If you’re like many attorneys and firms, you utilize numerous online resources to provide legal information to the public and advertise your services to potential clients. However, while numerous firms and attorneys rely on websites and social media to grow their businesses, some don’t give a second thought to the fact that their online activities could run afoul of the ethical rules. Facebook, Twitter, Quora, AVVO, LinkedIn, law firm websites and other social media platforms all pose significant ethical risks for lawyers who may be inappropriately or even inadvertently advertising to or soliciting clients.
In this course, attorney Ken Matejka points out the ethical issues created by your online content and shows you how to fulfill your ethical duties when advertising and offering legal information on your law firm website, social media websites and other online resources like LinkedIn and Yelp. The five main topics that Ken discusses include false & misleading communications, solicitations, required disclaimers, privacy policies and eliciting online reviews. Further issues covered in this course include legal information/legal advice, case results, specialists, guarantees, establishing the attorney-client relationship online, online Q & A websites, contingency fees & costs, ABA Formal Opinion No. 10-457, recommended elements for a valid disclaimer, recommended placement for disclaimers, unencrypted email and the attorney-client privilege and the integrity of the profession.
Ken Matejka, President, LegalPPC, Inc., Internet Services for the Legal Profession Ken Matejka is a California attorney and a former member of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Lawyer Referral and Information Services. For seventeen years, he worked at the Lawyer Referral and Information Service of the Bar Association of San Francisco and in 2006, co-founded LegalPPC, an Internet Services Company dedicated to helping lawyers and lawyer referral services get more clients from Google. Ken has been a regular presenter at events like the ABA’s Annual LRIS Workshop and for attorneys across California on the topic of online visibility and lead generation for the solo practitioner’s law practice. LegalPPC currently provides Internet services to about 20 bar associations and a large number of law firms nationwide.