For more than 20 years, Debra Pickett has blended business, legal and media acumen with outstanding communication skills to partner with attorneys, issue advocates, political candidates and executives to get their messages out to key constituencies. Today she leads a team of experienced journalists, editors, marketers and campaign professionals serving as advisors to the next generation of law firm leadership.
Debra's work as a communications strategist and consigliere to managing partners, marketing directors and practice chairs is informed by her long experience as a journalist and author, specializing in translating complex legal, technical and policy language into compelling articles, speeches and books. She leverages her deep connections with Chicago and national media to facilitate the placement of stories and articles that advance her clients’ interests, enhance their reputations and build their brands.
A lifelong writer, Debra spent the early part of her professional life as a management consultant, leading teams implementing technological and organizational change efforts, while also pursuing a freelance writing career. After several years in consulting, Debra was recruited by a former client to serve as the operations director of a technology start-up. Chronicling the ups and downs of her dot-com life in a nationally recognized series of articles, Debra made the switch to full-time work as a journalist in October 2000.
Less than two years after joining the staff of the Chicago Sun-Times, Debra was writing weekly columns for the paper’s coveted Page 2 column (former home of the legendary Mike Royko). Her journalism career also included launching the paper’s first blog and contributing to television news coverage at CNN, WBBM and WTTW.
Debra founded Page 2 Communications in 2011, focusing her media strategy and communications consultancy on the needs of law firms and their clients, specifically in the areas of media training, trial publicity and public relations.
More Legal and Business Bylines From Debra Pickett
- The Bad Old Days: Why Nostalgia for In-Office Work Is Misguided - (Posted On Thursday, September 10, 2020)
- How Marketers Can Better Support Inclusion for Women Lawyers of Color — Today - (Posted On Tuesday, June 30, 2020)
- Reporters Are Pushing to Reveal CARES Act Beneficiaries. Is Your Firm Prepared for Tough Questions? - (Posted On Wednesday, May 20, 2020)
- What Should You Do About D&I Efforts During a Pandemic? Exactly What You Were Doing Before - (Posted On Wednesday, April 22, 2020)
- How Firm Marketing Leaders Can Shake Up the Law Firm “Caste System” - (Posted On Thursday, March 05, 2020)
- Three Messages Next-Generation Recruits Need to Hear from Law Firms - (Posted On Monday, February 17, 2020)
- How Millennial Lawyers Are Pushing Firms to Rethink the Role of PR and Messaging - (Posted On Tuesday, January 21, 2020)
- Media Education Is Crucial to Preparing Young Attorneys to Speak on the Record - (Posted On Wednesday, December 11, 2019)
- 5 Beliefs About Law Firm PR That Need to Be Retired - (Posted On Tuesday, November 12, 2019)
- 5 Ways Traditional Law Firm Culture Burdens Lawyers of Color - (Posted On Thursday, October 10, 2019)
Debra Pickett of Page2 Communications is recognized by the National Law Review as a Go-To Thought Leader for her articles on law firm diversity. Ms. Pickett understands the importance of different voices in the legal industry, and her articles focus on how law firms can encourage diversity within their firms, how law firm leadership can implement programs to facilitate the inclusion of underrepresented attorneys, and how to encourage diversity and inclusion through a law firm's marketing department.