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@nikiblack
March 12th, 2009
Nicole Black
Of Counsel to Fiandach & Fiandach, a Rochester, New York law firm
Co-author of Criminal Law in New York, a Thompson-West publication
Author of Daily Record Column (Dolan Media)
Author / publisher of Legal Tweets, Sui Generis, Practicing Law in the 21st Century, Women Lawyers–Back on Track, and Legal Antics
Winner of the first Shorty Award in #law
For our 1st interview, we’re tweeting w/ @nikiblack, Shorty Award in #law winner and arguably 1 of the best known lawyers on Twitter
Not just a practicing lawyer, she’s a prolific blogger, a legal writer, a law tech consultant & author of “Twitter 101 for lawyers”
- Thank you for helping
launch @22Twts. Tell us: who is the person behind @nikiblack?
Hi there. My pleasure–looking forward to it. Simply put, I’m a lawyer, author, & legal blogger.
- What type of law do
you practice and where?
Criminal defense. I’m of counsel to Fiandach & Fiandach, a DWI defense firm in Rochester, NY.
- Who do you represent
in your practice?
People who have been charged with Driving While Intoxicated.
- What is the most
important legal issue affecting your clients?
Protecting their rights after they’ve made a common mistake-operating a motor vehicle after drinking alcohol.
- What do you tell every
new client before you start working for them?
Our office will do the best that we can for you.
- What is the most
significant client representation you’ve ever had?
I was an asst public defender for 4 yrs-While working in appeals dept., I was successful in appeal of a murder conviction.
- Tell us about the case
and how it turned out the way it did
People v. Sierra-47 NYS2d 89-Client was charged w/ shooting innocent bystander when defending himself from shots…cont.
by his brother. Jury instruction re: self defense=confusing & erroneous-charges dismissed & client released from prison.
Client re-indicted-plead to manslaughter, more appropriate charge for his conduct & mental state-received no more jail time.
- Congratulations on
that outcome. Why do your clients hire you now?
DWI defense clients hire our office in order to receive arguably the best defense in the Upstate New York area…cont.
Lawyers hire me 2 learn how 2 use Web 2.0 technologies in their practices, save $, reduce stress & better serve clients.
- What would you say has
been your greatest professional accomplishment in your career so far?
The appellate win described above and co-authoring the Thomson-West treatise “Criminal Law in NY”–http://bit.ly/7oZpL
- How do you sell your
practice?
Speaking at seminars and using Web 2.0 technologies: the internet, blogs, Twitter and other forms of social media.
- How much time do you
spend each day developing / enhancing your brand?
Approximately one hour or so. It varies.
- You publish four
blogs. That’s a lot. Why so many?
I have a variety of interests that I enjoy exploring & each blog serves a different purpose for me. And, I enjoy writing;)
- What would you say is
the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
Accepting technology, incorporating technology into legal practices and staying on top of technological changes.
- Switching gears, what
has been your greatest personal accomplishment?
Becoming a mother. It changed me more than I ever thought possible.
- Why did you become a
lawyer?
Although it sounds cliché, to make a difference in the the world and make it a better place.
- What would you do if
you weren’t a lawyer?
Something involving creativity and/or technology-perhaps a graphic designer, web designer, or author.
- How would you like to
be remembered?
As a kind, interesting person who laughed at life, made a difference and left her mark.
- Where did you go to
school?
University of Rochester for undergrad and Albany Law School.
- Just a few more
questions, Niki. What do you do when you’re not working?
Spend time with my family, cook & enjoy wine. I also spend a lot of time on the computer-can’t seem to stay away from it;)
- It must be the
influence of Twitter! What languages do you speak?
English with basic understanding of Spanish and some knowledge of Italian. I can also read Hebrew, but don’t understand it.
- What’s one thing
you’ve done that no one would ever imagine?
White water rafting in Jackson Hole, WY. I’m not at all outdoorsy, so people that know me would be surprised to learn that.
- And the 22nd question:
what advice do you have for people going to law school today?
Your law degree is just one weapon in your arsenal. A law degree does not limit your options-it expands them.
That’s useful advice in today’s economy. Thank you so very much, @nikiblack, for doing this interview to help us launch 22 Tweets
Thanks for speaking with me. Enjoyed it very much;)
test Filed under Twitterviews | Tags: Blawger, Criminal Defense, New York, Rochester, Technology | Comments Off on @nikiblack
