Law firm strategies for publicizing laterals amid lockdowns

Andrew Longstreth and Jesse Dungan co-author a Law360 article with Michael Coston of Coston Consulting on how law firms can promote new lateral hires amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

As firms confronted challenges wrought by the pandemic, lateral hiring slowed earlier this year. But the music didn’t completely stop. In some areas, notably restructuring, the pace was brisk. And recent reporting suggests that that the lateral market is heating back up as more firms see this moment as a buying opportunity.

But it won’t be business as usual for these new partners. The pandemic has altered the business development landscape for new laterals, taking away traditional in-person networking events and relationship-building opportunities to promote their practices. This shift has come as many firms have made layoffs, cut salaries and furloughed employees.

Under these unprecedented conditions, promoting new lateral hires is more crucial than ever and more challenging. To be sure, many of the marketing tactics used before the pandemic hit still apply. But with business development dinners and social events no longer viable, a refreshed game plan is needed — one that maps out public relations, published content, and virtual relationship building and business development opportunities that maximize the lateral hiring event and fully exploit the digital landscape.

Continue reading on Law360.