I have to admit to a couple things: I helped the gang over at Hull McGuire start its premier legal blog (blawg), What About Clients, and I am a huge Dan Hull fan. That said, I would like to do a little bit of bragging. What About Clients is a very influential legal blog and has been cited in the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere. (Guess who Dan is talk to in the photo above.)
Why is What About Clients so influential? Well, the biggest reason is that Dan was passionate about it from the onset, and his passion and devotion to the blog was infectious and now WAC is a collaborative legal blog that is a daily platform for sundry legal conversation.
Over the last two years, WAC has settled into at least four postings-a-day! This hasn’t been a struggle to the lawyers who populate the blog every day, it has become a joy.
And you will quickly realize that Dan isn’t too concerned about his image as it related to his elusive Immortality — Dan’s not prissy, careful, or overly formal. He realizes that it is what he does, says, writes, and completes that defines him and not how he postures, acts, or represses his message.
So, it has been over two years and a moth since the blog was launched. This is pretty exciting for me, since I got to spend a lot of time with Dan when we were both attendees at the Labor Day Renaissance Weekend in Monterey. We got to catch up, break some break, talk some shit, and ultimately realize why we do what we do: passion.
Happy belated birthday to What About Clients!
Our first post was two years ago today.
We still think that (1) client and customer service is deficient everywhere, but that lawyers seem to have more trouble executing than others, (2) many of you in smaller firms (under 150 lawyers) are bottom-feeding and bored, and should get off your knees and hunt bigger and more interesting game, and (3) America is just one of many playing fields in the great global game; we are not alone, and your clients already know it.
Finally, we have no idea whether or not blogging is important. We just like it. It’s an escape, and turned out to be a great way to meet girls in Europe, Asia and Latin America.
And the 1st anniversary post:
Happy Birthday to “What About Clients?”
Today is the first anniversary of “What About Clients?” Thanks to Chicago lawyer Patrick Lamb, D.C. wunderkind consultant Chris Abraham and D.C. telecom lawyer Mark Del Bianco for getting us–Tom Welshonce of Hull McGuire in Pittsburgh, and me–started, and to the people (all 4 or 5 of them) who still read this blog. Our first post was one year ago today. It’s still our favorite, it’s what this blog’s about, and it’s here.
And, of course, my favorite posts are the posts that flatters me:
Abraham & Del Bianco–Two People You Should Get To Know.
No–this is not a multicultural-sounding law firm. It’s two very different Washington, D.C. people I know who are both “digitally-advanced”, and who I urge everyone to get to know personally and professionaly. Since more than 10 people a day (still mostly relatives and associates paid to view it but it’s getting there) finally are visiting and really reading this site, I thought, why not briefly sing Chris’s and Mark’s praises in a post? I met DC-based Chris Abraham, an expert on corporate blogging and building on-line communities, and a very interesting human (likely because he’s not a lawyer), at a Renaissance Weekend a few years back in California. His blog is at www.ChrisAbraham.com .
Another Washingtonian, and a D.C. native, Mark Del Bianco is an uncommonly talented telecom lawyer, lawyer’s lawyer and friend who I have known most of my professional life. Mark is also an invitee to Renaissance but is always too busy to go. See Mark’s main site at www.MarkDelBianco.com. Both Mark and Chris are in demand these days. Visit their sites and you can quickly figure out why. Very good people to know. And Mark and Chris–whether they know it or not–in different conversations two years ago got me interested in blogging. In fact, both had to explain to me the meaning of “blog”. Neither Mark or Chris know about this post and both of them would be embarrassed by it. Well, maybe not Chris–he’s got that Steve Jobs thing going.
Do What You Love: Hero 1 – Chris Abraham
From D.C.-based Chris Abraham–friend, marketing consultant, inspirer, writer, Renaissance dude, interpreter, learner-teacher, person-who-gets-it, and the guy to spend time with when I want new ideas. And he’s got the best laugh. I talk to him and read him to get back on track. He actually likes lawyers, and helps them. Those of us who consult him worry he’ll go to law school. “Do What You Love”, which he’s covered better than anyone, is here.
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