Please click the link above for a recording of today's podcast on social media basics for lawyers in which we give an overview of how to use LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to build relationships that lead to business.

My article on crisis communications for law firms that was published this week in the New Jersey Law Journal identifies the three key timelines in a crisis and discusses some actions that law firms can take to protect their reputations.

The article can be downloaded in PDF format on the Articles and Tips page at the www.LawFirmsPR.com website here.

Although many large law firms  won't give up their Blackberrys, the IPhone is ideal for smaller firms that don't have the same issues faced by IT (Information Technology) departments at bigger firms. Of course, if you work at a law firm that mandates Blackberries, you might still use an IPhone for work that doesn't involve client security/confidentiality issues.

Here are my 10 suggested IPhone apps for lawyers:

1) Dial Zero -- When you want to speak with a live person at a major company instead of endless "please continue to hold, your call will be answered in the order that it was received." It really works and I was pleasantly surprised how quickly I reached Time Warner Cable last week.

2) ABA Journal - A fine app from the American Bar Association that has breaking legal news and links to stories appearing in The ABA Journal. Very nice interface. 

3) Google Earth -- Yes, you can have the whole world in your hands. Great travel tool and for satellite closeups of land. Highly recommended for real estate/land use attorneys as well as attorneys who need to research precise locations of auto accidents, construction accidents, etc. 

4) Open Table -- When you need a lunch or dinner reservation on short notice in any major city in the U.S. and overseas. "Search by Neighborhoods" is great tool. A runner-up would be Urban Spoon, which uses GPS to determine your location then displays restaurants in your area. It's quite accurate but not as useful for reservations as Open Table. The link here compares the two.

5) ITranslate - A great application that translates instantly. For example: "Can you please give me directions to the courthouse?" in Spanish: "Podrian darme direcciones a la corte?" (The app even gives you exact spelling of foreign words with accents, something I can't do yet with this blogging program so please forgive the oversight).

6--LinkedIn -- Build your business network, create or join a group, and email those in your network while on the go.

7) Police Radio -- Police scanner that also includes fire departments and EMS for many cities and suburbs around the United States; good one especially for criminal defense and personal injury attorneys -- and those of us who remember Adam-12.

8)TripIt - A user-friendly app for letting people know your itinerary (works closely with sites like LinkedIn and Flight Tracker).

9) CEO Express - Although not an independent application, the app button takes you to the the website of the same name that contains hundreds of links to newspapers, magazines, business/legal information, and productivity tools. There's a section on "Law" with links to FindLaw, Martindale-Hubbell, state/federal codes, and other sections devoted to the SEC and Government Agencies.  

10)Blogging/social media apps - Since there are so many, I bunched them under #10.  If you blog, you might like the apps for WordPress, TypePad and Posterous. There are also so many apps for Twitter use and the new Facebook app has a much improved interface. Note: Facebook is increasingly being used for business and the demographics of Facebook users continues to increase every year.

Finally, If you are trying to get some work done at home and your child is bored, hand them the IPHONE and let them (gently) play with your LightSaber app (very cool) or the Grand Lite, a great-sounding piano keyboard that is also an audio delight for adults, too.  You can also give them a quick introduction to the law by downloading a free copy of the U.S. Constitution application and have them read it.  Then you might give them a break and let them watch some (age-appropriate) video clips on the  YouTube app.

And when you want some entertainment for yourself that's also about the law, check out Weird Laws. It contains a look at funny/strange state and local laws that are reportedly still on the books, such as in Long Beach, CA, where it is "illegal to curse on a mini-golf course. " Or, in Sarah Palin's State of Alaska, "illegal to feed alcoholic beverages to a moose."  In Hartford, Connecticut, it's illegal for a man to kiss his wife on Sunday.

In recent years, many lawyers and law firms have gained a better understanding of how to work with the media to raise their visibility with critical audiences. But the media has changed drastically in the last two years. So here are a few developments worth noting:

