@scottwolfejr
April 28th, 2009
Construction lawyer and Member, Wolfe Law Group
Serial Blogger: author of Blogging is Speaking, Brazil Construction Law, Chinese Drywall Blog, Construction Law Monitor, Construction Lien Blog, and Louisiana Green Building Law
Entrepreneur and a whole lot more
Today, we’re tweeting with @scottwolfejr: lawyer, entrepreneur, and New Orleans City Business Magazine 2008 Innovator of the Year
- @Scottwolfejr, thank you for joining us today on Twitter. Who is the person behind @Scottwolfejr?
Thnx for having me. So, this 1st Q is very easy or hard. Easy: Me Hard: Husband, entrepreneur, attorney & student.
- Tell us about your law practice.
We focus exclusively on construction law, w/ offices in SEA, WA and N.O., LA. We’re 4 yrs old, do smart work, young & fun.
- Sounds like you like what you do…. What type of clients do you represent?
We do. Generally builders, suppliers, trades & others in constr. industry. Size varies; we rep multi-million $ co.’s – mom & pops
- What’s the single most important legal issue affecting those clients?
Those who installed Chinese Drywall in N.O., this stuff carries big consequences. http://www.chinesedrywallblog.com ….
More generally- Obama Employment Law and Immigration changes. http://bit.ly/oJNvQ
- What then is the single most important business issue affecting your clients?
In SEA w/ recession, many need business, & are trying to transition from private sector to public sector in light of stimulus…
In NOLA, recession hasn’t hit hard. Payment & cash flow is always problem here, & keeping good documentation on projects
- Striking how diff those two markets appear to be. What do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
I tell them thank you, that I want to learn about their business & try to prepare them for legal process.
- What was the most significant client representation you’ve had?
Hard ?. Post-Katrina, we helped a lot of people get right-side up. That had rewarding moments.
- Can only imagine what it was like trying to pick up the pieces then. Why do your clients hire you?
I think we do a good job distinguishing our firm from the crowd, and people react to that. Plus…
Plus, via the web, we are constantly conversing with potential clients, & they see us as an authority on construction law.
- How are you and your firm responding to the financial difficulties your clients are experiencing?
We try to help them make good decisions about settlement v litigation & we try to contractually put them in safe positions
- Am sure they appreciate. Congratulations on your recent certification as LEED AP. What does it mean for your clients?
Thank you. Many of our clients are interested in growing into the green market, and it means we can be a source for them
- You’re actively challenging the LA Bar’s attorney advertising rules. Why are they bad for clients and the profession?
100 reasons. Most basic: bar regulated a medium (the net) it doesn’t understand & based on how it worked 5 yrs ago…
Think of reasons why Internet is good for clients and profession. The new La. ad regs compromise those reasons
- Good luck with that effort. On that note, how do you market your practice?
Exclusively through our website, blogging, SEO & social networking. Very little paid ads. Virtually 0 traditional ads.
- How much time do you spend each day developing / enhancing your brand?
We have great help at WLG. I still spend 10% of my day on it. I figure branding req. either 10% of my day or 10% of my money.
- You have 7 (yes, seven!) blogs (see list @ http://bit.ly/t8d3). How do you manage them in the 10% of your time window?
Its tough, but helps that I enjoy it. I get help from WLG partner @douglasreiser, our law clerk @sethsmiley and wife @emwolfe.
- Clearly you’ve embraced Web 2.0. How have your Web 2.0 activities impacted your practice?
It makes a bi-coastal practice painless, increases our efficiency, & keeps us connected to colleagues & clients
- It’s exciting to watch and learn from you. What is the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
Staying relevant. ‘Good boys club’ isnt relevant on a global scale; automation is real; & litigation trivialities are transparent.
- What will the legal landscape look like in 10 years?
I defer to Richard Susskind’s “The End of Lawyers” http://tinyurl.com/9qupcz
- What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
No doubt, I would simply dedicate more time to being an entrepreneur.
- Guess THAT was the easy question…. How do you want to be remembered?
Big Q. Re: Family, I just want to be remembered fondly. Professionally, as a valuable mind.
