Recently, the Denver Bar Association broached the topic of “Keeping up in a ‘blogal’ world” in an article from The Docket (Vol. 32, Issue 11, December 2010). Penned by Nicole M. Mundt, and available online the article provided a good introduction to the topic for lawyers interested in breaking into the blogosphere. Though the evidence of successful marketing and client development via blogs is still largely anecdotal at this point, it is clear that some attorneys are already using blogs effectively in a professional context.
Rather quickly, blogs are becoming an accepted and more widespread means of marketing for lawyers. Many books dealing with legal marketing and client development now include sections dealing specifically with blogs and other emerging technologies. For example, in The Rainmaking Machine: Marketing, Planning, Strategies, and Management for Law Firms , the author includes a checklist for how to increase blog traffic, as well as a section on making the most of web 2.0 and online social networking.
So what does this mean for practicing attorneys seeking to generate business through the use of blogs? What steps should one take in order to make his or her blog stand out amidst the rapidly growing collection of legal blogs on the web?
Well, as noted by Nicole Mundt in The Docket article reference above, “there are very few actual “rules” to legal blogging, [but] there are quite a few considerations.” One way to try and figure out what works is to read through some of the many articles and book sections now dealing specifically with this topic. Another, more interactive way, is to see what other lawyers are doing, and incorporate the best stylistic aspects of other blogs into your own.
A simple Google search for Lawyer Blog turned up 23,800,000 results, while a search for Attorney Blog yielded 43,800,000 results. Obviously then, there is no shortage of examples from which to draw inspiration. Rather than just pick a Google result at random, you could use the Justia Blawg Search to find a Blawg related to a particular topic of interest. You can also keep an eye on The Docket, which promises a new segment called Blog All About It, designed to highlight a great local and national blog each month. Finally, the American Bar Association Journal is maintaining a Blawg Directory which promises to be a “comprehensive directory of continually updated law blogs.”
If you are new to the blogosphere, it can all be a bit overwhelming. To get started, it may be worthwhile to check out some of the examples of successful legal blogs linked below.
Real Lawyers Have Blogs
Run by Kevin O'Keefe Real Lawyers Have Blogs has a number of contributors and is a leading source of information on the use of blogs and social media for law firm marketing. It is extensively tagged and organized into topics. For the attorney just getting involved in the blogosphere, the Blog Basics topic is a great place to start.
My Shingle – Great Things Come in Small Practices
Authored by Carolyn Elefant with some guest posts, MyShingle.com was launched in 2002, as the very first blog for and about solo and small law firms, and part of the first generation of 100 lawyer blogs to come online. To date, MyShingle.com remains the most comprehensive online resource for solo and small firm lawyers with thousands of blog posts and an impressive stock of free e-books, checklists and forms on starting and running a law firm.
Colorado Legal Blog
Hosted by Clawson & Clawson, LLP the Colorado Legal Blog is a compilation of subject specific blogs, including the Criminal Defense Legal Blog , the Family Law Blog, Personal Injury Legal Blog and the Social Security Disability Blog. Altogether, the Colorado Legal Blog provides basic information about a wide variety of topics and how they might be relevant to Colorado residents.
New Jersey Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog
Written by Deirdre R. Wheatley-Liss a shareholder of the New Jersey law firm of Fein, Such, Kahn & Shepard, P.C., the New Jersey Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog is an excellent example of how a blog can be successful using a conversational tone. She has also recently branched out into multimedia with the inclusion of informational videos on the blog.
New York Law Notes: A New York Practice Blog
In this blog, John Diekman, posts brief blog entries highlighting some of the finer points of New York practice. He also provides case citations and (when available) links to recently published decisions. The content of the blog posts is also made available as podcasts .
No Funny Lawyers: A Human View of Law for Human-Owned Businesses
In this blog, James A. Thomas, Jr. (Jim) authors clever and refreshing posts on a wide range of topics, often with a Colorado focus. The title comes from a quote from The Official Lawyer’s Handbook (1983) - "There are no funny lawyers, only funny people who made career mistakes." Jim writes “[i]t’s now 27 years since I learned of my career mistake and I am still not smart enough to change professions. Instead I work at keeping it human, which includes funny and a number of other emotions. This blog is my attempt to put some legal humanity on the web and I dedicate it to my clients who daily remind me that they are human too.”
The Appellate Record
Written by Kendall M. Gray, The Appellate Record bills itself as “the on-line news source, law review, law library and virtual watering hole for appellate lawyers and anyone else comfortable with their inner law nerd.” It strikes the delicate balance between serious (legal news, court decisions, and developments particular to the civil appellate practice & analysis and editorial opinion relevant to the state and federal appellate practitioner) and whimsical (links to the best and most interesting posts in the legal blogosphere--at least according to [Kendall Gray]).
Written By Marty Witt, Law Librarian Fellow
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