January 26, 2010 by Lisa Kennelly

Jay O'Keeffe of De Novo: A Virginia Appellate Law Blog: LexBlog Q&A

Virginia attorney Jay O'KeeffeVirginia attorney Jay O'Keeffe is a self-described "kid in a candy store" when it comes to appellate litigation, and his passion for that type of work comes through in his blog posts on De Novo: A Virginia Appellate Law Blog.

At the encouragement of professional development coach Cordell Parvin (also a member of the LexBlog Network, who blogs at Law Consulting Blog), Jay started his blog to build the visibility of his practice, keep up on appellate developments and get some writing practice.

While he hasn't (yet) gotten anyone else at his firm, Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, to join him in the blogosphere, he's built and solidified relationships with thought leaders and influencers in his own field and beyond.

"My potential clients and referral sources follow those sources closely," Jay says. "Blogging has let me join the conversation, but at my own speed."

We reached out to Jay for this LexBlog Q&A to find out more about what he's learned about social media and what kind of work he does in his "day job."

See our email exchange with Jay, after the jump.

Lisa Kennelly: Briefly, describe your practice and the type of clients with whom you work.

Jay O'Keeffe: That’s easier said than done. I split my time between business and appellate litigation. At Gentry Locke Rakes & Moore, our core client group is made up of closely held companies and medium-to-high net worth individuals. On the business litigation side, I help those folks out with commercial disputes. When I joke about my “day job” on the blog, that’s what I’m talking about.

The other half of my practice deals with appeals, and they come from almost anywhere. This is the work that I really love, and I am very, very lucky—the way our firm is set up, I’m like a kid in a candy store when it comes to appellate work.

Much of our appellate group’s work comes from in house, either defending or challenging trial court judgments. On those appeals, our clients reflect Gentry Locke’s overall client base. Our firm has a plaintiff’s practice that tries a high number of cases, so many of our appeals come from them. We also accept cases on appeal that were handled below by trial lawyers outside the firm. These cases cover a huge variety of subject areas. They are generally sent our way by very good trial lawyers in our referral network who work at smaller firms. The referring lawyers generally are not interested in handling their own appeals and/or don’t have the time or dedicated in-house capability to do so.

Lisa Kennelly: Why did you decide to start a blog?

Jay O'Keeffe: Our firm has been working with Cordell Parvin, a professional development coach. He suggested blogging to me. As Cordell explained it, blogging would help me build the visibility of my practice, while forcing me to keep up on appellate developments and giving me loads of writing practice. That all turned out to be true. What he didn’t mention—though I quickly learned—is that it’s also really a lot of fun.

Lisa Kennelly: What has been the reaction to your blog from lawyers, clients or anyone else?

Jay O'Keeffe: Overwhelmingly positive. Here are some of the highlights:

  • The blog’s site design looks great. I get LexBlog gets a lot of compliments on the optics, and first impressions count.
  • Because of the nature of appellate work, a lot of my “clients” and referral sources are other lawyers. Writing De Novo has put me in touch with lawyers across the state who I wouldn’t have met otherwise, and it allows me to keep in touch with classmates and colleagues from my old firm.
  • Blogging also has put me in touch or solidified my relationships with “influencers” like Peter Vieth at Virginia Lawyer’s Weekly, and Steve Emmert, who maintains a website called Virginia Appellate News and Analysis. My potential clients and referral sources follow those sources closely. Blogging has let me join the conversation, but at my own speed.
  • I am starting to get business from the blog—not exactly a deluge (yet), but I really did not expect to generate much of anything for at least another 6-12 months.
  • Finally, blogging has taught me to use other social media more effectively. This has definitely helped my networking efforts. I’ve also become the social media guinea pig at our firm, and I’ve been trying to get more of my colleagues on board.

My biggest disappointment with blogging is only that I haven’t been able to convince more of my colleagues to get involved.

Lisa Kennelly: You mentioned meeting people you wouldn't otherwise have because of the blog - what kind of people, and do you have any anecdotes about that?

Jay O'Keeffe: This summer, I had a good result in construction appeal, Dunn Construction Co. v. Cloney. The blog put me in touch with construction lawyers, like Tim Hughes in Northern Virginia who runs the Virginia Real Estate, Land Use & Construction Law Blog and Chris Hill in Richmond who does Construction Law Musings. They’re great guys. I probably never would have met them without the blog. Now I read their blogs on RSS and follow them on Twitter, and they drop by De Novo and comment on my posts. Chris even gave me the opportunity to do a guest post on Musings. I can’t wait to get a chance to work with them.

Lisa Kennelly: You mentioned convincing some others at your team to get more involved in social media. What has been your "pitch" about social media, and what has been the response of those at your firm?

Jay O'Keeffe: My “pitch” definitely needs some work. I basically try to lure people into my office and show them what I am doing on the blog, iGoogle (including Google reader and Google Alerts), and Twitter, then suggest that they check it out. Social media provides a tremendously valuable and efficient information source; I check Google Reader and tweet about interesting stuff almost every morning.

On social media generally, our firm has been receptive but cautious—and understandably so. I’ve received wonderful support for De Novo, and the firm has provided in-house training on using LinkedIn. Institutionally, we are very sensitive to the potential ethical issues involved in social media. I think we have to be at the moment, given the absence of definitive guidance from the state bar.

Right now, the Roanoke market is at a stage where our most of clients (or their decision-makers) may not necessarily be using social media, but I’m pretty sure that their direct reports and other influencers are. 

Interested in hearing more? Recent LexBlog Q & A posts:

Or, see our full list of legal blog interviews.

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January 7, 2010 by Lisa Kennelly

Matthew Burnett & Kate Bladow of Technola: LexBlog Q&A

Kate BladowMatthew BurnettThe public interest legal community has a gem in Technola, a blog that shares resources and information about the effective use of technology in the nonprofit legal sector. Run by Matthew Burnett and Kate Bladow of Pro Bono Net, the blog serves as a portal to all kinds of public interest law and technology links and issues.

