Social Media In Legal Practice

Many lawyers view social media as a passing fad, but lawyers who dismiss social media do so at their peril. This cutting-edge guide shows lawyers how to use a practical, goal-centric approach to social media. By enabling lawyers to identify the social media platforms and tools that fit their practice, lawyers can implement them easily, efficiently, and ethically. Written by two lawyers, this book is designed with both the novice and advanced user in mind.

There are multiple aspects of electronically-mediated communication that influence and have strong implications for legal practice. This volume focuses on three major aspects of mediated communication through social media. Part I examines social media and the legal community. It explores how this has influenced professional legal discourse and practice, contributing to the popularity of internet-based legal research, counselling and assistance through online services offering explanations of law, preparing documents, providing evidence, and even encouraging electronically mediated alternative dispute resolution. Part II looks at the use of social media for client empowerment. It examines how it has taken legal practice from a formal and distinct business to one that is publicly informative and accessible. Part III discusses the way forward, exploring the opportunities and challenges. Based on cases from legal practice in diverse jurisdictions, the book highlights key issues as well as implications for legal practitioners on the one hand, and clients on the other. The book will be a valuable reference for international scholars in law and other socio-legal studies, discourse analysis, and practitioners in legal and alternative dispute resolution contexts.

In today’s rapidly changing legal landscape, becoming a digital lawyer is vital to success within the legal profession. This textbook provides an accessible and thorough introduction to digital lawyering, present and future, and a toolkit for gaining the key attributes and skills required to utilise technology within legal practice effectively. Digital technologies have already begun a radical transformation of the legal profession and the justice system. Digital Lawyering introduces students to all key topics, from the role of blockchain to the use of digital evidence in courtrooms, supported by contemporary case studies and integrated, interactive activities. The book considers specific forms of technology, such as Big Data, analytics and artificial intelligence, but also broader issues including regulation, privacy and ethics. It encourages students to explore the impact of digital lawyering upon professional identity, and to consider the emerging skills and competencies employers now require. Using this textbook will allow students to identify, discuss and reflect on emerging issues and trends within digital lawyering in a critical and informed manner, drawing on both its theoretical basis and accounts of its use in legal practice. Digital Lawyering is ideal for use as a main textbook on modules focused on technology and law, and as a supplementary textbook on modules covering lawyering and legal skills more generally.

How are users influenced by social media platforms when they generate content, and does this influence affect users’ compliance with copyright laws? These are pressing questions in today’s internet age, and Regulating Content on Social Media answers them by analysing how the behaviours of social media users are regulated from a copyright perspective. Corinne Tan, an internet governance specialist, compares copyright laws on selected social media platforms, namely Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter and Wikipedia, with other regulatory factors such as the terms of service and the technological features of each platform. This comparison enables her to explore how each platform affects the role copyright laws play in securing compliance from their users. Through a case study detailing the content generative activities undertaken by a hypothetical user named Jane Doe, as well as drawing from empirical studies, the book argues that – in spite of copyright’s purported regulation of certain behaviours – users are 'nudged' by the social media platforms themselves to behave in ways that may be inconsistent with copyright laws. Praise for Regulating Content on Social Media 'This book makes an important contribution to the field of social media and copyright. It tackles the real issue of how social media is designed to encourage users to engage in generative practices, in a sense effectively “seducing” users into practices that involve misuse or infringement of copyright, whilst simultaneously normalising such practices.’ Melissa de Zwart, Dean of Law, Adelaide Law School, Australia "This timely and accessible book examines the regulation of content generative activities across five popular social media platforms – Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter and Wikipedia. Its in-depth, critical and comparative analysis of the platforms' growing efforts to align terms of service and technological features with copyright law should be of great interest to anyone studying the interplay of law and new media." Peter K. Yu, Director of the Center for Law and Intellectual Property, Texas A&M University

The use of social media has expanded rapidly and changed the way people communicate, engage and collaborate. Law firms and individual lawyers are rapidly catching up with a proliferation of law blogs, or 'blawgs', and networking sites, particularly LinkedIn. The potential of these media for law firms, particularly in reputation management and marketing, is immense. The key benefits of this special report are: solicitor friendly guidelines on making the best use of social media across business functions including marketing, communications, PR, recruitment and HR; analysis based on extensive interviews with solicitors and marketing staff at prominent law firms; a guide to best practice in key social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn; and practical instructions on writing a successful and productive blog.

