The Greatest American Lawyer

Who is The Greatest American Lawyer?

All I know is, he hosted Blawg Review #17 way back in 2005, and did an awesome job of it. Well, that's not all I know...

After almost two years of anonymous blogging, the elusive author of The Greatest American Lawyer has decided it's time to step forward and disclose his true identity.

Was GAL exposed? I don't know for sure (there might be some clues in this link) but to get a good idea who this independent practitioner is you'll have to read a few blog posts on The Greatest American Lawyer about his innovative approach to law firm management, his web-based project management software and virtual workers that cut overhead at the law firm, and his value billing that only suggests what a client might pay but that allows every client to choose for themselves what they pay the law firm for a month's services.

Anyway, just to make things interesting for the 50,000 unique visitors who came to his law blog in 2006, and for the rest of us who are fascinated with anonymous bloggers, he's come up with a very rewarding contest to encourage his readers to do a little sleuthing around the blogosphere to try and discover his true identity:

"Who's that GAL?"

So welcome to the Who’s that GAL contest where readers are invited to guess who the Greatest American Lawyer author really is. We have contacted a couple of companies about potential sponsorships for our contest. In the meantime, you should know that prizes will include a week long stay at a condominium located at the Homestead Freshwater Resort in Glen Arbor Michigan ($1,000 value), an iPod nano and miscellaneous other prizes. More prizes will be added as we go.

In the meantime, here are the contest rules:

1. Do a little internet research and see if you can figure who the author of The Greatest American Lawyer Blog really is.

Send submissions to greatest.american@gmail.com.

2. Contest applicants must be 18 years or older to participate.

3. Yes, if you in fact know who The Greatest American Lawyer is, you can still enter the contest.

4. The contest will close at midnight on February 9, 2007. Contest winners will be drawn at random on February 10, 2007.

5. The more contest applicants we have, the greater chance for sponsorships and great prizes so feel free to post on your blog a link to these contest rules.

So, let me see, what do we know about this anonymous blogger?

What's his biography?

Graduated first in class. Federal clerkship. First real job at the largest specialty law firm of its kind in the world. Uninspired working for huge corporations. Quit.

Worked for mass tort asbestos. Retired at age 32. Divorced. Felt catholic guilt. Gave wife everything and took all debt. Moved into fancy car. Drifted around the country in fancy car. Slept in the woods at rest stops and under bushes in fancy neighborhoods in big cities. Got married to wonderful blonde girl who used to date rich guy, but got distracted by nice car. Lived off wife's job as school teacher. Made lunches and hand delivered them to wife's school.

Tried case in Boston out of car trunk of nice car to 2$ million dollar verdict. Defendant goes bankrupt after verdict. Back living in nice car. Help friends start internet company, building TCPIP-based collaberation tools for hospital systems. Company folds when investors turn into idiots.

Have first son. Live in 18 places in the next year. Drift with wife and son. Eat every breakfast, lunch and dinner with family. Best years of my life. Have number two son. Friend of wife says"'he [that be me] can get a job in the city." End up getting job in city as a lawyer wearing shoes. Shave goatee.

Move to medium sized city from small tourist town on beach. Make partner in two years. Get tired of hourly billing model. Impossible to change the practice of law from within. Change strategies. Launch this blog site.

His interests?

• Going trekking in hundreds of acres of woods, trails and hills out the front door of my new office.


• Being able to shower at my office after I am done jogging.


• Being an innovator in the things I do professionally, socially and philosophically.


• Being located at largest historical redevelopment zone/restoration project in the country, which it just so happens is a tax free zone.


• Making people think and challenging norms by wreaking my own small form of anarchy on the world.


• Blogging. I always knew that I had a lot to say. Somehow writing "it" in my paper journal and sticking it in my backpack seemed to miss the mark.


• Hacky Sac. I used to be just short of amazing but am still pretty good at age 41.


• Boomerangs. Go to coloradoboomerang.com and buy one (or eight). You will be the coolest one around. Kids love to watch them fly. Adults are fascinated by them as well for some reason. I have been throwing rang for over 12 years, having bought my first boomerang from the 5 time world boomerang champion, Gel in the Golden Gate Bridge park.


• Favorite Motto: "You never know when it is time to throw."


• Favorite Place: Lake Michigan beaches at sunset on a warm summer night, drinking Oberon beer and throwing rang.

On the last leg of a memorable journey across the legal blogosphere, in Blawg Review #89, we visited The Greatest American Lawyer.

Was it something the lone mummer said then, on New Year's Day, that encouraged this anonymous blogger to announce, just four days later, maybe it's time for him to lift his veil of anonymity?

Who knows? My guess is we'll find out soon enough, and then we won't have to list him as "Mystery Host" in our roster of Future Hosts for Blawg Review on May 21st.

Believe it or not,
I'm walking on air.
I never thought I could feel so free eee eee.
Flying away on a wing and a prayer.
Who could it be?
Believe it or not it's NOT me.