Before opening his own firm after graduating from law school in 2018, Tom Kherkher didnât have Facebook or Instagram. âI was the guy everybody made fun of because I didn’t have social media,â he remembers.
Flash forward four years and Tom â or AttorneyTom, as heâs known online â is one of the most recognizable lawyers on the internet. Heâs accumulated 500 million minutes of watch time on Facebook and 270 million views on YouTube. And as one of the first attorneys to take advantage of TikTok, heâs been able to funnel viewers toward his other content, which has generated cases for his firm.
But social media, in his opinion, isnât always all itâs cracked up to be. It takes a lot of time and dedication to gain an audience, and even with one as big as Tomâs, social media isnât generating hundreds of new referrals.
âI would be really skeptical of anybody who is directly making money off of you, if they’re selling you this social media product,â he says. âI do think it is going to get only better as younger people get in the workplace and are the ones who need lawyers, but slow and steady wins the race.â
So how do you gain a big social media following and keep them engaged? Which platforms generate the most success, and how can we get the most out of those platforms? Tune into this episode of Trial Lawyer Nation as Tom and host Michael Cowen talk through these topics â and reveal some social media secrets.
Featured Guest
Name: Tom Kherkher
About: Tom Kherkher is the founding attorney of The Kherkher Law Firm and an associate attorney of Kherkher Garcia. He is doing what he loves every day â fighting against injustice.
After graduating from law school and passing the Texas bar, Tom immediately founded his own law firm in Houston, Texas to fight for people and bring them justice. At The Kherkher Law Firm, Tom and his staff work tirelessly and passionately to recover damages for individuals who have suffered from the negligence of others. Tom Kherkher is licensed to practice law in the U.S. Southern District of Texas and all courts of the State of Texas and Louisiana.
Company: The Kherkher Law Firm, PLLC and Kherkher Garcia, LLP
Connect: LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok | Facebook | Instagram
Episode HighlightsÂ
[01:16] The YouTube lawyer: Meet Tom Kherkher, one of the top attorneys in the social media game. As one of the most-watched lawyers online, Tom has attracted clients to his firm, but itâs not as easy as some people claim.Â
[03:26] Straight outta law school: Before he even passed the bar exam, Tom had signed a lease on an office to start his own practice. He discusses why he took that risk and how he built his successful firm from scratch with the help of social media.
[08:27] Finding the sweet spot: How did Tom create a successful social media brand with millions of views? âTrial and error,â he says â and a surprising discovery about the value of longer-form YouTube content over TikTok.Â
[15:08] âEdu-tainmentâ focused: Want a loyal social media following? Stop focusing on promoting yourself and donât expect anything in return from your followers, Tom explains.Â
[19:33] What the algorithm wants: âAt the end of the day, Facebook and YouTube â all they care about is making money,â Tom says. He reveals secrets to taking advantage of that business model and getting your videos recommended.
[25:12] Quantity vs. quality: Millions of views are great â but those rarely convert to cases or a loyal following. To find success, you need a healthy balance of both short-form and long-form content, says Tom.Â
[30:59] The beauty of social: Which is better â pay-to-play social media or organic social media growth? Both can be effective, and both will cost you money or time to get a worthwhile return.
[36:33] One hour a week is not enough: Organic growth that makes you money can be achieved â but you have to put in the work, and hiring people doesnât work as a shortcut, Tom explains.Â
[40:56] Learn from influencers, not other lawyers: Tom explains what lawyers can learn about mindset by paying attention to young social media influencers like Mr. Beast.
[44:29] Breaking the fourth wall: This podcast follows a similar mindset as Tomâs on social media: itâs helped us build trust and get cases, but itâs taken a while to get there.
[48:48] âNot all itâs cracked up to beâ: Tom signs off with a message to listeners: be skeptical of people who say theyâre gaining hundreds of cases and making millions from social media.
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In this popular and award-winning podcast for trial lawyers, noteworthy author, sought-after speaker, and renowned trial lawyer, Michael Cowen explores critical topics distinctive to the legal profession with some of the biggest names in the industry â specifically focused on developing extremely efficient law practices, securing a competitive edge in the industry, and wildly excelling in the courtroom.