Their blog has gained a following not just from legal aid and public interest advocates, but also from solo and small firm attorneys who use the site as a resource for lowering the costs of their legal services.

"We've found that blogging opens the door to opportunities and relationships in ways that few other tools, technology-based or otherwise, can," say the authors. "It also cements existing relationships and builds credibility and trust, which are now more important than ever."

We talked with Matthew and Kate for this LexBlog Q&A to learn more about their @accesstojustice Twitter account and what other nonprofit blogs they admire.

See our email exchange, after the jump.

Lisa Kennelly: Describe how Technola came about and what your goals were in starting the blog.

MB & KB: Technola began primarily as a place for us to share resources and information about the effective use of technology in the nonprofit legal sector. Like private law firms, public interest law firms are interested in how technology can make their services more efficient and effective. There are also a lot of great examples of innovative technology being developed and implemented in the nonprofit legal sector that help to increase access to justice for those that can't afford a lawyer, such as LiveHelp, LawHelp Interactive, and The Findability Project. We’re both huge fans of collaboration and information sharing, and we were already trying to share this information in other ways, so creating a blog seemed like a good opportunity to put our heads together to create something that we thought would be of value to the public interest legal community.

Lisa Kennelly: How has the blog evolved over time? What one thing (or few things) have you learned through the experience of blogging?

MB & KB: We both read a lot of other blogs about legal and nonprofit technology and have tried out ideas presented by others. For example, we do a round up each month of our best posts, which we started after reading a post by Beth Kanter, a prominent nonprofit blogger, where she reviewed PostRank. This seems to be a natural way for blogs and bloggers to evolve -- learning more about what others have found successful and experimenting to see if the idea works for you, your blog, and your readers.

One unexpected way that Technola has evolved is our readership. A lot of our readers are legal aid and public interest advocates, but we also have solo and small firm attorneys who are reading Technola regularly, which makes sense given the similarities between under-resourced legal aid offices and struggling solo and small firm attorneys.  

Blogging has been a great source of continuing education for us. Frequently, the topics that we cover are applicable to our professional lives or help solve a problem we encounter at a later date. It's also a great excuse to learn something new. For example, this year we started a project on Twitter, @accesstojustice, which we use to share news and information on access to justice issues in the U.S. and abroad. It’s amazing that with very little effort we’re able connect with a community of over sixteen hundred people, mostly lawyers, who care about the plight of those who can’t afford legal representation. At the same time, we're able to blog about what we learn and help demonstrate the value of social networking to the public interest community. We've found that blogging opens the door to opportunities and relationships in ways that few other tools, technology-based or otherwise, can. It also cements existing relationships and builds credibility and trust, which are now more important than ever.  

Lisa Kennelly: You both have "real" jobs in addition - how do you make time for this blog, or does the blog dovetail easily with your regular work?

MB & KB: We both work at Pro Bono Net, a national nonprofit that partners with legal aid organizations, pro bono programs, courts, and others to increase access to justice through collaboration, volunteerism, and technology. Pro Bono Net has been incredibly supportive of our blog, although we do most of our blogging on personal time—at night and on the weekends. Fortunately, we enjoy our work, and we enjoy sharing what we do through blogging. Technola is a place for us to download things that we hear and do every day.

Blogging regularly is never easy, whether it is part of your job or not. Working together helps. In fact, at this point it’s hard to imagine either of us having done it alone. Advice that we often give to folks who are interested in starting a blog is to find others interested in the same issue to partner with. Blogging with others distributes the work and helps to ensure a diversity of topics, expertise, and perspectives.

Lisa Kennelly: What kind of feedback have you received as a result of the blog, and from whom?

MB & KB: We've received very positive feedback from both the access to justice community and the wider legal blogging community. Most frequently, this feedback comes in the form of suggestions for posts. Readers will send us questions, ideas for posts, or links that they think that our readers would be interested in. This is extremely valuable and helps us to understand what people are interested in reading about. To a lesser extent, readers also comment on posts. We love getting comments and always enjoy responding to them on the blog.

Lisa Kennelly: How do you feel a blog can particularly benefit a non-profit or public interest group? 

MB & KB: Blogs benefit nonprofits in many of the same ways that they benefit private attorneys and law firms. They are tools that people and organizations can use to build community and engage in conversation. As a blog develops, an individual or organization builds a presence in their community, and as more legal aid and pro bono organizations start blogging, the profile of access to justice issues will increase as well.

Several nonprofit legal services organizations are already blogging and successfully using their blogs to achieve these goals. For example:

These are just three examples of how organizations have opted to use blogs. For a more complete list, see technola's blogroll.

Interested in hearing more? Recent LexBlog Q & A posts:

Or, see our full list of legal blog interviews.

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January 5, 2010 by Lisa Kennelly

Jerry Kalish of Retirement Plan Blog: LexBlog Q&A

While we often feature our law bloggers in this space, we'd be remiss not to give attention to some of the successful non-law members of the LexBlog Network.

One those is retirement plan consultant Jerry Kalish, who works with employers to provide better opportunities for plan participants to meet their retirement income objectives. His company, National Benefit Services, works with both business owners and employers to put together customized retirement plans that work for them.

He's also been blogging at the Retirement Plan Blog since 2004, a lifetime in blog years. His original aim of growing the business by using technology to reach his audience still holds true today.

"The response [to the blog] has been gratifying not in the terms of ego-massage, but being able to reach the target audience in a very effective and efficient manner," Jerry says. "And it has helped us grow our business."

We reached out to Jerry for this LexBlog Q&A to discuss more about the relationships he's formed and how his blog has led to his writing for other outlets.

See our email exchange with Jerry, after the jump.

Lisa Kennelly: Briefly, describe your practice and the clientele you work with.

