The Legal Intelligencer Blog

20 Must-Read Articles on Social Media Ethics for Lawyers and Judges

As an attorney, public relations practitioner and social media enthusiast, I often present social media for lawyers CLE programs. Just recently, I was the course planner and moderator for a Philadelphia Bar Association Bench Bar CLE on the Ethics of Advertising, Marketing and PR. I had the wonderful opportunity to work with Hope Comisky, Joseph Prim and Paul Kazaras– all members of the Philadelphia legal community and all passionate about ethics and legal communications. Although we discussed the application of various Pennsylvania Rules including 3.6, 7.1 – 7.7 and 8.5, many of the questions and much of the conversation focused on social media.

The ethics of social media for lawyers and judges is a hot topic and it continues to evolve. In fact, there will be a full day program offered by the PBI titled, “Facebook, Twitter & Blogging…Oh MySpace!” The six-credit event will take place Nov. 10, and is being offered in both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. To register, visit www.pbi.org.

So, in preparation for these two programs, I came across tons of relevant articles. Here is a list of 20 must-reads:

Ind. High Court Allows MySpace Entry as Evidence in Murder Trial
By Molly McDonough
ABA Journal
Oct. 16, 2009

http://www.abajournal.com/news/ind._high_court_allows_myspace_entry_as_evidence_in_murder_trial/

Staten Island Criminal Court judge to be transferred to Manhattan after Facebook postings, sources say
By John M. Annese
Staten Island Live Online
Oct.15, 2009

http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/criminal_court_judge_to_be_tra.html

U.S. Seeks to Restrict Gift Giving to Bloggers
By Amy Schatz and Miguel Bustillo
The Wall Street Journal
Oct. 6, 2009

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125475547130664753.html

DOJ is on Twitter & Tweeting for AG Eric Holder, Too
By Martha Neil
ABA Journal
Oct. 6, 2009

http://www.abajournal.com/news/doj_is_now_on_twitter_tweeting_for_ag_eric_holder_too/

Pretexting, Legal Ethics and Social Networking Sites
By Ken Strutin
Oct. 5, 2009

http://www.llrx.com/features/pretexting.htm

More on the legal ethics of social networking: investigating opponents
By Alvin E. Mathews, Jr.
Lexology.com
Oct. 1, 2009

http://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=97c38cce-18ed-40a8-a64e-df978984aea5

Social Networks May 'Leak' Personally Identifiable Information
By Wendy Davis
MediaPost News – Online Media Daily
Sept. 25, 2009

http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=114344&passFuseAction=PublicationsSearch.showSearchReslts&art_searched=Social%20Networks%20May%20%27Leak%27&page_number=0

Social Networks and Personal Injury Suits
By Robert S. Kelner and Gail S. Kelner
New York Law Journal
Sept. 24, 2009

http://www.law.com/jsp/legaltechnology/pubArticleLT.jsp?id=1202434026615

Attorneys say companies can monitor employee use of sites, but they may face repercussions
By Mike Sunnucks
Phoenix Business Journal
Sept. 21, 2009
http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2009/09/21/focus1.html#

Too Much Information: Blogging Lawyers Face Ethical and Legal Problems
By Debra Cassens Weiss
ABA Journal
Sept. 14, 2009

http://www.abajournal.com/news/too_much_information_blogging_lawyers_face_ethical_and_legal_problems/

A Legal Battle: Online Attitude vs. Rules of the Bar
By John Schwartz
New York Times
Sept. 12, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13lawyers.html?_r=2

Social Networking Sites and Litigation
By Mitchell H. Rubinstein
Adjunct Professor Law Blog
Sept. 11, 2009

http://lawprofessors.typepad.com/adjunctprofs/page/8/

Ethical Issues to Consider When 'Friending' Witnesses Online
By Mara E. Zazzali-Hogan and Jennifer Marino Thibodaux
New Jersey Law Journal
Sept. 1, 2009

http://www.law.com/jsp/pa/PubArticlePA.jsp?id=1202433644757&hbxlogin=1

Social media and legal ethics – May an Illinois lawyer list his or her "Specialties" On LinkedIn without running afoul of Illinois RPC 7.4?
By Helen Gunnarsson
September 2009

http://www.isba.org/ibj/2009/09/438_lawpulse.html

Our Linked-In Judiciary
By Robert J. Ambrogi
Legal Blog Watch
Aug. 20, 2009

http://legalblogwatch.typepad.com/legal_blog_watch/2009/08/our-linked-in-judiciary.html

Facebooking Judge Catches Lawyer in Lie, Sees Ethical Breaches #ABAChicago
By Molly McDonough
ABA Journal
July 31, 2009

http://www.abajournal.com/news/facebooking_judge_catches_lawyers_in_lies_crossing_ethical_lines_abachicago/

ACLU fights judge’s Facebook comments ban – Woman was ordered not to post on site about brother’s custody battle
Associated Press / MSNBC
July 23, 2009

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32103212

Legal marketing ethics in a Web 2.0 world
By Leora Maccabee
Lawyerist.com
July 17, 2009

http://lawyerist.com/legal-marketing-ethics-web-2-0/

A Friend in Deed
The Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania – Attorney Newsletter
July 2009
http://www.padisciplinaryboard.org/newsletters/2009/july.php
 
Mind the Ethics of Online Networking
By C.C. Holland
Special to Law.com
Nov. 6, 2007

http://www.law.com/jsp/legaltechnology/pubArticleLT.jsp?id=1194257030032

Gina F. Rubel, Esq., is the owner of Furia Rubel Communications, Inc., a public relations and marketing agency with a niche in legal communications. A former Philadelphia trial attorney and public relations expert, Gina is the author of Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers and the co-author of 6 Essentials for Success in Business and Life. Gina and her PR firm have won numerous awards for legal communications, public relations, media relations, strategic planning, corporate philanthropy and leadership. She maintains a blog at www.ThePRLawyer.com and is a regular contributor to The Legal Intelligencer Blog. You can find her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ginafuriarubel or follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ginarubel.  For more information, go to www.FuriaRubel.com.

