Lawyers needlessly warning of risks of blog publishing?

Leave it to us lawyers to warn the public of the risk of being sued everywhere we turn in business. The latest craze may be warning of all the dangers of publishing a blog.

Ran across one headline this week from my home state of Wisconsin, ‘Local Legal Experts Warn Of Potential Risks Of Blogging.‘ Sounds like one of those studies with laboratory rats and saccharin. Came from a legal seminar Madison attorney Ed Garvey, who writes a progressive political blog on the Web site, Fightingbob.com, and Jennifer Peterson, the author of a recent article in Wisconsin Lawyer magazine dedicated to blog liability.

I am not sure Jennifer nor Bob think people will be successful suing bloggers for anything other than defamation, which could also occur by talking with a reporter for a newspaper or TV station. But when headlines like this follow one’s presentation, it sure looks like you’re telling law firms and businesses to think twice about blogging.

Blogs may just be the best thing to come down the pike for businesses seeking to communicate with their target audience. As lawyers, let’s encourage people to use the power of speech and communication via the Internet, not scare them from it.