Category Archives: Stem News

Stem Legal has long been publishing regular roundups of client news over at our Law Firm Web Strategy Blog, and it’s time we do the same for company news.  Here’s a look at what our team has been up to around the web over the last few months.

• Steve Matthews’ take on the rookie social media mistakes that lawyers make was featured in Attorney at Work‘s latest bonus download, Really Good Marketing Ideas: How to (Really) Get More Clients This Year.
• Jordan Furlong gave his top legal industry predictions to CBA’s National TV, and Steve shared his fourth annual edition of “Web Law Predictions” at Slaw.ca.
• The 7th annual Canadian Law Blog Awards (the Clawbies) prompted enthusiastic participation throughout the country and beyond, and were mentioned in The Kennedy-Mighell Report’s podcast on the state of the legal blogosphere.
• Speaking of awards, Jordan‘s blog, Law21, was named Best Overall Law-Related Blog in Dennis Kennedy’s 2012 Blawggie Awards and honoured (again) in the 2012 ABA Blawg 100 Awards in the “Business of Law” category.
• Steve offered some of his own work/life balance resolutions for 2013 over on Small Firm Innovation in his post, Sitting on a Problem.
• Jordan urged lawyers to rethink the way they bill in “5 Big Ideas — Stop Charging So Much“, a series in Precedent magazine.
• Lawblogs.ca was cited in Ernie Svenson’s new book, Blogging in One Hour for Lawyers.

To round things out, we’d also like to mention some of our most recent and frequently shared posts from Law Firm Web Strategy:

• Lawyers and Social Searching,
• Why These are the World’s Best Online Lawyer Profiles, and
• Lawyer Blogs and Bios Aren’t Going Anywhere.

Stem Legal is proud to announce the launch of a newly redesigned website for our clients, Russell Alexander Collaborative Family Lawyers!

With offices in Markham, Lindsay, and Brooklin, Ontario, Russell Alexander provides a wide range of family law services. The firm’s lawyers are strongly committed to the processes of Collaborative Practice and resolving conflict without the courts, but are equally prepared to to bring matters to trial when necessary. The firm’s lawyers and staff pride themselves on treating their clients, who generally hail from the Durham, Oshawa and Kawartha Lakes regions, as if they were family — see the many glowing testimonials to that effect!

One significant improvement for the new website has been the addition of detailed practice pages. The firm has added more explanation to how they advise clients facing divorce, child custody and access cases, spousal and child support matters, or division of family property. They also identify frequently drafted documents such as separation and cohabitation agreements; explain how they represent clients in Family Responsibility Office (FRO) and default hearings, and how they utilize mediation and ADR within the context of marital disputes.

Firm founder Russell Alexander is an active social media participant and blogger, and the new website reflects this. A special landing page was created to summarize the newest posts from Russell’s very popular FamilyLLB blog.  Dedicated pages were also included to showcase the firm’s YouTube channel, which displays selected videos that feature lawyers and staff discussing Ontario family law topics.

Another noteworthy focus of the site is on the firm’s commitment to community. The Russell I. Alexander Giving Fund has distributed more than $15,000 in charitable donations to worthy community organizations since the fund’s inception in 2009.

Lastly, the website features an extensive collection of educational consumer resources, including Ontario family law FAQs, in-depth information on collaborative practice, articles on parental alienation syndrome, recommended books and websites, and a guide to navigating the family courts system in Ontario.

The site was designed responsively, presenting equally as well on a tablet or smartphone as it does on a desktop computer.

Our sincerest congratulations to Russell, associate lawyers Wendy Lloyd and Aleksandra Czyzowska, and the all firm’s staff, who put forth a true team effort to create brand-new content (and revive some of the old), resulting in a terrific website that captures both the firm’s professionalism and personality.

Stem client Hissey Kientz has just launched a microsite for consumers affected by the recent recall of dialysis product GranuFlo, at www.GranuFloRecallHelp.com.

The recall occurred after an internal memo from manufacturer Fresenius Medical Care (FMC) was leaked. The memo described a connection between the elevated bicarbonate levels caused by acid concentrates GranuFlo and NaturaLyte and cardiac arrest. FMS sent this memo to its own dialysis centers, but didn’t warn thousands of physicians at dialysis clinics not owned by FMC. The FDA issued a Class 1 recall on March 29, 2012.

GranuFlo Recall Help explains how this product was used in hemodialysis; possible side effects including heart attack, stroke, and metabolic alkalosis; news related to the recall; and how those hurt by the product may be eligible to file a lawsuit against GranuFlo’s manufacturer.

For more information about the GranuFlo and NaturaLyte recall, please visit the microsite or contact Hissey Kientz’s lawyers directly.

