A short guide on the benefits of social media for Legal professionals by Catherine Jones

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Social media is an increasingly popular and influential area of business. As
such, it is important for legal professions to keep up-to-date with developments
in social media which present real opportunities if harnessed effectively.
The growth of the use of social media by clients may result in a corresponding
expectation that the legal profession should also embrace it as part of its
working practices. Social media can offer
 Professional and personal benefits: Commercial benefits arise from the
ability to communicate products and materials via social media and use
them as marketing and advertising tools.
 Improved engagement with clients and other professionals, for example
through direct and immediate feedback from those who have used legal
services, and can be used to allow greater access to legal information
and resources.
 Opportunities for professional networking, and enables geographical
barriers to be broken down, for example setting up a profile on LinkedIn,
an internationally recognised social media site, facilitates global access
to your profile.
 Finally, it can be used to debate, share opinions and share experiences
by 'posting' or commenting in public spaces.
In addition to the benefits, it is important that there is an awareness of the
potential risks involved. One of the fundamental considerations that those
participating in social media activity should take into account is the potential
blurring of the boundaries between personal and professional use, and the
importance of recognising that the same ethical obligations apply to
professional conduct in an online environment.
If you are a legal professional and would like help using social media contact
me for information on the training, coaching and support available
Social Media for
Legal Professionals
Catherine Jones
Phone 07860 758403
Email:
Catherine.jones@thbizlinks.co.uk
Web:
http://thebizlinks.co.uk/coach-catherine-
jones
Connect with me on LinkedIn
http://uk.linkedin.com/in/cjonesprofile/