"Google it" is the suggestion you often get these days when you are in search of information. Having achieved the level of brand recognition most companies only dream of, "Google" is now both an empire of online options and a verb in the vernacular.

Google.com, the Internet search engine, comes in handy when you're trying to find out where that guy on that TV show is from, to decipher what you were asked to write a memo about, or to fulfill the occasional need to find out what your high school sweetheart is doing.

In the legal realm, cyber searching is useful in locating general research as well as information about possible employers, clients and opposing counsel.

However, it is important to remember that Google, and the entire Internet, is a worldwide glass house; one must never forget that if you can see them, they can see you. If you have participated in the academic or professional world for the last decade or so - and all law students and current attorneys have - almost without exception, some information about you is searchable via the Internet, especially through Google.

As with nearly all elements of the Information Age, the fact that certain aspects of everyone's lives exist in a searchable context can be both hurtful and helpful. While it may be disconcerting that unknown persons can locate your 5K run times, it can also be self-affirming - and professionally beneficial - to know that when someone wants to find out more about you for business purposes, Google is there to assert that yes, you are an active participant in the world - that you graduated Phi Beta Kappa, you raised money for cancer research - and that these activities have been duly cataloged for all to search.

Used prudently, the Internet can offer a wide array of professional networking opportunities, especially through hubs like Facebook and LinkedIn. Using such sites for work-related purposes is an art unto itself and will be discussed in greater depth in this space next month. Still, Internet users - especially attorneys - whose individual reputations govern their interaction with clients, employers and the state bar association should heed several warnings about cyberspace.

Knowing what is posted online is key to having some control over what employers or clients may find when they inevitably type your name into the most popular search engine in the world.

Ignorance is not bliss

Self-Googling (plugging your own name into a Google search) is not as self-indulgent or narcissistic as it might seem; it is simply an act of professional reputation management.

For the most part, individual references to a person's name will be taken from innocuous items such as newspaper articles, wedding announcements, and the like. However, every now and then, a harsh example of the consequences of idle online chatter offers a cautionary tale.

Currently, the most stark example of what can happen when you are unaware of what information links to your name online is the plight of a Yale law student who, despite high grades at an Ivy League law school, relevant experience and decent interviewing skills, failed to garner employment at any of the 16 law firms with whom she interviewed last year.

It was only later that she came to realize her name was part of a discussion thread on a site known as AutoAdmit.com run by a University of Pennsylvania law student. Anonymous vulgar and sexually explicit comments berating the young woman by name peppered the site. None of the commentary was true, and those posting remarks were likely people the woman had never met who intended the remarks as a joke. Importantly, however, the comments were easily found via a Google search of her name. Although none of the firms with whom she interviewed will admit that the discovery of such postings factored into their decisions not to hire her, it is well known that firms often Google and check the online profiles of job candidates.

Last fall, the Yale student and another woman who fell victim to the X-Rated conversation strand on AutoAdmit.com filed a civil suit in district court in Connecticut seeking damages for pecuniary loss and harm to reputation. But since the identities of those who made the comments are unverifiable - the complaint only named as defendants the e-mail addresses of those who posted the derisive remarks - it is unclear whether the case will proceed to trial.

While the suit casts light on an interesting and emerging point of law - the First Amendment boundaries of blogs - it also highlights the fact that knowing what Google searches reveal about you is an absolute necessity in the professional world today.

"You need to manage your online reputation the same way you manage your credit," says Jim Newton, associate dean for administration at the University at Buffalo Law School. "Just as you periodically check your credit to make sure you are a desirable candidate for loans and other investments, you need to monitor your online presence to ensure you are a desirable employee and lawyer."

Newton spends a great deal of time both counseling law students on their job searches and developing strategies for students to market themselves to potential employers. While he recognizes the benefits of the Internet for networking purposes, he remains wary of its negative aspects. He cautions students "to avoid having anything on the Internet that they wouldn't want an employer to see."

Such caveats are wisely proffered to law students, as they are the most likely members of the legal community to be involved with Internet activities. But similar advice and general awareness of Internet content is sometimes overlooked by established attorneys, who should also remain aware of how online postings can affect their good reputation among active and prospective clients.

Many aspects of governing your online presence fall under the category of simple common sense. But as this is a presidential election year, we are constantly reminded that even the best and brightest can fail to notice trouble spots in reputation management. Below are few basics pointers on how to keep online content appropriate when Big Brother is watching.

The name game: Just because you have a common name does not make you immune to the powerful logarithms of Google. Type in your name in quotes ("John Doe") and pair it with something you are easily associated with, such as your hometown or alma mater. Whether you have a common name or not, make sure to do searches with your name in quotes and on its own as they produce distinct results. Take the time to perform a few extra queries pairing your name with words, organizations and places with which you might be affiliated.

Those who have changed their last names should search both their current and previous monikers. An easy, though not foolproof, way to monitor new appearances of your name is to sign up for "Google Alerts" at www.google.com/alerts. Type your name into the search form and fill out the other information at the site. Google will then send an e-mail to your personal address each time your name makes a new appearance on the Internet.

Photos: Let us not forget the adage about pictures being worth 1,000 words. Make sure that no photos of you making egregious displays of public affection, clad painfully out of office dress code, or doing anything illegal are available on the Internet.

A simple way to check is to go to Google's main page, www.google.com, look to the links at the top and click on "Images." Using this will direct your search to non-text associations with your name. You should make efforts to eliminate anything that is questionable. Always err on the side of caution. The fact that the photos are from your vacation in Amsterdam does not make them acceptable.

Blogs: Those who regularly post on blogs should be wary of what they say, especially of comments about specific corporations, business practices and industries. One never knows who the parent company of your firm's next client will be. Additionally, remain vigilant of blogs maintained by friends and acquaintances. Without intending harm, they may relay conversations or stories that do not portray you in the best light.

Somewhat less of a concern, but also something to keep in check, is political commentary. Keep it within reason and know the political lay of the land at your workplace. Quickly searching blogs is much like searching pictures. Again, go to the Google main page and look to the terms at the top. Click on the "more" button, then onto "blogs," and type in your name in quotes. This effort will run a search of blogs from across the globe.

Damage control: Should you find something you feel is detrimental to your reputation, an e-mail to the site administrator and a polite request to take it down often does the trick. If that does not work, put yourself in a position to respond if the online data becomes an issue.

This does not apply to minor annoyances such as a grammatically incorrect quote or pictures taken at an unflattering angle. If the situation is an extreme one, such as that of the Yale law student, you can make employers aware of the circumstances, your non-involvement, and your efforts to resolve it. If unfortunate information is out there and you cannot remove it, take it as a reminder to be more cautious and keep up the self-Googling effort.

Google is not the sole source of possible material on the Internet. Social-networking sites may also contain information about you, even if you are not a member.

Freelance writer Caroline Bala Brancatella works at Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel LLP and will be admitted to the bar in New York next month. She can be reached at cbrancatella@jaeckle.com.