Think lawyers spend too much time in the courtroom to be social media savvy? Here are six prominent litigators who have serious digital chops – and use them to build a following. You’ll want to keep an eye on these six – all of them are using their social media platforms to try and make a difference in the world.
Wendy Davis
Known for both her pink sneakers and her eloquent 12-hour filibuster in the Texas capital against an impending vote to close most of the abortion clinics in the state, Democrat Wendy Davis is no stranger to social media. A live YouTube stream of her speech set both the Twitterverse and Facebook on fire – debate was fierce, and even @barackobama tweeted a link to the video stream, calling it “something special.” Davis is now working at making the hashtag #TeamWendy a serious thing, and has both a website and Facebook page devoted to her upcoming Gubernatorial run in the Lone Star State.
Kylar Broadus
One of the most prominent transgendered attorneys in the United Stated, Kylar Broadus is also the founder of the Trans People of Color Coalition and a professor at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, MO. His Twitter feed provides a platform for advocacy and social commentary, and you can also check out his Facebook page and his blog – which features a huge number of informative video links, as well as a picture of Broadus with the President.
Michael Ratner
President Emeritus of the Center for Constitutional Rights, a nonprofit human rights litigation organization, Ratner is an outspoken advocate in the human rights activism community. Ratner is host of a podcast radio show called Law and Disorder that broadcasts on FM stations all over the U.S., and you can also check out his Facebook page – where he tends to post lengthy commentary on all the articles he shares.
Chrissie Scelsi
Her Twitter handle – @PunkLawyer – says it all. The spirited Scelsi, who also runs The PunkLawyer Blog – “an entertainment law blog with the independent scene in mind” – covers business and entertainment law, a number of digital topics, and even has categories for “vampires” and “zombies.” Scelsi details her trips to music festivals and conferences, and throws in more than a heaping spoonful of legal information. Bonus – she has a pseudo-goth Pinterest page!
David Lat
Founder of the extremely popular legal website Above the Law, Lat describes himself as a “legal blog impresario” and a “hyperactive tweeter.” Lat’s site is sort of a like a more serious TMZ for the law firm clique – if there’s something going on in the legal world, Lat probably has it covered. He retweets some wildly interesting stuff, and you can also check out his Facebook page.
Nicole Black
As the author of two books on digital media for lawyers – Social Media for Lawyers: The Next Frontier and Cloud Computing for Lawyers – Black is something of an expert in the online law world. She’s also Director for a company called MyCase that sells web-based legal practice management software. Black is an avid blogger who has been devoted to the practice since 2005, and you can find her writing on her own sites – lawtechTalk, Women Lawyers – Back on Track, Legal Antics and Sui Generis – as well as other blogs she contributes to, like Lawyerist and the MyCase company blog.