Ask a lawyer to give client advice on a complex legal issue, and more often than not, they'll speak with great confidence and clarity. Ask them to re-cap their professional achievements at a networking event on the other hand… and a significant pause may ensue.
In a profession built on advocacy lawyers can be terrible at advocating for themselves, instead relying on the adage "let your work speak for itself". So, how do you promote yourself without sounding inauthentic and ‘salesy’?
In this interview, we explore why brilliant legal minds become bashful wallflowers when it comes to self-promotion. With insights from Ruth Beran and Susan Pincus, National Career Strategists at the College of Law Australia, we reveal how to transform cringe-worthy humblebrags into authentic career positioning.
Why don’t lawyers like to ‘sell themselves’?
“Traditionally, law has been a profession built on reputation and credibility where your credentials speak for themselves, and through networking and word of mouth, work comes your way,” Susan observes. “Selling yourself through platforms such as social media can be viewed sceptically in that you have to advertise and seek out clients. Lawyers may be concerned that overt self-promotion will be perceived as prioritising ego over client service, potentially eroding trust.”
“On top of that, many lawyers, especially high achievers, are prone to perfectionism and imposter syndrome. This self-criticism makes it harder to speak confidently about achievements without feeling like they're overstating.”
Ruth prefers to use the term ‘positioning yourself’ over ‘selling’. Rather than self-promotion, positioning yourself is about framing your experience and expertise to benefit a potential employer or client.
“I find that Australians in general tend to be uncomfortable positioning themselves too highly – partly because of our culture of cutting down tall poppies,” Ruth says.
“Many young and mid-career lawyers suffer from imposter syndrome and find it difficult to promote themselves, even though they are usually brilliant at what they do; they just need more experience. Lawyers also often see themselves as officers of the court, serving clients and upholding the law, which makes self-promotion difficult for them. In a business sense, while lawyers can advertise, they must do so responsibly, ethically, and not bring the profession into disrepute, which can be at odds with positioning themselves well.”
Don't sell yourself short!
“One way is to either not have a LinkedIn profile at all or have one that is not working to the lawyer’s best interests,” Ruth explains. “It’s well worth putting in the effort to have a good LinkedIn profile. It can act as a landing page for future clients, as well as recruiters or even just connecting with other people in the profession.”
“During job interviews, lawyers can sometimes undersell themselves by talking about ‘we’ instead of ‘I’. Again, Australian culture is geared towards team efforts however, at an interview, it is important to highlight what you have done – whether that is as part of a team or individually.”
Susan suggests that imposter syndrome can put the brakes on your career.
“Some lawyers may struggle with self-doubt, unrealistic expectations, and constant comparisons with peers, leading to missed opportunities and a reluctance to take on new or challenging work or to advocate for higher remuneration,” Susan explains.
“Lawyers may focus on the technical aspects of their work and fail to articulate the broader benefits or unique expertise they provide, causing clients to undervalue their services.”
How can you reframe your self-promotion?
“A great starting point is to change the terminology and associated perception with promoting yourself so it is seen as a healthy and critical business skill and career development tool. By reframing ‘self-promotion’ as ‘educating and demonstrating value’, it can help others understand what you do,” Susan explains.
“By sharing a client success story where you can demonstrate a significant impact, a problem solved, or a result generated for the client, it becomes more relatable and less like a brag.”
Ruth builds on this advice, suggesting you articulate a clear, concise elevator pitch.
“It’s important to know your own career story and to build a personal brand. Don’t assume that people know your career history,” Ruth says. “Having a good elevator pitch when networking is a good way to position yourself well. Prepare one beforehand, but don’t make it sound rehearsed. And don’t downplay your achievements when talking to people.”
Don’t let feeling stuck get in the way of your significant experience
To become ‘un-stuck’, Ruth suggests setting some career goals and proactively striving towards them.
“Think of ways to bolster your CV. For example, seek out challenges at work, consider further education, or volunteer. Develop business acumen and read widely in the area of law that you work in. Make sure to keep people at work informed about extra things you are doing. Network!” Ruth says.
Susan recommends focusing on the outcomes you offer.
“To position yourself for promotion or to clients, focus on clearly articulating the value and quantifiable outcomes you deliver (e.g. ‘improved compliance rates’, ‘reduced litigation costs’, etc), not just on titles or years of experience,” Susan elaborates.
“Share credit generously and highlight collaborative achievements, reinforcing your leadership qualities and team orientation. This aligns well with an Australian culture that can be sensitive to ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome.’”
Susan’s final suggestion – teach and mentor others.
“Educating peers and clients through seminars, articles, and workshops demonstrates expertise without appearing boastful. Ensure senior leaders and clients know your career goals, ambitions, and openness to new challenges, facilitating sponsorship and advocacy on your behalf.”
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