Law Firm PR: 14 Things That Are (Almost) Never a Story

For a recent attorney media training session, we developed an interactive exercise: Is it news? Lawyers would be asked to decide if various proposed stories would secure a reporter’s attention. 

In preparation, we asked our team to share examples of story ideas that law firms often believe are media-worthy, but (how can I put this politely?) don’t align with what journalists consider newsworthy.

The Slack thread exploded with examples. Apparently, there is a lot of stored trauma in legal PR.

So in the spirit of therapy — and education — here are 14 things that are almost never a story.

Almost.

Because, as with most things in PR, nuance matters.

Before we go further: What actually makes the news?

Many announcements are meaningful milestones for a firm. The question isn’t whether they matter. The question is whether they meet the threshold of independent news coverage.

“Important to us” does not automatically equal “newsworthy to an external audience.”

Journalists typically evaluate stories against a few consistent criteria:

• Timing — Is it actually new?
• Relevance — Does it materially affect the journalist’s audience?
• Conflict — Is there a problem, tension or risk at the center?
• Novelty — Does this deviate from normal events?

If a story doesn’t clear at least one of those bars, it’s unlikely to generate coverage.

That said, if something isn’t news, that doesn’t mean it isn’t valuable. It simply belongs in a different channel — your website, LinkedIn, alumni publications, client alerts or internal communications.

1. “We promoted six attorneys to partner.”

Why firms think it’s news: It’s a significant internal milestone that reflects growth and talent development.

Why it usually isn’t: Partner promotions happen every year across most firms. There’s no inherent conflict, external impact or deviation from the norm.

Where it can work: Legal trade publications often run promotion roundups, which makes this type of announcement relevant within the legal community — just not to general business or mainstream outlets. Law360, for example, publishes a quarterly promotions list of partner-level promotions or new roles in the last 90 days (with a few exceptions). You can submit yours through this form, though note that they only take submissions within defined quarterly windows (i.e., they solicit Q1 promotions at the start of Q2, Q2 at the start of Q3, etc.).  

City-specific legal publications frequently cover these announcements as well. In many markets, local legal newspapers and bar-focused publications (such as the Jacksonville Daily Record) routinely publish partner promotion updates because they serve a defined legal audience.

Many local business journals also offer “People on the Move” listings. While these used to be free, most now operate as paid placements. They can still serve a visibility purpose, particularly for recruiting and regional awareness, but firms should understand the distinction between earned editorial coverage and sponsored announcements. If you know you will have quite a few promotions or new hires to announce in a given year, it’s often worth it to reach out to their business development team to ask about a package deal and save a bit. 

College, university and law school alumni publications frequently publish promotion updates as well because that’s part of their mission: keeping alumni informed and connected. These are known as “Class Notes,” and you can often submit through a portal on the alumni site or by sending a release to someone in the alumni office.

But mainstream business coverage? That’s unlikely to stem from a promotion announcement — unless it involves a high-profile leadership role (think changing-of-the-guard for a BigLaw managing partner), first-of-its-kind milestone or broader industry shift. Context can make a big difference — and you need to communicate it clearly to get a reporter or editor’s attention.

2. “We hired six new associates.”

If partner promotions are rarely standalone stories, associate hiring is even less so.

From a newsroom perspective, this is routine operational activity. Firms hire associates every year. There’s no inherent conflict, novelty or broader market consequence.

It may (emphasis on MAY) be included in legal trade roundups. It may support recruiting. But on its own, it does not meet the bar for broader coverage.

These announcements can become relevant when they signal something larger: expansion in response to regulatory change, aggressive hiring during a downturn, or strategic investment in a growth sector.

When hiring reflects a broader trend, it becomes part of a story. Without that context, it’s just staffing. Don’t let that keep you from announcing it on your website and social media channels, however. That kind of announcement has other uses, from demonstrating a commitment to diversity to showing future first-year associates your firm is growing and investing in the next generation. Also consider this an opportunity to get creative with design elements, such as animated social media graphics or short videos featuring the new team members.

