To help with your writing efforts, here’s what people are looking for in Law Practice and Legal Marketing online. Trending topics culled from JD Supra, search analytics, social media conversations, and other sources:
Consider writing about:
State Supreme Court races worth watching this November; any high-stakes races or others of note; issues that may be causing voters to pay attention to these races; any interesting trends from recent years related to state Supreme Court races.
Consider writing about:
How trial lawyers may need to adapt in an era of political divisiveness, at a time when wild conspiracy theories are widely disseminated on social media and even by elected officials, and when people seem to be losing trust in science or government, and commonly deride facts or beliefs they don’t agree with as “fake news.” How are these persistent trends changing the stakes for trial attorneys? Do trial lawyers need to rethink their approach to trial preparation, juror screening, and courtroom strategies – and if so, how?
Consider writing about:
Accomplishments, milestones, clients, colleagues, or other events or people (in your current or past professional or personal life) for whom you’re grateful, in time for a Thanksgiving season article. You can choose to be serious or lighthearted, as you reflect on their meaning, impact, inspiration, or lessons learned, or as you take a more philosophical approach toward the value of practicing gratitude, whether during the holiday season or all year ’round.
Consider writing about:
President Biden’s scorecard regarding judicial nominees; how his record on judicial confirmations compares to that of past administrations; any other notable comparisons or contrasts (in terms of diversity or background of nominees, etc.); whether the makeup of the courts plays an increasingly significant part in voters’ decision processes when they cast their ballots.
Consider writing about:
Litigation funding; its potential impact on parties to a case, the judicial system, and the overall legal landscape; typical financing arrangements; how litigation funding has evolved over the years; recent court decisions or other significant developments involving litigation funding.
Consider writing about:
State attorney general races being held this November; any particularly noteworthy candidates or races to watch; hot-button issues that may affect the outcome of these match-ups.
Consider writing about:
The rise of deepfakes, and the potential complications or outright threats that they pose to lawyers and their clients; how deepfakes are being leveragd by scammers; tools, techniques, or best practices for detecting and thwarting deepfakes; alternatively or additionally, present guidance on how to recover and do damage control after faling victim to a deepfake ploy.
Consider writing about:
Your choice of five or more scares involving the legal profession. In time for Halloween, opt for a look at ongoing or one-time frightful trends or events related to the legal profession, whether consisting of cautionary tales, discovery demons, tech traps, disputes that won’t die, or other accounts that can keep lawyers or their clients up at night. Bonus points for guidance on how lawyers or their firms can avoid these types of frightening scenarios in the first place.
Alternatively, consider whether to write a possibly light-hearted or Halloween-themed piece about litigation involving any of the following: haunted houses, theme parks, costumes, candy, or other familiar staples of this particular holiday season.
Consider writing about:
Ways in which using Instagram can benefit law firms or individual lawyers; how lawyers or their firms can best leverage Instagram’s features for maximum impact; potential downsides or pitfalls to be aware of when using Instagram (either in and of itself or as compared to other social media); any success stories based on your own use of Instagram, what you learned from those experiences, and how you may be further refining your Instagram presence and strategy.
Consider writing about:
How to maximize the effective use of expert witnesses. Possible points to explore: tips regarding expert witness selection, qualifications, pre-trial preparation; challenges to expert witnesses; and/or damage control. Consider whether to write a “top five” type of do’s and don’ts piece, or a checklist of steps to take at a given point in the process, or an examination of recent or otherwise significant cases where expert witnesses played a large role, and/or where an expert witness became a problem, and how to anticipate, avoid, or correct for such problems.
Consider writing about:
What new clients should know about the early phases of the client-lawyer relationship. Choose among any or all of the following points: first contacts, the initial conference, engagement letters, and subsequent meetings and preparation for them. What are some potential pitfalls in terms of expectations, communications, etc.?
Consider writing about:
One or more of your current or past leadership role models, whether in the legal profession or otherwise; lessons learned from that person or persons; how you have embraced those lessons and put them to use in your own career or overall pursuits and actions; how someone can be a more effective leader; what prevents individuals from developing effective leadership skills; leadership barriers specific to the legal profession; what law firms can do to help individuals cultivate leadership skills; additional professional or personal resources or tips on leadership.
Consider writing about:
Becoming or finding a mentor within the legal profession; benefits of the mentor relationship, for either or both individuals; how to head off common misunderstandings or misplaced expectations; how to maximize the potential value and ultimate success of the mentor experience; additional challenges, concerns, or priorities for women or minorities. Alternatively or in addition, consider whether to present a selection of do’s and don’ts, or whether to describe your personal experience in a mentor relationship.
Consider writing about:
How Kamala Harris’ background as a lawyer (and, more specifically, as a district attorney and state attorney general) has become a talking point in this presidential election season; whether that record could be a boon or a liability in the eyes of voters; how that professional history could help shape her performance as, potentially, the next president of the United States; how voters’ sentiments regarding prosecutors, crime, sentencing options, restorative justice, and the criminal justice system have shifted over the years.
