Funny Lawyer Ads
by Glen R. Graham, Attorney at Law, Tulsa, OK (918) 583-4621
As an attorney with over 25 years experience practicing law, I have seen some funny advertisements for lawyers or by lawyers. I have laughed at the humor and sometimes shook my head in disbelief! Lawyers are like cats and very independent and sometimes playful, funny, and/or serious. Their ads are amusing and funny and full of marketing pitches.
Some advertisements by lawyers say the lawyer is "honest and aggressive." Don't most people assume that the lawyer is "honest?" Have the reputations of lawyers sunk so low that now lawyers have to advertise that they are "honest?" Is it really a selling point or good marketing strategy to claim to be more "honest" than other lawyers? Indirectly, is the lawyer thereby indicating that other lawyers are not honest? Does such advertising indirectly perpetuate negative stereo-types and diminish the image of the profession?
Aggressiveness in a lawyer is not necessarily a good quality either. I think intelligence and firmness or strength of spirit might be more important qualities than "aggressiveness." Yet, some lawyers advertise that they are "aggressive" as if to imply that other lawyers are wishy-washy unprincipled fools who do not have the strength of their convictions to stand up for what they believe. Lawyers advertising "aggressiveness" often do not define by what they mean by aggression. Does aggressiveness imply that they are disrespectful to Judges and other attorneys and to their own clients? It makes you wonder, doesn't it?
What qualities should people seek in a good lawyer? Intelligence, friendliness, ability to communicate effectively, experience, knowledge of the law, compassion, technical and professional competence, reputation, trial experience, negotiation skills, eye contact, personal and professional qualities that produce good results, other factors? Shouldn't a person have a right to expect that their lawyer is "honest" without the lawyer advertising that he or she is "honest?"
What does the advertisement by the lawyer indirectly say about that lawyer's own attitudes?
No comments:
Post a Comment