Comments on: A Slow Day at the Office: Lawyers Editing on Wikipedia http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html The Law, the Universe, and Everything Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:19:19 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.3 hourly 1 By: Interested http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52769 Interested Wed, 22 Aug 2007 09:29:07 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52769 Not so interesting and there is really no "there" there. Those firms that have made small and insignificant edits to their own description are really showing the truth -- they have a marketing staff assigned the job of making sure that internet information about their firm is up-to-date and accurate. Most lawyers (beyond the younger ones) probably don't even know what a wiki is yet, so I doubt that they are spending time editing firm info on Wikipedia on top of 2,400 billable hours. (BTW: You ever try to bill 2,400 hours, on top of the other activities that firms require these days -- recruiting, professional reading and writing, administrative work, etc.?) Keep up the sluething! Not so interesting and there is really no “there” there. Those firms that have made small and insignificant edits to their own description are really showing the truth — they have a marketing staff assigned the job of making sure that internet information about their firm is up-to-date and accurate. Most lawyers (beyond the younger ones) probably don’t even know what a wiki is yet, so I doubt that they are spending time editing firm info on Wikipedia on top of 2,400 billable hours. (BTW: You ever try to bill 2,400 hours, on top of the other activities that firms require these days — recruiting, professional reading and writing, administrative work, etc.?)

Keep up the sluething!

]]> By: law student http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52768 law student Tue, 21 Aug 2007 19:01:40 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52768 My favorite description from one of the firm editors of his change... "Deleted inexplicable and factually incorrect claim that Prada could possibly be viewed as an economical alternative to Armani." My favorite description from one of the firm editors of his change…

“Deleted inexplicable and factually incorrect claim that Prada could possibly be viewed as an economical alternative to Armani.”

]]> By: Chris http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52767 Chris Tue, 21 Aug 2007 13:29:20 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52767 How do they find the time to make all these edits and still bill 2400 hours a year? This is proof that the best and brightest go to these firms. How do they find the time to make all these edits and still bill 2400 hours a year? This is proof that the best and brightest go to these firms.

]]> By: Ion http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52766 Ion Tue, 21 Aug 2007 07:07:47 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52766 FWIW: WilmerHale edited under the handle "WilmerHale" until they got smart and made up another pseudonym. FWIW: WilmerHale edited under the handle “WilmerHale” until they got smart and made up another pseudonym.

]]> By: Tom T. http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52765 Tom T. Tue, 21 Aug 2007 06:39:08 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52765 There are a vast number of edits to movie star pages apparently originating from within the DOJ. The only substantive edit I could find from there was Lynne Stewart's page. There are a vast number of edits to movie star pages apparently originating from within the DOJ. The only substantive edit I could find from there was Lynne Stewart’s page.

]]> By: Ted http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52764 Ted Tue, 21 Aug 2007 00:32:28 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52764 I've first-hand witnessed a plaintiffs' law firm post celebratory stuff about its cases, and I've seen an account corresponding to a biglaw firm partner's name delete information about one of his clients. As Wikipedia biases go, the first is still up on the pages, and the second was quickly corrected. I’ve first-hand witnessed a plaintiffs’ law firm post celebratory stuff about its cases, and I’ve seen an account corresponding to a biglaw firm partner’s name delete information about one of his clients. As Wikipedia biases go, the first is still up on the pages, and the second was quickly corrected.

]]> By: Geoff http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52763 Geoff Mon, 20 Aug 2007 23:33:11 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52763 I'm surprised no one has suggested turning this activity on law schools. Unfortunately, most law schools seem to operate via university IP addresses, so it's hard to segregate out, for example, the law school edits from the university edits. There are, of course, some free-standing law schools without their own IP addresses. And, interestingly, the University of Michigan law school seems to have its own IP addresses. Someone from U of M law felt inspired to edit the entry on Chemerinsky by recharacterizing him as "one of the most famous and respected" con law professors, rather than "the most famous and respected" con law professor. See http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?diff=prev&oldid=73898386. I certainly hope that wasn't a faculty member! ;) I’m surprised no one has suggested turning this activity on law schools. Unfortunately, most law schools seem to operate via university IP addresses, so it’s hard to segregate out, for example, the law school edits from the university edits.

