Quick wins (TLDR)
Associates are the future leaders of the firm and one of its strongest sources of expertise.
Employee advocacy helps associates build visibility, earn trust, and contribute to the firm’s reputation.
Consistent posting humanizes the firm, expands reach, and strengthens credibility.
With the proper training, templates, and tools, associates can create valuable content with minimal time.
Advocacy benefits both the individual and the firm by strengthening brands, improving recruitment, and increasing client confidence.
Platforms like Oktopost make advocacy scalable, compliant, and measurable across practice areas.
A rising associate becomes the go-to specialist.
Picture this: A junior associate starts posting brief insights about emerging legal trends on LinkedIn. Within months, colleagues reference those posts in meetings, clients begin following the associate’s updates, and even partners turn to that junior lawyer as the “go-to” voice on that topic online. This transformation isn’t luck – it’s the result of consistent visibility and thoughtful employee advocacy.
By actively sharing their expertise, associates can gain influence far earlier in their careers, becoming visible experts rather than remaining behind-the-scenes contributors.
Why associates are key to modern legal reputation
Associates are increasingly part of how clients perceive a law firm’s depth and talent. In many cases, associates are closer to emerging issues and day-to-day developments in their practice areas than senior partners. Their frontline perspective on new regulations, case precedents, and industry trends is incredibly valuable. Empowering associates to share that perspective showcases that the firm’s expertise runs deep at all levels, not just at the partner tier.
Crucially, trust in the legal industry hinges on expertise and authenticity. Clients tend to be skeptical of polished corporate marketing and more inclined to trust information coming directly from professionals. An associate’s post about a novel case or a personal take on a regulatory change can carry a genuineness that a firm’s official press release cannot match. When multiple associates (alongside partners) share insights, it sends a powerful signal that expertise permeates the entire firm.
This adds dimension to the firm’s brand – clients see a strong team, not just a strong figurehead. As one marketing leader put it, “Our people are our most effective marketing channel… enabling them to advocate for our business, demonstrate the depth and breadth of our people, and make new connections is an essential component of our marketing approach.
Moreover, today’s rising lawyers are typically digital natives who naturally engage online. In one study, 81% of millennials said they share information about their job on social media (even Gen Z wasn’t far behind at 72%). This openness means younger associates are often ready to discuss timely topics and connect with peers or clients on platforms like LinkedIn. Tapping into that tendency can greatly enhance a firm’s online presence. In short, associates’ voices – when guided and amplified properly – can significantly bolster a law firm’s reputation for thought leadership, innovation, and approachability.
Employee advocacy as a brand-building tool
Employee advocacy programs turn your team into brand ambassadors, extending the firm’s reach and injecting authenticity into your marketing. Here’s how advocacy from associates helps build the firm’s brand:
Expands the firm’s reach
Each associate has their own network of connections. When they share firm content or personal insights, they introduce the firm to new audiences that the corporate account might never reach.
At DLA Piper, for example, lawyers who started using an advocacy platform ended up sharing 6× more content than before and helped generate 3× more LinkedIn followers (and 4× more page views) for the firm’s page.
In general, studies confirm employees’ social posts dramatically amplify reach – one survey found employee-shared posts achieve 561% more reach than the same messages posted on official firm channels.
This organic amplification is invaluable for extending brand awareness.
Shows the human side of legal expertise
People connect with people, not logos. When associates post, they put a human face on the firm’s knowledge. A firm CMO observed that they “recognized early on that people tend to engage more with content shared by individuals than employers.”
An associate’s informal explainer on a legal development or a photo from a community event can make the firm appear more relatable and modern. By showcasing personalities and voices, the firm sheds the stereotype of being stuffy or impersonal. In short, advocacy humanizes the brand – clients and prospects see approachable experts who speak their language, rather than just corporate jargon.
