Go on a professional network and you’ll see it everywhere: law firms framing routine updates as if they were landmark achievements. Sharing news isn’t the problem. The problem is inflating the significance of ordinary developments.
“Our Office Upgraded Its Nespresso Machine – This Marks the Next Chapter in LawFirmX’s Journey”
Many law firm announcements sound suspiciously alike. A promotion to a senior partner, a move to a different building, a fresh coat of paint in the reception area – here comes the “next chapter in our journey” post.
Not everything, of course, is a chapter-worthy moment. Moving your office across town is not a new chapter. It’s a different mailing address.
The same goes for the way firms talk about promotions. “We are excited to announce that this strengthens our team…” Really? Promotions are part of how professional life works. You work hard, you deliver, you move up. The team hasn’t been “strengthened” so much as it’s been recognized.
What’s All the Fuss About?
The issue isn’t that firms want to share their news. They absolutely should. Sharing internal updates humanizes brands. However, marketing every internal update with the same level of grandiosity makes a firm sound disingenuous. Audiences stop paying attention to the white noise of "exciting news." Truly transformative developments end up going unnoticed. If everything is exciting, nothing is exciting.
What’s Actually Worth the Drama?
There are moments that do merit a strong headline. Expanding into a new market, for instance, really does mark a new chapter. Announcing a major initiative, like joining a cross-border alliance of law firms or spearheading a regional research project, is worth the drumroll. These are developments that shape a firm’s trajectory and matter to clients and the broader network.
The solution isn’t to eliminate all emotion from firm communications, of course. Clients and network members want to see personality. But how about tweaking the tone to match the scale? For example:
- Be proportionate. If your office has relocated, highlight how the new space benefits clients or your people. For example, being next to a park gives staff a green space to recharge. Just don’t frame it as a business-defining milestone.
- Try to focus outward. Frame the news in terms of what it means for clients, partners, or talent.
- Ditch the buzzwords. “We are excited to announce”, “strategic move”, “taking things to the next level”, “a milestone achievement”, and “new chapter” have been used to death.
Not every change is a new chapter. Sometimes, it’s just an update. And that’s perfectly fine.
By Saida Ayupova, Founder, Five-o-eight
