@constructionlaw 2.0
August 19th, 2010
Attorney, The Law Office of Christopher G. Hill, PC
Author, Construction Law Musings
LEED AP
Instructor, Solo Practice University
Today, we’re tweeting with @constructionlaw: VA construction attorney, LEED AP, construction law blogger and May 2009 interviewee
- @Constructionlaw, thank you for joining us today on Twitter, and welcome back to 22 Tweets. Tell us, who is @Constructionlaw?
thx 4 having me back ,a construction attorney that wants 2 help construction folks manage their risk & grow their business.
– - Tell us about your law practice.
I am a construction attorney and do my best to keep clients out of trouble, and get them out of trouble when necessary
– - Since our 1st interview, you’ve “gone solo” (congrats on that, by the way). How did that change your practice?
I still provide wht I hope is gr8 client service but now can be more flexible in meeting client’s needs more directly.
– - Any advice for other lawyers considering a solo practice?
have confidence in yourself & let personality & expertise shine though, in marketing & in practice. The rest will come.
– - I believe your LEED AP cert is also new since May 2009. What does that mean for your clients?
a level of familiarity w/ the LEED green building certification that will help w/ new construction contracting landscape
– - Let’s talk about your clients. What type of clients do you represent?
Any level of commercial construction professional for the most part, right now mostly subcontractors and suppliers
– - What is the single most important legal issue affecting those clients?
getting paid! Really, this is the biggest thing with this economy.
– - What do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
That i’m a part of their team, whether in litigation or hopefully in business growth & that I understand their issues.
– - Tell us about one of the more significant client representations you’ve had.
They are all significant, but representing a national window manufacturer in some litigation was one of the biggest.
– - How has the construction landscape evolved since we last tweeted? Who are the new players? Who’s gone?
So much has changed I have several friends and/or clients that have gone through significant expansion or contraction.
– - What’s the next big frontier in construction law? What should your clients be doing to prepare for it?
Green building & it’s impact on how we build projects. They need 2 recognize the unique issues w/ green construction
– - How do you describe what you do to someone you meet at a cocktail reception?
A risk manager for construction professionals or outside, in house counsel for construction companies
– - Nice. What are some challenges of marketing a solo practice that you didn’t see when you were part of larger firm?
not much has changed, I was always marketing my own practice. This may be different had I been at a truly large firm
– - You blog at Construction Law Musings (http://bit.ly/17FHYY). How has your blog evolved over past year and a half?
its growth has been amazing! The Guest Post Fridays (in which you’ve participated) add depth that I could not have imagined
– - Have your Web 2.0 activities led to any additional referrals or client engagements?
yes. I get calls from out of state contractors or lawyers. I also just today got a client from my firm website.
– - Congrats for that! The economy & the need to retool: still the most significant issues facing the legal profession?
Yes, In short, the legal profession seems to be stuck in the past and it’s come home to roost in many ways
– - What will the legal landscape look like in 10 years?
Who knows? Things R changing so fast. I think thr will be more small specialized firms working in loose referral networks.
– - What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
Tough one. Something involving people that would let me also hang with my great family.
– - How do you want to be remembered?
As a lawyer who balanced family and clients in a way that let him represent his clients to the fullest and have fun doing it
– - What do you do when you’re not working?
When? Oh, mostly kid and family related activities or playing tennis or shooting (poorly) at sporting clays.
– - What advice can you pass along to lawyers currently under- or unemployed due to the economic crisis?
Market, Also, don’t get too down, you have a skill set you can use and you’ll figure out how to use it.
– - And our final question for you, Chris: what advice do you have for people going to law school today?
besides go back in time and make a new decision? Try to have fun in law school and explore what you’d be passionate about.
Valuable advice to close this great interview. Thank you very much for coming back to 22 Tweets!
Glad to do it, thanks!
@AndrewMcRoberts
October 22nd, 2009
Today we’re tweeting with Richmond, VA, local government lawyer / litigator and former county attorney @AndrewMcRoberts
- @AndrewMcRoberts thank you for joining us today on Twitter. Tell us: who is @AndrewMcRoberts?
Local govt lawyer/litigator w/ Sands Anderson, blogger at VaLocalityLaw.com, W&M football fan, theater-goer, lover of life!
– - Tell us about your law practice.