- What do you do when you’re not working?
My wife & I love travel & enjoy wine, & freq combine the 2. Pre-WLG, I would fly my Cessna, but recently, it just sits
- You might be the first pilot on 22 Tweets…. What languages do you speak?
Unfortunately, only English. I can stumble through basic Spanish conversation.
- I’m pretty sure stumbling counts…. Final question: what advice do you have for people going to law school today?
Ignore the competition for grades. Learn the law & plan to be hard-working and innovative post-grad.
Valuable advice indeed. This was great; thank you very much for tweeting with 22 Tweets and answering our questions
That was lots of fun. Thanks for having me.
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@danharris
April 23rd, 2009
Partner, Harris & Moure
Author of the award-winning China Law Blog
Appearances on Fox News, Fox Report, CBC Report on Business, BBC World, BBC World Have Your Say
Today, we’re tweeting with @danharris: international lawyer, “Sushi grade” China Law blogger, news & movie junkie, and more
- @Danharris, thank you for joining us today on Twitter. Who is the person behind @Danharris?
Me. Just me.
- Can’t go wrong with that. Tell us about your law practice.
It’s 99% international law. Maybe around 60% China, 20% Korea, 15% Russia, 5% Misc.
- What type of clients do you represent?
From Startups to Fortune 50 companies. Most have between $5 and $300 in revenues.
Whoops. Meant between $5 million and $300 million, not between $5 and $300.
- What is the single most important legal issue affecting those clients?
Great question. Figuring out the law and following it.
- Imagine that’s difficult in those jurisdictions. What’s the single most important business issue affecting your clients?
Very tough in China, yes. Toughest business issue is the credit crunch.
- What do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
“Hi, I’m Dan. ” Hard to generalize much beyond that….. sorry…..
- It is what it is, right? What was the most significant client representation you’ve had?
Helping recover $300+ million in assets from Russia RIGHT after fall of communism. Got WSJ cover story out of it. ….
Funnest was going to Papua New Guinea to recover three helicopters.
- Impressive results. Why do your clients hire you?
Three reasons, primarily. 1. Quality 2. Responsiveness/Concern/Personality 3. Price Fairness
- You’ve become a leading voice on China / China law in a relatively short time. What led you to your China practice?
It’s actually taken a long time. We were big in Korea & Russia & China was thrust on us by our clients.
- How will the rule of law in China affect the way business is done in China?
It already has & it will continue to do so. Foreign companies must follow laws or they run real risk of getting tossed.
- You may have just answered this in part, but what’s the future for foreign lawyers in China?
Very bright. Cultural differences are a huge & permanent chasm. This holds true for most foreign countries, even European ones
- How do you market your practice?
By never sitting still. Blogging. Speaking. Writing. Lunches. Phone calls.
- How much time do you spend each day developing / enhancing your brand?
Every minute I work I am enhancing the brand, so I will say 12-16. As my Twitter profile says, “sleep is for wussies.”
- You’re the principal author of the award-winning China Law Blog (http://bit.ly/n4k7T). Who do you write it for?
The SME owner or CFO who is in China or thinking about going there.
- Have your Web 2.0 activities had an impact on referrals or client engagements?
It creates huge media publicity, which leads to clients. Clients come in already knowing where I stand on things.
- That’s very useful, I’m sure. What is the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
BigLaw costs too much. Firms must move from hourly billing. Abt 75% of my firm’s work is flat fee. Better for clients & for us
- That’s a lot! Guess we’ll need a second twitterview…. What will the legal landscape look like in 10 years?
Mega firms and specialized boutique firms. Mid-sized “national” firms will be no more.
- What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
Radio Talk Show Host……Full time blogger/twitterer?
- I’m sure you’d be successful at that too…. How do you want to be remembered?
Too deep for me…. As a great father and a good person.
- More down to earth, then: what do you do when you’re not working?
Dote on my kids, work out, read, watch TV, go to movies & plays, travel for fun.
- As opposed to traveling for clients… How many miles would you say you travel in a typical year?
Maybe 150,000 air miles for clients…. 25,000 for pleasure. Guessing.
