Adventures in Lawyer Advertising: MySpace.com — A Place for Friends… and Law Offices
We’ve seen a lot of interesting law firm websites in our time, but the MySpace page for the “Law Office of Mark Meisinger” is in a class of its own [hat tip to The Young Texas Lawyer]. The Law Office is “single,” and interested in “Networking, Dating, Serious Relationships, Friends.” Appropriately, the current mood for the Dallas-based Law Office is “adventurous:”
According to the “About Me” section, “representing those who mess with Texas” means taking on clients charged with DWIs, drug possession, probation violations, and traffic offenses. Other important bits about “The Law Office of Mark Meisinger:” it used to be a juvenile delinquent, it was a member of Phi Delta Theta, it has worked “with all kinds of different government agencies, and it “interned for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District Of Nebraska and prosecuted several federal cases.”
When we first came across it, we doubted that the MySpace page would effectively attract prospective clients, but Meisinger is quoted in a post on Criminal Defense Lawyer saying that it does:
“The people I’m going after [as clients] are on MySpace,” says Meisinger, who graduated from Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Neb., in 2004, and office shares at Gioffreddi & Associates in Dallas. “A whole bunch of people who party, who drink, whatever, those are the people on there who want to be my [MySpace] friend… I have gotten cases off there [MySpace]; there’s no doubt. One month, I got four DWIs off of there. It’s way more than the phone book’s doing for me.”
So… the screw-ups on MySpace are the clientele he’s targeting. Nice. He also friends hotties, judging from the posts on his wall:
T-shirts(!) and more, after the jump.
The Law Office advertises in other creative ways, like on festive T-shirts (available in two styles no less: baby-T and spaghetti straps!)
At first, we thought maybe this whole thing was kind of a joke, but the advertising appears to be completely serious:
Texas never ceases to amaze us. The Criminal Defense Law Blog has a post dedicated to the MySpace advertising trend among Texan lawyers, and quotes Meisinger:
Cross and other Texas lawyers with MySpace pages that advertise their firms say it’s a legitimate way to reach prospective clients, particularly younger people who aren’t likely to look in newspapers or in telephone directories for a lawyer…Mark Meisinger, a 28-year-old criminal defense lawyer in Dallas, says his prospective clients are on MySpace… [P]romoting his practice through MySpace is inexpensive advertising, because his only cost is the time he spends networking on MySpace and managing his page… “I’ve been licensed two years now. I don’t have money to throw into the phone or TV ads,” he says. “It works out perfect for me.” In comparison, Meisinger says, he pays $700 a month for his Yellow Pages ad.
While Meisinger sees MySpace as a viable advertising outlet, Facebook is apparently not an appropriate place to whore out his firm. His profile on the latter is set to private.
Law Office of Mark Meisinger [MySpace via Young Texas Lawyer]
Mention in Texas Lawyer Magazine [Criminal Defense Law Blog]
(75) Comments
Comments
Comments hidden for your protection. Show them anyway!
You can't fault them for hussling.
You can't fault them for hustling.
If you want the rainbow, you've gotta put up with the rain - do you know which philosopher said that? Dolly Parton. And people say she's just a big pair of tits.
First bitches
Hussling, driving Landcrewers and a Lexis. Don't mess with Texas.
As much as I'd like to snark here, the dude is marketing to his client base. Can't fault him for that.
Two day Dow advance means the recessions over. Pop the bubbly.
3500sq ft and a wife, bitches!
Lexis in Texis
7, we won't know the recession is over until 2 to 4 months after it happens.
Very clever idea, actually. The partying kids on myspace are no doubt the ones getting DWI charges, being busted with possession of marijuana/cocaine/x, etc.
I'd bet you he even ends up getting some pussy from stupid 20 year old chicks who think he's rich because he's a lawyer.
This man is a genius.
Don't mess with TTTexas
First to say I'm underrated, and I actually kind of miss this guy.
--Omaha
The guy is probably a douche, but creative marketing. Good slogan too.
This article only proves my point about today's generation of attorneys. All fluff and no substance. I wouldn't even trust Mark Meisinger to prepare my gardner's tax return, much less handle a simple legal matter such as drafting a will. Today's attorneys would also fall for a dame like Ashley Blair. Again no substance (read: lack of a generous bust) and all fluff (read: bleach blonde bimbo). I know I am sexy Ashley but you are not.
this is so awesome i want to be him.
