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Practical Paralegalism Gets Around & Gives Thanks

By Lynne DeVenny

When I started a professional blog for paralegals in October 2008, I never imagined that I'd be writing for more than me and 27 of my closest buddies. It was a long time before I became an experienced enough blogger to figure out how to check Practical Paralegalism's monthly traffic.

More Than 27 Readers

I was pretty darned startled to learn that I had thousands of visitors every month. (I know some of them are those spammers trying to get me to gamble online and buy embarrassing personal products, but many of them are real legal professionals and paralegal students.)

When I first saw the statistics, I was honored, humbled and well, a little bit horrified, too. I know my mom likes whatever I write, even keeping a textbook for paralegals I co-wrote on her coffee table, but suddenly the pressure to provide excellent content was much greater. I was reaching a much larger audience of people interested in the same things I am, educating, featuring and entertaining members and supporters of the paralegal community, as well as raising the profile of the paralegal profession.

You Want Me to Guest Post?

And through Practical Paralegalism, I got to know people that I admire in the blogging community, who offered me advice, support and even the opportunity to write guest posts for their terrific blogs, including these posts:

• "Avoid Grammar Bloopers That Make Readers Want to Kick Your Blog's Butt" for Blog for Profit
• "Virtual Paralegals: 'It's a Good Thing'" for Clerical Advantage
• "How to Hire a Great Paralegal" for PracticeSmarter
• "Improve Your Practice & Avoid Malpractice with TEAMWORK" for Oregon Law Practice Management (This post was included in the ABA's "Friday PMA Blog Roundup" last week, possibly a step up in the world from my annual ABA Journal Peeps in Law entries.)

Re-print Away!

Another benefit of blogging is the great email I receive from other paralegals and students nationwide. It's also wonderful to receive requests to re-print and share posts from paralegal associations, colleges and other legal professional groups. I've gotten a lot better at organizing my personal email recently, with one goal being to thank as many of you as possible for requesting re-prints of Practical Paralegalism articles over the past year and a half, including:

• Catawba Valley Paralegal Association
• Central Florida Paralegal Association
• Depo.com
• Greater Dayton Paralegal Association
• Institute for Paralegal Education (IPE)
• Legal Secretaries, Inc.
• NALS of Southern Oregon Coast
• New York City Paralegal Association
• North Carolina Advocates for Justice Legal Assistant Division
• North Carolina Bar Association Paralegal Division
• North Carolina Paralegal Association
• Paralegal Gateway
• Pitt Community College Paralegal Program
• Rocky Mountain Paralegal Association

I know I left somebody out (unintentionally), same as I misplaced (unintentionally) the thank-you notes I wrote after my wedding last fall, so if I left out your organization, please email me (@lynne.devenny@gmail.com) and I'll add you to the list.

I hope you know this, but I appreciate all of you, love hearing from you - and absolutely could not do this without you.

Full post as published by Practical Paralegalism on April 06, 2010 (boomark / email).