Or at least, that’s the message over at Lexblog.com. LexBlog.com promotes the idea that it is essential for attorneys to sync up with blogging and other social media for business development. Lawyers that don’t jump onto this bandwagon may be left in the dust. This and similar philosophies of “self-promotion through social media” are prominent around the Internet. The message is convincing.
LexBlog is a social media company targeting attorneys through its extensive network and support system for legal bloggers. The website was initially launched in 2003 by trial attorney and founder Kevin O’Keefe. O’Keefe grew his own law practice with the help of the Internet. In the process he discovered that “creating a professional presence, staying at the top of search engines, and being viewed by influential readers require a team of people who had to deliver on a quality promise.”
This was the premise behind O’Keefe’s venture Prarielaw.com, which he launched out of his garage and then sold to LexisNexis in 2003. Today LexBlog aims to “embrace social media technology as a practice development tool for attorneys.” The network claims 3,000 authors and a 96 percent retention rate among subscribers, indicating that the premise that “Real Lawyers Have Blogs” has caught on.
LexBlog presents a number of reasons that lawyers should be blogging. To begin, blogging facilitates an attorney’s “word-of-mouth reputation” and “good lawyers get their best work by word-of-mouth.” Blogging is a networking tool, allowing attorneys to communicate with clients and potential clients. It allows attorneys to establish themselves as authorities on a subject, building their reputation and client trust. Blogs also build relationships with “influencers,” members of the media and other community members likely to offer attorneys speaking engagements and other opportunities.
There are numerous blogging resources that exist outside the legal realm. Of particular relevance to lawyers are advice websites for incorporating blogging into a business marketing strategy. The site blogforprofit.com is one such resource. Its focus is “Blog for Profit: Using a blog and social media to promote your business” and its offerings are highly relevant to business development for attorneys. The blog post “Boomers and Social Media – Are you where your potential customers are?” is one example.
LexBlog founder O’Keefe writes his own blog, aptly titled “Real Lawyers Have Blogs.” There he describes his motivation for running LexBlog as being fundamentally altruistic. He wants to help people get the help they need, help them build connections, help lawyers be better lawyers, and improve the image of the legal profession as a whole. To that end, O’Keefe posts volumes of material to help lawyers effectively tap into social media. Recent posts include:
Currently law blogs are popping up everywhere, and many of them are bolstered by ties to reputable online networks and other legal organizations. LexBlog is one such network. Additionally, the ABA Journal maintains an extensive directory of law blogs on the web. In the last few years it released the ABA Journal Blawg 100, an annual list of its editors’ top 100 picks for the best legal blogs.
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Similarly, Law.com offers another reputable source for legal bloggers, with a directory that links to over thirty blogs. SCOTUSblog offers comprehensive coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court. Academic institutions have also jumped on the blog bandwagon. King Hall recently joined in by launching its faculty blog.
This small sampling of legal blog resources demonstrates that currently “Many Lawyers Have Blogs.” Given that the qualifier “many” lawyers is quickly becoming “most” lawyers, perhaps O’Keefe is right. Perhaps real lawyers DO have blogs.
LexBlog is a social media company targeting attorneys through its extensive network and support system for legal bloggers. The website was initially launched in 2003 by trial attorney and founder Kevin O’Keefe. O’Keefe grew his own law practice with the help of the Internet. In the process he discovered that “creating a professional presence, staying at the top of search engines, and being viewed by influential readers require a team of people who had to deliver on a quality promise.”
This was the premise behind O’Keefe’s venture Prarielaw.com, which he launched out of his garage and then sold to LexisNexis in 2003. Today LexBlog aims to “embrace social media technology as a practice development tool for attorneys.” The network claims 3,000 authors and a 96 percent retention rate among subscribers, indicating that the premise that “Real Lawyers Have Blogs” has caught on.
LexBlog presents a number of reasons that lawyers should be blogging. To begin, blogging facilitates an attorney’s “word-of-mouth reputation” and “good lawyers get their best work by word-of-mouth.” Blogging is a networking tool, allowing attorneys to communicate with clients and potential clients. It allows attorneys to establish themselves as authorities on a subject, building their reputation and client trust. Blogs also build relationships with “influencers,” members of the media and other community members likely to offer attorneys speaking engagements and other opportunities.
There are numerous blogging resources that exist outside the legal realm. Of particular relevance to lawyers are advice websites for incorporating blogging into a business marketing strategy. The site blogforprofit.com is one such resource. Its focus is “Blog for Profit: Using a blog and social media to promote your business” and its offerings are highly relevant to business development for attorneys. The blog post “Boomers and Social Media – Are you where your potential customers are?” is one example.
LexBlog founder O’Keefe writes his own blog, aptly titled “Real Lawyers Have Blogs.” There he describes his motivation for running LexBlog as being fundamentally altruistic. He wants to help people get the help they need, help them build connections, help lawyers be better lawyers, and improve the image of the legal profession as a whole. To that end, O’Keefe posts volumes of material to help lawyers effectively tap into social media. Recent posts include:
- “How Can a Lawyer Increase the Size of Their Practice Through Blogging”
- “New legal ethics rules not required for Social Networking and Social Media”
- “How do blogs compare to websites in search results?”
Currently law blogs are popping up everywhere, and many of them are bolstered by ties to reputable online networks and other legal organizations. LexBlog is one such network. Additionally, the ABA Journal maintains an extensive directory of law blogs on the web. In the last few years it released the ABA Journal Blawg 100, an annual list of its editors’ top 100 picks for the best legal blogs.
{image from here}Similarly, Law.com offers another reputable source for legal bloggers, with a directory that links to over thirty blogs. SCOTUSblog offers comprehensive coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court. Academic institutions have also jumped on the blog bandwagon. King Hall recently joined in by launching its faculty blog.
This small sampling of legal blog resources demonstrates that currently “Many Lawyers Have Blogs.” Given that the qualifier “many” lawyers is quickly becoming “most” lawyers, perhaps O’Keefe is right. Perhaps real lawyers DO have blogs.
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