Courage, Clients, and a Constitutional Crisis: Marketing Your Law Firm in 2025
America is facing a crisis of democracy — and our legal system is squarely in the crosshairs. We are in a constitutional crisis as authoritarian rhetoric has shifted from the fringes into the halls of power. Court rulings have become political battlegrounds. Lawyers are being singled out, harassed, and publicly undermined. Entire law firms have stepped back from cases under direct pressure from the president, sending the message that intimidation works. These aren’t isolated skirmishes — they’re part of a sustained effort to weaken the public’s trust in the rule of law itself.
In a moment like this, it can feel almost absurd to think about marketing your law firm. The news is full of stories about democratic backsliding, and meanwhile your calendar pings you about a blog you’re supposed to write. It’s a strange split-screen feeling… part of you processing an urgent national crisis, part of you going through the motions of daily business. That mental whiplash? That’s cognitive dissonance.
But here’s the truth…this is exactly when your voice, your visibility, and your ability to reach clients matter most. If trusted, ethical lawyers retreat from public view, the space will be filled by those willing to bend, capitulate, or play politics with justice. Marketing isn’t just business development right now. It’s how you plant your flag.
The Pressure Is Real… and Growing
Political leaders have learned that attacking lawyers works. It distracts from the facts, polarizes public opinion, and can even scare firms into backing away from clients who need representation the most. When large, well-resourced firms quietly step down from controversial cases (cough…cough…Paul, Weiss), it sends a message — not just to their clients, but to the entire profession: This fight is too risky.
That kind of retreat doesn’t happen because lawyers suddenly forget how to litigate. It happens because the political cost is engineered to be too high. That’s the environment you’re practicing in. And in that environment, staying visible isn’t vanity — it’s part of the job.
Why Visibility Matters More Than Ever
When the legal system itself is under pressure, the absence of credible legal voices creates a vacuum. That vacuum will be filled… sometimes by misinformation, sometimes by opportunists who are all too willing to play to power instead of to principle.
Your marketing (your website, your articles, your social media presence, even the interviews you give) isn’t just “content.” It’s proof that you exist, that you’re working, and that you’re ready to defend your clients’ rights, even in turbulent times.
Legal Marketing as a Form of Advocacy
Marketing isn’t about boasting. It’s about telling the truth, loudly and consistently, about who you are and what you stand for. During a crisis of democracy like this, that might mean:
- Publishing plain-language explainers on new court rulings
- Writing op-eds defending judicial independence
- Sharing client success stories (with permission) that illustrate justice in action
- Posting on social media when legal misinformation is trending
- Participating in local events to connect directly with your community
These actions not only keep you top-of-mind with potential clients — they reinforce the legitimacy of the legal profession itself.
Courage is Part of the Job During a Crisis of Democracy
In On Tyranny, Timothy Snyder writes:
“Most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given… individuals offer themselves without being asked. People obey in advance.”
For lawyers, “obeying in advance” might look like declining a politically charged case, avoiding public comment on a constitutional issue, or quietly pulling your name from a filing to avoid attention. Sometimes that’s done in the name of caution. Sometimes it’s just fatigue.
But if too many principled attorneys step back, the only voices left will be the ones willing to serve power over justice. And that’s exactly what authoritarian movements count on. Don’t let it happen. In lesson 5 of On Tyranny, Snyder writes:
“If lawyers had followed the norm of no executions without trial, if doctors had accepted the rule of no surgery without consent, if businessmen had endorsed the prohibition of slavery, if bureaucrats had refused to handle paperwork involving murder, then the Nazi regime would have been much harder pressed to carry out the atrocities by which we remember it.”
Professional ethics aren’t flexible depending on the political climate; they’re the backbone of the profession. In a time when some firms are retreating from difficult cases under political pressure, holding to your ethical obligations — and making that stance visible — is both a professional and public service. Your marketing can be a platform to reinforce that you will not compromise your duty to clients or the law, no matter the cost.
PSM’s founder, Terrie Wheeler, has built her career on the ethics of legal marketing, drawing on her service with the Lawyers Board of Professional Responsibility to guide law firms toward strategies that honor both their brand and their professional obligations.
When Others Step Back, You Step Up
Future-focused marketing doesn’t mean ignoring the crisis we’re in. It means preparing your firm (and your clients) to withstand it. That could look like:
- Creating dedicated legal resource guides. Think along the lines of an “Emergency Immigration Toolkit” for Immigration lawyers, a “Know Your Legal Rights While Protesting” guide for criminal defense firms, etc.
- Leaning harder into your network. Keep in close touch with trusted colleagues and referral sources — they can be a lifeline if public pressure starts to slow direct inquiries.
- Making sure people can actually find you online. This could mean refreshing stale website copy, showing up regularly on LinkedIn, or double-checking that your Google profile is accurate and active.
- Putting your wins out in the open. Whether it’s a major court victory, a quiet settlement, or a meaningful client success story, share it. Don’t let your best work stay buried in closed case files.
The Bottom Line
Yes, marketing your law firm during an authoritarian takeover of our democracy feels weird. But in times like these, your visibility is about more than winning clients. It’s about standing up for the rule of law itself.
When good lawyers step back, it’s not like the noise dies down. It just leaves more room for the loudest (and often least honest) voices to fill the space. And once they’ve got it, they don’t give it back easily.
That’s why showing up during a crisis of democracy like this matters. Talking in plain terms matters. Letting your community see that you’re still here, still working, still in the fight — it matters more than any perfectly crafted tagline.
If you’re looking at the way things are right now and thinking, I can’t afford to fade into the background, then maybe it’s time we sat down and figured out a marketing plan that matches the moment.
FAQs About Law Firm Marketing in Uncertain Times
1. Why bother with marketing when our democracy is in danger?
Because if you go quiet, the wrong voices will fill the space. Clients still need to know who you are and how to find you.
2. What kind of content should law firms be putting out right now?
The kind that meets people where they are. If clients are confused about new rulings, write a plain-language explainer. If there’s misinformation spreading, clear it up. Content doesn’t have to be flashy — it just has to be useful, timely, and true.
3. How do ethics fit into law firm marketing?
They’re the foundation. From how you talk about cases to what you post online, your marketing should reflect the same standards you practice.
4. How can I market without sounding like I’m bragging?
Shift the focus. Educate, answer questions, explain the process… show value instead of hype.
5. What’s one thing I can do right now to improve visibility?
Google yourself. If your website, Google Business profile, or reviews are out of date, that’s the place to start.
