Attorneys in the Spotlight: Your Guide to Effective and Ethical Video Marketing

Video is transforming legal marketing – here’s why

From TikTok to YouTube and even your LinkedIn feed, video is now the internet’s dominant medium. For attorneys, the challenge is how to create engaging content while staying on the right side of professional conduct rules.

Ryan Stygar, an attorney with Centurion Trial Attorneys, APC, has amassed a huge personal following via his social media videos focused on employee rights, mostly on Instagram and TikTok (where his followers number in the millions) but also on Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

Stygar said short-form video is the key component to building his brand because “it is the primary discovery tool across platforms for finding a new audience. Once people find you ... via short-form videos, you can show them all the other exciting stuff you have to offer, such as long-form Substack articles, but the video is usually the first way they find you.”

Video is just as important for firms as for individual attorneys, said Gary A. Dordick of Dordick Law Corporation. “It’s critical today to incorporate social media and video content into our overall marketing program,” he explained.

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Dordick has been experimenting with a variety of videos, from clips featuring clients before or after court proceedings to behind-the-scenes looks at daily life in a law firm. He said the goal is to reach clients of all ages. “Many young people respond better to video content,” he explained.

Dordick said video content generates more interest than text-based posts or traditional print media. “Videos are more interesting and more engaging. On the other hand, I think people‘s attention spans are short, so the videos must be quickly engaging and relatively short,” he said.

Shant A. Karnikian, managing partner of Kabatek LLP, described video as a “natural extension of how we communicate,” noting its ability to show attorneys in a genuine, unscripted way. “It’s an effective way to convey honesty and candor and come off very real without having it be super rehearsed or scripted. I think it resonates with people,” he said.

Kabatek’s videos cover topics from insurance claims to wildfire settlements. Some target the public; others serve as a resource for other attorneys who might want to refer cases or consult. “Even existing clients, sometimes we‘ll be representing folks, and they‘ll say, ‘Well, I‘m not quite sure I understand how different coverages work,’ and we can point them to that and say, ‘Hey, here‘s some videos we have explaining this, and we can answer more questions if you have them,’” Karnikian said.

Navigating Legal Boundaries

Lawyers diving into video content must tread carefully. A state bar spokesperson said that “the rules on advertising are the same regardless of the means used to execute the advertisements – social media content and related videos included.”

“If the State Bar receives a complaint based on social media posts or otherwise becomes aware of an attorney who might be violating advertisement rules on social media, it will review and assess whether disciplinary action is appropriate, whether based on the content of the advertisements or unauthorized practice of law violations,” the spokesperson added.

Megan Braverman, owner and principal of Berbay Marketing & PR, said that attorneys need to make clear their videos are educational, not individualized advice. She added that state bars are increasingly scrutinizing marketing tactics and recommended consulting ethics counsel before posting.

Seth Horowitz, president of the Horowitz Agency, echoed that caution. “Attorneys have to be very careful about what they say in writing and on camera, as readers and viewers could construe content as legal advice. Attorneys must include disclosures and disclaimers on anything they do,” he said.

Karnikian added that caveats are crucial even when providing general information. “I think part of conveying information, whether it‘s the public or other lawyers, is explaining where the limitations are of what you are providing,” he said.

For Stygar, the nature of the content he is posting will dictate whether a disclosure is necessary.

“My content is primarily about advocacy and education. While some people choose to contact my firm for a case evaluation or for legal questions, that‘s really become secondary,” he explained.

“When I began, I was careful to provide disclosures and disclaimers on every video. I still do that when a video feels like it could be interpreted as an advertisement, but the reality is I am more interested in advocacy and education than anything else, which I have every right to pursue, and when managed responsibly, does not conflict with any ethical obligations,” he added.

When confidentiality is an issue on videos involving client stories, he edits or omits “any identifying information so no one can know what specific case I am referring to.”

Choosing the Right Platforms and Content Types

Braverman said that the choice of platform depends heavily on the firm and its audience. Plaintiff firms, she said, often see the most traction on Instagram and TikTok, while defense firms tend to focus on LinkedIn. Firms that produce client alerts or track legislation may find success on X (formerly Twitter). Braverman emphasized YouTube as a key channel because it functions as a searchable library, giving videos a longer shelf life and contributing to search engine optimization (SEO). She added that Facebook can remain relevant for certain practice areas that apply to older audiences.

Horowitz recommended creating thought leadership pieces that tactfully and strategically reference successes, calling them some of the most effective content for attorneys. Community engagement videos, he said, are also valuable. He added that attorneys benefit from scripting content ahead of recording and speaking in general terms rather than discussing unresolved cases.

“LinkedIn seems to be the platform of choice for professional service providers; however, our recommendations vary depending on the firm’s prospective clients and position in the market,” Horowitz said. “Some of our clients love Instagram and even TikTok; however, there has to be a strong commitment to creating consistent, regular content,” he added.

How Often?

Dordick stressed that when it comes to posting, consistency is key. “People have very diverse interests, and what may attract one person‘s attention may not get noticed by another. It‘s important to vary the content often and build up a base of people following the content. Video posts must be done at a minimum of three times per week to have any chance of being effective,” he said.

Regarding the mix of content, Braverman recommended roughly 80% educational material and 20% firm-centric material. She said, “What consistently cuts through the noise is the human element – showing that attorneys are approachable and relatable. People hire people, so when attorneys let their personality come through, those videos often get the most engagement.”

Dordick advised starting simple, sharing successes in court or interesting happenings around the firm, before gradually including personal or fun content. “Lawyers who want to get started posting social content should start by understanding the basics of taking good quality video; making sure the sound and lighting are appropriate,” he said. He also cautioned against over-focusing on metrics. “I also think the key to social media video is to not get too hung up on how many likes or views you get. Some lawyers become obsessed with their social media, checking their posts all day long. They should do it for fun, do it for advertising, but not get too carried away with it.”

Measuring Success

Braverman said that measuring success involves multiple factors. “The ultimate metric is: is it driving leads and cases?” she explained. At a granular level, she said, clicks, engagements, shares, forwards and saves indicate whether content resonates, while follower growth reflects ongoing viewership. She added that even when direct tracking is difficult, video builds brand familiarity, which can influence a prospect’s choice.

She cautioned that video isn’t right for every firm. “Video should be considered as part of the overall marketing mix, or overall thought leadership mix, but not every firm should do it just because others are. For the right firms, it can be powerful, especially as an extension of their search engine optimization (SEO) strategy,” she said.

Horowitz said success varies depending on the attorney’s goals. “Success looks different to each attorney, depending on their bottom-line goal. For some, especially those who are early in their career or in a competitive industry, it may be getting their name out there, in which case engagement or virality would be an ideal metric. However, others may value the elevation of the firm as a whole, meaning followers would be more important in the long run than likes and comments,” he said.

Stygar said that the strategy – and the focus on metrics – will also likely change as an attorney’s audience grows.

While his videos have “absolutely” resulted in new clients, he said “the big results came when I worried less about ‘selling’ my expertise and more about just promoting a message that matters to me.”

“People get that I‘m a lawyer, and if they like me, if they feel my style resonates with them, they‘ll give me a call. But with millions of followers, the vast majority of people will never hire me, so I focus on that group first. Who are the folks tuning in to get informed? What questions do they have? The potential clients will come, but focusing on that tiny minority is a surefire way to stall your channel’s growth,” he added.