[This is a guest post by Chelsea Wilson, the Community Relations Manager for Washington University School of Law’s online LL.M. degree program.]
You may have a J.D. and LL.M., but how much do you knowabout online marketing and social media? Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and other social media platformsare providing new channels for attorneys to build their reputations and attract clients. Although some law firms arestill taking a traditional approach to professional networking and marketing, recent survey statistics show that social media engagement in the legal profession is gaining momentum and showing no sign of slowing down. Attorneys who don’t have asocial media presence are ignoring an increasingly important communication tool.
Despite these statistics, outdated rules with respect to online communication are hindering the adoption of social media by many large firms. Solo practitioners and small firms have a greater chance of success since they can avoid bureaucratic restrictions. Although there are very real ethical issues toconsider, as evidenced by examples of cases placed in jeopardy by social media postings by a juror, judge or prosecutor, adhering to some established best practices can help avoid the most common social media pitfalls.
