Aussie legal ‘bosses’ crushing it on LinkedIn

Which CEOs and managing principles from Australian law firms are setting a powerful example on LinkedIn?

They have highly optimised personal profiles which clearly articulate their expertise and specialisation while also speaking to their role as the leader.

They’re also posting or reposting frequently, and their content is powerful mix of thought leadership (legal insights and trends, industry specific advice, practical tips, commentary on current events) and stories about their organisation or team’s accomplishments – case wins, awards, new business or a positive workplace culture.

They’re also doing a fine job of humanising their brand and providing the much needed ‘face’ of their firms by showcasing their involvement in community or pro bono work or by sharing their own personal stories and experiences.

Better still, they frequently participate in industry discussions on LinkedIn by interacting with clients, partners, and industry leaders – either commenting on, liking or resharing their content.

Bottom line, they’re a highly visible and powerful presence on LinkedIn.

Our top legal bosses on LinkedIn

Here’s a look at some of these standout legal bosses and how they’re making their mark on LinkedIn. (These are by no means the only legal leaders who are packing a punch but they are a wonderful first start.)

★ Bill Doogue – Director and Criminal Law Specialist at Doogue + George ★

Bill Doogue’s LinkedIn presence is a masterclass in authenticity and engagement. He periodically discusses high-profile cases his firm is involved in, such as the inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker, or offers insightful commentary on cases in the public domain such as the Alec Baldwin involuntary manslaughter trial. Bill also shares personal stories, like his sister Jan being sworn in as a High Court Judge in New Zealand, adding a personal touch that resonates with his audience.

★ Virginia Briggs – CEO and Managing Partner, MinterEllison ★

Virginia has fabulous personal LinkedIn profile which not only addresses her deep expertise in property, development and infrastructure market transactions but also talks to her role as leader at MinterEllison. Like Bill, Virginia’s content is a healthy mix of thought leadership (“lessons from failed M&A deals”) and content about her firm’s achievements – a major court case win, sponsoring vital research and fostering a culture of innovation to name but a few.

★ Jacob Varghese – Chief Executive Officer at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers ★

Like Virginia, Jacob also uses his personal LinkedIn profile to speak powerfully to his role as CEO of Maurice Blackburn while also addressing his deep expertise and experience in class actions. His engagement also covers the broad gamut of issues – from a thought leadership piece on why “lawyers are not doing enough to open the legal system to more Australians”, stories about his firm’s history and its close ties with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre to articles that showcase his firm’s culture and achievements.

★ Emma Covacevich – Chief Executive Partner Clayton Utz ★

While Emma has a solid profile which clearly spells out her specialisation in energy and corporate matters, it is in her engagement on LinkedIn where she truly holds her own. Her content varies from providing commentary on issues impacting the legal sector, discussing the fact that her firm was the first to adopt Lexis+AI, to reflecting on her own journey as a lawyer – even sharing a piece about being a boarder at St Margaret Anglican School in the early 90s.

★ Mark Pistilli – CEO and Managing Partner at Gadens ★

Mark also gets a big tick for a solid personal LinkedIn profile and content that covers a broad swathe of issues – the Gadens’ merger with Trinity Law, playing host to the US Democratic vice presidential candidate, Tim Walz, and reasons why his firm earned a 2024 AFR BOSS Best Places to Work. What I also like about Mark’s engagement is his preparedness to share information of a more personal nature– that he and his family often share a meal with people experiencing homelessness or in need of help.

★ Alex Martin – CEO, Taurus Legal ★

There are no ifs and buts about Alex does. It is super clear from his personal LinkedIn profile that he helps family businesses, companies and professional services firms resolve business disputes. He posts regularly – either talking about issues relevant to his client base such as “new penalties impacting builders” or providing his perspective on issues of public importance such as Lehrmann’s defamation case against Channel 10 and Lisa Wilkinson. He also uses a public forum like LinkedIn to pat his staff on the back for a job well done.

★ Leigh Davidson - Principal solicitor and managing director at Advantage Legal ★

While Leigh doesn’t have a fully-fledged ABOUT section as part of their personal LinkedIn profile, his LinkedIn headline not only makes it super clear what he does (he is a personal injury lawyer) but has a direct link to the home page of his website which further fleshes out his expertise and key offering. Leigh also does a fine job with his content which is a great mix of though leadership pieces (the risks of modifying e-bikes) and company success stories and major milestones.

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As these law firm bosses are discovering, their involvement on LinkedIn is not only good for elevating their firm’s visibility, building morale and bringing in new clients, but sets a powerful example for staff members to follow.

It signals the importance of the platform to the entire firm – that it is not just a passing fad but a valuable networking tool and a wonderful opportunity to showcase both the individual and the collective expertise of their organisations.

It provides the all-important spur for their people to get involved while also providing them with the blueprint about how it should be done!

All sound a bit daunting.

At Parker Public Relations we specialise in helping legal professionals and law firms build and optimise their presence on LinkedIn - whether it’s developing personal profiles, crafting compelling content, or coaching on effective engagement strategies, we’ve got you covered.

Contact Us: Wendy Parker 0422 694 503 wendy@parkerpublicrelations.com.au

 @lawyers @linkedin