Allen & Overy’s (A&O’s) slightly fumbling recent attempts to deal with the Facebook phenomenon may have given rivals a good opportunity for a laugh at the City giant’s expense. But the reality is that most of A&O’s rivals are trying themselves to figure out whether online social networking and related techniques like blogging are key communication tools or a dangerous threat and distraction to be contained at all costs.
To the up-and-coming generation of lawyers, these non-traditional methods are part and parcel of everyday life, although law firms have often been slow to get in on the act.
Firms to have attempted such initiatives include Simmons & Simmons, which has a series of partner blogs on its site on the latest legal updates, and CMS Cameron McKenna, which has an associated website tackling similar issues. Addleshaw Goddard has podcasts available to download on its homepage and Clifford Chance (CC) uses ‘e-learning’ schemes and electronic legal updates for both its lawyers and clients.
However, firms have yet to transfer these ideas to networking sites, a move that, according to CC people partner Laura King, currently looks unlikely.
King explains: “We may be at the tip of the iceberg in terms of the ongoing development of these applications. But given the present unendorsed and unrestricted nature of public sites like Facebook, it may be difficult to separate fact from fiction on any particular blog or wiki.”
One visitor to legalweek.com also highlighted how Facebook can cause a distraction from work, writing: “I wish my firm would ban the site! I have found that it is highly addictive and my productivity has been affected since I joined.”
Does such a site have any role to play in modern law firms? Perhaps, according to some managing partners who are keen to point out that emails, video-sharing sites such as YouTube and networking sites all have a role to play in relaxing their staff and encouraging networking.
Lovells London managing partner Ruth Grant says: “It is an easy way to communicate. As young lawyers go up through the ranks the friends they have kept in contact with may become clients.”
Lovells’ belief that computers can help lawyers relax has even encouraged the firm to acquire 10 handheld Nintendo game consoles loaded with ‘brain-training’ games such as Sudoku Master and Tetris.
Camerons managing partner Dick Tyler comments: “The profession is time-poor, working long hours. Who is to say that you cannot use the firm’s IT system to run your life and speak to your friends? Banning these things is not the answer — you have to treat people like grown-ups.”
A&O managing partner David Morley adds: “We encourage our people to engage in this new world — we only ask that they act responsibly. Our temporary suspension of access to Facebook arose purely because of technical concerns, which we do not expect to arise in the future.”
In fact, law firms are happier for employees to use networking sites or personal email at work than many other organisations. Banks and financial institutions, which do not have an overarching code of conduct such as that put out by the Law Society, generally have far more restrictive policies when it comes to company IT systems.
And with A&O’s Facebook membership expanding rapidly, this shows no sign of slowing down. Partners admit it could become huge if clients are seen to be using it.
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