Social Media For Legal Professionals by Molly DiBianca

Social Media
for the
Legal Professional
Molly DiBianca, Esq.

Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor, LLP
www.YoungConaway .com
www.DelawareEmploymentLawBlog.com
www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com
@MollyDiBi
Page |1
Table of Contents
The Contenders ........................................................................... 2
Top 5 + Twitter .............................................................................................2
Where to Start? ..........................................................................................3
What to Skip?..............................................................................................4
The Theory .................................................................................... 5
Why Bother? ...............................................................................................5
3 Principles ..................................................................................................6
LinkedIn Checklist ....................................................................... 8
Steps to Get Started ..................................................................................8
Twitter Guide.............................................................................. 10
Twitter 101 ................................................................................................ 10
Twerminology .......................................................................................... 11
Create Your Account............................................................................. 13
Create Your Profile ................................................................................. 16
Resources ................................................................................... 20
Other Lists of Tweeting Lawyers ............................................................ 20
Additional Resources ............................................................................. 20
www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

Page |2
The Contenders
There are countless social-networking sites (SNS) but only a few that
are particularly useful for legal professionals. Below are descriptions
of the six of the most popular social-networking sites among lawyers.1
Top 5 + Twitter
LinkedIn.com
Professional (non-personal) use but not limited to legal professionals.
The largest professional SNS, with more than 60 mm users worldwide.
Average age is 41; average income is more than $100 k / year.
Users profiles resemble a resume. Users connect based on
affiliations such as shared employer, alma mater, and interests.
LinkedIn offers legal professionals a best-practices guide at
http://learn.linkedin.com/attorneys/.
Martindale-Hubbell Connected
www.Martindale.com/connected. Legal professionals only. There
are currently more than 1 mm lawyers in the database. The site
promotes peer-to-peer networking (as opposed to attorney-to-client
marketing). Users answer questions, post articles, and engage in
discussion groups.
Avvo.com
Legal professionals only. Users can list experience, past cases, and
receive endorsements. The site generates a numerical ranking.
Controversial due to its rating system.
1 Whether Twitter can be characterized as a social-networking site is

somewhat debatable. The popularity of Twitter, though, is not the subject
of debate, so it is included on this list, as well.

Page |3
LegalOnRamp.com
Legal professionals only. Focuses on collaboration, particularly
between in-house counsel; limited number of attorneys in private
practice are admitted. To be admitted, you must identify an area of
expertise or knowledge and agree to share information about that
topic with other users. If accepted, you must submit a Q&A about
that topic.
Facebook.com
With more than 400 mm users worldwide, Facebook is its own
phenomenon. Users create a profile page that shows their friends
information about themselves. Content can be static or dynamic
with updates posted as frequently as the user chooses. Users can
search for friends and send a friend request, which, if accepted,
enables the other user to see some or all of your profile. Picture-
sharing is one of the most popular features of the site, enabling users
to keep friends and family members up to date at once, instead of
on a person-by-person basis. Personal notes can be written to your
friends and shared by posted on a users Wall for all to see.
Twitter.com
A microblog; users can post messages of up to 140 characters.
See the rest of this guide for additional details.
Where to Start?
Now that youre aware of the top 6 SNS for legal professionals, here
are some points to consider when deciding whether any of them are
right for you.
LinkedIn is a must. It is nearly as important to professional

development as a websiteno professional should be without a
LinkedIn profile and no business should be without a website. The
time investment required to maintain your profile is minimal. Firm
marketing departments should provide attorneys with suggested
language or, if possible, assist attorneys with profile creation on an
individual basis.

Page |4
Ask anyone who tweets and theyll surely admit that they didnt
get Twitter at first. Twitter requires the least amount of time of the
six sites discussed here, so it makes sense to try it if only for that
reasonits an easy introduction to the world of social networking.
That said, most people dont see a benefit until theyve used it for at
least several weeks.
What to Skip?
Facebook is all the rage and can be loads of fun, as well as an
unbeatable way to stay in touch (or reconnect) with friends from the
past and those who live far away. The professional-development
value, though, is limited.

