Law Firm Marketing Blog

    How to Create a Law Firm Social Media Policy

    How to Create a Law Firm Social Media Policy

    October 24, 2024   |   Written by Micayla Frost

    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.

    What is the Purpose of a Social Media Policy?

    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:

    1. Protecting the company’s reputation: It helps prevent posts or comments that could damage the organization’s image or brand.
    2. Ensuring legal compliance: A policy can clarify legal obligations, such as respecting intellectual property rights and not sharing confidential information.
    3. Maintaining consistent messaging: It ensures that everyone communicates consistently with the company’s values, tone, and mission in mind.
    4. Outlining acceptable behavior: It sets boundaries on what is considered appropriate or inappropriate on social platforms.
    5. Minimizing risk: A well-crafted policy mitigates risks related to data breaches, harassment, or other liabilities stemming from online activities.
    6. Clarifying consequences: It provides clear information on disciplinary actions for policy violations, promoting accountability.

    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.

    Creating a Social Media Policy

    Define the Policy

    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.

    Establish Guidelines for Confidentiality

    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.

    Outline Ethical Considerations

    Your social media policy must align with the ethical obligations of lawyers in your jurisdiction. These considerations should include:

    • Avoiding misleading information or misrepresenting the firm’s expertise
    • Not providing legal advice over social media
    • Ensuring compliance with advertising and solicitation rules for lawyers
    • Being mindful of conflicts of interest.

    Define the Scope of Personal vs. Professional Accounts

    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:

    • Whether employees are allowed to identify themselves as part of the firm on personal accounts
    • How to handle disclaimers, such as “opinions are my own”
    • Appropriate use of firm branding on professional accounts.

    Set Rules for Conduct and Professionalism

    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.

    Clarify Use of Social Media During Work Hours

    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.

    Provide Training and Updates

    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.

    Monitor Social Media Activity

    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.

    Outline Consequences for Violations

    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.

    What About Franchise Law Firms?

    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:

    • Brand voice and tone: Ensures all locations follow the same tone, language, and professionalism in social media posts.
    • Visual identity: Guidelines for using logos, firm colors, and other branding elements.
    • Content approval: The franchisor may require approval for certain types of content (e.g., promotional posts, legal updates) to maintain brand control.
    • Messaging: The franchisor may outline specific messages that the franchisee can or cannot express on their independent social media platforms. For example, the franchisor may prohibit inflammatory subject matter.

    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.

    To Policy, or Not to Policy?

    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.

    • Webby Awards Lawyer Marketing Agency
    • Lawyer Web Design Award
    • Weby Award Best Lawyer Website
    • W3 Web Award for Law Firms
    • Awwward Lawyer Web Design Award