How to write a blog that follows you in your legal career?

Lawyers move. They do not stay at the same firm all their lives. At the same time, a lawyer’s value in the market place is determined by their reputation as a trusted and reliable authority in their field.

A professional blog is quickly becoming the leading method of further enhancing your reputation. But, web strategist, Jeremiah Owyang, points out that creating a blog that follows you isn’t always easy.

The Career Blog is a unique property, it’s a mixture of work, personal, yet all passion. It travels from one job to the next, and can be one of the attractions for clients, employers, and partners. Balancing the needs of those many constituents is a challenge.

Jeremiah’s post on the subject raised the question, ‘How do you publish a career blog?’ Commenters have left ideas and examples, some apropos for a lawyer, some not.

Here’s a few of my own.

• Obviously make sure your blog is yours, not your law firms. Seems obvious, but make things clear up front and copyright as yours. You’ll be surprised that many large good law firms like it that way.
• As you develop niches in your practice, blog on what you love to do as a lawyer. Waive the magic wand and ask what type of work would I like to do and you would I like to do it for. Share content as if you already achieved that goal, content that’s value to that audience and that’s going to permit you to network with those types of clients.
• Don’t worry that the niche covered by your blog doesn’t cover the spectrum of what you do as a lawyer. Lawyers speaking at conferences are invited to speak on one subject year after year though they may do other sorts of work. But it’s that niche that gets them in the door and established their name as an authority. Do the same with your blog.
• Be transparent. As things change in your practice and as you change employment, share (as much as you can) your reasons for the move, your emotions, and how things are going. Your blog will have attracted readers because they’ve come to know you. They like you and your style. They’ll understand and may even follow you closer. It’s those readers that spread your reputation by word of mouth.
• Though your blog is professionally focused in your niche in the law, Denise Howell has shown me that sharing personal experiences where I can. Blend it where you can and do what feels comfortable. Readers will come to know you as a person and they’ll stay with you.

What ideas do you have for a career blog?