Using Your Legal Background to Support Law Firms and Businesses

This week in the Law School Insider we are bringing you Stacey Burke of Stacey E. Burke P.C., a firm that specializes on working with law firms in social media marketing, website design, branding, email marketing, print advertising and more. 

Always enjoyed school and learning and knew she wanted to go further. She took the LSAT and found that she did well enough to get accepted into the law school that she wanted. 

Biggest AHA

1. Found that in the past school was always easy for her, but in law school she found many others that were high achievers. She was surrounded by very intelligent people that challenge you in many ways
2. Surprised to find that this was an area that really inspired her

As she moved out she found that while she loved what she did in working for others, as her life circumstances changed, she did not want to work as many hours as she had in the past. She had a past boss that encouraged her to start a blog for the firm and though this she found out much more about digital marketing and the law that encompasses this. She became well know for what she did and then she was hired away from her firm because of her marketing prowess and not specifically because of her legal prowess. After a few years of fast paced work at this firm she made the choice of starting her own firm

Becoming a savvy speaker is so important for law students. Savvy speaking is not just engagement but it is also how you present yourself. This will impact you in many ways as well as in how you:

1. develop an outline for anything that you want to speak on.
   
2. getting savvy on different presentation types including audio and video.
3. start speaking in areas where you are comfortable and grown from there.
4. practice to the point that you are comfortable with your delivery but not to the point that it is over-rehearsed.

By following these steps you are able to create an inexpensive way to develop a niche or to best differentiate yourself from others.

If you are nervous about public speaking, checking out Toastmasters might assist you in becoming more comfortable in these types of situations.

Put yourself in a context where you are a bit uncomfortable and where you are challenged to learn and grow.

Don't be afraid to reach out. Cold call. You never know when someone that you meet today can lead to a job or other type of opportunity in the future. If there is someone that is practicing in an area that you want to practice in, send them a message on Linked In to talk to them and get to know them better.

Resources for you

• Carolyn Elefant - My Shingle

• Virtual Law Practices - Stephanie Kimbro

• Virtual Law Practice: How to Deliver Legal Services Online

• Solo Practice University

• Lawyerist

Did you like this interview? Do you have a question for Stacey Burke? Leave a comment below to let me know!

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Are you a practicing lawyer? A law student? Would you like to be a guest on an upcoming episode of the Law School Insider or do you have a topic you would like to hear about? Send me an email at lawschoolinsider@cooley.edu