Page |5
The Theory
Why Bother?
Now youre aware of some of the most popular social-networking
sites available. But, you may be asking, why should you bother with
social networking in the first place? Well, maybe you shouldntthe
purpose of this guide is to educate, not to advocate. Here are some
of the many benefits social networking cited by lawyers and legal
professionals who engage in social media:
Network
Social networking can be a great way to connect with others in your
practice area, community, or organization. The broader your net of
connections, the more likely you are to receive referrals or direct
inquiries from potential clients.
Educate
Twitter, in particular, is hard to beat as a way to stay up to date on
the latest happenings in your particular areas of interest. By
expanding your learning circle, you increase not only your sources of
information but also the content to which youre exposed.
Maximize
Get the most out of your non-billable work product, such as
newsletters, blog posts, and e-alerts, by pushing them to a broader
audience via social networking.
Develop Relationships
Keep current with whats happening with your clients, colleagues,
and competitors. Chances are that theyre promoting their own
successes via social networking. When they do, you can be the first
to congratulate them on their accomplishment!

Page |6
Get Help
The real-time (i.e., as-it-happens) nature of social networking enables
users to reach out to others in the profession and ask questions, either
as open-ended requests for input or as more specific polls or surveys.
This up-to-the-minute data can be invaluable in obtaining the
information you need, as well as getting authentic feedback.
Protect
It is entirely possible that you have a social-networking presence
alreadyeven if you never created one. There are numerous stories,
both in the national news headlines and in my own practice, of
individuals and businesses who decide to set up a Facebook
account, only to discover that it already exists and is controlled by
someone else. For this reason, it is important to claim your online
space.
Promote
At a minimum, participation in social networks will expand your web
presence, making it easier for others (including potential clients and
the media, for example), to find you. And, if your social-networking
content is good, once youre found, you may be seen as a
knowledge reference or, even, an expert.
3 Principles
Community
Social networking is about sharing. Users share knowledge and
information on every topic imaginable. And one of the reasons
social networking has become so popular so quickly is its ability to
connect individuals in a more direct and immediate way than other
types of online activity. So, when you are thinking about what to
post in your LinkedIn profile or tweet about on Twitter, ask yourself,
Does this information contribute something of value to the
community?

Page |7
Conversation
Like any good community, participants understand that the dialogue
must go both ways. No one likes someone who only talks about
himself. You must listen, as well as talk. In the context of social
networking, this means answering questions asked by your followers
and group members, commenting on topics relevant to your
organization, and promoting the value of sharing. Interaction is a
key component of successful social networking, so avoid always
trying to be the star of the show.
Transparency
Be honest and transparent in all of your online activities. If you are
promoting your organization, be sure to disclose the affiliation. Failure
to do so can result in liability for your firm (or other employer). 2 Your
conversation must be honest or risk losing all credibility in the
community.
2 Recently promulgated FTC regulations mandate that you disclose your

affiliation. See Another Reason Employers Need a Social-Media Policy,
Delaware Employment Law Blog, available at
http://www.delawareemploymentlawblog.com/2010/01/another_reason
_employers_need.html.

Page |8
LinkedIn Checklist
Steps to Get Started
Know who else is LinkedIn
There are more than 50mm LinkedIn users worldwide.
Average age is 41 with an average household income of $109,703, with
more than 50% having an income over $100,000.
Approximately 64% are male.
Create your profile

Upload your color photo.
Draft your profile using words that you think others would use in a
search. Include experience and accomplishments.3
In Additional Information, add links to your blog or website.
Set your Privacy Settings as public.
In Network Updates, list any upcoming speaking engagements or
other events youll be attending. Update weekly.
Make connections
Invite clients, colleagues, law-school classmates, and any contacts who
may be a potential networking source or referral source.
Add your LinkedIn web address to your e-mail signature. 4
Read the weekly e-mail and look for relevant changes made by your
connections.
3 How to create your profile (guide and video):

http://www.lakeshorebranding.com/company/blog/how-to-create-your-
linkedin-company-profile/
4 How to add your LinkedIn address to your Outlook e-mail signature:
http://www.bnet.com/2403-13070_23-219860.html

Page |9
Join Groups
Join 2-3 groups for relevant associations based on industry, geography,
and practice area.5
Start and participate in discussions within the groups to which you
belong.
Submit links to articles of interest and add your own commentary.
Improve your profile with add-on applications