 

 

When Twitter Silence Is Golden

The Philadelphia Public Relations Association, @PPRA, recently tweeted about an article that caught the attention of my colleague, Leah Rice, who then shared the article with me. Sony Pictures Television’s Madhuri Shekar’s wrote “4 reasons to shut up on Twitter.” How about that? With everyone telling us to get involved and be proactive with social media, who should you be listening to and why?

As a proponent of the strategic use of social media, it’s important that you understand that there’s good and bad with everything. Just recently, I co-presented “Productive Social Media Strategies” with Neen James, which was covered by Crissa Shoemaker DeBree of The Intelligencer, not to be confused with The Legal Intelligencer. We touched on some of the positives and negatives and definitely covered what people and companies should NOT be saying in the social media-sphere. Examples included: “I’m having a bad day,” “I just ate lunch,” “I’m the best in the business” and “It’s raining.” Really, I ask you, who cares? For other examples, read my last blog on Egregious Lawyer Misuses of Social Media.

But Shekar went even further than that. Her article states that there are four reasons why at times twitterers need to take a timeout from the tweetfest.

The first thing she advises is not to tweet in a crisis.

Shekar attended the recent 140 Twitter Conference and there Mike Prasad, the brain behind Kogi BBQ, addressed tweeting in a crisis situation. Prasad shared an example of how taking a break from tweeting in a crisis can sky rocket your image. He said, “This summer, when Baja Fresh announced a new item on its menu – the ‘Baja Kogi Taco’ – Prasad was shocked and concerned that Baja Fresh was ‘ripping off’ Kogi's trademark name. Prasad and @kogibbq refrained from going on the attack and, instead, allowed followers to voice their unhappiness at Baja Fresh. Within hours, Baja Fresh was overwhelmed with a deluge of tweets criticizing the company's move and declaring their support for Kogi BBQ. In an effort to conciliate the Twitterverse, @BoldBajaFresh replied to almost every single one of the disgruntled tweets. Each of the replies mentioned and praised its competitor with phrases such as ‘Kogi truck is in a class of its own.’”

In this example, by refraining from tweeting in mass quantities, Kogi BBQ emerged from this situation looking classy and seemingly untouched as well as dedicated and loyal to its customers. However, Baja Fresh ended up back pedaling in the public eye and calling positive attention to the strengths of its competitor. Shekar advised the audience not to tweet in these situations, when others can do it for you. And I agree. It’s less self-serving, more credible and often helps to build awareness and strengthen your reputation. 

Even though Prasad’s example deals with consumer brands, it is important to note that the same strategies should be applied to high-profile litigation. In fact, lawyers should make it a policy to track what is being said about them and their clients on Twitter and other social media outlets – especially when there is publicity surrounding the case. Just search for “Mumia,” “Gosselin,” “Caylee Anthony” or “Michael Vick” in Twitter and you’ll certainly get an eyeful.

Shekar’s second recommendation is not to tweet when you think you’re funny.

Trying to be funny in print is a Catch-22. Some people may get it, and others may be offended. The best thing to do is to avoid sarcasm and jokes all together. One-liners work in movies because they’re in context – it’s nearly impossible to provide context in a 140-character tweet.

Shekar’s third rule is don't tweet when it will ruin your brand mystique. She equates tweeting with dating. She says, “If you know everything about the person by the end of the first meal, then the mystery and intrigue have vanished, and you don't see the point in sticking around for coffee.”

I agree with Shekar when she says that “there is a fine line between transparency and over-exposure.” Like all PR and social media outreach you should stay true to your brand (law firm or personal image) – regardless of whether your brand is that of a large firm or solo, make sure that all of your social media accounts including Twitter resonate that tone and keep your followers engaged.

And Shekar’s final point was not to tweet when the president of the United States says so. When President Obama was interviewed by CNBC regarding Kanye West’s comments on Taylor Swift’s MTV Video Music Awards he made an un-presidential remark. ABC’s Terry Moran was in the room and tweeted about the president’s comment immediately. When the White House found out about the leak, they were very unhappy and this damaged Moran’s reputation as a credible journalist. Michael Calderone covered the story in his Politico commentary, ABC's Moran removes tweet with Obama swipe at Kanye.

One commandment in the PR and social media handbook is always showing respect in regards to the wishes of your clients, your colleagues, and others. It is good business and as lawyers, we are required to abide by professional rules of conduct. In Pennsylvania, you should be familiar with Rule 1.6 that deals with confidentiality of information, 3.6 that deals with trial publicity, all of the rules in Section 7 and various others.

When sharing information online, the reputations of your clients, co-workers and law firms all need to be taken into account – it’s not just about you. Think twice about what you tweet because once the damage is done it remains in the social media abyss indefinitely. There’s no easy delete button.

