Listing Yourself as an Associate on Linkedin Before being Admitted Forum

[GGMcSwift]

I just started at a firm and have noticed that most of my friends both at my firm and from law school who are currently at other firms have already updated their Linkedins to say "Associate at Firm X." I haven't done this yet because it strikes me as potentially not kosher with the bar--the same way your signature at my firm (and I assume most or all others) must say "Not yet admitted"/"Pending admission"/"Law Clerk" or some other ilk if you're not admitted yet. But I've seen so many people who just started update their Linkedins with "Associate" as opposed to the above other things that I'm second guessing my second guessing.

Thoughts?

(Yes I know I can always ask my firm but the answer from them will be simple and not helpful: "don't have a Linkedin to begin with and you won't have to worry").

[toast and bananas]

I put it in the header area but then at the bottom where it lists your experience I have "sat for bar July 2017 - results pending" or something in the area where you can add notes about a job. Kind of splitting the difference I guess

[1styearlateral]

Short answer: Depends on the state.

Long answer: Most states do not permit non-lawyers from holding themselves out as licensed attorneys, even (or especially?) on social media. I would either put "Law Clerk" or put nothing at all. Some firms won't even put law clerks on their website until they've been sworn in; others put "*Not Yet Admitted" or "Law Clerk" or "Law Graduate" or whatever. I mean technically you're not even being billed out as a first year associate yet, so you're technically not even an associate. No point in putting yourself in a bad position before you even get admitted especially when no one really cares what your LinkedIn profile says. Besides, states like NY, where you're burned at the coals by C&F after you've passed the bar exam, will likely do a search on you to see what you've been up to and what you haven't disclosed. If your LinkedIn profile states you're an associate at x law firm, that could raise some issues for your admission regarding UPL. I'd disagree with the above poster because in order to view the disclaimer you'd have to dig deeper into your profile and C&F might view the header as enough to qualify as UPL.
It's not worth the hassle. Update your page after you get back from you swear-in ceremony and just back-date it to Sept. or whatever.

[rpupkin]

I don't have strong feelings on this topic, but isn't the answer here that you're fine so long as you don't identify yourself as a licensed attorney? If the firm considers you an associate, then you're an associate. I don't see the problem with putting "Associate at Firm X" on your LinkedIn profile. Just don't put "Attorney at Law" or something like that.

ETA: I'm assuming, based on your question, that your law firm considers you an associate already. If that's not the case--if your firm lists you as a law clerk or something until you're admitted--then don't identify yourself as an associate on your LinkedIn page.

[njdevils2626]

Yeah, my firm's website and my email signature both list me as an associate so I didn't think twice about saying the same on LinkedIn

[GGMcSwift]

I don't have strong feelings on this topic, but isn't the answer here that you're fine so long as you don't identify yourself as a licensed attorney? If the firm considers you an associate, then you're an associate. I don't see the problem with putting "Associate at Firm X" on your LinkedIn profile. Just don't put "attorney at law" or something like that.

ETA: I'm assuming, based on your question, that your law firm considers you an associate already. If that's not the case--if your firm lists you as a law clerk or something until you're admitted--then don't identify yourself as an associate on your LinkedIn page.

My firm refers to us as "Associates" internally only. On our internal directory and other firm only docs we are all called associates. Externally--e.g. website, email signatures, anything a client sees etc.--we are "law clerks."

I don't really plan to update my Linkedin because I don't think there's any upside. But was mostly curious about all of my friends (who are in the same state) doing otherwise.

[toast and bananas]

What does your firm have against LinkedIn?

[rpupkin]

What does your firm have against LinkedIn?

I found that weird as well.

[SFSpartan]

Your firm's position on LinkedIn is strange. That said, if your title is Associate, you can put that. A bunch folks in my network put "Associate (Bar Admission Pending)" on their LinkedIn profile, then removed the parenthetical when they passed the Bar.

[barkschool]

Isn’t there at most maybe a month till results? Is there an urgent need to tell nobody on linkedin your job?

[ur_hero]

Really though, who cares? Just wait until you're actually an admitted attorney... o.O

[ur_hero]

Really though, who cares? Just wait until you're actually a licensed and admitted attorney... o.O

[cookiejar1]

Really though, who cares? Just wait until you're actually a licensed and admitted attorney... o.O

This. If you’re not going to sit down and read your relevant state rules / the ABA’s guidance then just don’t update your LinkedIn for how many months it takes for you to get admitted. There may be no practical consequences for getting this wrong and implying that you’re a licensed attorney on social media but why even bother risking anything if you can just wait a few months.

[gingerbread]

My firm requires non-admitted folks to put "law clerk" in their email signature. Especially if you're going to try to waive into DC, publicly identifying yourself as an attorney/associate before admission can cause C&F problems down the line. We got a whole scary memo about it. I had already updated my LinkedIn but took it down asap.

[de minimis]

My firm requires non-admitted folks to put "law clerk" in their email signature. Especially if you're going to try to waive into DC, publicly identifying yourself as an attorney/associate before admission can cause C&F problems down the line. We got a whole scary memo about it. I had already updated my LinkedIn but took it down asap.

Does that policy continue if you are admitted to a different state but still pending in dc?