At a recent Chicago Bar Association meeting of the Practice Management & Technology group, I was once again struck by the sheer volume of knowledge about different aspects of social media some people manage to keep track. I learned about the difference between a Wordpress .com and .org account, a service for virtual desktops, SEO (search engine optimization) tactics, and a great deal about the various differences are among smart phone platforms.We also discussed that like it or not, as law students enter the work force, you will be expected to know a lot of this information simply due to your (younger) age. Through a concept often called reverse mentoring, older attorneys sometimes expect younger attorneys to know this kind of information, or at least where to get it. It will often be found by accessing groups like the Practice Management & Technology group at the Chicago Bar Assocation is one such group, as is the American Bar Association's annual Tech Show event. That one hour of networking provided me new connections (networking) as I build new venues of outreach for our students and alumni. I also made a connection to a new mentor, and will be able to better serve as a mentor for our students and alumni as we all utilize social media to brand ourselves throughout our careers.
