Buchanan's Recent Social Media Efforts Noted in the Media

Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney was recently the subject of a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article reporting on the growing number of law firms "wading into new media to promote their services." The October 18, 2010, article titled, "Web communications and social media in law firms' toolboxes," was reported on the following day, October 19, by an ABA Journal article titled "Buchanan Ingersoll Hires Social Media Consultant." Both articles focused on the firm's recent jump into the world of social media. Additionally, the Associated Press published an article on the topic in the days following, which was picked up by a number of news outlets.

As noted in the Post-Gazette, "Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney recently hired a consultant to train its lawyers on social media tools and established a policy for how to use sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn."

David A. Gurwin, a shareholder and chair of the Technology Transactions Group in Buchanan's Pittsburgh office, explained the firm's rationale in getting involved with social media. "We recognize that these are valuable tools that, when used properly and ethically, can be a good thing for our business."

He went on to explain that the firm's social media policy "is not designed to be heavy-handed but to remind people when they are posting on social networking sites, they are often viewed as representatives of law firms and to keep that in mind."

Buchanan's Director of Communications explained that tools such as Facebook and Twitter will be used to feed news releases, announcements and advisories. She went on to note how such Web-based sites allow the firm to target specific audiences such as those seeking information and legal services about the Marcellus Shale drilling.

Also noted in the article was the firm's recent more "traditional" marketing initiatives, which includes launching an ad campaign that will appear in regional editions of national magazines including Fortune, Money and Entrepreneur, and in some local publications.

"Whether we capture the initial impression via print or over the Web, they're going to redirect to each other," said Gurwin. "Through our print, we'll try to steer people to our online presence … Very few people get all their information exclusively through print or exclusively over the Internet, and some people still get it from television."