With a history of over 25 years, the Concern Dialog Law Firm launched the year with an updated brand - a new logo and colors, aiming to present, via new visual elements and color solutions, the values and principles developed in line with the requirements of the time.

Banks.am spoke with Nune Hovsepyan, Marketing and Communications Director of Concern Dialog, about the specifics of marketing activity in the Law Firm and the future plans in that area.

Nune Hovsepyan has started her professional career as a legal journalist, working in various media, and then gained more than 6 years of experience in communication, managing the public relations unit of the Office of Human Rights Defender (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Armenia.

Nune Hovsepyan emphasizes that previous specializations help and complement each other in the development of the marketing and communication of Concern Dialog, as well as in providing advice to clients on strategic communications. The choice of the workplace is regarded with immense responsibility, considering working with professionals and sharing the firm’s values as primary.

“The renewed brand corresponds to the essence of Concern Dialog”

After almost a year of hard work, Concern Dialog introduces itself with a new logo and colors, which, in our opinion, corresponds to the “essence” of the firm. As a result of regular meetings, surveys and discussions with the team, we came to the conclusion that the archetypes of our brand are three: sage, ruler and caregiver, accordingly, we picked the colors of the brand. We also re-launched the firm’s website in line with the new brand. Those works were important because we had an impression that the colors and visuals remaining unchanged since the day of the firm’s foundation failed to match the culture, approaches and values developed within Concern Dialog over the years.

All the members of the team contributed to the updating of the brand, and we cooperated with Breavis Company throughout the process.

“Clients are more than merely consumers of our services”

Marketing in a law firm has its peculiarities. Professional, client-oriented activity and correct marketing approaches have provided us with measurable outcomes for years. We enjoy leading positions in practically all major ratings: Chambers and Partners, Legal 500 and a number of others. Furthermore, our position in this matter is unequivocal: we do not take part in such ratings for which you have to pay, because in that case we believe it impossible to expect an independent rating.

The Chambers and Partners carries out extensive work before the rating, studying the data submitted by a company, conducting interviews with clients and other market actors. It is this kind of reliable rating that makes us reliable also for international partners, large or renowned companies whenever they deal with legal issues related to Armenia.

When defining the annual budget for marketing, the firm does not hesitate to purchase such services that enable us to gain insightful understanding of our position in the market, as well as promotion directions and opportunities. The Chambers Insight Report is an illustration of such professional research.

In parallel with this, every year, the firm provides funds for internationally renowned legal periodicals and publishing houses, so that the team members can write articles on RA law and practice in comparative guides. This marketing tool demonstrates our expertise in a specific area of law. Experience shows that such efforts are appreciated by international partners, making Armenia’s legal opportunities more comprehensive for investors.

Membership in two of the largest legal alliances (TagLaw and Nextlaw) and collaboration with indigenous legal organizations operating in individual countries are also an important direction of our activity enabling us to provide high-quality services to clients virtually all over the world.

As to the Armenian market, I think that Concern Dialog has positioned itself there with years of dedicated professional work and the principle of creating added value for the client. Our former clients are the primary source of attracting new ones, since it’s hard to find a more effective advertisement than clients, who leave us satisfied.

To us, clients are more than merely consumers of our services. Therefore, we seek to demonstrate an approach tailored to individual needs of each client, building on long-term cooperation rather than short-term deals or sales.

“Positioning ourselves at the expense of clients’ reputation or business is not our “handwriting”

The firm’s public communication and marketing differs from market approaches: it is important for us not to position ourselves at the expense of the reputation or business of our clients. Indeed, digital marketing dictates its own rules, but we apply those tools to the extent necessary to reach the target audience and provided that they do not contradict the principles adopted by the firm.

In open sources, including our social networks, one cannot find success stories about individual cases, information about internationally renowned companies or individuals who happen to be our clients or about successes we have achieved in representing clients’ interests on various platforms.

It doesn’t mean that we criticize those who do not adhere to such approaches. Moreover, I, as a specialist, attach importance to publications in such a format, because they have a certain positive impact, nevertheless, peculiarities of the field and years of experience have led us to a different direction. Naturally, there are cases of public resonance where it is impossible to avoid professional discussions, but even in that case, we try to prioritize the settlement of clients’ problems.

Regrettably, the tendency to personalize the identity of an attorney with that of his principal (client) puts down root year by year in our society, so we all must work consistently to root out this tendency.  I speak about this not because we don’t want to be identified with a client because of having a good or bad opinion about him/her, but because it should be understood that the work of a lawyer is aimed at ensuring the right of each person to legal aid.

Concern Dialogue - reliable employer and career growth opportunity

Concern Dialog encourages, as far as possible, aspirations of team members for continuous professional growth.

Our specialists teach at various universities, are involved in the works of improvement of legislation, conduct seminars on various professional topics. We attach particular importance to working with journalists and students including through organization of seminars and workshops.

Along with all this, Concern Dialog has creates an environment where it is possible to keep the balance between professional and private life. I surely make this statement relying on my own experience of a working professional and a mother of two small kids (smiles - interviewer).

Among a number of plans in the near future, I would like to single out two: implementation of more fundamental projects with students and launching a podcast on legal topics. I am sure that the firm will succeed in holding interesting professional discussions in these areas as well.

Yana Shakhramanyan

Photos by Emin Aristakesyan