On January 6th, the BBA's Litigation Section and Privacy Committee will be co-sponsoring Social Networking, Litigation, and Privacy, where attendee's will learn what type of information is available and useful to litigators on social networking sites and how it is of evidentiary value. This event got BBA Week wondering how members of the bar view social media, so we are asking:


"What is the best and/or worst thing about social media? "

If you would like to respond to a future Voices of the Bar, make sure you send a headshot, and contact Eric Fullerton at efullerton@bostonbar.org.

Lisa Wood – Foley Hoag
"Social media is a great way to keep up with family and friends who I do not have the opportunity to see very often. I also think it can be a great tool for learning about a witness, potential client, or opposing counsel. However, I think the use of social media tools by jurors and judges presents real challenges to the way we present evidence at trial. While we can certainly try to stop such conduct, we also need to come up with ways to communicate information that is interactive, to keep our audience engaged."

Michael D'Orsi - Donnelly, Conroy & Gelhaar
"Absolutely the best thing about social media is the Twitter feed I started last week to keep lawyers informed about the trivia behind contemporary Boston legal practice, and occasionally the not-so-trivial as well.  In addition, I am giving away a canned ham to each of my devoted fans."

 

Katie Hluchyj - Committee for Public Counsel Services
"For me, social media is truly social.  I don't use it for anything work-related.  The best thing about social media is that it makes it easier to stay in touch with friends in other time zones.  Sharing photos helps us stay current on each others lives.  The worst thing about social media, I think, is its potential to replace face-to-face communications with less-meaningful Facebook-to-Facebook communications."

Andrew Beckerman-Rodau - Suffolk University Law School
"The best thing about social media is the ability to share information with others. However, the downside is that once data is uploaded onto a social media platform you no longer control what is done with that data nor will you ever be able to delete it."

David B. Wilson - Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP
"Best, is the power and ability to connect and interact with so many people.
Worst, the lack of privacy."

Victoria Fernandez – Attorney at Law
"The best thing about social media is that it allows you to keep in touch with friends and colleagues. The worst thing about it is that sometimes people divulge information that maybe best kept off-line."