Virginia lawyers Dan Frith and Lauren Ellerman have over 25 years of combined practice experience and are dedicated to the hard work necessary to bring skilled and experienced representation to their clients. Dan and Lauren blog frequently about medical and professional negligence cases, wrongful death claims, and nursing home abuse and neglect. Dan and I recently had the opportunity to chat about the intersection of personal injury law and the internet.
Q: In what capacity does your blawg serve for the legal community?
We have multiple blogs including Legal Medicine, Virginia Non-Compete, and Roanoke Personal Injury Lawyer at InjuryBoard. Lauren and I try to discuss important issues and concerns as they relate to these specific legal topics. Some lawyers agree with what we have to say and some do not.
Q: Are potential clients and fellow lawyers more willing to discuss Medical Malpractice in a blawg format? Is medical malpractice a "hot" legal topic on blawgs?
We get an amazing amount of traffic on all of our blogs but especially on Legal Medicine. It appears almost everyone has had a bad experience with a health care provider.
Q: Do you feel more connected to the legal community thanks to your blawg? How so?
I feel more connected to the community as a whole, not just the legal community. It is my hope that we provide useful information to our readers. For example, on Legal Medicine we have written on issues to consider in selecting a nursing home for a loved one.
Q: Do you think blawg's are important for lawyers and legal professionals to maintain? In what ways?
Lawyers have a great deal of information stored between their ears (some useful and some not). Blogging is a way to share some of that information with the general public.
Q: How has blogging changed since you first started and in what direction do you think it will it take in the future?
The biggest change I've witnessed is the incredible growth of legal blogs and the vast array of legal topics discussed.
Q: What is your favorite site to visit on the web?
I visit InjuryBoard daily along with Legal Blog Watch and PointofLaw.com
The stuffy old style of running a library has definitely changed. In order to keep up with today’s fast-paced lifestyle and technological innovations, law librarians have to continuously be on the cutting edge. The consequence of falling behind the times could land your small library in heavy debt and into closing. Of course, in the current economic climate, the slippery slope to bankruptcy is shorter than ever for libraries. Bonnie Shucha, the Head of Reference at the UW Law Library, recently answered a few of my questions about what law librarians in particular can do to run their libraries in the 21st century and what it is like to host a blawg dedicated the art of being a librarian.
Q: In what capacity does your blawg serve the legal community?
WisBlawg serves as a current awareness and instructional tool for the legal community, particularly in Wisconsin. I inform my readers about new or improved websites and databases which may improve their search experience; review resources and tools which may save them time or help them communicate more effectively; and share news and developments which may impact them professionally. It's my job as a law librarian to be aware of all these things. WisBlawg allows me to share that knowledge with the legal community.
Q: How do you personally keep up with all the technological advancements in research, library management, and the like as Head of Reference at University of Wisconsin?
I rely heavily on RSS feeds for current awareness. I've subscribed to feeds not only for blogs, but also news sources, databases and search engines, etc. And when a site doesn't have a feed, I create one of my own with PonyFish. I also send email listserv messages to my RSS reader so it's one stop shopping for all my current awareness information.
Q: Do you feel more connected to the legal community thanks to your blawg? How so?
Definitely. I've connected with so many people through WisBlawg - people that I never would have met otherwise. I've formed a number of new acquaintances with readers who contact me about something I've written or ask me about some new resource. And through the blog, I've been invited to speak at many meetings where I've met lots of interesting people. Blogging has allowed me to step outside my own little world and connect with people whose perspectives and experiences differ from my own.
Q: Do you think blawg's are important for lawyers and legal professionals to maintain? In what ways?
I'm not sure that I'd say that maintaining a blawg is "important" because that would seem to imply that it is important for everyone. While blogging is certainly valuable for some, it is not the right choice for everyone. Successful bloggers must 1) have a unique perspective to share; 2) write in a open and accessible way; and 3) take the time to post on a regular basis. If an individual cannot commit to these three, then blogging is probably not for them.
For those that do make the commitment, however, blogging can be a richly rewarding experience. The reward lies in the connections we make with our readers and with one another. These can lead to new clients, referrals, speaking invitations, interviews and an overall increase of stature in the profession.
Q: What's the #1 internet sensation you were surprised caught fire on the web?
Twitter. I admit that at first I didn't see much potential for a micro-blog like Twitter. I wondered how answering the question "What are you doing?" could be of any professional use. But with all the interesting uses I've seen for Twitter, I've come to see the light. Twitter is yet another tool for making connections, from taking part in a post-conference discussion to sharing interesting websites to scheduling a meet up in a town you'll be visiting. As a long time blogger, I'm surprised I didn't see it before.
Here are a couple other successful and helpful Law Library Blawgs:
Library Technology Guides
Tame the Web