The Lawyers Weekly - June 25, 2010

THE LAWYERS WEEKLY
June 25, 2010 | 23

BUSINESS
CAREERS

WARREN
SMITH

Perhaps the single most common question a recruiter faces when making a headhunt call is “how did you get my name?” While the exact answer will vary from lawyer to lawyer, recruiters spend a great deal of time researching their market to seek out the best possible candidates for their clients. So what is it, exactly, that puts a lawyer on our radar? Here are a few common traits standout lawyers exhibit which draw the attention of recruiters (and clients) alike. We in the industry refer to them as the “ 4 P’s”:

Profile

You have to be known to be
found. This is not to suggest only
high profile rainmaker lawyers
establish themselves on a recruit-
er’s radar; profile can be estab-
lished in the market through a
variety of different activities.
Reputation for excellence, a spe-
cialized knowledge base, or
unique market connections are
all facets a recruiter considers
when determining a lawyer’s
market profile. Personally, I also
look for a lawyer’s profile outside
the legal market; this tells me a
great deal about that lawyer’s
client reputation, which is often
of even greater interest to a firm
seeking to acquire talent in the
marketplace. The key here is to
understand how best to build
your profile in a manner which
plays to your personality
strengths.

“Publishing remains
a critical component
of establishing your
credentials in the
market, as it helps
reinforce your
market strengths
in a public forum.

Publish

Publishing remains a critical
component of establishing your
credentials in the market, as it
helps reinforce your market
strengths in a public forum. The
key to effective publishing is to
determine the forum that best
suits your talents and strengths as
a lawyer, and then incorporate
publishing efforts into your daily
activities. Publishing can take the
form of an article in a peer
reviewed journal, writing a main-
stream news article, or establish-
ing credentials with key journal-
ists as one of their go-to quotable
sources on issues related to your
area of practice. Social media is a
real option as well; an effective
blog or Twitter account can
quickly and significantly augment
your publication credentials in
the market. The benefit with pub-
lished material is it persists in the
market (and on the Internet)
beyond the original presentation,
making it easier for both recruit-
ers and clients to find you down
the road.

Present

Public presentation, whether at forums, roundtables, client seminars, or continuing legal education (CLE) events remains one of the great ways to showcase your knowledge in an interactive environment. Done consistently, presenting reinforces a market impression of an expert status in your chosen field. Clients, perhaps even more so than recruiters, will often use this to assess potential counsel beyond the initial personal referral/introduc-tion. Similarly, recruiters monitor events and seminars for key and

Smith reccomends using the “ 4 P’s”, profile, publish, present and plan, if you want headhunters to start calling.

Essential to keep track of what is already out there on the Web about yourself

Brand
Continued From Page 22

extent you’re being discussed as a lawyer or firm, you need to be aware of it. And if you don’t show up at all—well, nothing says something, too.

3. Take an active
role in your brand.

Unless you have an online stalker with an axe to grind, nobody has more influence over your appearance on the Internet than you. It takes comparatively little effort to shape your online brand, but that effort has to be sustained, consistent and strategic. Here are some key steps:

Know your target market

This is a must-do for business development generally, but especially for the Internet, which basically consists of everybody. What specific demographic target are you aiming to reach: clients, industries, regions? Who are your competitors in this space and what are they doing online?

Build your content

You can’t manage something that doesn’t exist. Hang out your online shingle, not just through a website but also through blogs, e-newsletters and podcasts, making sure that this content delivers the key messages you want to convey about you and your practice.

Build a network

The best blog in the world won’t produce results if no one reads it, and your best source of readers is your own established network. Before or during your production of online content, develop a network of contacts who share your interests and who will help spread your word through links, recommendations and conversations.

Stay focused on the practical

Thought leadership is great,
but few clients are looking to hire
thought leaders; they want law-
yers. Only academics exclusively
brand around expertise; every
other lawyer should consider the
business implications of what
they do online. Establish your
real-world offerings, then grow
your online brand around them.

SEO and content are connected

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important part of creating an outstanding online profile. But Google favours pages that contain great, relevant content and that are supported by a solid network of legitimate links. If you want good SEO results, produce good content to which people want to link.

Look down the road

A quarterback throwing
downfield aims the ball not
where the receiver is now, but
where he will be when the ball
arrives. Similarly, you should
brand only what you intend to
offer in future. Even if you’re
having success in an area today,
don’t push it as your brand unless
you aim to be doing it months or
years from now. ;

Jordan Furlong is a senior consultant with Stem Legal and head of its Media Strategy Service. He is also a partner with Edge International who specializes in analyzing the extraordinary changes now underway in the legal profession. He authors the award-win-ning blog Law21: Dispatches from a Legal Profession on the Brink, http://law21.ca.