Are law blogs primarily for the ‘under 40’ lawyers?

That was the question asked by the managing partner in a 100 plus lawyer firm during a conference call this morning.

Fact is that the average of the 800 plus lawyers blogging with LexBlog is over 40. I’d guess most of our lawyer clients are more my age, between 45 and 55. I’m 52.

Two reasons.

One, lawyers my age went to law school when the idea of a lawyer marketing or advertising was absurd. Heck, the Supreme Court had just found lawyer advertising legally permissable. Any lawyer marketing their services was the surest lawyer to stay away from – they weren’t good enough to get work.

Lawyers just assumed work would come. And it did. Our being a good lawyer spread by word of mouth. The more people became familiar with our skill, the more word spread.

Blogs are back to the future. Good lawyers networking and showcasing their intellectual capital, just online, as opposed to in person, so as to further enhance their reputation. Word of mouth on steroids.

Older lawyers feel a lot more at home networking through blogs to showcase their intellectual capital than being part of more aggressive marketing or advertising.

Second, lawyers who have been around the corner have a good deal of what feels like common sense in their area of practice. They feel comfortable in their skin. Such lawyers feel at home commenting on legal developments and answering legal questions.

Beginning the practice of law, new lawyers look across the desk at a lawyer 20 years their senior and wonder how the heck are they ever going to know all that stuff. Commenting on legal developments and answering questions doesn’t come quite as easy.

Blogs are all about conversing with thought leaders in your niche area of the law. It’s only natural that those lawyers who have developed a good deal of ‘common sense’ in their niche feel more comfortable engaging in a conversation.

Don’t get me wrong. We have plenty of younger lawyers enhancing their reputation and getting business from blogging. Some are becoming rock stars in niche areas of the law.

But despite the perception, blogs aren’t just for kids.