Case Studies: Starn O’Toole Marcus & Fisher, A Law Corporation

 The Best Legal Eagles

Kukui Marketing started with the law firm in 2005, primarily doing print media buys and production.

At the time, three of the name lawyers had been recognized by Best Lawyers in America and Chambers USA Directory of Leading Lawyers for Business in three practice areas. Like most businesses, the law firm attorneys were focused on practicing law and not on marketing efforts.  

Kukui took over organizing firm submissions for Best Lawyers, U.S. News Best Law Firms, Chambers, Super Lawyers, and Benchmark Litigation.

The ranking entities base their research on the opinions of the lawyer’s peers and their clients. In a busy environment, where there is only so much time to dedicate to networking, the best strategy was to increase the firm and individual’s name awareness. 

The firm had a nice looking website-but the main issue was that it used flash, which is virtually unsearchable by web crawlers, and the site was built before search engine optimization (SEO). Kukui worked with a new web vendor in constructing a non-flash site, using the same look of the old site, and an optimized version of the page contents.  New photos were taken of the office and  images were selected to represent their practice areas of real estate law and commercial litigation.  Individual attorney profiles were made e-mailable and printable. 

One of the most important strategies for web site ranking is refreshing the information on the site on a consistent basis.  The website has an easy to use content management system which allows Kukui to post press releases, new recognition logos and client comments.  

In 2019, the website was updated with a fresh theme using the existing structure and adding new art images.

One of Kukui’s main duties is to negotiate and plan media strategy for the law firm. Since engagement, Kukui  has negotiated key positioning in Honolulu Magazine’s Best Lawyer’s issue, putting the law firm in the first pages of the magazine, and in front of other legal advertisers.  Kukui also negotiated adjacency positions in key issues of Hawaii Business Magazine.  A timing strategy is also employed where having a dedicated agency to oversee marketing allows the firm to place accolade announcement media well-ahead of others.

Currently, all of the firm’s thirteen director’s and of counsel attorneys are recognized by one or more of the entities.  The law firm is recognized as Top Listed by US News & World Report & Best Law Firms as well as Chambers and Partners USA Leading Lawyers for Business.  The firm is a rated a Highly Recommended Firm by Benchmark Litigation.  Individual attorneys have been recognized by Best Lawyers in America as Lawyers of the Year, among the Top 250 Women Litigators by Benchmark Litigation, the Top 25 by Hawaii Super Lawyers and a Star by Chambers USA. The law firm is recognized in 32 practice areas by U.S. News-Best Lawyers in America, Best Law Firms.

Potential clients cite the firm’s website and web-based research as an important tool for initially contacting the law firm for services.