Laurie Rowen and Erin Giglia

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Social Media, Networking, and Professionalism For
Law Students and Young Lawyers

• Laurie Rowen and Erin Giglia
• Owners of Montage Legal Group, LLC

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What is Networking?

• Definition a supportive system of sharing
  information and services among individuals and
  groups having a common interest
• Networking for lawyers
• Focus on helping others, not helping yourself

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Goals of Networking

• Get a job or switch jobs
• Business development (to obtain clients)
• Community involvement
• Resume building
• Increase your presence in the legal community
• Help others MUTUAL GOALS
• Meet new people and have fun!

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Why is Networking Important?

• Relationships lead to opportunities
• Being smart, or a good lawyer will only get you
  halfway to success
• People (not just potential clients) have to know
  you, or know of you, in order to give you work
• Be a good investment to your law firm it leads
  to career growth
• Referrals

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Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

• Im too busy.
• Business development is too overwhelming and
  impossible
• Im too shy
• I hate feeling like a used car salesman
• I dont want to bother people

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Types of Networking

• Social Media and On-line Networking
• Networking at Events/Deliberate Networking
• Natural Networking

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Social Media Options

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Google
• Blogging
• New options will continue to arise

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Social Media Start Networking Online

• Remain professional professional photo, self
  edit status updates
• Limit content - Dont put anything up you dont
  want a prospective employer or contact to see.
• Start a spreadsheet of all of your contacts,
  professional and personal (or use Linked-in)
• Spend an appropriate amount of time reaching out
  to the right connections, but limit yourself

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Using Social Media Properly

• When job searching, make your profiles private
  and include a professional photo

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Linked In Your Searchable Online Resume

• Have a complete, accurate, and up-to-date
  profile.
• Your profile is searchable, so be sure to include
  areas of expertise, articles published,
  presentations, honors/awards.
• Join relevant groups, and interest groups
  (clients come from all places friends,
  neighbors, etc.).
• Post updates, share your contacts
  accomplishments they may return the favor.
• Use notes section to keep track of your contacts

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Linked-In
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What is Twitter?

• Facebook is for friends and family, Linked-in is
  for business contacts, and Twitter is for people
  you dont know
• Similar to Facebook status updates, but more
  articles are shared
• Terms Following, tweeting, _at_ symbol and symbol
• If you have limited time, focus on Linked-in v.
  twitter

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Social Media - Ethical Issues for Lawyers

• Read and Understand Bar Rules
• Improper contact with parties and possibly judges
• False/Misleading information
• Advertising/Solicitation (You Tube)
• Client confidentiality Today SUCKS - in Court
  for my LOSER case.
• Unauthorized practice of law providing legal
  advice

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Intentional Networking Live Events

• Go with a friend, but make sure you branch out
• Approach new people
• Ask questions about what people do. Dont just
  talk about yourself.
• Do NOT sell! Ask for introductions.
• Offer to help contact
• Exit strategies

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Choose the Right Live Events

• Which organizations to choose? Choose WISELY 1
  legal (OCBA section), 1 non-legal (your area of
  legal expertise or hobby), Alumni, and 1
  community organization.
• Be interested in your groups.
• Obtain leadership roles in these groups.
• Why be active in a legal organization like the
  OCBA?

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Be Prepared

• Have a stack of business cards
• Have your elevator speech ready
• Attire professional, business attire
• Arrive early, so youll have plenty of time to
  network before the presentation
• Relax, scope out the room
• Have a plan and stick to it

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Elevator Speech

• What is an elevator speech?
• Dont make it too long - 15 seconds
• Make it conversational v. formal
• Have different versions
• Practice your speech
• Applies to natural networking

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Follow Up

• Send an email
• Connect on Linked In
• Follow through with offers to help and/or remind
  of request for introductions
• Post their articles on your Linked-in page, and
  then tell them about it.
• Continue liking/commenting/sharing for contacts

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Natural Networking

• This does not come naturally to everyone it
  takes practice for some people
• Talk to people everywhere.
• Know what your friends and contacts do, and what
  their needs are. Ask questions
• Make sure people know what you do (hopefully in a
  non-annoying way).
• Most business development occurs outside the
  professional environment
• Be approachable

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Cultivating Your New Contact

• Follow up
• Follow up again
• Follow up some more
• Thank for making introductions, check in to see
  how theyre doing, set up coffee meetings,
  forward articles or presentations of interest,
  refer work, share their stories in social media
  and tell them about it, send congratulations.
• Consider actually becoming friends with some of
  these people!

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Recap on Networking

• You are in charge of your own job search and
  client development
• Start networking now, from your computer
• Use social media frequently and often, but be
  professional
• Start going to networking events as a law
  student, but be prepared
• Get to know all of your Chapman Law classmates
  you can help each other out later in your careers
  
• Learn how to be a natural networker