Are you looking to create impact and foster loyalty with those in your community? As the newer generations of clients demand that businesses take a stand on issues, now is the perfect time to give back. Find all the answers here.
Studies show social impact is where it’s at.
Today, people want to see law firms, and frankly, all businesses, go the extra mile; so how can you differentiate yourself from the rest? Through CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility. (We’ll delve into the details in the following chapter.)
Without a CSR plan, firms might run the risk of falling behind as the newer generations of consumers demand corporations take a stand on issues like race equity, the environment, mental health, and civic engagement.
On top of that, Law.com, a leading legal news, states lawyers also want to be a part of something bigger. They interviewed Kent Zimmermann, a consultant for Zeughauser Group, and he said,
“Put it this way, law firms are in a very competitive fight for talent, and the competition is greater than it’s been at any time in recent history,” Zimmermann said. “And a lot of the upcoming lawyers want to be part of something that’s bigger than themselves. They want to align with organizations that have values that they agree with. They want to align with organizations that stand for something.”
Before diving into creative ways, you can give back to your community, let’s quickly look into the elements of CSR.
What’s CSR and Why Should Firms Care?
CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility, is typically broken down into 4 categories known as Carroll’s Pyramid:
CSR also helps:
- Attract and retain top talent – People are keen on seeing brands focus on more than just profits, and your staff is no exception.
- Attract and retain clients – Besides retaining talent, you’ll enhance your credibility and loyalty.
- Improve your community – Business relationships can be fortified through community. Besides, getting involved will show you are above par.
- Improve your well-being – Ultimately, giving back means you’re also growing as a human being. It’ll positively impact your mental health, and ultimately, you’ll…
- Impact and change the trajectory of someone’s life (for the better)!
How to Attach Your Firm’s Name to Great Causes
The beauty behind all this is that there is no linear or ‘right way’ you can give back. We encourage you to think outside the box here!
In some of the following, you may subtly attach your name and brand behind it with your firm’s logo. (And honestly, you can brand any item!)
1. Be a mentor
Mentorship is a terrific way for law firms to get involved. With your accumulated knowledge, you can mentor at:
- Legal communities: Besides meeting other potential mentors, you can extend a helping hand to other legal professionals. The Law Community offers a virtual space to connect, mentor, and learn.
- Bar Associations: Join voluntary bar associations. According to LAWsome guest attorney Sean McQuaid, “It’s just a great opportunity to join these to give back to your community, get to know other lawyers, network, and learn a lot of what’s going on at your local bar.“
Learn Why Voluntary Bar Associations are Great for your Law Firm Here
- Legal mentoring associations: Do you want to help the next generation of lawyers? The NLMC, Legal Mentoring Consortium, offers legal mentoring associations.
2. Boost a non-profit
Do you want to volunteer outside the practice of law? Then you might want to consider volunteering at a non-profit close to your heart. You can search for different charities here, and if you want to be more specific, you can search for more local charities by state here.
3. Help legal authors
Many legal writers and editors are constantly researching a diverse range of topics, including rights management, copyright questions, defamation cases, legal updates, etc. Providing first-hand expertise is a win-win for both parties as the writer(s) may be able to attribute some credit or link back to your firm!
4. Host a Food Drive
Insufficient financial resources create the most challenges for households below the poverty line, and this is a universal problem. If you’d like to help, then host a food drive!
There are 2 types of food drives you can participate in:
- Find your local food bank here, collect donations for around 2 weeks, and drop off donations. You can also give away any other valuable branded items your firm creates, e.g., shirts, sweaters, and mugs.
- Host a virtual food drive here
5. Share your non-legal skills
Got any tricks up your sleeve? Time to show them! No matter what kind of skills you have, there’s a chance you can teach your local community for free.
Pro tip: If your skills are more technical, look out for any local events related to a career fair (and you might even end up mentoring others entering the practice of law!)
6. Participate in responsible waste management
This is a big one. Law firms aren’t necessarily known for their green thumb. In fact, a single lawyer can print up to 100,000 sheets of paper every year! But, if you begin a waste management program, you can showcase this on your website.
Although law firms deal with piles of confidential information, firms can begin a waste management program with the help of Software as a Service (SaaS) such as TIE Kinetix, which offers companies and governmental institutions electronic documentation.
There are other ways you can begin a waste management program:
- Adopt a block and host community activities e.g. food drives, clothing donations, neighborhood cleanups
- Adopt a recycling system in your office
7. Work for the public good, AKA – Pro Bono
Here are some fast facts related to Pro Bono:
In addition, firms can join the ABA Virtual Legal Clinic, where income-eligible clients post legal questions, and usually, pro bono attorneys provide answers.
8. Do your research!
There’s no limit to what you can do when it comes to community engagement and volunteering. You can also:
- Connect with other professionals on LinkedIn and check on the conversations different groups are partaking in. Pro tip: follow relevant hashtags like #CSR to keep up with the discussions around this topic.
- Contact or keep an eye on your local reporters and see what’s mentioned about your community.
Beyond the Billable Hour: The Value of Community Service for Law Firms
The life of an attorney is a busy one.
