Real Lawyers Have Blogs : Law Blogs, Social Media, Twitter

We had a great turnout at this morning's client webinar on speaking to your blog audience -- addressing your readers' real questions and concerns

LexBlog CEO Kevin O'Keefe discussed how to turn your blog into a story by gathering topics through encounters with clients and anticipating questions clients might ask before they actually ask them.

If you missed it or want to re-watch, you can view the recording here; you can download a PDF of the mind map Kevin worked on during the webinar by clicking on the image above.

Kevin mentioned several blogs doing an exemplary job of this, listed below. Thanks to Colin O'Keefe, LexBlog's editorial manager, for putting this list together.

Daniel Schwartz's Connecticut Employment Law Blog: Snow Day! What Employers Need to Know

• The post addresses a very real concern that employers will likely face.
• The title is abundantly clear in what the post is about.
• The post provides a clear how-to on drafting a policy.
• It is well formatted and very readable and easy to scan.
• Some clients may have settled on linking to The Connecticut Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security then left it at that, but Daniel acknowledges most people already know this; it's important to always add something.

Dan Harris' China Law Blog: How To Sue A Chinese Company. Part I. Jurisdiction And Service Of Process.

• The post is written in clear, simple language with a smooth lead-in, not a case name.
• It's a basic guide/how-to, which is much more readable than starting with cases discussed and then going from there. The post is about issue at hand; the end results, not the cases.
• Again, the formatting is easy to read. The post is broken up into a series.

Hogan Lovells' Chronicle of Data Protection: What the US Election Results Mean for Privacy

• Excellent job by author Christopher Wolf of taking a major news story and applying it to his audience.
• The post anticipates questions and even raises issues that may not have been thought of previously.
• It is a well researched post that brings in a wealth of outside information.

Dan Clement's New York Divorce Report: Five Common Sense Rules for Divorce

• This is not the most complex of posts, but still accomplishes its goal; it's short and to the point, and explicitly lays out advice for married couples going through a divorce.
• Again, it's written in a style that's easy to understand.

Deirdre Wheatley-Liss' New Jersey Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog: I signed a contract to Buy my first House - Now What? The Attorney Review Process.

• Like the other posts mentioned, this selection references a very specific issue and question.
• It's good practice to answer a question in title, but leaving it with just the question wouldn't quite be obvious enough of what the post is going to discuss.

J. Scott Key's Georgia Criminal Appellate Law Blog: 4 Great Non-Law Blogs that Help My Appellate Practice

• Again, Scott's audience isn't just potential clients-- it's other attorneys as well. Aiding other attorneys can enhance one's reputation.
• This post does a stand-up job of going outside standard law blog content.
• Scott actually getting ended up noticed by one of these four blogs, Presentation Zen, who tweeted a link to his post.

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We had a nice turnout of close to 150 people at today's webinar on Finding Your Blogging Voice. You can download the mindmap Kevin referenced by clicking on the image above, and you can watch the webinar recording or revisit it with our other recorded webinars at our support side.

If you had any additional questions about anything discussed, feel free to contact our Helpdesk at support@lexblog.com or at 1-800-913-0988.

And stay tuned for more information about our next client webinar next month.

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Most blogs have a different writing style than the papers or briefs many attorneys are used to writing. At LexBlog we often talk about a blog having a distinct “voice”, where the author’s personality really shines through and allows them to connect with the reader.

This is not about making your posts funny or gimmicky – it’s about making it clear there’s a person behind the posts on your blog, one with whom your reader can connect.

Blogging like this can be challenging, though, which is why our next LexBlog Network webinar will cover Finding Your Blogging Voice.

This webinar will be held this Thursday, March 18, at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET.

We’ll discuss:

• How do I work personality into my posts?
• Can I blog about something not related to my blog's topic? How?
• How much personality is too much?
• How can a blog have a distinct voice if there are multiple authors?

Please visit our Event Center to register for this webinar. If you need the password, email our HelpDesk or contact a member of our Author Services team at 1-800-913-0988.

I’m looking forward to sharing my take on this with you and taking your questions on this topic on Thursday.

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One of our most popular webinar topics is Twitter, and it's easy to see why.

Twitter captured the world's attention in 2009, and for our first LexBlog Network webinar of 2010 I'd like to focus on lawyers and legal professionals can use Twitter, in conjunction with a blog and other social networking tools, for client development.

In our upcoming webinar on “The Value of Twitter for Client Development", held Thursday, January 14 at 9 a.m. PT/12 p.m. ET, I’ll cover:

• What is Twitter?
• How is Twitter being used by attorneys and other industry leaders today?
• Who are some of the "big guns" in the legal industry using Twitter? What are some examples of how they use it?
• What value does Twitter hold for business professionals/attorneys?
• Which Twitter applications are worthwhile and which are lame?
• What are some etiquette tips on using Twitter for professional social networking?

To register yourself, visit our Event Center. If you need the password, email support@lexblog.com or contact a member of our Author Services team at 1-800-913-0988.

Finally, if you’re a member of the LexBlog Network on Twitter and not yet included in LexTweet, drop us an email at support@lexblog.com and we’ll make sure you get added to the community.

I look forward to seeing you all at next week's webinar.