About the Author:  Gina F. Rubel, Esq., is the owner of Furia Rubel Communications, Inc., a public relations and marketing agency with a niche in legal communications. A former Philadelphia trial attorney and public relations expert, Gina is the author of Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers and the co-author of 6 Essentials for Success in Business and Life. Gina and her PR firm have won numerous awards for legal communications, public relations, media relations, strategic planning, corporate philanthropy and leadership. She maintains a blog at www.ThePRLawyer.com and is a regular contributor to The Legal Intelligencer Blog. You can find her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ginafuriarubel or follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ginarubel.  For more information, go to www.FuriaRubel.com.

 

Egregious Lawyer Misuses of Social Media

Social media for lawyers and ethics issues continue to undergo scrutiny, change and evolution. John Schwartz of The New York Times shares: Legal Battle: Online Attitude vs. Rules of the Bar.

In his Sept. 13 article, Schwartz shares Florida attorney Sean Conway’s story where Conway posted an “intemperate blog post” stating that Judge Cheryl Aleman was an “Evil, Unfair Witch.”

Schwartz’s article is excellent and should be required reading in every law firm. He shares insight and information about some of the more egregious misuses of social media that affect the legal profession.

Suffice it to say that I’m not going to reiterate what Schwartz covered here. Rather – here are a few tips:

1. Every corporation, let alone law firm, should adopt a social media policy – large or small.

2. It is important to understand that what you say online is no different than saying it in the middle of Times Square on a loud speaker and having every national television network broadcast it live!

3. If you are not bold enough to walk into a courtroom and call a judge an “evil, unfair witch,” then please don’t try to hide behind the translucent veil of social media.

It never ceases to amaze me how green highly educated professionals can be when it comes to online communications down to “status updates” that report: “I’m having a bad day,” “This jury really doesn’t get it,” “I hate my job,” “My boss is an idiot,” or “Court is so slow.”

 Bottom line: If you wouldn’t say it publically it is better left unsaid.

Gina F. Rubel, is the owner of Furia Rubel Communications, Inc., a public relations and marketing agency with a niche in legal communications. A former Philadelphia trial attorney and public relations expert, Gina is the author of Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers and the co-author of 6 Essentials for Success in Business and Life. Gina and her PR firm have won numerous awards for legal communications, public relations, media relations, strategic planning, corporate philanthropy and leadership. She maintains a blog at www.ThePRLawyer.com and is a regular contributor to The Legal Intelligencer Blog. You can find her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ginafuriarubel or follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ginarubel.  For more information, go to www.FuriaRubel.com.

Wikipedia Battens the Hatches – Social Media and the Law

A daily routine for my colleague, Leah Rice, and for me is to visit www.mashable.com and a few other social media and public relations sites. We’re always seeking our daily dose of social media and PR updates. Rice brought to my attention an article by Mashable writer, Ben Parr titled, “Wikipedia to Add New Level of Editorial Insight.” Parr’s blog post referenced a similar article, “Wikipedia to Limit Changes to Articles on People,” byNoam Cohen of The New York Times.

Wikipedia is one of the 10 most popular sites on the Web. Unlike the standard encyclopedia, written by expert sources, Wikipedia articles are entirely community-built, often without restrictions. About 60 million Americans visit Wikipedia every month. In fact, some people no longer reference the encyclopedia but instead choose Wikipedia as a source for information (something, however, that I do not recommend as one’s only form of research).

Parr and Cohen discuss how within the next few weeks the English language version of Wikipedia will begin to add a layer of editorial review on articles about living people. The new restrictions are called flagged revisions. Soon, before anyone is able to update the Wikipedia page of a living person, a senior editor will have to approve the change before it goes live.

Cohen’s article provides multiple reasons why this new level of editing is so important for Wikipedia.

Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia, has this to say about the revision stage of Wikipedia: “It is a test. We will be interested to see all the questions raised. How long will it take for something to be approved? Will it take a couple of minutes, days, weeks? We have really become part of the infrastructure of how people get information and there is a serious responsibility we have.”

What lawyers should ponder is whether this new level of security will affect Wikipedia’s potential legal responsibilities. I read a 2008 article byJohn Timmer titled, “Judge puts defamation lawsuit against Wikipedia to the sword.” In this case, the Communications Decency Act protected the online resource from defamation liability for content its users posted.

According to intellectual property attorney, Kim Jessum of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young, Web sites are usually off the hook for libel and copyright infringement lawsuits when third parties post content. This usually includes comments posted by readers to various Web sites and updates to wikis.

However, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or DMCA, does not specifically address wikis as they did not exist in 1998. (Note: the DMCA does not override libel laws.)

It will be interesting to see how the approval of Wikipedia revisions by senior editors plays out in the legal arena.

Gina F. Rubel, Esq., is the owner of Furia Rubel Communications Inc., a public relations and marketing agency with a niche in legal communications. A former Philadelphia trial attorney and public relations expert, Gina is the author of Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers and the co-author of 6 Essentials for Success in Business and Life. Gina and her PR firm have won numerous awards for legal communications, public relations, media relations, strategic planning, corporate philanthropy and leadership. She maintains a blog at www.ThePRLawyer.com and is a regular contributor to The Legal Intelligencer Blog. You can find her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ginafuriarubel or follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ginarubel.  For more information, go to www.FuriaRubel.com.

Shorter Law Firm Names – The Debate Continues

By Gina F. Rubel

Just recently, the issue about shorter law firm names came up in a listserv discussion hosted by the Legal Marketing Association. The interesting thing is that this issue has been coming up for years. In fact, I wrote an article in The Legal Intelligencer on March 12, 2003, addressing this very issue.

