Social Media and Digital Technology

To contact a member of our Social Media and Digital Technology Practice Group, please click here.

Sherin and Lodgen LLP launched its Social Media and Digital Technology Practice Group in June 2011. This practice group brings together expertise from the intellectual property, employee training, risk management, and litigation perspectives. Corporate clients of all sizes are becoming increasingly aware of the legal risk that employee and corporate usage of social media and other digital technologies can pose, both with regard to personal and enterprise liability. 

Sara Shanahan, vice-chair of our Litigation Department and co-chair of the firm’s Social Media and Digital Technology Practice Group, led a panel discussion at the ALM Corporate Counsel East Coast Conference for the past two years regarding “Social Networking Policies: Mitigating Risks and Reaping Rewards” and “Preparing Your Company for Social Media Challenges.”  The topics were well-received, as companies are struggling with the ever-changing ways in which their business and competitive information can be threatened by careless and intentionally disruptive uses of social media and digital outlets by their employees and competitors. Companies are also finding that business and brand development can be advanced by savvy participation in the expanding social network. Corporate training with regard to hiring practices and employee uses of social media will continue to be critical, especially with regard to protecting companies from discrimination and retaliation claims.  In addition, social media and digital technologies give rise to new concerns about inadvertent waiver of the attorney-client privilege and unintended disclosure of trade secrets.

Practice Area Co-Chairs: Edward S. Cheng, C. Forbes Sargent, Sara Jane Shanahan

Speaking Engagements and Publications:

"Social Networking Policies: Mitigating Risks and Reaping Rewards,"
ALM General Counsel Conference, June 2012
Sara Jane Shanahan

“How to Protect Your Students from Cyberbullying”
The Chronicle of Higher Education, March 2012
Sara Jane Shanahan and Jessica Gray Kelly

“Why You Should Protect Your Employees' Twitter Accounts”
CFO.com, December 2011
Sara Jane Shanahan

Social Media Policies and Practices Your Company Can "Like"
New England Legal Foundation Fall Breakfast Program, October 2011
C. Forbes Sargent and Sara Jane Shanahan

“Slow the Trigger When Firing Over Twitter”
CFO.com, September 2011
Sara Jane Shanahan

Preparing Your Company for Social Media Challenges
ALM 23rd Annual Corporate Counsel East Coast Conference, panelist, June 2011
Sara Jane Shanahan

“Preventing Problems Arising Out of Employers' Use of Social Media Tools to Make Employment Decisions”
Corporate Counsel, January 2011
Matthew C. Moschella

“To Preserve and Protect: Warding Off Wiki-Like Attacks”
Corporate Counsel, January 2011
Sara Jane Shanahan

“Avoiding the Ethical Minefield of Social Media: Do You Know Who Your Friends Are?”
Corporate Counsel, September 2010
Edward S. Cheng and John F. Nagle

“Social Networking: Do You Know Who Your Friends Are?”
Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly, July 2010
Edward S. Cheng and R. Victoria Fuller

“Calling Up Dangers to Privilege”
Corporate Counsel, November 2009
Edward S. Cheng and Christopher R. Blazejewski

Attorneys

Edward S. Cheng
C. Forbes Sargent III
Sara Jane Shanahan