Stem Legal congratulates our client, New Jersey criminal attorneys The Law Offices of John Marshall, on their ever-growing web presence. The firm has launched four new geographically-focused microsites over the last few months.

These sites, which are crafted for potential clients in Middlesex County, Monmouth County, Passaic County, and Bergen County, introduce the firm’s lawyers, explain theirs areas of practice, include court directions and details, and provide other helpful information.

The Bergen County website (pictured above) also features a blog, which highlights the firm’s successes and shares local legal news.

Our client Hissey Kientz LLP, a products injury firm, has recently added three new practice areas to their website, for the antidepressant drugs Celexa, Lexapro, and Effexor.

All three drugs have been linked to birth defects when taken during pregnancy, including congenital heart defects, persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), hypoplastic left heart syndrome, craniosynostosis, club foot, cleft lip and cleft palate, atrial septal defects, anal atresia, and others.

Each of the new practice areas discusses the possible effects of taking these drugs during pregnancy along with related research and studies, and provides recent news about each drug. The firm also helps clients whose children have been born with birth defects linked to Paxil, Zoloft, and Depakote.

Stem congratulates our client, Waterstone Law Group, on the launch of their newest and third blog, the British Columbia Employment Lawyer Blog at www.bcemploymentlawyerblog.ca.

Featuring two streams of commentary (one for employers, and one for employees), the blog is authored by Daniel Sorensen, a lawyer in the firm’s employment law practice group. On the blog, he discusses employment law matters in the context of BC’s legislation and case law. Some topics recently explored include:

• Employer obligations under the Human Rights Code
• Employee overtime
• Non-competition and non-solicitation clauses in employment contracts
• Rights and remedies for discrimination in the workplace

Waterstone’s experienced lawyers handle employment law issues for both employers and employees and are often called to advise on wrongful dismissal and termination, employment contracts, claims for overtime and unpaid wages or benefits, harassment and discrimination, and privacy and confidentiality issues.

About Waterstone Law Group: Waterstone is a full service law firm serving the Fraser Valley through offices in Chilliwack and Langley, BC.  In addition to employment law, the firm offers services in family law, personal injury and ICBC claims, wills & estates, employment, corporate commercial, banking and civil litigation. Firmly committed to local business and community, Waterstone also has experience with farm transactions and equine issues. The firm also maintains the BC Injury Lawyers Blog and the BC Family Lawyer Blog.

About Stem Legal Web Enterprises: Stem Legal helps law firms build online profile and increase web-driven business. Tactics range from law firm SEO and link building campaigns, to audience profiling and content development strategies. Stem also helps firms leverage the social web by using law blogs and social networking, developing content syndication strategies, and participating in business market conversations.

For more information, please contact Steve Matthews at 604.826.8072, or by email at steve@stemlegal.com.

Stem congratulates our client, The Law Offices of Jonathan Marshall, on the launch of four new microsites for their DWI practice.

The New Jersey firm has established geographically-targeted websites for their DWI practices in Wall Township, Tinton Falls, Holmdel, and Brick. Each of the sites gives extensive information about DWI and DUI charges, refusal of breath tests, applicable penalties, and underage DWI charges. Court information and directions are provided for each city as well.

For more information on The Law Offices of Jonathan Marshall, please visit  www.newjerseydwiattorney.com.

In case you missed it, Stem client Harrison Pensa LLP of London, Ontario, has just completed a very successful week of posts over at Slaw. Harrison Pensa took an interesting approach to its “Slaw Week” — three of its articles were about trends in certain areas of practice (including family law, class actions and social media law), while the other two concentrated on the business of law (including hiring a CEO and automating process-heavy work). Collectively, HP’s Slaw posts garnered dozens of retweets across Canada, the US and the UK.

Here’s a roundup of all five Harrison Pensa Slaw posts:

• Hunting The Elusive Class Action Trial: Results From a Survey, by Jonathan Foreman
• Divorce and the Baby Boomers, by Terry Hainsworth
• Social Media Legal Practice, by David Canton
• Should Your Midsize Firm Hire a CEO? by David Williams
• Automating Process: The Future of Profitable Law, by Geoff Pulford

Look for all five of these posts to appear over the next several days at Harrison Pensa’s own network of blogs.

Over the past two months, Stem client Clio has unveiled three major integrations into their web-based practice management platform:

• On May 31, the company announced an integration with My Legal Briefcase’s small claims document and scheduling system, court forms and documents, allowing the two platforms to connect and sync.
• On June 11, Clio revealed that RightSignature users can now send invoices and other Clio documents for digital signature with the click of a button.
• On July 12, a new one-click “Scan to Clio” option was announced for the Fujitsu ScanSnap, allowing Mac and PC users to scan documents directly into Clio.