8: I hope #14 has something to say about your 3500 square foot wife.
Wow, you mean I could generate LEGAL clients through MySpace too!?! Whoda thunk it?
Good idea. Seems like a pretty smart guy.
14,
I'd let her fluff me.
Still numerous leagues above those leechy TTT basement doc reviewers or "JD-para's/legal analysts" in NYC at least.
All hat and no cattle.
I laud this guy's chutzpah. It does not matter how you dress as a whore because ultimately you are still a whore. Big law types are funny because you actually think you are something other than prostitutes. If the downturn means anything, hopely it will mean that you get to remember your place the world as clients leave fewer dollars on the night stand.
I like you Betty.
This is not anything new. There is an attorney in Pittsburgh who has been doing the same name under the moniker "Legally Blonde In PA"
Partner Emeritus- I have to disagree. Nothing really wrong with this guy. Without rainmaking abilities we are considered to be disposable cogs in the machine to our firms. At some point this guy is going to have more than enough clients (sources of income), no boss, and total job security. Although, he might have some bad tribal tattoos.
22 - I take exception to that, I have no such delusions!
Are all wives in Texas 3500 sq ft?
surely this is a violation of state bar rules in many states. all taht crap about making the profession look cheap.
12, Omaha used to be my home...aha. I miss it so.
I wonder what $500,000 could get me there. Probably more than a rapidly-depreciating 1300 sq. ft. condo and the prospect of an imminent layoff.
doesn't "NOT GUILTY" on the t-shirt give rise to unreasonable expectations for his clients? tttexas is ttt if they don't slap attorneys around for this kinda garbage. this would never happen in my state.
i will say that this guy is far better off than the average biglaw associate right now. a tanking economy is probably good for business.
Gentlemen at the legal preparatory academy with which I was once affiliated frequently engaged in the use of social media websites for advertising purposes, thus touting their legal services to the diverse denizens of the aforementioned online communities, thus attracting the charms of certain not unattractive members of the fairer sex, and, perhaps, certain clients and other and sundry business relationships. These occurrences were commonplace, as were the underlying offenses and other violations of statutes that created the legal opportunities ultimately presented to the gentlemen as new business. In the common parlance, so what? It's not a big deal.
What about hard work?
What about it? You work hard? Bet you stayed up half the night analyzing that piece of shit stock you gave me. Where'd it get you? My father worked like an elephant till he dropped dead at 49 with a heart attack and tax bills. Wake up, will ya, pal? If you're not inside, you are outside, OK? I'm not talking about some $400,000-a-year working Wall Street stiff......flying first class and feeling comfortable. I'm talking about liquid. Rich enough to have your own jet. Rich enough not to waste time. Fifty, a hundred million dollars, Buddy.
A player...
...or nothing.
Why is it that when ATL puts a pic of a female lawyer up there are 140 comments about whether or not she is attractive and when ATL puts a pic of a male lawyer up, all the commenters talk about whether he is smart or not?
you are all sexist pigs.
oink oink
he looks like he is 100% ass lobster.
33 While you're here, blow me. K Thanks
Ditto what 33 said.
33 why don't you opine on his hotness or lack of it and give some balance if you have a problem with it. we're all horny pigs, but not sexist. as a woman, you have a right to be as miserable as the rest of us. i just wish 26 was really 26 and not some dude
31:
That is funny. I wish it wasn't funny to me every time it is posted, but it is.
I know how hard it is for young people
today and I want to help. Just ask my grandson, Spaulding. He and I are regular pals.
Are you my pal...
..."Mr. Scholarship Winner"?
@33
*Bustling Manhattan street*
"We gotta female lawya down, sahge!"
"Whassa matta?"
"Looks like dis broad right heeyah gots dat low self-esteem sahge, and she's fallen ovah afta eatin bout 2 gallons of dis Ben & Jerry's business."
*215 lbs woman face-down, passed out and spread-eagle wearing a Lane Bryant stretch pantsuit with 16 Ben & Jerry's pints (empty) littered around herself*
"What's got her down?"
"I tink she's mad cuz she doesn't take care of herself, and all the guys don't really tink about doin' her. Also, she do really shitty work, but she wants to blame all the guys fo' her inability to climb da ladda."
"Looks like a real bitch dere. Have a bus come clean dis up and let's get outta here, I'm about to puke."
3500 sq ft is hell of a lot of woman.
