Setting Up Your Profile

Your profile is your storefront on Exlitem. Attorneys evaluate your credentials, bio, and specialties before deciding to unlock your contact details. This guide covers every section.

#Accessing Your Profile

From your Expert Dashboard, click Edit Profile. The profile editor has a header area and four tabs:

• Overview — headline, bio, location, categories, social links
• Credentials — education, certifications, work experience
• Accomplishments — publications, awards, intellectual property
• Contact — emails, phones, addresses

#Profile Header

At the top of the editor, you can manage:

• Avatar — upload a professional headshot. Profiles with photos receive significantly more clicks.
• Headline — appears directly under your name in search results
• Bio — your extended professional summary (expandable)
• Profile Completeness — a progress bar showing how complete your profile is
• Visibility Toggle — switch your profile between visible and hidden. Hidden profiles don't appear in search results.
• Location — city, state, and country

#Overview Tab

#Headline

Keep it concise (under 120 characters) and specific:

• "Board-Certified Forensic Accountant | CPA, CFE | 20+ years"
• "Orthopedic Surgeon | Spine & Joint Expert | 500+ cases"

#Bio

Your bio is the first thing attorneys read. Aim for 150–300 words:

1. What you specialize in (be specific — name fields, techniques, industries)
2. Your professional background (current role, notable institutions)
3. Your expert witness experience (number of cases, depositions, trial appearances)
4. Geographic availability (local, national, international)

Tip: If you uploaded a CV during onboarding, your bio was pre-filled from it. Review and refine it — the AI extraction is good, but you know your work best.

#Categories

Select the categories that best describe your expertise. These power search matching and help attorneys find you when searching by specialty area.

#Custom Profile URL (Pro & Premium)

Set a custom slug for your public profile URL. Instead of /expert/abc-123-def, your profile will be accessible at /expert/your-custom-slug. Choose something professional and memorable, like your name or specialty. This feature requires a Pro or Premium subscription.

#Social Links

Add links to your professional profiles:

• LinkedIn — your LinkedIn profile URL
• Twitter/X — your Twitter handle or URL
• Email — a public-facing email address
• Phone — a public-facing phone number
• Website — your firm, lab, or academic page

Social links help attorneys verify your identity and learn more about your background.

#Credentials Tab

Add your professional credentials to build credibility:

#Education

Add your degrees with:

• Degree name and field of study
• Institution name
• Graduation year
• Optional description — e.g. "Minor in Physics," a thesis topic, or honors

#Certifications & Licenses

Add active professional credentials:

• Certification name (e.g., "Board-Certified in Orthopedic Surgery")
• Issuing authority
• Issue and expiration dates

#Work Experience

Add your professional history:

• Job title and organization
• Start and end dates
• Description of responsibilities

Each section supports adding, editing, and deleting individual entries.

Tip: Attorneys look for the highest degree earned, active professional licenses, and relevant memberships (ABA, AMA, IEEE, etc.). Be sure to include these.

#Accomplishments Tab

Showcase your professional achievements:

#Publications

Add your published works:

• Title and publication name
• Authors and publication date
• URL link (if available)

#Awards

Add recognitions and honors:

• Award name and issuing organization
• Date received

#Intellectual Property

Add patents and other IP:

• Title and type (patent, trademark, etc.)
• Filing/grant date
• Description

Each section supports adding, editing, and deleting entries. These accomplishments appear on your public profile and help differentiate you from other experts.

#Contact Tab

If you're on Pro or Premium, your contact information is openly visible to all visitors. On the Free tier, contact details are hidden until an attorney unlocks your profile with a credit. Manage:

#Emails

Add one or more email addresses. Mark one as primary.

#Phones

Add phone numbers with labels (e.g., office, mobile, direct).

#Addresses

Add your business address(es).

On the Free tier, your contact details are hidden until unlocked. On Pro and Premium, they are openly accessible — this is one of the key benefits of subscribing.

#Experience & Rates

Set your experience level and rate information to help attorneys understand your availability and pricing:

• Years of Experience — total years in your field
• Hourly Rate — your consulting or testifying rate
• Engagement Types — consulting, testifying, or both