By Adam M. Rosen
The art and science behind attorney advertising
When San Fernando, California, attorney Arvand Naderi is walking around town, it’s not unusual for random people to greet him enthusiastically. But they don’t say hello. Instead, many shout out the phrase, “Guns n’ dope!”
To which Naderi knowingly responds, “Don’t lose hope!”
The exchange may seem odd to the uninitiated. But alongside a picture of his face, the catchy couplet (“Guns n’ Dope? / Don’t Lose Hope!”) has been plastered on one of his firm’s billboards off the 118 freeway in neighboring Pacoima for seven years, turning him into something of a local celebrity.
Since the criminal defense attorney started advertising on billboards ~10 years ago, he estimates he’s purchased ~50 of them. He says he spends $100k+ on billboard advertising a year.
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Joanne Doroshow is the founder and executive director of the Center for Justice & Democracy, a consumer advocacy organization affiliated with New York Law School. She says she puts the term “tort reform” in quotes.
“The word ‘reform’ suggests to most people that this would be a positive development. But the way we look at these laws that get passed, they basically are about either stripping everyday people of their legal rights to keep them from going to court or taking away the power and authority of civil juries to award compensation to people who have been harmed,” she says.
“So we don't consider that reform in any sort of positive way.”
She also says it’s hypocritical for pharmaceutical companies and insurers to oppose attorney advertising given how much they spend on their own. (Last year, for instance, Progressive, Allstate, Geico and State Farm spent a combined $7.5B on advertising.)
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