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Ethical Social Media Use for the Modern Attorney
Length: 98 Minutes
Social media is one of the most powerful and cost-effective tools that modern lawyers can utilize to market themselves. However, determining which platforms to use, properly setting up accounts, and deciding what to post and how often can be a daunting task. This is especially true when considering the many ethical rules that attorneys must follow when using social media, as violating the Rules of Professional Conduct can result in disciplinary actions that are costly to defend, cause reputational damage, and can even put an attorney’s license to practice in jeopardy.
Presented by LEAP Legal Software and featuring law firm marketing experts Emily Kelchen and Amanda Sexton, this Continuing Legal Education course will cover best practices for attorneys using social media. In the first section, we will review a comprehensive set of social media guidelines that will assist lawyers with staying on the right side of the ethics rules when availing themselves of modern social media platforms. In the second section, we will consider ethical social media best practices from a law firm marketing standpoint, helping lawyers leverage modern social media technologies to drive business for their law firms while staying compliant with the Rules of Professional Conduct.
Attendees will walk away from this course with a basic understanding of:
- The ethical issues lawyers need to be aware of when posting on social media platforms;
- Why consistent branding is important;
- How to identify your target audience;
- The pros and cons of various social media platforms, and what to post where;
- How to leverage data to make better informed marketing decisions.
This program will benefit attorneys in private practice, especially those lawyers tasked with actively managing their law firms’ marketing and social media efforts. There is no cost to attend this event.
This program is eligible for CLE credits in states that allow On-Demand CLE. Please consult your state's rules. In states that do allow On-Demand CLE, this program is eligible for 1.5 hours of Ethics CLE credit in 60-minute states, and 1.8 hours of Ethics credit in 50-minute states. Credit hours are estimated and are subject to each state's approval and credit rounding rules.
Please note that the LEAP/CE21 Course Completion Certificate is not the official state-issued CLE Certificate. If you have met the participation requirements for this course, you will receive a personalized CLE affidavit from mcle-leap@americanbar.org. Once you complete the affidavit, you will be able to download your state certificate(s) of attendance, and they will also be e-mailed to you. Please check your spam folders or e-mail filter systems.
Emily S. Kelchen, Principal - Kelchen Consulting, Kelchen Consulting
Emily S. Kelchen founded Kelchen Consulting after realizing the free time she spent building websites and experimenting with social media-driven marketing and advocacy was much more fun than working as a traditional lobbyist. As a natural-born community builder and storyteller, Emily has a knack for helping businesses and organizations figure out who their target audience is and how to best connect with them. She uses these insights to help lawyers, interest groups, and community organizations find new clients, supporters, and members, and advance their causes. Emily is a member of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s communications committee and serves as the Secretary of its Nonresident Lawyers Division. She is a former New Jersey State Bar Association Trustee, and past Chair of the association’s Young Lawyer Division. Emily graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, MO, with a degree in political science, and earned her J.D. from the University of Wisconsin Law School in Madison, WI. She recently relocated to the Knoxville, TN area after living in New Jersey for nearly a decade.
Amanda Sexton, Founder/Principal - FocusWorks Marketing, FocusWorks Marketing
Amanda Sexton is the founder of FocusWorks Marketing, a full-service, data-driven law firm marketing agency that uses the power of digital marketing to grow brands and businesses through content that converts. For the past 14 years, Amanda has shaped brand development, created award-winning content, driven social media strategy, and built communities for everything from small businesses to global brands. Selected as one of the 40 Under 40 Marketing Professionals and named to the Enteprising Women in Commerce, Amanda combines research and creativity to drive campaigns to their maximum potential. Beyond FocusWorks, Amanda holds leadership positions on regional legal committees and associations, including President of the New Jersey Legal Industry Providers, and Incoming Chair for the LMA Northeast Conference. Amanda has also spoken across the country at events and industry conferences, including ABA TechShow and the LMA National Conference.
Sy Sommer, Director of HelpDesk, LEAP Legal Software
Sy Justin Sommer is the Director of Litigation Success at LEAP Legal Software. Sy is a 2010 graduate of Fordham Law School and is an attorney admitted to practice in the State of New York. Sy began his career in the Family Law Department of Manhattan law firm Davidoff Hutcher & Citron LLP. After three years with DHC, Sy took a role with JPMorgan Chase Bank in Brooklyn, NY where he served as an Associate Vice President Senior Counsel in the bank’s Mortgage Banking Litigation group. In 2018, Sy sought to apply his legal education and experience in the legal technology space and joined LEAP with excitement to further the company’s mission of helping attorneys to be more productive with cloud technology. Despite being a born and raised New Yorker, Sy currently resides in Jersey City, New Jersey.
