Branding for Family Law Firms

No matter where you are, your family law firm likely has a lot of competition. Even the mid-size city of Columbus, Ohio has over 400 family law attorneys registered with the state bar. Albuquerque, New Mexico has nearly 300.

So how can your firm stand out? With good branding.

For a law practice, branding means setting yourself apart from other firms while still conveying your professionalism. A comprehensive approach involves messaging, design and marketing.

Branding is closely related to positioning, so we'll cover both topics in this article. Branding tends to focus more on the visual and emotional elements of your firm's public face, while positioning is more about communicating unique strengths.

Choosing a brand identity

Before you get too far into branding, get input from your clients or potential clients. Even talking to a handful of people will pay off.

Ask them questions like:

• What is the most important factor to you when choosing a family law attorney?
• How do you compare family law attorneys?
• What have you seen family law firms do that you have liked (or not liked)?

For existing clients, you can add questions like:

• What made you choose us?
• What have you liked most about working with us?

Also, gather information about your current and ideal clients. Do you tend to attract younger clients? Do you want to focus on clients from a certain region?

All this will help you identify your firm's strengths. The strengths might be innate to your firm, like a small size and ability to give individualized attention, or they might be chosen strengths, like a specialization in high-conflict cases.

Here are some possible angles for a family law brand to focus on:

• Clients of a certain gender or clients who speak a particular language
• Affordability
• Compassionate environment
• Unbundled services
• Years of experience
• Mediation
• Collaborative law
• Domestic violence
• Divorcing a narcissist

You can combine multiple elements in your brand. For instance, you might position yourself as experienced yet affordable, or compassionate and focused on women.

For help with the process of choosing a brand, you might turn to a marketing agency. An agency can help you with market research, defining your strengths and dreaming up multiple brand options.

Implementing your new brand

Once you've chosen your brand, it's time to act.

Branding and positioning your family law firm might involve:

• Logo
• Website
• Business cards
• Office decor
• Email campaigns
• Advertising
• Public relations
• Sponsorships
• Social media
• Blog
• Podcast
• Staff training
• Setting appropriate fees

The key is to communicate your brand consistently in all your messaging, whether visual or verbal. You should even stick to the brand in less tangible ways, like how you interact with clients and present yourself in court.

Again, a marketing agency can help with this, but many smaller firms handle branding on their own.

Family law firm branding examples

For inspiration, here are six family law firms with top-notch branding. Each one has a robust, sophisticated website, the cornerstone of branding these days.

Modern Law

The name, the black-and-white website, Attorney Billie Tarascio's leather jacket — it all communicates that Modern Law is forward-thinking.

Cordell & Cordell

Cordell & Cordell is consistent in its branding as a family law firm for men, from its phone number (866-DADS-LAW) to imagery featuring men and even a secondary website, mensrights.com.

Vacca Family Law Group

The simple writing style and prominent attorney photos from Vacca Family Law Group convey that this is a friendly, helpful place — perfect for a firm focused on collaborative law.

YLaw

YLaw markets itself as different from the competition by featuring entertaining photos, highlighting its awards and cases won, and being upfront about each attorney's hourly rate. It also emphasizes that it does not offer free consultations because its services are worth paying for.

Thompson Family Firm

Thompson Family Firm describes itself as an "intimate, boutique" firm, and it sticks to that concept with stylish photography and glamorous web design.

Simple Texas Divorce

Coker, Robb & Cannon, Family Lawyers is the firm behind Simple Texas Divorce, a modern site focused on unbundled services for uncontested divorce. With an online application to get started and uncomplicated web design, it keeps the focus on "simple."

Back up your branding with smooth processes

Branding gets clients in the door, but it can't keep them satisfied on its own. You'll need to deliver on your promises with smooth processes and thorough service.

Custody X Change helps you do this for your custody and visitation clients.

With Custody X Change, family law professionals can:

• Create visual custody schedules



• Calculate parenting time precisely



• Build detailed parenting plans quickly



• Collaborate with clients and colleagues



• And much more

Impress your clients and make your work easier with Custody X Change.