Jerry Kalish: We are one of the growing number of non-attorney LexBlog clients. National Benefit Services, which I founded in 1978, is in the business of designing and administering retirement plans for both profit and non-profit organizations. But that’s the functional description of what we do which can be said of any other firm that provides the same types of services. We “uncommoditize” ourselves in two ways.

  1. Our Defining Statement: We work with business owners who want to put more money away for retirement and/or employers who want a state-of-the-art retirement plan for their employees
  2. Our Vision Statement: We are an independent employee benefit consulting and administration firm based in Chicago, Illinois, that aims to have our clients justifiably enjoy the highest possible confidence that their employee benefit objectives will be met by:

a. Direct contact with one or more of the firm’s mature, experienced professionals;

b. Assistance with defining client needs and evaluating alternatives for meeting them;

c. Individualized employee benefit program or engagement development;

d. Skillful implementation of the chosen programs or engagement;

e. Continuing client education through reports, client conferences and other tools for evaluating results and revising objectives when necessary, and where the employer has discretion, for making informed decisions; and

f. Committed attention to all aspects of plan sponsor responsibility.

Lisa Kennelly: What do you find most rewarding about your work? What is most challenging?

Jerry Kalish: The most important aspect of our work is that we can help employers provide better opportunities for plan participants to meet their retirement income objectives. The most challenging is communicating complicated technical and tax rules and concepts in a manner that can be understood by employers and employees across all industries and socio-economic classes.

Lisa Kennelly: Your blog is practically ancient in Internet years (which is a good thing) - why did you first decide to start it, and how have you seen blogging changed since you first started?

Jerry Kalish: I started our blog in 2004 under the name of Benefit Plan Blog but quickly learned that the more specific name of Retirement Plan Blog got the message across better. We were one of the first non-attorney clients of LexBlog. Very simply, the purpose was to grow our business by using technology to reach our target audience: retirement plan sponsors, i.e., employers, and potential referral sources such as lawyers, accountants, investment and insurance consultants, advisors and brokers. In fact, the blog was the culmination of waiting for the technology to catch up with those objectives, e.g., to bypass using the mail for quarterly newsletters and the Bulletin Board System (BBS) we had in the 80s. For those youngsters out there, a BBS was the primary kind of online community through the 1980s and early 1990s, before the Internet and a graphical user interface (GUI) became prevalent.

Lisa Kennelly: What has the response been like to your blog, and from whom?

Jerry Kalish: The response has been gratifying not in the terms of ego-massage, but being able to reach the target audience in a very effective and efficient manner. And it has helped us grow our business. My objective – being realized on an increasing basis – was to grow our business – not by attracting clients – but by developing relationships with people I would never have had but for the blog. And it’s from relationships to which value can be added that professional services business grows.

Lisa Kennelly: Do you feel your blog has helped you to be viewed as an authority in your field?

Jerry Kalish: Absolutely, it has helped extend my status as a “thought leader” which has developed into writing for other venues, e.g., Slate’s BizBoxBlog, a special promotion by OPEN from American Express and Employee Benefit News, the leading publication in the benefit industry.

Interested in hearing more? Recent LexBlog Q & A posts:

Or, see our full list of legal blog interviews.

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December 22, 2009 by Lisa Kennelly

A.J. De Bartolomeo of Yaz on Trial: LexBlog Q&A

Yaz attorney A.J. BartolomeoYou've likely seen the news reports about the dozens of lawsuits filed by women who have suffered serious injuries after taking Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella birth control pills. You probably also saw lots of information flying around about the risks and consequences of the pills from a variety of sources.

Litigator A.J. De Bartolomeo of the law firm of Girard Gibbs wanted to provide a one-stop shop for her clients and others affected by the pills to be able to educate themselves while not getting overwhelmed by the complications of mass litigation. Along with co-counsel Mike Danko, she launched Yaz on Trial to serve as "an outlet for women and their families to get a clear understanding of how the litigation is playing out."

They do this by writing in plain English (not legalese) and explaining common questions they've heard from numerous clients and other readers.

"Our focus at Yaz on Trial is on simplifying the mass litigation process, not only for individuals interested in our case, but for those involved in other mass actions as well," A.J. says.

We caught up with A.J. for this LexBlog Q&A to discuss more about why she started Yaz on Trial and how her blog helps her connect with women and their families.

See our email exchange with A.J., after the jump.

Lisa Kennelly: Why did you decide to start a blog?

A.J. De Bartolomeo: Earlier this year we were contacted by a mother of 3-year old twins who had suffered a stroke and permanent brain damage after taking the birth control pill Yaz (which incidentally is the top-selling birth control pill sold in the U.S.). We began investigating her claims further and soon learned that she was not alone and that many women had suffered severe health side effects after taking the birth control pills Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella. The injuries ranged from strokes to blood clots to gallbladder disease and many other serious health problems. When we spoke to these women and their families they repeatedly questioned why they hadn't heard about these health risks and wanted to know what was going on with the lawsuits against the makers of Yaz, Yasmin and Ocella.

Based on those conversations, my co-counsel, Mike Danko and I decided to start our blog, Yaz on Trial. We felt that something was needed to get the word out to women and educate people about the health risks associated with these drugs and a blog seemed a great way to do that. We recognize that mass litigation, like the Yaz and Yasmin lawsuits, can be very complicated and difficult to understand, so we wanted to create an outlet for women and their families to get a clear understanding of how the litigation is playing out. One thing led to another and Yaz on Trial was born.

Lisa Kennelly: What has been most rewarding about blogging?

A.J. De Bartolomeo: The most rewarding thing about blogging is having the opportunity to connect to people through the blog itself. We speak to women every day who have questions about the litigation against the makers of Yaz and Yasmin, and we have found that typically when one person has a question, many others have the same question as well. The blog is a great way to help answer some of those questions and keep people informed about the litigation. A good example is our post about the Yasmin and Yaz Multi-District litigation. Several people had questions about what Multi-District Litigation was and found that post very helpful.

