Alexander Shunnarah to host Free Legal Advice Day in Leeds
Alexander Shunnarah Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C. are hosting a series of Free Legal Advice Days, next up in Leeds on Wednesday. Shunnarah and four of his firm’s lawyers will be available to discuss any attendee’s legal matters or questions, confidentially and, as the event’s name states, at no charge.
“The Free Legal Advice Days got started based on the fact that (people) are constantly calling us asking for free legal advice,” said Shunnarah with a smile. “Because of the volume of calls, and because we don’t normally do the type of work sometimes (requested). However, we do a lot of pro bono work.”
The next event will take place at Leeds Jane Culbreth Library on Wednesday from 11a.m. to 2p.m. in the public library annex.
“Most of these events, respectfully, sometimes it’s just as simple as somebody wants you to look at their will, a property dispute or value dispute, something like that,” Shunnarah explained. “And they don’t have the money to go to a lawyer—or a lawyer doesn’t even want to see them or won’t return their calls. Being the most recognizable (personal injury law firm in the area), they call our front desk. So I just thought I’d come into the community.”
While most members of the community have not met Alexander Shunnarah personally, one is hard-pressed to find an individual in the area unfamiliar with his image. CEO of his eponymous personal injury law firm, headquartered in Birmingham, he is most widely known as the spokesperson for the firm’s seemingly ubiquitous marketing.
Whether met with interest, amusement, annoyance or a spectrum of other responses, the firm’s marketing evokes a reaction, making it memorable and thusly, effective.
“I think in some ways (the campaign) has opened the eyes of the legal community that in order to grow your business, you have to market yourself, brand yourself,” Shunnarah elaborated. “The whole legal industry has changed in terms of how law firms actually market themselves.”
Approximately 2,500 billboards plastered with Shunnarah’s face and name are are spread across five states. Taking up about 40 percent of the firm’s marketing budget, according to Shunnarah, about half are concentrated in Alabama, included in the coverage area are Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee.
This is not to mention the rest of the firm’s media purview—print advertisements, radio spots, social media platforms, website. Shunnarah says more is spent on television spots than the billboard budget.
“I think we live in a society now, where if anyone has had some form or type of success, they get critiqued harshly or unfairly sometimes. For the most part, I’ve seen a lot of love, explained Shunnarah. “I think sometimes other law firms are not overjoyed with the amount of success this firm has had, because they’re my competitors. I understand that’s normal. Pepsi-Cola doesn’t like Coca-Cola.”
He even has inspired an internet meme. No financial backing required.
“I think the biggest compliment we get though,” Shunnarah said, “and we track everything here, is as much advertising as we do, I’d say about half of our business now is just from (former clients’) referrals.”
“As the face of the firm, I want people to know that I am real, I do exist,” elaborated Shunnarah, “I was born and raised in Birmingham. I went to grade school, high school, college (here). I’ve never left Birmingham. Alabama is my home.”
“As just an everyday person, I want people to know—I’m actually a very good lawyer; I’m not just the face of the firm,” Shunnarah said. “I’m a family man, a Christian man. And I actually love and enjoy what I do on a daily basis. I’m in the office every day. Genuinely, I love people, and I’m in the people business. I have a lot of faith in humanity. Come see me, talk to me, I promise I will make time to meet with you—client or not.
The best piece of general legal advice, according to Shunnarah? (Besides calling him.)
“Have good insurance coverage. It’s really worth it. No one thinks they’re going to be the one who’s in a wreck that day, or whose house burns down. We live in a world where stuff happens, so you need to insure yourself. If you are trusting the person who runs into you to have ample coverage, then you are making a grave mistake,” Shunnarah stated frankly. “Even though the law is clear, you must have car insurance in Alabama, we review several cases every single day where there’s no coverage.”
Shunnarah was adamant the the series of Free Legal Advice Days is not primarily a public relations move, or to find cases to pursue.
“We found one case last time,” Shunnarah immediately responded. “It’s really not the purpose of it, I promise. We receive around 1,500 calls on a Monday. We have plenty of cases,” then quickly adding with a laugh, “I mean, we want all the cases we can have, but we already have a lot of business. (These events are) just not good way to find a case. It’s very goodwill, and a good way to get out into the community.”
“Honestly, anyone that comes to one of our events, yes, I’m going to say, if you ever have a problem, we’d love the opportunity to consult with you about it,” he added.
“You know, a lot of people think that the law is very difficult, but of course it would seem that way if you’re not familiar with it,” elaborated Shunnarah. “Engineering isn’t difficult to engineers, and accounting isn’t difficult to accountants, et cetera. Nobody’s stumped us yet. I haven’t seen a case we couldn’t figure out in the last 20 years.”
“I think the public just sees the face and the marketing saturation, but our success truthfully comes from what’s behind the scenes,” Shunnarah concluded. “A phone call is just the beginning of a case. The infrastructure once someone calls us, I think is the strength of the firm. Hiring the best people, going above industry standards, and so forth.”
The next Free Legal Advice Day on Wednesday, July 26 from 11a.m. to 2p.m. at Leeds Jane Culbreth Library in the public library annex is located at 8014 Parkway Dr. SE, Leeds 35094. For more information on this, or other upcoming events hosted by Alexander Shunnarah Personal Injury Attorneys, P.C., contact KC Projects Public Relations and Outreach Coordinator, Lacey Rae Sport, at laceyrae@kcprojects.net or (334) 398-2301.