A lawsuit brought against an attorney who used TikTok to get clients sparks a debate over the professional use of social media. I’m Amy E. Feldman.
The Legal Intelligencer reported on a lawsuit brought by a Philadelphia law firm against a former associate including allegations over the associate’s use of social media to gain clients. Unlike ads that refer clients to the firm’s website, social media sites are created and maintained by the individual and are often about the individual’s personal life, like what he’s wearing and where he’s eating. According to the lawsuit, the firm claims that the attorney was shamelessly devoting most of his energy to self-promotion to the detriment of the firm.
Now, most companies have basic social media policies but this case highlights the need to create very specific policies on things like client ownership if someone is brought in through a personal social media account, appropriate off duty conduct and how much time during business hours should be devoted to taking pictures of what you’re wearing even if it is supposedly for client development.
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