By Greg Hazley
Jay Jaffe, who ran his Washington, D.C., PR firm for 33 years as one of the industry’s first to focus on the legal sector, died Nov. 21 in Denver after complications from surgery, the agency said. He was 68.
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Jaffe, once introduced by an editor of The American Lawyer as “the man who invented law firm marketing,” capitalized after the Supreme Court in 1977 reversed a ban on most marketing practices for law firms, founding Jaffe Associates, now Jaffe PR, to specialize in PR and marketing for that market.
Vivian Hood, executive VP of the firm, which is now virtual, said Jaffe set up the firm to maintain continuity of leadership and daily operations through its executive management team. Hood co-heads the firm with EVPs Melinda Wheeler and Terry Isner.
A Chicago native, Jaffe was an Army vet and worked in print and broadcast journalism before taking a press secretary role for Rep. Jack Flynt (D-Ga.) in the mid-1970s. He stayed in Washington until 2005, when he moved to Colorado and continued to run Jaffe PR.
“We are committed to honoring Jay’s strong legacy and leadership by continuing to provide the highest quality level of service that our clients expect,” said Hood.
Jaffe is survived by daughter, Sara, from his third marriage, and sister Judi Ornstein, among others. Services are set for Dec. 9 at Chicago Jewish Funerals in Buffalo Grove, Ill.
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