3. “It’s our 10th / 20th / 50th anniversary.”

By all means — celebrate it. Anniversaries are meaningful. They signal longevity, stability and institutional memory. They matter to your attorneys, your alumni and your clients. They deserve recognition, which could take multiple forms:

• Create an anniversary logo
• Publish a dedicated page on your website or a microsite with historical photos
• Tell stories about the firm’s founding and pivotal moments
• Create website content, social media posts or a video series focused on landmark cases and noteworthy deals, in addition to pro bono and community initiatives from the firm’s history to demonstrate how you’ve given back
• Highlight the lawyers who built key practice areas
• Host an event, such as an anniversary open house or a series of CLEs and panels focused on future trends in your core practice areas

Just don’t expect the anniversary itself to generate a news story.

Longevity alone does not create conflict, urgency or external relevance. A reporter’s audience isn’t inherently invested in how long your firm has existed.

The story becomes stronger when tied to something larger, such as:

• A major strategic shift
• A landmark case that reshaped an industry
• A merger or geographic expansion
• Measurable market impact over time
• A meaningful evolution in the firm’s focus or model
• A substantial philanthropic or community initiative

The story isn’t: “We’ve been around for 20 years.”

It’s: “Over 20 years, this firm helped redefine X.”

Milestones alone aren’t news. However, milestones tied to broader consequences can be.

4. “We opened a new office.”

Yes, opening an office is a new development. But that alone is not sufficient for news coverage.

Ask the questions a journalist would when deciding whether to write the story:

• Does this disrupt a market?
• Is it further evidence of firms moving into a particular area (signalling a trend)?
• Does it follow a major merger?
• Does it signal entry into a strategically important sector?
• Does it reflect a broader trend in legal services?

If not, it’s likely routine geographic expansion. Growth without implication is logistics, and reporters treat it as such.

However, there are times when expansion crosses the line into news.

A good example comes from a family law firm in Michigan that recently expanded from Traverse City into Grand Rapids. The coverage didn’t just note the geography — it tied the move to strategic growth in an important regional market and framed it as part of the firm’s broader service commitment. That made the expansion relevant to readers beyond just the announcement itself.

The lesson is: Journalists care about impact — on clients, communities, competitive dynamics — not just square footage or new signage.

Without external relevance, an office opening belongs in channels you control — your website, LinkedIn, email newsletters and targeted outreach to clients and referral networks.

5. “We launched a new website.”

(or)

“We refreshed our brand.”

New logo. New colors. New tagline.

New photography. New copy. New navigation.

To the firm? This is the culmination of months of strategy, vendor calls, internal alignment and budget approvals.

But to a reporter? It’s a design update.

Website launches and brand refreshes feel significant because they require real investment and effort. But effort alone doesn’t translate into newsworthiness.

Unless:

• There’s a merger driving the rebrand
• The change reflects a clear or dramatic strategic pivot
• It signals a meaningful market repositioning or is part of significant growth
• The website supports a larger transformation in the firm’s model or focus

That doesn’t mean it isn’t important. It absolutely is — for recruiting, client perception, market positioning and internal pride. It just belongs in different channels:

• Your website’s news section
• LinkedIn (especially from firm leadership)
• Firm email signatures encouraging recipients to check out the new website and branding

Reporters cover changes that affect the market — not aesthetic upgrades. If the story is truly about strategic evolution, lead with that, with the rebrand as an example of the change. If it’s about better user experience and updated messaging, celebrate it where you control the narrative.

6. “We’ve been recognized in Chambers, Benchmark Litigation, Best Lawyers, etc.”

Law firm awards and rankings matter. They support credibility and business development. They are not, on their own, media stories.

Legal trades may cover rankings seasonally. Business outlets generally view awards as validation rather than news events.

The leverage is in proposals, positioning and client communications — not in pitching rankings as breaking news.

