how lawyers can harness the power of social media

How Lawyers

Can Harness the

Power of Social Media

Carolyn Elefant, Cornell Law 1988

Cornell Law School Webinar

October 5, 2010

WHAT IS

Social Media?

Social media encompasses those

technologies that facilitate

interactive information sharing,

user generated content and

collaboration and are frequently

hosted on third party platforms.

Or, it’s a fancy word for the conversations taking place

24/7 online

WHY

Social Media?

Because your clients are using it.

35 million update Facebook profiles once a day

As of Aug 2010, time on Facebook exceeded Google

YouTube is the second most popular search engine after Google

13% of lawyers found clients directly through social media

Because in-house counsel & CEOs are using it

Factors considered by in-house

counsel in hiring lawyers:

Blogs published by lawyers: 27 percent

Rankings and directories: 25 percent

Twitter feeds from lawyers: 22 percent

Endorsements and connections on

LinkedIn: 18 percent

Source: Green marketing net

Because your competitors are using it

63% of large firm lawyers personally maintain a presence in an online community/social network. [ABA Tech Report 2010]

12% of lawyers using social media for professional reasons

48% of AmLaw 200 firms blog [Lexblog State of Blogging 2010]

Because it is fundamentally changing the way the world

communicates “I simply cannot see how major changes in

the way we communicate, collaborate,

network and trade are somehow irrelevant

for lawyers and their clients.  Nor, given

the sheer scale of [social networking]

systems and the levels of their usage can I

conceive that this is a passing fad.”

--Richard Susskind, The End of Lawyers? 

How to use Social Media?

Communication: Blogs, Twitter

CV: Avvo, Justia, LinkedIn

Community: Facebook, MHConnect

Content: JDSupra, YouTube

Crossovers: MeetUp, FacebookFanPage

Step 1: Understand Categories of Platforms

Communication

Join the conversation!

CV

profile sites + testimonials + client feedback

Community Sites

open v. closed

All lawyer v. everyone

Content

Sharing Sites

User generated

Step 2:What are your goals? 

Examples:-Finding a job-Finding clients-Establishing reputation-Competitive intelligence

Less Time More Time

Profess-ional

Mixed Use

WaterCooler

Guides, Q & A

STEP 3: Select Tools - Professional v. Personal

Less Time More Time

Business

Mixed Use

Consumer

Guides, Q & A

STEP 3: Select Tools -Target Clients

Engage:

Sample Strategy 1

Finding a Job

Create a profile (and make it captivating!)

Characteristics of a Captivating Profile

Powerful active verbs

Paint a full picture with words

MUST include a photo!

Link to papers, articles, blog posts

Feed content from other sources with syndication and convergence tools

Start with a LinkedIn Search

Join LinkedIn Groups or create one!

Check out the blogs on your area of interest

Do some real time search to find up to the minute trends & stay informed

Which contact is more persuasive? 

The scattershot approach?

Or this? Dear Ms. Jones,I am a Cornell Law School graduate, class of 2002. I've been tracking issues in fashion law for several years and hope to find a legal position in this area. I'm interested in learning from Cornell alumni such as yourself about how you started and came to prominence in this industry.  I recently wrote an article on fashion and copyright issues which you can link to at JD Supra.  I'm sure that you are familiar with these issues but my article includes links to recent caselaw and articles, so I am hopeful that it may serve as a useful resource.Please let me know if I may I contact you with a few questions via email, or set up a meeting to chat about this further at your convenience.

Sample Strategy 2:

Becoming a recognized authority in your field in

60 Days* 

*Caveat: This slide assumes you already have expertise in this area, but haven't yet exploited it. If no expertise, go out and establish it and return later.

Step 1: Create content (a blog or an ebook Step 2: Upload content docstoc + JD Supra Step 3: Announce blog or ebook to other bloggers

Step 4: Set up RSS reader to follow field Step 5: Follow trends & converse on Twitter

Step 6: identify relevant reporters via Twitter & send ebook

Step 7: Conduct webinar on issues, record and upload to Slideshare or YouTube

Step 8: Repeat, repeat, repeat and create, create content!

Case Study:

How Social Media For Lawyers Came Into Being

Through Social Media

Nicole Black

Carolyn Elefant

Final Step:  Measure Success

What’s your metric?

Found leads or job?

More clients?

More website traffic?

More media interviews?

More speaking invitations?

Feeling less isolated?

Where to find me on social

media:

http://www.linkedin.com/in/carolynelefant

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/The-Law-Offices-of-Carolyn-Elefant/108962382030

http://twitter.com/carolynelefant

carolyn@carolynelefant.com