To fully leverage the power of social media for your legal marketing you need one indispensable ingredient: Content Need to attract more clients? Want to be a top-referred lawyer? Struggling with billing time and business development? Imagine growing your book of business--wihout leaving your office! With the ease of today's technology, social media platforms, and content marketing, it's not that hard. It's simply a mindshift and the right kind of "know-how" Here's the best part: Using the secrets of top journalist, you can easily and effectively create compelling content like a pro. YOU'LL LEARN HOW TO: Get your message to your target clients is is an understandable and engaging way so you become THE trusted, preferred and referred attorney Easily create attention-grabbing content your target clients need Stand out among the plethora of other firms In the marketplace Use branded content like blogs, videos, eBooks, Slideshares, Case Studies, White Papers, Webinars/Webcast, Podcast, Photos, Virtual Educational Events and more to attract more clients Implement time-saving strategies that won't take away from your billable hours Engage your social media savvy clients to increase your client retention rates Avoid marketing missteps and top mistakes lawyers make when using social media

This volume provides new insights into the diverse and complex contexts of legal discourse and activity performed across a variety of socially and culturally informed digital media transformations. It addresses topical issues of legal discourse performed by Web-mediated technologies and (social) media usage in professional and institutional contexts of communication. Its analyses rely on specific perspectives, varied applications, and different methodological procedures, providing a multifaceted overview of ongoing research and knowledge in the field.

In Connecting Ethics and Practice: A Lawyer's Guide to Professional Responsibility, Third Edition, the author explains the legal, professional, and ethical constraints that regulate attorneys while keeping the modern law professor and student in mind. Contemporary cases and articles are used to provide for an easier understanding of the Model Rules and Judicial Cannons, which assists in preparing for law school exams and the MPRE. The author employs a user-friendly coursebook format organized in a logical manner while achieving a realistic and manageable length. Mind maps are provided with every chapter to help students visualize and remember selected rules, and discussion questions are used to allow the students to fully comprehend and digest the reading, while also demonstrating real-life struggles most lawyer face at some point in their careers. Based on the unique format, students systematically cover all important aspects of the legal journey from law school to the legal profession. New to the Third Edition: Revised chapters contain contemporary cases, discussions, and studies Updated Model Rule 7 (Advertising) Scholarship throughout the book (in Chs. 1, 4, 10, 12, and 14) has been updated to include more recent and engaging articles New cases: Ch. 7: Federico v. Lincoln Military Hous., LLC Ch. 10: In re Discipline of Hale Ch. 11: People v. Maynard Ch. 12: Bennett v. Hill-Boren, P.C. Benefits for instructors and students: The easy-to-follow logical sequence of all relevant rules are clearly articulated at the beginning of the book and then reiterated accordingly in every chapter The structured material is well-suited for a new or experienced professor Chapters are based on quality readings as opposed to quantity Engaging, realistic examples exhibit how each Rule relates to practice Simple, consistent organization of each chapter offers a clear and logical layout, allowing for ease of use and teaching throughout Chapter introductions begin with concise explanations of the applicable Rules to be discussed Readings are controversial, contemporary, and thought-provoking Flexible organization allows for the material to be adapted to meet the individual needs of each class; professors can use as much or as little guidance as needed, and the material can be adjusted for a 2- or 3-credit course Discussion questions at the end of each reading, as well as at the end of each chapter, encourage colorful and lively dialogue and participation (which can be used in detail if time permits, or just used for student understanding of the material for class preparation) Table of Model Rules with applicable page numbers provide easy reference