Boosts trust with prospective clients
Consistent insights coming from multiple levels of the firm build credibility over time. When clients routinely see thoughtful commentary from associates, it reinforces the firm’s broad base of knowledgeable professionals. Authenticity also grows trust: research shows consumers (and by extension, clients) are about 3× more likely to trust information from a company’s employees than from its CEO or official PR
In the legal context, a stream of genuine posts from associates signals transparency and confidence – demonstrating that the firm isn’t hiding its younger talent but rather spotlighting them. This can make prospective clients more comfortable that they’ll have a whole team of trusted advisors, not just one partner, working on their behalf.
How to empower associates to participate
For an advocacy program to thrive, associates need clarity and support. Many associates are willing (even eager) to contribute, but they may hesitate without guidance on professional boundaries or fear of saying the wrong thing. Law firms can empower their associates to share confidently by providing the following:
Training about content
It is not correct to assume that every lawyer instinctively knows how to translate their expertise into a well-written LinkedIn post. You need to offer brief training on distilling legal knowledge into short, accessible insights suitable for social media. This might include tips on writing in a client-friendly tone, with simple terms for complex concepts, or framing an opinion on a news item. Most lawyers admit that they had no professional social media training from their firm, and many feel that additional training would significantly improve employee engagement online.
By coaching associates on how to share effectively, you set them up for success.
Coach about the tone of voice
Explain simply how one maintains a professional yet authentic voice. This is key for lawyers on social media. Firms should give clear examples of the tone and style that align with the firm’s brand (e.g., informative but not formal, personable but not unprofessional). This includes reminding associates about online etiquette and the enduring nature of online comments. As one expert advised young lawyers: “Remember you are a professional in a service industry and nothing you post ever goes away.” By coaching associates on striking the right tone, you reduce the risk of missteps. The goal is to help them sound clear, credible, and genuine – not overly stiff, but also never reckless on public forums.
Create clear guidelines
Uncertainty about what is allowed or appropriate can be a major barrier to posting. You should provide written social media guidelines that outline dos and don’ts for sharing. Cover confidentiality (e.g., no mention of client-specific information), compliance (e.g., avoiding legal advice online), and common-sense boundaries (topics to avoid, firm approval processes, if any).
Setting expectations upfront actually empowers associates – they know the guardrails within which they have freedom to post. With clarity on what they can and cannot share, associates are less likely to feel paralyzed by fear of saying the wrong thing.
Effective guidelines instill confidence by removing ambiguity. (On the flip side, firms can use compliance tools to enforce policies – for instance, using banned keywords or approval workflows to catch issues. Lewis Silkin’s team, for example, uses Oktopost’s filtered keyword feature to “nip in the bud” any overly jargony or off-message language before posts go live.)
In short, clear rules and governance prevent risks while encouraging participation.
Templates and AI-assisted drafting.
One clever way to lower the effort for associates is to provide content templates or even AI writing assistance. Marketing teams can supply editable templates for common post types – e.g., an event recap outline, or a “case trend” commentary format – so associates aren’t starting from scratch each time. Many firms are also turning to tools that offer AI suggestions. For example, Oktopost’s platform includes AI writing support to help draft or refine posts.
An associate could input a few bullet points about a court decision and have the tool generate a polished paragraph in seconds, which they can then tweak in their own voice. These aids address the perennial excuse of “I don’t have time to post.” With templates and AI, the time required to create quality content drops dramatically. In fact, with a good process in place, employees can stay active on social media with as little as 10 minutes a day (or ~30 minutes a week). By removing the friction – providing ready-made content ideas and quick drafting tools – you make it easy and quick for busy associates to contribute consistently.
By focusing on training, tone, guidelines, and easy-to-create content, firms can turn hesitant associates into confident advocates. The simpler and safer it feels, the more participation you’ll see. And as participation grows, so do the benefits for all.
Types of content associates can create
One misconception among associates is that they need a huge win or decades of experience to share anything of value. In reality, their day-to-day work and observations are full of insights that clients and peers would find interesting. Here are a few content ideas that associates (even junior ones) can confidently post about:
Case trends
Short updates on emerging patterns in cases or litigation. For example, an associate might notice a rise in a certain type of lawsuit or a new defense tactic being used. A quick post like “Seeing an uptick in [X] cases lately – could signal courts are evolving on [Y] issue” can position the associate as someone on the cutting edge of legal trends (without giving legal advice).
