Issue link: https://epubs.iltanet.org/i/68817
www.iltanet.org A six-month internal pilot phase allowed the team to experiment, learn and tailor the style of the blog. first foray into social media was driven by enthusiastic early adopters who, for the most part, flew under the radar to build a social media presence. The success of this early social media "experiment" has been instrumental in driving the firmwide change process. It demonstrated the business benefits of social media use and helped craft the techniques and approaches for integrating social media tools into the legal business context, providing a template for the firm to follow. Several years later, our firm now has a highly considered and holistic approach to the development of its social media programs. We are actively engaged across a number of social media channels, and we are adapting to a slew of social media influences on everything from publishing and knowledge-sharing to networking, relationship-building, recruiting and marketing. Social Media at King & Wood Mallesons The benefits of social networking for a major commercial law firm are many, including facilitating knowledge- sharing, learning, relationship-building and business development. The primary objective of King & Wood Mallesons' social media strategy is to leverage low-cost, simple- 54 ILTA White Paper to-use and people-centric social media tools to create a firm that is fully connected to our clients, each other and our communities. Early Experimentation The firm's first exploration of social media was through a specialist intellectual property (IP) blog launched in 2009, called IP Whiteboard. Entering the social media space at that time required a shift in thinking. Many characteristics of social media did not fit comfortably with a large commercial law firm. Social media posts demand a more informal and personal writing style than is typical for most lawyers, and content that is often humorous or thought-provoking. The information must be suitable for sharing in a completely transparent environment. Embracing these new social media conventions was not easy for some of the firm's lawyers. The team behind the IP Whiteboard worked hard over many months to develop a distinctive "voice" for the blog. The team fashioned a light, informal and personal style and developed a unique visual identity. While paying particular attention to the form and style of the blog, the IP team did not allow this to compromise the relevance, quality and intelligence of the writing. To successfully pull off a blog involving multiple contributors, it required considerable discipline and coordination. An IP Whiteboard editorial committee was