Scope: Texas A&M University School of Law seeks proposals from qualified vendors to 1) develop and implement a brand and positioning strategy; 2) develop and implement brand and reputation marketing campaigns specifically targeting our peers in the legal academy, as well as lawyers and judges—both within Texas and across the nation; and 3) provide ongoing creative and production support for other planned and ad hoc marketing projects.
Texas A&M University School of Law
Since Texas A&M acquired the law school in 2013, it has transformed from a small, unranked private school focused primarily on serving students in Dallas/Fort Worth to a large, public school ranked among the top 25 law schools in the nation, with a reach that extends throughout Texas and beyond. The law school has improved substantially and in a variety of ways.
For example, applications for the JD program have more than tripled, and the median LSAT score has increased by an astounding 16 points. The employment rate of our graduates has improved from below 70% to 100%, and placements with large law firms and federal judges have gone from practically nonexistent to over 25% of the graduating class. Our Texas bar passage rate, has increased from below 85% to above 95%. Our ranking has increased from being previously unranked to now #22 in the country. Concomitantly, our standing within the legal, business, and political communities in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, and the nation has increased dramatically.
Perhaps because our ascent has been so quick and dramatic, the perception of our school among certain key audiences has not kept pace with the reality of who we currently are. Although certainly not the most important data point, two rough measures of this phenomenon are the results of the annual peer and employer reputation surveys published by one of the organizations that ranks law schools. Our peer assessment score of 3.1 and our employer assessment score of 3 represent significant improvement over what they once were. However, each lags behind the assessment scores of peer law schools, such as the University of Texas, Notre Dame, and Georgia. This mismatch between the current reality and perception among our target audiences potentially hinders the law school’s efforts to recruit and place students and to recruit faculty.
Texas A&M Law’s ascendency has been so fast that a clear, coherent brand language and positioning has yet to emerge. The messaging in recent years has relied almost exclusively on the positive – even unprecedented – trajectory and statistical gains. Over the next few years, it will be critical for Texas A&M Law to have a consistent and coherent brand voice and positioning strategy that will secure its rightful place among the leading law schools in the nation, with target audiences clearly understanding the reasons for that position.
For these reasons, we seek a vendor to help us develop and implement a brand and positioning strategy, the reputation marketing campaigns specifically targeting our peers in the legal academy, as well as lawyers and judges—both within Texas and across the nation; as well as ongoing support for other planned and ad hoc creative and production needs. Branding and Positioning Strategy and Implementation We expect the vendor to review the website and other student recruitment and marketing materials and to obtain feedback from key stakeholders, including law school leadership, career services, admissions, graduate programs, marketing, and alumni relations. The goal is to assist the law school leadership in developing brand positioning and brand messaging, including key talking points and other differentiators. The vendor will also facilitate implementation of the brand and positioning strategy, e.g., by helping to develop a messaging strategy, suggesting marketing tactics to support student recruitment, and a CRM strategy. The vendor will create brand positioning and design style guides that integrate with Texas A&M brand parameters and supporting materials, including templates.
Peer Reputation Campaign
The vendor will develop and implement a campaign to improve the law school’s reputation among its peers at the other ABAapproved law schools, especially those in key leadership positions. This will involve, but may expand beyond, email and direct mail campaigns—including design and copy. It will also include digital marketing campaigns. We are looking for both data-driven and creative thinking about how to accomplish the goals.
Employer Reputation Campaign
The vendor will develop and implement a campaign to improve the law school’s reputation among employers, especially partners at AMLaw 200 law firms and federal and state judges. This may involve email, direct mail, and digital marketing campaigns. Ongoing Design and Production Support The vendor will be available on an as needed basis to provide design and production support.
Due Date: 12:00 p.m. CST on May 23, 2025
Contact: Wes Wolfe Assistant Director Texas A&M University Procurement Servicesswolfe3@tamu.edu