Pull posts from your blog and Twitter feed to your profile automatically.6
Upload documents, including PowerPoint files.
Proceed with caution

Be cautious of giving and seeking recommendations, especially with
other lawyers, as recommendations are considered testimonials, subject
to the Rule 7.2 of the Rules of Professional Conduct. Lawyers may not
make or permit others to make false or misleading statements in
recommendations or engage in a quid pro quo exchange of
recommendations.
When answering questions in the Answers section, be aware of the
potential to create an attorney-client relationship by providing legal
information. At a minimum, use a clear disclaimer.7
Additional Resources
LinkedIn blog: http://blog.linkedin.com
The LinkedIn Lawyer: http://linkedinlawyer.blogspot.com
5 How to successfully participate in LinkedIn groups:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5671213_successfully-participate-linkedin-
groups.html
6 How to use the LinkedIn-Twitter connection properly:
http://www.searchengineoptimizationportland.com/blog/2009/11/how-
to-use-the-new-twitter-linkedin-connection-properly/
7 Video explaining the Answers feature:
http://www.flyteblog.com/flyte/2009/11/linkedin-for-business-using-
linkedin-answers.html

P a g e | 10
Twitter Guide
Twitter 101
More than 27.3 million tweets are tweeted every day.
As of October 2009, more than 5 billion tweets had been sent.
By the end of 2010, Twitter is projected to have 26 million users.
If the whole worlds atwitter about Twitter and it appears possible

that clients may want lawyers who participate in or, at the very least,
understand Twitter, why arent more legal professionals jumping into
the Twitter stream? Lack of understanding is at least partly to blame.
Most lawyers simply arent aware of what Twitter is, exactly and
arent, therefore, inclined to give it a try.
To help alleviate some of the confusion, here are a few descriptions

of the Twitter process, in 140 characters or less, of course.
With Twitter, users send out short posts consisting of 140

characters or less.
Your posts can be seen by anyone but will appear on the

home page of your followers.
You can follow people who post things that are interesting or
helpful to you.
You can forward a post that you think your followers may find
interesting or helpful.
You need not (nor cannot) know everything that happens in

Twitter.

P a g e | 11
Twerminology
# (Hashtag)
Called a hashtag, the # symbol is used to signify a searchable
topic, similar to a keyword. By adding # in front of a word or phrase
(i.e., #legal), other users will more easily find relevant posts when
searching. At Tagalus (http://tagal.us), you can search for the
meaning of a particular hashtag and define hashtags of your own.
Hashtags are particularly useful for keeping everyone in the loop
about an event or conference.
@ (Reply)
A message directed to one Twitter user that is public (all of the
senders followers can see the message). The message starts with
@USERNAME. Any time a tweet contains @ followed by a users
name, a hyperlink to the users stream is created.
Avatar
Your Twitter picture. The thumbnail image that appears next to your
tweets. In your profile, the image can be enlarged to full size.
DM (Direct Message)
A direct message is the equivalent of an e-mail or instant message. A
tweet that begins with DM[username] is sent to the user privately
it is not visible to either persons followers or search engines.
Failwhale
The whale logo that appears when the Twitter service crashes. When
the failwhale appears on the Twitter home page, wait a few minutes
and try again to access the site.
Feed
Your posts on Twitter appear in your feed. Also called a timeline
or stream. The public timeline displays all current tweets in real
time.

P a g e | 12
Followers
People who elect to follow your updates. Your posts appear in your
followers streams.
Handle
Also known as a Username. This is your Twitter identity. You choose
your Handle when you create an account.
Lurking
Actually not as nefarious as it may sound. Watching the twitterverse
without tweeting to get an idea of how it works.
Mistweet
An unfortunate tweet one later regrets.
Nudge
You can remind a friend to tweet after being silent for a while. Twitter
can nudge you (if you want) after you fail to post for 24 hours.
Post
See Tweet.
RT (Retweet)
The equivalent to forwarding an e-mail. RT, followed by a space
and a users name indicates that youre re-posting (retweeting) that
users tweet. You can even retweet a retweet!
Tweeple
Twitter users. Also tweeps.
Tweet
A Twitter message or post is called a tweet. Of course, a tweet is
140 characters or less.
Tweeter (or Twitterer)

Twitter user.
Twisticuffs
Fighting with a fellow twitterer over Twitter.

