How an advocate can start their own practice and become visible to clients

When an in-house lawyer transitions to independent practice, they need to understand how to demonstrate their expertise to potential clients. A digital presence can serve as a tool for building trust, but only if it is aligned with their actual area of specialization.

On May 20, a webinar titled «Level up: how can an advocate go solo?» was held. The event was held with the participation of Anastasia Yakimova, a member of the UNBA civil law and procedure Committee.

The event’s moderator — Maksym Sibilev, a representative of UNBA NextGen in the Luhansk region — noted that the legal market has many professionals with significant experience, but some of them remain «invisible» in the information space. Some manage to turn their practice into an asset that builds status and trust.

For A. Yakimova, advocacy became a logical continuation of her career path. She recalled her experience working in various fields — at an airport, a meat processing plant, a foundry, and a real estate agency. According to her, even while studying, she understood that she wanted to be an advocate, so the need for legal internship was a conscious part of her professional plan.

Speaking about the transition from salaried work to self-employment, the speaker noted that she combined her job with individual projects under civil law contracts. This allowed her to develop her own understanding of working with clients even before she began practicing law.

Once she had established her law practice, A. Yakimova tracked the source of every client inquiry and analyzed this information annually. According to her, clients from social media ranked first, followed by referrals from colleagues, as well as clients recommending her to their acquaintances and friends. This approach allowed her to see which areas of her practice were more active, where most clients came from, what needed improvement, and where not to waste excessive resources.

According to A. Yakimova, it is important not just to maintain a social media page, but to use it to showcase her specialization. She noted that she does not take on every case because she understands which areas she excels in. This is precisely what she conveys on social media. There have been instances where clients reached out after seeing that the advocate handles their specific issues and has relevant experience.

The speaker also mentioned that she had taken courses on social media management and promotion but adapted that knowledge to the specific needs of the legal profession. In her practice, there was a period when she organized photo shoots for her blog, filmed videos, added subtitles, used hashtags and location tags, and then analyzed view and engagement statistics.

She used different formats for different platforms. The speaker described Facebook as an environment where the audience reads longer texts, such as longreads or analytical posts. Instagram is more about speed, videos, reels, and lifestyle, through which the audience sees what is happening in the professional’s life. LinkedIn is a platform for professional achievements.

When asked how to write about complex legal topics without losing the audience’s interest, A. Yakimova said she used real-life case studies, de-personalized them, and tried to present complex information in a simpler way, without excessive professional jargon.