Marketing for employment lawyers, for employees and employers
Employment law has two very different audiences. Employees who have just lost their job need help fast, and the Fair Work Commission’s deadlines are short. Employers need advice they can rely on, often for years. Black Shark Digital helps employment law firms reach the side they act for, with marketing built for how those people search and decide.
Your marketing is run by Andrej Mchantaf, a lawyer turned marketer with 20 years’ experience, from our base in Manly NSW. We keep our client list small on purpose, with a maximum of five law firms at any one time, and right now we have 4 client spots left.
Book a free marketing review or call 0421 192 045
How people look for an employment lawyer
Employees search for what has happened to them: “unfair dismissal lawyer”, “sacked from work”, “workplace bullying lawyer”, “redundancy lawyer”, “employment lawyer near me”. Many search on the day they’re dismissed, or after a few days of trying to work it out themselves.
Employers search for tasks and problems: “employment contract lawyer”, “workplace investigation”, “how to terminate an employee”, “enterprise agreement”. HR managers and business owners also look for a firm that keeps them up to date before problems arise.
Why employment law marketing is different
The 21-day clock
Unfair dismissal and general protections dismissal applications must generally be lodged with the Fair Work Commission within 21 days after the dismissal takes effect, and extensions are only granted in exceptional circumstances. Employee-side campaigns need to run when people search, show a working phone number and get a fast response.
Employees and employers are different markets
The searches, the urgency and the value of the work are different, and the messages that work for one put off the other. We build separate campaigns, pages and reporting for each side you act for, and keep them apart.
Free help competes for the simple questions
The Fair Work Commission and the Fair Work Ombudsman publish free information, and some people have union help. Searches for forms, pay rates and calculators rarely become clients. Your campaigns should target people whose matters need a lawyer, and exclude the rest.
Ongoing value on the employer side
An employer client who trusts your firm can bring contracts, policies, investigations and disputes for years. Employer-side marketing is measured on ongoing clients as well as first matters.
Employment law marketing and the rules
The Australian Solicitors’ Conduct Rules apply: no false, misleading, deceptive or offensive advertising, and no “accredited specialist” wording without accreditation. For employment firms in particular:
- No promised outcomes. “Get the compensation you deserve” or past-result headlines can suggest a result no one can promise.
- “No win, no fee” must be accurate. It has to match your actual costs agreement.
- Confidentiality. Dismissal and workplace matters are often confidential, and settlements often come with confidentiality terms. We don’t build your marketing around client stories.
- Email marketing. Employer newsletters and updates need consent, must identify your firm and must include a working unsubscribe under the Spam Act 2003.
This is a summary, not legal advice. Check how the rules apply to your firm.
How we market employment law firms
Employee-side search campaigns
Unfair dismissal, general protections, redundancy, bullying and discrimination matters get their own campaigns and landing pages, built for the urgency of the 21-day window, with negative keywords for forms, pay calculators and jobs. Read more about Google Ads for lawyers.
Employer-side visibility
Service pages for contracts, policies, terminations, investigations and enterprise agreements, plus guides on workplace law changes. Where it suits your firm, LinkedIn content and campaigns reach HR managers and business owners. Read more about SEO for lawyers.
Intake that checks the dates
Short forms ask when the dismissal took effect, the type of matter and the person’s role, so your team knows who to call first and which enquiries are running out of time.
Email updates for employer clients
Workplace law updates to clients and contacts who’ve agreed to receive them, so your firm is the first call when the next problem comes up.
Tracking to engaged matters
Where you can share it, we feed back which enquiries became clients, by side and matter type, so your budget follows the work you want. Read more about lead generation for lawyers.
Employment law marketing in Sydney
We’re based in Manly and work with employment law firms across Sydney. Employee-side searches are often local and urgent, while employer-side work is often won through networks and reputation, so Sydney firms usually need both local search and a strong professional presence. See how we help with law firm marketing in Sydney.
What it costs
We don’t publish a price list or sell packages. Your fee is quoted for your firm, based on scope (which services, and how many practice areas, matter types and regions), your budget and the complexity of the work. After your free review you get a clear written quote, so you know exactly what you’re paying for before you decide.
Your ad spend never passes through us. You pay Google, Meta and any other platform directly on your own credit card, so there is no markup and you can see every charge in the platform’s own billing. Your firm owns its ad accounts outright, and if you ever leave, you keep them with all their history and data.
What our clients say
Carl Mickels, Partner at Firths, on working with Black Shark Digital
“He’s been quite the success for us”
“I have no hesitation of recommending him”
— Carl Mickels, Partner, Firths
Results depend on your practice area, location, budget and how quickly enquiries are followed up. We will tell you what is realistic for your firm before you spend a dollar.
Why employment law firms choose Black Shark Digital
- A lawyer turned marketer runs your marketing. Andrej understands how employment firms take on work, on both sides, and where the professional rules sit.
- 20 years in digital advertising, mostly for big-name law firms. He founded Black Shark Digital in 2020.
- Thousands of new clients acquired across the campaigns we’ve run.
- Certified experts for Google Search Ads, running campaigns in accounts your firm owns.
- A deliberately small client list. No more than five law firms at a time.
- Direct access. You deal with Andrej, and your firm’s information stays confidential.
Marketing for employment lawyers: FAQs
What do people search for when they need an employment lawyer?
Employees search for the problem: “unfair dismissal lawyer”, “employment lawyer near me”, “sacked from work”, “workplace bullying lawyer”. Employers search for tasks: “employment contract lawyer”, “workplace investigation”, “how to terminate an employee”. We build separate campaigns for each side.
Should we market to employees or employers?
Whichever your firm acts for, and rarely both on the same page. The searches, the urgency and the value of the work are different. Employer clients can bring ongoing advice work; employee matters are often urgent and fixed in time. We build campaigns around the side and matter types you want.
How quickly do unfair dismissal enquiries need a response?
Fast. Unfair dismissal and general protections dismissal applications must generally be lodged with the Fair Work Commission within 21 days after the dismissal takes effect, and extensions are only granted in exceptional circumstances. People often find a lawyer partway through that window.
How do we compete with free information and unions?
By being clear about what a lawyer adds and what it costs. The Fair Work Commission and Fair Work Ombudsman publish free information, and some people have union help. We target people whose matters need advice, and keep out searches for forms, wage calculators and free help unless you want them.
Can we say ‘no win, no fee’ for employment matters?
If it accurately describes your costs agreement, including disbursements, yes. If the wording could give a false impression, it breaches the conduct rules.
Does LinkedIn work for employment law firms?
For employer-side work, often yes: HR managers and business owners are there, and useful updates on workplace law keep your firm front of mind. For employee-side work, Google search usually comes first.
Can we advertise results from past matters?
Be careful. Advertising must not be false, misleading or deceptive, and a past result can suggest an outcome no one can promise. Your duty of confidentiality also applies. We don’t build employment law marketing around client results.
How much does employment law marketing cost?
There is no price list or package. Your fee is quoted for your firm, based on scope, budget and complexity. You pay Google, LinkedIn, Meta and other platforms directly, with no markup. You get a clear written quote after your free review.
Book a free marketing review
Tell us whether you act for employees, employers or both, and which matters you want more of. Andrej will look at your website, your Google presence and any campaigns you’re running, and give you a plain-English summary of what is working, what is wasting money and what he would change first.
Book a free marketing review or call 0421 192 045
Email: info@blackshark.digital · Based in Manly NSW.