"Effective legal marketing is about helping our attorneys communicate with empathy, clarity, and purpose."
The keynote session at Legal Marketing Association (LMA)’s Annual Conference last week in Washington, DC, featured two of President Barack Obama’s speechwriters, Cody Keenan and Terry Szuplat. On the surface, it may not seem like presidential speeches and legal marketing have much in common, but the connections ran deep. Their insights offered not only inspiration, but real lessons for legal marketers trying to help lawyers communicate with clarity, confidence, and authenticity.
Here are a few of the most memorable takeaways—and what they mean for our work.
Don’t Just Say It, Show It
"Use a story to illustrate your point—that’s what people will remember."
This theme echoed throughout the session. Whether you're writing a website bio or preparing a pitch, stories make an impact. Even when edits are needed (and they always are), keeping the story should be non-negotiable.
It’s one thing to say, “We’re strategic problem-solvers.” It’s another to tell a story about how your firm helped a client resolve a multijurisdictional dispute while protecting their reputation and business continuity. That’s the kind of narrative that sticks.
Takeaway: Encourage your lawyers to lead with examples and anecdotes. When editing bios, case studies, or practice descriptions, protect the story.
Differentiate with What Only You Can Say
"What can only you say about what truly differentiates you?"
Many firms claim trial excellence, sophisticated collaboration, and elevated client service. But what’s specific to your firm? What story, capability, or cultural trait is both authentic and distinct?
The speechwriters encouraged attendees to get clear about what’s “uniquely true about your firms,” not just what sounds good.
Takeaway: Drill down to what truly differentiates you. If you say you’re industry-focused, what’s the real proof? Is it the number of deals closed in a niche market? The lawyer who spent a decade working in-house in financial services working on that exact type of investigation? That’s the material that matters.
Avoid Sharing Only the “Happy Talk”
"Acknowledge the elephant in the room."
Keenan and Szuplat cautioned against over-polished, overly positive language and suggested avoiding too much “happy talk,” a term coined by Obama himself. They gave examples from their time in the White House, such as writing about the tension between winning the Nobel Peace Prize and escalating the war in Afghanistan, where honesty mattered more than spin.
That same lesson applies to law firms. Clients are sophisticated. They know their challenges aren’t simple. Glossing over that can come off as inauthentic.
Takeaway: When crafting messaging, don’t be afraid to acknowledge the stakes. Good communication addresses the hard stuff head-on. Consider what your clients might be wondering and speak to it before they have to ask.
Even the White House Has to Tone It Down
The part of the session that hit closest to home was hearing the lines the two wanted to include in speeches versus what White House counsel would approve. (As you can imagine, not all made the cut.) Their stories were a humorous reminder that even at the highest level, legalese can temper bold messaging.
Effective legal marketing is about helping our attorneys communicate with empathy, clarity, and purpose. The lessons from Keenan and Szuplat remind us that storytelling can be a major influence, whether you’re a president at a podium or in a pitch meeting.
Thank you to Cody Keenan and Terry Szuplat for their timely words and to Katie Munroe, Chief Marketing Officer at Zuckerman Spaeder LLP and co-chair of the conference, for bringing these insights to LMA.
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Rebecca Edwards Hnatowski is a marketing and business development advisor with nearly 20 years of experience helping busy stakeholders establish, maintain, and grow client relationships. Connect with Rebecca on LinkedIn.
