Cloud crisis: how law firms can use social media during a crisis.

• Author: Klein, Rich

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Throughout the past few years, more law firm leaders have come to understand how social media can help build relationships that could lead to business.

Surely, if you are a member of a firm's communications/legal marketing staff, you know the challenges of convincing partners about the benefits of participating in any form of social media. Some of you are still working on it five years later.

Today, a firm's online reputation really is its reputation. And that's why social media must be employed when a crisis hits. Law firm leaders who are most concerned about their reputations will listen and make it their business to pay attention.

Whether it's a natural disaster like Hurricane Sandy, a malpractice lawsuit, loss of client data, allegations of discrimination or harassment or a negative news story about the culture of the firm, social media can help stop the "bleeding" and can be used to communicate with critical audiences at all stages of a crisis.

Unfortunately, too many firms have limited their entire online presence to a website and a LinkedIn profile, mixed in with a little AVVO and Super Lawyers. And even though one can post content to LinkedIn, it doesn't reach the masses in a crisis.

So what are the basic social media properties firms must set up long before a crisis hits?

* Twitter

* Facebook

* YouTube

Twitter is the place that influencers, like the media, go to first in the most serious crisis situations. While it's logical to post a media statement on your firms' website as a starter, the immediate next step should be to link to that statement from Twitter. Let's say your firm's main office was severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy. You might tweet:

"ABC Law NYC office damaged by #Sandy; attorneys working at home"

You could then attach the link back to your full press statement that resides on your website that might detail how the firm's employees are safe and that critical client data is secured offsite.

That same tweet can be copied and pasted to your law firm's Facebook page. Facebook can also be used to post photos of the firm's people and offices that boost reputation and that set the record straight.

YouTube is also important because it allows a managing partner, for example, to be the face of the firm.

Although many attorneys are camera shy, in the most serious crisis situations, there's a great need for law firm leaders to be "present." You can write words of regret and express condolences but...