No one can compete in the legal space today without having a digital footprint.
More and more people going online to research lawyers and firm’s reviews,
credentials, achievements and area of practice to represent them.

Nearly 80 percent of attorneys use social media as part of their marketing
strategy (Constant Contact, 2019). Manage your firm’s reputation on-line and
create personalized digital narratives to nurture new relationships with your core
stakeholders.

Digital Media: Legal and Ethical Considerations
Social media and technology is not something to be feared or avoided. Social
media will continue to evolve and will create ethical issues yet to be realized. It is
incumbent upon the legal profession to identify and understand the challenges
and to adhere to these three guiding principles: but to also respond to
Confidentiality: A lawyer should preserve the confidences of a client.

Competence: An attorney must represent a client with the utmost competence.
Professional Judgement: A lawyer should exercise independent professional
judgement on behalf of a client.

Vikram Rajan, partner of videosocials.net — “Identify and connect with the right
influencers and leaders in the legal space. A lawyer must understand the risks,
and ethical implications associated with social media, including its use for
communication, advertising, research and investigation.”

Social Media Platforms
LinkedIn is the best social media platform for business. This channel is a great
place to start nurturing and building relationships. There are other social media
channels that can help your firm stand out from the crowd.

Fishbowl is social platform for professionals go to connect and secure gigs
remotely. talk in a new era of remote work. There are thousands of industry
groups you can join to get advice or find work. Check it out for yourself
fishbowlapp.com.

As more and more people source and research on-line video will continue to be
the best way to engage with your audience. TikTok is a social media platform
which features short-relatable videos that often tap into humor to engage with the audience. Real content created by real people is the essence of TikTok. The app is experiencing explosive growth and may be an excellent channel to reach your new clients.

All social channels tend to skew younger when they are first launched. As of April
2021, 48% of U.S. adults between 18-29 use TikTok, compared to 20% of adults
between 30-49 and 14% among 50-64 year old’s (Pew Research Center).
For reference Facebook has 2.9 billion users, YouTube 2.2 billion, Instagram
1.4 billion, TikTok 1.0 billion, Snapchat 500 million, Pinterest 480 million, and
Twitter 397 million (Comscore Data, 2021).

Do’s and Don’ts of Social Media Marketing
The Do’s —
-Carefully create complete profiles for all your social channels. Ensure all details
are the same including graphics and photos.
-Customize your social media channel headers, be descriptive and concise with
relevant keywords to help optimize your profiles.
-Utilize customized URLs whenever possible.
-“About” sections should be personable and show off your authentic self. The
details should differ from you BIO and your services information.
-Feature top reviews and testimonials on your website, then re-share the content
on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to build trust and credibility.
-Create original content on a regular basis highlighting the firm’s unique selling
points. Your narratives should convey your personal views while offering legal
insights of value.
-Share your content on social media channels (LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, etc.) to
establish you as a thought leader.
-Set aside time preferably each day, to create and share content.
-Content created should be conversational and personable reflecting your brand
identity.
-Join LinkedIn Groups and join in on conversations.
-Follow legal hashtags and share trending legal issues on your website and social
channels. your content based on your interests.

The Don’ts —
-Comment on, like, and share content you find engaging, but don’t troll. Be careful
to stay on message and don’t redirect the conversation off-topic.
-Don’t try and selling anything, just share information that is useful for your core
stakeholders. Showcase your expertise, but don’t give legal advice.
Stay clear of religious, political, or any sensitive subject matter.

Practice the Social Media Rule of Thirds
-One-third of your posts should be about promoting your services.
-One-third of your posts should be shared content and outside resources.
-One-third of your posts should be about personal brand, testimonials, and
customer interaction.

“Social media gives you the opportunity to share your expertise and insights and
to nurture relationships with your core audience. This help establish you as a
thought leader. Be sure to carefully manage your reputation on and off-line.” —
Shari Davidson, President, On Balance Search.

When evaluating what social channels to share your content, understand
that you have no control over what the crowd shares on these platforms.
Anything shared on-line may be mashed up, distorted, or celebrated.
Your profiles must be constantly monitored and curated to respond to what is
being said about your brand. Hire a public relations firm to create, nurture
relationships, and manage your reputation on and off-line.

