Content and Marketing – The Word of the Laird

I’ve created website copy and blog posts for many small businesses. Often, but not always, these are consumer-focused law firms that need fresh content from someone who understands their businesses. These include some practice area basics like auto accident pages for personal injury lawyers, but also pages on more complex and research-intensive topics like the False Claims Act and the science behind drug recalls.

It’s difficult to showcase all of this work because it is, by its nature, ghostwriting. I have many samples available on request, but below are some that I am free to put online:

I’ve done some blog posts for Rolling Robots, a STEM education organization here in Los Angeles:

“Rolling Robots Scholarship Winner,” September 2020, RollingRobots.com
How the Rolling Robots experience of one alumnus helped guide his college choices.

“XPrize Next Gen Mask Challenge Top 25,” October 2020, RollingRobots.com
A team of teenaged inventors from Rolling Robots made the first round of the XPRIZE NextGen Mask Challenge, which asks young adults to reimagine the face mask to improve mask-wearing compliance.

Informational articles for LegalZoom, including:

“Month to Month Rental Agreement or Long Term Lease: Which Is Best for Landlords?,” October 2020, LegalZoom
In this article, I talk to experienced landlords, real estate lawyers and apartment associations about deciding which kind of contract makes the most sense for new landlords.

“How to Get the Most Out of Your Attorney/Client Relationship,” September 2020, LegalZoom
If you’re new to hiring a lawyer, this article can provide a bit of guidance about how to make the most of that professional relationship.

“Can estranged relatives contest your will after you pass away?,” August 2020, LegalZoom
If you have reason to believe that your family might contest your will after your death, there are things you can do to prevent it. This article for LegalZoom’s Articles Center outlines what those some of those things are and how they differ from state to state.

“What Are Your Privacy Rights When You Work From Home?,” June 2020, LegalZoom
During the pandemic of 2020, a lot of people with office jobs transitioned to working from home—and were trying to balance that with personal concerns. But what are your privacy rights if you’re on Zoom with your colleagues, or using a work-issued computer to check your bank account? In this article, I explain that workers have very few privacy rights, and now they can protect those rights they do have.

“How to Find the Right Lawyer for You and Your Business,” June 2020, LegalZoom
For a lot of people who run small businesses, the business is their baby—and putting it in a lawyer’s hands can feel stressful. That’s especially true when you don’t know what to look for. This article seeks to demystify the process of finding and hiring a lawyer.

“How SCORE can help you launch your business,” May 2020, LegalZoom
For LegalZoom’s audience of entrepreneurs and small businesses, this piece breaks down what kind of free help the nonprofit SCORE—supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration—offers to aspiring entrepreneurs.

“5 Tips for Vetting Bankruptcy Attorneys,” May 2020, LegalZoom
Filing for bankruptcy can be frightening, especially if you’ve never hired a lawyer before. In this article for LegalZoom, I share tips for finding the right consumer bankruptcy lawyer.

“How to Spot Business Opportunities in a Down Economy,” April 2020, LegalZoom
Coronavirus has happened, and social distancing has made things quite tough for many of the small businesses that LegalZoom serves. In this quick-turnaround piece, I talked to entrepreneurs and business professors about how small businesses can find opportunities in a suddenly changed economy.

“7 Questions to Ask When You’re Vetting a Tax Lawyer,” March 2020, LegalZoom
Hiring an attorney can be stressful, especially if you have high-dollar tax problems. This article for LegalZoom gives consumers some advice on how to choose.

“Before You Send Your Kids to College, Make Sure They Sign a Power of Attorney Form,” March 2020, LegalZoom
Did you know that parents of college students may not be permitted to access any medical information or make medical decisions for their young adults—even if those young adults are incapacitated? This article looks at a power of attorney form as a way of planning for the worst case before you send a young adult off to school.

“Understanding Your Liability When Using Subcontractors for Construction Projects,” February 2020, LegalZoom
Construction sites have contractors—and those contractors have contractors! It’s a specialized area of the law that may be confusing to individuals or small businesses who need these services for the first time, and this article seeks to demystify an important aspect of this, which is who in the contractor-subcontractor-client relationship is liable for what.

“Student Loan Forgiveness: How It Can Work For You,” February 2020, LegalZoom
This is a consumer-focused service article on how federal student loan forgiveness programs work and how you can position yourself to take advantage of them.

“Building a Workplace Harassment Policy That Keeps You and Your Employees Safe,” November 2019, LegalZoom
This article is about how small businesses can create a workplace harassment policy that both stops harassment and keeps the organization out of trouble—as well as why those things are important.

I helped write this ebook on North Carolina car accident law for Lewis & Daggett, and they kindly gave me permission to put it online.

Selected practice area pages Wallin & Klarich

Family law, criminal defense and supporting pages for Colorado Springs family and criminal attorney Jennifer B. James

Selected practice areas (from “Bankruptcy Overview” to “The New Bankruptcy Law”) BetterBankruptcy.com. This Word document that I’ve uploaded may be a more convenient sample.

In 2010, I’m proud to say I was a freelance contributor to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, helping to write a blog called Energy Empowers. These were reported, journalism-style pieces that told stories of how the Recovery Act helped Americans work toward cleaner and more efficient energy usage. I had the honor of being the office’s West Coast voice, with (not surprisingly) a special emphasis on solar. Here are some highlights of that work:

Solar cookers to bring hope to earthquake victims

Alaskan cooperative wins wind award

Yellowstone agencies plan to reduce emissions

Nellis Air Force Base solar array provides a model for renewable energy projects

Initiative guides Hawaii to the path of energy independence

Arizona teachers prepare students for green economy

Hawaii Marine base installs solar roofs

Hydrogen fuel cells provide critical backup power

Puget Sound communities promote energy efficiency

World’s largest solar energy project heads to Mojave

Hydrogen power lit Academy Awards

Oil spill still motivates Santa Barbara to be green