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Kevin O'Keefe has posted today on Real Lawyers Have Blogs , asserting that Law Technology News (actually he called us Legal Technology News) ran an article by marketer Larry Bodine  that covers a bunch of social media options, and happens to deride Twitter as a "time-waster."

Says O'Keefe:

"With American Lawyer Media's flagship legal technology publication running a feature article telling American lawyers that Twitter is a waste of time for client development, it's no wonder lawyers are in a time warp when it comes to adopting innovative and effective technologies."

and 

"I suppose if Legal Technology News were around in the days of Alexander Graham Bell, they'd be siding with the lawyers who thought a lawyer's use of a phone in rendering legal services was clearly unprofessional and, of course, unethical. A small group of radical lawyers decided to use the phone, probably for perceived mindless babble."

"Let's keep an open mind as to innovative client development tools for the American Lawyer. What's so bad about just saying a medium appears to be working for some folks, I don't use it to much, I don't understand it, and we'll have to see how things play out?"

"Perhaps I shouldn't get worked up about misguided advice from someone who I don't believe understands Twitter, but Legal Technology News decided to the run the story. A story that will passed around by managing partners and chief marketing officers clinging to the past. A story that will needlessly keep the legal profession lagging behind the industries, corporations, and consumers we serve. That's a disservice to the American lawyer."

Oh please.

1. For starters, get your facts right, Kevin: This article never ran in Law Technology News.  It did, however, run in an ALM newsletter, and was picked up on Law.com's Legal Technology site. 

2. Larry Bodine (who Kevin declines to ID in his post) is a member of the LTN Editorial Advisory Board, and often writes controversial articles that get everybody talking and thinking. This is a good thing.

3. As for whether LTN -- or any other ALM entity -- should have run the article: The last time I checked, LTN (and ALM) readers [lawyers, IT professionals, paralegals, GC, vendors, et al] are smart, savvy, and like to debate.

Speaking for LTN -- just because I am an active fan and user of Twitter (@lawtechnews @eddupdate @commonscold) doesn't mean that everybody else has to use Twitter (or that I will only allow twitter advocates to write LTN articles). I drive a Ford. Some people like Chevy. What works for me may not work for you. But that doesn't mean that I am irresponsible or misguided to allow -- and encourage -- all points of view in LTN.

In fact, I WANT all points of view in LTN, because that's how we best serve the entire spectrum of our wonderful legal community.

That's why I choose a wide array of articles (and opinions). And why I regularly participate in panels discussing important technology trends and issues. Oh yeah, btw, O'Keefe participated on two recent ALM panels that I moderated, talking about how lawyers can use Twitter (LegalTech NY 09 and LegalTech West Coast 09).

I personally think Larry Bodine is wrong in his assessment of Twitter, but lemme tell you something -- he is soooooo not alone in his view. I'm gonna give him -- and others -- the "microphone" and let the readers make up their own minds! And that is a very, very good thing.

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