Lisa Kennelly: What has been the response from clients, members of your firm, bloggers, other lawyers, or anyone else?

A.J. De Bartolomeo: The response has been very positive so far. Clients have told us that they find it helpful to have a source for up-to-date information about what's happening with the litigation and an easy way to connect with us. Other lawyers have also contacted us through the blog and have found it helpful. Overall, our readers have touted it as a great resource, and we hope to continue to provide useful information and receive such a positive response.

Lisa Kennelly: How do you think blogs like Yaz on Trial can be beneficial to attorneys and clients involved in mass litigation, in general?

A.J. De Bartolomeo: Litigation, particularly mass litigation, can be a confusing and overwhelming process for people who are unfamiliar with it. With so many people involved in the litigation and so many different legal procedures at play, it can become quite a maze, and naturally people have questions. A blog, like Yaz on Trial, can help lend some clarity to this confusing legal process and answer common questions. Our focus at Yaz on Trial is on simplifying the mass litigation process, not only for individuals interested in our case, but for those involved in other mass actions as well. Our readers have responded well to this approach, and have told us that they find our posts focused on mass actions to be informative and helpful.

Lisa Kennelly: What other blogs or online resources do you find most valuable to your own blogging?

A.J. De Bartolomeo: One of our goals is to provide up-to-date information on the status of the Yaz lawsuits, so a favorite of our online resources is PACER. Short for “Public Access to Court Electronic Records,” PACER is an online service run by the Federal Court System that provides access to court dockets, documents filed in a lawsuit, and information on new cases filed. In addition to monitoring the case status, we always keep a close eye on breaking news concerning Yaz and Yasmin via RSS feeds, Google reader etc. I will also admit to occasionally using online medical dictionaries when I come across unfamiliar medical terms.

But really, the most valuable online resource for us at Yaz on Trial is the online Yaz forums authored by women throughout the country. These forums provide outlets for real women share their stories and personal experiences involving these birth control pills. We find these forums to be so informative, in fact, that we recently dedicated a blog post to them on Yaz on Trial. Hopefully, we will succeed in making Yaz on Trial as good a resource for them as they are to us.

Interested in hearing more? Recent LexBlog Q & A posts:

Or, see our full list of legal blog interviews.

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December 18, 2009 by Lisa Kennelly

Jim Walker of Cruise Law News: LexBlog Q&A

Cruise Law attorney Jim WalkerJim Walker has always been ahead of the curve.

The Miami cruise law attorney has had a web presence since 1996, when he created his very first web site. A former defense attorney, he switched sides in 1999 and became an advocate for cruise ship passengers, years before the majority of Miami lawyers started marketing themselves as "cruise line lawyers."

And his blog, Cruise Law News? It only came into being after he had been hooked on Twitter (@CruiseLaw) for several months and realized he needed a forum to write in more than 140 characters.

Each component of his online presence serves a different but equally valuable purpose.

"Most of my competitors are where I was ten years ago," Jim says, "creating ego sites that say they are fantastic without providing any useful information to the consumer and without even attempting to establish a dialogue with the public. The Internet now requires an interactive exchange. So I am trying to use my blog to provide the most current and relevant information in my specialized field of law."

We caught up with Jim for this LexBlog Q&A to learn more about his online persona and how he uses his blog to beat the mainstream media to breaking news.

See our email exchange with Jim, after the jump.

Lisa Kennelly: Why did you decide to start a blog?

Jim Walker: I became a blogger after becoming addicted to Twitter earlier this year. In February, I watched President Obama’s State of the Union speech. The gallery was filled with people twittering away on their Blackberries and iPhones, sending out their own spin on the President’s speech. CNN covered the story and added their own perspective via Twitter. A few days later I registered @CruiseLaw. In March, I started “tweeting.”

I became hooked. A dozen times a day, I tweeted my perspective about crimes on cruise ships, bad shipboard medical care, mysterious disappearances of passengers, and even attacks against cruise ships by pirates! Stuff so unbelievable that I couldn’t make it up. To my surprise, a large number of people in the cruise industry began following me – mostly cruise line manager types, travel agents, and PR people who disagree with anything negative I mentioned about cruising. In the process, a dialogue developed with people on the other-side-of-the-fence so to speak. I enjoyed it. I also found a lot of kindred spirits who share my concerns about the negative environmental impact of cruising – things like cruise ship wastewater discharges, and air emissions of cruise ships which burn bunker fuels. The carbon footprint of the cruise industry is incredible. A lot of “green travelers” like to read my tweets and I like to follow them too.

As you know, “tweeting” is just micro-blogging. My addiction grew beyond the 140 character limit of Twitter. I ran across Kevin’s blog and began following Kevin as well as LexBlog and LexMonitor on Twitter. And this led me to blogging. The LexBlog format fit my plans perfectly.

I wrote a blog post about the experience - Cruise Law Meets Twitter.

Lisa Kennelly: What has been most rewarding about blogging?

Jim Walker: I blog about breaking “cruise news.” I was the only one in the U.S. who reported on the armed robbery of 11 cruise passengers in the Bahamas in October. I explained the legal liability of cruise lines who sell shore excursions but don’t warn their guests about high crime rate in ports of call. Last month, an additional 18 cruise passengers were robbed at gunpoint in the Bahamas after the cruise lines failed to warn the passengers about the first attack. I found a YouTube video of one of the passengers who had just been robbed, and posted the video and photographs on my blog. I broke two stories before any newspaper knew what happened! Soon “Cruise Law News” was being cited in major newspapers as the source of news.

Experiences like this are exciting and rewarding. We warn the public of dangers that the cruise lines like to keep secret. I embed my perspective into the news I write about. I am not a journalist. I am an advocate. And I enjoy reporting on news events with my own unique perspective.

Lisa Kennelly: What has been most challenging?

