Law firms want to protect their clients and confidentiality. They are filled with people who are, by their own words (via a LinkedIn group I am a member of) cautious in nature, and defensive over how they share content, reveal information and protect the reputation of both the firm and the client. Add to this the large size of many law firms, and the number of people working with them, and it’s easy to see just why this can be a concern. There are some tips to help you deal with this fear factor, if it is a concern for your own firm:
Consider creating a policy which says what is and isn’t ok to share on social media if you work for the firm. This will help set out clearly acceptable behaviour and give people who work for you a good framework for their online reputations. Some elements you may want to think about are:
People starting their own blogs / twitter accounts etc
What happens if they talk about the firm
What happens if they talk about a client (either generally or in specifics)
What information can’t be shared for confidentiality, legal and regulatory reasons
Talk to the people who you hear (or know!) have the most concerns, to find out what they actually are, and then you can think about how to ensure that these concerns are answered
Start small, with a passive / reactive social media campaign rather than with a huge plan that will concern people more. Prove it one step at a time
Think about what as a professional service firm you can bring as a strength to working in social media. For instance, you may be able to add support and information via these new media, in a more interactive way than you could before.
Monitor what is already being said about you and your firm on the web, so you can decide what responses are appropriate.
Work with the people within the firm who already understand how social media works, so it is less likely they pose a risk in terms of how they respond on your behalf.
In conclusion, dealing with the fear is about recognising what the particular fears are which are present in your firm. In understanding the fear, you are able to understand, and from understanding, to propose the most effective course of action. You’ll be able to call on examples and case studies of what works within other firms, whilst recognising that they may not all be appropriate for you, provide a guideline and framework for you to share.
Law firms who are active in social media:
- Fulbright & Jaworski
- DLA Piper
- Fenwick & West LLP
- Pannone (although they are just pushing info on their Twitter acct, not really getting the "social" bit of social networking)
- Blake Lapthorn
- Inksters
No comments:
Post a Comment