Law firm commercials present to the world a perfect storm of terrible advertising. Local video producers looking to “make their mark,” lawyers who insist on appearing on camera despite having the on-camera experience of a farmer, and low-budget video techniques that would make your local high school’s newscast feel good.

But of course, this doesn’t stop law firms from making commercials that could serve as slander against themselves alone. Here are 10 of the worst law firm commercials we could find:

Hammer Part III: This Time, It’s Personal

Jim “The Hammer” Shapiro’s aggressive approach and violent threats make him stand out as the nuttiest fruit cake among the Hammers. This installment adds a layer to the collection of crazy lawyer commercials, showcasing a distinctive and, at times, over-the-top legal representation approach.

Make It Rain

Spencer & Associates’ questionable slogan involving strip club lingo adds an element of controversy to their law firm’s image. This choice in branding contributes to the discussion surrounding law firm commercials, raising eyebrows and sparking debate about the appropriateness of such advertising tactics in the legal profession.

“That Vermin You Call a Spouse”

Divorce EZ’s tirade against spouses raises questions about professionalism and the sanctity of marriage in this cringe-worthy cheesy lawyer commercial.

Legalize It

Peter John & Associates’ lawyer-pilot, with flashy graphics and bootleg reggae music, creates a questionable image for a firm handling major drug charges. This unconventional approach contributes to the dialogue surrounding crazy lawyer commercials, sparking discussions about the appropriateness and effectiveness of such marketing strategies, especially in legal cases with serious implications.

Jamie Casino

Football fans in Savannah, GA, were treated to this 2 minute cheesy lawyer commercial during the 2014 Super Bowl, but it didn’t take long for the law firm commercial to spread like fire on a sledgehammer across the vast information superhighway. As crazy and out-there as it is, it’s actually pretty well-made and might even help clear his brother’s name, if that was his real goal with the crazy laywer commercial.

Brown and Crouppen

Aaron Sorkin walk-and-talk aside, these non-actors do a decent job of making me think, “Hey, maybe they’ve got the muscle and talent to get me the money I deserve.”

But when considering law firm commercials, I start to wonder if “muscle” actually helps in a court of law, and if it does, why bodybuilders aren’t more involved in the judicial system, and if they offer weight-lifting classes at law schools, and wait, why do I need a lawyer again?

The One-Take Wonder

And by “One Take Wonder” means “the only take we could afford, so if you mess up, just take a deep breath and keep going.” This is a glimpse into the behind-the-scenes reality of creating cheesy lawyer commercials.

Call Flint!

If a bad rap song wasn’t enough to stink this commercial up, the creators were savvy enough to add 3D animation that probably would’ve gotten no higher than a B in any beginner 3D animation class. This unfortunate combination exemplifies the pitfalls and challenges faced in the creation of law firm commercials and contributes to the category of crazy lawyer commercials.

Take My Wife, Please!

These guys weren’t satisfied with just putting J. Michael Gallagher’s name out there as someone who could help you out if you’re going through a divorce. No, they went one step further to encourage couples to race to the phone to call a lawyer on their sack-of-potatoes spouse and ruin their New Year with this crazy lawyer commercials.

We get that as a divorce lawyer you make money on other people’s tears, heartache, and embarrassment, but to exploit divorce as if it’s a game of revenge just feels wrong.

“Wait, did you say take their lav mics off before they tackle each other over the phone? Ah, my bad guys. My bad. We can still use it, right?”

Berger & Green: DISFIGUREMENT

You know what’s a great way to get the attention of recently injured/disfigured viewers who surely suffered some kind of traumatic experience? If you guessed “a flying inferno of cars and metal that would make Michael Bay proud,” you’re likely a terrible person. Or Larry Green–of “BRG-er” and Green.

Pay Me Now!

I was glad to learn that the bald, careless, heavy-set man we’re watching is most likely not the same “Denvil Crowe” that I’d be calling to represent me in a court of law, but I imagine most people wouldn’t have the faith to believe that ol’ Denvil is any more professional than this commercial is good. And that’s not even mentioning the tone-deaf backup singers. This awkward portrayal makes it a notable entry in the category of crazy lawyer commercials.

This Guy…

This horrifically racist commercial caused some serious trouble when it first went viral back in 2013. Fortunately, it’s the work of a rogue, aspiring commercial artist who WAS NOT hired by the law firm in question, but it doesn’t prevent the fact that it was actually thought up, filmed, edited, and uploaded without the guy thinking at any point that it was a really bad idea, contributing to the collection of crazy lawyer commercials.

There you have it, 10 of the worst law firm commercials out there. Joking aside, I imagine many of the these lawyers are perfectly good at their jobs, but these law firm commercials are possibly the last thing that would help convince audiences of that.

Now what, might you ask, should you include in a law firm commercial to make it beneficial for your image? Great question. Here are 3 things to consider when putting together your law firm commercial:

Clear Message

You’ll notice many of the law firm commercials listed above and found elsewhere involve some guy standing in front of the camera reading some monologue they wrote about why the viewer should hire them for their case. This makes perfect sense since many lawyers stand in front of people and plead their cases on a daily basis. They’re probably really good at it.

While these tactics might work in front of a jury or judge who is strongly obligated to listen to said lawyers, it doesn’t work so much for 30-second TV commercials, where catching people’s attention and delivering a clear message are critical. This guy here is a perfect example of not doing either.

More effective law firm commercials like this one may also involve a talking head, but manages to catch the viewer’s attention with the sad music and the guy crying in front of them and then deliver the clear message: there are some cases even we can’t win. It’s funny, memorable, and we wouldn’t be surprised if it was very effective in driving potential clients to their firm.

Production Value

As tempting as it is to go cheap when hiring a production team to film your commercial, a poorly made commercial reflects badly on your firm’s brand, image, and maybe even your ability to be an effective lawyer. But that doesn’t mean you need to spend an arm and a leg to get your commercial made.

Quality video equipment is more accessible than ever before, and good editing programs aren’t too hard to find. All you really need is a savvy filmmaker with the talent and ingenuity to make the most of the money they’re budgeted with. Teenagers and 20-somethings are making quality videos every day on YouTube and we doubt they have a colossal budget to do so. This commercial here is a great example of a professional-looking ad that likely didn’t break the bank to make.

This doesn’t mean you should go cheap; it just means that your money can go a lot further than you might think. However, if your filmmaker suggests any sort of 3D computer-generated animation in your commercial, then we’d recommend walking away on the spot.

Put Your Ego Aside

You’re probably an ace in the courtroom with years of experience writing up compelling arguments for just about anything. But this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re similarly effective in front of the camera. Listen to your marketing and filmmaking team; their expertise and insight will be extremely beneficial to you and your firm.