Legal Marketing & Consulting
What are the most overused words in law firm press releases?
Press releases with “too much fluff” may lose credibility with reporters and hurt chances of appearing in online searches powered by AI, according to the global communications firm Infinite.(Illustration from Shutterstock)
Law firms are excited, delighted, proud and thrilled to announce their latest news in a press release.
And that is part of the problem, according to an analysis of 479 business-of-law press releases by 238 U.S. and U.K. law firms by global communications firm Infinite.
Eighty-three percent of the press releases had at least one of these overused words, the study found:
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Leading
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Best
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Most
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Pleased
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Excited
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Delighted
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Proud
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Excellence
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Thrilled
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Largest / Innovative (tie)
Infinite associate director Matthew Gilleard says moderation is key because overuse erodes impact. “So we advise clients to deploy your pleaseds and thrilleds wisely,” he says in a press release.
Infinite writer Andrew Longstreth points out that a press release with too much fluff risks losing credibility with reporters and general counsel. Fluff can also diminish the chance that a press release will appear in online search results powered by artificial intelligence.
The study is based on press releases gathered by Infinite between June 2024 and June 2025 from U.S. and U.K. corporate firms of all sizes. The dataset of nearly 200,000 words was analyzed for overused words and phrases in each jurisdiction and distribution by subtopic.
The study notes some regional differences. U.S. law firms were more likely to take a more conversational tone, using words like “pleased” instead of “delighted,” a word favored by U.K. firms. U.S. law firms also favored words such as “honored,” “best” and “elite” more often than U.K. firms.
Press releases with the highest degree of jargon focused on partnerships with other organizations, awards and recognition, law firm initiatives, office moves and expansions, and hiring and promotions. Press releases used less jargon when dealing with diversity, equity and inclusion and with pro bono work.
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