Like most lawyers, you probably would rather be cleaning your desk instead of thinking about how you should be using social media. There is a significant reluctance from lawyers on the topic of implementing a social media strategy, but the reality is this: Social media is not going away, and you need to be prepared to use it while also understanding how it can get you or your clients in trouble.

Almost everyone accepts that we are in a time of radical change in the legal industry. Demand for legal services is flat.

This Friday, let's clear the decks and lay down some fresh thinking. You know, the kind that changes up the way you do things, results in better service to your clients, makes people in the office happier and gets you out of that rut. There's a fresh breeze of innovation blowing through the legal business today and it's time you got some for yourself.

Collaboration is more mobile than ever, and as the IT director at an international law firm, I’ve seen firsthand its impact on the organization. It’s not always positive. People tend to opt for file-sharing applications like Dropbox, which are familiar and easy to use. The problem is that consumer-grade applications weren’t built with security in mind, and considering the sensitive legal content that firms are sharing daily, the risk is too great to leave unaddressed. Balancing productivity and security is a universal challenge across law firms today. Here is my checklist of what to look for when choosing the most appropriate document collaboration tools. ... READ THE REST

Think back through a couple of recent decisions you’ve made or helped make, whether at work or in personal life. Did they turn out well? Was that because you did a good job of choosing? Was there any wasted motion or acrimony? Be honest. On sober reflection most people — even lawyers — acknowledge that decisions they’ve been part of could have been made better. They realize what a minefield the process of choosing can be. Yet few of us make a concerted effort to avoid the pitfalls. ... READ THE REST

Pat yourself on the back. You bought legal malpractice insurance, known as Errors and Omissions coverage, to protect yourself and your clients. So, your firm, your clients, you and your family are secure, now, right? Not by a long shot. READ THE REST

Recently I attended the Dad 2.0 Summit, a conference for men who blog about fatherhood. I didn’t realize there was such a strong community among dad bloggers. They are active parents and exceptionally genuine about their triumphs and tribulations related to being dads. (I was on hand to field legal questions related to blogging and copyright, trademark, and disclosing when you get free products.) One panel at the conference discussed what employers are doing to support men who want to be involved fathers. In the U.S., it’s often seen as a badge of honor to eschew time off following an illness, injury, or the birth of a child. If an employee takes paternity leave, it puts him at risk of landing on the “daddy track” where he’ll likely be overlooked for promotions. A recent study by the Boston College Center for Work and Family found that 96 percent of men took off two weeks or less following the birth of a child. However, it appears that more companies are offering paternity leave and more people feel comfortable taking it. What do working lawyers have to say? READ THE REST

If you've been away from LinkedIn for a while, or have just changed jobs or focus, it might be time to check out the social networking site's new features and update your profile. Why focus on LinkedIn? Survey after survey (including Attorney at Work's own social media survey) show that's where lawyers and general counsel go when they are focused on doing business, or learning about business. Check Off the Experts' Tips. Recently I listened in on CopyBlogger's "Authority Master Class – LinkedIn Best Practices (and a Few Secrets)" with CopyBlogger CFO Sean Jackson and CMO (and copywriting guru) Sonia Simone. Here are some of their great tips for presenting your best business-minded self on LinkedIn. ... READ THE REST

This is probably wishful thinking, but wouldn’t it be nice if every solo practitioner and small law firm had a business plan? I mean, mostly nice for them. Probably not for their competitors ... or for me. I’ve become somewhat ambivalent on the subject, as the sands have run through the hourglass. You see, I always tell our clients at LOMAP to create business plans. Almost universally, they never do. But if they did, I’d have to review them. Double. Edged. Sword. Nonetheless, yes, it is a good idea to create and follow a business plan. The question is, how far in advance can you plan before you start to lose effectiveness? I’m so glad you asked. ... READ THE REST

Leading a law firm is often compared to being the chief herder at a cat ranch. On the communications front, the managing partners at a law firm are challenged not only with what to say to their colleagues and clients but when and how to say it. Social media, and Twitter in particular, offers those in the top spots at law firms an outlet to reach and connect with people in a way that transcends the traditional memo and email blasts that fill up inboxes. Several of these managing partners’ counterparts in the corporate world — notables like Bill Gates, Richard Branson and Elon Musk — have been using Twitter for years with great success in building and engaging a following that ultimately helps promote their products and cement customer loyalty. Still, despite its high-profile benefits, only about 5 percent of the CEOs of America’s biggest companies are active on Twitter. A thorough recent search of Twitter for leaders of large law firms uncovered about a half-dozen from the AmLaw 100 that have been regularly posting in the past year or two. Why so few? For many, Twitter remains a mystery, for sure. And that’s a shame. Despite its more spartan user interface, especially when compared with LinkedIn and Facebook, Twitter is ultimately about building and interacting with a community of people, companies and groups who share common interests or who are looking to be entertained or informed, or any combination of those. But like most marketing opportunities, there are pros and cons to having your law firm’s leader on Twitter. ... READ THE REST