For junior lawyers, especially those in the largest firms, it can be hard to stand out from the crowd and make a lasting impression with partners and clients.
Unlike more experienced colleagues, you simply won’t have been around long enough to build strong professional relationships or gain the depth of technical experience that marks you out as a “go-to” expert.
Ultimately, however, becoming recognised as a credible and trusted specialist is how you will win work, build your client base and progress your career—whether that’s at your current firm, elsewhere, or even in a more flexible consultancy role.
Professional credibility
PR can play a crucial role in establishing and enhancing your professional credibility. Writing thought leadership articles, taking part in speaking engagements and being quoted in reputable publications can showcase your expertise and build trust with potential clients and peers. It can also strengthen your case for promotion or, if you are considering moving firms, media coverage in the right publications will make a strong impression at interview and when someone Googles you.
No doubt you are ambitious and ready to work hard to succeed in your chosen field, but this need not be a hard slog. There are some straightforward strategies you can adopt, harnessing the power of PR, to help accelerate your progress.
Here are some of my top PR tips for junior lawyers
- Crafting your personal brand will not only help attract potential clients but will also enhance your reputation with partners and colleagues. For more tips on this, see my blog: Why lawyers need to build their own personal brand.
- Don’t mistake self-promotion for PR – here is far more to it than that. Great PR means building relationships within the legal community and beyond, including fellow lawyers, journalists, bloggers, content creators, publishers, other professionals and potential clients.
- While being active on social media is a given these days, use it wisely. Thoughtfully engaging in discussions, commenting on and following posts from those you want to build relationships with (such as journalists in your sector) can help you become known for the right things. Aim to keep expanding your network and strengthening your credibility.
- If you have causes you are passionate about, a charity you support or if you undertake pro bono work, these can all be excellent sources of indirect PR. You can enhance your reputation while contributing positively to your community – a win-win.
- If you are lucky enough to work in a firm with its own marketing team, invest time in getting to know them and exploring how you can support each other.
- If your firm doesn’t have a marketing team, then it’s DIY. Try approaching relevant editors yourself with article ideas. For example, if you are a property lawyer, contact Estates Gazette, Property Week or BE News with themes ideally linked to a live news story or a client trend you’ve noticed. Likewise, if you are an employment lawyer, target leading HR titles like People Management or Personnel Today. For more tips, see my blog: Standing out from the crowd: how to get a journalist to open your email.
- Collaborate with others where you can. For example, could you contribute to someone else’s blog or write a joint byline with a referrer or a barrister? For more tips on this, see my blog on guest blogging.
Remember…
Becoming known as an expert in your field won’t happen overnight, but showcasing your achievements effectively can accelerate the process. Thoughtful, consistent PR is key.
Recent Posts
Guidance for fee-earners on using AI to support PR and marketing
Top tips on how to make the most of a legal directory ranking
LinkedIn has moved on, has your law firm kept up?
How do editors react to articles that may have been written by AI?