The PR Lawyer

U.S. Soldiers Die in Iraq of Suspicious Electrocution - Wife Wants Answers

2009-12-23T14:30:00.001-05:00

I published an article on Huffington Post today about soldiers and civilians dying in Iraq of suspicious electrocutions. Please help spread the word about this article to everyone you see fit. Post it on Facebook, LinkedIn and Plaxo, Tweet it, Digg it, Bing it, Share it, Buzz it, etc. Help the world to know Adam and Janine’s story so we can help Adam’s family get answers and prevent these avoidable deaths from happening in the future.

U.S. Soldiers Die in Iraq of Suspicious Electrocution - Wife of Adam Hermanson Wants Answers

Gina Furia Rubel is a citizen journalist, attorney and publicist, a.k.a. The PR Lawyer
Posted: December 23, 2009 01:22 PM
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Social networking: Client, Facebook friend - or both?

2009-12-23T09:51:00.001-05:00

In the Lawyers USA article, Social networking: Client, Facebook friend - or both?, Sylvia Hsieh, addresses the issues surrounding lawyers “friending” clients on Facebook. Hsieh provides prospective from Richard Vetstein, a real estate lawyer in Framingham, Mass., Traci Capistrant, a family law attorney at Capistrant & Wong in Minneapolis, Minn., David Barrett, a practicing litigator in Boston who also coaches lawyers on using social media, and me -- Gina Rubel, a former trial attorney and owner of Furia Rubel Communications.

I encourage you to read the article and pass it along to colleagues. One of the points made is that Facebook users should NOT have two profiles (one for personal use and one for professional use) under the Facebook terms of use. Many professionals have created more than one profile, but it is not necessary with the new privacy settings provided by Facebook.

Social media should play an important role in your public relations, reputation management, legal marketing and business development – but it does have to be managed and handled wisely.

Happy friending….

7 Ways Lawyers Can Capitalize on Media Coverage

2009-12-21T11:23:00.001-05:00

Check out my latest post on The Legal Intelligencer Blog regarding 7 Ways Lawyers can Capitalize on Media Coverage. A must read for all legal marketers and attorneys alike. http://htxt.it/rnTi

Google’s Wave of the Future

2009-12-16T16:56:00.001-05:00

Posted by Katie Noonan

Google made waves last May when the company announced the launch of Google Wave a revolutionary new personal communication and collaboration tool that combines e-mail, instant messaging, wikis and even social networking. Google initially released the platform to developers and in September they extended a preview of Google Wave to 100,000 of its users (a Google account was all that was needed to receive an invite). Those users were each given 25 invites that they could then share with friends and colleagues.

According to Google, “Wave is equal parts conversation and document. People can communicate and work together with richly formatted text, photos, videos, maps, and more. Any participant can reply anywhere in the message, edit the content and add participants at any point in the process. Then playback lets anyone rewind the wave to see who said what and when.” What’s more, Google Wave occurs in real-time so participants can conduct conversations and make edits live.

If Google Wave takes off, it has the potential to be a great public relations tool. Multiple members of a firm can draft a press release or publicity plan in one Wave, communicate with clients, or record action items from a meeting. The opportunities that Google Wave could create are limitless.

Currently reviews from users suggest that Google Wave has a few bugs to work out, but that it is a streamlined, easy to use platform with potential. Google hasn’t announced when they will release Wave to the general public, but those interested in learning more about it can watch Google’s Dr. Wave intro here.

Law Firm Keeps Its Roots In Parsippany, N.J.

2009-12-16T14:59:00.003-05:00

Here is more fantastic law firm news to share with our readers. Colleagues and clients of ours, the attorneys at Fein, Such, Kahn & Shepard, P.C., recently committed to an 11 year lease with S.K. Realty – remaining in their current Parsippany, New Jersey headquarters.

In the last few years the law firm has grown from 130 employees to over 252 and the need for more space is essential. During the course of 2009, the law firm toured numerous office spaces in Parsippany and its neighboring communities while also considering architects’ proposals to renovate the present space to accommodate the firm’s continued growth.

According to the firm’s managing shareholder, James E. Shepard, “A key factor in our decision to renew the lease was to maintain a law office that was convenient for our clients and employees to commute to.” He said, “We also need to provide more space, more appealing surroundings, and additional amenities for the convenience of our staff and clients.”

In order to meet their objectives, the firm has hired architect Chris Albretch who will handle extensive renovations. The renovations are expected to be completed during the summer of 2010.