Congratulations, Clio, on helping small and medium-sized law firms take their paperless practices to the next level!

Stem client Jonathan Rosenfeld, a Chicago-based personal injury lawyer, has unveiled a new microsite, one devoted to his dog bite injury practice, at www.chicagodogbiteinjurylawyers.com.

Rosenfeld cites the dog-unfriendly environment of congested urban neighbourhoods, the increasing popularity of aggressive breeds such as pitbulls and rottweilers, and a lack of training and supervision from owners as reasons why insurance claims related to dog bite and attack injuries have increased more than 50% over the last decade.

The website explains state and municipal laws related to dog ownership, and what legal claims may be made by victims of bites or attacks. Related resources, articles, and news are also available.

About Stem Legal Web Enterprises: Stem Legal helps law firms build online profile and increase web-driven business. Tactics range from law firm SEO and link building campaigns, to audience profiling and content development strategies. Stem also helps firms leverage the social web by using law blogs and social networking, developing content syndication strategies, and participating in business market conversations.

For more information, please contact Steve Matthews at 604.826.8072, or by email at steve@stemlegal.com.

Stem client The Law Offices of Jonathan Marshall has just added a website for their Woodbridge, New Jersey DWI practice.

The site, http://woodbridgedwilawyers.com, provides information on the firm’s legal services and attorneys, explains DWI and DWI refusal laws and penalties, and gives tips on attending court.

For more information, visit woodbridgedwilawyers.com or contact any of the firm’s office locations.

Stem Legal congratulates our client, Illinois personal injury lawyer Jonathan Rosenfeld, on the launch of his new website, Chicago Bike Injury Lawyers at www.chicagobikeinjurylawyers.com.

An avid cyclist himself, Jonathan Rosenfeld sees a significant number of bicycle-related injuries and attributes most bike injuries in Chicago to negligent drivers. He also cites defective products and poorly designed bike paths as the causes of many accident and injuries. Over the years, his bike injuries practice has grown enough that it warrants its own website, and Jonathan has done a remarkable job of creating a resource that Chicago residents can turn to for information and support following a bike-related injury.

This new website explains the types of accidents that cyclists may be involved with (doorings, hit-and-runs, collisions and others) and the injuries that can arise (head injuries, back and neck injuries, fractures, and even wrongful death). Additionally, the site covers specific circumstances such as uninsured and underinsured motorist claims and defective or faulty bicycle design claims.

Jonathan has also assembled an excellent collection of online Chicago-area cycling resources as well as city and state laws regarding bike safety and rights. Bike injury news and related articles round out the site.

Congratulations, Jonathan!

About Stem Legal Web Enterprises: Stem Legal helps law firms build online profile and increase web-driven business. Tactics range from law firm SEO and link building campaigns, to audience profiling and content development strategies. Stem also helps firms leverage the social web by using law blogs and social networking, developing content syndication strategies, and participating in business market conversations.

For more information, please contact Steve Matthews at 604.826.8072, or by email at steve@stemlegal.com.

Steve Matthews, Principal of Stem Legal, will be speaking at ABA TECHSHOW 2012, which is taking place in Chicago, IL, March 29th to 31st.

Steve will be co-presenting two sessions within the Digital Marketing Track:

Beyond the FAQ: Building Client-Friendly Websites
with Jeff Lantz
Thursday, March 29th, 8:30 – 9:30am
Law firm Websites today live or die by the content they contain. Pretty designs and logos will only get you so far. Increasingly, lawyers are building sites filled with the content their clients and potential clients care about. But, how much content do you need and how much do you give away? This session will help you figure out how to chart the course using white papers, microsites, single topic portals and more.

Click: The Basics of Online Advertising
with Lee Rosen
Thursday, March 29th, 2:00 – 3:00pm
Building a great Website is only the first step. Now the task is getting your site noticed. This session will cover the basics of search engine marketing and optimization so that you have the basic tools and concepts to help launch your Website on to page one of search results. Topics covered include landing pages, quality scores, inbound marketing, multi-channel analytics, A/B testing, blogging, using social media, measuring ROI, remarketing and Cost-Per-Click.

Following the conference, slides from Steve’s presentations will be posted on Stem’s blog, Law Firm Web Strategy.

Stem Legal congratulates our client, Florida attorney Ron Chapman, on the launch of his new website, Chapman Criminal Defense.

The new website highlights the firm’s Florida and federal criminal defense practices, with particular attention to drug, juvenile, and violent crimes defense. Mr. Chapman also experience in the area of criminal records sealing and expungement matters.

