1. business and industrial
2. advertising and marketing
3. public relations

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The Role of Communication in Enhancing Public Relations in Legal Firms:
A Survey of Law Firms in Eldoret Municipality, Kenya
Francis Nyarombe Nyachwaya
Kisii University- Eldoret campus
Coordinator Faculty of commerce
P.O.Box 6434-30100 Eldoret, Kenya
E-mail: [email protected]
DR Kirui Kipyegon
Kisii University
Director Eldoret campus
P.O. Box 6434-3010 Eldoret, Kenya
E-mail: [email protected]
Clement Achimba Okirigiti
Rongo University- School of Business
P.O.Box 103-40404 Rongo, Kenya
E-mail: [email protected]
Isaac Kamar Kipchirchir
Kisii university- Eldoret campus
Deputy Director Finance and Administration
P.O.Box 6434-3010 Eldoret, Kenya
E-mail: [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Public relations (PR) is an emerging social science discipline currently lacking
paradigmatic and topic diversity and strongly influenced by practice. The
paradigm struggle in public relations is due, in part, to the lack of any
consensus as to what constitutes public relations, stemming from the diversity
of the practice itself and from its constant adaptation to society’s evolutionary
change. Therefore, attempts to operationalize the constituent elements of
public relations as well as develop measurement scales of those elements
should be continued in order to provide empirical evidence about the
phenomena of public relations, however it has not dawned on many law firms
that public relations plays a paramount role to attract client as opposed to
aggressive marketing and use of agency or brokers. Very few studies have
documented the role of public relation in enhancing the level of performance in
service provision firms .The main objective of this study is to find out the role
of communication in enhancing Public Relations in Law firms. The study
adopted a survey of selected Law firms found in Eldoret town it targeted 334
law firms. A sample of 101 law firms was selected for the study.
Questionnaires were used to collect data .The contributions of PR include:
effective crisis management, interactive communication and improvement of
internal and external communication .The challenges facing PR policy include:
lack of finance, hesitant legal partners, lack of employee training, corruption in
the media houses and rigid Legal systems in place. This research recommend
that Law firms train both lawyers, administrators and paralegals on the
essence of effective communication in improving PR to enable them appreciate
the role of communication in their daily activities, develop comprehensive
policy governing effective communication and PR, social analysis to analyze
the requirements and have a good media relations.
Keywords: public relations; communication; corporate relations; performance
management; law firms
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INTRODUCTION
1.1Background of the study
Public relations academics conceptualize public relations as a management discipline,
which is a change from the traditional view of public relations as mainly a communication
activity. Grunig and Hunt (1984) define public relations as the management of
communication between an organization and its publics; and emphasize: this definition
equates public relations and communication management. Cutlip et al. (1999) define PR as
the management function that identifies, establishes and maintains mutually beneficial
relationships between an organization and the various publics on whom its success or
failure depends. Sam Black (1995) defines PR practice “as the planned and sustained effort
to establish and maintain good will and mutual understanding between organization and its
publics.
The need for effective internal communication under such conditions is of great value and
companies often turn to the professional PR adviser for guidance (George, 1990; Lings and
Brooks, 1998; Reynoso and Moores, 1996). It is generally accepted that businesses are
placing increasing importance on the support and promotion of their corporate name and
key pillar brands (Jeffkins and Yadin, 1998; Varey, 1997). This is particularly true in the
services sector where often brand name is the principal differentiating factor in the minds of
the targeted customers (Dibb et al., 2001). Core management objectives, working practices,
evolving client needs, competitive pressures, training and qualities of personnel,
performance measures and standards within the PR industry, are just some of the
fundamental issues now forming the shape of PR.
