Event Details

Despite many benefits social media offers companies, many risks arise when employees utilize these tools. For example, employees may make comments that bring negative publicity to the company. In addition, there is potential liability for discrimination, defamation, invasion of privacy, unlawful harassment, misappropriating trade secrets and other confidential information, and retaliation, among other things. Employees also may claim they own social media accounts or the content of such accounts that are business related, and engage in forms of unfair competition. To help manage these risks, a company should implement an effective social media policy and educate its employees on the parameters of the policy.

By attending this session, participants should be able to:

1. Identify social media;
2. Identify ways in which social media can undermine a company’s reputation;
3. Identify ways in which social media can expose a company to potential liability;
4. Identify ways in which social media accounts and intellectual property may be at risk, and;
5. Analyze how to develop policies that help reduce the risks associated with the use of social media.                                                                                                                                                 

Agenda

5:30 - registration/networking

5:50 - introductory comments and meal served

6:15 - program start

7:15 - program end; raffle, closing remarks

About our speaker:  Stephen Stern is a partner with Hyatt & Weber, P.A., where he advises businesses and represents them in litigation. Mr. Stern helps employers minimize risk and exposure to liability by developing effective employment policies, procedures, and practices. He advises employers on strategic matters, such as trade secret protection programs, non-compete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements, privacy issues, wage/hour matters, independent contractor relationships, document retention practices, and employee handbooks, among other things. Mr. Stern also helps companies address issues that arise on a day-to-day basis, such as leave requests, employee discipline, avoiding discrimination claims, accommodations for individuals with disabilities, and terminations. In addition, Mr. Stern has been retained to conduct highly sensitive and complex investigations in both the private sector and university settings. When litigation has been unavoidable, Mr. Stern has successfully represented clients in federal and state courts and before federal, state, and local administrative agencies across the country. His cases have involved various contract, tort, and statutory claims concerning employment disputes, discrimination claims, trade secrets, non-compete/non-solicitation agreements, consumer protection claims, bank loans, unfair competition, commercial contracts, real estate disputes, fraud, ownership interests in privately-held companies, constitutional claims, mass torts, and civil rights violations.