Utilizing Tech in the New Normal
During the pandemic law firms worked remotely meeting with clients on Zoom
calls to provide legal access during this difficult time. In this new normal we all
need to find ways to manage our time more efficiently and improve our
productivity.

The ‘metaverse’ is expected to bring people together like never before, so they
can interact and collaborate in an immersive, three-dimensional virtual space.
Joe Chatham, founder of USA 500 Clubs business relationship network is
experimenting with the ‘metaverse’ to create engaging experiences. Imagine rock
climbing in the Himalayas or having a cocktail party at the Egyptian pyramids in a
virtual space to nurture and build new relationships. The possibilities are endless.

Give yourself that edge by embracing social media and virtual reality to expand
your area of influence, work smarter, and be more productive. 

Source:
6 Reasons Why Law Firms Need to be on Social Media (The National Law Review)
https://www.natlawreview.com/article/6-reasons-why-law-firms-need-to-be-social-media

#law #lawjobs #lawyerlife #attorney #legalrecruiter #lawmarketing #tech

About On Balance Search Consultants
On Balance offers great insight and industry intelligence. Shari Davidson,
president of On Balance Search Consultants, advises law firms on how to take a
firm to the next level and helps rising talent make the transition to the right law
firm.

Contact us today. Call 516.731.3400 or visit our website at  https://www.onbalancesearch.com

Please note that the content of this blog does not constitute legal advice and is
only intended for the educational purpose of the reader. Please consult your
legal counsel for specifics regarding your specific circumstances and the laws in
your states pertaining to social media and any legal restrictions regarding the
law.

Hong-Kong based Marcia Ellis is a partner and global chair of Morrison & Foerster’s private equity group. 

“The firm needed a consistent voice for our global PE group and someone with the market reputation, technical knowledge, leadership skills, global mindset, and commercial sense to make consistent contributions in promoting the practice externally,” Ellis said about her current role.

Advocating for everyone at the firm to develop a more global mindset was also a key factor “that resulted in the firm electing me to the global chair role,” she said. 

In terms of successful business development, Ellis advises, “Be an active listener and know your clients well, including their business goals, core values, pain points, and immediate legal and commercial needs. Don’t be afraid to ask your clients questions. Asking questions is not a sign of a weakness.”

She credits Jeanette Chan, general counsel and chief compliance officer at Airwallex, to be a mentor that helped guide her career. Chan taught her how to manage clients and create solutions even when there were “insurmountable regulatory issues.”

For those attorneys who aim to someday lead their own practice group, Ellis advises to keep the bigger picture in mind. “How does the work you are doing relate to the work your partners are doing around the world? Are there opportunities to cross-sell your partners in other jurisdictions or other practice groups?” 

Are you interested in more career insights from Marcia Ellis? Read more in this law.com article.

A new survey by Wakefield Research found increased percentages of corporate counsel are feeling stressed out at their legal departments.

Corporate attorneys are looking to leave the in-house world, according to the survey that reviewed responses from more than 300 in-house counsel based in the United States in May and June.

About three-fourths of the survey participants reported feeling burned out in their jobs, and almost half said that they were extremely stressed or burnt out. About 69 percent of those respondents reported that they planned to find a new job in 2023. 

“If I’m an in-house leader, I’m concerned about this report,” said Sara Morgan, global head of legal talent at Axiom in New York. “What it’s telling me is that more than half of my legal team could be considered a flight risk, with replacements being really hard to find and even harder to actually hire.” 

Making up the survey were about 150 attorneys or counsel, with about 60 senior counsel, 30 associate counsel and the remaining in upper-level legal positions. About a dozen of the respondents were general counsel. The survey was conducted for in-house counsel in a variety of industries ranging from finance, health care to food and beverage. 

Almost 90 percent of respondents said turnover was affecting their legal departments, and about 41 percent said their departments needed more legal staff. Almost 80 percent of respondents believed they needed to find a position at another company to advance in their careers. 

Are you interested in learning more about burnout amongst in-house counsel? Read more in this law.com article.

Jobs offering hybrid work and flexibility are luring attorneys to midsize firms. In recent years, the market has allowed attorneys to gain positions at larger firms with remote work positions. However, the demand has shifted in favor of law firms, and now big law firms are starting to mandate that attorneys return to the office.

This means that midsize firms have an opportunity to find new talent by offering remote and hybrid positions. 

