• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Pearson Communications

Legal Directories Consultant

  • Services
  • Lloyd Pearson
  • Blog
  • Subscribe
  • Contact

August 19, 2013

BigLaw Partner Produces Great Videos

Richard & Maya Hsu

Working in legal marketing, you occasionally come across an initiative that catches your eye.

More rarely, you come across an initiative that really catches your eye – something special that stands out from the pack.

A series of video tutorials from IP lawyer Richard Hsu, which he sent to me last month, is among the most imaginative things I’ve seen.

So what’s so special about the videos?

Many lawyers are doing video these days, right?

What’s notable is that Richard isn’t a solo practitioner, nor does he practice at some small, maverick IP boutique.

He’s a partner at the blue-blood law firm of Shearman & Sterling.

This just isn’t the sort of thing that BigLaw partners do: creative, funny, interesting.

Secondly, the videos feature Richard’s charming 13-year old daughter, Maya.

Thirdly, the videos are beautifully scripted, edited and produced – and, apparently, didn’t cost that much to make.

Fourthly, the videos are educational – you actually learn something about intellectual property.

They just work on every level.  Have a look for yourself below.

Prior to practicing law, Richard was a software engineer and has always taken pride in being technology-savvy.

But he felt he was losing pace with the zeitgeist, and was keen to delve into the world of social media.

So Richard started a blog in 2011 at the domain, hsutube.com, a play on YouTube using his last name.

When Richard and I spoke by phone, he said that he was inspired to do the videos after watching a TED talk by Sal Khan.

“I noticed his videos were effective without the use of fancy powerpoints or computer graphics.  He just drew them himself with an electronic pen and narrated them himself.  So I wanted to do something similar buy my only problem is that I can’t draw – and that’s when I thought of my daughter.”

Richard said that he targets the videos to be 100 seconds in length and explain a single concept that is conducive to drawings.

“I think this format is quirky and most unusual for a partner at an AmLaw 50 law firm but I made these videos primarily because it was a way for a left brain lawyer like myself to use my right brain and do something fun and collaborative with my daughter.  My only problem now is that she wants to retire!”

I asked Richard whether the blog and videos were done in an individual capacity, as there is no obvious Shearman & Sterling branding to the site.

He said that in the early days of the blog it was largely a personal endeavor, but that more recently, the firm has been very supportive.

Share the post "BigLaw Partner Produces Great Videos"

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Legal Marketing

By Lloyd Pearson

Legal marketing and directories consultant serving law firms worldwide.

Contact me

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Chris Gander says

    August 20, 2013 at 12:28 am

    These videos are brilliant. The use of the drawing element and daughter makes the videos memorable and differentiates them from other boring legal tutorials, that all seem to look exactly the same. Plus Richard knows how to use his voice and doesn’t drone the video out in a typical “lawyerish” monotone voice. Nice find Llyod.

    Reply
  2. Betsy Munnell says

    November 13, 2013 at 4:16 pm

    Wonderful. So pleased to happen upon these videos–thank you for posting. The beauty of YouTube productions like these is that they can be used for asynchronous learning–allowing the student/associate demographic to access the basics on their own time, and with visual support so critical to many learning styles. There are lots of presumed “stupid questions” answered here—the sort of fundamental inquiries so many of us never dared ask when we should have.

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Lawyer Video Genius Strikes Again - 393 Communications says:
    November 25, 2013 at 12:02 am

    […] had a high level of interest and response to my last post on Richard’s videos in August 2013, which suggests the market is increasingly receptive to creative ways to market […]

    Reply
  2. BigLaw IP Video Producer Turns To Audio - 393 Communications says:
    May 19, 2014 at 11:36 am

    […] Silicon Valley intellectual property partner and architect of a series of creative video tutorials has turned his hand to audio for his latest […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe

Recent Posts

  • Financial News Launches New Top Lawyer List
  • Best Lawyers Launches New Young Lawyers List
  • Chambers & Partners Acquires Top 3 Legal
  • Lawdragon Names World’s Top 100 Legal Consultants for 2020
  • Chambers USA 2021: Time to Get Organized

Tags

Above The Law AccessSolicitor ALM American Lawyer Avvo Benchmark Awards Benchmark Litigation Best Lawyers Bloomberg British Legal Awards BTI Chambers & Partners Euromoney FindLaw FT Innovative Lawyers IFLR IFLR1000 Incisive Media International Law Office Internet Brands Law360 Law Business Research LawDingo Lawdragon Law Firm Media Professionals LawPath Lawyers.Com Legal 500 Legal Business Legalease Legal Marketing Association Legal Media Group Legal Week Lexis Nexis Lexpert Martindale-Hubbell National Law Journal Nolo Practical Law Company RSG Consulting Super Lawyers The Lawyer Thomson Reuters US News Vault

Footer

Contact

lloyd@pearsoncomms.com
+44 1273 607 227

About

An experienced international marketing consultant who helps law firms with legal directories and submissions.

Follow

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 · 393 Communications Ltd · All Rights Reserved