Press Coverage Builds Strong Case for
Hunton & Williams as a Legal Leader

Overview

The Atlanta office of Hunton & Williams, with global headquarters in Richmond, Va., is part of an international network of 19 offices and more than 1,000 attorneys. H&W wanted to differentiate its brand and expertise in the competitive Atlanta legal landscape.

Objectives

Cookerly’s mission was three-fold: to boost visibility and awareness of H&W’s Atlanta office locally and nationally; support new business development efforts; and enhance recruiting efforts by securing and leveraging public relations results.

Strategy and Tactics

• The agency developed a public relations campaign focused on media relations and community outreach designed to highlight themes that differentiate the firm’s:
• International reach and success
• Pro bono track record and culture
• Commitment to diversity and growth

The agency positioned H&W attorneys as industry experts/spokespeople across a spectrum of practice areas including labor and employment, global capital markets, mergers and acquisitions, global technology and outsourcing, public finance, litigation, intellectual property and environmental law.

Cookerly cultivated relationships with top tier regional and national media including select vertical publications in key industry sectors, and secured interviews for attorneys to weigh-in on current legal/business issues. Capitalizing on its media relationships and business savvy, Cookerly leveraged spot news, trends and industry issues to secure story fits in multiple practice areas.

The agency serves as a News Bureau, proactively cultivates and pitches top outlets/reporters on newsworthy topics, facilities media preparation and key message development, identifies and submits entries for industry awards, tracks coverage and provides tactics for “merchandising” placements.

Cookerly also identifies organizations for partner affiliations which can lead to new business opportunities. The agency works closely with the firm’s internal communications staff and provides strategic counsel as needed.

Results

Since October 2006, Cookerly has secured more than 200 placements with a broad range of regional and national media outlets. This represents a reach of more than 40 million readers/viewers and advertising equivalency of nearly $1.4 million.

Media placements including quotes from practice group leaders appear regularly in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Atlanta Business Chronicle, The Fulton County Daily Report, Georgia Trend, The Bond Buyer and more. Because media know they can depend on credible and timely input, they frequently reach out to us for comment. Attorneys have been prominently featured as expert sources in national and trade publications including Information Week, HR Magazine, Oil & Gas Journal and Compliance Week. Additionally, the agency has submitted nominations resulting in numerous “top lawyer” designations and a pro bono award for child advocacy.