Does Social Media Open New Doors for Attorneys?
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There appears to be an emerging need for legal expertise in the areas regarding social media. Last week, the Connecticut Business Litigation Blog posted about this trend. Author N. Kane Bennett states that “as the use of social media continues to grow and involve massive numbers of users, so does the risk of litigation and potential for numerous other legal issues.” Apparently businesses and law firms are recognizing this, too. The CT Business Litigation Blog points out that Citigroup is looking for a new attorney in its ranks, but in what may be a new trend, the Citi job is for Associate General Counsel-Social Media Attorney.
Clorox is also looking for a new attorney who focuses on social media. The publication Advertising Age quoted a Clorox spokesman’s e-mail: "As a newer communication channel, the application of existing laws to this medium is evolving. For those reasons and the rapid pace of communication in the Web 2.0 world, we're seeking an attorney to focus on social media as well as talent rights."
A quick search on an employment site for attorneys revealed at least four firms searching for legal professionals with social media experience. Because this is a relatively new legal area, there seems to be a large range of expertise required, indicating the breadth of impact.
In our firm, our interest tends to focus on employment law and the impact on evidentiary rules in litigation. But, many other issues are involved, especially, intellectual property, contracts and privacy issues.
All of this is good news for law students, who may be needed in newly created positions, but it also offers a lesson to those of us already in the legal profession: we must keep up with the times.
