Being virtually social without all that pesky liability
Oct 14th, 2009 by Mark Cohen
Ever wonder what the potential firm liabilities may be for some associate, paralegal, legal secretary (or even partner) using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or some other social media in a way that, shall we say, their mothers might not approve of? Or what about a dashed off thought about a legal issue viewed by a 1,000 blog visitors, Twitter followers or Facebook friends who, when they click on the author’s name, see that he/she is employed by your firm?
These are just a few of the issues that pop into my head when I think of social-media liabilities. Minneapolis attorney Sam Glover will speak on the topic at a breakfast program sponsored by Minnesota Lawyer/ Finance and Commerce on Nov. 11. (Click here for more info.) Glover is the founder and editor of the Lawyerist – a great locally based site for info on stuff of interest to solos, small-firm lawyers and legal-technology aficionados.
It’s worth noting that firms can be too cautious about social media. Only a handful of local firms that I am aware of have a firm-sponsored blog, Facebook page or Twitter feeds. Done right, these things can be excellent marketing. No one can say what the future hold, but I suspect that relying strictly on the Yellow Pages to get your name out to potential clients may not be the best strategy…
I agree, Mark, but your last paragraph doesn’t go far enough. The Yellow Pages print edition (and its competitors) are dinosaurs that will go extinct, slowly, but inevitably, as their habitual users continue to age. The generation that will run the country in 15 years does almost all of its information-gathering and communicating online or via mobile device. The real question is how to deal with that fact.
I was being charitable to the Yellow Pages in this post.
I recall shortly after I had my last Yellow Pages delivered I had it out and needed an electrician so I used it to find one. After he did his work, he asked how I happened to find out about his company. When I said, “Yellow Pages,” he gave me a blank stare and asked incredulously, “You mean the book? The actual book? Not any sort of online version? Wow! We don’t get many of those.”
I then gave him my credit card, he scanned it with the mobile device on his clipboard and printed me out a receipt. It’s a new world — and I think law firms are already behind the curve in adjusting.