Sep
15
Weblogs Work for Lawyers: An Example
We’re pleased to announce the launch of the Business Disputes Law blog, the personal blog of Bill Garrison, of Dallas firm Scheef & Stone. Bill is using the blog to discuss one of his areas of specialization, litigation that occurs with disputes over business ownership and the steps that can prevent the need for such litigation.
As we’ve been reviewing in our series of interviews of blogging lawyers, weblogs are a natural marketing and communication mechanism for lawyers. Research, writing and networking are integral parts of everyday legal practice. Blogging just turbocharges these habits, makes great thinking more accessible and sharable, and ultimately helps lawyers attract the right kind of people that matter to their practice. Here’s what some of our veteran law bloggers had to say about their blogging experiences:
It has greatly added to my credibility and bone fides with potential clients, existing clients and referral sources. As an example, several weeks ago an investment advisor who has referred many clients over the years emailed me about a recent court decision that appeared to have a chilling effect on planning strategies he often uses. Instead of calling or emailing him, I blogged on the issue and then sent him and other financial advisors I know a link to my post. The effect was great: I was able to answer my referral sources concern directly, leverage my research time to educate many and enhance my stature as an expert on the topic.
I started the blog in April 2005 to provide a forum to publish articles more frequently that I customarily would publish about once a month in other publications, and to share my knowledge and familiarity in my practice areas with more people. I have given seminars and written articles on corporate law and ethics for many years, and I thought a blog would be a forum that would allow me to provide similar content and reach a broader audience.
Staying on top of new developments in construction law is one of my strengths as an attorney. The blog gives me a way to pass those developments on to others who might be interested and to archive them for my own use later.
I started blogging approximately a year ago. After five years of working in the federal court, I had a great deal of specialized, “insider” knowledge about how the courts worked and I was trying to reestablish my complex, commercial litigation practice. The idea was to provide a resource for litigants and lawyers practicing in the federal courts in western Pa.
Directly, the blog has resulted in many contacts from those needing legal assistance in my own area of expertise or in an area where colleagues at my firm are well suited to help. Indirectly, reading weblogs and participating in the conversations they engender keep me very well informed about current developments pertinent to my practice and the needs of the firm’s clients and potential clients.
I believe, but cannot prove, that the blog will help our practice by continuing to reinforce our reputation as a law firm that stays current with the law and technology, is willing to share what it knows with fellow lawyers, and has the experience and expertise to handle complicated personal injury and wrongful death cases. In fact, we are so confident with the potential of blogging that we have rolled out three additional blogs in the past couple months.
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