Here is your weekly installment of the Week in Social Media News–a summary of social media news from around the web. As always, the focus of these stories is social media legal news (as opposed to the tens of thousands of stories on social media in general). Having culled through the hundreds of articles I review each week, here are some of the more interesting and applicable:

• Defense team wants to examine Trayvon Martin’s social media and school …
  Detroit Free Press
  A judge ruled Friday that Trayvon Martin’s school and social media records should be provided to attorneys defending the man accused of killing the teen, who they argue was the aggressor in the conflict and has a history of violence. Judge Debra Nelson …

• Social-media policy key to mitigate liability
  Having a social-media policy in place not only protects the employer but the employees as well. It is important to avoid saying anything private about guests. Various state and federal laws protect certain forms of expression on social-media platforms.

• Social Media in the Workplace, with Wendi Lazar of Outten and Golden, LLP
  Wendi Lazar, of Outten and Golden, LLP in New York talks with the Employment Law Channel, part of the Legal Broadcast Network, about social media policies in the workplace and the recent NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) decisions that have come …

• NLRB Law Update – Recent NLRB Decisions That Affect The Non-Union …
  Metropolitan Corporate Counsel
  Should a conflict arise between a EchoStar policy and the law, the appropriate law shall be applied and interpreted so as to make the policy lawful in that particular jurisdiction.” Eleven pages later appeared the social media policy which specifically…

• Can using social media really help you get a legal job or clients?
  Legal career guidance and information for new attorneys, law students and associates. Legal career tips, legal career trends and advice for finding legal jobs .

• Six Steps To Developing Your Social Media Policy – Guidance For HR And …
  In the US, the National Labor Relations Board has produced guidelines and stated that all employees have certain rights under federal law that a social media policies can’t compromise. They reported earlier this year that the ambiguity in most policies …

• WSU coach Mike Leach’s ban of Twitter raises concerns from legal experts
  The Seattle Times
  During the past few months, several football players apparently posted public messages on thesocial-media site that included derogatory terms for women and African-Americans. The Murrow News Service is not naming the players because of the difficulty …

• #SocialChat Discusses Social Media and the Law with Guest David Adler
  Search Engine Journal
  On Monday evening, Oct. 22, the #SocialChat community on Twitter gathered to discuss the legal considerations businesses must keep in mind when using social media. Our guest expert, David Adler (@AdlerLaw), is an attorney, author and entrepreneur with …

• Senate bills ban employers from asking for workers’ social media passwords
  The state Senate today passed a bill (A2878) that would fine companies $1,000 if they request or demand access to workers’ or potential employees’ accounts on social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Pinterest. Workers would …

• Legal experts concerned about Leach’s decision to ban players from using Twitter
  The Spokesman Review
  “You cannot create a prior restraint on your students because they may do something or say something that may create embarrassment (for) your school,” said Bradley Shear, a Maryland-based social media attorney. Frank LoMonte, executive director at the …

It is always good to stay apprised of recent news surrounding social media, particularly how lawyers, attorneys, and other legal professionals are using social media as well as what they are saying. I hope you find this weekly installment of the previous week’s news stories related to social media and the law to be helpful, informative, and, in certain cases, entertaining.

My thanks to Google News, Bing News, and other news outlets for helping me to find and collect these  stories. These are great resources for any topic.