Joining Chris in the Twittersphere!

2. Tell us about your law practice.
   Silverman Sherliker is a full-service law firm in the City of London. Founded in 1980. We are now 30 lawyers strong and growing fast.
   
   
3. Congrats on nearly 30 years of success. What type of clients do you represent?
   Our client base is very diverse, with many US and EU clients, and a huge range of SMEs. We have all kinds of clients all over the globe.
   
   
4. What is the single most important legal issue affecting those clients?
   Diverse issues! The world is changing fast, affecting clients in different ways. The need for effective legal services endures.
   
   
5. Indeed. What do you tell every new client before you start working for them?
   “What are you trying to achieve?” - Until you know the answer to that one you cannot hope to give an effective service.
   
   
6. Tell us about one of the more significant client representations you’ve had.
   We broke the UK Opticians Cartel for US client, changing UK law on eye prescriptions and opening up a new multi-million $ market.
   
   
7. That *is* significant…. Why do your clients hire you?
   We are a down-to-earth, no-nonsense, entrepreneurial firm. What you see is what you get - no pomposity and no surprises. (Well…only good ones!)
   
   
8. Good surprises = the best kind. What’s the most active area of your practice at the current time? Is that typical?
   Very busy in IP – we’ve just been accepted for Chambers Directory for IP work (hooray!) - also litigation, labo(u)r ;-) and family law.
   
   
9. Your firm also provides services in Mallorca as Mallorca UK Legal. How does it differ from Silverman Sherliker?
   Mallorca UK is service for expats who move to the Balearics but still have assets in the UK needing management- it’s a service brand.
   
   
10. How will the reforms of the Legal Services Act affect your practice and firm?
    The LSA = deregulation and intense competition in the UK legal market. Big and ‘High St’ firms will suffer, but it will be good for niche firms.
    
    
11. From this side of the world the changes appear revolutionary. How do you market your practice?
    Politically motivated! The best advert is a happy client! Also client seminars, e-wire newsletters, speaking engagements, networking… and prayer.
    
    
12. How does Twitter fit into the traditional BD / marketing you’ve done since you founded your firm nearly 30 years ago?
    ..(these lights are killing me…my face needs powder…also a drink would be nice.. Oh! how kind :-)
    
    We were the first UK law firm to do TV marketing (horror ;) We are the number one London firm to tweet. It pays to be first and it’s huge fun!
    
    
    
13. Perhaps we’ll see those TV adverts on YouTube one day…? Besides Twitter, what other Web 2.0 tools do you use?
    Hope not! We have a rolling website development program. We have about 12 micro-sites now, with three more in development and also a new blog.
    
    
14. Interesting. What specific impact on referrals and/or client engagements have you realized from Web 2.0 activities?
    The web is the single biggest source of new clients and new work. No question. The web referral model is also growing fast in UK.
    
    
15. Nice validation of your efforts. How much time do you spend each day developing / enhancing your brand?
    I spend 110 percent (or more) of my time enhancing the business (hot under these lights, isn’t it? Hi Mom! … Hi Dad! :). ).
    
    
16. Let’s switch gears: what is the most significant issue currently facing the legal profession?
    The Legal Services Act will kill off 50 percent of traditional UK law firms. Significant enough? Many ‘000’s of new niche firms will arise instead.
    
    
17. So what will the legal landscape look like in 10 years, then?
    There will be a total sea change in the next two years. Institutions will take much of the market from traditional law firms, and niche firms and brands will be born.
    
    …any chance of a drink …its 9.25pm here… Mrs London_Law_Firm is on the prowl :-(
    
    We’ll have you out of here and on your way soon….
    …no problem….I enjoy a good game of tennis! :-)
    
    
18. Sounds like significant opportunities for many…. How do you want to be remembered?
    He was a brilliant lawyer and a good guy… and he could mix a really mean Vesper Martini - see #twepitaph (I invented this, by the way).
    
    
19. More cutting-edge stuff on 22 Tweets…. What would you do if you weren’t a lawyer?
    I would write, fish, tweet and spend more time with Mrs London_Law_Firm. Maybe I would be a real estate developer or travel writer or both.
    
    
20. That reminds me - still waiting on that report from the Dordogne… What do you do when you’re not working?
    You will *not* believe that Report! I spend time with my wife, family and my dogs. I fish, I paint in oils and watercolors and I tweet.
    
    
21. What advice can you pass along to lawyers currently under- or unemployed due to the economic crisis?
    Recognise the legal world has changed forever. It’s not you, it’s progress. Find the need. Meet it. Become a referrer of legal work.
    
    
22. That’s a positive message. What advice do you have for people going to law school today?
    Learn web marketing skills. Do your own thing. Do something different. Take joy in service. Love your clients, (even the mad ones!).