If you’ve ever asked a lawyer why they aren’t more active on LinkedIn, you’ve probably heard some version of the same answer. “I know I should be doing more, but I just don’t have the time.”

In many cases, that’s true. Most lawyers understand that LinkedIn has become an important business development tool. They know prospective clients, referral sources, recruits, conference organizers, reporters and even potential lateral hires are looking at their profiles. They know that a strong profile and a consistent presence help build credibility and keep them top of mind. The challenge is finding a way to fit LinkedIn into an already packed schedule. That’s where executive assistants and legal secretaries can make a tremendous difference.

I’m not suggesting they become social media managers or speak for the lawyer online. Their role is much more strategic than that. They can help organize information, capture opportunities and create a system that makes LinkedIn much easier to manage.

One of the biggest reasons lawyers struggle with LinkedIn is that they don’t realize how much content they’re creating every day. Think about everything that happens during a typical week. A client asks an interesting question. A deal closes. A lawyer speaks on a panel. A client alert is published. An article is quoted in the media. Someone receives an award. A podcast is recorded. A new client comes on board. A conference leads to several great conversations. Every one of those moments has the potential to become LinkedIn content. The problem is that most of them are forgotten within a few days.

Create a System Instead of Starting from Scratch

Many lawyers log into LinkedIn, stare at the blank post box for a few minutes and then close the app because they can’t think of anything to write. A much better approach is to build a running library of ideas. Keep a shared Word document, OneNote notebook or Google Doc where ideas can be added throughout the week. Whenever something interesting happens, make a quick note. Save links to articles, client alerts, upcoming events, presentations and podcasts. Add a few bullet points after a conference while everything is still fresh. Capture a client question that comes up repeatedly. When it’s time to create a LinkedIn post, the lawyer already has a collection of ideas instead of trying to remember everything that happened over the past month.

Keep LinkedIn Profiles Current

Many lawyers only update their LinkedIn profiles when they move to another firm. Executive assistants and legal secretaries can help remind lawyers to add new leadership positions, awards, publications, speaking engagements, certifications, board appointments and media mentions. These updates help paint a more complete picture of the lawyer’s experience and accomplishments.

Help Prepare Content

Not every lawyer enjoys writing, and many simply don’t have the time. Executive assistants and legal secretaries can gather background information, organize notes and prepare a first draft based on the lawyer’s ideas. AI can also help organize rough thoughts, summarize notes or create a starting point that the lawyer can edit. The lawyer should always review, revise and approve anything that is published. The goal is to make the process more efficient while preserving the lawyer’s own voice.

Help Lawyers Stay Consistent

Consistency is one of the biggest factors behind a successful LinkedIn presence. That doesn’t mean posting every day. Scheduling 15 or 20 minutes each week to review ideas, edit a draft or publish a post is often enough to keep a lawyer visible throughout the year. Executive assistants and legal secretaries can help protect that time just like they would prepare for an important client meeting.

Support Relationship Building

LinkedIn isn’t only about publishing content. Some of the most valuable activity happens in the comments. Executive assistants and legal secretaries can remind lawyers when clients, referral sources and colleagues announce promotions, receive awards, publish articles or celebrate professional milestones. Those moments create natural opportunities to congratulate someone, reconnect or continue building a relationship.

Work with the Marketing Team

Many firms already produce outstanding client alerts, webinars, podcasts and articles. Executive assistants and legal secretaries can work with the marketing team to identify opportunities for lawyers to share that content with their own perspective. A personalized introduction often generates much more engagement than simply reposting a firm announcement.

Why Law Firms Should Invest in LinkedIn Training for Executive Assistants and Legal Secretaries

Many law firms invest in LinkedIn training for lawyers, which makes perfect sense. They’re the ones building relationships, developing business and representing the firm in the marketplace. At the same time, many lawyers have limited time to think about LinkedIn during the workday. That’s why I think firms are overlooking a valuable opportunity.

With a little guidance, executive assistants and legal secretaries can help create a simple process that keeps those opportunities from getting lost. They can organize ideas, collect supporting materials, coordinate with the marketing team and help lawyers stay consistent without adding another responsibility to an already full schedule.

This also benefits the assistants themselves. Learning how LinkedIn supports business development gives them another valuable professional skill and allows them to contribute in a new way. Many already play an important role in client service and relationship management. Understanding how personal branding and LinkedIn fit into that picture expands the value they bring to both their lawyers and their firms.