7. “We achieved a meaningful settlement… but can’t share details.”

This is one of the most common frustrations in law firm PR.

Without dollar figures, regulatory implications, new precedent-setting case law, named parties or broader industry impact, there is no story for a journalist to evaluate.

We get it. Confidentiality is a real concern for any law firm, but so is the media’s need for specifics.

A favorable settlement is meaningful internally. It becomes news when it has broader implications.

If the matter reflects an enforcement trend, introduces a novel legal argument or involves a high-profile issue, that’s different.

Otherwise, it may be better suited for:

• A news item on the website
• A deeper website case study with anonymized client information
• An update to the representative matters bio sections for relevant attorneys
• A client alert promoting the case study, particularly if there is other actionable content in the same issue
• An award nomination
• A LinkedIn post

8. “We do Big Law work at midsize rates.”

This positioning may be accurate. It may resonate deeply with clients. But on its own, it is not newsworthy. There is no conflict, novelty or external impact. No reporter worth his or her journalism degree is going to salivate over a pitch that reads “We do the same work but cheaper.” 

Instead, it’s branding. It belongs on your website, in proposals and in business development conversations — not in a media pitch.

It does become interesting when it reflects a broader market shift. If you can point to measurable migration of work, public commentary from general counsel or visible competitive positioning across the market, then the story becomes about industry change — not your pricing model.

In recent years, many midsize firms have leaned into this message in response to mounting client frustration with escalating Big Law pricing. As general counsel face increased cost scrutiny and pressure to demonstrate value, conversations around rate structures, staffing models and efficiency have intensified. The dynamic has created a real marketing opportunity for midsize firms willing to frame their value proposition within a larger industry narrative.

The media angle is not: “Our rates are better.”

It’s: “Clients are redefining value in high-stakes legal work.”

Similarly, firms of all sizes have gotten creative with how they charge for their work, including alternative fee arrangements and other pricing structures. If your firm is doing something truly novel or transformational, that might be worth a story if it’s placed within the broader context of growth, an expanded client base, entering a new market that demands flexibility, or luring away work from firms with more traditional fee approaches. 

One conversation we know firms are having right now is how to bill in the era of AI, when, in theory, repeatable tasks are increasingly automated. If your firm can put a stake in the ground regarding that, you might just have a story that will interest reporters, particularly those with legal trades. 

9. “Our managing partner is all over [insert hot national issue].”

This is likely best suited as a bylined article pitch or as a media source on business of law trends — and those require credibility, timing and a clear audience hook.

• Is the managing partner directly involved in litigation, investigation or regulatory action tied to the topic?
• Do they have a documented track record in this area?
• Have they handled similar matters recently?
• Can they offer analysis beyond what is already obvious?

This is exactly where positioning attorneys as go-to experts becomes powerful.

If your managing partner truly has deep experience in the issue — has litigated related cases, advised clients on the regulatory implications or published meaningful analysis — then the strategy shifts. Instead of pitching “our managing partner has thoughts,” you position them as a knowledgeable, responsive source for reporters covering that beat.

The goal isn’t to chase headlines. It’s to become a reliable expert journalists call when the story breaks.

10. “Our bonuses are the highest in the industry.”

This one is nuanced.

Compensation stories do get coverage, particularly in legal press and outlets like Above the Law. But understand the audience and the framing. These stories are often competitive, comparative and occasionally gossip-driven. They primarily serve lawyers and recruiting conversations — not clients.

However, there are strategic exceptions.

For certain firms, high compensation is central to their positioning. If a firm’s brand is built around hiring elite trial talent, competing at the very top of the market and winning high-stakes cases — and if its revenue model supports that narrative (for example, contingency-based litigation rather than hourly billing) — then compensation announcements can reinforce a carefully constructed reputation.

But for many firms operating in an environment where clients scrutinize hourly rates and push for cost discipline, aggressively publicizing high bonuses can create tension with broader client messaging. This is where positioning matters.