Practice area insights
Explain a recent regulatory update, court ruling, or legislative change in plain language. E.g., “New SEC rule on crypto exchanges came out today – here’s what it means in two lines.” These bite-sized explanations of precedent shifts or rule changes demonstrate the firm’s attention to detail. They save clients the effort of parsing dense memos by providing a handy snapshot.
Professional reflections
Share personal lessons or observations about the practice of law. An associate could write about a skill they’re developing, like effective negotiation or legal writing tips, or a reflection on collaboration and teamwork. Such posts humanize the author and often resonate with others in the profession (or even clients who appreciate the firm’s training culture).
Behind-the-scenes content
Give a glimpse of firm life that isn’t confidential – for instance, a photo from a volunteer day, an associate team dinner, or just celebrating a small win at the office. These human moments showcase the firm’s culture and make the team more relatable. Employer branding is strengthened when people see that associates are engaged and the firm environment is favorable.
Event participation and short takeaways
Many of the firm’s associates attend conferences, webinars, and internal training. It is recommended that they share a key takeaway or two on social. “Enjoyed speaking at the Tech Law Forum today – my highlight was learning about AI in contracts…” – posts like this serve dual purposes. They highlight the firm’s engagement in key industry events and disseminate valuable insights from those events. Even junior lawyers can do this, turning attendance into thought leadership.
Notably, none of these require the associate to be a superstar rainmaker or to divulge sensitive information. They are all about sharing what you know and do in ways others can learn from. In fact, many effective advocacy posts are quite simple – like sharing a relevant news article with a one-line comment, or noting a common question clients have been asking lately. These “small” content pieces can have a significant impact. Even a brief comment on a current legal development can position an associate (and, by extension, the firm) as up-to-date and engaged.
The key is consistency: regular posts in these categories build a narrative that this associate (and firm) is active, informed, and approachable.
Benefits to associates
Some partners might wonder, “What’s in it for the associates?” In truth, participating in employee advocacy isn’t just a favor to the firm – it accelerates the associate’s own professional growth. Here are some of the career-boosting benefits associates can gain:
Personal brand growth
In the legal world, reputation is a form of currency. By sharing insights and being visible on social platforms, associates start to build name recognition outside the firm. Over time, they cultivate a personal brand as “that lawyer who knows about [X]” or someone who is always on top of industry news. This can lead to speaking invitations, media quotes, or authorship opportunities that further elevate their profile. In a survey of younger professionals, the majority recognized that being active on social media can differentiate them from their peers and even lead to more job opportunities down the line.
In short, advocacy helps an associate develop a public identity as an expert – something that traditionally might not happen until much later in one’s career.
Better internal visibility
When associates share content that gets noticed externally, it often gets noticed internally as well. Partners and firm leadership are increasingly aware of who is contributing to the firm’s thought leadership. An associate who regularly posts thoughtful commentary will likely catch the eye of partners in their group (and beyond). This can translate into greater recognition within the firm – perhaps being tapped to help with a client alert or given a chance to pitch in their specialty area. Essentially, advocacy can shine a light on associates who might otherwise toil unnoticed. It’s a way for junior lawyers to demonstrate initiative and expertise to the people making promotion decisions. As the saying goes, “Do good work and make sure people know about it.” Advocacy helps with the “know about it” part.
Career development opportunities
A strong online presence can open doors. Associates who build a following or reputation online often find it easier to earn professional accolades – for instance, being listed in “Ones to Watch” rankings, or being asked to join bar committees or panels. Firms also benefit from having rising stars, as they can nominate socially active associates for awards or leadership programs. Over time, these associates might progress more quickly toward partnership or leadership roles because they’ve demonstrated skills in marketing and client development, not just in legal work. According to industry research, almost 86% of employees in a formal advocacy program felt their social media involvement positively impacted their career progression.
The visibility and networking that come from advocacy can accelerate promotions and open up new career pathways.
