iAs Lee Rosen noted in a recent blog post titled, Turn Your Lawyer Bio Upside Down, attorney bios are notoriously boring. Most of them read like a resume rather than tell a story about who you are as a person and an attorney -- which means you are missing a big opportunity to entice prospects to pick up the phone or shoot you an email.
Everyone wants to do business with someone they like or have something in common with, but you can’t meet every possible prospect in person -- your bio can go a long way in convincing those folks to reach out to you.
Here are some tips for crafting an intriguing bio:
First, introduce yourself. Say who you are and what you do. For example: Bob Jones, also known as the “defender of the little guy,” is a bankruptcy attorney in Phoenix.
Share your story. Relate your personal and professional mission and how the situations you encountered over your life have shaped who you are today. When appropriate, include some anecdotes about your family. Example: I come from a long line of lawyers in my family, and their example of helping people inspired me to continue the tradition.
Include a photo. The photo illustrating this post was taken outside an attorney’s office near Charleston, SC. This attorney practices criminal law and his “sign” leaves no doubt that he is a fierce advocate for his clients! Plus, he clearly has a sense of humor.
Share hobbies and charity work. Show that you have a life outside your office and that you can be empathetic to the plight of others because you are an active volunteer or support local charities.
Write like you speak. Using a conversational tone in your bio helps the reader feel as if they are having a conversation with you in person. Keep it professional, but lighten up on the use of legal jargon or big words, which can alienate the reader.
Throw in some personality. Use colorful (not off-color) words and humor to entertain your reader.
Give readers who land on your bio page online something interesting to read that encourages them to connect with you offline.
