To Blog or Not To Blog
January 20, 2010
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Earlier this afternoon, I had a brief conversation with a friend. The reason for my conversation – getting feedback on an idea. It triggered an insight into a larger issue.
As Adrian Monk says, Here’s what happened.
I am the Co-Chair of the Continuing Legal Education Committee for the New York State Bar Association’s Business Law Section. The NYSBA’s Annual Meeting takes place next week in Manhattan.
Yesterday, I had a fruitful discussion with my co-chair. I informed her about a perceived lack of educational offerings for small firms and solo practitioners at bar association conferences and legal trade group conferences. We decided that we would do some informal polling at next week’s Annual Meeting to see if a CLE panel geared to small firms and solo practitioners would be worthwhile.
So, I called my friend who is an intellectual property attorney, blogger extraordinaire, and CLE speaker. In fact, I provided his first-ever speaking opportunity in 2001. From 2001-2005, I hosted seminars under the banner PRIME - Professionals in Media in Entertainment.
My friend liked the idea of the CLE panel but lamented the abundant advice given by some attorneys in articles, anecdotes and CLE panel discussions. Their advice focuses on the plight of younger members of the bar branding themselves to build, enhance, and strengthen their client base.
Apparently, the advice includes strategies on marketing your practice through Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, and blogs.
It includes techniques on networking.
And it includes tips on getting speaking engagements on legal panels and writing assignments for legal publications.
My friend lamented that the advice did not include learning your craft before learning how to set up blog software to conquer the blogosphere.
One can make the argument that part of learning your craft includes learning how to adapt your networking adeptness to the opportunities in the digiverse. Plus, today’s youngest attorneys are probably already familiar with digital tools, computer software, and social networks.
However, a blog, especially in the ultra-competitive legal arena, needs to have a foundation. Statements, opinions, and insights ought to be based in knowledge, if not the authority that comes with experience.
david@davidkrell.com
Earlier this afternoon, I had a brief conversation with a friend. The reason for my conversation – getting feedback on an idea. It triggered an insight into a larger issue.
As Adrian Monk says, Here’s what happened.
I am the Co-Chair of the Continuing Legal Education Committee for the New York State Bar Association’s Business Law Section. The NYSBA’s Annual Meeting takes place next week in Manhattan.
Yesterday, I had a fruitful discussion with my co-chair. I informed her about a perceived lack of educational offerings for small firms and solo practitioners at bar association conferences and legal trade group conferences. We decided that we would do some informal polling at next week’s Annual Meeting to see if a CLE panel geared to small firms and solo practitioners would be worthwhile.
So, I called my friend who is an intellectual property attorney, blogger extraordinaire, and CLE speaker. In fact, I provided his first-ever speaking opportunity in 2001. From 2001-2005, I hosted seminars under the banner PRIME - Professionals in Media in Entertainment.
My friend liked the idea of the CLE panel but lamented the abundant advice given by some attorneys in articles, anecdotes and CLE panel discussions. Their advice focuses on the plight of younger members of the bar branding themselves to build, enhance, and strengthen their client base.
Apparently, the advice includes strategies on marketing your practice through Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, and blogs.
It includes techniques on networking.
And it includes tips on getting speaking engagements on legal panels and writing assignments for legal publications.
My friend lamented that the advice did not include learning your craft before learning how to set up blog software to conquer the blogosphere.
One can make the argument that part of learning your craft includes learning how to adapt your networking adeptness to the opportunities in the digiverse. Plus, today’s youngest attorneys are probably already familiar with digital tools, computer software, and social networks.
However, a blog, especially in the ultra-competitive legal arena, needs to have a foundation. Statements, opinions, and insights ought to be based in knowledge, if not the authority that comes with experience.
The Power of a Handshake
June 09, 2009
by David Krell
david@davidkrell.com
Social media is a necessity for networking in the digital age.
From microblogging on Twitter to posting on Facebook to making connections on Linked In, social media allows us to exponentially expand our network with a few keystrokes.
Sometimes the old-fashioned way works, too. Nothing replaces face-to-face conversation, handshakes, and body language.