1. Old news used to mean yesterday’s newspaper or last night’s broadcast. Today, “old news” can be defined as news that broke on Twitter two hours ago.
2. Newsrooms have been depleted more than ever in this down economy, leaving many print publications with lean staffs. That means that fewer reporters have less time to meet you for breakfast or lunch – or to visit your offices.
3. Many print publications have gone out of business entirely; others have stopped printing with ink and are now “online only.” So there are less traditional media outlets available to consider your news item.
4. While there’s been a decrease in the number of reporters in the print and broadcast media, there’s a huge increase in bloggers, who can sometimes have as much or even more influence with your critical audiences
5. Telling your law firm’s story can still be told with a news release, but today’s news release should include hyperlinks that make it easy for reporters/editors/producers to find more information. This results in better copy since you can now link to a partner’s biography instead of using an entire paragraph on the partner’s background.
6. In the past, most corporate and law firm news was distributed with lots of text and an occasional photo. Today, law firms should also be thinking about creating high quality audio and video for the media, just as many are already doing on their websites to enhance recruitment efforts. Of course, what used to cost thousands of dollars in a production studio can now be done in your office -- but lawyers should rely on experts in media presentation and message development so they come across effectively.
7. Until a few years ago, getting information about a reporter if you were not in the news business could be a challenge. Today, many reporters have Facebook and Twitter pages and profiles on LinkedIn. Many media outlets now are using their websites to better inform readers about their staff. (Note: The New York Times, for example, has a Q&A from key editors who answer questions from the public about how they gather news) and the Times has also added short profiles of their beat reporters.
8. Reporters today are being asked to do more with less. Some who used to have one “beat” now have two or three. Others who years ago wrote one story a day, now must update that one story two, three or four times a day to keep up with the latest developments and get them online quickly. You might say that all reporters today operate like wire service (AP, Reuters, etc.) reporters have always worked. That means deadlines are very tight and not as much time is given for lengthy interviews and extended quotes. Therefore, lawyers need to continually learn to speak in sound bites, particularly on breaking news stories.
9. Reporters are doing most of their research online. So, for example, if they need a land use attorney, they might look to your well-read blog, particularly if you just posted commentary on a key decision they are also writing about.
10. Potential clients, particularly those under 30, get most if not all their news online. That creates great opportunities for lawyers to reach prospects and current clients by spreading their firm’s important news across the digital landscape: LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Digg are great places to start.

It's good to make a public apology when you are a celebrity or politician. This is particularly true when you yank a microphone out of another performer's hand at the MTV Awards, berate a line judge at the U.S. Open or even call the President of the United States a liar during a Joint Session of Congress.

But if the apology is half-baked or insincere, why bother? And why bother making a public apology one day if the next day you visit another media outlet and try to justify the classless behavior that all but wipes out the initial goodwill gesture?

If a celebrity or anyone else concerned with their professional reputation makes a mistake, of course it's critical to make an immediate, heartfelt apology. But the key to restoring reputation is to be consistent in all subsequent apologies, unlike some of what we've seen lately.

And the words must be backed up by a series of sincere and consistent actions that show humility and goodwill. That's more important than ever in the instant news cycles driven by the Twitters and Facebooks of the world. 

Most of us judge mistakes in the context of past behavior and how much the offense offends us. For example, Serena Williams has enjoyed a pretty solid reputation for many years on the tennis circuit. But her outburst literally in the face of the much smaller line judge  --who probably makes in a year what Serena makes in a minute --could have a long term impact on the Serena brand because the video makes her look like a bully and the judge looked scared for her safety.

Despite a rebuke by Congress, Joe Wilson is getting a pass in some circles because his comments allowed Republicans and their supporters to score political points against the Obama Administration on the most important issue of the day: healthcare.  Wilson may be popular now but I believe he can never run for higher office as long as their is video of him saying, "You Lie."  Just look at what happened to Howard Dean whose Presidential campaign ended abruptly in 2004 when video showed him in a wild scream of joy in Iowa. He didn't offend anyone in particular except that he didn't look Presidential: game over.

Kanye West seems to have a track record of offending others in the music business. But fiery talk has long been part of rap music's culture, so it will be interesting to see if he can bounce back from his insult of Taylor Swift. It was reported tonight that he apologized to Ms. Swift in a phone call and that she accepted. That's a start. 

Sorry isn't always the hardest word but the actions that follow the apology sometimes are. 

In short, you need to do BOTH to protect or rebuild your professional reputation, whether you are a celebrity or anyone who holds a leadership position today.

Most law firms are diligent about identifying conflicts when deciding on client representation. But when law firms have the opportunity to attract a high-powered, highly visible former government leader -- as DLA Piper did some six years ago -- they can sometimes overlook potential problems/conflicts that can harm the firm's reputation. 

Lawyers have always been involved in and at the forefront of politics . However, in the Internet age, it's much more difficult for attorneys to keep outside political/grassroots lobbying activities separate. The media's easy access to online databases (such as detailed information about individual political contributions) and other websites makes the task of keeping things quiet and separate even harder. 

Many attorneys also hold important leadership positions in their communities and in multiple national/international organizations. It's a centuries-old tradition of the profession and many are great humanitarian and pro-justice causes.

