Lawyer Talk -The Avenue of the Americas and Main Street

There's that very old joke: Notice those Ivy League seniors who apply to law school. Not to Wall Street. They're high verbal. Likely lousy in math.

And down the road as they begin practicing law there'll be another great divide based on talk. 

Those in elite firms will adopt sophisticated indirect rhetoric, elegant in language and calm in tone. That's how they'll position and package the firm's services.  In the first go-around, such as the website. That signals what they're about.

In contrast, many on Main Street will leverage more direct language, even embedding characteristics of the hard sell.

Example: Paul, Weiss, ranking among the top 20 in the Am Law 200, sits in the prime NYC real estate of Avenue of the Americas. One of its practices is listed on its website as White Collar and Regulatory Defense.  No, not White Collar Crime.

In contrast, a Main Street kind of law firm lists the practice as White Collar Crime. Oh boy. 

Such a negative introduction to its expertise isn't atypical outside Am Law 200. And it can keep them closed out of attracting deep-pocketed clients.

The White Collar Defense identification opens the client conversation in positive manner. Non-judgemental. Non-scary. Let's see what we have here. 

The White Collar Crime labeling immediately puts the client in the zone of wrongdoing. What we have here is probably bad. 

Which client, do you suppose, feels they're in the best of hands. That is, the category of lawyers who can conjure up magic.

Also, the tone the two kinds of law fims use tends to be different.

What Paul, Weiss posts on its website is soothing. Relax. All-knowing, we will take care of you: 

"Our White Collar & Regulatory Defense group has unparalleled experience and expertise, and is among the most respected and successful in the United States." 

Even with this particular firm which does use the defense designation, not the crime one, there's no message that the impossible could be accomplished. This is on the website:

"Described as 'a haven for clients in trouble,' by The American Lawyer ..."

Implicitly there's a limit put on what's possible. After all, don't we have trouble here.

Language and tone will become increasingly critical in marketing, sales and client relations in the Generative AI era. So critical are they that Forbes hammers they should now be classified as "Human Competencies."

In a number of circles, the signature trait of the chair of Paul, Weiss - Brad Karp - is fingered as a mastery of Emotional Intelligence. That lines up with his branding as a wunderkind rainmaker. 

More of the clients for my intuitive coaching/tarot reading boutique tell me that the ability to sell whatevers including yourself, in all mediums, is the critical skill to get, hold and move on to better work.

Confidential tips about Paul, Weiss are welcome. So are bylined articles/op-eds. Please contact Jane Genova janegenova374@gmail.com or text 203-468-8579.

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