Jim Walker: There is not enough time to blog, practice law and have a real life. I have a full trial practice with 100 injured clients at any time. I have a family, two growing boys and a spouse (who is also my law partner) plus four dogs. I started my blog a little over three months ago and I have written 100 articles. My articles are too long, too. I can’t help it – I come from a family of story tellers. I feel sometimes like I am making a closing argument and I can’t stop myself. I struggle getting to the point.

Lisa Kennelly: What has the response been to your blog from clients, other attorneys, or anyone else?

Jim Walker: It has been fantastic so far. My blog has 10 times the traffic of my website, CruiseLaw.com, which I started over ten years ago. My biggest disappointment is that few people post comments. I like people to voice their own views, particularly if they disagree with me.

Lisa Kennelly: You and your firm have had a web presence at CruiseLaw.com for an impressive 10 years now. How has the way you use the Internet changed since then.

Jim Walker: I actually created my first web site, called Walker-Law.com, in 1996. I was a defense lawyer. My site was very egocentric. I used my own name in the domain and advertised that I was great at defending cruise lines. But I found that passengers across the U.S. began e-mailing me asking me to sue one of the cruise lines here in Miami because they had been injured or raped. They found my site through the old search engines and didn’t care who I was or even that I defended cruise lines! In 1999, I switched sides and created CruiseLaw.com myself using a Windows FrontPage program. It is amateurish but effective. 100% of the cases we handle are against cruise lines and six of our clients have testified before Congress on cruise safety issues. I have not updated the CruiseLaw site for ten years (but have a much-needed new design coming out the first of next year).

Now every lawyer in Miami calls themselves a cruise line lawyer. Attorneys I have never heard of are are paying for click-throughs on Google. Most of my competitors are where I was ten years ago. Creating ego sites that say they are fantastic without providing any useful information to the consumer and without even attempting to establish a dialogue with the public. The Internet now requires an interactive exchange. So I am trying to use my blog to provide the most current and relevant information in my specialized field of law.

Lisa Kennelly: How do you use your website, your blog, and your Twitter account, both together or individually, to market yourself and your firm?

Jim Walker: My website is like an online resume. Not much real information is on it. Just a description of who we are and what we do. The real marketing now comes from my blog. I still mini-blog on Twitter. I link to the other people who are shaping the daily debate on cruise issues. When I finish my blog, I post a link on Twitter. There are usually a hundred people who will quickly read it to see what I am rambling about. I take a lot of photos of our clients and cruise ships that I sue and post them on my Flickr page. Whenever another cruise passenger goes overboard, people know where to find me.

Interested in hearing more? Recent LexBlog Q & A posts:

Or, see our full list of legal blog interviews.

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December 16, 2009 by Lisa Kennelly

Daniel Clement of New York Divorce Report: LexBlog Q&A

New York divorce attorney Daniel ClementIn this season of holiday parties, a common conversation topic as guests chat and mingle is the celebrity divorce of the day — something New York divorce attorney Daniel Clement knows well.

The author of the New York Divorce Report is often asked his take on whichever big-name couple is hogging the tabloids, and he uses it as a way to instruct his clients and other on how family law really works.

A large part of Daniel's practice is making sure his clients know what they're owed, whether it's through a celebrity example or through his well-written blog posts.

"I derive my greatest satisfaction in guiding these clients through the process," Daniel says, "educating and advising of them of their rights, advocating and negotiating on their behalf to achieve a fair resolution."

We reached out to Daniel for this LexBlog Q&A to discuss more about how his blog has helped his standing as a divorce attorney and how other social media tools complement his blogging.

See our email exchange with Daniel, after the jump.

Lisa Kennelly: Briefly, describe your practice and the type of clients you work with.

Daniel Clement: My practice is limited to Divorce and Family Law in New York and New Jersey. I represent parties going through the pains of divorce, fighting to protect their economic interests and to protect the interests of their children. Lately, I have been representing many parties contemplating marriage and negotiating pre-nuptial agreements.

My clients run the gamut from sophisticate business owners, doctors, lawyers, professional athletes and Wall Street executives to stay-at-home parents. Recently, and directly as a result of some posts I wrote, I have assisted some same-sex litigants' divorce.

Lisa Kennelly: What is most rewarding about being a family lawyer? What is most challenging?

Daniel Clement: Individuals going through divorce are, rightfully so, emotionally distraught. As part of the process, they may be displaced from their home, their economic future is less than certain and their relationships with their children may be at risk. I derive my greatest satisfaction in guiding these clients through the process – educating and advising of them of their rights, advocating and negotiating on their behalf to achieve a fair resolution.

Lisa Kennelly: Why did you decide to start a blog?

Daniel Clement: A large part of my practice involves “educating” my clients of their rights. I was looking for a way of keeping my clients up to date of new developments in the law and while simultaneously reaching out to prospective clients. Blogging allows me to accomplish both goals.

As part of my practice, I always had to keep up the case law and statutory changes. In the social settings, I was often asked my thoughts about the celebrity divorce of the day. It just seemed natural then to put my thoughts, comments, observations and criticisms in a blog.

In The Divorce Report, I comment on recent decisions and changes in the law. I will discuss current events, like same-sex marriage and celebrity divorce. In fact, I find that celebrity divorce often can be quite instructive on how family law really works.

Lisa Kennelly: Do you feel your blog has had an impact on how you are viewed as an authority in your field?

Daniel Clement: The overall feedback has been fantastic. Attorneys against whom I am litigating and whom I respect have complimented me and engaged me in conversation about my blog posts. In some case, litigants in the cases I have written about have emailed me, telling me some of the back-story of the cases. I have enjoyed the conversations in the blogosphere. And, of course, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge that I have secured some good cases from readers of the my blog.

Lisa Kennelly: You integrate Facebook and Twitter into your online presence as well — what different benefits do each of these social media tools have?