According to Pheroze (2004), communication especially through demand letter need not as
a matter of law proceed the filing of a suit but there are certain circumstances and certain
causes of action where a demand is required to be made fast in written as a matter of law. It
is therefore important for the law firms to refine their communication skills and
communicate the exact message to the parties concerned to stand the test of the case. A
great way to stand out in a crowded field of legal services is to communicate to somebody or
do something to somebody in other Law firm has never done. There is a great cost in
putting things in the mail but the question is not the net cost of one medium of
communication versus another. It is the net effectiveness of the message. It therefore goes
without saying that communication and public relations in Law firms are quid pro quo. In
impressing public relations with the assistance of effective communication, the publicity
code serves to give a detail guide which the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) may promulgate
from time to time with the consent of the master of the rolls. Perhaps the emphasis will be
more on the mode and content of what information can and may not be advertised.
1.2 Problem of the study
Legal services are part and parcel of both social and economic life of all the citizens in the
country. However, the law firms or legal practitioners are never allowed legally to advertise
either directly or indirectly to attract the clients. It is therefore difficult to propagate the
services to new clients unless other non advertising methods are adopted. Communication
and public relations are the only option for attracting clients. To be able to play the services
of PR well, effective communication ought to be done. However, in most law firms there is
no policy governing the process of communication to enhance public relations. The few
firms which have communication policy have never quantified the impact of effective
communication viz a viz PR and consequently the performance of legal firms. Lawyers and
other legal practitioners spend most of their time communicating either in the process of
defending their clients or advocating their case. It therefore implies that the combination of
effective communication and PR cannot be overlooked in the activities performed by the law
firms. Many lawyers have lost cases which otherwise appear straight forward. This is
attributed to either in appropriate communication or poor PR with other officers of the court
fairness withstanding. This study therefore traces forms of communication used by law
firms and their contribution in enhancing public relations of Law firms.
1.3 Objectives of the Study
The main objective of this study was to find out the role of communication in enhancing
public relations in legal firms. The specific objectives include:a) To find out the forms of communication commonly used by legal firms to enhance
public relations of Law firms.
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b) To establish ways Law firms use communication to improve Public Relations with
stakeholders.
c) To find out the contributions of communication in enhancing Public Relations of
Law firms.
d) To find out the common challenges Law firms face in using communication in
enhancing public relations for good performance of Law firms.
e) To establish the policies to be adopted by Law firms to use communication to
enhance public relations for good performance.
1.4 Research Questions
The research was guided by the following questions.
a) Which forms of communication commonly used by Law firms to enhance public
relations of legal firms?
b) How do Law firms use communication to improve Public Relations with
stakeholders?
c) What are the contributions of communication in enhancing Public Relations of Law
firms?
d) What are the common challenges Law firms face in using communication in
enhancing public relations for good performance of Law firms?
e) Which policies should be adopted by Law firms to use communication to enhance
public relations for good performance?
LITERATURE REVIEW
2. 1 Theoretical review
Shelley , (2007) carried out research on how public relations is perceived and utilized within
Yorkshire legal sector and whether legal PR is carried out more effectively by in house PR
departments or by professional PR consistence with specific reference to media relations.
The research hoped to determine the view and value of PR within the Yorkshire legal sector.
Also tactics used by PR consultancies for media relations for law firms and this perceptions
and attitudes currently held by the persons in the legal profession. First the Researcher
defined PR as:-Public Relations is the discipline which looks after reputation, with the aim
of earning understanding and support and influencing opinion and behavior. It is the
planned and sustained effort to establish and maintain goodwill and mutual understanding
between an organization and its publics
Harrison (2008), noted that Public relations is variously defined: those within the PR sector
tend to view the activity as having strategic and corporate impact, while many marketers
classify PR as little more than a tactical ingredient of the promotional mix. This contrast is
important; given marketers are heavy users of PR activity. This confusion has hindered the
development of the PR profession and added to the blurring of exactly what constitutes PR.
Contributes to this discussion by identifying the core constituents of public relations and
the underlying driving forces. Through a holistic approach, examines “PR-ness” at three
different levels. Survey data were gathered from public relations consultancies in the
different countries such as UK.