What I think most legal marketing experts have found who have been around the watercoolers for a stint is that firms should shorten their names – but should do so strategically. Legal marketers know the countless marketing and PR reasons why -- and those reasons have been expanded exponentially with SEO (search engine optimization), SEM (search engine marketing) and social media engagement. However, it’s important for marketers to provide solid reasons and solutions to law firms so that shortening a firm name makes sense.

 Eight reasons why a shorter firm name is better :

·        Better branding.

·        More memorable.

·        Easier to say and repeat.

·        Easier to register Web site URLs.

·        More marketable.

·        Supports name recognition.

·        Work better with social media and emerging technologies.

·        Easier to say in media interviews.

Law firm name changes can be very challenging. Just think, a firm decides to go from four names to two and all four names have been included for several decades since the firm was founded. It’s not an easy decision by any stretch of the imagination. Egos often get in the way of the business decision of having a name that is memorable and marketable. What should be put first are the needs of the target audiences as opposed to the needs of the partners. (The same holds true for the information contained in attorney bios but I’ll save that dissertation for another blog entry).

I was recently in a meeting with the partners of a midsized firm dealing with this same issue and I asked them all to name one brand that came to mind -- each had 10 seconds. Not one mentioned a company with more than two words in its name and the majority named companies with one: Ford, Pepsi, Disney, Nike,  to name just a few . In fact, not one named a law firm because the majority of lawyers (in my experience) do not see law firms as brands.

The length of time that it takes to change a firm name depends on the firm culture. We worked with one client where it took nearly six months and we worked with another where it took less than two weeks to change the name, logo and corporate package (I told them they take first prize in efficiency).

The catalyst for the final decision has always seemed to be as follows: the primary thought-leader talks the other decision makers into changing the firm name only after being provided with key talking points, articles, examples and success stories of other firms (especially competition) who have shortened their names and maintained brand integrity while growing their business.

 For The Legal Intelligencer subscribers, here are some additional articles on the topic:

 Name Games Loom Large in Merger Activity for Law Firms

...Once the shorter moniker gains popularity...
08/21/2007 Kellie Schmitt

 Some firms embrace shorter names, while others resist

...knows the significance of a name. Before becoming Gibbons Del Deo, the firm was Crummy Gibbons & O'Neill...
01/22/2007 Stephanie Lovett

 DLA Piper Aims for Shorter Name for Stronger Brand

...the world's second-largest firm, is expected to announce in September that it is taking a new, shorter name to strengthen its international brand...
08/18/2006 Lynne Marek

 Street Names: Firms Shorten Monikers to Give Them a Marketing Edge

...a while, but now the short name is official. Howrey isn't the first firm to adopt a shorter, institutional name, and it probably won...
05/16/2005 Brenda Sapino Jeffreys

  What's in a name?

...except one: what to call the new firm. In keeping with the trend toward shorter legal names, the two Kansas City, Mo., firms had...
03/30/2005 Tamara Loomis

 For Firms' Names, Size Matters

...recent decision to shorten its name. As law firms grow larger, their names are getting shorter. Most notable is New York City...
11/29/2004 Meredith Hobbs

 Name-Droppers: Brand-New Day for Blank Rome

...shorter -- name for Blank Rome Comisky & McCauley, which officially changed its moniker to Blank Rome. Blank Rome has become the latest Philadelphia firm...
01/07/2003 Jeff Blumenthal

 Two Firms Scale Down to One Name

...pressure to create a brand-name presence, law firms are trading the legacies of partners dead and gone for shorter, catchier titles. Philadelphia...
10/10/2000 Ritchenya A. Shepherd

 About the Author:  Gina F. Rubel, Esq., is the owner of Furia Rubel Communications, Inc., a public relations and marketing agency with a niche in legal communications. A former Philadelphia trial attorney and public relations expert, Rubel is the author of Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers and the co-author of 6 Essentials for Success in Business and Life. Gina and her PR firm have won numerous awards for legal communications, public relations, media relations, strategic planning, corporate philanthropy and leadership. She maintains a blog at www.ThePRLawyer.com and is a regular contributor to The Legal Intelligencer Blog. You can find her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ginafuriarubel or follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ginarubel.  For more information, go to www.FuriaRubel.com.

Social Media for Lawyers: Legal OnRamp

I’ve been hearing a lot about Legal OnRamp lately, so I decided to check it out.

According to the homepage of the Web site, LegalOnRamp is a collaboration system for in-house counsel and invited outside lawyers and third-party service providers. There are lawyers participating from more than 40 countries, and a rapidly growing collection of content and technology resources.” It says, “Basic services are free, so all members are expected to contribute to the community as a whole.”

Wikipedia says, “the site was created in part by Mark Chandler, general counsel of Cisco Systems; the law firm Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe; and attorney Paul Lippe, currently the venture's CEO.”

In an InsideCounsel magazine article, titled, “Net-Working: Web 2.0-enhanced sites get in-house counsel talking,” Lippe is quoted as saying, “Lawyers, to a very substantial degree, live in the cloud; they live in their network. For GCs, that's people in your company, law firms and other companies. So you want to be as energized and engaged with that network as much as possible. And Web 2.0 is clearly a better way to do that than e-mail."

