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Twitter may be best source of timely news on niche subjects for lawyers

September 25, 2011

Twitter news feeds for lawyersIt’s ironic that the majority of lawyers readily dismiss Twitter when Twitter may be the most timely news feed on niche subjects available to lawyers.

As any casual reader of my blog knows, I am an avid Green Bay Packer’s fan. I watch every game on Sunday with my family. I live and die with every loss. Heck, I even wonder what would Vince Lombardi would do when making leadership decisions of my own.

Today was a huge rivalry game. The Bears at Chicago’s Soldiers Field. It doesn’t get much better than this in sports.

Three hours after the game I wanted to know coaches and player’s reactions (not as reported, but personal statements from them), injury updates (were running back Ryan Grant and Bryan Bulaga out for any length of time?), fan reaction from Wisconsin and Chicago (as reported by fan and player observations), and sports reporter’s updates from the press box, locker room, and the bus out of the stadium.

Where did I go? To my son Colin’s Twitter list on the Packers.

‘Twitter Lists’ make it possible for Twitter users to follow an ad-hoc lists of Twitter users/authors instead of individual authors/users. Doing so a Twitter user can generate a feed on relevant niche subjects.

Colin’s Twitter list did not disappoint. It was far, far superior to anything I could get from television, the newspaper on or off-line, or even blogs.

Twitter gave me player’s first hand feelings and observations. Coaches, players, and reporters shared injury updates, including that head coach, Mike McCarthy, believes Beluga has only a knee bruise and that Ryan Grant is headed to the hospital for precautionary x-rays on his ribs. Fans reported that local Chicago radio sports call in shows had fans calling for the Bear’s offensive coach, Mike Martz, to be fired.

Tight-end Travis Crabtree even offered the below comment on Twitter an hour ago, presumably from the bus ride out of Soldiers Field.

What does this mean for you as a lawyer?

  • The ability to track info and insight shared from lawyers who are thought leaders in their field.
  • The ability to track news, information, and observations from relevant reporters and publishers.
  • The ability to track news, information, and observations from industry leaders and association heads in the industry or consumer groups you serve as a lawyer.
  • The ability to track news, information, and observations being shared directly from clients, prospective clients, referral sources, and business associates.

This can be done on a national or local basis. The Twitter feeds can be delivered to your desktop computer, a tablet, or a smart-phone.

If you know of a better way to get timely news feeds on niche subjects, let me know. I haven’t seen one.

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