Your outlook address book is so 2002: online networking tools more than a fad.

• Author: Batio, Christopher
• Position: Reprint

Recently I received a phone call from an old friend from my book editing days. We hadn't talked in awhile, so after catching up on the personal we got down to business. He said that he was fast approaching a deadline on a new project and needed help. "I'm looking for someone to edit the book I've just finished before I send it off to the publisher," he said. I begged off the job due to my current workload, but I agreed to help find someone else who could assist. Years ago I would have grabbed my Rolodex, but today's first stop was LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com).

My year-old LinkedIn account is networked to more than 3 million people through 195 direct connections. I quickly used this network to find three different editors willing to talk with my friend about his project. He was thrilled, and I am confident he will get the help he needs. That's just one example of the power of online networking. It's also very applicable to the lawyer's life. Instead of sending a desperate "All Attorneys" email, online networking tools can help identify resources faster and with less disruption. In recent years, more and more of them have been popping up to address the challenge of staying connected in the Internet age. For those of us born before 1975 who were expecting online networking tools to burn out or fade away (like our pet rocks), there's something about this trend that may stick. It's actually useful.

How Do They Work?

Online networking sites differ by function and formats.

* LinkedIn is an online network of more than 18 million global professionals. In the company's words, "Your network consists of your connections, your connections' connections and the people they know." It's free to post a profile (think resume on steroids) and you can find colleagues, friends and clients by searching the global network by keyword, name, company, geography or with your Outlook address book as a starter. A paid membership gives more features, such as contacting those outside your network or seeing who has viewed your profile.

* Facebook (www.facebook.com)--one of the most popular social networking sites--is beginning to expand beyond its origins as a campus dating tool into the professional and even the political realm. In Egypt recently, more than 74,000 people used Facebook to try to organize a workers' strike to protest high food and fuel prices. According to a recent article by Michael Arrington on techcrunch.com, "Facebook is quietly making changes to their...