There are, of course, some free-standing law schools without their own IP addresses.

And, interestingly, the University of Michigan law school seems to have its own IP addresses. Someone from U of M law felt inspired to edit the entry on Chemerinsky by recharacterizing him as “one of the most famous and respected” con law professors, rather than “the most famous and respected” con law professor. See http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?diff=prev&oldid=73898386. I certainly hope that wasn’t a faculty member! ;)

]]> By: dave hoffman http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52762 dave hoffman Mon, 20 Aug 2007 23:33:02 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52762 Ted, you are of course right that the most likely scenario is junior associates or paralegals. And overall, these edits are generally trivial and not particularly harmful. That's why I asked if anyone see's anything more problematic (client edits) out there.... Ted, you are of course right that the most likely scenario is junior associates or paralegals. And overall, these edits are generally trivial and not particularly harmful. That’s why I asked if anyone see’s anything more problematic (client edits) out there….

]]> By: Ted http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52761 Ted Mon, 20 Aug 2007 23:30:07 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52761 For example, such an explanation would better explain why a "law firm" is editing information about Coach Lugash in a Simpsons wikipedia page or editing the Jewish population of Tiraspol. For example, such an explanation would better explain why a “law firm” is editing information about Coach Lugash in a Simpsons wikipedia page or editing the Jewish population of Tiraspol.

]]> By: Ted http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52760 Ted Mon, 20 Aug 2007 23:24:58 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52760 Given that most lawfirms have hundreds of employees who might have a slow day, the more likely scenario is that a bored associate (or paralegal or secretary, even) edited a page without the approval of the powers that be, rather than a sinister machination by the firm's executive committee. Given that most lawfirms have hundreds of employees who might have a slow day, the more likely scenario is that a bored associate (or paralegal or secretary, even) edited a page without the approval of the powers that be, rather than a sinister machination by the firm’s executive committee.

]]> By: Bruce Boyden http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52759 Bruce Boyden Mon, 20 Aug 2007 23:01:20 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52759 By itself, this is not terribly surprising. For example, I just checked the Wikipedia page for Proskauer Rose, my old firm, and noticed a factual error -- the New York office has not been located at 1585 Broadway "throughout its history." It moved there in 1989, I believe, from more cramped quarters over on Fifth Ave. So if I was still at Proskauer, and fixed it while at work, this might reflect a slow work day, but is otherwise untroubling, I think. By itself, this is not terribly surprising. For example, I just checked the Wikipedia page for Proskauer Rose, my old firm, and noticed a factual error — the New York office has not been located at 1585 Broadway “throughout its history.” It moved there in 1989, I believe, from more cramped quarters over on Fifth Ave. So if I was still at Proskauer, and fixed it while at work, this might reflect a slow work day, but is otherwise untroubling, I think.

]]> By: eric @ New York Personal Injury Law Blog http://www.concurringopinions.com/archives/2007/08/a_slow_day_at_t.html/comment-page-1#comment-52758 eric @ New York Personal Injury Law Blog Mon, 20 Aug 2007 20:43:45 +0000 http://www.solove.org/archives/2007/08/a-slow-day-at-the-office-lawyers-editing-on-wikipedia.html#comment-52758 This is not a critique or a negative posted by the firm, but might be a cousin: <a href="http://www.newyorkpersonalinjuryattorneyblog.com/2007/08/duplicity-at-wachtell-lipton.html" rel="nofollow">Duplicity at Wachtell Lipton?</a> This is not a critique or a negative posted by the firm, but might be a cousin:

Duplicity at Wachtell Lipton?

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