Sanford Heisler Sharp’s chairman David Sanford noted, “It’s not impossible to recruit demanding in-office work, but it is a big selling point for firms to be more flexible.” 

Sharp also noted that “every candidate wants a hybrid environment.” The firm has hired 16 attorneys in 2022.

Daniel Jovanov, a litigator at Haber Law, said he came to the law firm due to the “unique office setting” and avoiding a commute.

“I have three little kids, and having the flexibility to be at the house and avoid that hour drive to the office is so valuable,” Haber said.

Trenam Law’s Marie Tomassi noted that the firm has implemented flexible schedules and workarounds so employees “can literally work from anywhere in the world that has connectivity.”

Are you interested in learning more about mid-market trends? Read more in this law.com article.

Joshua Lenon, lawyer-in-residence at Clio, is a Gen Xer offering powerful insights into Gen Z recruiting and the legal community in general.

Lenon says that a road map for attorneys to get from associate to partner isn’t often shared at law firms.

“In the past it’s been, hopefully, you find a partner that likes you, that has time to answer questions, you have your own network that you can start turning into a book of business, because you’re not going to be getting business from a partner,” Lenon said.

The lack of sharing in law firms became especially problematic about five years ago when a lot of these bigger law firms realized they had “driven away the people who are going to keep the law firm going for the next five to 10 years.”  This realization has led to a lot of laterals in big law since a lot of law firms didn’t plan for “generational succession.”

Lenon also shares that Generation Z are more open to “what has worked for their peers.” Law firms should demonstrate a path to achieving milestones for their new hires, and discuss how they will help the new hire to every milestone. Law firms would also help themselves by realizing that there are now more paths to partner than in the past.

Are you interested in learning more about making it in the legal profession? Read more in this law.com article.

Inflationary pressures are impacting the attorney job search.
Despite a job market where there are nearly two job openings for every
candidate, legal employment levels contracted by 5.1% in Q2 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 2022). The legal field is experiencing a decline in employment levels
and unemployment rates.

Attorneys have been let go, voluntarily resigned to rethink their careers, or left
the legal field altogether. Inflationary pressures and the Great Resignation have
law firms increasing salaries as an offensive and defensive strategy to attract and
retain talent.

Remote Work: Out of Site — Out of Mind
The pandemic has changed how we do business, attorneys want more work-life
balance. The truth is that for those who make it rain, firms are happy to offer
flexible schedules and remote work.

If you are new or simply not billing enough hours, you’re better off showing up at
the office. When you are seen, you are heard, which makes you more
marketable.

The fear of failure is the key to success.

There is no shortage of fear in this world. The next few years are certain to be
chaotic and disruptive. “As a legal recruiter, my job is to place candidates to the
right job and coach them through the process.” — Shari Davidson, President On
Balance Search Consultants.

Career coaches break it down to get to why you aren’t advancing a your current
firm. They help you figure you out to understand why you are stuck in your
current job. Not all experiences, no matter how impressive should be detailed on
your resume. It gets down to what is relevant to the job you are applying for.

Ask yourself —
How fulfilled are you?
Are you learning and growing?
Are you headed in the right direction?
What seeds do you need to plant?
Do you need to nurture and build new relationships? 

Before you decide to just dive into the abyss, take a moment to ask yourself
these questions to better manage your career. The answers will inform your
actions and direction going forward.

Get advice on how to take your career to the next level.

Schedule a consultation: 516-731-3400.

—————————————————————————————————

#law #lawjobs #attorney #legalrecuriter #lawtrends #legaljobs

Source: Bloomberg Law Analysis
https://news.bloomberglaw.com/bloomberg-law-analysis/analysis-lawyer-jobs-
overall-legal-employment-drop-in-q2

About On Balance Search Consultants
On Balance offers great insight and industry intelligence. Shari Davidson,
president of On Balance Search Consultants, advises law firms on how to take a
firm to the next level and helps rising talent make the transition to the right law
firm.

Contact us today. Call 516.731.3400 or visit our website
at  https://www.onbalancesearch.com

Please note that the content of this blog does not constitute legal advice and is
only intended for the educational purpose of the reader. Please consult your
legal counsel for specifics regarding your specific circumstances and the laws in
your states pertaining to social media and any legal restrictions regarding the
law.

