Each year, I read thousands of law firm website partner biographies, bios, in my work as a legal dealmaker, recruiting corporate and finance partners for the AmLaw100 and also doing law firm mergers. Some bios on law firm websites are amazing, and some are not so great. But all can be improved.
Take a minute and review this short article and compare it side by side with your own bio.
There are five key pillars that every bio needs to show.
1. Key Differentiators. How are you different from your competitors? I’ve seen many bios that are almost word for word copies and do not compel people to take action. Your bio is more than just a billboard. It should answer the question a prospective client might ask, such as “Why should I give this person my work?” Marketing always begins with differentiation. Think of how you are different. Have you had career experiences prior to practicing law that are different from your competitors? I always compare a partner’s LinkedIn bio with their firm’s bio and see many who formerly worked in-house who do not state this fact or have other pre-law careers that are compelling and different. Maybe they worked in accounting prior to getting a law degree. Or perhaps they played varsity sports in college or were on active duty in the armed forces. Anything that shows teamwork, leadership, creativity, and solution-seeking is welcome on your law firm partner bio.
2. Distinction Points. Beyond what is different about you compared to your competitors, what can you say about yourself that nobody else can say about themselves? Are you the only one in the world who achieved something, or who has a niched super-subspecialty that nobody else can claim? This goes beyond just a partner bio on a law firm website. This is the beginning of narrative, and crafting a certain type of narrative itself can give you a competitive advantage. Learning how to tell your story compared to how others tell their stories sometimes is all it takes to win business from larger, faster, and more nimble competitors.
3. Value Proposition. This goes beyond just the work you do for clients. To dig deeper here, it is an existential question. Every professional services provider and business owner must answer these two questions: “What business am I in? What problems do I solve for my clients?” Dig deep into this and you will discover your value proposition. It is beyond just doing work for a client. What does this work help your client achieve, avoid, save, or get a return on? Here is an exercise. Each time you read something that is posted on your site, claiming a certain skill or work that you offer, ask yourself this question: “So what?” Your firm bio might read something like this: John Smith serves as a collaborative strategic partner to his clients and often acts as outside general counsel. Ask “So what?” to this question. Why is this important and significant? And then ask “So that…” What problems are you solving by doing this? What value are you adding? Here’s a quick suggestion to the example I gave: John Smith serves as a collaborative strategic partner to his clients and often acts as outside general counsel. Having previously served as in-house counsel in a global Private Equity portfolio company, he anticipates potential transactional risks and manages deal flow with sound advice that maximizes exit potential. This is a much more compelling narrative that is authentic, congruent, and tells a better story of not just who you are and what you do, but of your value proposition.
4. Track record and proof points: Listing transactions you have been on, a deal sheet, or similar matters adds credibility to your story. Even without named clients, indicating which matters on which you have worked shows that you have the right experience.
5. Thought Leadership. This is the most impactful pillar that can also be the easiest to fix but takes time. When you are quoted in media, indicate it on your bio with a reference link if possible. When you sit on a panel, list the name and association or group it was for, along with the year in which you presented. If you presented a whole session by yourself and not on a panel, that shows even greater gravitas, so highlight that one especially. And writing white papers, getting published, and even performing webinars for vendors in your niche is a solid path to getting visibility. For more ideas, read the book I coauthored with Henry DeVries and Mark LeBlanc, Rainmaker Confidential. You can learn more about how this book can help you by visiting the book’s resource page at www.rainmakerconfidential.com.
One final bonus tip: Spend 15 minutes a day on your own business development. Even if you work in a law firm with 1,000 attorneys and 50 people on your firm’s marketing team, you yourself are responsible for your success. Get help from your internal team. And at a bare minimum, budget out a 15-minute appointment with yourself EVERY DAY to work on your goals for client growth. Get the Time Timer app and download their tool and use it to keep you on track.
If you follow this advice, you will have a law firm bio that is attractive and compelling to prospective clients, and you will stand out above your competitors and attract opportunities.
Scott Love is the founder of the Attorney Search Group, a legal recruiting firm focused on corporate and finance practice groups, and the producer of The Rainmaking Podcast.