Law Firm "Has Joined the Firm" Announcements...

Do you get these? I sure do (not always sure why but...). Why are these sent? Are they useful? Should they be done differently?

I know when I joined one of the firms that I previously worked for that the principle lawyer sent out an announcement that I had joined the firm. We sent the announcements generally to clients and other referal sources.

Why do so many firms send these announcements out to essentially every lawyer in the City of Chicago? I probably get one a week and it's virtually always from a lawyer or firm I've never heard of and have no relationship with.

I think another error with these mailings (and Firm Websites too) is they're lawyer/firm focused; NOT client focused. I'm looking at one I just got this week. This one is actually more than an announcement. It's approximately a 20 page pamphlet...the cover is an announcement. The rest of the pamphlet includes attorney biographies and one page with "reported" cases. Does a potential client care about "reported" cases (would a layperson even know what that means?), law school attended and bar association membership? If your potential client is an individual the answer is NO. How might you help a client? Answer that question; you're not running for President.

Finally, include a "personal" biography of yourself not the blah, lawyer-norm, irrelevent bio. Here's mine. I suppose it can be improved but I think you should have a picture on your Website and some "personal" stuff in your bio. Many clients have made small talk with me about my semi-serious participation in triathlons...we never discuss the meaning of "Order of the Coif."