How Law Firms Turn Trusted Voices into Reputation Capital

Employee advocacy is no longer a “nice to have;” it’s a competitive moat. Clients, talent, and referral sources trust people more than brands, which means every attorney and professional is part of your communications engine, like it or not. Done well, advocacy converts everyday interactions into measurable outcomes: speaking invitations, media citations, quality backlinks, and warm introductions that shorten sales cycles.

This episode of On Record PR distills over ten years of practice into a simple, actionable model. Gina Rubel and Jennifer Simpson Carr explain why advocacy must be rooted in culture and clarity, not copy-and-paste toolkits. Listeners will learn how to align technology, people, and purpose, and how to reward authentic participation to build “reputation capital” your firm can draw on when it matters most.

Why is employee advocacy suddenly a top priority for law firms?

Because clients, recruits, and referral sources no longer trust brand messaging alone. They trust people. In a digital-first world, every attorney and professional is a communicator, whether they intend to be or not. When firm leaders empower employees to engage authentically online, those interactions translate directly into measurable outcomes like speaking invitations, media citations, backlinks, and referrals.

Jennifer: “Ten years ago, we were urging firms to recognize that every lawyer and professional is part of the communications team, whether they realize it or not. That’s only become more true today.”

The digital shift has made advocacy a reputation imperative, not a marketing experiment. Clients, recruits, and even reporters trust individuals more than institutions. Every email, post, or comment now shapes how the world perceives your firm and its leaders.

Takeaway: Employee voices aren’t peripheral, they’re your most credible communications channel.

What’s changed since firms first started talking about advocacy?

Gina: “It used to be a nice-to-have. Now, it’s a reputation imperative. Employees are your most trusted messengers. Even more than PR teams or even the brand itself.”

A decade ago, firms viewed social engagement as optional. Today, platforms like LinkedIn serve as the professional “town square.” Authentic participation—not volume—defines influence.

Takeaway: Employee advocacy has evolved from marketing trend to trust strategy.

How can law firms encourage authentic engagement?

Gina: “When it’s authentic, it resonates. It’s about integrity. You can’t hand people a toolkit and call it a day. You have to help them embody the brand’s purpose.”

Jennifer: “We tell clients all the time to prepare content your attorneys can copy, paste, and personalize. Tools can only do so much. The real impact happens when someone humanizes the message.”

The hosts emphasize the C.O.P.E.S. method: Create Once, Publish Enthusiastically (and Strategically). They pair with Gina’s now-famous mantra: “Rules and tools.” Give attorneys structure and guidance, but empower them to speak in their own voices.

Takeaway: Combine process with personality. Use tools to simplify, not sanitize.

What does “reputation capital” mean in practice?

Gina: “Reputation capital is what you build before you have a reputational incident. It’s the credibility you can draw on when something goes wrong.”

She points to Starbucks’ 2018 response to a bias incident as an example. “They shut down stores for a full day of training. It cost millions, but it reinforced trust. That’s what reputation capital lets you do.”

Why does it matter now?

• Trust flows through people: Employees remain the most trusted messengers of brand messages.
• Reputation capital pays dividends: Firms that invest early can respond credibly in a crisis.
• Talent and business development: Prospects, recruits, and lateral partners are already evaluating your people online.

Takeaway: Build trust before you need it. Consistency and courage earn reputational credit.

What metrics actually matter for employee advocacy?

Jennifer: “It’s not about likes or shares. It’s about real outcomes.”

• Beyond vanity metrics: Optimize for influence and outcomes, not likes. Key indicators include:
  • Speaking invitations (podcasts, conferences)
  • Media citations and authoritative backlinks
  • Peer referrals and warm introductions
  • Follower growth on platforms where your clients actually are, such as LinkedIn
  • Personalized invitations sent through CRM systems
• Authenticity over automation: Tools assist; humans persuade.
• Every post is a touchpoint: Each action shapes how the market perceives your firm.

Tools can assist, but humans persuade. Every post, comment, or share shapes how the market perceives your firm and your leaders.

Takeaway: Measure credibility, not vanity.

How can a law firm activate advocacy without adding work?

• Deploy the C.O.P.E.S. method: Repurpose podcast clips, client alerts, and presentations into attorney-ready LinkedIn posts.
• Rules & Tools: Provide templates, guardrails, and micro-trainings that reduce friction. Then insist on personalizing for voice and network fit.
• Right-fit platforms: Prioritize LinkedIn for professional reach; consider tools (e.g., publishing platforms like Passle) that streamline authoring and approvals.

How can firms strengthen employee advocacy right now?

Gina defines a five-step framework law firms can deploy now:

1. Define purpose & value of advocacy and tie it to practice and sector strategy.
2. Provide guidance and training including ethical use, disclosure, AI transparency.
3. Spot and celebrate authentic advocates and make them internal coaches.
4. Measure meaningful metrics such as influence, reputation growth, quality engagement.
5. Foster openness and trust while empowering voices. Don’t micromanage.

Jennifer: “Culture really is the foundation. You can’t have advocacy without trust and clarity.”

Takeaway: Advocacy starts with culture, and thrives through clarity, training, and recognition.

What’s the bottom line for law firm leaders?

Gina: “When firms celebrate authentic advocacy, when they engage with their employees and highlight those who share thought leadership, it reinforces a culture of trust.”

Jennifer: “Your most powerful influencers might be sitting down the hall or across a Zoom screen.”

The Takeaway for Law Firm Leaders
Invest in employee advocacy not as a marketing program, but as a trust strategy. Equip your people, celebrate authenticity, and track what matters. Over time, you’ll build the most valuable currency a firm can hold: reputation capital.

Advocacy succeeds when culture, clarity, and cadence align. Give people rules and tools, insist on authentic voice, and measure outcomes that grow the firm—reputation first, revenue next. Invest now, so you have the reputation capital to spend when stakes are high.

Resources

• Starbucks closes more than 8,000 US cafes for racial bias training https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/may/29/starbucks-coffee-shops-racial-bias-training
• Brand Reputation Summit (2025) – https://curtiscoulter.com/brseast/
• LMA Tech West by Southwest – https://www.legalmarketing.org/Event-Details/2025-tech-west-southwest-regional-conference

Individuals:

• Jayla Johnson – https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaylaj000/
• Sarah Larson – https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/members/sarah-larson/
• Leslie Richards – https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/members/leslie-richards/
• Isabelle Horan – https://www.furiarubel.com/our-team/members/isabelle-horan/

Thought Leadership:

• Navigating the New Reality: A Strategic Guide for Law Firm Leaders to Handle Political and Social Issues https://www.furiarubel.com/news-resources/navigating-the-new-reality/
• Leading Through RTO: Talent, Culture, and Communication https://www.furiarubel.com/podcasts/leading-through-rto-talent-culture-and-communication/
• GEO vs. SEO: How AI-Driven Search Is Rewriting Law Firm Visibility https://www.furiarubel.com/podcasts/geo-vs-seo-how-ai-driven-search-is-rewriting-law-firm-visibility/