Florida Bar Seeks A Public Relations Firm

The Florida Bar, the state’s guardian of the professionalism, ethics and skills of Florida lawyers with goals of pursuing justice, protecting the public and promoting professionalism is seeking a Public Relations agency. The annual budget for an outside PR firm is approximately $100,000.

The Florida Bar is a unified/mandatory bar with more than 100,000 members that has primary responsibility for enforcing the Rules Regulating The Florida Bar as promulgated by the Florida Supreme Court. The Bar’s advocacy efforts include public education programs, monitoring legislation of interest to the legal profession and affecting the administration of justice, and supporting work of the Florida Commission on Access to Civil Justice.

The governing body is a 52-member Board of Governors with elected representatives from Florida’s 20 judicial circuits, representatives of out of state members, and two public non-lawyer members. All public relations activities are overseen by the Board of Governors Communications Committee which is appointed by the President. The Florida Bar has a public information department, with seven full-time professionals, and a publications department with professional staff to write and produce 24 issues of The Florida Bar News and 10 issues of The Florida Bar Journal annually.

They seek help to develop a public relations plan including: media relations, internal and external relationship building, and other communications activities that implement the objectives and recommended actions in The Florida Bar Strategic Plan.

The plan objectives are as follows:

• Ensure the judicial system, a co-equal branch of government, is fair, impartial, adequately funded and open to all;
• Enhance the legal profession and the public’s trust and confidence in attorneys and the justice system;
• Strive for equal access to and availability of legal services;
• Enhance and improve the value of Florida Bar membership; and
• Continue to encourage and promote diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the profession and the justice system.

TFB anticipates that the plan activities will include the following:

• Developing key messages and soundbites for use in communicating with TFB members and the public. Writing news releases, statements by the President, talking points, fact sheets and other messaging materials;
• Recommending branding strategies, consistent messaging and methods of delivery that will enhance dialogue  and communications with members, including the use of multimedia for presentations, graphics and infographics, mobile device apps, social media, email design and targeting, website postings/pages, publications and other forms of communications;

• Arranging, coordinating and managing media coverage, interviews and appearances/deskside briefings, editorial board meetings and press conferences. Monitoring media coverage and preparing responses including letters to the editor and op/ed columns;
• Developing member and public outreach efforts as public education, including informational tools and resources;
• Assisting with crisis communications and issues management including certain media requests and inquiries;
• Providing media training and coaching for the President, President-elect and other key representatives of the organization. Identifying, training and coaching other designated sources for media information/interviews;
• Recommending social media strategies and messaging to integrate with all other forms of member communications as well as communications with the public;
• Providing communications support for joint activities of The Florida Bar and local voluntary bars; and
• Identifying additional public relations opportunities within the designated budget.

Proposals are due by May 13 to:

Francine A. Walker, APR, CPRC

Director, Public Information & Bar Services The Florida Bar

651 East Jefferson Street Tallahassee, Florida 32301

Email: fwalker@floridabar.org