Breaking Barriers to Justice
Rule 4: Don’t be a Show Off
establishes that you are trustworthy, helpful, and knowledgeable.
Uber found an easy target by pinning lawyers as the “common enemy.” When a typical person thinks “lawyer,” they imagine an expensive suit, a blacked out S-Class, a Rolex, and a shark who will say or do anything to make a buck. This is a hot take, and I expect to get some hate mail, but it needs to be said. No one gives a damn that you have an expensive watch collection. No one cares that you got the new Porsche. No one cares that you flew to Europe, first class. Worse than not caring, many of the very people whose trust we need actually despise you for it. And the damage doesn’t stop with public opinion. That “lavish lawyer” persona follows us all the way to Sacramento. When our advocates walk the halls of the Capitol fighting for consumer protections, the “greedy trial lawyer” caricature is already waiting for them. It only takes a few bad apples—flashing Rolexes and posting from private jets—to hand the opposition an easy talking point. It’s no accident that CAOC’s legislative and lobbying team is playing more defense this year than in years past. Every time you flex online, you risk arming the very people working against our clients. Showing off money on social media is your right. It may impress your friends, it might be fun, but DO NOT mix that kind of content with your advocacy. It rarely turns out how you want.
Rule 2: Don’t Overthink It.
Effective social media messaging is much simpler than people realize. If you are setting up three different cameras, a lapel mic, four light boxes, and writing checks to a half dozen editors in the process - You. Are. Doing. It. Wrong. All you need is your phone. Open up the Instagram app, name this issue you want to speak about, then answer the 3 basic questions I described before. Do not waste time explaining who you are or why you are educated/experienced enough for people to listen. You get 3 seconds to make that first impression. Start with your headline: “Uber tried to buy an amendment to California’s constitution—and a lot of people would have gotten hurt.”
Boom, you just bought another 3 seconds of attention. Use it wisely! Answer the 3 basic questions fast!
Rule 3: Consistency Beats Credentials (and Bloated Budgets)
I built a multi-million-follower brand by simply showing up on a regular basis. People could not care less what law school you went to, whether you were on Law Review, whether you won millions or billions for your clients. They don’t care. What they really care about is whether you are consistent. Have they seen you before? Do you regularly speak about legal issues? The more you speak, the more credible you become.
“But Ryan,” I hear you say. “Won’t clients trust me more if they see I get good results?”
Nope. I once made the mistake of sharing a picture of myself on a private plane. I will never make that
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Consumer Attorneys of California
FORUM July/August 2026
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