P a g e | 13
Twitter Stream
See Feed.
Twitterverse (or Twittersphere)

The universe of Twitter (cf blogosphere).
URL Shortener
Trims URL lengths to allow for posting in microblog lengths. Some
popular ones include Tinyurl.com and Bit.ly, which allows you to track
the number of click-throughs.
Create Your Account

Before you can dip your toe into the Twitter Stream, youll need to
create a Twitter account. Signing up is easy. Go to Twitters web site
at and click the Sign Up Now button.
Figure 1: Twitter home page
In the new window that opens, youll be asked to provide your name
and e-mail address and to choose a username and password.

P a g e | 14
Figure 2: Join the conversation
In the Full Name field, enter your real nameotherwise, no one will
be able to find you! If you are creating an account for a business or
other group, use the organizations name. Even if you are going to
create multiple accounts for your group, use the organizations
namenot each individuals name.
Your Username (also known as a handle), will be your Twitter

identity and is how youll be known in the Twitterverse. My handle is
@MollyDiBi. Maybe youve heard of some of these popular twitterers:
@Oprah, @AlGore, or @SarahPalinUSA.8
8 @Sarah_Palin is not the Twitter handle of the real Sarah Palin. But it is an
excellent example of another reason you should set up a Twitter
accountif you dont claim your name, someone else might.

P a g e | 15
After providing the rest of the requested information on the Join the
Conversation page, click the Create My Account button at the
bottom of the screen and, Voila!youre a card-holding member of
Twitter!
After you create an account, Twitter walks you through the steps to
find others twitterers you know and then suggests people to follow.
Skip these steps for nowwell find followers in a later section.
Instead, spend some time setting up your profile, as outlined next.
Choosing your username is not a task to be taken lightlyits

important! If youre commitment-phobic, dont worryyou can
change your Username any time.
Twitter for Professionals: Tips for an Effective Username
First, make it short. You get just 140 characters per tweet, so you dont
want your username taking up valuable real estate. Plus, as well discuss
later, you want others to talk to you and about you and to retweet your
posts. Make this easy to do by not crowding out the good stuff (the
message) with an overly long Username.
Second, keep it simple. Your Username should be easy to remember. Dont

use numbers or quirky spellings. Skip the hyphens. And give some thought
to capitalization.
Third, if youll be tweeting on half of an organization, use the organizations

name. Well add your name in the Bio section in the next step. If you
think your organization may want others to tweet under different accounts,
now is the time to consider what Usernames everyone will use.
For example, the Username @Zappos belongs to Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh.
The 495 other Zappos employees who tweet can use a personal, non-
Zappos name as their handleor a derivative of the main Zappos name,
such as @Zappos_MollyD.
Or follow the lead of cable-news giant, CNN. There is, as you may guess by
now, a main @CNN account. The company has other accounts, such as
@cnnbrk (breaking news), @CNNWorld, and @cnn_newsroom.

P a g e | 16
Create Your Profile

There is no way to overstate the importance of your profile. Its the
online equivalent of a first impression. When people are deciding
whether to follow you, they are likely to look at your profile. The
words you use in your bio become keywords that will (or will not) be
easy for other users to find.
Give some thought to your profile. Determine what message you

want to communicate to potential followers. Consider how you can
make the best possible first impression. Then youre ready to create
your profile. Heres how:
After signing in to your Twitter account, you can access your profile
through your homepage (@username), by clicking the Settings link at
the top right corner of the page. Make sure you are on the Account
page and, if youre not, click the Account tab to get there.
Figure 3: Change your settings on the Account tab
Complete the information in the Time Zone, Web Site, and Location
fields.

P a g e | 17
Figure 4: Complete your profile
Next, in the One Line Bio field, enter up to 160 characters that
describe you in an interesting and inspiring way. You can use a series
of words or phrases or tell a story with a descriptive (short) sentence.
Click Save at the bottom of the page.

