Imagine a world where you are in direct contact with potential clients.

Dependence on word of mouth, Yellow Pages ads or bus stop benches are a thing of the past and the chances for consistent revenue are enough to make any attorney light up. Imagine, also, not having to consult that dusty stack of books or a mind-numbing Lexus-Nexus search whenever you have questions. What if there was a community to pop into and get knowledgeable, immediate answers to your questions?

Many attorneys have found such a place, it’s called social media. A Legal Tech 2009 Social Media Presentation, “5 Things Every Practice Should Know About Web 2.0,” revealed Facebook, Twitter and blogs may soon change the legal field forever, in fact “about 1 in 5 corporate and 1 in 4 outside counsel feel there is a high likelihood this will happen.”

Social media is no longer for teenagers and their cell phones. Attorneys across the country are reaping the benefits from this free and incredibly popular form of communication. The biggest boon has undoubtedly been marketing. Keeping a blog is a great way to show potential clients your personality and expertise. In addition, Bently Tolk’s Marketing for Attorneys blog predicts a sharp increase in the importance of LinkedIn, LegallyMinded and Legal OnRamp as ways to develop clients. More attorneys are on these sites and more clients are searching for their representation there, which is creating an exciting cycle of business development.

In addition, there are countless Facebook and social network groups set up by attorneys for attorneys. There are more opportunities than ever to get case law insight and also to give young lawyers the advice you may wish you had at that stage in your career.

However, attorneys must approach this uncharted territory with a pinch of hesitancy and a lot of common sense. One of the most frequent mistakes many make is thinking they can vent their frustrations like everyone else on the internet. The New York Times article “A Legal Battle: Online Attitude vs. Rules of the Bar“  detailed the sticky situation between courts and the web. One legal ethics professor said, “when you become an officer of the court, you lose the full ability to criticize the court.” This was true for one Florida attorney who blogged about an “unfair, evil witch” of a judge. This lawyer was reprimanded and severely fined. Similarly, an AbovetheLaw.com article, “Lawyers’ Social Media Horror Stories,” detailed how an Illinois assistant public defender lost her job when she began posting frustrated details about her cases on social networking sites.

It seems inevitable that social media is changing the legal profession.  While the opportunities for client development and insight are overwhelmingly exciting, one must keep that courtroom demeanor even in front of a computer.  Maybe you shouldn’t give up that office happy hour gripe session in favor of Facebook quite yet.

Patrick Roland, March 8, 2010

Note: Post not sponsored.