One day, long, long ago in a kingdom far, far away a solitary maid-in-waiting went about her everyday duties – filing briefs, meeting with clients, negotiating license agreements, taking lawyer jokes with a grain of salt (which she then buried in the backyard and grew amazingly tasting tomatoes) – enjoying her work but feeling there was something her clients needed but she couldn’t point it out.
As she passed the pasture on her way to her small cottage in the woods, she noticed a funny looking fellow wearing a funny looking button-a-thingy. It had strange lines and black squares and the fellow kept putting the image on a tree and then took out a shiny black device and pointed it at the image. Bright lights and a whirling noise ensued and the fellow seemed to sigh in contentment. He moved on to the next tree.
Intrigued the maid stopped the fellow and said “Please sir, what are you doing? Don’t you know that marking a tree is defacement and can subject you under the environmental conservation laws of the Kingdom, section 269, having a penalty of 3 years in prison and 100 pieces of coin? I am a lawyer and can defend you if you’d like. My retainer is reasonable and we can always work something out.”
Before her eyes the funny fellow turned into the sage wizard, renown throughout the kingdom for his wisdom, as well as his trickery. He often said that it was through tricks that the truth could be revealed without harm and with keeping his head – he learned that from the court jester.
She backed away but her curiosity would not let her turn away. He smiled. “This,” he said pointing the black shiny device towards her, “is the future – it is the way we will communicate, do business, make friends, and meet our prince charming. This is a smart phone, the image is a QR Code and the age of social media is upon us!” With this last said, and with a thunderous roar, he clicked the device on the maid and she fell back as he disappeared.
The maid awoke and ran back to the palace. Racing up the stairs she entered the court and swooped down on her desk. She knew now what her clients needed – with the wizard’s magical spell still enveloping her, she began to write decrees, and pamphlets, and notices. Communication through the air (who owned the air?), communication through long distances (what about treaties and boundaries?), communication to business colleagues, friends, and potential marriage alliances (can you say divorce evidence?).
Oh, this was going to be fun. And she, she had the “gift” to help her clients with all of these questions, and the questions yet to come. She quickly changed the sign above her mantle – no longer was she a maid-in-waiting. She was the attorney who understood “social media” and knew the law. She was “Law2sm”!
OK – so it’s a bit syrupy but admit it, it was fun to read. As Fred Astaire once said, “If you are going to do something, do it right, do it with style, and do it big!”
The real story? One attorney, me (Deborah), came home and was told by her partner about this new marketing thing called a QR Code (Quick Response). Intrigued (I am a very curious person) I researched it a bit and discovered the wonderful, digital world of social media and networking. Through the research I became aware that this was a shift in the way our society was conducting business and communicating with each other. Then I quickly realized what this would mean for law, how it would change the profession and that we, as attorneys, were woefully unprepared. I took on the quest to change that, designed a logo, and launched Law2sm.
But there is much work to be done, as those in the kingdom (society) have embraced the social media phenomenon whole heartedly.
So Law2sm’s first goal is to make citizens of the kingdom aware that legal issues do exist with social media – from privacy to employment termination, from creative theft to identity theft, from corporate espionage to cyber bulling, from reputation control to digital asset management, and everything in between.
Our second goal is to provide resources to help clients reduce risk and liability – we do not say “No – don’t do social media.” We say “Yes, with the right protection and legal strategies.” And Law2sm can guide you.
And our third and final goal is to keep the legal profession at the top of its game with fulfilling client needs – including the physical, the tangible, and the digital.
So join us – we are not just a new company, we are a new movement. Get involved, become engaged, learn and share your knowledge on social media and the law, emerging media and the law, new media and the law – it’s all about digital; it’s all about the law (Oh, and I did I mention mobile? Well maybe that’s another story for another time – or at least a different post!).
Again – join us, “like” us on our Facebook® Fan Page, “tweet” with us on Twitter®, comment on and share our posts and content. And let us know what YOU need to be successful and THRIVE in this new digital world. The movement has begun and we have taken over the kingdom!