Mentorship and networking
When associates put themselves out there by sharing their thoughts, it often attracts engagement from others in the field. Senior attorneys at other firms might comment or reach out, opening the door to mentorship relationships beyond one’s own firm. Within the firm, partners might take the initiative to mentor an associate who is clearly motivated and raising their profile. Additionally, peers at client organizations or in the industry may connect over social posts, expanding the associate’s professional network. All of these connections can be invaluable for mentorship and learning. It’s not uncommon for a LinkedIn post to spark a conversation with a seasoned lawyer or a potential client who says, “I saw your post on this. Thanks for your interesting perspective.” Such interactions build an associate’s network and can blossom into mentoring or business development opportunities.
Greater client trust
Clients hire lawyers, not just law firms. When an associate has been consistently visible: sharing updates, clarifying complex issues in simple terms, exhibiting a professional persona, clients start to view that associate as a trusted individual. This can be especially important when the associate works on a client’s matters; the client feels they “know” the associate and have seen their competence on display. Reliability and accessibility build trust. Moreover, clients often appreciate hearing from the junior and mid-level lawyers doing the day-to-day work, not only the partner in charge. If those lawyers have an established habit of communicating clearly (as seen through their posts), the client’s confidence in them increases. Remember, people tend to trust employees more than corporate statements.
So an associate who has shown a pattern of honest, insightful communication can strengthen the client’s overall trust in the team. In practical terms, a client might be more likely to call the associate directly with a question or be comfortable when that associate leads parts of a meeting, because they’ve seen their expertise and communication skills publicly. In this way, advocacy helps associates demonstrate consistency, clarity, and approachability – all traits that enhance client trust.
In sum, employee advocacy is a win-win. The firm gains a more prominent collective voice, and the associates fast-track their own professional development. It transforms junior lawyers from faceless worker bees into recognized contributors in their field. As a result, they gain confidence and a sense of ownership in the firm’s success, which can be deeply motivating (and also improves retention).
The firm-wide advantage
When associates actively participate in advocacy, the entire firm reaps the rewards. It’s not just about individual posts here and there. It positively impacts branding, business development, and talent management at the organizational level. Key advantages include:
Greater reach and engagement
Every additional employee who shares content exponentially increases the firm’s reach. Instead of only the firm’s branded accounts pushing out updates, you now have dozens of personal networks picking them up. The cumulative audience of all employees’ networks is massive – by some estimates, employees’ combined networks have a reach 561% larger than the company’s own social follower base.
More voices sharing means more eyeballs on the firm’s news and thought leadership. This greater reach isn’t just in quantity, but also in quality: content shared by employees often finds a more engaged audience (e.g., colleagues, college friends, industry contacts) who might interact with it. The firm will see higher overall engagement rates. (Case in point: one law firm reported its overall social media engagement shot up by 140% after rolling out an employee advocacy program, owing mainly to employees’ increased activity. This broad visibility can translate into more inquiries and leads, as the firm stays top-of-mind with a broader community.
More consistent brand presence
In many firms, the corporate social media might post in bursts – for example, around events or big announcements – but go quiet at other times. Employee advocacy fills in those gaps and ensures the firm maintains a consistent, always-on presence. With many people contributing, there’s a steady drumbeat of activity. This consistency strengthens brand recognition and recall. The firm’s name keeps appearing in feeds, attached to helpful content, which reinforces its image as an active player in the legal market.
Additionally, associates can cover a range of niche topics, meaning the firm’s brand is present in multiple micro-communities online at once. Essentially, advocacy greatly expands the firm’s share of voice. Instead of one account posting once a day, you might have 30 lawyers each posting once a week – that’s a far more robust presence. Consistency also builds trust; a dormant or sporadic social presence can make a firm seem out of touch, whereas a lively collective presence signals vitality.
Better recruitment and talent attraction
Prospective employees absolutely take note of a firm’s culture on social media. In fact, 79% of job seekers use social media in their job search. Many are looking for clues about what it’s like to work at the firm. When would-be hires see associates at your firm actively sharing insights, celebrating team wins, or talking about their growth, it sends a powerful message that associates are valued and empowered. This can set your firm apart in recruiting, especially with younger candidates who want to join organizations that will invest in their development. It also helps convey a modern, inclusive culture. For example, a LinkedIn study found that job candidates trust company employees three times more than the company to provide honest insight into the workplace. So those authentic posts from your team serve as living testimonials for your employer brand.
