Solo Practice

To Twit, Or Not To Twit...

By Michael R. Grossman

I?ve known about Twitter for some time now but only signed up last week. A friend, who is a computer programmer and technology bon vivant, encouraged me to give a try. After spending some time with it I can honestly say, with full conviction, that I'm not yet sure what I think about the application.

Besides following a couple friends, I've been receiving tweets from the Cubbies telling me how an in-progress game is coming along, updates from the Obama campaign, and occasional important news stories from the Chicago Tribune. But that's been about it to this point.

I do recognize its potential. Other blawgers are singing its praises as a tool they use regularly and find it valuable for their practice. But for the moment I can?t quite figure out how to use it in any way other than recreation and social networking purposes.

But perhaps that should be good enough for me. Social networking, via twitter, is a valuable end in and of itself. To feel closer to others within the legal profession around the country establishes continuing bonds of familiarity and trust. And as a solo practitioner I continue to find that it's important to connect to other solos, whether it's on a professional collaboration level or merely a social level.

I realize it will take time to fully understand how the technology will apply itself. I certainly can't imgaine that clients need to know what I'm eating for dinner or that I'm hanging out with one of my sons. Nor do I necessarily what them to know how I'm spending my free time.

Until then, though, I'll follow some threads, look around and experiment. As long as I'm careful, I should be fine.

Postscript: If you haven't seen the video by Common Craft that explains what Twitter is, it's worth a viewing. Both the method and the message of this demonstration are unique.

Full post as published by Practical Lawyering on May 09, 2008 (boomark / email).