Managing your legal brand online

Gina F. Rubel Esq. is President and CEO of Furia Rubel Communications Inc. In a recent blogpost on Law.com, she commented that 'whilst there are many benefits to social media engagement if used and managed properly, it can also be very important to understand your firm's corporate culture and whether it maintains a social media policy.'

Whilst it is time for lawyers to get on board and not be left behind, as with the case of permitting law firms to advertise (still not permitted in France) which was only sanctioned in 1978. Doug Jasinski revealed during a presentation to the Legal Marketing Association of Vancouver, that approximately about 30 to 40 percent of law firms block actively block access to social networking sites. Clearly, that also means that those self same law firms are able to invest in relationship management of their online reputation, something of a risk. When considering how to upgrade your firm's representation online and in virtual networks, it is critical to address how to leverage the positive respondents and to exercise proactive engagement with disgruntled clients. To absent yourselves from this potential is folly.