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We had another great turnout for the webinar today on The Art of Effective blogging, with close to 150 attendees.

If you missed it or want to re-watch, you can watch the recording here or on our Support site. You can also download the mindmap from the presentation by clicking on the image above.

If you want to check out some of the posts we referenced in more detail, some of the best examples are listed below:

The difference between conversation and publishing content

• Ex Parte Blogging Ethics: A New Way To Make The Supreme Court More Inaccessible and Unaccountable, by Philadelphia attorney Max Kennerly
• Bill Belichick could never be a Managing Partner, by Chicago attorney Patrick Lamb

Why insight and commentary matter

• Blogging: it's a matter of trust, by Washington DC attorney Carolyn Elefant
• Texting: the new way to get caught cheating, by New York divorce attorney Daniel Clement
• Cruise Lines and Social Media - P & O Cruises Hits A Home Run, by Florida cruise law attorney Jim Walker

How to link effectively and intelligently

• 60 Minutes Report about Cyber War, but Still No Cyber Czar, by electronic discovery attorney Peter Vogel
  
• Cowboys Practice Facility Collapse: NIST Finds Serious Design Flaws, by Virginia construction attorney Timothy Hughes

The value of well-crafted titles

• Are Refundable Airline Tickets Fully Refundable? by class action attorney Jerome Noll
• What to Expect if You're expecting a DUI: The Formal Arraignment, from Pennsylvania DUI attorney Justin McShane
• How to Keep Your Car and Still File For Bankruptcy, by California bankruptcy attorney Christine Wilton

If you have any questions anything discussed in the webinar, feel free to contact Kevin (kevin@lexblog.com) or a member of our support team (support@lexblog.com).

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Anyone can slap a news update online and call it a blog post. But what sets top bloggers apart is how they craft strong posts that showcase their own expertise, as well as demonstrate their awareness of the broader conversation in their field. They write posts you actually want to read: insightful, dynamic and engaged.

In our next webinar, exclusively for members of the LexBlog Network, I’ll discuss what I believe is “The Art of Effective Blogging.” This webinar will be held on this Thursday, December 17, at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.

Among other things, I’ll cover:

• The difference between conversation and publishing content
• Why insight and commentary matter
• How to link effectively and intelligently
• The value of well-crafted titles

This is consistently one of our most popular webinar topics — we already have close to 200 registrants — and I’m looking forward to discussing it with new and veteran bloggers alike.

To register yourself, visit our Event Center and sign up for the event titled Client Webinar: The Art of Effective Blogging. If you need the password, direct message Support on Twitter or contact a member of our Client Services team at 1-800-913-0988.

I look forward to seeing you all at Thursday's webinar.

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We had another great turnout for today's webinar on marketing your blog, with close to 140 attendees.

You can download the chart Kevin used by clicking on the image above. If you were not able to attend, or would like to view the webinar again, you can view the recording on our support site, which also houses several of our previous webinars on a variety of topics.

If you have any questions about anything discussed in the webinar, feel free to contact Kevin (kevin@lexblog.com) or Pam Garfield, our Director of Client Services (pam@lexblog.com).

Be sure to also mark your calendars for our next client webinar, topic TBD, on Thursday, Dec. 17, at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.

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Close to 70 attendees tuned in for today's webinar on Key Strategies for Achieving Higher ROI with Your Blog. Kevin covered various ways to monitor news, engage with thought leaders and empower your readers.

You can view the recording of the webinar at our Support Site, along with several other of our previous webinars. You can also download the above mindmap Kevin used in his presentation.

If you have any questions about anything discussed in the webinar, feel free to contact Kevin (kevin@lexblog.com) or Pam Garfield, our Director of Client Services (pam@lexblog.com).

And mark your calendars for our next client webinar, topic TBD, on Thursday, Nov. 12, at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT.

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You'll have a couple opportunities to attend webinars on law blogging and social media this week.

The first is part of the ABA Journal's Legal Rebels' 24 Hours of Rebels, a two-day online meeting of creative minds in the legal profession discussing the question how the practice of law needs to change in the next five years.

I'll be leading a free webinar, Why Twitter Matters to Lawyers, on Wednesday, Oct. 14, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. You can register online. In this, I'll cover:

• How is Twitter being used by attorneys and other industry leaders today?
• Who are some of the "big guns" in the legal industry using Twitter? What are some examples of how they use it?
• Which Twitter applications are worthwhile and which are lame?
• What are some etiquette tips on using Twitter for professional social networking?

The second webinar this week is for LexBlog clients, titled Key Strategies for Achieving Higher ROI with Your Blog.

I'll share the big picture strategies and nuts and bolts tactics our most successful clients—from solos to large firms—are utilizing to increase their brand recognition, acquire new clients, and attract attention from the influencers and amplifiers.

I'll also cover how to:

• Identify the most influential bloggers and reporters and Internet discussions
• Monitor news, developments, and online conversations via RSS
• Engage with thought leaders, amplifiers, and influencers
• Empower your readers by acting as an intelligence agent and expert commentator

This webinar will be held on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT. To register, please visit our Event Center. If you need the password, direct message Support on Twitter or contact our Director of Client Services, Pam Garfield.

I look forward to seeing you at one or both of these webinars this week.

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