Daniel Clement: I have a fan page on Facebook, Married in New York which allows me to engage in conversation with my “Fans”. In fact, most of the conversation on the Fan page is not law based. Instead, the goal of the fan page is to have a fun look at the good, bad and the ugly aspects of marriage, and married life in New York. My Twitter feed @danielclement picks up both the conversations on my blog and on my fan page.

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December 9, 2009 by Lisa Kennelly

Ellen Simon of Employee Rights Post: LexBlog Q&A

Employment Attorney Ellen SimonEllen Simon is one of the most well-renowned employment and civil rights lawyers in the U.S., with 25 years of litigation experience and numerous media appearances as a legal analyst under her belt.

As an attorney, she prides herself on being able to help people and make a difference – two things she's found that her blog, Employee Rights Post, enables as well.

"I have had feedback from people who have thanked me for the help and advice they have gotten from reading the articles," Ellen says. "Some became clients and some just wrote me to thank me for the help and information. It's been very gratifying."

On the blog, she offers a national perspective on discrimination laws and employee rights, staying on top on the latest issues in her field while also providing a unique perspective that, as she frequently hears from lawyers and readers, is hard to find anywhere else.

We caught up with Ellen for this LexBlog Q&A to discuss more about the sort of feedback she hears and how her blog gives her a place to share her take on developments in the law.

See our email exchange with Ellen, after the jump.

Lisa Kennelly: Why did you decide to start a blog?

Ellen Simon: I have been devoted to civil rights and employee rights for over thirty years. As part of my normal routine, I try to stay current on the law.

I have had more time to do that in the past few years, and was constantly reading about interesting decisions, important verdicts, and new legislation that was good news for employee rights and civil rights.

I would read some great victory for an employee and think: "This is really significant. I wonder how many of the other plaintiffs’ lawyers know about this? What would be a good way to share the historical perspective and pass on the information?”

Several people suggested that I start a blog, and so I started to look into it. One of the things I found is that while there many lawyers providing information from the management perspective, there were few who were writing blogs for employees and I don’t think that anyone was writing a blog devoted to discrimination laws and employee rights with a national perspective.

It seemed to me that a blog would be a good way to help employees who were in need of advice about their workplace and civil rights. At the same time, I could also help convey information to lawyers who represent employees about important developments in the law. That’s how it came about.

Lisa Kennelly: What has been most rewarding about blogging? What has been most challenging?

Ellen Simon: It’s very rewarding that thousands of people are getting useful information from blog. The challenge is that it’s quite time consuming to do the research and the writing.

Lisa Kennelly: What has the response been to your blog from lawyers, clients, or anyone else?

Ellen Simon: The response is very positive, and it generally comes from people who read the blog and appreciate the advice.

I have had feedback from people who have thanked me for the help and advice they have gotten from reading the articles. Some became clients and some just wrote me to thank me for the help and information. It's been very gratifying. I try and write the blog in a way that will be helpful to lawyers as well as non-lawyers. The feedback from lawyers has also been very positive.

Lisa Kennelly: How do you come up with ideas for blog posts, and do you ever get writer's block?

Ellen Simon: I constantly monitor whatever information may be available including other blogs, news about court opinions, news about verdicts and what’s happening on the legislative front. I pick a story that I think is interesting and significant. I never have trouble finding a story.

Lisa Kennelly: Your blog posts are very dynamic, with lots of images. What is the inspiration to do your posts this way, and where do you find your images?

Ellen Simon: Finding the images is fun. I always enjoy figuring out the best visual graphics and exhibits for trial and finding images for the blog is really enjoyable in a similar way.

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December 3, 2009 by Lisa Kennelly

Matthew DeVries of Best Practices Construction Law: LexBlog Q&A

Construction attorney Matthew DeVriesA move from Washington, DC to Nashville sparked construction attorney Matthew DeVries of Smith, Cashion & Orr to start a blog in order to help his marketing and development in a new and unfamiliar region.

The energy and conscientiousness he's poured into Best Practices Construction Law since launching comes through in his posts and his engagement with others in the bustling construction and green building law community.

It's also paid off for his practice development.

"I have certainly seen an increase in the number of cold calls from potential clients as well as media inquiries from reporters and bloggers," Matt says. "For example, when Congress was debating the climate change legislation earlier in the year, I received a call from a reporter at BNA who asked about the potential effect of the environmental legislation on the construction industry. This gave me an opportunity to share some knowledge and highlight [the blog]."

We caught up with Matt for this LexBlog Q&A to find out more about how blogging has made him a better lawyer and how he integrates Twitter with his blog.

See our email exchange with Matt after the jump.

Lisa Kennelly: Why did you decide to start a blog?

Matt DeVries: I had a personal blog that I maintained for a number of years and I really enjoyed the opportunity to write about various experiences in my life, including funny stories about my five kids, thoughts on marriage or parenting, tips on leadership and other random posts. When I moved from Washington D.C. to Nashville, Tennessee three years ago as a veteran attorney, I was at somewhat of a disadvantage. I had little to no local contacts, which made my marketing and development in this region a challenge. Having seen the success of a number of other blogging lawyers—one of my favorites being Daniel Schwartz—I decided that I would jump into the legal blogging arena as a way to enhance my practice.

Lisa Kennelly: What has been most rewarding about blogging?

Matt DeVries: Believe it or not, the process of identifying a blogging platform, creating a brand/theme, and posting regularly has made me a better lawyer. Since the information that I post on the internet is publically available, I am more conscious about my writing, as well as the purpose of each post. In addition, I have assessed my client base and focused my target practice areas to make sure that my blogging efforts were purposeful. All in all, the process of setting up the blog and the discipline of regularly posting enabled me to better serve others in the construction industry.

Of course, it is also rewarding when I receive a phone call or an e-mail from a colleague, potential client, or reporter based upon something I have written on the blog. That type of feedback lets me know when I am doing things right!

Lisa Kennelly: What has been the most challenging?

