When it debuted, LinkedIn was a free online service focused upon helping employers and employees: members could search the site to find new jobs or new hires. LinkedIn was smart to change with the times, and not limit itself to a job search site.
Today, LinkedIn is more of a professional networking service. Most larger law firms and legal professionals are likely to have a LinkedIn membership.
On LinkedIn, professionals “connect” with each other and the LinkedIn service then notifies its members of those who may know each other – or have connections with friends of friends. You link with an old friend from law school, and suddenly, you are given lots of potential "connections" through that friend's network of contacts. LinkedIn afficianados can have 500-1000 connections.
LinkedIn information such as Specialties, New Hires, Firm Size, Firm Revenue, and individual resume pages of firm partners and associates are provided for marketing purposes via Linked In.
Examples of law firms currently on LinkedIn:
Baker & McKenzie
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/baker-&-mckenzie
Clifford Chance
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/clifford-chance?trk=co_search_results&goback=%2Ecps_1269812930126_2
Holland & Knight
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/holland-%26-knight-llp?trk=co_search_results&goback=%2Ecps_1269812930126_1
Jones Day
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/jones-day?trk=co_search_results&goback=%2Ecps_1269812930126_2
WilmerHale
http://www.linkedin.com/companies/wilmerhale?trk=co_search_results&goback=%2Ecps_1269812930126_1
For more information:
Web 2.0 for Lawyers: What is "Social Media" for Law Firms and Why Bother?
Facebook and Divorce: the new AAML Study and the Need to Know Client Web Chatter
Attorneys Take Note: Major Corporations Pay People Just to Tweet
Twitter for Biz Pros: The Debut of ExecTweets
Attorneys Take Note: Yesterday's Reputation is Today's Personal Brand