More about Fein, Such, Kahn & Shepard, PC: The firm is located at 7 Century Drive, Suite 201, Parsippany, New Jersey. The firm is general practice law firm serving clients in New Jersey and New York. For more than 25 years the law firm has offered innovative solutions to business and individuals in the areas of business planning, civil litigation, creditor representation in the areas of foreclosure, bankruptcy and collections, elder law, family law, personal injury, tax, and trusts and estates. For more information, go to www.feinsuch.com.

U.S. Army Leading the Way in Social Media

2009-12-16T10:31:00.002-05:00

Posted by Amanda Walsh

In past blog posts, I’ve written about the great strides the United States Army has taken to include social media in its public relations outreach. The Army continues to be a thought leader in blogging and social media despite its conservative reputation.

According to a Ragan.com article by Arik C. Hanson called, “Social media lessons from an unlikely source: the Army,” the military branch has 61 bloggers on board writing about their experiences. Most of the bloggers are soldiers who give firsthand insight into their daily lives. The Army has encouraged them to write about the good as well as the bad.

Blogging and other online forums connect soldiers with people who can ask questions. Now prospective soldiers can connect with those who are already serving and gain insight into their military lifestyle. Social media has become a valuable networking and outreach tool for recruiters who in the past only had the opportunity to meet with prospects face to face in a recruiting center. Now through the ease of the Internet, connections are being made. According to Hanson’s article, some of the Army’s projects include the GoArmy.com Web site, Ask a Soldier forum, blog posts from real soldiers and videos on YouTube.

Some helpful points to take away from the Army’s hard work:

1. Power in Numbers.
The various authors and points of view that are being accounted for on the Army’s blog give readers a well-rounded view of experiences that soldiers deal with everyday. Consider featuring various writers on a company blog to show different perspectives. Also, responsibility for writing will not just fall on one employee. The PR Lawyer, for example, features many of Furia Rubel’s employees from different backgrounds and experience levels, each with their own perspective.

2. “Humanize” the story.
Yes, the main purpose of the Army is to support and protect the United States of America, but its bloggers are not writing about just that part of the job. The human stories of homecomings and community functions also keep readers interested and engaged.

The same is true for your company blogs. By only focusing on the company products and services, readers can quickly become disinterested. Instead, spotlight how your organization will work to better the lives of your clients.

3. Visuals, visuals, visuals!
The Army has many impressive photos that facilitate telling their stories. Often times a photo or video can say much more than a blog post or piece of writing could ever do. Hanson notes, “the Army’s blog uses photos liberally to tell the Army story you may not always hear—time with families, community involvement and life on the road.”

For your corporate blog or Web site remember the appeal of a good photo or an interesting news clip. Make use of multimedia and Web sites such as Picasa and YouTube. They can be invaluable tools to tell the story of your company.

To sum up, I think it is interesting how the Army has embraced social media to help bring soldiers closer to their families, share information, answer questions and dispel myths. I have many friends in the Army who are deployed in Afghanistan right now and we manage to keep in touch through Facebook despite the great distance between us.

Congrats On Your Board Appointments

2009-12-14T12:46:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to two of our clients and colleagues, Sheila Jacobs and Rhonda Hill Wilson, Esq., who have been appointed to Philadelphia-area boards!

Sheila Jacobs, Certified Financial Planner™, a personal finance expert and CEO of Life & Money Consulting of Bucks County, Pa., has been appointed treasurer of Urban Promise in Camden, N.J. As the treasurer of the non-profit organization, she chairs the board’s finance committee. Urban Promise helps to equips Camden’s children and young adults with the skills they need to succeed in Camden and beyond. To learn more, visit www.urbanpromiseusa.org.

Rhonda Hill Wilson, Philadelphia personal injury and nursing home negligence attorney, was recently appointed to serve on the governing board of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA). The 11-member board of regional business leaders is appointed by the Governor, the state legislature, the Mayor of Philadelphia, and the large counties surrounding the Port. To learn more, visit www.philaport.com.

More Retailers Look to Social Media for Holiday Marketing Than Ever Before

2009-12-10T14:22:00.004-05:00

Posted by Katie Noonan

According to a recent article from Advertising Age, the 2009 holiday season has led more retailers than ever before to use social media in their marketing campaigns. In fact, more than half of retailers surveyed in a study conducted by BDO Seidman said they would use social media networks to market their products this season up from less than five percent in 2007. Of the retailers utilizing social media networks, 76% reported that they are using Facebook, 50% are using Twitter, 14% are using MySpace and 14% are using YouTube.

