Barrister or Baby?

Baby Barrister is supposed to be a term of endearment.  You don’t have to play along.

“Your playing small does not serve the world.” Nelson Mandela

Naming and shaming

Baby Barrister. Mini Pupil.  Neither label is particularly helpful while you navigate the early years of your career.

In a job where reputation is everything, any reference to your lack of experience could lose you work.

You can’t control how others further up the food chain refer to you. You can, however, position yourself as a grown-up professional with your clients.  This is how to do it.

1. Build a grown-up digital footprint

With the rise in the number of clients accessing the services of a barrister directly, online visibility is no longer optional. Your digital footprint is an influencing factor for many clients.

In terms of promoting your practice, you can ignore Google+, Pinterest, Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram altogether.

Instead, focus on creating an optimised profile for your Chambers website, a LinkedIn Profile populated with keywords for your practice and a Twitter Account with a client following.

Link these three accounts visually with a single great headshot photo and commit to posting relevant content for your ideal client regularly.

2. Be curious, confidently

At networking events it’s often the senior people who occupy the centre of the room while the junior people hug the walls hoping not to be noticed.

Be noticed. Create opportunities to demonstrate that you have knowledge, skills and expertise to offer.

If you’re nervous to introduce yourself at events and speak about your practice, ask questions instead. It’s a sign of calm confidence and a curious mind.

3. Stop referring to yourself as a baby

I meet many junior barristers in my workshops, all who of whom are well-qualified and highly-intelligent. 

So I’m surprised to hear these juniors introduce themselves as an apologetic Baby Barrister.

The profession is hard enough. Don’t make it harder for yourself. Call yourself, proudly and confidently, a barrister.

The regulatory position

The Code of Conduct regulates the professional conduct of barristers.  There isn’t a Code of Conduct for Baby Barristers. By definition therefore, you can’t be a Baby Barrister.

How to improve your digital footprint

Improving digital footprint is quite easy but it takes time.

Sign up below to receive notification of the dates of my next online workshop to help you raise your profile, connect with clients and grow your practice in the digital age.

By Heidi Smith
Creator of Jurilogical.com