2.2 Corporate Public Relations and Marketing Public Relations
In addition to its corporate dimension, another domain of practice can be identified when
considering public relations: marketing public relations (Goldman, 1995; Kitchen and
Papasolomou, 1997). When defining marketing, McCarthy (1960) argued that its basic task
was to combine four main elements into a marketing programme to facilitate the market
exchange, known as the marketing mix: product, price, place and promotion. Likewise,
promotion was traditionally divided in four elements, known as the promotional mix:
advertising, sales and promotion, personal selling and public relations. In recent times, this
promotional mix has been extended to include direct mail; sponsorship and the Internet
(Dibb et al., 2001). In this context, public relations is seen as a communication tool that
will be co-ordinated with the others (such as advertising) to achieve a previously defined
marketing objective. Therefore, when seen in relation with marketing, public relations is
incorporated within its aims. The marketing mix defines marketing objectives in terms of
satisfaction of a customer’s needs and sales volume. In the words of Goldman, (1984) “while
all public relations is concerned with strategy, marketing – oriented PR is concerned with
marketing strategy – with the development of means and ends directly related to buying and
selling”.
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Public relations academics trying to build a specific theoretical framework for the discipline
reject marketing PR as a limited and misleading view of the practice. Public relations
academics consider that when deployed solely as a marketing tool, public relations is
reduced to a short term, non-strategic technical task, far from its managerial potential
(Grunig, 1992). Most underline that marketing and public relations are completely different
managerial functions (Cutlip et al., 1999). Marketers, conversely, often ridicule the notion of
public relations being anything other than a tactical component of the promotional mix
(Dibb et al., 2001). There is no doubt; however, that once the domain of ex-journalists,
public relations has increasingly pushed itself to the fore of many clients’ promotional
mixes (Caywood, 1996; Dibb et al., 2001; Kitchen, 1997). Perhaps it is the case that
marketers’ scoping of PR is too narrow when compared with the PR remit as viewed by the
leading PR exponents, who value public relations way beyond its tactical marketing mix role
(Dibb et al., 1996). Additions to the theoretical discipline of PR, as suggested in this paper,
may well encourage marketers to reconsider and acknowledge the longer-term strategic
input possible from public relations.
2.3 Forces shaping the Public Relations Industry
The ever changing regulatory and political environmental in the EU and in Eastern Europe
bring forth opportunities for trade, difficulties in communication to overcome and the need
to create corporate and product awareness in once alien territories. Deregulation of the use
of marketing communications in the legal and medical professions, plus growing
commercialization of higher education encouraged greater deployment of public relations
activities in these sectors. In commerce in general, many clients have witnessed the growth
of public relations throughout the 1990s and, as with the Internet and direct marketing,
more routinely included these promotional mix ingredients in their marketing
communications programmes (Dibb et al., 2001). These are just some of the commercial
reasons that were identified as encouraging the proliferation of public relations throughout
the 1990s. The professional exponents of PR felt their industry was set for further growth
and increasing challenges.
Internationalism has been cited as a key business trend for two decades (Caywood, 1996).
For most public relations practitioners, the message was clear: pan European brands and
client operations necessitate a Pan-European marketing communications capability,
including the support bought in from PR advisers. There was a belief, though, that while
pan-European branding and positioning can be very effective, the tactical PR support work
must be handled locally owing to the nuisance of the local media and PR contacts. The
leading PR consultancies pushed their clients to adopt globally usable branding and
promotional messages, supported locally through customized PR personnel and media
(Simkin and Dibb, 1998).
The PR industry is growing rapidly and is very permeable to new entrants, as PR is
perceived as an easy start-up. Competition represents a threat when stemming from the
increasing ability of advertising, sales promotion and management agencies to offer PR
skills (White and Mazur, 1995). The issue of competing or even surviving, through
specialization is a major challenge facing the executives of many PR consultancies. The
expectation was that to succeed there was only one option, but in two guises: niching either
for smaller PR firms concentrating on narrowly defined market sectors, such as health or
agrochemicals, or the large PR consultancies creating specialist teams or departments
within their firms. In addition, the growth in specialization is a symptom of the maturity
(Hollis Directories, 1998). As the business environment becomes more complex,
consultancies find it hard to provide consistent quality in the large range of PR activities,
each one demanding increasingly specialized knowledge. Perhaps one of the more
contentious assertions made by the majority of surveyed senior PR practitioners was their
relevance as strategic management consultants. Their belief was that as advisers in
corporate branding and in crisis management, PR consultancies generally are well informed
about their clients’ board level policies and plans, and frequently work alongside the senior
decision-makers and planners in their clients’ businesses. PR advisers perceived they were,
therefore, well placed to assist their clients in corporate strategy development and long term
business planning (Simkin and Dibb. 1998).
2.4 Why Should Law Firms Care About Public Relationship
According to Paramjit (2008), Law firms that still disregard public relationship as a
discipline that is not applicable to their profession are missing a vital component in
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business development and losing out on thousands of dollars Bottom line public relations is
really quite simple: it’s about building a reputation and maintaining that reputation. In
other words its “getting known, liked and trusted” in your target market if one just picks up
any newspaper he/she will discover for himself how CEOs of banks are being perceived
these days. They are seem corrupt, greedy, entitled and some cases incompetent. Not much
sympathy for the former masters of the universe. For any successful business development
PR has to be an essential component. Here are some reasons why attorneys, especially
those who are revisiting their strategic business plans, should include it in their marketing
mix: Paid advertising increases name recognition; media relations credibility. When people
read a story, or view a new on TV, in which, an attorney is quoted, he or she are
automatically perceived as an expert.
Media coverage helps you attract quality prospect. Because public relations increases
credibility, it helps you attract clients who want the best. When people/business have
heard of firm’s name or a particular attorney, it is easier to attract and hold their attention
while you tell them about your services; Being quoted, having articles published on a
regular basis, makes you a player in your field; Obtaining coverage in important
publications or on TV can make your organization look much larger than it is. If the people
in your target market believe that you are the best, they will understand why it is important
to pay top dollar. Finally, a public relations program stretches your business development
budget. Because the media do not charge for news coverage, the relative of a good PR
program is a lot less than of paid media or direct mail campaign (Varey, 1997).
According to FitzGerald (2000), Having a crisis communication plan where both sides:
attorneys and public relations firms and/or consultants, not only work cohesively together
but understand their respective roles is imperative when client’s/organization reputations
are at stake. Oftentimes, regardless of the legal implications of the crisis, perceptions
generated with the public can be helpful or detrimental to the client’s economic health.
When no plans are in place, and a crisis occurs, improvising and flying by the seat of one’s
trousers will not minimize damage but rather increase it.
2.5 Conceptual Framework
The variables under study are represented diagrammatically to show the relationship
between them by illustrating the influence of the independent variables on the dependent
variables in the study
Independent variable
Communication forms
- Telephone /cellphones
- Letters
- Oral communication
- Press release
- E-mails
Dependent variables
Contribution to Public Relations of Law
firms
- Enhances relationship with the
government
- High level of reputation
- Enhances external and internal
communication
- Attract more clients
- Beneficiary public relations
- Effective crisis management
- Interactive communication
- Less conflicts
- High level of efficiency
- Less errors and frauds
- Good media relations
- Good community relation
- Good clientele
- Les/few JD’s
Intervening
variables
- Type
of client
- Communication expertise
- Kind of reporters
- Changes and emerging trends
- Kind of negotiation at stake
- Editorial calendar publications
- Reliability of source
information
Figure 1: Conceptual framework showing communication and public relations of law firms
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METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Design and sample
The survey method was adopted in the conduct of the study .The design allowed for and a
holistic in depth study of the organizations involved. The target population was 334 law
firms. A sample of 101 law firms was selected for the study. Cluster sampling was used to
select the respondents.