And in a recent post about Legal OnRamp on the blog “Adam Smith, Esq.,” Bruce MacEwen, said, “Part of my fascination with Legal OnRamp stems from an observation many have made about our profession: That law firms won't fundamentally change until clients demand it. Legal OnRamp invites firms to change—at least in some respects—in anticipation of where clients are going: To go where the puck will be, if you will.”

When asked about Legal OnRamp, Kim R. Jessum  of Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young said, “What is interesting is that I discovered Legal OnRamp through an article about the General Counsel of FMC Technologies using Legal OnRamp to solicit applications from firms open to alternative billing arrangements. After researching what Legal OnRamp actually is, i.e., a professional social networking site of in-house counsel and limited outside counsel, I decided to request an invitation.” Jessum is still research the myriad of opportunities Legal OnRamp may deliver.

Timothy Corcoran with Altman Weil Inc. said that he’s a member and he has “spent a good deal of time working with firms as they ramp up their Web 2.0 and social media efforts, including Legal OnRamp.” Corcoran calls it a “vibrant community that’s not for everyone.” He said, “It's definitely not a good use of time for lurkers or those who establish a profile but never visit.  Those who engage, who participate in discussions, who link and invite colleagues, will generally have a better experience.  Just as with live networking at client and industry events, active participation is critical.”

Jayne Navarre, owner of www.LawGravity.com and www.virtualmarketingofficer.com agrees with Corcoran 100 percent. She adds, “You have to not only show up, you must contribute for it to be valuable. While it's certainly possible, it's not always practical to join and participate in every group in your city, likewise in the social networking space.” Navarre says, “Attorneys should pick one or two [social media outlets] and focus on consistency of engagement. Legal OnRamp's demographic is attorneys, both private practice and in-house counsel. If that audience fits into the attorney's client base or referral base, then it's good placement. So, once you have placement, then you need to structure a strategy to brand your content.” She says, “The key is to have branded content.”

For those of you who are on Twitter, you can follow the quoted experts at http://twitter.com/tcorcoran, http://twitter.com/jaynenavarre and http://twitter.com/kjessum -- and you can follow me at http://twitter.com/GinaRubel.

With all of the social media tools, it is about taking the time to explore them. Then make educated decisions about which tools will benefit you the most.

You can’t join them all and still practice law. So play it smart. And if you feel overwhelmed, check out www.NeenJames.com. You will find plenty of social media productivity information from Neen James who is also a contributor to The Legal Intelligencer blog.

Social media engagement is a give and take. You have to be willing to engage: hence why I call it social media engagement. It is about two-way communication: providing information and anecdotes of value for others and vise versa: then engaging in valuable dialogue and building relationships.

Gina F. Rubel, Esq., is the owner of Furia Rubel Communications, Inc.,a public relations and marketing agency with a niche in legal communications. A former Philadelphia trial attorney and public relations expert, Gina is the author of Everyday Public Relations for Lawyers and the co-author of 6 Essentials for Success in Business and Life. Gina and her PR firm have won numerous awards for legal communications, public relations, media relations, strategic planning, corporate philanthropy and leadership. She maintains a blog at www.ThePRLawyer.com and is a regular contributor to The Legal Intelligencer Blog. You can find her on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/ginafuriarubel or follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/ginarubel.  For more information, go to www.FuriaRubel.com.

 

Social Media for Lawyers: HubSTREET

In keeping with the social media for lawyers theme, I continue to uncover new online opportunities.

Today’s blog is about HubSTREET – a newly launched networking site for attorneys, accountants and lenders/bankers – which is still in the BETA testing phase.

Since I started the “Social Media for Lawyers” series on The Legal Intelligencer blog, I have seen hundreds of articles published and courses led on how to unleash the secrets of social media. What’s also important to understand is that online networking needs to have a purpose and can serve as an effective business development tool for lawyers.

Just recently, I served on a CLE panel for thePennsylvania Bar Institute, where I delivered a marketing and public relations primer for lawyers. I continue to be amazed at the reluctance of attorneys to get on board with what I consider to be the future (at least for now) of communications. In fact, Nielsen issued its latest social media report for May 2009 and reported that the national average time people spend engaging in social media has increased 67 percent since May 2008. Nielsen also reported that Twitter remains the fastest-growing Web brand, having increased 1,444 percent in one year from 1.2 million unique visitors to 18.2 million unique visitors. And Facebook remains the number one social networking site with 75.4 million unique visitors.

I’ve already addressed sites and tools such asLinkedIn for lawyers, Facebook for lawyers, blogging for lawyers, YouTube for lawyers, Martindale Hubbell Connected, Twitter for lawyers and JD Supra. These sites have attracted thousands of legal professionals in search of increased visibility, referrals and new business.

While each site does has advantages for the legal practitioner and other professionals (which I have outlined in previous posts), the new HubSTREET online community is targeted to the specific needs and interests of lawyers and other professionals. It provides relevant connections and potential for referrals, while also being user-friendly.

HubSTREET.com is an online community designed to “take the work out of networking for lawyers, accountants and lenders.” Why these three groups? Because, according to site founder Nancy Fox, “It is these very groups that regularly and naturally refer business to each other.”  Of course, this is not an inclusive list of the industries that regularly refer business and having interviewed the Fox, she said the list of industries is likely to evolve over time.

One of the features I like about HubSTREET is that it is a vetted site. Lawyers, accountants and lenders/bankers must be approved for membership. According to Fox, it is their mission to grow a high quality, relevant, thriving community.

So here’s how it works. HubSTREET members identify their areas of professional focus and specialization so fellow members can easily decide with whom they’d like to connect. Members specify who their ideal clients and referral sources are to further develop the right contacts.

