Are Facebook, Twitter and all of the prevalent social media tools the greatest communication options ever known to business…or are they a legal minefield waiting for you to step in the wrong place?  More businesses are finding social media to be the best way to stay connected with their customers.  However few organizations understand the legal ramifications of their social media involvement, nor have they set policies to protect themselves.

Join Jim Spellos and Barbara Dunn as they discuss the various Web 2.0 tools available to you, as well as what your organization needs to consider from a legal perspective.

At the conclusion of the session, the attendee will be able to:

• Identify critical Web 2.0 sites that impact how you do business today
• Understand the legal risks of implementing and using in social media and Web 2.0 applications including copyright infringement and defamation
• Use social networking & microblogging tools for your business.
• Understand the social media lingo
• Identify the best practices for managing legal risk of social media and Web 2.0 applications including policies, user agreements and disclaimers.

Barbara F. Dunn,ESQ. is an attorney and partner with Howe & Hutton, a law firm which specializes in the representation of individuals, firms and organizations in the travel, tourism, hospitality, incentive and meetings industries, as well as not-for-profit organizations, including trade associations, professional societies and other related organizations. The firm has offices in Chicago, Washington, D.C. and St. Louis and serves as general counsel to Meeting Professionals International among hundreds of others. Barbara received her undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and her Juris Doctorate degree from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago where she was a member of the Editorial Board of the John Marshall Law Review. Barbara works with many individuals and organizations in the meetings industry including corporate and independent planners, as well as suppliers to the industry. She has written numerous articles on a wide range of legal issues and is a frequent speaker for MPI and its chapters, the MPI Foundation’s Platinum Series programs, SGMP, PCMA, HSMAI, ASAE and its affiliated societies, and other groups in the meetings, travel and hospitality industries. She was the 2005-2006 Chair of the ASAE Legal Section Council – the first woman to serve in such a leadership role. Barbara is also a member of the Academy of Hospitality Industry Attorneys and currently serves on the group’s Board of Directors.