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Anthony J. Colleluori may be known formally as a criminal defense attorney based in Woodbury. But to thousands of others, he's better known simply as "that lawyer dude." Colleluori created a blog with that name, which has won him a small cult following and some critics.
He's been recognized at restaurants from his photo on his thatlawyerdude.com blog, earning him a small measure of celebrity.
"A lot of law students read the blog. I went out to eat. The waiter said, 'I know you from your blog. We read it in class,'" Colleuori said.
If Colleluori and other lawyers who blog win fans and followers, they also face criticism and risks from speaking their mind in the virtual universe.
Colleluori has ventured to criticize Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice's actions, prompting responses from people who work for her.
"The Katheen Rice stuff comes back on a regular basis," Colleluori said of Rice employees who think highly of her. "When they get to know me, they say, 'Why are you so mean to our boss? She's a nice lady.' I say, 'I call them as I see them.'"
Many lawyers are sounding off on computers in ways they never would in court. "It tends to be a little bit of advocacy, a little bit of stuff I see in the courtroom and don't like. It always has a law flavor to it," Colleluori said. "Something really gets in my craw. I need to talk about it and to think it out. So I write."
Risks vs. rewards
As attorneys enter the blogosphere, they're finding they have to weigh the risks against the benefits. Some law firms have a simple strategy regarding attorney blogs: They ban them.