Does Top 10 Most Innovative Law School in America Get Social Media?
Apr 27th, 2009 | By Rex Gradeless | Category: Facebook, Featured, Law School, Lead Article, Social Media, Twitter, Web 2.0
Those advocating the use of social media in the legal profession may have a bit of an uphill battle when a law school named “top 10 most innovative law school in America” seems to show little knowledge about web 2.0 technologies.
Saint Louis University School of Law took on a Twitter discussion at a recent student government meeting (March 18th). Below are the notes from that meeting. It seems as if the communications department will be using Twitter in the near future. Is it too late?
At least, to their credit, they are discussing the topic!
(Also, to their credit they are working on a new building for the law school estimated between $30 and $35 million dollars…there may be other issues to attend to!)
Let me know what you think. Do they get social media? Does your law school get social media? Place comments below.
Dean Rollins brought up a communication issue for discussion
- The Administration is always trying to figure out what is the best way to get information out to students
- One student has suggested to Dean Rollins that the law school should use Twitter as a rolling update page for students
- Chris Lee: I don’t think it is worth it. Many people find Twitter to be annoying, and the Law News and the Docket are sufficient information hubs for students
- Laura Keck: On the other hand, those who do use Twitter tend to check it very frequently.
- Dean Parvis: We are working on a whole new website for next year, so this is an option that could be turned on or turned off.
- Please let us know in the Communications Office if you have any suggestions outside of Twitter
- Mike Kelley: I don’t think Twitter would have to replace anything. We could use it in conjunction with our other information resources. Additionally, Twitter may be more of a hot fad right now that will fade.
- Dean Parvis: We are considering using Twitter for media relations because reporters are using Twitter currently, and we of course want to encourage them to report on SLU Law.
- So, the school may be trying to Twitter outward to get our information out there into the public eye.
- About 15 law schools are using Twitter currently.
- Luke: I have looked into these Twitter feeds, and about 4 or 5 of those laws schools didn’t seem to be updating their Twitter account regularly. Instead, it seemed like they just wanted to say “we have a Twitter page” to me.
- Donna Tran: Twitter usage is not as widespread as Facebook, which many people religiously check. Could we implement a Facebook page or account instead?
- Dean Parvis: The school administration has had many discussions about Facebook. Since it is a social site, the school doesn’t want to be “institutional” in a social setting; we have a school-sponsored website for those types of communications
UPDATE: Saint Louis University finally signed up for Twitter!*
*Long after over a hundred law schools took the plunge but its a step in the right direction!
@SLULAW has been a member of Twitter since June 23, 2009 and has Tweeted 16 times since then. @SLULAW follows 10 people, tweets from Saint Louis, MO (Time Zone: Central Time (US & Canada))
Bio: “The official Twitter profile of SLU LAW. Maintained by the Office of Communications. Keeping current students, faculty, staff and alumni up-to-date.”
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[...] Social Media Law Student placed an interesting blog post on Does â [...]
My law school gets social media. I guess I should take partial credit for that since I set up Northeastern University School of Law’s Facebook page and LinkedIn group. However, the “with it” administrators at Northeastern Law are taking the first steps I walked them through and are now moving forward and beyond on their own, twittering all the way. Follow them @NUSL
Lisa Kennelly wrote about Northeastern Law on her post on Real Lawyers Have Blogs about “Law students and social networking: perception v. reality.” She looked at whether students at law schools are hip to the new social media technologies. Do they get how to use the sites to brand themselves and build professional networks? My answer to Lisa’s questions were yes, and no. Many law students get the technology (or could figure it out in an hour or so), but aren’t yet convinced why they should get on the sites. http://bit.ly/8N6X
Legal institutions must lead the way, by using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, JD Supra, etc, to build the law school’s alumni network, recruit new students, stay engaged in the lives (and pocketbooks) of current students and alumni/ae, improve law school communication, and help students, graduates and professors navigate the new worlds of legal technologies. I am thrilled that my law school “gets” the new tech, and is rocking out, ahead of the curve. The law students will follow.
Are you a law school interested in building a social networking presence on LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter? Contact me through LinkedIN, or follow me on Twitter @Leoramaccabee.
[Reply]
In all of the talk about law schools and social media, don’t forget law libraries. Many academic and other law libraries already use blogs and Facebook pages to communicate with students, professors, and other users. Before you evaluate your school’s commitment to web 2.0, check your library’s website for a blog (and subscribe to that rss feed) and search Facebook for a page (and become a fan).
Law libraries and law schools will be more comfortable expanding their web 2.0 offerings when they feel that their services are being noticed and utilized.
Finally, if you don’t find a service you think the library should offer, let them know. Your library is part of your law school community too.
[Reply]
admin
Reply:
April 28th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
You are absolutely right. It may also depends on the school itself. Some legal institutions have both the law library and the law school reaching out to communicate. While other legal institutions fall under one communication umbrella. I can assure you Saint Louis University School of Law Library, mentioned above, does not have a Facebook, Twitter, social media or other Web 2.0 account/ technology. Their website is a tree branch off of the main law school website.
You are absolutely correct in pointing out some legal institutions operate their Web 2.0 operations for the law school and law library independently. Thank you!
[Reply]
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