Matt DeVries: The most challenging aspect of legal blogging has been to identify and articulate “useful information” that will benefit my clients as well as the construction industry as a whole. There are so many individuals in the legal blogging world who simply process and churn information. From the onset, I decided I did not want to be one of those people. I wanted to use this arena to help others, which is the real purposes of Best Practices Construction Law: “Using experience, knowledge and technology to ensure success in the construction industry…”

So while I have not had a difficult time finding relevant topics to blog about, the more challenging aspect for me has been to make sure that the information that I share with others is useful, relevant and helpful.

Lisa Kennelly: What has the response been to your blog from clients, other attorneys, or anything else?

Matt DeVries: I have received a great praises from other LexBlog clients (such as Shari Shapiro, Rich Cartlidge, Scott Wolfe and Tim Hughes). In addition, numerous clients have expressed their thanks and gratitude for providing them with a useful resource to keep up to date on many best practices within the construction industry. Finally, I have certainly seen an increase in the number of cold calls from potential clients as well as media inquiries from reporters and bloggers.  For example, when Congress was debating the climate change legislation earlier in the year, I received a call from a reporter at BNA who asked about the potential effect of the environmental legislation on the construction industry. This gave me an opportunity to share some knowledge and highlight www.bestpracticesconstructionlaw.com.

Lisa Kennelly: How does using Twitter affect or complement your blogging?

Matt DeVries: I was using Twitter prior to starting my construction blog, but I do not feel that my “tweeting” had any real purpose. I was just another person chirping in the Twittersphere. However, after going through the detailed design process with LexBlog—where we identified some of my strengths and desired practice areas that were consistent with my client base—I feel that my focus has been more refined. This has enabled me to use my Twitter account, @matthewdevries, to truly complement my blogging. There is a lot of room for growth for me to effectively use Twitter to establish new contacts and relationships, but I am excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and proud of progress made thus far.

Lisa Kennelly: What advice would you give to an attorney thinking about starting up a blog?

Matt DeVries: I would suggest to any attorney thinking about starting up a blog to make sure they fully understand why they want to start the blog in the first place. Just like all other marketing opportunities and relationship building techniques, it is more than entering a room  and shouting content. You need to understand the value of purposeful dialogue through your blogging platform. 

Lisa Kennelly: It seems like there is a very active, strong construction law blogging community. Do you agree, and if so, why do you think that is?

Matt DeVries: There are certainly a number of great construction blogs out there, as well as plenty of green building law blogs. I think people in the construction industry simply want some guidance as they deal with unprecedented times—high unemployment, tight credit markets and lack of financing for new construction, and an overly saturated residential market. At the same time, green building has been described as the “only bright spot in the construction industry.” I am very humbled to be included in the construction law blogging community during these times.

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December 1, 2009 by Lisa Kennelly

Dave Rein of Owners, Borrowers & Thieves 2.0: LexBlog Q&A

Intellectual property attorney Dave ReinIntellectual property attorney Dave Rein figured it was about time he got web-savvy when he realized his kids' elementary school was blogging and he wasn't.

Now, the Husch Blackwell Sanders attorney uses Owners, Borrowers & Thieves 2.0 both to meet new clients and potential clients, and to stay on top of intellectual property issues

"Blogging and reading for the blog has been one of the ways that I keep up with all of the changes that are happening in the intellectual property area," Dave says.

Most notable have been the conversations and connections he's built through the blog.

"The blog has led to some work, but even more important has been the way it has helped me meet and develop an even greater network of photographers, creatives and companies with their own stables of patents, trademarks and copyrights," he says.

We caught up with Dave for this LexBlog Q&A to learn more about his cast of changing co-writers and how Twitter complements his blogging.

See our email exchange with Dave, after the jump.

Lisa Kennelly: Why did you decide to start a blog?

Dave Rein: It was time to enter the 21st century! You know that you're still in the 20th century when your kids' elementary school is blogging and you are not. Actually, I didn't start the blog. The founders did a great job creating the blog and generating interest in it, but when they started running out of steam, they passed the torch, so to speak, to me.

I had never blogged before, but I love to write and litigate intellectual property cases so I knew that I would be writing about an area that I enjoy. It didn't hurt that the blog was already up and running with LexBlog ready to help if I needed it. I've been writing since February and have been having a great time with it!

Lisa Kennelly: What has been most rewarding about blogging? What has been most challenging?

Dave Rein: Blogging and reading for the blog has been one of the ways that I keep up with all of the changes that are happening in the intellectual property area. With at least two cases before the Supreme Court, a busy Federal Circuit and changing technology that questions what were once established concepts, trying to keep up with the intellectual property scene is a little like trying watching the stock market ticker streaming at the bottom of the television screen!

But the most rewarding part has certainly been that the blog has helped me meet more people who create and manage intellectual property as well as other lawyers who are also passionate about intellectual property.

The most challenging part of blogging is setting aside time to write!

Lisa Kennelly: What has the response been to your blog from lawyers, clients, or anyone else?

Dave Rein: The incredible feedback has been a great motivator to keep writing. One surprise has been that most of the "conversation" has not been through comments left on the blog, but rather through Twitter (@daverein) and direct contact. LexBlog has been helpful in making the leap into Twitter although I need to do a better job in making use of the resources it offers.

The blog has led to some work, but even more important has been the way it has helped me meet and develop an even greater network of photographers, creatives and companies with their own stables of patents, trademarks and copyrights.

Lisa Kennelly: You have gone from having multiple authors to being, at the moment, the lone author for the blog. What are the differences between blogging solo and blogging with other authors?

Dave Rein: Not to worry. I won't be wandering alone for much longer. I've enlisted a few more attorneys with some fresh perspectives. I'm looking forward to hearing what they have to say beginning next year.

Lisa Kennelly: Do you feel having a blog separates you from other attorneys who don't?

