It's been a hot topic at prof. yabut's journal: Do blogs really generate business for lawyers, or is this possibility just a lot of hype?
I can now confidently respond, "It's not hype at all!" My good fortune happened overnight, when a new client posted a comment to this post. And I wasn't even trying to generate business!
If you follow the link and read the comment, you'll see that the new client doesn't really belong to me, but to megalawyer Willie Gary. Still, can't I demand a referral fee? What do you think, Prof. Yabut?
UPDATE I 5/12 9:58 a.m. CST: After reading David Giacalone's comment, in which he seemed to express some skepticism about whether the new client was really a new client, I got ahold of the man who left the comment by using the second phone number he left. He was surprised to learn that he'd left his plea for help in a public forum, so I said I'd xxx out his phone numbers for him. I then gave him Willie Gary's phone number.
So, do I still get that referral fee? (And David: who are you calling "ethically-challenged"?)
It was bound to happen: our mind-bloggy vibrations appear to be in sync -- we're both apparently feeling unfunny on the same day.
Despite that, please note that my predecessor Editor ethicalEsq (not to be confused with his far more laidback successor) never said that a weblog could never generate a client, merely that there was no evidence "for the theory that any significant number of consumers or businesses seeking legal services have found a provider through a law firm weblog."
This professor cannot presume to speak for ethicalEsq, but can note for himself that a potential client can find an ethically-challenged lawyer just as easily at any golf course, courthouse, bar-room, or tv ad, than through weblogs. Similarly, there are far easier ways for a lawyer to find such a client than maintaining a weblog.
Posted by: David Giacalone | May 12, 2004 at 09:13 AM
you're kidding right. he didn't realize the internet was a public forum.
Posted by: Kevin | May 12, 2004 at 10:12 AM
Kevin: I'm NOT kidding. He thought that leaving a comment was like sending an e-mail. It's the second time that's happened on this weblog.
I guess people shouldn't be allowed to use a computer without taking a test and receiving an appropriate license. (Now I'm kidding.)
Posted by: Evan | May 12, 2004 at 10:37 AM
I certainly was not calling you ethically-challenged, Evan. I was (besides attempting to be jocular) referring to a client rushing to hire a lawyer who had just recently been the subject of numerous disciplinary charges. Which reminds me, did you read about the 1-800-PIT-BULL lawyers and Mr. Gary, at prof. yabut's weblog? [ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2004/05/10#a1468 ]
Posted by: David Giacalone | May 12, 2004 at 11:25 AM
http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2004/05/10#a1468
Posted by: Kevin | May 12, 2004 at 10:52 PM
I reside in Australia, and haven't heard of Will Gary before. Just saw his website via your link and it made my eyes water. One of a kind. Truly.
Chui
Posted by: Chui | May 13, 2004 at 12:13 AM
Chui: Willie Gary's website, which I saw for the first time yesterday, is truly an amazing thing. At some point, I'll move this sentiment from the comments to a post of its own. Stay tuned!
Posted by: Evan | May 13, 2004 at 05:59 AM