Comments on The Legal Watercooler: I ♥ Martindale-Hubbell + LinkedIn

Great listing and I bet it didn't cost you $50,000...

2008-07-08T06:06:00.000-07:00

Great listing and I bet it didn't cost you $50,000, lol.

I am a linkedin advocate and will move towards a listing very soon. Need a few more partners to sign up first.

I suppose, as a marketer, I just have a soft spot in my heart for the "brand" of MH. It's sad to see something that was once so strong, had meaning just fade away a slow and painful death.

If it can be revived and made relevant again, I am all for it.

Heather -It sounds like you an advocate of LinkedI...

2008-07-08T02:42:00.000-07:00

Heather -

It sounds like you an advocate of LinkedIn.

I just wonder, what Martindale is bringing to the table that a firm's website and LinkedIn do not provide?

Certainly, its brand. But little else.

Look at what LinkedIn is now doing for law firms (and all other companies)

http://www.linkedin.com/companies/7215/Goodwin%20Procter%20LLP?

Whether dusty or musty, the "brand" of MH still re...

2008-07-07T20:58:00.000-07:00

Whether dusty or musty, the "brand" of MH still resonates with many lawyers. Granted, the lawyers are older, but they are also amongst the decision makers at many firms, and, in my case, some of the people I report to directly.

I don't care if Martindale is using LinkedIn's available API, or if they created an exclusive joint venture. The point is that MH actually took a step forward into the world of online social networking, and that's a good thing.

My job got a little bit easier on Thursday. A few more attorneys took a second look at a new tool I have been advocating they use. Something I have been promoting for months, to the skepticism of many, was validated.

What the Martindale/LinkedIn hook-up does, for me personally, is make the next sell a little bit easier.

Heather -What does Martindale bring, other than it...

2008-07-07T18:38:00.000-07:00

Heather -

What does Martindale bring, other than its faded, musty brand?

I see it as a sign of desperation on their part. As you said Martindale has become irrelevant. That largely occurred when firm's published directories on their websites.

For LinkedIn, it provides some extra legitimacy.

In the end, Martindale is just using LinkedIn's API. Anyone can jump in and add that functionality. So that means there is nothing special about Martindale adding in LinkedIn.

Martindale will need to do a lot more if they want to become relevant again.

Doug - great points. I think it is a win-win relat...

2008-07-07T15:34:00.000-07:00

Doug - great points. I think it is a win-win relationship -- both products become more useful and valuable as legal marketing tools.

Martindale-Hubbell, in its current structure, is outdated to the point of useless for many firms. The relationship with LinkedIn moves MH in the right direction by becoming more dynamic, inviting ways of actually getting introduced to the attorneys. A general counsel no longer needs to depend on a friend for a referral. If he is two degrees of separation from an attorney who looks interesting, he can call for references within his network.

The relationship also legitimizes LinkedIn to the attorneys, many of whom are still very cautious about social networking, what it means, what it can do, what it doesn't do, etc. If Martindale-Hubbell (which is a GREAT brand to lawyers) is in a relationship with LI, it has to be legitimate.

Heather

Heather -I do think the LinkedIn addition to Marti...

2008-07-03T18:34:00.000-07:00

Heather -

I do think the LinkedIn addition to Martindale is a big plus.

Although it turns out Martindale is using LinkedIn's available API:

http://kmspace.blogspot.com/2008/07/martindale-and-linkedin-redux.html

I have seen lots of lawyers poring into LinkedIn. I expect that will continue.

But does this new hook-up make LinkedIn more useful or Martindale more useful?