Pop quiz. What's the number one, most important marketing action you should take?

Anyone who's read more than a couple of my columns (or read the headline of this one) should know the answer.

Make sure you have an updated and accurate web bio.

Why?

Because attorney bios are the most viewed pages on law firm websites—by far.

Because in a world where people increasingly rely on the internet as their main (and sometimes sole) source of information, your web bio stands in for you.

Because your bio might be the only thing that people look at when they're looking to find out who you are. And if they don't get the information they are seeking, don't like what they see, or your bio doesn't match up with what they've been told about you, it could be game over.

You need a good bio throughout your legal career, but what that means is very different when you're a first year associate, or a senior partner or somewhere in between.

Here are some good questions I've been asked about bios—and my answers—to help you craft your best and most effective bio.

Q:  I've just joined a firm and they need a bio. Where do I start?

A: Whether you're a first year associate or a lateral partner with decades of experience, the same three sets of guidelines apply for what you put in your bio: Your firm's preferred template, style and best practices; the attorney ethics rules that apply in the state or states in which you practice; basic marketing principles (and common sense).

Many firms have a very specific template and guidelines for lawyer bios, so the first place to look would be those guidelines, if they exist. Also, take a look at existing bios of those at your level and in your practice area and see if any of them appeal to you—keeping in mind that while some consistency in tone, style and information across all bios at your firm is good, cookie-cutter bios are not.

The ethics rules governing attorney advertising also apply to lawyer bios. While the rules, and the opinions interpreting them, do vary from state to state, some general requirements are fairly universal.

Every state's rules prohibit attorney adverting, including bios, from using false or misleading information or making material misstatements. Your bio must be accurate and you must be able to back up your statements with objective facts (not opinions). Comparative statements that you are the “best” lawyer on your area (or even comparing your skills and successes favorably to other lawyers) are generally not permitted unless your can substantiate them with actual and verifiable data.

Statements that create an expectation in a guaranteed outcome are also not permitted. And most states prohibit lawyers from stating that they specialize or are experts in specific areas of the law—with very limited exceptions (patent law, maritime law, and those who are “certified” by an approved certification organization). That means words like “expert” and “specialist,” and related words like “expertise” and “specialize,” are not allowed.

If you can't use those words, what can you say?

Plenty.

You can talk about the work you do, the kinds of clients you work with, and how you help them.

Let readers know what differentiates you from other practitioners in your area (but avoid using some old favorites like “leading,” “unique,” “unparalleled” or “unmatched” when describing you and your work—unless you can back it up with facts).

The writer's adage “show, don't tell” holds true in lawyer bios as well. Use examples of notable cases or matters that are emblematic of your practice, and get specific about the work that you did—especially if you are a younger lawyer.

Many—if not most—lawyer bios are written from the perspective of burnishing the lawyer's credentials, experience, and awards and recognitions. But most clients don't really care whether you've been recognized in Super Lawyers, or what you “focus your practice on.”

Clients want to feel comfortable you are skilled, knowledgeable and experienced, and that you can help them solve the problems they are facing. Try writing your bio from the perspective of what you do for clients, rather than your credentials or your practice as a lawyer.

Q:  I'm a junior associate and I'm struggling to fill the page. What should I say?

A: Some firms have clear rules what junior, mid-level and senior associates can—and can't—include in their bios. Check there first—and ask for any templates or guidelines for writing your bio.

Once you know what your firm expects, you'll have a better idea of how to tackle your bio.

While you might not have a lot of law firm experience, you probably have more to put on your bio than you think.

Were you a summer associate at the firm? Mention that you've rejoined the firm after spending a summer there.  What else did you do while you were in law school? Did you intern for a judge or an organization? Do paid or pro bono work? Volunteer at a legal clinic? Summer at a government or nonprofit organization? Assist a professor with research or serve as a teaching assistant for a class? All of that information can help you fill out your bio.

Don't forget your nonlegal work. Maybe you worked between your undergraduate and legal education—or while you were in college. Maybe you have an unusual career trajectory or other experience that could enhance you bio.

Q:  I'm a third-year associate in the corporate practice. OK if I open with: “Clyde is a skilled and effective deal maker who represents clients in multimillion dollar mergers and acquisitions”?

A: I wouldn't recommend it. Remember that the rules governing attorney advertising require objective accuracy. In other words, can you back up that statement with facts?

Let's acknowledge that you are skilled and effective at work you do, and that the deals you work on are, in fact, multimillion dollar M&A transactions. Even if technically accurate, this opener still suggests something more than that you're an associate on a deal team that includes one (or more) partners and other associates—which is most likely the case since you're a third-year associate.

I've had a lot of pushback from younger associates when I suggest that even using the word “represent” overstates their work and possibly borders on being a misleading statement. Most often they argue that they should be able to say that they “represent” clients in lawsuits and transactions because their name is on the paperwork—the documents, the court filings, the appearances, etc.

OK, fair enough. And, I still wouldn't recommend using this opener or even the term represent as a young lawyer. Unless you're the Mark Zuckerberg of M&A lawyers, you're not likely running deals, making deal-defining decisions, or negotiating at the deal table without heavy supervision —which is what the term represent suggests.

And more importantly, from a marketing standpoint, this kind of statement can backfire. People —clients, colleagues, and the partners at your firm who pick which associates get to work on their matters—will look at your bar date, and either discount the statement as pure puffery or worse, react adversely. You can convey your message better by showing readers the real work that you do, rather than telling them what a “skilled and effective deal maker” you are.

Q: I've been practicing for a long time and my bio is really long. How do I know what to keep and what to cut out?  

A: As you move through your career as a lawyer, you want to revisit you bio regularly, adding content that reflects your growing legal acumen and experience. What often happens, however, is that lawyers add to their bios, but don't think about pruning and shaping them, resulting in an overly long bio that mentions just about everything they have done.

One way to make your bio shorter and more effective is to understand that, at a certain point in your career, you can use recognized “shorthand” rather than describe everything in detail. For example, lead trial counsel or first chair indicates that you have knowledge and experience in every aspect of litigation, so you no longer have to say that or delineate the specific work that shows that in such great detail.

You also don't need to include a laundry list of every matter you've ever worked on. Instead, you can highlight a handful of cases that are emblematic of your work to convey the depth of your experience in fewer—and more impactful—words.

And yes, you can describe yourself as a skilled and effective dealmaker who represents clients in multimillion dollar M&A transactions. You've earned the right to say it.

Meg Charendoff, the principal of CREATE: Communications—Media—Marketing, is a lawyer, writer and marketing professional who works with law firms and lawyers to develop compelling content for their marketing and business development. She can be reached at [email protected] or 215-514-3206.