Steve Nipper, Doug Sorroco and Matt Buchanan all practice patent law. They practice in different firms and have their own weblogs about patent law. Now they have a blog called rethink(ip) which seeks to talk about problems in patent law. So why would they collaborate on a joint blog? Maybe for the same reason that lawyers join bar associations and then form into sub-groups.
I think that many of the lawyer bloggers who refer to each other in posts are essentially acting like an ‘Internet Bar Association.’ The so-called patent posse’ (Nipper, Sorroco and Buchanan) are essentially forming one of the first sub-committees of the IBA. Smart move, and I’m sure they’ll benefit professionally from having done so. Even if they don’t, they’d probably still think it was worth it for the friendship that it will foster.
I got a chance to meet these guys at TechShow and I can say that each one of them is highly interesting and possess an easy-going manner. I liked them a lot. And glad I had a chance to talk to them, but of course I didn’t take enough advantage of my opportunity (due to the ‘whole lotta shakin’ goin’ on’ phenomenon). Anyway, perhaps, next year. Hopefully, sooner.
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