Before pursuing compensation coverage, firms should ask:

• Does this reinforce how we want to be perceived?
• Does it align with how we price our services?
• Will clients view this as a strength — or as fuel for fee negotiations?

The same announcement can be strategic for one firm and counterproductive for another.

Another wrinkle is that this is the kind of news that will leak. So, if your bonuses or salaries are lower than the average or have dropped for some reason, it might be worth developing a holding statement or two to explain why. In this case, reporters will likely come calling for context, and you want to tell the story for yourself.

11. “We launched a new practice area.”

On its own, this is rarely news. Firms expand capabilities all the time. What matters to your partners may not matter to a newsroom — unless there’s a broader reason a reporter and their audience should care.

Here are real examples of practice area launches that did generate coverage — and why:

• A Philadelphia firm opened a South Jersey office with a renewed focus on regional growth and client access, illustrating a broader shift in how law firms are repositioning geographically.
• A New Jersey firm launched a dedicated bankruptcy practice in Delaware, a jurisdiction at the center of major corporate restructuring work, signaling a response to a regional legal demand.
• A St. Louis firm added a college sports/NIL practice, tapping into a rapidly expanding legal market driven by new name, image and likeness (NIL) realities in collegiate athletics.
• In Maine, a firm brought on entertainment counsel to launch a related practice, underscoring the growth of the region’s creative industries and entertainment work.
• A D.C.-area firm launched a fertility law practice with the return of a partner, tying the announcement to broader social, regulatory and healthcare trends.
• A Florida firm debuted a cybersecurity and AI practice, aligning with explosive demand in technology risk and regulatory complexity.

What these examples have in common is that they are not just new capabilities — they are responses to observable shifts in client need, regulatory change or sector growth. That’s what makes them interesting beyond your firm’s walls.

In other words:

• A new practice area becomes a pitchable story when it signals something larger about the legal market, not just that your firm has added a capability.
• It becomes relevant when reporters can connect it to trends, demand signals or consequences for clients and competitors.
• It becomes compelling when it helps tell a story about why the legal landscape is changing.

Routine internal expansion doesn’t have that weight. But strategic expansion absolutely can, especially when it intersects with broader economic or regulatory shifts.

12. “Our people are our difference.”

(or)

“Our firm culture is amazing.”

This one is near and dear to every firm’s heart.

• “Our people are what set us apart.”
• “We have a collaborative, entrepreneurial culture.”
• “Our team is the secret to our success.”

All of that may be true. But it’s positioning — not a story.

Firm culture is incredibly important for recruiting, retention and morale. It absolutely belongs on your website, your careers page and your LinkedIn feed. It shows up in proposals and Chambers submissions. It does not, by itself, belong in a media pitch. Reporters aren’t covering internal affirmations.

Unless your culture intersects with something larger — a broader workplace trend, policy or compensation shift, structural change in how law firms operate or a novel talent model that challenges industry norms — it’s internal storytelling, not public-interest news.

The same applies to broad positioning language like “our people are our difference.” Every firm says that. For it to become news, you must demonstrate it in action, through market impact, data, conflict or consequence. Otherwise, it’s brand messaging, which belongs in the channels you control.

13. “A new law is taking effect in 90 days.”

This one is potentially a story. But “a law is taking effect” is not automatically news.

Start with the basics:

• Is it actually new — or was it passed months ago and already widely reported?
• Has the effective date been known for a long time?
• Does it materially affect a clearly defined audience?
• Is there urgency, confusion or real risk for businesses?
• Can you provide analysis and context for a broader audience?

If the answer to those questions is yes, you may have something.

If the law creates immediate compliance pressure, financial exposure or operational disruption, reporters might require expert sources to help their audiences understand what to do next. That’s where law firm PR can be highly effective — positioning attorneys as practical guides through uncertainty.