It’s not hard to see why retailers are looking to social media this year. In a comScore weekly holiday survey conducted December 4-7, 2009, twenty-eight percent of those who had started their holiday shopping reported that social media influenced their purchases. Thirteen percent of those surveyed reported that consumer product reviews (either positive or negative) most influenced their purchases, while 11% said that expert reviews of products influenced their decision. Interestingly, 7% of respondents said that they had followed a Facebook fan page to benefit from promotional offers or deals from retailers, and 6% said they were influenced by a Facebook friend’s status update that referred to a particular product.

With retailers looking to get the most bang for their advertising bucks this holiday season, social media campaigns can be an inexpensive and effective way to reach target audiences. In order to be successful though, retail social media campaigns need to be creative, offer some sort of incentive to join (after all, what shopper doesn’t love a holiday coupon or discount?), and responsive to consumers. For those looking for an example of brands with effective holiday social media campaigns, check out Best Buy’s and H&M’s Facebook pages.

Changes Coming to Facebook

2009-12-05T08:05:00.000-05:00

An Open Letter from Facebook Founder Mark Zuckerberg

by Mark Zuckerberg Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 9:23pm

It has been a great year for making the world more open and connected. Thanks to your help, more than 350 million people around the world are using Facebook to share their lives online.To make this possible, we have focused on giving you the tools you need to share and control your information. Starting with the very first version of Facebook five years ago, we've built tools that help you control what you share with which individuals and groups of people. Our work to improve privacy continues today.Facebook's current privacy model revolves around "networks" — communities for your school, your company or your region. This worked well when Facebook was mostly used by students, since it made sense that a student might want to share content with their fellow students.Over time people also asked us to add networks for companies and regions as well. Today we even have networks for some entire countries, like India and China.However, as Facebook has grown, some of these regional networks now have millions of members and we've concluded that this is no longer the best way for you to control your privacy. Almost 50 percent of all Facebook users are members of regional networks, so this is an important issue for us. If we can build a better system, then more than 100 million people will have even more control of their information.The plan we've come up with is to remove regional networks completely and create a simpler model for privacy control where you can set content to be available to only your friends, friends of your friends, or everyone.We're adding something that many of you have asked for — the ability to control who sees each individual piece of content you create or upload. In addition, we'll also be fulfilling a request made by many of you to make the privacy settings page simpler by combining some settings. If you want to read more about this, we began discussing this plan back in July.Since this update will remove regional networks and create some new settings, in the next couple of weeks we'll ask you to review and update your privacy settings. You'll see a message that will explain the changes and take you to a page where you can update your settings. When you're finished, we'll show you a confirmation page so you can make sure you chose the right settings for you. As always, once you're done you'll still be able to change your settings whenever you want.We've worked hard to build controls that we think will be better for you, but we also understand that everyone's needs are different. We'll suggest settings for you based on your current level of privacy, but the best way for you to find the right settings is to read through all your options and customize them for yourself. I encourage you to do this and consider who you're sharing with online.Thanks for being a part of making Facebook what it is today, and for helping to make the world more open and connected.Mark Zuckerberg

Qualities of Successful Women Part III

2009-11-28T07:33:00.001-05:00

Judge Diane Welsh Details Qualities That Distinguish Successful Women—Part III #law #lawyers (The Legal Intelligencer) http://htxt.it/nWIY

Philadelphia-Area December Events for Lawyers, Judges, Accountants and Business Owners

2009-11-25T11:00:00.003-05:00

Here are a few of the things happening in the Philadelphia region next month that are sure to have great attendance. These are all fabulous events for networking, business development, and relationship development. We hope to see you there.

The Philadelphia Bar Association will host “A Year in Review: Big Cases - What Was Hot, What Was Not. -- It's Your Call with Lynn Doyle” on December 1, 2009. This event is sponsored by the Bar-News Media Committee, which is chaired by The PR Lawyer (a.k.a. @ginarubel on Twitter) Gina Rubel. Emmy-award winning journalist Lynn Doyle, will lead a discussion with Bar Chancellor Sayde Ladov, Tariq El-Shabazz, Rhonda Hill Wilson and Chuck A. Peruto, Jr. from 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm at the Bar Association. To register, go to http://www.philadelphiabar.org/.