3.2 Research Instruments
A structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data. The questionnaire was piloted
to twenty law firms in adjacent Kitale town. Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation
Coefficient was used to test the reliability of the questionnaire items and a coefficient of
0.76 was obtained which was considered adequate
3.3 Data Analysis
Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics
distributions and was presented by use of tables
such
percentages
and
frequency
FINDINGS
4. 1 Ways of Communication Legal Firms use to enhance Public Relations
It was established from the study that 50% of the law firms used press release, 100%
telephone, 80% letters and 100% oral communication No law firm used posters for
communication. This is shown in table 4.1 below .Since the choices were not mutually
exclusive the respondents selected more than one choice. Majority indicated that the
commonest method of communication used include telephone, letters and oral
communication
Table 4.1 Ways of Communication Legal Firms use to enhance Public Relations
Ways
Frequency
Percentage
Press release
50
50
Posters
0
0
Telephone
100
100
Letters
80
80
Oral communication
100
100
Source: Survey data (2014)
4.2 Factors Governing Communication Approach to enhance PR
The study findings established that 100% of the respondents identified the type of client
the firm has, 10% communication expertise of the firms, 20% kinds of reporters covering
the area of expertise on the firm, 50% changes and emerging trends, 60% issues that affect
the target market, 40% kind of negotiation at stake, 10% editorial kind of publications and
90% reliability of the sourcing information as shown in table 4.2 Apparently since the
choices were not mutually exclusive majority of the respondents identified type of clients’
changes and emerging trends, reliability of the source information as the main factors
which govern the communication approach used by legal firms.
Table 4.2 Factors Governing Communication Approach to enhance PR
Factors
Frequency
Percentage
Type of client the firm has
40
100
Communication expertise of the firms
4
10
Kinds of reporters covering the area of 8
20
expertise on the firm
Changes and emerging trends
20
50
Issues that affect the target market
32
60
Kind of negotiation at stake
16
40
Editorial kind of publications
4
10
Reliability of the source information
36
90
Source: Survey data (2014)
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4. 3 Ways of Using Communication to improve Public Relations with Stakeholders of
Legal Firms.
It was established from the study that what was used to determine the person to be part of
the communication management team 20% strongly agreed, 20% agreed, 30% were neutral
20% disagreed and 10% strongly disagreed, on the firm assigning designated spokesmen
with the press 40% strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 10% neutral, 15% disagreed and 5%
strongly disagreed. On the firm assigning individual /public relations agency to be
responsible for the needs of the press, 20% strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 20% were neutral
15% disagreed and 5% strongly disagreed, on the firm identifying a legal counsel /spokes
person who maintains current media lists of reporters who covers clients beat, 20% strongly
agreed, 10% agreed, 20% neutral, 30% disagreed and 30% strongly disagreed. On the firm
maintaining a media log of all clients who have contacted the organization and delegate who
will respond, 30% strongly agreed, 40% agreed, 10% were neutral 10% disagreed and 10%
strongly disagreed, on the firm communicating key message to all audiences in consistency
manner, 40% strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 10% neutral, 15% disagreed and 5% strongly
disagreed. On the legal firm maintaining several back up plans, point personal and other
details relating to PR, 10% strongly agreed, 20% agreed, 30% were neutral 30% disagreed
and 10% strongly disagreed, on the connecting and relating to all key stakeholders, 40%
strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 10% neutral, 15% disagreed and 5% strongly disagreed as
shown in table 4.3.
Table 4.3 Methods used by legal firm Communication to improve Public Relations
with Stakeholders of Legal Firms.
WAYS
SA
A
N
D
SD
It determines who will part of
communication management
team
It assigns designated
spokesperson with the press
It assigns individual/public
relations agency to be
responsible for needs of the
press
The legal
counsel/spokesperson has a
current media list of reporters
who cover clients beat
Maintains a media log of all
clients who have contacted the
organization and delegate who
will respond.
Communicating key message to
all audiences in consistent
manner
Keeping the public relations
agency/consultant a breast of
any latest developments.
Maintaining several back up
plans, point personal and other
details relating to PR.
