever made. Here are some of the lessons we learned.
What’s in a Name?
Almost all law firm names are a series of last names of founding partners. But unless you are one of the very few law firms in America spending a fortune on television, and perhaps radio and Yellow Pages, these names mean nothing to the average person on the street nor what areas of law you practice within. Last names also do nothing to distinguish or separate yourself from any other lawyer.
Michigan Auto Law was very different. Someone who glances at our website or business card knows immediately what type of law we practice. And that glance immediately differentiates our lawyers from competitors. Perhaps most important, it conveys that our law firm has deep subject matter knowledge and expertise.
Choosing a “dba” that clearly states the type of law you practice can distinguish you from other law firms, even other law firms that practice within the same area.
Marketing in the 21st Century and the Google Age
Advertising legal services as a generalist isn’t only confusing to human beings, it’s confusing for Internet search engines as well. In the Internet age, niche specialization makes it easier for web crawlers and search engines to understand exactly what area of law you practice, just like it does for people.
A clearly stated area of practice- well-supported by content that’s thematically relevant and consistent – makes it easy for the search engines to understand and index your website. This in turn improves how high your website shows up in search results, driving more traffic to your website and more incoming calls to your office.
Our firm’s decision to specialize was rewarded by increased traffic and new clients coming. What had at one time been just one more unremarkable personal injury lawyer website became top in rankings for important keywords like auto accidents and truck accidents.
Other Advantages of Niche Specialization
Additional benefits to niche specialization, in addition to Internet marketing, include:
Persuasiveness and credibility -The more narrow your niche, the easier it is to establish yourself as the authority in that area of law and for people to perceive you immediately as an expert .
Recognition – Lawyers are more likely to refer cases to you if you specialize. Your chances of being contacted by media as a source for comments will increase. You will more likely be asked to speak at legal seminars on your area of expertise.
Increased efficiency. By focusing on only one type of law, your firm will be able to build an extensive document library and work product database that covers specific cases – routine and not routine. The more you specialize, the more you will develop in-depth knowledge about your area of the law.
Reduction of costs - Today, with only a few words typed in your document management system, attorneys can quickly find work product on almost every conceivable issue related to your niche area of law – from motions in limine filed in past trials to unusual lien situations.
Better use of forms – Niche specialization allows attorneys and staff to create interrogatories, motions and form documents quickly.
Better division of labor – Specializing allows lawyers to create systems and “go-to” people to add increased efficiencies. With proper division of labor, complex tasks become easy to break down into simple tasks, which in turn become easy for staff to accomplish.
As you consider your future, consider narrowing the range of services you offer. Choose carefully and make sure the geographical area you practice in can support a niche practice, or be prepared to travel. The more narrow your niche — the more effective your marketing and Internet advertising will become.
Steven M. Gursten is a partner of Michigan Auto Law and is recognized as one of the nation’s top experts in serious car accident and truck accident injury cases as well as Michigan No-Fault insurance litigation. Michigan Auto Law recovered the top-reported car accident or truck verdict in 2008, 2009 and 2010, according to Michigan Lawyers Weekly.
You can read more on Steve’s Michigan Auto Lawyers Blog, follow him on Twitter as @MichiganAutoLaw or become a fan on his Michigan Auto Law Facebook page.
August 16th, 2011 at 1:36 pm
I’m not clear how this qualifies as niche marketing. A niche is defined by narrow but deep domain expertise, and the scarcity of practitioners. PI is neither, and a name change does not a niche make.
Notwithstanding, it’s a good case study of how to differentiate based on keywords and SEO.
One other big caveat: the Texas bar does not allow firms to incorporate or market under trade names. That might also be the case in other states.
August 16th, 2011 at 4:48 pm
[...] on the Avvo blog Monday, personal injury lawyer Steven Gursten wrote an unfortunate post about niche marketing for [...]