When I attended the International Trademark Association Annual Meeting last month in Seattle, I was part of a group approximately 7500 strong. Like other trade association conferences, the pace is challenging.
From early morning to late night, I created new connections, reinforced existing relationships, and cultivated new business. I met people at workshops, seminars, and after-dinner parties in a continuous loop during the course of a few days.
And the conversations all began with a handshake.
I got an assignment to write an article about legal writing through a chance meeting with an editor from Marcasur, a Latin American intellectual property law magazine. She asked about Write This Way and the conversation ended with the assignment.
I learned about an article in need of an author for The Trademark Reporter, INTA's scholarly journal. Topic -- Trademarks in Virtual Worlds. My discovery came through a conversation with a friend at a Mariners game. My friend is a premier intellectual property litigator and a member of the editorial staff at The Trademark Reporter. I immediately volunteered to write the article about this relatively new phenomenon.
A couple of hours before the Mariners game, I attended a cocktail hour for the media. Since I had an extra ticket in my block of tickets for the game, I invited a law firm marketer whom I met at the cocktail hour. He and I are having lunch today to discuss a potential web site copywriting project involving one of his international intellectual property law firm clients.
At the same cocktail hour, I met a British legal journalist who later agreed to be a member of the writing workshop I will moderate at the INTA 2010 Annual Meeting in Boston.
I also connected with an already existing contact who graciously arranged to send the materials for the Write This Way CLE workshops to the decision makers at her downtown Manhattan law firm. Getting in front of the decision makers is the first step to creating new business. To be fair, our conversation in Seattle took place via E-Mail, however, we first met a couple of years ago at a legal seminar -- not by following each other on Twitter, friending each other on Facebook, or joining each other's network on Linked In.
To be sure, those actions have a definite place in networking. One ignores social media at his or her peril in the digital age.
But don't discount the power of a handshake.
david@davidkrell.com
Social media is a necessity for networking in the digital age.
From microblogging on Twitter to posting on Facebook to making connections on Linked In, social media allows us to exponentially expand our network with a few keystrokes.
Sometimes the old-fashioned way works, too. Nothing replaces face-to-face conversation, handshakes, and body language.
When I attended the International Trademark Association Annual Meeting last month in Seattle, I was part of a group approximately 7500 strong. Like other trade association conferences, the pace is challenging.
From early morning to late night, I created new connections, reinforced existing relationships, and cultivated new business. I met people at workshops, seminars, and after-dinner parties in a continuous loop during the course of a few days.
And the conversations all began with a handshake.
I got an assignment to write an article about legal writing through a chance meeting with an editor from Marcasur, a Latin American intellectual property law magazine. She asked about Write This Way and the conversation ended with the assignment.
I learned about an article in need of an author for The Trademark Reporter, INTA's scholarly journal. Topic -- Trademarks in Virtual Worlds. My discovery came through a conversation with a friend at a Mariners game. My friend is a premier intellectual property litigator and a member of the editorial staff at The Trademark Reporter. I immediately volunteered to write the article about this relatively new phenomenon.
A couple of hours before the Mariners game, I attended a cocktail hour for the media. Since I had an extra ticket in my block of tickets for the game, I invited a law firm marketer whom I met at the cocktail hour. He and I are having lunch today to discuss a potential web site copywriting project involving one of his international intellectual property law firm clients.
At the same cocktail hour, I met a British legal journalist who later agreed to be a member of the writing workshop I will moderate at the INTA 2010 Annual Meeting in Boston.
I also connected with an already existing contact who graciously arranged to send the materials for the Write This Way CLE workshops to the decision makers at her downtown Manhattan law firm. Getting in front of the decision makers is the first step to creating new business. To be fair, our conversation in Seattle took place via E-Mail, however, we first met a couple of years ago at a legal seminar -- not by following each other on Twitter, friending each other on Facebook, or joining each other's network on Linked In.
To be sure, those actions have a definite place in networking. One ignores social media at his or her peril in the digital age.
But don't discount the power of a handshake.