Legal Research

Why Social Networking is Important to Legal Professionals

Have you been hearing the buzz about social networking but aren't sure if it's worth your time and effort to check it out? What is social networking? What possible use could it be to a legal professional, you ask?

Practicing Law in the 21st Century has written a good post which asks Can Lawyers Afford to Ignore Social Media? Their answer - definitely not. From the post:

People of all ages are increasingly relying on the Internet and mobile-based tools to share, discuss, and disseminate information.

Lawyers cannot afford to be left out of the loop. Attorneys who successfully leverage social media tools to communicate, collaborate and network have a distinct advantage over those who don't.

The post describes the experience of one Dallas attorney "who received a crash course in the power of social media when a letter that was critical of him was widely circulated and discussed online." Take a look at the full story and then ask yourself if you still think you can ignore social networking. There's a lot of talking going on on social networks and some of it might be about you, your firm, or your clients.

As Practicing Law notes,

It is not necessary for each and every lawyer in a firm to learn the ins and outs of social media. But at least one person, or group of persons, depending on the size the firm, should be familiar with emerging Web 2.0 technologies and the ways in which those technologies can help and harm their bottom line. Other lawyers in the firm likewise should be receptive and listen to their recommendations regarding social media.

Source: Social Media Law Student

Full post as published by WisBlawg - From the UW Law Library on January 29, 2009 (boomark / email).