Youth Appeal

Illustration by Nicholas Dewar

The bad news is that any law firm or solo practitioner not utilizing Web 2.0 technologies is lagging behind the technology curve.

If they fail to adapt, they might as well terminate their entire Internet campaign. How­ever, the good news is that many legal sites are utilizing Web 2.0 technologies that promote their image, improve blog traffic, increase business and even facilitate recruitment of young talent.

A legal website that is making very effective use of Web 2.0 to attract young talent is Foley Hoag. The recruitment site is equipped with a link to a Facebook networking page, a Flickr feed showing photos of employees, a microblog of events happening at the firm, a FAQ section, video interviews, a comments section, lawyer profiles, a blog with RSS feeds, and the necessary share and save buttons needed for bookmarking the site. The site effectively injects itself into the thicket of the young, tech-savvy lawyers of tomorrow.

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With the power of these technologies combined, potential employees get a feel for working at Foley Hoag. Establishing a healthy work-life balance tops the many concerns of new lawyers. So, importantly, the Flickr photo stream shows employees enjoying themselves at baseball games, casino nights and conferences, and even battling the mighty sea together on a sailing vessel. Videos allow you to hear about the firm from the employees’ own lips. The truth is always in the pudding. Finally, the firm’s Facebook page taps into Facebook’s trendy network of young professionals.

Well played, Foley Hoag!

While several other Internet locations deserve mention (see “Web 2.0 Masters,” below), I do have some criticisms. All such sites need to create a way, such as a comments page, for potential employees to have a live conversation—to ask questions and receive responses online without a filter. Sites also need to create Twitter pages.

In this Web 2.0 world, legal pro­fessionals need to adapt their recruitment plans to reflect the reality that the lawyers of tomorrow are immersed in.

See also:

Branding, Burkey Belser

Solo, Susan Cartier Liebel

Innovation, Tom Mighell

Virtuality, Richard Granat

All Business, Neil J. Squillante

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