Also on December 1, 2009, is the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Awards Banquet to be held from 5:15 pm - 8:15 pm at the Sheraton City Center Hotel 17 & Race Streets, Philadelphia. To register, go to http://philadelphia.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/.

Banker’s Shootout™ − Kimberle Levin and The Philadelphia 100 Alumni Association bring us The Banker’s Shootout™ which will take place on December 4 from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM at the Philadelphia Country Club, 1601 Spring Mill Road, Gladwyne, PA. Five of the Philadelphia region’s bank CEOs will come together and answer questions about bank financing for businesses. Furia Rubel will be at this exclusive event on December 4, 2009 from 7:00 am to 10:00 am. Speakers include: Bill Aichele, Chairman, President & CEO of Univest Corporation, Gerry Cuddy, President & CEO of Beneficial Bank, Ted Peters, Chairman & CEO of Bryn Mawr Trust, Tom Petro, President & CEO of Fox Chase Bank, Walt Tillman, Chairman & CEO of Vantage Point Bank, Pamela Strisofsky, Managing Director & CFO of TL Ventures, Moderator. Register at http://www.bankersshootout.eventbrite.com/.

The Justinian Society of Philadelphia, made up of Italian-American attorneys, judges and law students, will host their annual Christmas party on December 15, 2009 from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at The Grand Ballroom at The Ben Franklin, 9th & Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia. This is a fantastic event drawing several hundred attendees every year. To register, go to http://www.justinian.org/events.php?action=view&id=132.

On Facebook? Help Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts

2009-11-22T08:43:00.001-05:00

Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts (PMC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that everyone has access to fair and impartial judges and juries in Pennsylvania. Public confidence in our state’s courts is distressingly low, in large part because of the perception that money and special interests erode judicial independence. By working to change the judicial selection process, improve the jury system and court administration, and combat bias in the courts, PMC is fighting to make sure that our goal is not just an aspiration, but a reality for all Pennsylvanians.

We have the opportunity to help PMC win a significant grant through the Chase Community Giving challenge on Facebook. Facebook users who participate in the challenge by becoming fans of the Chase Community Giving site get to vote for small nonprofits they believe are worthy of philanthropic support. The top 100 vote getters will receive $25,000 grants and the opportunity to earn more through a second round of voting. First-round voting continues until December 11.

This is a great opportunity for PMC. Please join me in voting for Pennsylvanians for Modern Courts. Check out http://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/charities/781338

Judge Diane Welsh Details Qualities That Distinguish Successful Women—Part II

2009-11-18T08:02:00.001-05:00

Judge Diane Welsh Details Qualities That Distinguish Successful Women—Part II #law #lawyers (The Legal Intelligencer) http://htxt.it/4oP6

Employee Use of Facebook and Twitter, Social Media for Lawyers

2009-11-11T08:20:00.006-05:00

What Have You Done About Employee Use of Facebook and Twitter? asks Eric B. Meyer in his Legal Intelligencer Blog. This is a must read article for all employers and employment lawyers.

I had the opportunity to meet Eric yesterday at a Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) CLE: “Facebook, Twitter & Blogging…Oh MySpace!” The six-credit CLE was offered simultaneously in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. I presented the introduction to Social Media and then discuss the ethics of social media, public relations and marketing with Kim Jessum, Esq., (@kimjessum on Twitter) an intellectual property attorney with Stradley Ronon and Kelly Phillips Erb, Esq. (@taxgirl on Twitter) who is a tech-savvy tax attorney in Philadelphia.

Eric Meyer (@Eric_B_Meyer on Twitter) is a member of the Labor and Employment Group at Dilworth Paxson LLP. In an one-on-one conversation, he and I shared thoughts about the implications of social media in the workplace. In fact, he writes social media policies for clients -- which -- judging by the informal survey of raised hands yesterday of more than 150 attendees, most law firms are in desperate need of implementing.

When I arrived, I met Melissa Sachs, Esq., who immediately set up a hashtag on Twitter: #pbism - so some of us were reporting and sharing information and thoughts with an even larger audience. If you are not yet on Twitter and just want to see how a hashtag is used and some of the valuable information that came out of the session, go to http://search.twitter.com/ and type in #pbism (even folks from PBI were tweeting).