Firms where employees are visible and vocal are often perceived as more collaborative and supportive.
The result? Stronger applicants and an easier sell when extending offers (candidates already feel they know the team).
Stronger employer brand
Beyond immediate recruiting needs, an active cadre of associate advocates builds the firm’s long-term employer brand. It demonstrates that your people are thought leaders, which reflects well on the firm’s approach to nurturing talent. Awards and recognitions often follow: for instance, firms might get noted in “best places to work” or win employer branding accolades when they can show high employee engagement on social platforms.
Moreover, the internal culture is strengthened. Associates who see their peers being active may feel prouder of the firm and more inclined to stay (nobody wants to leave a place where they’ve built a strong personal brand). Studies have shown that employees of socially engaged companies are more likely to feel optimistic about the company’s future and stay longer at the firm. All of this contributes to lower turnover and a market reputation of “this firm is innovative and people-driven.” A strong employer brand becomes a virtuous cycle: it attracts better talent, which in turn leads to more advocacy and positive exposure.
In essence, when you unlock associate advocacy, you’re amplifying the firm’s capabilities. The firm’s message travels farther, its voice grows stronger, and its appeal as both a service provider and an employer increases. It’s a holistic gain – marketing, HR, and business development all benefit from the collective power of your people.
How Oktopost enables scalable employee advocacy for law firms
Implementing an employee advocacy program in a law firm can seem daunting – especially in a regulated, reputation-conscious industry. This is where platforms like Oktopost come into play. Oktopost is a B2B social media management and advocacy platform with features tailored to make employee advocacy scalable, safe, and effective for firms (including many in legal services). Key ways such platforms support law firm advocacy include:
Content libraries for easy sharing
Oktopost allows marketing teams to curate and preload a centralized library of content that associates can share with a click. This means your firm’s blog posts, articles, or approved third-party news can be presented in one place. Associates no longer need to hunt for what to share – they have a ready buffet of pre-approved content at their fingertips. They can still add their personal take when posting (which is important for authenticity), but the heavy lifting of sourcing material is done by marketing. For example, HCLTech (a tech company case study) used Oktopost to provide employees with a curated content library of pre-approved posts, which they could personalize with a bit of commentary and use AI-assisted editing to match their voice. The result is consistent messaging and active employees. For law firms, content libraries can be segmented by practice group or topic – so an associate in Employment Law can see relevant items to share.
In contrast, an IP-litigation associate sees different content. This ensures each practice area amplifies content that aligns with its strategy. The library approach saves time and guarantees compliance with marketing and ethics guidelines since everything in there is vetted.
Gamification for motivation
Keeping momentum in an advocacy program can be challenging – lawyers are competitive by nature, and Oktopost taps into that with gamification features like:
Leaderboards and points.
The platform can rank the top employee advocates (for example, by number of shares or engagement their posts generate), creating a friendly competition across the firm. Many firms introduce prizes or simple recognition for “social media champions” of the month. This isn’t just for fun; it works. A study found 89% of employees feel more eager and competitive about completing a task when it’s gamified.
Oktopost’s built-in Gamification Engine lets program admins assign points for various advocacy activities (e.g., sharing a post, getting a comment on a post, referring a content idea). By visualizing these on a leaderboard, associates are incentivized to participate more and outdo their friendly rivals.
Gamification turns advocacy into a team sport – it boosts adoption rates and sustains engagement over time. Law firms have even used this to encourage practice groups to compete in advocacy, thereby further driving buy-in. The key is that it makes sharing fun rather than a chore.
Compliance guardrails
Understandably, compliance is a major concern in legal social media use. Oktopost addresses this with robust governance tools that let firms enforce rules without onerous oversight. You can set up multi-level approval workflows so that certain posts (or posts by junior staff) route to a supervisor or marketing for review before publication.