Connecting and relating to all
key stakeholders.
Source: Survey Data (2014)
F
%
F
%
F
%
F
%
F
%
4
20
4
20
6
30
4
20
2
10
8
40
6
30
2
10
3
15
1
5
4
20
6
30
4
20
3
15
1
5
4
20
2
10
4
20
6
30
6
30
6
30
8
40
2
10
2
10
2
10
8
40
6
30
2
10
3
15
1
5
2
10
4
20
6
30
6
30
5
10
8
40
6
30
2
10
3
15
1
5
8
40
6
30
2
10
3
15
1
5
4.4 Contribution of Communication in enhancing Public Relations in Legal Firms
The study findings show that communication enhances beneficiary public relations 40%
strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 10% were neutral 15% disagreed and 5% strongly disagreed,
on it leading to effective crisis management 40% strongly agreed, 40% agreed, 5% neutral,
10% disagreed and 5% strongly disagreed. On it enhancing external communication, 30%
strongly agreed, 40% agreed, 10% were neutral 15% disagreed and 5% strongly disagreed,
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on enhancing relationship with the government 10% strongly agreed, 15% agreed, 10%
neutral, 30% disagreed and 35% strongly disagreed. On improving interactive
communication, 40% strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 20% were neutral 5% disagreed and 0%
strongly disagreed, on improving internal communication hence conflicts 30% strongly
agreed, 30% agreed, 10% were neutral 20% disagreed and 10% strongly disagreed, on
leading to high levels of reputation of the law firm, 50% strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 5%
neutral, 15% disagreed and 5% strongly disagreed. On leading to high levels of efficiency,
30% strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 10% were neutral, 20% disagreed and 10% strongly
disagreed, on less commitment of errors and fraud, 20% strongly agreed, 20% agreed, 20%
neutral, 30% disagreed and 10% strongly disagreed. On enhancing good relations with
other legal practitioners, 30% strongly agreed, 40% agreed, 5% neutral, 20% disagreed and
5% strongly disagreed. On attracting more clients, 10% strongly agreed, 20% agreed, 10%
neutral, 30% disagreed and 30% strongly disagreed. On good media relations, 20% strongly
agreed, 40% agreed, 10% neutral, 20% disagreed and 10% strongly disagreed. On good
community relations, 40% strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 10% neutral, 5% disagreed and
15% strongly disagreed. This is shown in table 4.4
Table 4.4 Contribution of Communication in enhancing Public Relations in Legal
Firms
Contributions
SA
A
N
D
SD
F
%
F
%
F
%
F
%
F
%
Enhances beneficiary PR
Relations
Leads to effective crisis
management
Enhances external
communication
Enhances relations with the
government
Leads to interactive
communication
Improves internal
communication
Leads to high level of
reputation of the firm
Leads to high level of
efficiency
Leads to less commitment of
error and fraud
Enhances good relations with
other legal practitioners
Attracts more clients
8
40
6
30
2
10
3
15
1
5
8
40
8
40
1
5
2
10
1
5
6
30
8
40
2
10
3
15
1
5
2
10
3
15
2
10
6
30
7
35
8
40
6
30
4
20
1
5
0
0
10
50
6
30
1
5
3
15
1
5
4
20
8
40
2
10
4
20
2
10
6
30
6
30
2
10
4
20
2
10
4
20
4
20
4
20
6
30
2
10
6
30
8
40
1
5
4
20
1
5
2
10
4
20
2
10
6
30
6
30
Good media relations
4
20
8
40
2
10
4
20
2
10
Good community relations
8
40
6
30
2
10
1
5
3
15
Source: Survey data (2014)
4.5 Policies Suggested to be adopted by Law Firms to use Communication to enhance
PR.