There were many excellent tips shared by the Philadelphia program participants some of which included Nicole D. Galli, Esq. and Peter Wakiyama, Esq. from Pepper Hamilton LLP, Stephanie "Tess" Blair, Esq., from Morgan Lewis, J. Christopher Erb, Esq., from the Erb Law Firm , PC, Abbe Fletman, Esq., from Flaster Greenberg, Harold Goldner, Esq., (@humanracehorses on Twitter) an employment attorney who blogs at www.humanracehorses.com and Alexander Plache, Esq. who is Sr. Intellectual Property Counsel with Saint-Gobain Corporation.

From what I heard yesterday, PBI's goal is to offer an encore presentation in a few months so if you couldn't make it yesterday, there will be another opportunity.

Philadelphia-Area CLE Programs to Check Out

2009-11-10T14:43:00.003-05:00

Here are just a few great CLE programs happening in the Philadelphia-area between now and the end of the year. If you are looking to fulfill some CLE credits, feel free to check out the following events:

• The Pennsylvania Association for Justice will host a continuing legal education seminar on Nov. 20, 2009. The program, “Insurance Bad Faith Litigation” is slated for 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Top of the Tower on Arch Street in Philadelphia. Attorney Mark W. Tanner of the Philadelphia personal injury law firm Feldman, Shepherd, Wohlgelernter, Tanner, Weinstock & Dodig will serve as a faculty member. Those attending the CLE will receive four substantive CLE credits. Visit www.pajustice.org to learn more about the event.

• The Pennsylvania Bar Institute will host a continuing legal education event titled, “Practical Aspects of Personal Injury Depositions” on December 8, 2009. Attorney John M. Dodig of Feldman Shepherd will serve as faculty for the event. Course participants will learn new techniques and best practices from Dodig and others to test and improve their deposition skills. The event will take place at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) Conference Center in the Wanamaker Building, Suite 1010, in Philadelphia from 12:45pm – 5pm. Go to www.pbi.org for more information.

• The Pennsylvania Bar Institute will offer a six-credit CLE, “Trial of a Medical Malpractice Case” on December 9, 2009. Feldman, Shepherd, Wohlgelernter, Tanner, Weinstock & Dodig attorney’s Carol Nelson Shepherd and Evan Y. Liu, M.D., J.D. will participate in the event as educators. The course will be held at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute (PBI) Conference Center, on 10th Floor of the Wanamaker Building, Suite 1010, in Philadelphia from 9am – 4:45pm.

• Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association (PTLA) will host a continuing legal education seminar titled, “Ethics: Doing the Right Thing” on December 16, 2009. The program, which will be held at the Radisson Plaza – Warwick Hotel in Philadelphia from 12:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m., is part of PTLA’s Anniversary Luncheon Lecture Series. The lecture series celebrates 50 years of PTLA legal education. Attorney Mark W. Tanner of Feldman Shepherd will serve as a faculty member. Go to www.philatla.org/PHL to learn more.

Google Users Now Able to View Stored Data in One Place

2009-11-10T13:25:00.002-05:00

Posted by Amanda Walsh

After being here in Spain for nearly two months, it has been quite a change from my experiences last year. I want to update our PR Lawyer blog readers on some interesting happenings here in Spain.

Today, I read a post written by Miguel Helft on the Technology blog titled, “Bits” on NYTimes.com about a European privacy conference that was held last week in Spain. I found the post to be very interesting as it talks about a new service from Google, Google Dashboard. This new service brings together privacy information that Google holds for each user and puts it into one space.

User information was available before the release of Dashboard, but now Dashboard brings all of the information together in one easy-to-use place. Dashboard only holds information about services that require a log-in from users. For example, Google’s free email service, Gmail, account users can view the number of conversations in their inbox and see archived conversations. According to Shuman Ghosemajumder, business product manager for trust and safety for Google, he notes that this service brings “more transparency and control” to its users.

Some praise the new service, siting it as a large step for Google, who may be following in the footsteps of Facebook in an effort to be more transparent with user information.

Others are not so convinced of the benefits of Dashboard. John Simpson, of Consumer Watchdog, a frequent critic of Google said, “Dashboard gives users the appearance of control over privacy, but does not really prevent Google from tracking users across the Web.”

I viewed my personal www.Google.com/dashboard account just a few minutes ago and I thought it was pretty neat to see all my accounts in one spot. However, I can understand the security risks this does present. If a hacker were to get their hands on someone’s account password they would automatically have access to their YouTube, their Picasa and Google Reader account information as well.

