Welcome to Legal Off The Leash, the podcast where we take the legal profession out of the box and into a happier, more fulfilling future!

In this episode, Scott and Elizabeth sit down with LinkedIn strategist and former lawyer Melanie Goodman to unpack how lawyers can actually use LinkedIn and Substack to build visibility, relationships, and real business opportunities. Melanie shares practical advice on profile optimisation, content strategy, and the long game of online credibility. She also tells the remarkable story of being permanently banned from LinkedIn (and how she fought to get her account back). This episode is a masterclass in digital reputation, strategic networking, and building a platform that works for you—not the other way around.

Key Themes

• LinkedIn as a Business Development Tool
  Why LinkedIn is still the most powerful professional network—and why most lawyers use it incorrectly.
• Consistency Beats Viral Posts
  Building trust and opportunities on LinkedIn is about long-term visibility, not occasional posting.
• Content That Serves Your Audience
  The biggest mistake professionals make is posting what they want instead of addressing client pain points.
• Your Profile Is Your Foundation
  Before posting anything, lawyers must optimise their LinkedIn profiles so people actually understand what they do.
• Owning Your Audience Beyond LinkedIn
  Why email lists protect your visibility when social media platforms fail.
• Building Referral Networks Strategically
  Lawyers often focus on end clients—but referrals frequently come from adjacent professionals.

Memorable Quotes

“LinkedIn’s not just a job board… it’s an incredibly fast moving business development tool if you know how to use it.”

“You have to be consistent… people have to get to know you, get to know your personality to want to work with you.”

“You’re building relationships on LinkedIn the same way you build any other relationship — you’re just doing it online.”

“The biggest mistake that I see people making is that they post what they want to post rather than thinking about the problems or the pain points of the people that they want to connect with.”

“There’s absolutely no point in putting out content on a profile that doesn’t tell people what you do.”

“Referrals are often underrated because people are so focused on getting clients from LinkedIn.”

Important Insights & Actionable Takeaways

• Treat LinkedIn like relationship-building, not broadcasting.
  Business rarely comes from a single post—it comes from repeated exposure, trust, and private conversations.
• Optimise your profile before creating content.
  If someone clicks your profile and can’t quickly understand what you do or who you help, your content won’t convert into opportunities.
• Think in terms of client problems, not personal announcements.
  Content that addresses real challenges your audience faces will naturally gain more traction and engagement.
• Build a referral ecosystem—not just a client list.
  Connecting with professionals who serve your ideal clients often produces warmer, more consistent referrals.
• Never rely on a single platform.
  Melanie’s LinkedIn ban highlighted the importance of owning your audience through email lists and being visible across multiple platforms.
• Repurpose your knowledge across platforms.
  Content created for LinkedIn can be adapted into deeper articles, newsletters, or community engagement on platforms like Substack.

This is the most practical advice you can hear to get started with LinkedIn and use it in a way that doesn’t send you into vanity metrics spirals.

It also highlights that you don’t own your LinkedIn following and what you do to take back control.