pm blog

these policies were developed by committee chair mazyar m. hedayat for use by the DCBA as well as any committee, firm, or bar association thinking of establishing blogs or wikis in order to foster communication with their members or the public.

ed. note: thanks to Denise Howell for steering us in the right direction.

exchange of ideas: as an organization committed to innovation and professional development the DCBA wishes to foster the respectful exchange of ideas.

shaping the public dialogue: the DCBA plays a powerful role in shaping the public dialogue surrounding social issues. it is crucial to share the exciting things we do with the bar and the public.

leadership among bar associations: the DCBA has been a launch pad for a number of innovations and ought to continue to serve as a model for other bar associations seeking to establish and maintain an online presence.

#1 know and follow bar association guidelines for conduct, as well as the rules of good legal writing. no need to use Blue Book citations, but be accurate in your posts: others will look to them as a source of information and news, if not actual research.

#2 be mindful of what you write. remember that you have an audience.#3 identify yourself and write in first person. make it clear that you are not necessarily speaking for the bar association as a whole. be sure to disclose any information necessary to keep your statements from being misleading. use the following disclaimer on your blog or wiki with respect to all posts:

unless indicated to the contrary posts do not reflect the views of the bar association, its members, executives, staff, board, or committees, and are the opinion of the writer

#4 respect copyright and fair use. do not plagiarize. give credit where due by citing to the author of a statement or passage.

#5 do not reveal confidential information that could result in liability to yourself, your committee, other bar association members, or the bar association itself.

#6 do not comment on active cases or client matters by name except with the approval of those referred to in the post.

#7 do not use ethnic slurs, insults, or obscenity. Avoid writing about inflammatory topics solely to pique prurient interests.

#8 always try to add to a discussion constructively and ultimately to add value. do not let your ego get in the way. you are here for the good of the bar association after all.

#9 have fun. a blog or wiki can be loads of fun and a terrific way to share the best of your committee with the world.