No matter what position you hold at your firm, you can always be the one to initiate your legal blogging journey. There are a million reasons to blog but only one attitude with which to do it. Whether you are trying to build a reputation, gain clients, or simply dump your thoughts, you need to blog with enthusiasm.
Jennifer Mora is a Seyfarth Shaw attorney specializing in cannabis law who writes and now assistant edits the firm’s blog The Blunt Truth. Last week, she joined us on This Week in Legal Blogging to discuss, among other topics, how she got started blogging at one of the largest law firms in the world.
Bring your experience wherever you go.
Jennifer discussed the background and evident passion that she brought with her upon arriving at Seyfarth.
“I’ve always been a blogger. When I was at my last firm, I won one of the JD Supra awards for most articles at that time because I was doing so much in the background of the labor law world.”
Even if you haven’t blogged before, any sort of publication experience or even just a love for writing can give you a leg up as you look for opportunities to blog in your workplace.
Write without being asked to.
Take initiative! If you’re writing on your own anyway, blogging automatically becomes less of a work task and more of a helpful hobby.
“I don’t remember the first blog post I wrote [at Seyfarth]. I think I reached out to our marketing people and said “Hey i want to write about X case and they were like “oh well we have The Blunt Truth; it might be good for that.” It’s possible somebody reached out to me first.”
Jennifer recommends taking advantage of every opportunity to write. As you blog, your confidence will grow.
“I stumbled across the blog as I volunteered for writing opportunities. And now I’ve just gotten bossy; I say “I’m working on a piece of writing, I’ll send it to you tomorrow.”
Use blogging to better your work.
Blogging isn’t something that takes time away from your work as a lawyer; it actually helps you become a better one. Jennifer shared how blogging keeps her sharp in her work:
“I find that with blogging, when you write about something, you actually have to read what you’re talking about. Now, that’s not to say that some lawyers are out there not actually reading the law. But I like to stay on top of things, so blogging is an opportunity for me to really dig into the statute and the case so I can write about it well.”
All of that research doesn’t just bolster you legal knowledge; it give you a lot to write about. So, take pride in your writing!
Jennifer also emphasizes the importance of originality. One of the great things about blogging in a unique voice to your niche audience is that you can offer something special as an online authority.
“I’m not going to go copy somebody else’s blog. That would just be wrong.”
For weekly chats with the best bloggers in our community, with insight on what’s worked for them, be sure to subscribe to This Week in Legal Blogging wherever you get your podcasts—including:
- Apple Podcasts
- Spotify
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For more information on blogging fundamentals, blogging strategy and social media, check out the LexBlog Resource Center.