Six Lawyers Tell How They Built the Best Newsletters in Their Niche

The Planetary Lawyer Project’s Matthew Karmel talks with Amee Vanderpool, Alex Su, Chris Harvey, Jonah Perlin and Albert Tawil about building a successful attorney newsletter in your niche.

The following is an excerpt from a great new article by Matthew Karmel, which explores the newsletter terrain in the legal field and how several attorneys have approached a new avenue of practicing law. While the area of specialty for this Q&A Session is the legal field, the advice and information below translates to all areas and interests and could be useful to any new Substacker.

The business community knows the value and staying power of newsletters: Recent studies show the return on investment for email marketing is $36 for every $1 spent. With the rise of platforms like Substack, newsletters are becoming more niche-focused and personal, and lawyers are taking advantage of these trends. 

Recently, I interviewed the authors of several high-profile attorney newsletters to learn what motivated them to start their newsletters and what the impact has been so far. From Alex Su’s exploration of AI and alternative careers to Amee Vanderpool’s focus on human-centric political and legal issues to my commitment to showing how every lawyer can work on climate, here’s how these six lawyers use newsletters to further their professional and personal goals.

SHERO by Amee Vanderpool 

Amee Vanderpool is an attorney, published author, newspaper and magazine contributor, and BBC Radio analyst. She is the author of SHERO, a newsletter about political and legal issues facing women but affecting everyone.

What should lawyers expect from your newsletter?

My newsletter connects the legal and political dots for issues facing women but affecting everyone. This means that every lawyer will get more exposure to some legal issues that may not always be at the forefront of legal analysis, but my articles also include the political aspects with the legal ramifications for everyday people.

What type of lawyers would benefit from your newsletter?

Any lawyer could glean a fresh perspective on some issues that they may not encounter in academia. I also endeavor to publish editorial content that may give some insight into concepts and issues that may be new and interesting.

How long have you been writing, and what motivated you to start writing a newsletter?

I have always loved to write. I actually won an essay writing contest in the 6th Grade, and ever since, I have pursued it in some form. As an attorney, my academic writing evolved, but I also found that my style and voice became clearer, especially when discussing the political matters I was passionate about. I never imagined that I could find a career in which I was able to primarily write and control my own content, so my newsletter is a dream come true. Sometimes, you can’t actually know what your specific, ideal dream job is until you create it for yourself. 

How does your newsletter align with your professional goals and values?

I have always maintained a high standard for my work, and my work ethic has always been intense, so this has translated well with regard to my writing, marketing and publishing work on SHERO. I can pursue topics and issues that I am passionate about, which is not often the case when you are practicing. I love the freedom this affords me, and I think that this kind of writing, which piggybacks off of my legal training and career, helps to make my content interesting and informative while I can still utilize my own writing style and voice to communicate about the social and real-world aspects of an issue.

What is a specific example of how your newsletter positively impacted your practice or career?

My favorite aspect of writing SHERO has always been the feedback from subscribers who tell me they feel seen or that something I have published was important to them. Sometimes, this emphasis on humanity, communication and interaction can be missing in the client experience. What writing SHERO has taught me, above all else, is that if I am feeling or experiencing something in my professional or personal life, MANY other people are going through the same experience. As lawyers, we are forced to advocate for our clients, regardless of choice or personal preference. By sharing my experiences and understanding how many people are like me, I feel I am advocating in a way I never could in the traditional law. 

Advice for lawyers thinking of starting a newsletter?

DO IT. Attorneys are very talented people with the ability to do many things. However, we are trained in law school to stay in one lane and fear moving out of that chosen path. Don’t be afraid to put yourself into the world with your own voice, because it is needed, and you will be surprised at how appreciated it is.

I like to think of this TS Elliot quote when I think of undertaking a big challenge that really means something to me: “If you’re not in over your head, how will you know how tall you are?”

For more fantastic and insightful interviews and advice on starting a newsletter, continue reading here.

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Amee Vanderpool writes the SHERO Newsletter, is an attorney, published author, contributor to newspapers and magazines, and an analyst for BBC radio. She can be reached at avanderpool@gmail.com or follow her on Twitter @girlsreallyrule.

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