Within the last ten years, social media usage has sky rocketed. In 2005, about 7% of American adults used social media. Now, 65% of Americans utilize social media for both personal associations and work-related marketing. This is true as well with the legal profession. Attorneys and law firms have adopted this new form of advertising to promote their services, link up with other lawyers and would-be clients, and provide information about their areas of practice.
Facebook, the largest social network site, began as a personal tool to get to know other people. Currently, it is a place where attorneys, among others, offer their services and make connections with others interested in law. An attorney has to be careful, however. Posting information has the potential to affect negatively the credibility and/or professional reputation of the firm. LinkedIn is a social media site that is used specifically to talk business. Through LinkedIn, attorneys can connect with past and future employers, classmates, and real contacts. They can answer questions of those who are concerned or interested in the field of law or in hiring a law firm.
Blogging is another social networking device exercised by lawyers and law firms to interact with readers and associates. The public enjoys reading blogs because a blog offers a lot of information in a timely manner. For this reason, blogs offer cutting-edge legal commentary about current issues. There are also sites specific to lawyers, including Martindale-Hubbell Connected, which is Lexis Nexis’s social networking tool.
As the use of social media grows among attorneys and law firms, it is essential to remain aware and conscious of what is appropriate to post and what is not. Discussing an active legal matter, for example, is inappropriate, because attorney-client confidentiality could be impacted.
Social networking has become the new method of contact between family, friends, and employers. Keeping up with the pace, lawyers contribute their experience and knowledge to the media.
We hope you found the information provided in this article helpful to your everyday life and business. Please free to reach out to Sean Callagy or the Callagy Law team at any time for questions you may have concerning personal and business matters. Callagy Law’s headquarters is located conveniently in Paramus, NJ. Beyond the scope of information, Sean Callagy has developed multiple areas of business legal practice and business coaching, if you need help with anything, please reach out to us by calling 201-261-1700 or by emailing us here. Feel free to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn! Additionally you can subscribe to our daily videos on YouTube by clicking here.
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Social Media and the Legal Profession | Callagy Law
