LinkedIn for Lawyers: How to Make Connections that Lead to Referrals

Once the lawyer is satisfied with their profile, they should begin making connections. Why? Consider this: creating a LinkedIn profile but not actively making connections is like attending a networking event but not meeting anyone. Just as sitting quietly in a network will not help you generate business, neither will maintaining a stagnant LinkedIn presence. So let’s get connecting!

Search and Add Connections

1. The search bar at the top of LinkedIn allows browsing of LinkedIn in various ways. The left side of that search bar allows users to select People, Companies, Jobs, and other categories. The lawyer can start with People and input their colleagues, family, and professional associations.
2. Searches will generate a list of relevant profiles of people with whom users may connect. There are often several profiles for the same name, so the lawyer should look for the ones that match the present location and place of employment of the person for whom they are searching. Selecting a name will bring up an abbreviated version of the person’s profile and confirm that it’s the person with whom the lawyer wants to connect.
3. Once the lawyer feels comfortable that they have found the right profile, they can select the link on the right Add to Network. They will be taken to a page that will generate a connection request and will have the option of specifying how they know the person (i.e., Friend, Colleague, We’ve Done Business Together, etc.) and sending a brief note. It is acceptable LinkedIn etiquette to not personalize the note and simply use the form version.

People You May Know

1. An alternate way to make connections is to browse the People You May Know page. From the Home page, select the “People You May Know” link on the top right. This will open a new page of suggested contacts. LinkedIn automatically generates this list of contacts based on mutual friends, place of employment, city of residence, industry, past education, etc.
2. If the lawyer finds someone they know and would like to connect with, they may simply select Connect and an invitation will be sent to that person. The lawyer can also select the other user’s picture to review the person’s profile and connect from that page. The lawyer must exercise caution to not send an invitation to connect with opposing parties or members of the judiciary that they are likely to appear before in court if their jurisdiction prohibits it.

Check out Ethan’s YouTube video How to Add Connections on LinkedIn for a more in depth tutorial.