You can also define banned keywords or phrases – for instance, the names of specific clients or words like “guarantee” that should never appear – and the system will flag or prevent any post containing them. Lewis Silkin’s marketing lead noted that using Oktopost’s banned keywords feature helped them quickly eliminate overly technical legal jargon from social posts and keep messaging clear and on-brand.
Additionally, access controls ensure that only authorized users can post to official accounts. These guardrails mean a law firm can empower associates to post without worrying about compliance risks. The platform can help by noticing potential issues (such as unprofessional language) before they go live. This fosters a sense of security for both the firm and the associates: everyone knows there’s oversight and protection in place.
Analytics by practice area (and overall)
One of the biggest advantages of using a platform is the measurability it brings. Oktopost provides in-depth analytics on both the corporate and employee advocacy sides so that you can track the impact of associates’ sharing. You can slice the data by practice group, by individual, by social network, etc., to see where advocacy is gaining traction.
For example, you might find that the Litigation team’s posts generate the most engagement on LinkedIn. In contrast, the Tech Transactions team is big on Twitter – insights you can use to tailor strategies per group. The platform can attribute things like web traffic, content clicks, and even lead generation to specific advocates or pieces of content. Lewis Silkin’s team reported that with Oktopost, they can now quickly identify what drives engagement and which content performs best for each audience across different social platforms.
This kind of feedback loop is incredibly valuable. It allows continuous improvement of the program – doubling down on content that works and adjusting areas that don’t. Moreover, these analytics give quantifiable evidence of success (or ROI) that you can show partners. Seeing numbers like “X% increase in engagement” or “Y new client inquiries traced to social posts” helps maintain support for the program. In short, Oktopost makes the success visible. It turns advocacy from a fuzzy initiative into a data-driven strategy, where you can celebrate wins (like that 140% engagement jump at Lewis Silkin and understand the contributions at a granular level.
By leveraging a platform like Oktopost, law firms can confidently scale up an employee advocacy program. It provides the structure, oversight, and insights needed to activate dozens or hundreds of associates in a coordinated way. Crucially, it also integrates with LinkedIn and other networks in a compliant manner, meaning that posts shared through the platform respect privacy settings and that data is captured for reporting.
The experience for the associate is simplified (they might use a mobile app to share a post from the content library each week), and the benefits for the firm are amplified through central management. For legal marketers looking to usher their firm into modern social media marketing, tools like this are often the missing piece that makes firm-wide advocacy feasible and practical.
Conclusion
Employee advocacy has the power to transform a firm’s younger lawyers from relatively invisible contributors into visible, trusted experts. In an age where clients value authenticity and knowledge, harnessing the voices of your associates is no longer optional – it’s a savvy strategic move. By empowering associates with the right training, guidelines, and tools, law firms can dramatically expand their reach and reinforce a culture of expertise and trust.
The beauty of advocacy is that it benefits everyone involved. Associates build their reputations, gain confidence, and accelerate their careers, while the firm strengthens its brand, attracts talent, and earns greater client confidence. It creates a virtuous cycle: engaged employees share more, which boosts the firm’s profile, which in turn brings in opportunities that further engage and reward those employees.
Firms that have embraced employee advocacy – often with the help of platforms like Oktopost – are already seeing the results. Whether it’s a 140% increase in social engagement or simply the story of a once-junior associate now recognized as a thought leader in their niche, the impact is real. The collective voices of your lawyers can humanize your brand in a way no traditional marketing campaign could. As clients and recruits increasingly look to social media to gauge a firm’s relevance and culture, having a chorus of authentic employee advocates is a powerful differentiator.
In conclusion, empowering associates through employee advocacy is about trust and growth. Trust – because you’re showing faith in your people to represent the firm, and you’re earning the trust of your audience through genuine engagement. Growth – because you’re building the next generation of firm leaders and expanding your business at the same time. For law firms willing to leap, the message is clear: your associates’ voices are an asset your firm will benefit from when you amplify them. The firms that do so will cultivate stronger relationships, a stronger brand, and ultimately, a stronger competitive position in the market.
