A mere 10 years ago, social media was nothing more than a harmless distraction that had little to do with business operations. Today, social media affects businesses in significant and widespread ways. What’s more, social media’s business presence continues to grow exponentially. Businesses that ignore this trend or fail to stay current with its rapid advancements place their futures in peril.

At McDonald Hopkins, we have assembled a team of attorneys from a range of practice areas to help our clients take advantage of the opportunities and avoid the risks associated with doing business in the age of social media. Our attorneys use their deep experience in the areas of intellectual property, labor and employment, data security, trade practices, litigation, mergers and acquisitions, and more to help our clients thrive in this new era.

We work with our clients to answer common – and not-so-common – questions related to social media and to develop solutions that help to improve the bottom line. For example:

Intellectual Property

• What should my company do to protect its intellectual property rights on-line?
• How can my company best build its brand and prevent brand dilution through social media?
• What does my company need to know to avoid infringing on the intellectual property rights of others?

Labor and Employment

• Does my company need a social media policy?
• Should my company screen job applicants using social media?
• Is it necessary for my company to monitor employee social media use?
• What problems can my company encounter if it tries to limit employee social media use?

Data Security

• How can my company best protect customer privacy in a social media world?
• What safeguards should my company put in place for electronic transactions?
• How should my company best deal with state-specific laws regarding on-line commerce?
• Can my company use social media to provide legal and other notices to customers?

Trade Practices

• How can my company use social media to build brand loyalty?
• Are there any limits on endorsements of my company’s products and services?
• Can my company use social media to promote contests?
• What does my company need to tell on-line customers to protect against liability?
• How should my company respond to negative publicity on social media outlets?

Litigation

• Can my company use what it finds on-line to defend itself in litigation?
• What duty does my company have to preserve social media data?
• How can my company use social media to protect its brand in the face of litigation?

Mergers and Acquisitions

• What does my company need to know to account for social media in business transactions? 
• What value should be assigned to a company’s social media presence?
• How should companies allocate social media risks in business transactions?

No matter the issue, our attorneys provide clients with practical advice to help them make the most of this new way of doing business.