Law firm Twitter tip: Disclose who does your Tweets

I‘m a big believer that Twitter is not only an information network, but also a relationship builder. Better relationships with existing clients. New relationships with prospective clients.

Having said that, I know that law firms, especially large law firms, want to have a Twitter account in the name of the firm, a blog, or a practice group. I also know in talking with large law firms that such Twitter accounts are getting some traction.

A large Cleveland firm I visited with this fall told me that their niche practice Twitter feed had quite a few followers from mass media and trade media. Not that surprising in that Twitter has become an information network for people looking for news and information in niche areas. Who better to follow than well known large law firm who is sharing the information the firm’s lawyers stay up to speed on?

A good idea though when using a branded Twitter feed (name of blog, practice group, or firm) is to disclose the people who are actually doing the Tweeting. Like or not, Twitter is personal and its nice to know the person behind the curtain on Tweets.

Plus, if people following the feed on Twitter, bloggers or main stream media, want to inquire further of the firm, they have a real live person to respond to. People on social media generally do not respond to a corporate brand.

How do you do this?

I saw a great example this morning from Hughes PR, a respected PR and Ad agency in St. Louis, who retweeted an item I shared on Twitter.

Look at Hughes’ Twitter profile.

Not only is there a description of who Hughes is, with an accompanying link to their website, but the profile also shares who does the Tweeting for Hughes. (Tweets by @clairecg & @ErinKSmith) Erin Smith, an Assistant Public Relations Manager, and Claire Goldfarb, a Public Relations Manager.

Well done guys.

Law firms would do well following Hughe’s lead. You already do it on your news and press release website pages when you provide the contact at the law firm should the media want more info. It’s even more important to do so here in social media where being social is critical.

You can’t get caught up in law firm mindless politics of ‘we can’t give one person the credit’ or over zealous ethics of ‘the person is not a lawyer etc.’ It’s a new day and people are moving on whether your law firm is or not.