PR: A Way Out Of The BAR

Category: Other

Looking at this curious title, one might be clueless about the nature of this blog. Would it actually talk about a way out of a BAR? Or is it something else? Whatever it is, what does it have to do with PR? PR after all is an entirely different thing; it is about media relations, event management and crisis communication. So before your brain goes into frenzy, let me introduce you to an altogether new BAR i.e. the association of lawyers! The BAR Council Act, 1961 prohibits an advocate to go for an out and out advertisement. Any lawyer found guilty is liable to certain penalties mentioned in the Act. We are all aware that with the dawn of 21st century the literacy rate of India shot up and so did the number of advocates. This means that an advocate who earlier had no or less competition is on the brink with 10 other equally competent lawyers. Our lawyer is bound by the law so he cannot but advertise, he must rely on his skill-sets, the skill which he uses in the courtroom to enchant judges(his oratory skills and his legal prowess) might come handy with a few of the clients but the majority doesn’t understand the legal technicalities and are bound to be disoriented. So what should he do? He can draw the attention of majority by pulling up some theatrics, like taking up a lost celebrity case which is bound to add up to his tally of losses or may apply a trick or the other to attract the masses. It is in these circumstances that PR can come in handy. A PR agency can help in accentuating a lawyer’s career graph; it can generate a public opinion about him out of the thin air. By using the skill of PR Professionals, the lawyer can get the benefits of advertising or let us say a benefit far beyond advertising and that too at a far lesser cost. And this also helps him escape the net of law and save him from any disciplinary action from the BAR.