David Shulman of South Florida Estate Planning Law: LexBlog Q&A
South Florida estate planning attorney David Shulman started blogging when he left a big law firm to start his own solo practice. He saw blogging as “a great way for me to communicate with prospective clients and prospective referral sources about me and my practice.”
His blog, South Florida Estate Planning Law, strikes a balance between educating potential clients while remaining relevant for other estate planning attorneys.
“It’s been mostly positive all around,” David says. “I’ve gotten business through the blog from clients who have read it and been intrigued by articles. I have made numerous contacts with other attorneys in the legal blogosphere.”
We reached out to David for this LexBlog Q&A to discuss more about how he comes up with post ideas, what blogs he follows, and how a blog is like a plant.
See our email exchange with David, after the jump.
Lisa Kennelly: Why did you decide to start a blog?
David Shulman: In February of this year (2009) I left a big law firm to start my own solo practice. I knew that I wanted to do things differently. I had been reading other blogs, both legal and non-legal, and I knew that social media, along with blogging, is not just the wave of the future, but the wave of the present. Blogging would be a great way for me to communicate with prospective clients and prospective referral sources about me and my practice.
Besides, I love to write, and blogging give me an outlet to write more about the topics that interest me.
Lisa Kennelly: What has been most rewarding about blogging? What has been most challenging?
David Shulman: The most rewarding part about blogging as been the feedback from people who have read my posts and told me how much they enjoyed them. It means a lot to me when other bloggers link to me and tell their readers that I wrote something worthwhile. There have been a lot of challenges. I think the biggest challenge is trying to determine who my audience is. I always wonder if something I’m writing is too simple or too complicated. I want to educate potential clients without being too technical, but at the same time, I don’t want to bore other estate planning attorneys. It’s a narrow tightrope to walk.
Lisa Kennelly: Do you ever struggle to come up with ideas for posts, and if so, how do you get inspired?
David Shulman: I often struggle to come up with ideas. If I wanted to, I could continuously write posts like “Why you need a Will” but I think that gets a bit tiresome or simple. I am constantly looking for new ideas. I get ideas from a number of places. I get them from client matters I’m working on, from cases that are decided and new statutes. Also, I have a very large number of RSS subscriptions in my Google Reader. I have over 1,000 new posts a day in it! I certainly don’t read them all, but I’ll skip quite a bit for ideas.
Lisa Kennelly: What has been the response to your blog from clients, other attorneys, or anyone else?
David Shulman: It’s been mostly positive all around. I’ve gotten business through the blog from clients who have read it and been intrigued by articles. I have made numerous contacts with other attorneys in the legal blogosphere. I’m very grateful that people are enjoying it.
Lisa Kennelly: What have you learned about blogging that you didn’t expect?
David Shulman: I learned that a blog is like a plant or a small child. If you don’t feed it regularly, it will die.
Lisa Kennelly: What are some of your favorite blogs to read/follow, and why?
David Shulman: I read a large number of legal and non-legal blogs. From a non-legal perspective I love Consumerist, Mashable, and Lifehacker. I also read Taxgirl, the Tax Prof, the Wills, Trusts and Estates Prof, and Above the Law.
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