P a g e | 18
The next step towards an effective profile is adding a picture. Click

on the Picture tab.
Figure 5: Picture tab
Here, you can upload a photo or other image. The image must be
smallup to 700 K in size, 600 x 600 pixels in dimension, 72 pixels per
inch in resolution, and saved as either a JPEG or PNG. And its best
to use a square picture instead of leaving the cropping decisions to
Twitter.
Figure 6: Upload a picture
If youre wondering whether you really need to add a picture, the

answer is YES! Nothing says Im totally out of my league more
than the default image provided by Twitter.
If using a photograph, use a head shot or other picture that shows

you from the neck up. The picture appears as a tiny thumbnail on
your profile page, so anything more than this will be difficult to
discern.

P a g e | 19
Opinions on the use of logos as your profile avatar are mixed. Some
say that a logo is too impersonal and doesnt give the impression
that you really want to contribute to the conversation that is the
essence of the Twitter experience. Others say that you use lose a
valuable branding opportunity by not using your logo when speaking
on behalf of your organization.
Ill leave this decision up to you but will note that, if youre thinking of
having multiple organizational accounts and more than one
representative on Twitter, youll need as many images as you have
accountsa logo should not be used as the face of more than
one twitterer.

P a g e | 20
Resources
Other Lists of Tweeting Lawyers
ILTA: http://twitter.com/ILTANet/law-firm-members
MEMatWorks list of AmLaw 100 Firms:

http://twitter.com/mematwork/am-law-100-firms-tweeting
Joshua M. Kings list of Business Law Firms:

http://twitter.com/joshuamking/us-business-law-firms
LexTweet: www.lextweet.com.
Justias Legal Birds: www.legalbirds.justia.com. You can sort by

several different criteria, including by practice area. You also can
see where the legal professionals on Twitter are located by using
a Google map.
JD Supras List of Lawyers to Follow on Twitter:

http://scoop.jdsupra.com. This list, which is generated by Twitter
users via comment submission, is continuously updated but its
practical application is limited by its overwhelming size.
Additional Resources
TwiTips, at www.twitips.com, is an excellent blog about Twitter and
includes several newbie pointers and tips.
Legal marketing website, LawyerCasting, has several good posts

about Twitter specific to the legal profession, available at
www.lawyercasting.com/twitter.
The Twitter Help Center, at http://support.twitter.com/, is a new

resource, featuring several tutorials and explanatory guides, all on
video.

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Social Media

Molly DiBianca, Esq.

Top 5 + Twitter .............................................................................................2

Where to Start? ..........................................................................................3

The Theory .................................................................................... 5

Why Bother? ...............................................................................................5

LinkedIn Checklist ....................................................................... 8

Steps to Get Started ..................................................................................8

Twitter 101 ................................................................................................ 10

Create Your Account............................................................................. 13

Create Your Profile ................................................................................. 16

Other Lists of Tweeting Lawyers ............................................................ 20

Additional Resources ............................................................................. 20

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

1 Whether Twitter can be characterized as a social-networking site is

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

LinkedIn is a must. It is nearly as important to professional

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

2 Recently promulgated FTC regulations mandate that you disclose your

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

Create your profile

3 How to create your profile (guide and video):

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

Improve your profile with add-on applications

Proceed with caution

5 How to successfully participate in LinkedIn groups:

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

As of October 2009, more than 5 billion tweets had been sent.

By the end of 2010, Twitter is projected to have 26 million users.

If the whole worlds atwitter about Twitter and it appears possible

To help alleviate some of the confusion, here are a few descriptions

With Twitter, users send out short posts consisting of 140

Your posts can be seen by anyone but will appear on the

You need not (nor cannot) know everything that happens in

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

Tweeter (or Twitterer)

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

Twitterverse (or Twittersphere)

Create Your Account

Figure 1: Twitter home page

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

Figure 2: Join the conversation

Your Username (also known as a handle), will be your Twitter

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

Choosing your username is not a task to be taken lightlyits

Twitter for Professionals: Tips for an Effective Username

Second, keep it simple. Your Username should be easy to remember. Dont

Third, if youll be tweeting on half of an organization, use the organizations

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

Create Your Profile

Give some thought to your profile. Determine what message you

Figure 3: Change your settings on the Account tab

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

Figure 4: Complete your profile

www.GoingPaperlessBlog.com @MollyDiBi www.YoungConaway.com

The next step towards an effective profile is adding a picture. Click

Figure 5: Picture tab

Figure 6: Upload a picture