Lawyers: To Blog or Not to Blog

We SlawTippers do love to hear from our readers.

This week, I received a question from a relatively new, Toronto-area lawyer who has recently opened his own commercial litigation firm:

Hello Mr. Wise,

…I am considering blogging this year. I was wondering if you have some insight on whether it has advanced your practice, and if so, in what way? Thank you for your input.

My response:

Blogging is an extremely effective way to build your firm’s reputation for expertise. It is also quite an effective tool for establishing an online footprint that appeals to users and Google alike.

It works best if posting is done on a consistent basis with regular updates.   You will not likely see results right away, but over time, the cumulative impact will likely be quite significant. 

Law-blogging  (or “blawging,” as some prefer), is a highly effective way to communicate with the public, the profession and probably, the occasional judge and regulator.

I can certainly say from experience that since inaugurating my own Wise Law Blog in April 2005, it has been an important, probably vital tool for firm-building, staying current on developments in the law, and in serving as a soapbox for the occasional opinion and rant.  It’s also served as a welcome springboard for friendship and collaborations with other law bloggers and legal tweeters, online and offline.

Effective blogging requires that you research carefully, be accurate and be consistent.

Best practices?

Be yourself.  Be interesting

And be ethical.

Our Rules of Professional Conduct apply equally to the online and offline universes. Therefore, a simple rule of thumb is that if you shouldn’t do something or say something in the “real world,” avoid doing it or saying it on the internet.  In this context, special attention should be given to our Rules relating to confidentiality, marketing and advertising, encouraging respect for the administration of justice, communications with the public, and of course, our civility rules.

Happy blogging, especially to those who will join in with new blogs this year.  You never know… you might win a Clawbie!