Law Firms
Lawyers ‘in Love With MoFo’ Among those at Big Firms on Facebook
Posted Sep 4, 2008, 05:24 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
Big law firms may be Facebook Luddites, but their lawyers are using the social networking site.
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle was in the news last month for using Facebook as a recruiting tool. It’s believed to be the first big firm to do so, but it’s not the only firm represented on Facebook, the Daily Journal reports (sub. req.).
Several lawyers at big law firms have Facebook groups that are independent of firm leadership, the publication says. Some groups are more akin to fan clubs.
One group for Morrison & Foerster lawyers asserts, “I’m in love with MoFo!” Other groups are for current and summer associates at Sidley Austin, O'Melveny & Myers and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, the story says.
Nicole Black, an attorney in Rochester, N.Y., who writes about law and technology, told the publication that more law firms should follow the lead of Curtis Mallet-Prevost. "BigLaw just doesn't get it," she said. "They don't understand Generation Y, and they don't embrace technology."
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Comments
Posted by H.L.Stovall - 2 months, 4 weeks, 2 days, 37 minutes ago
“One group for Morrison & Foerster lawyers asserts, ‘I’m in love with MoFo’.” That would be the Gangsta & Securities Department?
Posted by dunkelweiss - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 23 hours, 52 minutes ago
Yo yo yo yo, dat’s da shizz
Posted by datruth - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 15 hours, 45 minutes ago
Listen up folks. A law firm who has a facebook page is a “red herring” that will most likely be used for researching an applicant’s background. Think of if this way. They only way to see someone’s (a potential employee) facebook profile is to be a member. Once you are a member then you can research potential applicant’s own personal facebook pages. Same with Myspace.com and Classmates.com and Reunion.com. In fact, many law firms hire outside background checkers and these expert background checkers have paid accounts to all these websites and do research on a person based on their profiles and may even send personal messages posing as former classmates to get a response, which reflects on a person’s character. Once I learned this I deleted virtually any and all accounts like this from the internet. Also, food for thought, though not applicable here. Police forces have paid accounts to classmates.com and the likes and use these as a tool to locate certain people who have warrants out for their arrest, who are evading authorities, etc.
Posted by Stephen Fairley - 2 months, 4 weeks, 1 day, 13 hours, 41 minutes ago
Actually, more attorneys are using LinkedIn.com another social media website, much more than Facebook.
In fact, Kevin O’Keefe at lexblog.com states that over 98,000 attorneys have joined LinkedIn in the last few months.
I have both a facebook and a LinkedIn profile, but have found LinkedIn is much better (at least at this point) because you can search by profession (think “lawyer) and connect to potential referral sources.
You can check out my LinkedIn profile at:
www.LinkedIn.com/in/StephenFairley
Datruth is correct that many law firms are researching candidates online, but this knowledge gives new attorneys the chance to build credibility with their online profile by ‘managing it’ rather than just leaving it blank.
Stephen Fairley
CEO, The Rainmaker Institute www.TheRainmakerInstitute.com