When it’s not news:

• The law was signed months ago and already covered extensively
• The effective date has long been known
• It’s routine, technical or incremental
• There’s no clear external impact
• There’s no uncertainty that needs clarifying, such as whether pending litigation against the new law will delay enforcement

In those cases, the opportunity may be a client alert, webinar or LinkedIn post — not a reporter pitch.

The teaching point here is critical: The story is rarely “a law is taking effect.” Instead, the story is “what this means for the people affected.”

Translate statutory language into consequence, and you move from internal update to external story. 

14. “The DOJ announces an investigation into a major public company’s pricing practices.”

We thought we’d sneak one in that actually is newsworthy — just to keep you reading.

However, the DOJ announcement itself is the news. Your firm is not breaking that story.

Unless you represent the company (and are authorized to comment), your opportunity here is not a press release. It’s commentary.

Why this works:

• It’s a new development.
• There’s a clear conflict.
• It has potential financial and regulatory consequences.
• It affects a broad audience beyond the firm.

But here’s the key shift in law firm PR: The pitch is not “our firm has thoughts.” The pitch is: 

• “What this investigation signals for other companies.”
• “Whether this reflects an emerging enforcement trend.”
• “How regulators are interpreting pricing practices.”
• “What compliance teams should be doing right now.”

In other words, you translate the event into audience impact. If your attorneys can provide informed, timely analysis — ideally grounded in prior experience handling similar matters — they become valuable expert sources.

If not, you’re just adding noise to a story the DOJ already announced. (And reporters have plenty of noise.)

Even if it’s newsworthy, ask this

Clearing the newsroom bar isn’t the final test. Sometimes something is objectively newsworthy — it’s new, it involves conflict, it affects a defined audience. A reporter would likely take the call.

But law firm PR isn’t just about whether you can get coverage. It’s about whether you should.

Before pitching a story, consider:

• Does publicizing this help — or complicate — other representations we’re handling?
• Is there political or regulatory sensitivity surrounding this matter?
• Does the client prefer discretion, even if details are technically public?
• Does this reinforce the practice areas we want to grow — or distract from them?

For example, a high-profile defense win might generate attention. But if your firm is simultaneously courting institutional clients who are risk-averse, how will that coverage be perceived? Could it inadvertently raise questions about your discretion or approach to client confidentiality?

A politically charged matter might attract national press. But will that exposure align with your long-term positioning?

Not every piece of coverage strengthens your brand. Some stories create friction, confusion or unintended consequences. Strategic law firm PR requires looking beyond “Can we get coverage?” and asking: “Does this advance the narrative we’re building?”

One last thing from someone who’s been doing this a while

Let’s be honest. There are slow news days: those quiet Fridays in August, or the weeks between major Supreme Court decisions and legislative battles.

And yes — sometimes something gets published, and even seasoned PR pros think: “That’s not news.”

I’ve been in PR for nearly 30 years. I’ve seen stories land that surprised me. I’ve seen minor announcements make it into reputable outlets. I’ve seen something I would never have pitched show up in print. It happens.

But here’s the key distinction: An occasional pickup during a slow cycle is not a strategy. Building a reputation on consistent, consequential storytelling is.

Ready to turn “not news” into real visibility?

If this post made you rethink what qualifies as a story, you’re already ahead of most firms.

The next step is understanding what does work — and how to build a strategic, repeatable law firm PR program that generates third-party validation, strengthens your positioning and supports business development.

In Law Firm PR: The Definitive Guide to Getting Your Firm Noticed, we break down:

• How to think like a reporter (so your pitches land)
• When to use press releases — and when not to
• How to build media relationships that compound over time
• The difference between reactive announcements and proactive visibility
• How PR and content marketing work together to elevate your firm’s reputation

Whether you’re a law firm marketer looking to sharpen your media strategy or a managing partner who wants to understand how PR truly drives credibility, this guide walks you through the fundamentals — and the nuances.

Learn how PR helps law firms earn coverage and build credibility.

Download the guide