Let me explain a little about YouTube, Picasa and Google Reader. According to the Web site, “Picasa is free photo editing software from Google that makes your pictures look great.” You can post photos and share them with friends and family through the site. Another well-known Google subsidiary is YouTube. YouTube allows users to post and view videos for free. It’s a helpful video resource for just about anything from watching music videos to viewing how-to guides. Google Reader “is a tool for gathering, reading, and sharing all the interesting blogs and Web sites you read on the Web,” according to the Google.com/reader page. After you sign up, you are able to subscribe to an RSS feed or “Really Simple Syndication” feed on your favorite blogs. These feeds are the way Web sites and blogs are able to issue new content. The updated posts are sent to your Google Reader where they are kept all together in one space. Sometimes sites like this are called aggregators. It is a convenient and easy place to view all of the most up-to-date posts on your favorite blogs. I prefer the blog aggregator, Bloglines.
All of the services I described above and more will now be accessible by inputting your personal log-in information through Google Dashboard. After reading some comments on the post I can understand why people may be worried or unhappy about the new service.

On the other hand, I believe that anything that you put on the Internet can and will be viewed by others. From a PR standpoint, your public image shared on the Internet should always be maintained and presented in the utmost professional light.

I do not see Dashboard as a huge change from any other service Google offers. After all, the same information was available to be viewed online before and now the only difference is that it is all kept in one place for users. What are some of your opinions about this new service from Google?

Facebook, Twitter & Blogging…Oh MySpace! 6-Credit CLE in PA

2009-11-05T06:37:00.001-05:00

The ethics of social media for lawyers and judges is a hot topic and continues to evolve. On November 10, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute will host, “Facebook, Twitter & Blogging…Oh MySpace!” The six-credit CLE is being offered in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Gina Rubel will set the stage with an introduction to Social Media and will discuss social media marketing with Kim Jessum, Esq., and Kelly Phillips Erb, Esq. To register, visit www.pbi.org.

Free Legal Clinic for Small Businesses in Philly

2009-11-04T19:31:00.001-05:00

Philadelphia VIP Sponsors Free Legal Clinic for Small Businesses Provided by Volunteer Corporate Counsel: http://htxt.it/b96b

20 Must-Read Articles on Social Media Ethics for Lawyers and Judges - The Legal Intelligencer Blog

2009-11-03T11:30:00.003-05:00

In my latest post for The Legal Intelligencer Blog, I share 20 Must-Read Articles on Social Media Ethics for Lawyers and Judges. I encourage reading all of them. They are well worth the time. http://thelegalintelligencer.typepad.com/tli/2009/11/20-mustread-articles-on-social-media-ethics-for-lawyers-and-judges.html

The articles come from the ABA Journal, Staten Island Live, The Wall Street Journal, LLRX.com, Lexology.com, MediaPost News, New York Law Journal, Phoenix Business Journal, New York Times, Lawprofessors.com, New Jersey Law Journal, ISBA.org, Robert J. Ambrogi Legal Blog Watch, MSNBC, Lawyerist.com, Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania – Attorney Newsletter, and Law.com.

I added #21 as a comment after speaking with Kelly Phillips Erb (a.k.a. Tax Girl http://www.taxgirl.com)/ Want to Update Your Avvo Listing? If So, Start Policing Client Comments, Opinion Says by Debra Cassens Weiss.

Please let us know if you know of any articles that should be added to the list.

Cooking Up Justice: Philly Lawyers Share Their Favorite Recipes

2009-11-02T10:24:00.002-05:00

Carol Nelson Shepherd of the Philadelphia personal injury law firm, Feldman Shepherd, is not only a great attorney - but she's a winner in The Legal Intelligencer's Cooking Up Justice Best Chef's Competition. For the slideshow, go to http://www.palegalpubs.com/coj2009/

Overused Business Clichés Need to Go

2009-10-29T08:42:00.004-05:00

Posted by Leah Rice

In the recent issue of Philly Ad Club’s Ad News, Jack Paolin wrote an article titled, “Cliches: They’re all around us” and I thought we could all benefit from a little refresher on the cliché terms that are used way too often.

Paolin originally got the idea to write this article based on a September 2009 column by The Philadelphia Inquirer columnist, Mike Armstrong, who criticized the use of business clichés. Here are some of the cliché terms that Paolin brought to light in his article:

win-win situation
thinking outside of the box
best practices
at the end of the day
going forward
Web 2.0
low hanging fruit
giving 100%
hitting the ground running
raising the bar

Paolin said that, “The Encyclopedia of Business Clichés points out that the worst offenders use them to hide. ‘By obfuscating, lying, confusing or just planning avoiding the issue, business people can avoid communicating.’”