Dave Rein: Definitely! Most importantly, it is another way for me to get in front of our clients and prospective clients. Some may not be interested in blogging or social media sites, but for those who embrace them, blogging gives me another way to talk to them. If I can't stand next to a client or potential client and talk to them about different intellectual property issues, then blogging is the next best thing.

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November 19, 2009 by Lisa Kennelly

Joseph Rosenbaum of Legal Bytes: LexBlog Q&A

Reed Smith attorney Joseph RosenbaumThe move of the Legal Bytes newsletter from print to web was a no-brainer for Reed Smith attorney Joseph Rosenbaum, head of the AmLaw200 firm's Advertising Technology & Media group.

"By 2008," Joe says of his Legal Bytes blog, "I realized that my format - small, insightful, narrative pieces, virtually always referencing more robust information - covering a wide variety of topics at the intersection of law, advertising, technology, media and entertainment, finance, travel and more, was perfect for a blog format."

Reed Smith as a firm has 11 total blogs on the LexBlog Network, and Joe says that blogging has benefited both the firm's attorneys and their clients.

"Blogging has fostered our own internal communication, has allowed clients to quickly get a sense of the variety of issues and, bluntly, helps everyone appreciate the value of cross-selling and deepening the relationships of trust and confidence with our clients," Joe says.

We caught up with Joe for this LexBlog Q&A to learn more about the rewards of blogging and the responsibility of a digital media blog to stay relevant.

See our email exchange with Joe, after the jump.

Lisa Kennelly: Why did you decide to start a blog?

Joe Rosenbaum: I have been publishing Legal Bytes monthly as a one page (two sides of a page) newsletter since 1996 - literally mailing dozens of pieces of mail each month. When I joined Reed Smith, it was right before 9/11 and there was a break, but then I resumed publishing that same way until 2009. By 2008, I realized that my format - small, insightful, narrative pieces, virtually always referencing more robust information - covering a wide variety of topics at the intersection of law, advertising, technology, media and entertainment, finance, travel and more, was perfect for a blog format. I also felt, given the subject matter, that we should be in the 21st Century instead of just reporting about it. I also consistently lamented the fact that archives weren't searchable and that when timely items broke in mid-month, I was constrained by a monthly schedule. This way, I could blog to give my readers timely information.

Lisa Kennelly: What has been most rewarding about blogging? What has been most challenging?

Joe Rosenbaum: The overwhelming responses and acceptance - and positive feedback from readers and colleagues. It's more timely, people like it and can truly access it and refer to it anywhere without a PDF reader or a printer - although they can print out copies to read if they choose to do so. I have also seen continued growth in the subscription, readership and referral numbers - which means people are enjoying it and telling others to subscribe. The ability to get real-time feedback - literally hour by hour or day by day (although I do really have a full time job that I need to pay attention to as well) - tells me what and when I'm doing things right and, of course, wrong or dull as well.

The most challenging tactical issue was getting a large law firm to embrace social media, blogging and real-time conversations with readers - especially in a lighter, more narrative format than is traditional for most legal articles and online presence. At first, there was some thought to be very limiting about who, when and what subjects could be in blog format. The good news is that as the head of the Advertising Technology & Media group, my experiment was an easy one to sell and, in fairness, once the rationale was provided and the decision to go was taken, the firm has been bending over backwards to make it successful. The substantive challenges remain constant - ensuring material is timely, varied, interesting and enlightening AND articulating in a blog format that is readable and (dare I say this of legal material) enjoyable and entertaining!

Lisa Kennelly: Reed Smith has several firm blogs - does it make a difference to have the support of the firm or to know that other lawyers in the firm understand the value of blogs as well?

Joe Rosenbaum: Absolutely. Now blogs are a way of communicating and we and our clients are better for it. It is also important to remember that clients come to our firm with requests for advice, guidance, representation and transactions. It might be nice to think they are all law school case studies, but in reality, these almost always cut across legal topics and substantive skills and experience. Any given client matter can give rise to multiple issues in multiple areas, as well as across international boundaries. Blogging has fostered our own internal communication, has allowed clients to quickly get a sense of the variety of issues and, bluntly, helps everyone appreciate the value of cross-selling and deepening the relationships of trust and confidence with our clients. That's the business we are in!

Lisa Kennelly: As a blog that actually covers issues of new and digital media, do you feel particular pressure/responsibility to blog regularly and remain up to date?

Joe Rosenbaum: [Insert a chuckle here.] You bet. Not so much pressure, as a responsibility and desire to make sure what I write about or the articles from others I solicit are timely and meaningful and give people some insights or stimulate their thoughts in areas they might not have thought about or recent developments they didn't know about. In truth, the essence of blogs captures the essence of what journalists who look for the 'scoop' or write investigative pieces or find topics of interest to a broad audience have been doing since the very beginning - make sure they are writing about things people want to know, when and where they want it and in a way they can understand. Blogs may be different in format and the distribution channels may have moved from pulp (no disrespect intended) to electrons - but the essence remains the same because people still want the same "I enjoy reading that" reaction - and frankly that's what I am after.

Lisa Kennelly: What was the origin of the "Light Bytes" section?

Joe Rosenbaum: Like the "Whatz Gnu?" and "Useless But Compelling Facts" trivia contest - and yes, I do give out prizes - I wanted the content to include a few things that can entertain, make people think, let people remember or simply learn a new fact, while at the same time letting them smile a little. There have been so many thoughtful and insightful things, so many extraordinary minds who have given us great ideas - whether they are profound thoughts about our world from Albert Einstein, words of hope from President Kennedy, prayers for a better world from Dr. Martin Luther King or simply some homespun humor from Will Rogers or wry wit of Groucho Marx - I like finding them, they teach me something when I do and I wanted to pass that on. Like the other non-legal tidbits, it adds a bit of entertainment, a very short diversion from the daily grind and perhaps, just maybe, a little enlightenment. That's what Legal Bytes is ultimately all about anyway.

Interested in hearing more? Recent LexBlog Q & A posts:

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