@pgardnerii

May 5th, 2009

paul_gardnerPaul W. Gardner

Corporate and Entertainment Lawyer

Managing Partner, Gardner Law Group

One of the first lawyers to network on MySpace

Today, we’re tweeting w/ @pgardnerii: corp / entertainment lawyer & only 22 Tweets interviewee to attend a Kanye West B-day party

  1. @Pgardnerii, thank you for joining us today on Twitter. Tell us: who is @Pgardnerii?
    I am a corp. and entertainment lawyer, methodical thinker, loyal friend, chess player, serious accident survivor, shark, and 6′5″
     
  2. Wow – enough there for FIVE twitterviews! Tell us about your law practice.
    My practice is never boring! Deal with celebrities almost everyday. Long nights either in office or out with clients – VIP style
     
  3. Yes, I often see your tweets from the office very late at night. What type of clients do you represent?
    corporations, companies, rappers, singers, music producers, movie producers, managers, artists, models, street teams, media, etc.
     
  4. What do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
    What I can do, and what I cannot do for them. I manage expectations. I rather under-promise and then over-deliver.
     
  5. Why do your clients hire you?
    because I deliver results, I can be reached on the phone, I manage expectations, I provide cigars, champagne and pool in my office
     
  6. You’ll probably get lots of resumes after that tweet… What was the most significant client representation you’ve had?
    LOL
    in my career, all of my client representation has been significant!
     
  7. Very wise answer…. What is the single most important legal issue affecting your clients?
    ;-) Digital rights management and the ongoing hardcopy sales loss to digital music. I tell my clients 2 use www.gigcalculator.com
     
  8. What then is the single most important *business* issue affecting your clients?
    without hesitation – the RECESSION!
     
  9. You spent several years at BigLaw before founding your own firm. What led you to strike out on your own?
    I spent 4 years at DLA Piper. I struck out on my own because I figured out that I was a rainmaker and that I could keep my profits!
     
  10. Looks like you were right from here. How difficult was the transition from BigLaw to solo?
    VERY difficult. I would not have done it if I knew that the first couple of years were going to be so hard.
     
  11. Would love to hear more about that – could you come back for 2nd twitterview on that? How do you market your practice?
    yes, no problem – so long as you have a cigar and a game of pool on me!
    I market my practice via word-of-mouth; social networking; and some very strategic marketing opportunities
     
  12. How much time do you spend each day developing / enhancing your brand?
    At least 7 hours a day! Each decision I make on a clients’ case develops or enhances my brand. Sometimes, beyond that client.
     
  13. When and why did you become active on Twitter?
    I became active on Twitter about 2-3 months ago. I became active because I know social networking sites are good for my business!
     
  14. I believe you were one of the first lawyers to network on MySpace. Are you still active there?
    Yes, to both. MySpace is still VERY viable with over 110 million monthly active users around globe – (Entertainmentesq on MySpace)
     
  15. Social media / social networking clearly very important to your practice. What specific benefits have you seen from it?
    SIGNIFICANT increase to my bottom line! Properly utilizing social networking tools can generate a new revenue stream for people
     
  16. Let’s switch gears: what is the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
    Out of lack of minorities, age discrimination, judicial compensation, & client access to cheaper legal solutions – I say access
     
  17. Hard to argue with that. What will the legal landscape look like in 10 years?
    In my humble opinion, I think that you will see a globalization of the legal profession soon
     
  18. What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
    I would probably be an NBA player – blocking Shaq’s shots!
     
  19. At 6′5″, you might be able to do that! How do you want to be remembered?
    LOL, I would like to be remembered as a fair, but no-nonsense lawyer, a family man, and a cool, down to earth southern gentleman
     
  20. What do you do when you’re not working?
    I Twitter, play chess, exercise, watch 24 on TV, recite lines from TV commercials and movies, and play practical jokes on my kids!
     
  21. You are a busy man! What’s at the top of your iPod playlist?
    I listen to a lot of client music! But mainstream stuff too like Rick Ross, Jadakiss, Asher Roth, Los, Angel Lola Luv, Baltimore Snoop, etc
    did I mention that I play the trombone so I listen to classical music too? The Baroque period is my favorite! ;-)
     
  22. Hip Hop + Baroque = the new mashup? Final question: What advice do you have for people going to law school today?
    Hey, let me work on that! My advice is to do well in law school but also learn how to get clients and build your “book of business”

Thanks for the great twitterview! When you come back you can talk about that B-day party…. http://bit.ly/ZHssP

shhhhhhhhhhh, what happens at parties – stays at the parties! ;-)

Oops…. Did I say “party”? I meant “drafting session”. Really

LOL – now you’re getting how the entertainment world REALLY works!

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