The publications section of the site showcases Mr. Chapman’s other online collections, Florida Criminal Records FAQ and Federal Criminal Lawyer FAQ, alongside the West Palm Beach Criminal Lawyer Blog, where he has been blogging since 2007.

About Ronald S. Chapman, P.A.: Based in West Palm Beach, Ronald Chapman serves clients throughout Florida. Mr. Chapman has practiced criminal law at the state and federal court levels for more than 20 years, representing clients in accused of violent crimes, DUI offenses, drug offenses, domestic violence, and other crimes. His practice also includes work as a sentencing & appeals and criminal records lawyer.

About Stem Legal Web Enterprises: Stem Legal helps law firms build online profile and increase web-driven business. Tactics range from law firm SEO and link building campaigns, to audience profiling and content development strategies. Stem also helps firms leverage the social web by using law blogs and social networking, developing content syndication strategies, and participating in business market conversations. For more information, please contact Steve Matthews at 604.826.8072, or by email at steve@stemlegal.com.

Stem Legal congratulates our client Hissey Kientz on the launch of a new microsite devoted to Propecia side effects, at www.propeciasideeffectslawyers.com.

The site explores sexual side effects related to Propecia, a hair loss drug approved by the FDA in 1997 for the treatment of male pattern baldness. In a study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, “researchers found that as many as 23% of men taking Propecia to treat baldness may experience sexual problems that could last for years after they stop taking the drug.”

The site provides information on Propecia lawsuits and class actions; health official warnings, specific sexual side effects, and news on Propecia lawsuits and research.

About Hissey Kientz LLP: Hissey Kientz is a law firm specializing in product injury claims and medical mass torts litigation. In addition to Propecia, other areas of focus include Crestor, Depakote, Zoloft,  DePuy Hip Replacements, and Stevens Johnson Syndrome.

About Stem Legal Web Enterprises: Stem Legal helps law firms build online profile and increase web-driven business. Tactics range from law firm SEO and link building campaigns, to audience profiling and content development strategies. Stem also helps firms leverage the social web by using law blogs and social networking, developing content syndication strategies, and participating in business market conversations.

For more information, please contact Steve Matthews at 604.826.8072, or by email at steve@stemlegal.com.

Stem Legal congratulates our client, Jonathan Rosenfeld, on the launch of his newest website, Cerebral Palsy Lawyers FAQ.

Inspired by his experiences in helping clients with cerebral palsy (CP) and other birth injury cases, Jonathan set out to create a comprehensive, dynamic website that would not only answer frequently asked questions about CP, but also provide families with resources to access information about their child’s unique situation.

As the site’s name indicates, the Cerebral Palsy Lawyers FAQ includes a substantial collection of answers to common questions about CP, including:

• types of birth injuries;
• facts, types, and causes of cerebral palsy;
• lifetime financial benefits; and,
• medical malpractice lawsuits.

The Stories of Hope category on the website is also inspiring, as it describes the amazing accomplishments of people affected by cerebral palsy.

Jonathan has assembled an outstanding collection of resources as well. The site features sections on CP research, treatment, studies, news and legal developments. There is also an extensive book list, and growing directory of online and in-person support groups.

The approach that Jonathan takes with websites like this is truly commendable. Almost a year in the making, from hiring a research and writing team last summer, to the design, development and marketing elements added here at Stem, this site truly is a resource for families.

About Stem Legal Web Enterprises: Stem Legal helps law firms build online profile and increase web-driven business. Tactics range from law firm SEO and link building campaigns, to audience profiling and content development strategies. Stem also helps firms leverage the social web by using law blogs and social networking, developing content syndication strategies, and participating in business market conversations.

Stem Legal is pleased to announce the launch of a new website for the Vancouver firm Bernard & Partners, located at www.bernardpartners.com.

The site’s new design reflects Bernard & Partners’ roots and reputation as outstanding maritime and admiralty legal counsel without overshadowing the firm’s other diverse practice areas. The Vancouver-based law firm provides commercial and litigation legal services to a variety of sectors in areas such as occupational health and safety, environmental and business law. Visit the firm’s new website to learn more about their lawyers, practice areas, publications, news, and 24 hour emergency response service.

This project was another good example of an evolving area for us here at Stem: law firm website design and development. In this instance we transformed the website from static HTML pages to a dynamic, WordPress-based site with news and some custom coding solutions to meet the firm’s unique needs.

Our company has always excelled at web design and development for its monthly retainer clients, but we opened ourselves up to project work in 2011, and are already well-booked in early 2012.  For us, this is an exciting area for growth, and it challenges us to keep refining and developing our project management skills with new firms.

