Using Virtual Paralegals: Frequently Asked Questions
by Cathy Ribble
This month I want to discuss the most frequent questions I receive as a virtual paralegal. Questions come from many different directions: attorneys considering a virtual paralegal relationship, paralegals interested in working virtually, and curious lay people. Ironically, for the most part, the same questions come from each group. Read more
Post Date: February 16, 2012
CLE – Just Ethics: “Leveraging Social Media in a Law Practice… and Ethical Obstacles to Avoid”
January 13, 2012
South Texas College of Law
Emilie Slohm Room
12:00pm – 1:00 pm
Leveraging Social Media in a Law Practice… and Ethical Obstacles to Avoid
Presented by Debra Bruce
Attorneys use social media for many purposes. Some uses, such as improving jury selection, investigating cases, and impeaching witnesses are designed to help the attorney with his/her litigation practice. Other uses, such as building client relationships, finding a job, and informing the public about issues result in more practice-related benefits. Finally, attorneys use social media to better serve their clients and simply to keep in touch with friends. In this interactive session of Just Ethics, Debra Bruce will alert attendees to what (and where) the ethical boundaries are before they overstep them.
Accredited for 1.0 hour of participatory credit, including 1.0 hour of legal ethics.
Post Date: January 12, 2012
Debra’s Speaking at the HBA Labor & Employment Law Section
Debra will be speaking at the HBA Labor & Employment Law Section on Monday December 12th from 11:30am – 1:00pm on “Social Media Issues in Employment Law” (includes .25 hours ethics credit) at the Magnolia Hotel: 1100 Texas Ave., Houston, Texas 77002
Cost: $30 for section members and law students, $35 for non-members or persons without an advance reservation. See more info here.
RSVP by 11:00 a.m. on December 7 to Anel Valdez at anel.valdez@jacksonlewis.com. No phone calls please.
Seating is limited and valet parking is available for $7.00; first 30 participants will receive free valet when requested. If you make a reservation and do not attend, you are expected to pay the cost of the lunch unless you cancel by 11:00 a.m. on December 7.
Post Date: December 8, 2011
Why Lawyers MUST Get Their Heads Out of the Sand about Social Media
The mushrooming popularity of social media creates novel legal issues to be resolved, as well as a lot of opportunities for mistakes by lawyers and their clients. Wake up! How can you answer your client’s questions or warn them about potential legal infractions, if you aren’t familiar with the medium? Could you be completely missing a good business development opportunity?
Many lawyers tell me their clients don’t use social media, but have they really checked? Or is that just an assumption? How do you check, if you don’t engage in social media yourself? Not long ago I spoke to about 50 lawyers, most of whom knew very little about social media. The room got very quiet when I started putting up on the screen the logos of their clients who had Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn accounts. If you asked your clients last year whether they used social media, they may have a different answer now. Could your competitors be enhancing their relationships with your clients via social media, while you remain oblivious?
Even if your clients don’t officially have a social media presence, their employees, customers, or competitors may be posting things that affect your clients. When they ask you what to do about it, how will you be able to advise them if you don’t understand what they are talking about?
Here are some examples of how you might be called on in your law practice to address social media issues.
Post Date: September 7, 2010