Why lawyers need an understanding of personal branding

At a time when people can look up dozens of lawyers in one swipe, building a personal brand is of utmost importance to differentiate oneself from the crowd. It can help aspiring law professionals in showcasing their body of work, spotlighting their competencies, as well as networking with clients and peers

For young lawyers, making a mark in an already crowded space can take several years. This difficulty, however, can be overcome with personal branding. The new brigade is putting themselves forward, letting the world know about their skills by leveraging various communication channels.

Tanya Appachu is a lawyer who uses Instagram to educate women about their legal rights. Her practical suggestions, which she conveys through short videos, became a hit especially with woke millennials, garnering her over 44 thousand followers on the photo-sharing app.

Attorney Haitham Amin was featured by Forbes for building his law practise through personal branding. His lively personality comes out in his posts on social media where he spreads awareness and doles out legal advice.

Karuna Nundy, Advocate, Supreme Court of India, is a renowned name with a massive following of over 173 thousand on micro-blogging site Twitter. She fearlessly voices her opinion, what she stands for, and the principles she lives by. Nundy is regularly featured by publications, national as well as international. Her authenticity is captivating and engaging.

These are examples of how lawyers have effectively harnessed different platforms to become a voice while following the necessary protocols and guidelines around the profession. Not only does this help in reaching out to a wider clientele, but it also helps them network and grow as a community.

Personal branding is not a self-marketing tool; it is a leadership requirement. At a time when people can look up dozens of lawyers in one swipe, building a personal brand can help in showcasing your body of work, spotlighting your character traits and soft skills, as well as building associations with clients and peers. This can differentiate you from the crowd.

If you are a solo practitioner, for example, you can highlight the gain of more personalised service to your clients; or if you have intriguing credentials such as an LLB with a minor in Digital Transformation and expertise in life skill courses, you can present it as an advantage.

Personal branding can help lawyers manage how they are perceived in society such that they are seen as high-value attorneys. It is always beneficial to proactively let people know what you are doing by showing them your expertise through posts, articles, talks, and other channels, such that when people think of getting assistance on a certain subject, they are reminded of you.

This is where the knowledge of personal branding can pay off.

How does UPES enable aspiring lawyers to master the skill of personal branding?

Education at UPES has always been learner-centric and industry-focused. Keeping the meta-learning needs of the 21st century in perspective, the university has enhanced its curriculum to make it more flexible and forward-thinking. The unique framework at UPES enables students to build their own academic journey such that it aligns with their educational, professional, as well as personal goals. 

At UPES School of Law, along with the core subject, students can study personal branding as part of Life-Skills courses through the newly-constituted School for Life. They also get to choose from focused subject specialisations as well as minor/exploratory subject options from other schools at UPES. Students are also required to do mandatory internships in the social sector, government/public sector and the industry, which rounds off this learning experience.