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LinkedIn Answers generate RSS feed picked up at Google Blog Search

LinkedIn lawyersPicked up in my RSS feed on ‘law firm websites’ from Google Blog Search a LinkedIn Answer responding to an ethics question relating to a law firm website.

The best answer was submitted by a law clerk at a law firm, but could have equally been answered by a lawyer whose expertise is legal ethics. If such an expert was registered at LinkedIn and using it effectively she or he would have received the question and had an opportunity to answer. The answer would be have been catalogued by subject and available to search for all LinkedIn users. Finally the answer would be displayed with the lawyer’s LinkedIn profile.

And most importantly, unlike the all the lame resource sites out there without RSS, a lawyer’s answer would get picked up by anyone with an interest in the subject, whether the recipient was using LinkedIn or not. How? Power users of content, other bloggers and reporters, set up RSS feeds of relevant searches at Google Blog Search or Technorati. Without using LinkedIn, they get your answer.

Just another reason for you as a lawyer to use LinkedIn and LinkedIn Answers as a means of further enhancing your reputation as an authority in your niche and networking with your target audience.

  • http://kmspace.blogspot.com Doug Cornelius

    Kevin -
    I have been answering questions in LinkedIn Answers for awhile, even managing to get best answers in Commercial Real Estate and Property Law.
    I am concerned that answering questions could create an attorney-client relationship. Adding big disclaimer would work, but would make the answer look a mess. I try to craft my answers so that they would not be construed as legal advice and raise the problem of creating a client/attorney relationship.
    You also have to wonder if the LinkedIn designation of expertise raises issues under the varying bar rules of different states. It may also raise some other advertising issues.
    Answering questions in LinkedIn raises a whole lot of other issues than posting to a blog.
    I agree with you that it is a good avenue for attorneys to put themselves out there.
    Doug

  • http://kevin.lexblog.com Kevin

    Good issues raised Doug.
    I’d like to think that lawyers, with a little smarts, can help others without being punished. That’s what it ultimately comes down to.
    I began helping people on the net 11 years ago by answering hundreds, if not thousands, of people’s legal questions on the law message boards on AOL. I then started 4 law listservs where hundreds of lawyers, including myself, answered consumers’ law questions.
    In each case, only general legal info was provided – not specific legal advice. Fine line but it can be drawn. In addition, a disclaimer was given saying something to the effect that only general legal info, not your lawyer, and needed to contact a lawyer in your state to protect your answers.
    On founding Prairielaw.com, we developed 100′s of message boards where thousands of lawyers answered questions. After it’s sale, lawyers.com owned by LexisNexis has sustained these boards.
    Prairielaw also incorporated an ‘ask a lawyer’ into its system – again hundreds, if not thousands, of lawyers participated.
    I am not aware of any cases where lawyer has been subject of ethics grievance for answering questions online like this.
    Is anyone aware of lawyers who have been slapped for such activity?
    Lawyers need to be aware of issues, but not be afraid of their own shadows. Otherwise, we’re going to keep the awful reputation we have.