Consider writing about:
How you make time for writing and thought leadership as part of your legal career. What routines, tools, or mental habits do you rely on to become more efficient and to carve out tine for yourself for these pursuits? And what other actions do you regularly take to maximize your return on your efforts?
Consider writing about:
Pro bono efforts that are currently (or have previously been) undertaken or considered by you or your firm regarding voting rights, voter suppression, election process integrity, and election law; noteworthy challenges and successes; how these types of cases have evolved over the years, especially given the amount of inadvertent misinformation online or the deliberate spreading of disinformation by assorted individuals or entities; how your pro bono work on these issues dovetails with your firm’s overall culture and pro bono priorities.
Consider writing about:
Diversity within the legal profession; what your firm is doing about the issue of diversity in its ranks; any recruitment, training, or awareness initiatives that your firm has undertaken; potential organizational, legal, or political obstacles or roadblocks (whether internal or external) that may arise, and how to overcome them; notable success stories from your firm’s DEI efforts; lessons or pointers for other law firms on how to achieve and maintain a more diverse workforce.
Consider writing about:
Ways that either a client or an attorney can inadvertently sabotage an existing or newer working relationship. What are some common pitfalls, and how can they be avoided or corrected? Consider a detailed list of top five (or more) points. Alternatively, examine a real-life case that illustrated this problem, or consider framing the piece as a walk-through of a hypothetical situation.
Consider writing about:
Reddit as a marketing tool for individual attorneys or for law firms. Is Reddit a logical addition to attorneys’ social media toolkit? Why or why not? What are Reddit’s pros and cons as compared to other social media options available to the legal profession? What are some pointers for either Reddit novices or seasoned users of the platform on how they can derive the most benefit from their time spent on Reddit?
Consider writing about:
How attorneys can improve their performance as public speakers; organization and preparation tips; mindset pointers; importance of tailoring a presentation to one’s audience; how to know when enough is enough; and more.
Consider writing about:
Cybersecurity challenges faced by smaller law firms; cybersecurity weaknesses that may be unique to, or more prevalent among, smaller firms; how solos or small firms can strengthen their data security practices and systems on a relatively small budget.
Consider writing about:
The most recent U.S. Supreme Court term. Among the possible points to cover: trends and top takeaways from the term; what stood out to you the most, and why; most frequent or pressing questions you have been getting from clients about the Court’s rulings, especially the flurry of rulings at the end of their term.
Consider writing about:
Articles of impeachment introduced this week against U.S. Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito; basis for this action; what to know about the impeachment process as it relates to Supreme Court justices; how unusual this action may be; challenges an impeachment effort is likely to face.
Related information:
https://www.axios.com/2024/07/10/aoc-impeachment-supreme-court-thomas-alito
Consider writing about:
How attorneys can craft compelling biographies for their law firm websites or other uses; what to omit or include; how to determine the most appropriate tone to use, and whether to vary it according to platform; what to consider when choosing accompanying photos or other images; how to apply search engine optimization principles to the creation of a biography; how to keep a biography fresh; common pitfalls or oversights.
Consider writing about:
A federal appeals court judge’s use of ChatGPT in connection with a ruling in an insurance dispute; what stands out to you about the information in Judge Kevin Newman’s concurrence regarding his experience with ChatGPT, how it performed for him, and his suggestions and conclusions on the legal profession’s use of AI-powered large language models; how likely we are to see other judges follow in Judge Newsom’s footsteps; additional practical guidance or cautionary notes regarding the use of artificial intelligence by lawyers or judges.
Related information:
https://media.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/pub/files/202212581.pdf#page=25
Consider writing about:
A summertime-themed topic of your choosing, whether practical or lighthearted. Among the possibilities: a look at work-life balance issues for lawyers; tips on disconnecting during a vacation while still managing client expectations (plus: additional challenges for solos or small firms); opportunities for summertime bonding experiences with current or prospective clients; or maybe a look at vacation reads, hobbies, or adventures, or a first-person account of how a vacation can open the door to a personal or professional “aha” moment and perhaps a significant transition or new venture.
Consider writing about:
Search engine optimization tips for law firms or individual legal professionals; common SEO misconceptions; SEO tools worth investigating; a roadmap for people or organizations who aren’t well versed in SEO intricacies – or, conversely, pointers on how someone with an SEO background can up their game and boost their search rankings even more.
Consider writing about:
Your choice of various themes related to Father’s Day. Among the potential themes to choose from: lessons from your father or a father figure in your life that have stood the test of time, whether in your professional or personal life; how to juggle parental duties and professional duties; how your law firm treats colleagues who are fathers, and how your firm or the profession could potentially do better at that; or, if you had a father or father figure in the law, consider writing a piece related to his career and how the example he set may have inspired you to go into the law yourself.
Consider writing about:
Key concepts involving niche marketing; principal considerations when going about identifying the appropriate niche and positioning oneself within that niche; plus: how narrow is too narrow?
Consider writing about:
How to know when it’s time for a lawyer or firm to end a relationship with a client; ethical and legal considerations that arise in conjunction with these situations; how solos or law firms can identify potential problem clients before getting in too deep or perhaps even prior to embarking on a professional relationship.