4 Tips for Social Networking in the Legal Industry

Are social networking websites just a passing fad, or could they actually be used effectively in the legal industry?

As social networking proves to be an effective tool for attracting clients and customers, more law firms and legal associates have gotten involved with sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. These sites allow for the quick and easy dissemination of information to a wide audience. A quick dialogue with an anonymous Internet user could lead to new business.

However, using social networking sites can have legal risks. It is a good idea to take precautions to mitigate potential liability.

Here are some things to consider when using social networking sites:

1) Be Careful Not to Share Too Much

It’s easy to get caught up in Twitter, where all you do is post updates of your current or recent activities in 140 characters or less.

The American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct require confidentiality between a lawyer and client. This is common knowledge, but an attorney who gets too caught up in the spirit of Twitter’s “say anything” theme might end up accidentally divulging too much information about a client or case.

2) Be Aware of Copyrighted Material

Information is passed around so quickly on social networking sites that it’s easy to forget where the material originated. Be careful not to post a piece that you do not have permission to use. Ask for permission to repost articles, and make sure you provide proper attribution for the material you use.

On the other hand, remember the right to your own intellectual property. Protect your writing by providing conditions for the reposting of your material. Monitor new trademarks, domain names and other online content to make sure that your company is not violating copyright and to be sure that competitors are not stealing from you.

3) Take Advertising Fundamentals into Account

You already know how social networking can be an effective marketing tool. But even though it can seem like anything goes when working with social media, you should still be careful to use smart advertising practices. If you’re advertising a particular promotion, do your best to actually promote it in several places beyond social networking sites — don’t just post it on Twitter in hopes of getting retweeted.

You also want to make sure your sites are free of “advertising in disguise.” For example, the Federal Trade Commission can fine a blogger up to $11,000 for not disclosing that they received compensation for a product endorsement. Although companies probably won’t send you products to review, it’s smart to be up-front about your services on your website, blog and any social media profile.

4) Create Policies for Social Networking Use

One of the reasons people are attracted to social media is that it’s quick and spontaneous. If you have employees managing a business Twitter account, there is no way you can hold off on posting updates until they are edited and approved — that’s just not the way Twitter works. Of course, leaving social media updates to different employees means information that should’ve been edited or dropped altogether might get posted for all the world to see.

Develop policies for employee use of social media. Instill employees with the knowledge that their actions on social networking sites are representative of the entire company. In your policies, cover your bases — discuss responsibility, ownership of intellectual property and liability. It would also be wise to look at each social networking site you use and go over the terms of service.

Keeping in mind the legal ramifications of using social networking sites is a good idea that will lead to a successful online presence!

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