Fox, a seasoned business development coach and trainer in networking and rainmaking for professionals, personally assists members as they navigate the site. She will recommend connections, and host “Virtual Meet & Greets,” so members can be introduced to one another and learn more about the benefits of the site. These meet and greets are designed to be brief and focused for busy lawyers and other professionals.

Marcia Nelson, senior vice president business development for FMV Opinions Inc., in New York, and HubSTREET member said, “I am a big fan of HubSTREET. In my business, I primarily focus on attorneys and accountants. This tool helps me to productively keep in touch with my clients, post events I am hosting, get introduced to new contacts, and see what is happening and the trends being discussed in the industry.” She said, “All this and I don’t have to worry about being inundated with connection requests from members of unrelated industries.”

Some of the features touted by HubSTREET are that you can:

Connect with other professionals based on their relevance to your business.

• Share your articles, photos and videos.
• Post a presentation or class you are leading or register for a course at the HubSTREET University.
• Attend Virtual Meet and Greets led by Nancy Fox, the “HubSTREET Coach.”
• Get personalized guidance on navigating the site by asking the HubSTREET Coach.
• List and register for events.
• Participate in discussion via “Business Forums.”
• Advance your career or learn about new career opportunities by building a high quality network, not just a bigger network.

Tell the community what you are working on through status updates, and chat live with other members.
I don’t believe social networking was ever intended to replace the special connection and bond that is built face-to-face. However, as an early adopter, I do believe HubSTREET has the potential to provide quality connections between lawyers and other industry professionals as an adjunct to in person networking. It could also serve as yet another excellent social networking tool for lawyers, perhaps one those who tend to be more conservative will be inclined to embrace.

Gina F. Rubel, Esq.
Furia Rubel Communications, Inc.
http://www.furiarubel.com

 

Awards, Designations and Rankings for Legal Public Relations

As one who lives and breathes public relations, I often encourage clients to apply for individual attorney and law firm awards, designations and rankings for which they qualify. There are many awards, designations and rankings in our region and in the legal community that you should keep in mind. Some include those hosted by regional business journals including the Philadelphia Corporate Philanthropy Awards, 40 Under 40, Best Places to Work and Women of Distinction. Others include Risings Stars, The Legal Intelligencer's PaLaw100, Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers and the American Lawyer Hall of Fame, just to name a few.

In fact, bar associations and trade organizations also sponsor several awards each year. Just last week, the Philadelphia Bar Association presented the Sandra Day O’Connor Award to Temple University’s Beasley School of Law President JoAnne Epps.

The Philadelphia Bar Association also announced this week that they will receive the 2009 Harrison Tweed Award, one of the American Bar Association’s most prestigious honors, for its work with the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program.

This program, which has enabled more than 1,000 low-income Philadelphia homeowners to keep their homes, is a collaborative effort between Philadelphia’s courts and judges; city government; borrowers and lenders; credit counseling associations and Philadelphia Bar Association leaders, public interest attorneys, volunteer attorneys and judges pro tem.

According to Judge Annette Rizzo, who co-chairs the Mortgage Foreclosure Steering Committee with former Court of Common Pleas President Judge C. Darnell Jones, “The Philadelphia Bar Association has shown unparalleled leadership in responding to a most pressing need.”

Chancellor Sayde Ladov said, “There is no higher accolade than winning the Harrison Tweed award. It exemplifies the spirit of cooperation between bench and bar and honors the work of all involved.”

For those of you attending the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago (which is also a great opportunity to network), the award will be formally presented July 31 during a joint luncheon of the National Conference of Bar Presidents, National Association of Bar Executives and National Conference of Bar Foundations.

Gina F. Rubel, Esq.
Furia Rubel Communications, Inc.
http://www.furiarubel.com

Lawyers in Transition – What You Need to Know

Last month, I participated in a "Lawyers in Transition," CLE program designed to help struggling attorneys get back on their feet. The program was organized by the Law Practice Management Division of the Philadelphia Bar Association and co-sponsored and hosted by Pennsylvania Bar Institute. The program covered “What to Do When You Are ‘Suddenly Solo,’ “Legal Insurance, Medical Insurance, Equipment Purchases, Whom to Notify and How,” “Looking for a Job” and “Marketing Yourself.”

In fact, the PBI offered the program at a substantially discounted rate and for free to anyone who could not otherwise afford to attend. A vast majority of the attendees took the PBI up on its generous offer. A video-replay of the program will be offered again July 1. Go to www.PBI.org for details.

Mary Platt, Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads, serves as co-chairwoman of the law practice management division of the Philadelphia Bar Association. She co-organized moderated the program.

What to Do When You Are ‘Suddenly Solo’

Daniel J. Siegel, president, Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel, also serves as co-chairman of the law practice management division of the Philadelphia Bar Association. As an organizer and topic expert, Siegel had this to say:

· Going solo requires professional and business skills.

·Going solo, even temporarily, requires patience.

· Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself.

· When you reinvent yourself, think about what areas of practice will make you happy.

·  When you reinvent yourself, think about what types of practices are consistent with the lifestyle you want (hours, finances, family, etc.).

·  During a transition, and in the early days, times may be difficult.

·  Never compromise your values or ethics for the sake of getting a client or a fee.

· Be willing to take risks, but try to make educated decisions, not just impulsive actions.

· You  need the support of your friends and family.

· Buy the best technology you can afford, it will pay you back many times over in the long run.