The firms that embrace this approach won’t just have more active lawyers on LinkedIn. They’ll have a more organized process for capturing ideas, sharing expertise and strengthening relationships. Over time, those small, consistent efforts can have a meaningful impact on business development, recruiting and the firm’s visibility in the marketplace.

Many of these tasks take only a few minutes, but together they can make a significant difference.

  1. Keep a running document of content ideas.
  2. Save interesting client questions that could inspire future posts.
  3. Keep track of speaking engagements, webinars and podcasts.
  4. Take photos at conferences, firm events and client programs.
  5. Remind lawyers to update their LinkedIn profiles after promotions, awards and leadership appointments.
  6. Add recent publications and presentations to their profiles.
  7. Maintain a simple editorial calendar.
  8. Schedule regular time on the lawyer’s calendar for LinkedIn.
  9. Gather background information for future posts.
  10. Organize notes after conferences while ideas are still fresh.
  11. Use AI to organize notes into a first draft.
  12. Proofread posts before they’re published.
  13. Coordinate with the firm’s marketing team.
  14. Suggest content topics based on recurring client questions.
  15. Maintain a folder of photos and graphics that can be used in future posts.
  16. Remind lawyers to congratulate clients, referral sources and colleagues on promotions, awards and milestones.
  17. Flag articles from clients or referral sources that are worth commenting on.
  18. Track industry events that create content opportunities.
  19. Help lawyers follow up with new LinkedIn connections after meetings and conferences.
  20. Keep a list of frequently asked questions that could become educational posts.
  21. Encourage lawyers to add their own perspective when sharing firm news.
  22. Track which types of posts generate the most engagement.
  23. Maintain a running list of accomplishments throughout the year.
  24. Brainstorm content ideas whenever something interesting happens in the lawyer’s practice.

I also think firms have an opportunity to invest more in this area.

The firms that will stand out over the next several years will be the ones that make business development part of everyone’s mindset. Executive assistants and legal secretaries can absolutely be part of that effort. They already have many of the skills. With a little training and a clear process, they can help lawyers stay visible, strengthen relationships and build stronger personal brands without adding another burden to an already busy day.

Frequently Asked Questions

They can certainly help prepare them, but the lawyer should always review, edit and approve anything that is published under their name. LinkedIn is most effective when posts reflect the lawyer’s own experience, opinions and personality. An executive assistant or legal secretary can help organize ideas, gather information and prepare a first draft, making the process much more efficient.

How much time does this actually take?

It doesn’t have to be a major commitment. Spending 10 to 20 minutes a few times a week capturing ideas, saving articles or organizing content can prevent lawyers from having to start from scratch every time they want to post. A short weekly meeting to review ideas is often enough to keep everything moving.

What types of content can executive assistants and legal secretaries help identify?

There are opportunities almost every day. They might include client alerts, speaking engagements, conference takeaways, media quotes, publications, podcasts, awards, community involvement, recruiting efforts, questions clients ask repeatedly, interesting legal developments and lessons learned from recent matters. The goal is to capture ideas while they’re still fresh.

Can AI help with the process?

Absolutely. AI can organize notes, summarize articles, suggest headlines, improve grammar and turn rough bullet points into a draft. Lawyers should always review the final version to make sure it reflects their own voice, experience and judgment.

Can executive assistants also help lawyers engage on LinkedIn?

Yes. Engagement is an important part of building relationships on LinkedIn. Executive assistants and legal secretaries can remind lawyers when clients, referral sources or colleagues receive promotions, publish articles, speak at conferences or celebrate other professional milestones. They can also flag posts that may be worth commenting on and remind lawyers to follow up with new connections after meetings, conferences and networking events.

Should executive assistants have access to a lawyer’s LinkedIn account?

Every lawyer and firm has a different comfort level. Some lawyers prefer to handle all activity themselves, while others may share access with a trusted assistant. Regardless of the approach, it’s important to establish clear expectations about responsibilities, approvals and confidentiality.

How can law firms support this effort?

Training is a great place to start. When executive assistants and legal secretaries understand how LinkedIn supports business development, they become another resource for helping lawyers stay visible and connected. Firms can also create simple workflows, provide content ideas and encourage collaboration between lawyers, assistants and the marketing team.

What’s the biggest mistake lawyers make with LinkedIn?

Many lawyers think they need to sit down and write the perfect post from scratch. In reality, the best content usually comes from the work they’re already doing every day. Having someone capture those ideas along the way makes LinkedIn much easier to manage and helps ensure valuable experiences don’t get forgotten.
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