It seems like a lot of journalists and writers have been calling me lately to interview for quotes for articles. There always comes a point in the phone call where the writer asks, “So, how should I describe you in the article?”
Most of the time, they want to say something that includes “The Dennis Kennedy Law Firm, LLC,” which leads to a long description that, to me, would interrupt the flow of the article.
Lately, I tell them to describe me as “a computer lawyer and legal technology consultant based in St. Louis.”
Maybe I can do better than that and I welcome your suggestions.
Sometimes, I’ll suggest the term “legal technology expert.” That’s led to me being listed in three of the top ten results for that term on Google.
However, I’ve always felt a little presumptuous (or is it pretentious? probably both) suggesting that someone describe me that way.
Some people also react negatively to the use of the word “consultant” and I’ve tried to think of a better word.
I kind of like the word “authority,” but “legal technology authority” has a lot of syllables.
A while back, I read this post about “industry analysts” and really liked that term. In fact, in 2006, “legal technology industry analyst” probably most accurately describes the bulk of the work I’ve done so far this year. It certainly describes a role that I have in the legal tech world.
“Legal technology industry analyst,” however, has a lot of syllables and, frankly, is not very melodic.
So, yesterday I was listening to National Public Radio and the host of a segment introduced the guest as “humorist Stanley Bing.”
Whoa! That’s a description I’d like to have. I couldn’t even listen to what Bing was saying (something about the Roman Empire being the prototype for the modern corporation) because I was thinking about how cool it was to be described as a “humorist” and what he might have had to do to achieve that description.
What’s cool is that he is referred to simply as “humorist.” Not “business humorist” or any other qualifier. That’s the ultimate. But you have to start somewhere.
“Legal technology humorist, Dennis Kennedy.” “Legal tech humorist.” The human brain, of course, is not wired to deal with the term “legal humorist.” Blogger humorist? Blawg humorist?
I’m still playing around with the idea. I mean, how would you establish your credentials as a legal tech humorist? Maybe write a post where you use the term “legal technology humorist” a bunch of times and then point to the Google search results as your credentials? Or would you create a Technorati tag for ““? I’m just not sure.
On the other hand, the phrase probably wouldn’t get past an editor and be published anyway.
So, I’m continuing the search for the perfect, short descriptor to use to describe me when quoted and I’m more than a little jealous of what Stanley Bing was able to accomplish.
[Originally posted on DennisKennedy.Blog (https://www.denniskennedy.com/blog/)]
Learn more about legal technology at Dennis Kennedy’s Legal Technology Central page.
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