Topic Rotation for Law Firms: 12 Topic Families (System Instead of Idea List)

Why Topic Lists Fail

Many teams collect 50 topics in a brainstorming session.
After 2 weeks it's over, because:

• nothing is prioritized,
• formats are missing,
• approval is unclear,
• nobody knows who writes what.

The result: An Excel list with 50 orphaned ideas and zero published posts.

Topic rotation solves this fundamentally: few topic families, repeatable, plannable. Instead of "What could we write about?" the question becomes "Which topic family is due this week?"

12 Topic Families for Law Firm Content

These 12 families cover 90% of all useful law firm content. Each family is infinitely repeatable – only the specific practice area or subject changes.

1) "How It Works" (Process Explanation)

What: Transparency about typical procedures
Examples:

• "How a personal injury claim works: 7 phases overview"
• "Employment tribunal: What happens after filing?"
• "M&A process: Timeline from LOI to closing"

Why it works: Clients Google processes before they contact lawyers.

2) Checklist Before Meeting

What: Practical preparation for clients
Examples:

• "First meeting estate planning: Bring these 5 documents"
• "Before the real estate closing: Buyer checklist"
• "Board meeting: Documents checklist"

Why it works: Reduces follow-up questions and signals professionalism.

3) Myths and Mistakes to Avoid

What: Debunking common misconceptions
Examples:

• "5 myths about wrongful termination"
• "Will mistakes: These 3 errors make it invalid"
• "Startup incorporation: Most common contract errors"

Why it works: Corrects half-knowledge and positions as expert.

4) FAQ ("What does... mean?")

What: Term explanations for non-lawyers
Examples:

• "What does equitable distribution mean?"
• "At-will employment: Definition and exceptions"
• "Due diligence explained: What gets reviewed and why?"

Why it works: High search volumes, easy approval.

5) Deadlines and Timing

What: Time orientation without legal advice
Examples:

• "Statute of limitations overview: Contract claims"
• "How long does a divorce typically take?"
• "Warranty periods: B2B vs. B2C"

Why it works: Concrete numbers are searched and shared.

6) Documents: "What Do We Need?"

What: Typical documents for matter types
Examples:

• "Probate application: Documents you need"
• "Trademark registration: Required materials"
• "Employment reference dispute: Gathering evidence"

Why it works: Practical value, high reusability.

7) Decision Guide ("Is It Worth...?")

What: Orientation for decisions
Examples:

• "Wrongful termination lawsuit: When is it worth it?"
• "Register trademark or not? Decision criteria"
• "Mediation vs. court: What fits better?"

Why it works: Reaches clients in the decision phase.

8) Case Types (Anonymized)

What: Typical situations without details
Examples:

• "3 typical inheritance dispute scenarios"
• "Director liability: Common situations"
• "Startup disputes: Founder vs. investor"

Why it works: Clients recognize themselves.

9) Collaboration ("How We Work")

What: Transparency about working methods
Examples:

• "What does an initial consultation cost?"
• "How we communicate: Availability and updates"
• "Project management in transactions: Our approach"

Why it works: Builds trust before first contact.

10) Explain Terms

What: Legal jargon for non-lawyers
Examples:

• "Severability clause: What does that mean?"
• "Written form requirement: When is email enough?"
• "Joint and several liability: Simply explained"

Why it works: Perfect for SEO, quick to create.

11) Risks and No-Gos

What: Warnings about typical mistakes
Examples:

• "5 contract clauses you should never sign"
• "Will without notary: Risks"
• "Accept severance immediately? Why not"

Why it works: Attention through negative framing.

12) KPIs and Transparency

What: Measurable results and statistics
Examples:

• "Average severance amounts 2024"
• "Success rates in wrongful termination cases"
• "Family court procedure duration: Statistics"

Why it works: Numbers get shared and cited.

Format Matrix: Effort vs. Impact

Recommendation: Start with FAQs and checklists. Low effort, fast approval, high reusability.

Rotation Plan: 4-Week Cycle

Week 1: Fundamentals

• Monday: FAQ post (explain 1 term)
• Thursday: Checklist (preparation for a matter type)

Week 2: Problem-Solving

• Monday: Anti-pattern/myths (common mistakes)
• Thursday: Process explanation ("How X works")

Week 3: Decision

• Monday: Decision guide ("Is X worth it?")
• Thursday: Explain term (legal jargon for laypeople)

Week 4: Transparency

• Monday: KPI/statistics (numbers from practice)
• Thursday: "How we work" (firm insight)

After 4 weeks: Repeat cycle with new practice area or topic.

Annual Planning: 12 Months, 12 Practice Areas

Approval Process: 3 Tiers

Tier 1: Fast Approval (< 24h)

• FAQ posts
• Checklists
• Term explanations
• Process descriptions (general)

Tier 2: Standard Approval (2-3 days)

• Myths/anti-patterns
• Decision guides
• "How we work" posts

Tier 3: Partner Approval (1 week)

• Case types (even anonymized)
• KPI posts with concrete numbers
• Opinion pieces

Tip: Define approval owners per tier. Not every partner needs to see every FAQ post.

KPI Framework for Topic Rotation

Production KPIs

• Publications/month: Target 8 (2 per week)
• Average approval time: Target < 3 days
• Topic family coverage: All 12 at least 1x per quarter

Engagement KPIs

• Average time on page: > 2 minutes
• Bounce rate: < 60%
• Social shares: Track per post

Business KPIs

• Contact requests/month: Baseline + 20%
• Organic traffic: Monthly increase
• Keyword rankings: Top 10 for target keywords

Common Mistakes in Topic Rotation

Mistake 1: Too Many Topic Families

12 is enough. More leads to confusion and inconsistency.

Mistake 2: No Format Variation

If every post is a checklist, it gets boring. Use the matrix.

Mistake 3: Approval Not Defined

Without clear responsibilities, content stalls in approval limbo.

Mistake 4: No Editorial Calendar

Rotation without fixed slots doesn't work. Define days and owners.

Mistake 5: Perfectionism

A published 80% post beats a never-finished 100% post.

Next Step

If you want predictable content, start with topic rotation + approval – not with "more output".

1. Choose 4 topic families for the first month
2. Define 2 fixed publication days
3. Name approval owners per tier
4. Start with FAQ and checklists

Guide: Content Automation for Law Firms