Trust is the currency of the legal profession. Clients place enormous confidence in their lawyers to win cases, close deals, anticipate risk and protect reputations. They trust judgement. They trust discretion. They trust execution. They trust that when pressure rises, the advice will be clear, measured and steady.
That same standard applies inside the communications function.
In a law firm, where reputation is both an asset and a differentiator, trust is not a soft value. It is infrastructure. And in the communications function, it is the foundation on which everything else is built.
The work of communications teams matters – storytelling, media relations, internal communications, brand positioning, crisis response – but without trust, they cannot be impactful.
In my experience, communicators are most effective not when they are the loudest voice in the room, but when they are the most trusted:
- Trust that we understand the firm’s goals.
- Trust that we will protect the brand.
- Trust that we will communicate clearly and consistently.
- Trust that we will anticipate risk.
- Trust that we will tell the truth even when it is uncomfortable.
- Trust that we will push back when needed.
As I wrote in this column last January, a critical way that trust is earned is through consistency and effectiveness over time, across channels and in the small moments that seem routine.
But don’t just take my word for it. The research makes the case clearly.
Twenty-five years of global research in the Edelman Trust Barometer confirms that organisational success is tightly linked to trust in leadership and communications. In today’s environment, Edelman’s study shows that stakeholders are increasingly sceptical and expectations of transparency are rising. Trust is not peripheral to strategy, but it is core to it. You can read a summary of its top 10 findings.
Likewise, PwC’s Trust in Business Survey finds that 93% of executives believe building trust improves the bottom line. That is a remarkable level of consensus. Trust is not simply a reputational aspiration; it is viewed as a performance driver.
Taken together, the message is clear: leaders expect communications professionals to help the organisation build and protect trust in measurable, strategic ways. That expectation elevates the role. It also raises the bar.
Trust is not a trophy. It is a responsibility.
When leaders of organisations look to communications leaders to help navigate risks, what they want is judgement grounded in experience. And judgement rests on trust.
One of the most misunderstood aspects of trust is timing. Trust does not begin when a crisis hits. By then, it’s too late. It either already exists or it doesn’t.
No matter where you sit within a law firm, trust is built in the daily work. The steady drumbeat of accurate updates, thoughtful counsel, disciplined messaging and reliable execution. It is built in the countless interactions that may never make headlines but shape perception internally and externally.
Consistency is not glamorous. But it is powerful.
One important thing that I have seen time and time again in my career is that when the leaders of an organisation trust the work of the communications function, that trust tends to spread.
In a law firm, that means that lawyers begin to trust that media engagement will be strategic and well-managed. That thought leadership will reinforce expertise across practice groups internally and with clients. That internal communications will be transparent and timely. That successes with Chambers and industry acknowledgments will be nurtured, recognised and celebrated. That risks will be handled with care.
Over time, trust becomes cultural and not just functional.
When trust becomes cultural, communication shifts from transactional to strategic. It becomes proactive rather than reactive. It moves the discussion from “Let’s do a press release” to “What’s the best way to communicate this?” It becomes embedded in how the firm operates, not just how it speaks.
In an era defined by a 24-hour news cycles, AI-driven content (and misinformation) and heightened scrutiny from audiences, consistency matters more than ever. Consistency in tone. Consistency in values. Consistency in facts. Consistency in effectiveness. Consistency in follow-through.
Trust is not built through one well-crafted statement or one well-written thought leadership insight. It is built through many interactions frequently unseen by others beyond those involved.
Top communicators want to be viewed as strategic advisors. But advisory status is not granted by title. It is earned through credibility. And credibility is built on trust.
When business professionals, regardless of function in a law firm, demonstrate reliability, clear judgement and principled decision-making (and when they are willing to support and, when necessary, respectfully challenge ideas), they move from message managers to business partners.
That is where real impact lies.
Trust cannot just be written into a mission statement or displayed on a website and left there. It must be lived. It is reflected in how quickly calls are returned, how carefully facts are checked, how transparently updates are shared and how consistently commitments are honoured.
When trust is built, day after day, through a consistent communication strategy, it strengthens the firm’s ability to serve clients, manage risk and articulate value to everyone.
Allan Schoenberg is the chief communications officer at Vinson & Elkins.
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