· Use case management and other software.

·  Do what will make you happy, the money will come.

Barbara S. Rosenberg addressed the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct as they relate to starting a business or changing firms. She said:

· Read the rules - they will help you remember why you are a lawyer and will serve as your guiding principles, as well as keep you out of trouble.

Don't hesitate to ask for help and to take advantage of learning opportunities (E.g., listservs, bar committees, professional organizations, ethics hotlines, etc.)
 

Legal Insurance, Medical Insurance, Equipment Purchases, Whom to Notify and How

Gina Sage, senior account executive of USI Affinity in Philadelphia, said that every attorney looking to start a legal practice must maintain malpractice insurance. The key points that she made about insurance were:

If you are leaving a firm, ask the firm to provide you with the retroactive date that you have on that policy, the carrier's name and expiration date. I you can get that information, obtaining the Declarations Page is not necessary.  If you are interested in purchasing insurance, give yourself 30-45 days to work through the process.
 

Ellen Freedman, law practice management coordinator of the Pennsylvania Bar Association addressed the logistics of starting your own business. When asked of the points that she believed were most important, Freedman shared the following:

· Having a solo practice is both a BUSINESS and a PROFESSION.  While lawyers want to concentrate on the professional side, if they choose to ignore the business side, they will ultimately have no practice at all.  It’s not an option to nurture only one side.

·  In the absence of good data, one cannot make good business decisions. Lawyers must set up procedures up front to capture data that will eventually become vitally important.  Examples of the types of data to collect: How the client came to the firm (provides valuable data on advertising ROI, referral sources, etc); The Effective Hourly Rate for each matter (provides data on which clients and types of matters are most profitable, and which are least); and the number of hours/amount of revenue attributable to each area of law (provides data for insurance application and other considerations).

· Office sharing and leasing space within another firm carry with it special requirements and concerns to address confidentiality, vicarious liability and so forth, whereas home office/virtual office have a different set of concerns regarding confidentiality, data security, equipment, meeting with clients and so forth.

 Freedman can be reached through the PBA Practice Management “Hot Line” at 800-932-0311 x2228. 

 Marketing Yourself and Your Law Firm

 After the break, I had the opportunity to kick things off with marketing and public relations for lawyers. From an ethics perspective, I told the attendees to get familiar with Rules 3.6 (Trial Publicity), all of the rules in Section 7 including 7.1 through 7.7 (Information about Legal Services) and 8.6 (Choice of Law).

I explained that there are opportunities every day for attorneys to share their messages without feeling like their “selling” their services. Admittedly, most lawyers don’t like to “sell.”  Think about how you introduce yourself for the first time, what your voicemail message says and how to better put your e-mail signature to work for you. If you’ve been laid off, create a personal business card, get a professional-looking e-mail account (not the generic AOLs, Yahoos and Hotmails of the world), and put your best foot forward every time you’re in a social setting. These are all forms of communication that get overlooked.

From an online networking perspective, I touched upon pros and cons of LinkedIn, Facebook, Plaxo and Twitter. For more detailed social media for lawyers tips, I encourage you to read my previous blogs posts on The Legal Intelligencer Blog.

 Looking for a Job

The next portion of the program focused on looking for a job including using placement services, interviewing techniques, dealing with stress and the ethical concerns.

Susan G. Manch of Shannon & Manch, Washington, D.C., said that although times are tough and the economics of the legal marketplace are uncertain, she’s been placing people in new jobs throughout the country and internationally. She explained that it’s all about taking a strategic approach to finding the next job. This approach includes:

Setting goals: Examples of solid career goals are: to get significant trial experience and be in a position to qualify for a high level prosecutorial position at the state or federal level or to have access to a consistent deal flow that will allow you to develop a partner-level expertise in mergers and acquisitions.
Doing your homework: Learn about the corporate culture; check out the legal press publications to compare revenues, profits, and leverage figure; read firms' websites to learn about their practice areas, client focus, and strategic vision; and so on. She said, “Once you have this research in hand, this in-depth homework should provide you with a clear picture of the firms or companies you should target.”
Preparing personally: The bottom line is that it pays to prepare as if this is all the time you will have to make a winning impression. Following through. Once you’ve received a job offer, the best way to make a decision is to assess the probability of being successful and satisfied in that particular job and organization
 

Elizabeth Lloyd, executive recruiter and litigation consultant with Ajilon Professional Staffing in Philadelphia, addressed the benefits of working with a legal recruiter and how to decide which legal recruiting firm to work with. “The reasons,” she said, “recruiters are an exceptional resource for job seekers are that recruiters serve as your guide to the legal market and its current conditions. They have access to jobs not advertised or posted on the Internet. They maintain relationships with hiring managers and key personnel. They have the ability to get your foot in the door. They will assist in your resume preparation and interview skills. They multiply exponentially your chances of getting a job. And they must be proactive because it is the recruiter’s job to find you a job.”

Elizabeth concluded by telling the audience how to achieve success in today’s market. She said this is done by maintaining a commitment to success, by abandoning assumptions, by persevering, by remaining flexible and by staying prepared everyday.

Kenneth J. Hagreen, executive director of Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania, was the last to present. He delivered points about stress and addiction that moved me, personally, and I’m sure many others in the room. His no-nonsense, friendly, and personable story reassured many that Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers is a wonderful resource in our community. Hagreen stressed the following points:

 Increase your “stress stamina” by getting plenty of rest, eating correctly and exercising.

