The ubiquity of social media has made it a valuable tool for law firms to increase their marketing reach. Social media allows marketers to target niche demographics, theoretically connecting the right people with the right attorneys. When businesses, particularly law firms, engage with social media, they should do so carefully. Anything posted online is permanent, and one bad post can terminally damage a business’s relationship with the public.
A law firm’s social media policy is one way of ensuring consistency between posts, maintaining company values, and developing a better relationship with consumers.
Social media policies serve as guidelines for employees, contractors, or members of an organization on how to engage in social media both personally and professionally. A policy’s primary purposes include:
A social media policy ensures the responsible use of online platforms, balancing individual expression with protecting the organization’s interests. Law firms should absolutely have a social media policy in place. Given the sensitive nature of legal work, a well-defined policy helps ensure that employees, lawyers, and other staff use social media responsibly and in a way that protects the firm’s reputation, client confidentiality, and legal obligations.
In addition to ensuring legality and professionalism, a social media policy can also help your firm connect with more clients. A well-thought-out policy will synergize with the firm’s marketing strategy to help increase client intake. Policies that ensure consistency and quality will be key in this regard, as this is what helps to establish a brand, particularly a legal one, in the online space.
Before drafting the specifics, clearly outline the purpose of your social media policy. Is it to protect client confidentiality? Ensure that employees represent the firm ethically? Your policy should reflect your firm’s values, goals, and legal obligations.
One of the most important aspects of a law firm’s social media policy is protecting client confidentiality. The policy should explicitly prohibit sharing any confidential or sensitive information on social platforms, whether in public posts or private messages. Emphasize that even anonymized or vague references to cases can violate ethical rules.
Your social media policy must align with the ethical obligations of lawyers in your jurisdiction. These considerations should include:
Many employees may use social media for both personal and professional purposes. Your policy should clarify the distinctions between the two, particularly when employees mention their employment at the firm. Consider the following:
Social media activity should reflect the professionalism of your law firm. Clearly define expectations for respectful behavior, avoiding inflammatory or offensive comments, and upholding the firm’s reputation. Also, outline the consequences of violating these standards.
Include guidelines for social media usage during work hours. Should employees refrain from personal social media use while on the clock? Define the boundaries, especially if your law firm has a flexible policy regarding personal device usage.
Having a social media policy is effective only if employees understand and follow it. Offer regular training sessions to ensure everyone is aware of the rules, particularly with updates to ethical guidelines or the law. This can help mitigate risks and maintain a professional online presence.
Your law firm should have a system in place to monitor its social media presence. This can involve tracking firm-related mentions, reviewing public posts by employees, and ensuring adherence to the policy. Consider designating a team or individual to regularly review social media activities for compliance.
It’s important to include a section that specifies the consequences of violating the social media policy. These could range from warnings to termination, depending on the severity of the violation. Clearly outlining repercussions reinforces the importance of following the guidelines.
Franchise law firms — which operate under a brand name but may consist of multiple, independently owned and operated locations — face unique challenges when it comes to social media policies.
Typically, the franchisor, or parent firm, establishes a centralized social media policy that applies to all franchisees to ensure the brand is consistently represented across all locations. This policy will usually outline:
With the above being said, franchisees may be granted the flexibility to manage local social media accounts to engage with their specific community in an independent capacity so long as they do not violate the overall social media policy. However, the franchisor may periodically review local accounts to ensure adherence to the policy and brand guidelines.
Creating a robust and practical set of social media policies for a law firm can increase both professionalism and engagement. Through the consistent application of the correct policies, a firm can bolster the impact of its online presence. A reliable and trustworthy online brand can translate into more clients walking through your doors. Furthermore, a social media policy can facilitate a collaborative approach to marketing that remains aligned with a firm’s values.