#190: Getting Started On LinkedIn (An Effective Profile)

[00:00:59] Hello, everybody. This is Heather Moulder, your host of the Life & Law Podcast. Today we are talking about getting started on LinkedIn.

Why LinkedIn  – And Your LinkedIn Profile – Matters For Private Practice Lawyers

You probably utilize LinkedIn at least in some capacity. If you don’t, hopefully, I can convince you otherwise. But even if you are, I want to ensure you have an effective LinkedIn Profile. Most of your clients are probably on LinkedIn. They have a profile, they check yours out, and they utilize LinkedIn, if not every day, at least a couple of times per week. Even if they are like you—because most lawyers, let’s be honest, are rarely on LinkedIn and when they are, they’re just lurkers—prospective clients, i.e. in-house counsel and those in the C-suite, are likely to check you out on LinkedIn when they are vetting you and considering hiring you and your firm.

[00:02:02] Now, I’d like you to do something for me. When you’re at your computer next and you open up Google, I want you to Google your name and notice what comes up first.

[00:02:17] LinkedIn has SEO power. Your profile is likely to be one of the top spots when you search your name. So even if your clients aren’t on LinkedIn a lot, when they vet you, they’re likely to Google you and then end up on LinkedIn to check you out. This is why it’s imperative that, when getting started on LinkedIn, you focus on your LinkedIn profile. You want it to clearly showcase who you are, what you do, and why you do it so that potential clients aren’t confused. You want to share what you care about, why you do what you do, and what you’re most passionate about. Your clients do care about these things. They want to ensure that you’re credible and likable. They want to feel some affinity toward you. That’s the point of maximizing your LinkedIn profile. Okay, let’s get started.

Keep Your Profile Picture Up To Date

[00:03:29] This might sound simple, but it amazes me how many lawyer profiles I see with outdated pictures.

[00:03:44] You need to take a look at your LinkedIn picture and make sure it’s up to date, not from 20 or even 10 years ago. Of course, you want it to be professional, but it also needs to represent who you are now. There’s something jarring about seeing a picture of someone and then meeting them in person and not recognizing them at all. So make sure your LinkedIn profile picture is relatively current—within the last five to six years, assuming no major changes have occurred since then.

If there have been changes, update it soon. Most law firms do these pictures every five or so years, so make sure you update yours whenever a new one is taken.

If you’re in a smaller firm or on your own, it’s important to do this, and it doesn’t cost much to get a headshot. I highly recommend getting a professional headshot. You’ll probably need one for your website anyway. You can use the same one. Just make sure it’s professional and shows your face.

I recommend smiling—there’s some psychology behind that. You want to look like someone that a stranger would want to approach and have a conversation with. So, number one: start with a profile picture that’s current, up-to-date, and professional.

Have A Personalized Cover Photo

[00:05:25] Number two: Ensure that you’ve uploaded a cover photo that showcases what you want it to.

Your LinkedIn cover photo is the banner that sits above or beside your headshot. Most people either leave it blank or put something generic in there. I recommend you make it more personal and on-brand for you.

You have a couple of options.

Option 1: Firm-Branded Cover Photo

You can make it branded to your firm if you’re at a large firm, and they have a preference. But I don’t recommend that unless it’s required.

Option 2: Personalized Cover Photo That Showcases Your Unique Personality or Interests

Instead, include something that reflects what’s important to you or what you care about. It can be related to charitable work or professional associations you’re active in. It’s okay to share something personal, as long as it aligns with your professional brand.

For example, one of my clients is very active in women’s legal organizations, and her cover photo reflects that. She also writes LinkedIn articles about these topics, so it makes sense for her. It’s important to her, and it showcases who she is. Don’t be afraid to go a little personal, as long as it’s professional.

Option 3: Authority/Credibility Cover Photos

You could also include something related to your authority, like where you’ve worked, written, or spoken. The key is that it needs to be relevant to your work for clients. This showcases your credibility and authority.

Option 4: Clearly Explain Your Value-Add To The Client

[00:10:14] Another option is a banner that explains what you do. It’s an extension of your headline, which we’ll talk about next. For example, if you’re an employment attorney representing employees, not employers, you can make that clear in your banner.