According to the Florida Bar, there are more than 93,000 lawyers eligible to practice law, with demand for legal services on the rise.

To meet demand, law firms have aggressively been recruiting lawyers in real estate, construction and corporate law. Attorneys can position themselves to achieve success by becoming a board-certified specialist. Board certification is Florida’s official, independent determination of a lawyer’s expertise to practice in a specialty area of law.

Attorneys can become board certified via eight national private organizations, which administer eighteen certification programs that are accredited by the American Bar Association. The programs include specialty areas such as bankruptcy, criminal trial advocacy, patent litigation, and complex litigation. 

To become certified, most programs require an attorney to have practiced in a specialty area for at least five years and pass an law examination in the specialty area. The attorney must also be vetted in a peer-review process for professionalism and ethics.

Are you interested in learning more about becoming a board-certified lawyer? Read more in this law.com article.

Recruiters wanting to broaden their pool for talent should be more lenient about requirements for commuting.

“When creating and discussing hybrid officing, don’t be lemmings without a purpose,” advises Mike Evers of Evers Legal. “From what I can tell, most home versus at HQ office policy decisions are being made based on what other companies are doing. Just as full-time commuting used to be the norm, now a hybrid mix is the norm.”

Evers writes that recent recruiting calls for talent have put the need to commute to a headquarters office front and center of negotiations. There is a generational shift with younger attorneys expecting companies to have more scheduling flexibility for at-home work offices or hybrid models. 

Evers notes a few more observations of the shift in ideology toward commuting: 

• There is absolutely a generational dynamic at play. The expectation of schedule flexibility is much higher among younger professionals without a history of commuting.

• Very few professionals actually want to go into a headquarters office. The generational shift has more to do with a willingness to do so.

• A willingness to commute and/or relocate for a position will absolutely increase your options as a candidate … at all levels of the law department pyramid.

• Conversely, if you are a general counsel who can embrace home officing as the default mode for work, your candidate options will increase in a tight labor market for talent. Commuting is no longer a given.

Are you interested in learning more about how commuting has impacted legal recruiting? Read more in this law.com article.

The thriving legal market can provide opportunities and lucrative careers for those without a law degree. The five most popular legal careers include: paralegals and legal assistants, compliance specialists, mediators, electronic discovery specialists and court reporters.

Paralegals and legal assistants research, manage case details, and help with trial preparation. They also communicate with clients, though they cannot give legal advice.

Compliance specialists have been in demand since the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in 2002 made regulatory compliance an important area of the law. Compliance specialists monitors and coordinates regulatory documents required by changes in the federal law. 

Electronic Discovery specialists manage electronic data to facilitate legal discovery, and the field includes e-discovery directors, managers and analysts. The roles usually require a background in information technology.

Mediators, or arbitrators or conciliators, help people and companies settle disputes outside of court. While mediators are not lawyers, mediators attempt to achieve consensus between two sides is mutually beneficial. Alternative dispute resolution tends to be an economical alternative to litigating in court.

Court reporters transcribe proceedings at more than 200 words a minute. They can also do captioning in real time for webcasts. Salaries have increased for court reporters as they remain in demand.

Are you interested in learning more about other careers in the legal field? Read more in this law.com article.

Chief Legal Officer of Lexion Jessica Nguyen and legal recruiter Susan Tien have tips for attorneys seeking in-house jobs.

Job seekers should negotiate but one round of negotiations would be enough, Tien said at a recent In-House Connect webinar.

Recruiters expect negotiations, but “you have to give a reason” such as a recent home purchase or a competing offer, Tien said, and cautioned that while a 10 percent base salary increase would seem standard, asking for a 20 percent increase might be seen as excessive.

According to Tien, junior in-house attorneys in California might receive offers of at least $200,000 while attorneys with more than 15 years of experience might receive $300,000 or more. 

Profile pictures on LinkedIn profiles play an important role too, Tien advised. Looking approachable and friendly helps more than a profile photo that gives off a stern vibe.

“Get a professional one,” Tien said. “Get a smiley one where you’re approachable. Crossing your arms and wearing a black suit—don’t do that.”  LinkedIn profiles that clearly, concisely describe work history and accomplishments also stand out to Tien when she recruits through her network. 

Are you interested in learning tips about finding a job at an in-house legal department? Read more in this law.com article.