Bow Tie Law first went live on December 30, 2008. I want to thank everyone who has been a steadfast reader and friend over the last 10 years. I wanted to share the “origin story” of the blog on its anniversary.
I first started wearing bow ties in January 2007. At the time, I worked at CT Summation and was traveling at least twice a month to speak at eDiscovery events. I wanted to differentiate myself from other panelists and always thought bow ties were cool. Shortly thereafter, I expanded into blogging, in addition to white papers, case studies, and CLE’s. I later joined a service provider in June of 2008, so I could travel less during my mother’s final battle with cancer. As the Great Recession came into full force, my employer ended all operations in California in November 2008. I was out of work the week after Thanksgiving. The only bright side to the situation was being able to help care for my mother in the last month of her life. The first Bow Tie Law posts were written at my mother’s apartment while she napped.
While the blog began in what sounds like the unwanted fusion of a Charles Dickens story and old country western song, the last decade has been an adventure. Challenges were overcome and new opportunities arose. Readership increased and Bow Tie Law was recognized in both 2010 and 2011 on the ABA Journal Blawg 100. I had the privilege to speak at bar association events and eDiscovery conferences with wonderful people including Michael Arkfeld, Craig Ball, Amber Schroader, Tom O’Connor, John Jablonski, Kelly Twigger, Christine Chalstrom, and the always thoughtful Browning Marean.
In June 2012, my blog post Cowboys & Lawyers: Spaghetti Western eDiscovery caught the attention of attorney Jessica Mederson. After several exchanges of movie quotes ranging from Wrath of Khan to Caddyshack, we decided to start The Legal Geeks. The first blog went live on July 12, 2012. The ABA Journal has recognized The Legal Geeks as one of the top 100 blogs for attorneys from 2013 to 2018, for which we are both extremely grateful for the honor. We also have had amazing experiences speaking at San Diego Comic Con, Nerd Nites, and other “geek” events. More importantly, we have met many amazing attorneys and judges from across the country. None of that would have happened without Bow Tie Law.
Discovery is the backbone of civil litigation. Electronically stored information can break a litigation budget or be malpractice if ignored or done incorrectly. While the volume of potential ESI in any lawsuit can be significant, whether it is a divorce, auto accident, or complex civil litigation, the technology to collect, process, and review ESI has taken a quantum leap in the last decade. Parties should not fear ESI, but look ahead at how they can competently represent their clients while honoring the duty to secure the just, speedy, and inexpensive determination of every action. These issues are ripe for determination and will be with us for the foreseeable future. I look forward to the days ahead to provide insight and analysis of how to meet these challenges.
While we don’t know what the issues will be in the next 10 years, I do know that bowtielaw.com will be providing insight and information as we meet those challenges. Thank you all for joining the adventure.