Leveraging Social Media

Kimber A. Russell, Esq.April 29, 2015

Agenda:

• Social media’s relevance to practice of law

• Benefits of social media• Developing an effective strategy• Overview of key social media platforms

Reasons lawyers avoid social media

• It’s not relevant to my practice• I wouldn’t know where to begin• I can’t spare the time• What if I make a mistake?• I don’t understand the ethical

considerations

• Competence– Clients post on social media– These posts are discoverable to you and your

opposing counsel– Courts are allowing service through Facebook• NY divorce court judge allowed husband to be served

through Facebook because he had no fixed address (Baidoo v. Spinnell)

Relevance to practice of law

• Competence– In 2012, the ABA amended Model Rule 1.1

Comment 8:“To maintain the requisite knowledge and skill, a lawyershould keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice,including the benefits and risks associated with relevanttechnology, engage in continuing study and education andcomply with all continuing legal education requirements towhich the lawyer is subject.”

Relevance to practice of law

(by Findlaw) 2014 2005

Internet 38% 7%

Consult local bar association

10% 13%

Ask friend/relative 29% 65%

Yellow pages 4% 10%

How do clients find attorneys?

Develop your social media strategy• Identify your goals

• New business• Expand client base or practice area• Expand into new geographical market

• Choose audience• Prospective clients• Clients in new practice area

• Create targeted messages• Demonstrate expertise with useful content—not repetitive sales

pitches• Share on social media• Interact

• Make a personal connection

• Professional Development– Especially beneficial if you are in a unique practice area– Helps differentiate your services in marketplace

• Client inquiries derived from:– Blog posts demonstrating legal expertise– Engaging tweets highlighting knowledge of state of law

today

Marketing Benefits

Create your online persona

• Professional headshot• Add location/occupation to social media profile• Good bio• Pedigree• Practice areas• Make it personal—connect with potential clients• Avoid jargon—no resume lingo• Avoid passive voice

• Website• Blog• LinkedIn• Twitter• Facebook

Where to begin?

Building an Effective Firm Website

• Do it professionally:• themodernfirm.com• paperstreet.com• amicuscreative.com

• Search Engine Optimization• Keywords• Content marketing• Visibility

Mobilegeddon

• 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices (InMobi)

• 4/21/15: Google altered algorithm to favor sites that are “mobile friendly” (Responsive web design)

• Sites that do not update will fall in search results and could lose significant traffic

• Laptop browser results will also decrease as a site’s ranking drops from fewer mobile visits

• Identify audience– Other attorneys: build reputation– Attract clients: demonstrate knowledge & expertise

• Tone—be professional, but be yourself• Topics—evergreen legal topics, news-based• Writing & Formatting—aim for 300-1000 words• Frequency of posting—as often as possible, at least

weekly

Blog—content marketing

Popular blogs by lawyers

www.trademarkologist.comwww.insideprivacy.com

www.belaborthepoint.com

LinkedIn—Social media for professionals

• Customize profile to highlight expertise• Include articles, papers presented, presentations, etc.• Include professional headshot

• Get recommendations from past clients• Connect with everyone you know• Join groups that align with your interests• Become an influencer by publishing articles or

sharing relevant items for current/potential clients

LinkedIn considerations:

• Anything can go viral• All updates are immediately visible to all your connections• Even deleted posts are cached or are otherwise searchable

long after deletion

• Privacy is not guaranteed• Other members can see when you view their profiles

• LinkedIn is NOT a resume• Everyone can see what you post, whether you want them to or

not

• Microblogging site• Constantly updating and typically follows current events• Users can send public messages to other users by including their Twitter

handle: ex. @ScotusBlog• Topics that many users are talking about are “trending” and are organized

through the use of hashtags (#): ex: #NFLDraft2015• Users “follow” other users to see their tweets in their newsfeed• Your tweets appear to your followers or anyone using the same hashtags• As with any social media, even deleted posts can be cached, saved in

screenshots, or remain searchable so tweet with care

Twitter for lawyers

• Choose an account name– This is about branding, so keep it professional:

@FirstNameLastName• Upload picture

– Accounts without photos are perceived as spam• Create a solid bio• Find your voice• Keep it simple• Time your tweets• Interact and engage

Create your Twitter profile

To Facebook or Not?

• Can lead to new business with friends and family members who know you well

• Might create unrealistic expectations for current clients

• Might unintentionally result in attorney-client relationships

• Make sure to keep personal/professional accounts separate• Firms should adopt a social media policy to ensure ethical

compliance• Professional responsibility rules still apply to online behavior– Maintaining privacy & client confidentiality– Adherence to solicitation & advertising guidelines– Using cautionary language to avoid unintentionally

forming attorney-client relationships

Ethical Considerations

Q & A• For a copy of this presentation, or if you have

any questions about incorporating social media into your legal practice, email kimber.russell@planetdepos.com