The research sought to establish which policies are to be used if communication is to serve
its purpose. It was established from the study that on media training, 50% strongly agreed,
40% agreed, 5% were neutral 5% disagreed and 0% strongly disagreed, On partnership
management 40% strongly agreed, 30% agreed, 10% neutral, 20% disagreed and 20%
strongly disagreed. On reputation management, 30% strongly agreed, 20% agreed, 20%
were neutral 10% disagreed and 30% strongly disagreed, On organizing seminars on
communication and PR, 50% strongly agreed, 40% agreed, 5% were neutral 5% disagreed
and 0% strongly disagreed, On crisis communication training, 20% strongly agreed, 10%
agreed, 10% neutral, 20% disagreed and 40% strongly disagreed. On organizing special
events, 30% strongly agreed, 20% agreed, 20% were neutral, 20% disagreed and 10%
strongly disagreed, on carrying out strategic planning counsel, 10% strongly agreed, 20%
agreed, 20% neutral, 40% disagreed and 10% strongly disagreed. On enhancing community
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relations, 10% strongly agreed, 10% agreed, 20% neutral, 30% disagreed and 30% strongly
disagreed. On press material development, 20% strongly agreed, 10% agreed, 20% neutral,
30% disagreed and 30% strongly disagreed. On media relations, 40% strongly agreed, 40%
agreed, 5% neutral, 10% disagreed and 5% strongly disagreed. On competitive analysis,
10% strongly agreed, 10% agreed, 20% neutral, 20% disagreed and 40% strongly disagreed.
On social analysis, 10% strongly agreed, 20% agreed, 10% neutral, 30% disagreed and 30%
strongly disagreed and on social media management, 30% strongly agreed, 20% agreed,
10% neutral, 30% disagreed and 10% strongly disagreed. This is shown in table 4.5
Table 4.5: Policies suggested to be adopted by Law Firms to use Communication to
enhance PR.
Policies
SA
A
N
D
SD
F
%
F
%
F
%
F
%
F
%
Media training
10
50
8
40
1
5
1
5
0
0
Partnership management
8
40
6
30
2
10
4
20
4
20
Reputation management
6
30
4
20
4
20
2
10
6
30
10
50
8
40
1
5
1
5
0
0
4
20
2
10
2
10
2
20
8
40
Organizing special events
6
30
4
20
4
20
4
20
2
10
Carrying out strategic
planning and counsel
Enhancing community
relations
Press material development
2
10
2
20
2
20
8
40
2
10
2
10
2
10
4
20
6
30
6
30
8
40
8
40
1
5
2
10
1
5
Media relations
2
10
2
10
2
20
2
20
8
40
Competitive analysis
2
10
4
20
2
10
6
30
6
30
Social media management
6
30
4
20
2
10
6
30
2
10
Organizing
seminars
communication and PR
Crisis communication
on
Source: Survey data (2014)
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that the methods of communication commonly used by legal firms to
enhance publish relations include press release, telephone, letters, and oral
communication. This is tailored to the type of activities performed by the legal firms. The
factors which govern the communication approach to enhance publish relations in legal
firms include: type of client the legal firm has, changes and emerging trends, kind of
negotiation at stake and reliability of source information. The ways firms use
communication to improve public relations include: determining who will be part of the
communication management team, designing a designated spokes person with the press,
maintaining media log, communicating key message to all audiences in consistent manner,
keeping the public relations agency with any latest development, connecting and relating to
all key stakeholders. The contributions of communication to enhance in PR of legal firms
include: leading to effective crisis management, good external communications, interactive
communication, improvement of internal communication, high level of reputation of the law
firm, high levels of efficiency, less commitment of errors and fraud, attractive more clients,
and good media relations. The policies to be adopted to improve communication alongside
public relations include partnership management, media training and reputation
management, organizing seminars, crisis management, organizing special events, media
relations and social analysis.
SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER STUDY
The study recommends for further research to be conducted on the influence of
communication and PR on effective service delivery of law firms and the role of
communication in successful defenses by law firms.
©Society for Business Research Promotion
| 27
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ISSN: 2047-2528
Asian Journal of Business and Management Sciences
Vol. 4 No. 01[19-28]
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