- That’s a lot of time in the air… Final question for you: What advice do you have for people going to law school today?
Don’t I know it. I would say don’t go to law school unless you know what you want to do with the degree once U have it.
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@vbalasubramani
March 17th, 2009
Principal of Balasubramani Law
Owner of online spices store, Nataraja Spices
Author / publisher of Spam Notes
Member, Board of Directors, South Asian Bar Association of Washington
Today, we’re tweeting with tech/internet lawyer @VBalasubramani, Seattle-based IP disputes lawyer & author of the blog “Spam Notes”
- Thank you for joining us today on Twitter. Tell us: who is the person behind @VBalasubramani?
a low-key/hard working lawyer in Seattle who sits at his dining table for the bulk of the day, and spends too much time on Twitter
- Don’t we all…. Tell us about your law practice.
internet-related disputes (copyright/TM disputes/domain name disputes)..a fun case I’m working on atm http://tinyurl.com/c5af9n
- What type of clients do you represent?
businesses/individuals who conduct a significant portion of their activity on the internet; a good amt of pro bono clients also
- What is the most important legal issue affecting your clients?
the internet = regulator’s paradise..DMCA/sec. 230; rules dealing with privacy/advertising loom large, but the landscape changes
- What do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
litigation is expensive (rarely “civil”), emotionally draining, and diverts your energy. If there’s a business solution, seize it.
- What was the most significant client representation you’ve had?
represented an immigrant family (bz) who entered into an unconscionable lease/credit transaction agreement with a large company
- Why was it significant?
faith in the US legal system (from immigrants) is great to see..also, people who could not afford a lawyer were represented
- Why do your clients hire you?
top-notch work product, but I also tend to have a less than conventional way of approaching things (off-beat clients like this)
- What has been your greatest professional accomplishment?
I took a fun (but tough) First Amendment case to the Washington Supreme Court (Rickert v. PDC: http://tinyurl.com/dbt33f
- How do you sell your practice?
the old referral ntwk..hope to do more as far as writing white papers, giving presentations, contributing to @jdtwitt and @avvoblog
- How much time do you spend each day developing / enhancing your brand?
oh!..you have to actually develop/enhance your brand? I thought it was enough to do good work :) [answer: not enough time!]
- You publish a blog, Spam Notes (http://bit.ly/TPvTU). How would you describe it? Why do you write it?
it covers issues related to spam/mktg, privacy, data protection; I enjoy writing, hashing out ideas, and connecting w/others
- What benefits have you realized in blogging?
increased exposure/cred. (see http://tinyurl.com/86bjvd), contact with other thinkers/journos/academics in the space
- When and why did you join Twitter?
@internetcases (widely cited/read law blogger) left a comment on my blog – thanks for that @internetcases !
- What are your thoughts on Twitter and social media as business development tools?
great way to connect with people–I’ve made interesting connections [you, for example]–but it’s not a cure-all & takes time
- What is the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
from the pub standpoint a loss of confidence in the system; internally, burnout, leverage, time-based billing, client revolt
- Big issues to resolve…. Switching gears somewhat, what has been your greatest personal accomplishment?
probably being the favored grandchild of all four of my grandparents :D
- We only get 22 tweets but would love to learn about THAT story! What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
that’s an easy one :), I’d open up a gourmet pickle and spice shop (or online store ?_? http://natarajaspices.foodzie.com/
- How do you want to be remembered?
isn’t it a little early to think about that? Seriously, as someone who contributed, and gave more than took - Good point…. What do you do when you’re not working?
travel/get out of dodge a couple of times a year..swimming + Yoga when I can, both are great for the stressed out lawyer
- What languages do you speak?
legalese for starters :) (kidding) Malayalam and Tamil, two dialects from South India..my Spanish is passable
- Final question: what advice do you have for people going to law school today?
put in 110% percent, but realize there’s much more to life than law..also, don’t listen to the crowd/echo chamber
Good advice indeed. Thank you so very much, @VBalasubramani, for tweeting with 22 Tweets and answering our questions today
I really enjoyed that < http://twitterfall.com/22twts >- thanks for taking the time!
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