Are your law firm’s leaders using Facebook to engage younger professionals?

Law firm managing partners and other law firm leaders are largely absent from Facebook — at least as a means of connecting and engaging with younger professionals. Younger profesdionals including lawyers and other legal professionals at their firm.

Perhaps not the perfect example, but Cambodian journalist, Bopha Phorn (@bophaphorn) reports that 63-year old Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has taken to Facebook in a big way.

Why? One-third of Cambodians now have Internet access, and most of them are using Facebook. Especially younger people.

Government spokesperson Sok Eysan says Hun Sen’s Facebook account is simply a way to connect directly with the Cambodian people.

He set up electronic communication because he wants to be close to people. He also wants to know from people if they have any problems or concerns living under the leadership of the government, so he could be aware of the problem. Then he could solve the problem.

The prime minister has opened up to the public. Not only to the CPP’s members and supporters, but other people including opposition party supporters. If they have a request or have problems in their lives, they can inform the prime minister, so he could solve their problems.

Ou Virak, president of the Future Forum think tank, told Phorn that Hun Sen realizes that younger people do not even watch TV.

Before, he solely relied on TV. He thought that it would be enough, so he talked on TV for hours. But the 2013 election was a warning sign for him that it is not enough.

So Hun Sen is expanding his social media presence in an effort to engage. In a post last week, he declared that his page would be a “peace Facebook page, which promotes freedom and actions contributing to the development of the society.”

We’re not talking an elected official or television appearances in the case of law firm leaders, but the point’s the same. Younger people are more apt to hear you on Facebook than on traditional means of communication such as emails, intranets and other announcements. You’re connecting and engaging with people, as opposed to broadcasting.

Law firms can be tough places today — for young lawyers, law firm executives and other professionals. Leadership that leads by connecting with people in a real and authentic way can mean a lot to everyone.

A lot of money is spent on marketing, business development and public relations. All good, but why not use a the medium used by more people than any other — Facebook.

Facebook can be an uncomfortable place to start with and I am not comparing managing partners to Hun Sen, but if you’re looking for a channel to connect with young professionals, you could do a lot worse than Facebook.