Don't confuse accolades with SEO

Plus: Bankruptcy lawyers are in demand

Raise The Bar

17 Apr 2025 • 6 min read

Keeping up with the news these days is like drinking from a firehose. There’s way too much going on, so Raise the Bar is here to give you the highlights.

We’re looking at the value of legal industry awards, figuring out why so many lawyers struggle to actually take a break and learning more about how to support neurodivergent attorneys. Plus, we’ve got a Q&A with a bankruptcy lawyer who markets to reluctant clients.

And we know tax day just passed, but we filed an extension in order to share a true crime podcast that does a deep dive on weird tax violations with you.

Gavel in one hand, green smoothie in the other. U.S. Court of Appeals Judge Amul Thapar has a health and wellness Substack.

You can pry the em dash out of my cold, dead fingers. Is using the world’s best punctuation mark a sign ChatGPT was your co-author—or proof that you are a lawyer.

Thanks, I hate it. What advice would you give to this new lawyer on Reddit who questions their future in the law?

Kum & Go? More like Came & Went. Hit-and-run driver who crashed into a convenience store blames his Crocs. Will this hold up in court?

What if toddlers had lawyers? Comedians John Crist and Taylor Calmus aka "Dude Dad" imagine this nightmare scenario.

Bankruptcy lawyer markets to reluctant clients

If the threat of a recession is realized, bankruptcy filings are likely to increase. Or perhaps it would be better to say the number of people who could benefit from filing for bankruptcy will go up. Whether those people actually consider filing for bankruptcy and are able to find an attorney who is willing to take their case is another story. Raise the Bar sat down with Ryan Blay, a partner at WM Law in Lawrence, Kansas, to explore the challenges these issues present. -Emily Kelchen

How do you go about marketing a legal service like bankruptcy? I suspect that your potential clients may be reluctant to seek you out since bankruptcy is often a last resort and can hold a social stigma.

It’s tricky. So part of what I do is market directly to clients to explain when to seek bankruptcy protection, when NOT to, what the pitfalls look like, if any, and so forth. The other part is marketing to referral sources like CPAs, real estate agents, non-bankruptcy attorneys and bankers. Some of these folks know just enough about bankruptcy to be dangerous. But in both cases, it is good practice to explain the concepts of bankruptcy in a simpler way without any bankruptcy lingo.

And you try to put a positive spin on it?

There’s no spin. The fact is bankruptcy is one of the few safety valves we have for people who are struggling financially. It's not perfect and there are times that we can't file cases without our clients losing assets (or being forced into high repayment plans to keep those assets) but it's a major chance at a fresh start and an opportunity to eliminate the emotional strain that comes with debt. When people know what bankruptcy actually looks like, they are much more open to it. Part of my job is getting that message out there.

You’re working to spread the word about the benefits of bankruptcy, but caseloads in your area are already full. You’ve even described it as a bit of a “legal desert.” What does that look like in practice?

When I was first starting 15 years ago, there were more attorneys who would take bankruptcy cases sporadically and dabble in it. Today, if you are looking at smaller Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 cases, there are maybe three to four other attorneys in the entire state of Kansas who can do what I do. That's nice job security for me, but it's a challenge, especially if one or two of those other attorneys are representing creditors. It’s a growing access to justice gap.

Accommodating neurodiverse attorneys

Brian Studniberg, a partner at Toronto litigation boutique Henein Hutchison Robitaille, spent much of his life feeling out of step and struggling to fit in. Then, in his late 30s, a doctor finally realized Studniberg had a severe auditory processing disorder, a neurological condition that makes it difficult to follow conversations in noisy environments. Rather than impeding his legal career, his diagnosis has helped him identify his strengths and find a work style that allows him to thrive.

Why this matters: Studniberg’s story is a compelling reminder that diversity in the legal profession includes neurodiversity. Creating space for people to work in a way that is comfortable and allows them to flourish is good for everyone. (Precedent)

Tech ties us up but could set us free

A recent Bloomberg Law survey revealed a staggering 97% of legal professionals worked during vacation in the past year. Though the nature of the profession means client demands and deadlines are always looming, the survey results suggest ease of access to emails is partially to blame.

Why this matters: While technology keeps us tethered to our desks, it could also help us go truly OOO. The article suggests that some of the reasons why attorneys reported checking into the office while on vacay could be automated or fully delegated with better project management systems in place. (Bloomberg Law)

Tax season isn’t over if you don’t want it to be

If you haven’t yet discovered "Tax Crime Junkies," it’s time to add it to your podcast queue. Hosted by CPA Dominique Molina and EA Tom Gorczynski, this true crime podcast dissects the most fascinating and complex tax-related criminal cases. The show features interviews with lawyers, financial experts and even the occasional defendant, offering a nuanced look at the intersection of law, finance and human behavior.

Why this matters: What makes "Tax Crime Junkies" stand out is its balance of storytelling and substance. You get to hear the weird details, but also the host’s in-depth analysis of the red flags, motives and mistakes that shape the cases. (Tax Crime Junkies)

Clients don’t care if you’re a certified awesome lawyer

Whether you’ve been recognized as a shooting comet in the profession or your firm’s marking its 27th year on the totally rad lawyers list, Attorney Jonathan Wolf argues you shouldn’t mistake those accolades for marketing. “When people are searching for an attorney online, they do not type in, ‘Which attorney in [local geographical area] has won the most industry awards?’ or ‘Are there any nearby lawyers who are Certified Civil Trial Law Specialists?’ It’s almost always something more like ‘[geographic area] [whatever the potential client thinks the practice area for their issue is called] lawyer.’”

Why this matters: Industry awards aren’t getting clients through the door, and chasing recognition takes away time you could spend on real marketing. Appreciate any accolades you receive, but don’t chase them thinking they are a marketing magic bullet. (Above the Law)

Thank you for reading Raise The Bar.

Every Thursday, you'll hear from our team about the most pressing issues facing legal practices today. We'll also try to include some quick-hit reads that touch on interesting cases and precedents being set worldwide.

Have anything you'd like us to cover? Send an email raisethebar@mynewsletter.co

Raise the Bar is curated and written by Emily Kelchen and edited by Bianca Prieto.