Sands Anderson is large firm for Va, financially sound, with excellent lawyers that actually have a life. … …
… I joined its local government team after 15 years as County Atty in various Va localities.
– - Congrats on the move. What type of clients do you represent?
Represent Va local govts, officials and their interests.Occasionally businesses needing govt solution. Do not sue localities.
– - What is the single most important legal issue affecting those clients?
Community change: growth/development/redevelopment. Non-legal issue? Lack of money: flat assessments/state budget cuts.
– - What do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
I am the local govt-friendly choice. Here’s my approach: I seek either a win for govt client or win-win for business client.
– - Tell us about one of the more significant client representations you’ve had.
I will share two in my next two tweets! …
As County Atty: West Creek Assoc v. Goochland, 8yr tax litigation w/ 259 sits, 144 parcels, 2 trials, 2 Va Sct appeals. …
I serve as counsel to the Board of Zoning Appeals in Stafford County, Va, bsy and fast-growing suburb of DC in Northern Va.
– - Wow. And congrats, the second must keep you on your toes…. Why do your clients hire you?
My experience in serving local govt legal needs for over 15 years, record of success in court, reputation as local govt atty.
– - What’s the most active area of your practice at the current time? Is that typical?
Zoning area, BZA work, vested rights issues, land use. It is typical. This area of practice will get even more active.
– - How are your local government clients responding the economic crisis?
Many not hiring outside counsel as much. Budget cuts. Some seeing tax assessment lawsuits; surprised I have not seen more.
– - May still happen before things get better…. How do you market your practice?
I personally speak to local govt groups, meet one-on-one, blog, tweet and help local govt attys informally in many ways.
Law firm marketing team also supports me in various media.
– - How do you describe what you do to people you meet at networking events?
I am a Va local government atty; represent Va local govts, officials and their interests. Do not sue local governments.
– - You blog at Virginia Local Government Law (http://bit.ly/3rB0EZ). Who is it written for? Why should they read it?
I blog for Va local govt lawyers, chief admin officers, local officials, staff and citizens interested in Va local govt law.
– - Besides Twitter and your blog, what Web 2.0 tools do you regularly use to market your practice?
Linked in, firm website. Don’t use Facebook because it is more social and not as focused (for me) as Linked in and Twitter.
– - What specific impact on referrals and/or client engagements have you realized from Web 2.0 activities?
None yet; just started. Local govts slow in adopting. Gained visibility among non-local govt folks including media outlets.
– - There’s certainly value in that. How much time do you spend each day developing / enhancing your brand?
Just starting my private-local government practice; spend at least an hour or two each day on various marketing activities.
– - Let’s switch gears: what is the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
Negative impression of Lawyers. I support the Va State Bar President’s “Va is for Good Lawyer’s” project. http://ow.ly/vO5O
VSB president Jon Huddleston is responsible for this brainstorm. http://twitter.com/VA4GoodLawyers
– - Looks like a very interesting project. What will the legal landscape look like in 10 years?
More lawyers needed to assist govts and people, as govt is asked to do more & more, and regs get more and more complicated.
– - What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
Maybe a writer, or a history professor. Always wanted to be a lawyer, though; I emulate my Texas grandfather.
– - How do you want to be remembered?
Big thinker, good lawyer, good man, who helped government do great things that benefited their citizens.
– - What do you do when you’re not working?
Hiking/camping; Pres of non-profit related to College of William & Mary; W&M Tribe football fan; Lover of wine and theater.
– - What advice can you pass along to lawyers currently under- or unemployed due to the economic crisis?
Find a practice area related to your skills that’s not suffering. For ex, my firm has RE attys who double as top bankr attys.
– - And finally, what advice do you have for people going to law school today?
The economy will turn and more lawyers will again be needed. I’ll share a story about my Dad … …
In economic downturn yrs ago, he advised me not to go to law school. I told him, “There is always a need for a good lawyer.”
That’s thoughtful advice. Thanks for tweeting with me today; I enjoyed it very much.
Enjoyed the Twitterview! Thanks for asking me. Here’s more info and how to reach me: http://ow.ly/w1sw
Filed under Twitterviews | Tags: Blawger, Litigation, Local Government, Richmond VA | Comments Off on @AndrewMcRoberts
