A thermotropic main-chain liquid crystalline homo- or copolymer forming a liquid crystalline phase and containing an aromatic monomer with functional groups in ortho- or meta-position. The polymer exhibits both isotropic and anisotropic properties. The present invention also provides a method for the preparation of the present polymers as well as a method of increasing the melt-processibility of polyester-based liquid crystalline polymers comprising the step of incorporating into the polymers 1 to 30 mol-% of, e.g., a ortho-substituted monomer with hydroxyl and/or carboxylic groups.