In the whirlwind of tending to client needs, preparing for trial, prepping contracts, and fretting over billable hours, it’s easy for even well-intentioned firms to lose sight of the bigger picture.
However, taking the time to engage in community service initiatives can have a significant impact, both on your firm’s marketing efforts and your overall sense of fulfillment. By giving back to your local community, you can not only help those in need but also showcase your firm’s commitment to social responsibility and differentiate yourself from your competitors.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the importance of community involvement for law firms, and how it can help you stay grounded, build relationships, and give back to society.
Why is Community Service so important?
It attracts socially-conscious clients
According to recent studies, 87% of consumers will purchase a product because a company advocated for an issue they cared about. As consumers become increasingly aware of social and environmental issues, they are looking for businesses that support the same causes they do.
By engaging in community service initiatives, law firms can not only showcase that they are actually a part of the community they’re serving but demonstrate their alignment with clients’ values.
It helps your firm’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts
From an SEO standpoint, community service can help improve a law firm’s search engine rankings by generating backlinks to their website from community organizations and local news outlets. These backlinks can increase the firm’s domain authority and make it easier for potential clients to find them online.
To be more specific, Google’s helpful content update to its algorithm reinforces Google’s #1 long-standing advice: create content for people first. In other words, create content that adds value. Instead of drowning a page with links and keywords just for the sake of it, it’s best to create content your specific audience wants to see.
Additionally, community service initiatives can provide valuable, locally-focused content that can drive organic search traffic to a law firm’s website. For example, if a law firm sponsors a local charity event, they can create blog posts, social media content, and other digital assets that highlight their involvement in the event. This content can help the firm rank higher for relevant local search terms.
It’s good for recruitment purposes
Here’s a little secret: attorneys who are job searching are paying close attention to your law firm’s website, looking for clues about your firm’s values and identity. Basically, job seekers are searching for your firm’s humanity in-between the lines of your website.
In an industry where many law firm websites can feel like faceless corporations, filled with vague corporate-speak, community service initiatives can make your firm more relatable and approachable.
By participating in community service, you can demonstrate that your firm is more than just a business – it’s a group of individuals who care about their community and want to make a positive impact. This can help attract job seekers who are looking for a firm with a strong sense of purpose.
It’s just what you should do
Let’s put aside the bottom-line benefits of community service for a minute. Without any other incentives, you should try to give back to your community simply because it’s the right thing to do.
As attorneys, we made a commitment to use our talents and resources to help society. And, many of us are in a fortunate enough social and financial position to give more than the average person might be capable of.
So for attorneys, community service isn’t just a clever marketing tactic – it’s a way for us to uphold our ethical obligations as legal professionals and show that we care about more than just our own interests.
How can you get involved?
If your firm has never engaged in community service as a whole firm before, it’s important to start by identifying your firm’s core values. What values do you want to uphold through your community service efforts?
This can be a collaborative process involving the entire firm, allowing everyone to contribute their ideas and opinions. Only after you’ve reflected on your firm values should you begin considering the different community service opportunities that align with those values.
You should also consider looking to peer firms and explore how they approach firm-wide community service. For example, one of our clients is particularly engaged in charitable community activities. They showcase their extensive involvement under a section on their website entitled “Giving Back”. Their involvement is extensive, ranging from community no-kill shelters to local college scholarships to other national foundations. You might be able to glean inspiration from similarly socially-conscious peer firms near you!
The possibilities are really endless. Find a cause (or a few causes) that resonate with your firm, and dedicate yourselves to them.
Are you in need of inspiration right now? Let’s see how other law firms are giving back.
Law firms that go above and beyond to serve their communities
Law firms are not only dedicated to providing legal services to their clients, but many also prioritize giving back to their communities.
Law Firms take immense pride in supporting the charitable and community activities that contribute to the livability of Gainesville and North Florida. For example, they established two enduring scholarships to commemorate the lives of two young women who were victims of wrongful death cases the firm resolved, in an effort to ensure their legacies endure in the community.
As an example, one of our firms, Disability Law Group, hosts a free community event where locals can receive free legal advice, free health screenings and more. What a way to extend a helping hand, take a look: 
And thanks to the fact that everything is trackable – it doesn’t end after campaigns are launched. This brings us to the next section, one of the most critical parts behind community involvement: tracking and measuring success.
Reminder: You can track your metrics!
Did you know that you can measure the marketing success of your community involvement? That’s the beauty behind legal digital assets.Through back-in plugins like Google Analytics, it’s possible to track metrics such as website traffic, page views, and engagement rates to evaluate the impact of your community involvement on your marketing efforts.
By monitoring these metrics, law firms can gain valuable insights into whether their community service initiatives are gaining SEO traction. 
Takeaways
Ultimately, community service is a valuable way for law firms to give back to their communities, build meaningful connections, and enhance their marketing efforts at the same time. So, if you haven’t already, consider making community service a part of your firm’s culture and watch the benefits roll in. After all, this could be the key differentiating factor your firm has been needing to not only acquire more clients but ultimately, retain top talent within your law firm!
If you’re interested in learning more about the legal marketing tools available to you, remember: we’re here to help.