The real reason behind these cliché terms is that they help business people succinctly describe a concept. Paolin wrote that The Encyclopedia of Business Clichés states that clichés “are actually quite useful, because they give you precise words to describe things that would be difficult to communicate otherwise.” I agree that these terms often sum up business topics, ideas and efforts so easily and just tend to roll off the tongue nicely.

Are you an offender? I cannot say that I have not been a cliché delinquent in my day, but let’s all work to be more original and to get to the point with our everyday business language. Going forward… I mean… In the future, I am going to make a consorted effort to avoid the use of these terms in my everyday business verbiage and I propose that you do as well.

When Twitter Silence is Golden - From The Legal Intelligencer Blog

2009-10-21T08:13:00.003-05:00

Gina Rubel recently posted a great article titled, "When Twitter Silence is Golden" on The Legal Intelligencer Blog. To read the article, click here.

How Corporations Succeed with Social Media

2009-10-14T07:59:00.003-05:00

Posted by Leah Rice

Amy Mengel of SocialMediaToday.com covered the October Inbound Marketing Summit led by social media gurus Chris Brogan and Justin Levy. During the summit Mengel picked up five key reasons why corporations are struggling with their social media efforts. But instead of focusing on negative examples of companies doing it wrong – Mengel highlighted a few of the companies that just get it. Below see the tips she mentions in her article titled, “Five reasons corporations are failing at social media.”

1. They can’t talk about anything broader than their own products. Mengel highlighted Kodak’s photography blog that Chief Blogger Jenny Cisney mentioned during the summit. Cisney spoke about how the Kodak blog is about photography and creativity in general, not about Kodak cameras. And I couldn’t agree more with Mengel when she says, “If a company is only talking online about its specific products and not looking for ways to connect to the bigger picture, it’s pretty difficult for people to be engaged.”

2. They listen to customers but don’t take any action. Corporations that are willing and able to make the plunge into the social media realm and ask for customer feedback need to be ready for public responses and to do something about it. Afterall what is the point of asking for someone’s opinion if you really don’t want to hear it.

Mengel uses an example involving Southwest Airlines. In her article she shares that, “Paula Berg from Southwest Airlines discussed how a simple blog post stating the airline was considering assigned seating amassed tons of customer comments showing a lack of support for the idea. This feedback changed the direction of their internal debate and led to a new boarding procedure that maintained the open seating arrangement.”

3. They aren’t calibrated internally with the technology. According to Mengel, a few of the summit speakers rebuked corporate Web sites for being glorified online brochures and that customers expect interaction. Similar to what Furia Rubel preaches to our clients and colleagues, summit speakers pushed the fact that content creation is key to social media success and every company should have a Web site with a content management system that allows for quick, easy content creation.

4. They’re not framing risk accurately. She also mentioned how, “NBC cameraman Jim Long said that often a company’s entry into social media is a clumsy, shotgun blast and that there’s an equal chance of looking foolish by having a ham-fisted marketing department launch a social media presence as there is if a rogue employee ‘goes off’ on Twitter. The risk of social media is not abated by not participating and social media has yet to be the undoing of any company.”

5. Their internal culture isn’t aligned for social media success. Zappos and Southwest Airlines were cited by Mengel as some of the corporations doing it right with a great social media corporate culture. Because these companies have corporate cultures reflective of their core customer service missions, they succeed with building trust and advocacy for their brand through social media outlets.

So here it is – participating in social media is not a life or death choice for corporations. Have a plan; be honest, trustworthy and transparent with your social media efforts; provide interaction with your customers; and be ready to do something about the feedback that you receive.

Thank you, Amy, for providing us with these easy-to-follow tips on bettering all of our corporate social media efforts.

Gina Rubel Seeks Twitter Followers - PR & Marketing

2009-10-13T12:34:00.001-05:00

On Twitter @GinaRubel needs 225 followers to be able to follow >2000. If you're interested in PR & marketing - please follow and RT (TX!)

Furia Rubel PR eNewsletter

2009-10-12T17:29:00.002-05:00

We finished our 2nd PR e-newsletter to be issued in the early AM (10/13). Want to sign up? Go to http://www.furiarubel.com/newsletter.php