For more information about Stem’s legal website design and development services, please contact Steve Matthews at 604.826.8072, or by email at steve@stemlegal.com.

Stem Legal is pleased to welcome our newest client, Thorsteinssons LLP Tax Lawyers.

As Canada’s largest law firm practising exclusively in tax, Thorsteinssons lawyers are recognized globally as among Canada’s leading tax practitioners. With offices in Vancouver and Toronto, the firm’s clients include public and private corporations, domestic and offshore trusts, individuals, charitable and non-profit organizations, and all levels of foreign and domestic government, across Canada and around the world.

Today also marks the launch of Thorsteinssons’ newly redesigned website, at www.thor.ca. Stem has been working with the firm over the past several months to bring a fresh design and added information to the site. Perhaps the most noteworthy addition is the firm’s new Canadian Tax Alert, available on the firm’s homepage or via RSS feed.

Thorsteinssons provides a comprehensive range of corporate tax advice & planning and wealth management strategies. They provide specialized expertise to tax-exempt organizations and investment funds, and those requiring guidance on sales tax, resource tax, and international taxation/customs & international trade issues. The firm’s litigation and taxpayer representation practice groups advocate for clients involved with the CRA or tax court proceedings.

About Thorsteinssons LLP: With offices in Vancouver and Toronto, Thorsteinssons is Canada’s leading tax law firm. From corporate tax advice and planning to taxpayer representation and litigation, the firm’s depth and breadth of taxation expertise is recognized across Canada and internationally. For more information on Thorsteinssons’ services and professionals, please visit www.thor.ca.

About Stem Legal Web Enterprises: Stem Legal helps law firms build online profile and increase web-driven business. Tactics range from law firm SEO and link building campaigns, to audience profiling and content development strategies. Stem also helps firms leverage the social web by using law blogs and social networking, developing content syndication strategies, and participating in business market conversations. For more information, please contact Steve Matthews at 604.826.8072, or by email at steve@stemlegal.com.

Stem Legal congratulates our client Pushor Mitchell LLP on the launch of their new blog and microsite, Canadian Tax Dispute Help.

Maintained by Pushor Mitchell’s tax law practice group, Canadian Tax Dispute Help educates and assists taxpayers faced with Canada Revenue Agency issues such as audits, reassessments, appeals, tax amnesty, tax collections, and taxpayer fairness and relief, as well as Tax Court of Canada appeals.

The site features plain-language explanations of Canada’s tax system and the tax dispute process, and helps to clarify confusing aspects such as the burden of proof, solicitor-client privilege, and assumptions.

The site also includes the Canadian Tax Dispute Blog, which provides a venue for Pushor Mitchell’s tax lawyers to share up-to-date information and views.

About Pushor Mitchell LLP: Pushor Mitchell l is a full-service Kelowna, British Columbia law firm, with a varied practice and a diverse client base that extends throughout B.C. The firm’s tax lawyers help Canadian taxpayers resolve tax disputes with the Canada Revenue Agency effectively and efficiently. For more information about Pushor Mitchell, visit www.pushormitchell.com.

About Stem Legal Web Enterprises: Stem Legal helps law firms build online profile and increase web-driven business. Tactics range from law firm SEO and link building campaigns, to audience profiling and content development strategies. Stem also helps firms leverage the social web by using law blogs and social networking, developing content syndication strategies, and participating in business market conversations. For more information, please contact Steve Matthews at 604.826.8072, or by email at steve@stemlegal.com.

Stem Legal congratulates Quickscribe, the Victoria, BC-based provider of print and electronic legislative information, on its relaunch of the British Columbia Legislative Digest.

Discontinued in 2010 by its original publisher, Courthouse Libraries BC, the BC Legislative Digest was a treasured print resource for current legislative monitoring and historical legislative research. With guidance from an advisory group of local law librarians, Quickscribe president Mike Pasta has given new life to the publication by digitizing the data and integrating it within the Quickscribe Online service.

The new BCLD offers a weekly legislative activity Digest, a dynamic “status checker”, and a hyperlinked progress of bills chart that provides an overview of the year’s legislative activity and chapter/bill concordance.

It also offers an email alert service for tracking bills as they progress from first reading though Royal Assent and into law. Subscribers can sign up for customized alerts that include all legislative changes; changes to topical groups of legislation; or changes to selected bills, acts, or regulations. Subscribers may also create multiple email alerts for the benefit of groups or individuals within their organization.

For more information on the new BC Legislative Digest, including details on a free 2-month trial subscription, visit www.quickscribe.bc.ca.