Start with what you actually take
The most useful part of a B2B ID is the precise description of the matters you want. 'Commercial litigation' is a category; 'partnership and shareholder disputes for closely held companies, typically in state court, with disputes in the low seven figures' is a description someone can act on. Write two to four matter lines like that, in the language a referring lawyer or client would use.
Add the jurisdictions where you are admitted and actually practise, and the industries your clients come from. Industry is the detail most firms leave out and the one that referrers and clients search for first.
Say what you refer out
Every lawyer turns work away: wrong practice area, wrong jurisdiction, a conflict, no capacity. Listing what you refer out does two things. It tells other lawyers you are a potential source of matters for them, which is the fastest way to start a reciprocal relationship. And it tells clients you know your limits, which is a form of proof.
Be specific. 'We refer out employment matters and anything requiring admission in New Jersey' is far more useful than 'we refer out what we don't do'.
State what you are looking for
A B2B ID is not only a description of the past; it is a statement of intent. Are you looking for clients in a particular industry? Co-counsel in a specific court? A local-counsel relationship in a neighbouring state? A referral relationship with immigration lawyers because your corporate clients keep asking? Say so.
This is the part that lets other lawyers and professionals send you the right request rather than a vague message.
Add proof you can stand behind
Proof on a B2B ID means things a reader can check or that you can substantiate: years in practice, bar admissions, court admissions, representative matter types (described without client confidences), publications, speaking, professional memberships and the relationships you have on the platform. Do not add claims you cannot support. A B2B ID with modest, verifiable detail is more persuasive than one with grand, unverifiable ones.
Where your jurisdiction restricts how lawyers describe their practice — specialisation claims, testimonials, comparative language — follow those rules. Lawyers are responsible for complying with the professional-conduct rules and other requirements applicable to their jurisdiction and matter. Nothing in this guide is legal or ethics advice.
Keep it current and share it
A B2B ID works because it is current. When you stop taking a matter type, change it. When you start looking for co-counsel in a new court, add it. Then put the link where people already find you: your email signature, your website, your bar profile, your proposals. 'Send me your B2B ID' should be as natural as 'send me your card'.