Legal disputes no longer play out only in courtrooms. In today’s fast-moving, media-driven environment, public perception can shape outcomes long before a judge or jury weighs in.
That reality was the focus of a recent luncheon keynote delivered by Evan Nierman, Founder and CEO of strategic communications firm Red Banyan, to Florida business law attorneys at The Business Law Section of The Florida Bar 2026 Winter Meeting in Port Charlotte. His message was clear: reputation is no longer peripheral to legal strategy. It is central to it.
The Two Courtrooms Attorneys Must Manage
Court of Law
Driven by evidence, facts, procedure, precedent
Court of Public Opinion
Driven by perception, emotion, narrative, speed
These systems now operate in parallel. While legal processes move deliberately, public narratives form quickly and can apply real pressure to clients, firms, regulators, and stakeholders. Once perception hardens into narrative, it becomes far more difficult to change.
Why Public Relations Is a Legal Strategy
Public relations is often misunderstood as promotion. In practice, PR is about powering and protecting reputation when it matters most.
How strategic PR helps attorneys:
- Reduces reputational risk before issues escalate
- Communicates decisively during client crises
- Maintains credibility in high-pressure situations
- Shapes the environment surrounding litigation or investigations
When handled proactively, PR becomes leverage that helps attorneys shape litigation outcomes.
Where Law Firms Lose Reputation
Most reputational damage does not stem from bad actors. It stems from bad moments handled poorly.
Common flashpoints include:
- Client disputes or litigation spillover
- Partner or employee misconduct
- Internal culture or billing issues
- Tone-deaf or delayed public statements
In a high-speed, low-context digital environment, content is permanent and commentary can snowball. Silence is rarely neutral. When firms do not speak, others often define the story for them.
What It Really Means to “Press the Truth”
Pressing the truth means being forward-thinking, assertive, and strategic in how you communicate. It is the difference between letting events and speculation define the narrative and taking control of it.
In high-stakes situations, passivity is costly. Delays allow misconceptions to harden into perceived facts that can spread quickly across media and online platforms. Pressing the truth cuts through the noise by delivering accurate information with confidence and clarity, ensuring your story reaches the audiences that matter.
This approach is about providing context, defending reputation, and engaging proactively before others define the narrative for you.
Ethical PR for Attorneys
Public communications by lawyers must operate within professional and ethical boundaries, including trial publicity and advertising rules.
Strategic PR respects these guardrails. When executed correctly, it reinforces credibility rather than risking it, allowing attorneys to communicate responsibly while protecting clients and firm reputation.
Building Reputation Before It Is Tested
Consistent thought leadership, speaking engagements, media engagement, and deliberate visibility establish trust over time. These efforts support business development and talent attraction, but they also serve as protective assets when scrutiny increases.
Firms with established credibility are better positioned to withstand public pressure.
Why Reputation Now Shapes Legal Success
The modern legal landscape is interconnected and unforgiving of hesitation. Attorneys who treat reputation as a strategic asset are better equipped to protect clients, manage crises, and succeed both inside and outside the courtroom.
Contact Red Banyan or schedule your free consultation to learn more about how we can help power your reputation and support your litigation an impactful media strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions about PR for Attorneys
Q: Why does reputation matter in legal matters today?
A: During active litigation, negative public perception can influence negotiations, regulatory scrutiny, employee morale, client confidence, and long-term outcomes for companies and individuals before legal decisions are reached. Even if the legal case resolves successfully, the reputational damage sustained during litigation can be severe and irreversible. This is why it is crucial to invest in public relations during such times.
Q: Is legal PR just for crisis situations?
A: No. Crisis response is only one phase. Planning, prevention, and reputation-building are equally important.
Q: Can attorneys use PR ethically?
A: No — crisis response is just one phase of legal PR. Strategic communications also includes planning, prevention, and long-term reputation-building. The most effective legal PR work happens before there’s a crisis, when firms and individuals proactively shape public perception, strengthen credibility, and reduce reputational risk through messaging discipline, media strategy, and stakeholder engagement.
Q: How does PR strengthen legal outcomes?
A: By shaping the narrative environment surrounding a matter, PR can reduce public and media pressure that might otherwise influence legal decision-making or stakeholder behavior. It helps preserve trust with clients, employees, partners, and the court of public opinion — all of which can impact how a case is perceived, covered, and ultimately resolved. Strategic PR doesn’t interfere with the legal process — it reinforces it by managing external perception and protecting long-term reputational value.