· Work smart as well as hard – set goals, plan and prioritize and stay focused.

· Cultivate an “attitude of gratitude” and have faith in yourself and the future.

· When you are the most down, find someone who can use a hand and help him or her.

· If stress, worry, or anxiety begin to overwhelm you, call the LCL Lawyers’ Confidential Helpline at 1-888-999-1941.

 Valuable Resources for the ‘Suddenly Solo’ Attorney

In addition to all of the information that was provided by the panelist, PBI compiled additional resource information to share with attendees which is repeated here:

Philadelphia Bar Association (www.PhilaBar.org)

Lawyers in Transition Web site http://phillylawyersintransition.org/
Ethics Hotlines: Paul Kazaras (215) 238-6328 or pkazaras@philabar.org
Law Practice Management Division Vendor Referral Program
http://www.philadelphiabar.org/page/LawPracticeManagementDivision?appNum=4&wosid=Ay5puJdWsLxciVmdeeNlDg

Pennsylvania Bar Association (www.PaBar.org)

Law Practice Management (Ellen Freedman), (800) 932-0311, Ext. 2228
Ethics Hotline, Victoria White (800) 932-0311, Ext. 2214, Victoria.White@pabar.org
 

American Bar Association (www.ABANet.org)

General Practice, Solo & Small Firm Division http://www.abanet.org/genpractice/
Book: How to Start and Build a Law Practice (Fifth Edition), By Jay G. Foonberg
 How to Start and Run a Law Firm http://www.abanet.org/genpractice/resources/startafirm.html

Gina F. Rubel, Esq.
Furia Rubel Communications, Inc.
http://www.furiarubel.com/

20 Twitterers Lawyers Should Follow on Twitter

In my blog post To friend or Not to Friend – Social Media for Lawyers, Part 4: Twitter for Lawyers, I explained what Twitter is, when and why you should Tweet, and what the experts are saying about Twitter for attorneys. Since then, I have received a slew of e-mails, Tweets, followers and calls about social media and, in particular, Twitter.

So, if you’re just getting started or you’re already an avid user of Twitter, here is a list of some of my favorite Tweople to follow on Twitter. These are just some of the people who have something to say – and for purposes of this blog – they have something to say of value to those in the legal community using social media.

Caveat: This is just a partial list sorted in alphabetical order with each Twitterer’s self-proclaimed description in 140 characters or less. Since I currently follow more than 1,000 sources on Twitter, I highly encourage you to check them all out at @ginarubel. I tend to follow lawyers, legal marketers, social media experts, members of the media, business consultants and experts, best selling authors, legal service providers, people talking about life and business in Philadelphia, public relations and marketing experts and a few others in categories of particular interest to me. 

 @22twts – Helping lawyers tell their stories, one tweet at a time.

@ABAjournal – Continuous news updates from the United States’ most-read and most-respected legal affairs magazine and Web site.

@amlawdaily – The source for daily legal business news and analysis of leading law firms.

@aricpress – Aric Press is editor-in-chief of The American Lawyer, an Incisive Media publication.

@barrettdavid – The LinkedIn Lawyer; solid content and links in all Tweets mostly about social media with a few potential client referrals.

@dougcornelius – Chief compliance officer for a real estate private equity company trying to stay in touch and up to date with the world. GeekDad.

@jdtwitt – JD Supra. Ex Yahoo! Writer. Editor. Poet. All-around word guy.

@justiacom – Justia Web site and Lawyer Directory Announcements.

@kevinokeefe – Lawyer, dad to 5, husband to saint, Cubs-Packer fan. CEO of LexBlog, provider of professional blogs to law firms; operator of LexTweet; LexMonitor.

@lancegodard – International legal business development and marketing consultant. I help law firms grow and prosper.

@legalblogwatch – Blawgers Robert Ambrogi and Carolyn Elefant track, discuss and parse the latest developments in the legal blogosphere.

@mashable – The hottest Twitter news, Twitter tips and Twitter help. Plus, the best social media links around!

@mbeese – Leadership, Biz Dev and Marketing Consultant that works with lawyers and other professionals.

@michaelport – Bio father, friend, lover, revolutionary, big thinker... and best selling author.

@nancyfox – Business Development; Networking Specialist and Connector.

@nancymyrland – Professional Marketing Adviser: Are you ready to grow?

@neenjames – International Productivity Expert.

@philacourts – Philadelphia Court News.

@taxgirl – Mom, tax lawyer, coffee drinker, manic blogger, iPod addict - not a sleeper.

@thelegalintel – The Legal Intelligencer is the nation's oldest daily legal newspaper.

Some other articles that may interest you on who lawyers should follow on Twitter include:

JD Scoop’s 145 Lawyers (and Legal Professionals) to Follow on Twitter

David Barrett’s 10 People All Lawyers Should Follow on Twitter

Social Media Fish’s Who to follow on Twitter for Social Media & SEO tips

And there is a blog dedicated to the top “Follow on Twitter Lists” that claims to highlight the top lists of who to follow on Twitter, in order of Google PageRank.

Another tip for following on Twitter is that every Friday, you can also Tweet using the “hashtag” #followfriday and then add those people you think others should follow on Twitter. It is a great way of sharing resources with your followers. Then, take a look at the “Trending Topics” on the right hand side of your Twitter homepage and check out who others are recommending for #followfriday.

Happy Tweeting.

Gina F. Rubel, Esq.
Furia Rubel Communications, Inc.
http://www.furiarubel.com/