If you’re not sure how to create this, you can ask your marketing department if you have one, or use a tool like Canva. Canva is easy to use and has templates to get you started. I’ll put a link to Canva in the show notes. There’s a free version that allows you to create a banner easily.

[00:11:16] I’ll also include examples of what I’ve mentioned in the show notes. You’ll see profiles on LinkedIn that showcase authority or focus on client language, and I’ll provide links to Canva so you can create your own.

Just remember that your cover photo should showcase your beliefs, personality, and expertise. Don’t be afraid to do that. This is your brand, and you showcase it every day in your interactions with clients. So why be afraid to show it before they even hire you?

Create A Clear Headline Explaining What You Do & Who For

[00:11:58] Next, let’s talk about your headline.

[00:12:07] Most attorneys use their headline as just a job title, like “Partner at [Firm Name]” or “Senior Counsel at [Firm Name],” or “Labor and Employment Lawyer.” But you should go beyond this. You have 120 characters, and I recommend you use as many of them as you need to clearly explain what you do and who you do it for. SEO is important on LinkedIn, and people search for things like “intellectual property lawyer,” “labor and employment lawyer,” or “M&A lawyer.” So think about what your clients would search for.

[00:13:04] I don’t recommend putting job titles like “partner” or “shareholder” in your headline. In your experience section, people will see that information, so don’t waste space here. Use this space to make it clear what you do and who you do it for.

[00:13:38] Don’t try to be cute or funny, because it can confuse people and make them tune out. Confusion stops people in their tracks. Instead, use clear, concise language that people would understand in real life. You want to explain what you specialize in and what your expertise is. Here are a few examples:

• Labor and employment lawyer focusing on workplace safety and fair compensation for workers.
• Real estate attorney focusing on landlord/tenant disputes and property management cases.
• Corporate finance lawyer representing non-bank lenders in asset-based lending transactions.
• Corporate lawyer focused on securities fraud and insider trading.
• Patent attorney focusing on patent prosecution.
• Family law lawyer helping high-profile clients with divorces.
• Criminal defense lawyer focusing on white-collar crimes.

[00:15:03] These examples are specific, right? You want to explain what kind of lawyer you are, who you help, and what you help them with. Don’t try to cover everything you do—focus on your primary practice areas. If one area is 60% of your practice, and another two areas are 40%, focus on your top one or two.

[00:15:50] Be cautious with language like “specializing” or “specialist.” Many jurisdictions don’t allow lawyers to call themselves specialists unless they have earned that title through certification. This includes LinkedIn and other social media platforms, so avoid using that terminology unless you’re actually certified.

[00:16:34] Another note: Recommendations on LinkedIn can sometimes use language that violates ethics rules. Be careful about what others say about you in their recommendations. Review them to ensure they follow your jurisdiction’s ethics and advertising rules.

Make Your LinkedIn About Section About Your Clients (Not You)

[00:17:11] Now, let’s move on to your About or Summary section. This is where you get more space than your headline, but still limited space. Don’t just regurgitate your firm bio here. That’s a waste of valuable space. Use this section to share your story, your “why,” and what you do in a way that connects with your ideal client. It’s about branding, but also about building trust and rapport with potential clients.

[00:19:45] Write this section in the first person. Use keywords that reflect what you do—terms that people will search for. This is your chance to make a connection with the right-fit client. It’s where storytelling can play a role. Keep it simple—share your “why” in a couple of sentences. If you’re stuck, think about why you became a lawyer in the first place, why you chose your specific area, and what makes you the lawyer you are. Focus on what people come to you for and what you’re good at.

[00:23:18] Your About section is where you show how you can help your clients. Make it clear, concise, and personal.

Customize Your LinkedIn URL

[00:25:23] Lastly, make sure you’ve created your own unique URL on LinkedIn. When you look at your LinkedIn profile, you’ll see a long URL with numbers and letters. You want it to be simple—like “linkedin.com/in/HeatherMoulder.” I’ll include instructions on how to do that in the show notes.

[00:25:49] There are other things you could do, but this is the best starting point for maximizing your LinkedIn profile. If you want to learn more ways to use LinkedIn, stay tuned for future episodes. I might even have a workshop later this year.

[00:26:09] That’s it for today. We’ll be back next week with another episode. Bye for now.