But law firm managing partners and executive committees need to ensure they have ironclad early-warning systems  to detect controversial issues that might arise from those organizations and that might be detrimental to the firm.  Once a firm has identified a problem, it can develop a communications strategy to aggressively counter negative media coverage and other public criticism that might show up online. These criticisms can, of course, wreck havoc on a firm's positive search engine results and remain on the Web for years. 

Law firms also have rushed out hastily-worded press statements that appear overly defensive or that are filled with legal jargon that don't help the firm's image at all. An internal strategy to deal with these issues in advance will go far in defending the firm's reputation in the eyes of clients and prospects.

Finally, every firm should have a crisis communications plan that takes into account a wide variety of scenarios. The participation of attorneys in controversial --or even hostile organizations  -- should be listed as one of those scenarios. 

Law firm K&L Gates now has the tough task of calming employees shaken by news that one of their employees went on a shooting rampage that left four dead, including himself, and injuring nine others.  

So far, the firm has handled the crisis well by bringing in on-site grief counselors and issuing a statement:

 "K&L Gates is deeply saddened by last night's events, and offers its condolences to the families and friends of all who were involved in this terrible tragedy."

LA Fitness also issued a statement on the homepage of its website:

"Each of us in the LA Fitness family are shocked and saddened by the senseless act of violence against our members and one of our employees at our Bridgeville Club in Pittsburgh on the evening of Tuesday August 4, 2009. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and friends. We are working with local law enforcement as they conduct their investigation."

Law firms, like all businesses and organizations, must be prepared to communicate effectively with all critical audiences when tragedies strike. 

That means some basics: 

1) Having a crisis communications plan that is readily available on a moment's notice

2) Designating an effective spokesperson

3) Drafting press statements as templates for a wide variety of crisis scenarios

4) Making sure that someone is monitoring the Internet for what's being said about the organization and deciding how to respond

As LA Fitness and K&L Gates continue to deal with this crisis in the days and weeks ahead, it may also provide an opportunity for the two organizations to show solidarity. For example, they could do something in the community that will honor the memory of the innocent victims and educate young people about senseless violence.

To my surprise, the story was from 1994. Yet it has lived on virtually for 16 years!

The lesson here is that there is no longer anything known as yesterday's news. 

An old story can suddenly show up on the Internet -- thanks to Twitter and other social media sites -- and continue to damage a firm's reputation. This can also wreck havoc on a firm's positive search engine results.

I don't know why this person decided to post such an old story. It could have been an honest mistake or that person might have had an axe to grind with this firm.

Either way, it's a lesson for management and legal marketing staff to track all negative stories -- even from decades ago -- in what should be a continuous effort to protect the firm's reputation.

There's a good article in today's New York Times about managing online reputation. However, it would have been better if the article touched on the role that social media can play in crisis communications, particularly for the most serious kinds of situations like terrorrism, workplace violence, fires, explosions, accidents or contamination from the company's cafeteria. 

With the lightening speed of information moving across the Internet today, social media can actually make or break a company in a crisis. Executives in small businesses needs to focus on the crisis at hand first and foremost. For example, a CEO should be taking actions to ensure people's safety and well-being first and ensuring that his high-level employees are working 24/7 resolving the crisis. That's why it's a good idea to consider relying on an outside professional -- who you already have a business relationship with -- to help you communicate effectively before, during and after a crisis.

One thing small business executives should NOT do is to rely on a so-called social media expert if that is all that person stands for. Management should instead seek to work with a person or company experienced in high-stakes crisis management/communications who also has deep knowledge of social media.

So here are 5 ways a law firm can easily start engaging in social media that can ultimately lead to business:

1- Get all partners signed up on LinkedIn. Start/join LinkedIn specialty groups and begin participating in the many online conversations that can help build relationships. Seek out the firm's alumni as well and invite them to your network.

2-- Sign up for a Twitter account even if you don't yet "Tweet."  Just securing your name for future search engine results will help in the long run.  What's great about Twitter is that it takes just seconds to share useful information with clients and prospects -- and it doesn't even have to be your own. Think "Retweet" to get started. Don't know what to post? Start with key court decisions, new legislation/regulations and news items that are closely aligned with your practice or industries served.

3-- Create a Fan page for your firm on Facebook. This may not be for BigLaw but has great benefits for small firms in smaller cities and suburbs where "community" still matters.

4-- Repurpose your existing blog or start a new blog on a niche subject...then share the permalinks of your best blog posts on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook.

5-- Create a YouTube account. Even if you're not ready for prime time, this is a great way to quickly upload video from your best and most recent speaking engagements.