#7: Building Your Brand, Visibility, and Reputation to Advance Your BigLaw Career with Christie Bilbrey Big Law Life

In this episode, I’m joined by Christie Bilbrey to discuss personal branding and reputation management for attorneys in large law firms. Christie formerly worked in business development at Paul Hastings for seven years and is now a PR firm owner, brand strategist, and host of The Business That Story Built podcast. 
Today’s conversation offers practical strategies for lawyers to distinguish themselves in the competitive landscape of big law, emphasizing the importance of personal brand development.
 
A few takeaways…
1. Understanding Personal Branding: Personal branding is about how others perceive you, suggesting that lawyers should focus on their unique strengths and achievements. Identify what clients, colleagues, and friends value most about you, to help in crafting a distinctive personal brand.
 
2. Building Media Relationships & Writing Effective Pitches: Focus on being a resource to others, especially journalists. Develop relationships with media professionals and provide them with concise, insightful comments to enhance your visibility and reputation while providing helpful information their readers will want to learn.
 
3. Leveraging Social Media: Use LinkedIn to showcase expertise and engage with relevant content to enhance your professional network and visibility.
 
4. Content Creation and Speaking Opportunities: Attorneys can expand their reach by creating diverse content on social media, podcasts, YouTube, blogs, and by seeking speaking engagements. Christie advises starting with personal networks and offering valuable insights to establish yourself as a thought leader.
 
At a glance…
- 00:05:16 - 00:09:50: Defining personal brands, identifying their key elements, and how to begin communicating your brand
- 00:09:50 - 00:11:29: Jumpstart your credibility in a niche with collaborations
- 00:14:05 - 00:18:12: Insights on developing relationships with media and sending effective pitches
- 00”18:12-00:21:32 What is content marketing and how should lawyers approach it?
- 00:22:13 - 00:30:26: Strategies for using LinkedIn and social media for brand building
- 00:32:29 - 00:35:58: How to find and get speaking opportunities
- 00:35:58-00:41:58  Additional branding tips and ideas to find inspiration for your brand and content
 
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
Do you enjoy listening to Big Law Life?  Please consider rating and reviewing the show! This helps support and reach more people like you who want to grow a career in Big Law. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast! A new episode releases every week! Follow now!
 
Ways to reach Christie Bilbrey and Laura Terrell
Christie Bilbrey

christie@christiebilbrey.com
www.christiebilbrey.com 
10 Tips to Grow Your Reputation & Visibility as a Lawyer (Free download): https://bit.ly/legalreputation 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christiebilbrey/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christiebilbrey
The Business That Story Built Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-business-that-story-built/id1468020215 
 
Laura Terrell
www.lauraterrell.com 
laura@lauraterrell.com  
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauralterrell/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraterrellcoaching/