Lawyers Attack Rivals in TV Spots

Increased competition leads to more—and nastier—ads.

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By Tim Higgins

April 28, 2016 at 8:36 PM UTC

This article is for subscribers only.

This article is part of the May 2, 2016 issue of businessweek.

When trial lawyer Geoffrey Fieger takes to the airwaves in Detroit, he doesn’t just tout his courtroom prowess, he also chides his competition. “Every day, people are forced to settle for less than they need or deserve. Why? Because their lawyer doesn’t really try cases; they only advertise on TV.” Another Fieger ad shows darkened silhouettes labeled with the names of competitors as a deep voice asks, “You think you know them, or do you?”

TV viewers get their share of flashy trial lawyer ads. But lately, there have been a lot more, and they’re getting nasty. Ads for firms such as Fieger’s highlight a more recent trend: lawyers directly attacking their competitors, in a style similar to political ads. Money spent on such advertising by law firms could rise 300 percent this year from last year, says Kantar Media’s Campaign Media Analysis Group (CMAG), which tracks TV advertising in 210 markets.