MySpace is SOO five years ago. Does it take Texas that long to catch up with the coasts?
41, that's a TERRIBLE representation of what I assume is meant to be some kind of vaguely east-coast accent.
33 - I don't rate guys
43-
Why don't you take the time to type out the awful Yawksie accent Brooklyn/Jersey trash bring into NYC? Please show us how it can be done better than by typing it out phonetically you friggin jaggoff.
Until then, shut the fuck up.
45, I'm not the one who made the ill-advised decision to type out what seems to have been an attempt at a "joke" of sorts in conversation form. If you're going to stereotype, at least do it properly.
46-
Let's hear you do it. Please, let me learn from you O Great Internet Douchebag Who Has Taken 5 Minutes Off From World of Warcraft to Teach Me the Way to Make Fun of Jersey Trash.
I have a Gowanus accent. Is that prestigious in Texas?
Why did his "hottie" friend Ashley Blair trademark her name?
I trademarked my dong, 'twas no big deal.
33
I am gay, and I think she's attractive. The reason you don't hear that about most guys is that many lawyers (on the guy side) are fat, ugly and balding. Let's face it- in between nasty personalites and horrible looks, that's the reason so many of them fixate on the money. It's all they got to offer.
I love how you're the one who tried -- and failed -- to make fun of people with different accents and *I'm* the douchebag for calling you out.
@52
Are you serious? You're the Bob Costas of ATL. You think you have all this great insight, but, if put to the test, you'd show yourself for the awkward, miserable piece of shit that you are.
Keep on armchair-quarterbacking. Why again, are your underoos magic? Is it because they cause this funny liquid to ooze out of your wee-wee whenever a Justin Timberlake video is shown on MTV?
WOW....WHAT A TOTAL FUCKING DOUCHE!!
You forgot to include his amazing Halloween costume:
http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=viewImage&friendID=10637546&albumID=344451&imageID=52670570
Glad to have you in our profession, fucknut!!
54 - How does wearing a Halloween costume and partying out make you a douche? Bet he works less hours and has a better quality of life than you do.
you are all worthless and weak. now drop down and give me 20
23- thats danny sir
8 - might be a dead cat bounce (hope not) ...
7 - might be a dead cat bounce (hope not) ...
This guy has more clients (and thus substantially more job security) than most of you clowns practicing "structured finance" in New York.
He might have a view of a gas station from his office (I am not making this up), but I give him more props than someone doing temporary doc review.
They say you should dress like your clients. Apparently this guy represents douchebags.
On the other hand, do enough DUIs and misdemeanor-possessions at $3000 a pop and it starts to add up. Drunk people dong dumb shit are a pretty recession-proof client base. Plus he's actually using his TTT law degree, instead of reviewing documents and bitching about Joan King on JDU.
Nice white man's overbite there, Mark!
CreighTTTon law grad's don't have many other options, I applaud his initiative
Texas dbag TTTers to 190!
Texas dbag TTTers to 190!
This is no surprise. If you're a legal employer, why pay to post your wanted ads on craigslist and pay the listing fee, especially during a bad economic period like this, when you can advertise it on a site exclusively for law students like http://www.outlines.com for free? That's why myspace makes complete sense.
55--numbnuts, LOOK at his costume!! Then answer your own question.
This post clearly demonstrates that this site is worth browsing when there is bad news about law firms. That unfortunate fact explains why some of the reported bad news has turned out to be inaccurate.
52 -- you are strange. also, you need to find some other way to spend your time. suggest turning off the computer, hitting the gym, and then getting a girl.
52 -- you are strange. also, you need to find some other way to spend your time. suggest turning off the computer, hitting the gym, and then getting a girl.
That guy is a PIMP. Good for Him.
That Dude is a lawyer pimp!!!!
Mark has done nothing wrong. I'm sure the individual that blew all of this out of proportion has no idea what she is getting herself into. Maybe she is just jealous that she doesn't get as much attention as the other women who hang around him. With that, she should rottttttt in helllll! Take care Mark. See you soon back in Omaha.
Luuuvin the haterz....you're makin my boy Mark famous!!! If u are, it's cuz ya'll are alll to scared of what people think....lame asses. Grow up and grow some balls. Look at the economy and world around you. He's smart, sociable and sexy. I can't hardly say that for half of the men lawyers/pervs out there. He's actually badass and isn't ALL in it for the money. He's a good guy soo anyone negative can shutthefuckup.com