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Lance Lawyer is enjoying a quiet evening meal at his
favorite restaurant with his law school roommate, Scott. In law school, both
men studied hard, were on law review and graduated in the top 10% of their
class. After graduation, however, they took different paths to the practice of
law. Lance is a shareholder in a small law firm practicing Elder Law while
Scott, whose family had long been in the Military, is a JAG lawyer.
Over coffee, the conversation turns to marketing.
“We spend a lot of time and money on our website, blog and
social media,” said Lance. “I need to update my blog tonight.”
“I’m glad I don’t need to do any marketing,” said Scott.
“I’m not sure about that,” said Lance. “What if you decide
to leave the Military? No one will know you exist.”
Lance is right. Scott, like the many other lawyers who turn
from a traditional practice to use their skills in such establishments as the government,
magistrate, clerk, legislature, house counsel for corporations or academia,
still need to consider maintaining an Internet presence.
Why do you or other non-traditional lawyers
like Scott need an online presence?
An on-line presence in the form of a profile, a website or a
stop on the social media thoroughfare is as necessary for non-traditional
lawyers as it is for lawyers working as solos or in a law firm. It isn’t only
consumers who search for lawyers on the web; other lawyers also read those
profiles.
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| web presence |
Scott can establish relationships and connections that would
otherwise be unworkable because of distance and time. These are lawyers you can
meet only through e-mail or text or, perhaps, a short telephone call. Those
associations can be as strong and as important to your career as ones established
face-to-face at networking functions.
Lawyers can use the knowledge gained in other fields to make
a career change A lawyer working for a governmental agency today could
establish a connection and soon be practicing for a law firm in their
government relations department. Legal publishing experience, for example,
could lead to consulting on copyright and drafting contracts with agents and
publishers. Managing an international non-profit would be helpful if you wanted
to practice in International Law. Retired judges often turn to mediation and
arbitration.
These movements from traditional to non-traditional legal
careers and back again will only be successful if the world knows that you’re
out there. And the easiest and least costly way to become known is through an
on-line presence. Using social media, LinkedIn or your Member Directory, you
can network within the legal field as well as market your practice to potential
clients.
A legal career, whether traditional or non-traditional, can
last 20, 30, 40 or more years. It can take many twists and turns as you travel
along. Using the Internet to establish relationships with other lawyers and
potential clients will help make the journey manageable, profitable and more
pleasurable.
