Sunday, January 11, 2009

Why dont solicitors write blogs?

Ive blogged about this years ago so forgive any obvious recycling but this is an anomaly that remarkably still prevails and furthermore raises an interesting point about the differences in mentality between solicitors and barristers.

At the our last partners meeting we discussed the merits of writing a blog for the practice.

Our reasons for doing so follow a fairly typical pattern. Senior partner stumbles across nice legal blog on the web - decides we really should have one - but how does one go about it, do we have the "skills" to do it and what if any, are the benefits?

Naturally Ive played dumb throughout this process so as not to draw too much attention to my long standing clandestine blog shame. But thinking about it - I mean seriously thinking about it - why are there so few blogs out there from actual law firms??

Around 80% of "blawgs" I read are written by barristers or wannabe's blogging like their life - or career - depended on it.

When you think about it, perhaps thats exactly it!

Our barristerial brethern are invariably self employed or have a contractual arrangement that is very reliant upon a need to create a reputation and deliver volumes of work. Barristers develop a hunter / gatherer mentality from an early age.

Whereas most solicitors are placed in a high chair and spoon fed the minute they walk through the door.

Perhaps we can learn a lot from this.

Some firms push for rainmakers rather than plodders. Perhaps blogging and the awareness of the benefits of blogging, could be a very good thing for aspiring solicitors to consider. Learn how to create, develop and maintain a blog and you will open doors for yourself.

Imagine turning up at an interview and throwing that into the ring. How many other candidates for the job would bring those skills to the table.

"Get a blog to get a job" - its the future Im telling ya!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

hmmm, I wonder.

I know an awful lot of barristers who just leave marketing to the clerks and hope for the best. I think at the Bar one is more immediately aware of the need to bring in punters because of the lack of a cushion from the rest of the firm; failure is immediate & personal. On t'other hand I am always having conversations with solicitors keenly aware of their need to meet billable targets.

I'm just not sure just how big a gap there really is.

Andrew said...
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MikeB said...
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