Website Hall of Shame: How to Not Lay Out Your Bio

In this tough economy, the quality of a law firm's website can mean the difference between being hired by the corporate client and being passed over. For our older readers [ahem, partners stuck in 1960s marketing methods], yes, the website is a tool that clients use to evaluate your firm's quality and professionalism. And, while we have your attention partners, we just want to clear up that the internet is not "a series of tubes" as suggested by former Senator Stevens. (background available here)

With the marketing importance of a website in mind, WWL revisits the Website Hall of Shame.

Today's entry is How not to lay out your biography online (courtesy of Matthew L. Johnson & Associates). The following layout mirrors the firm's website layout of counsel's bio:

Title: Matthew L. Johnson (Senior Shareholder) Mr. Johnson received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from Weber State University in 1991, a Master of Arts degree in Languages and Literature with an emphasis in Spanish from the University of Utah in 1993, and a Juris Doctorate degree (cum laude) from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan in 1996. During law school Mr. Johnson served on the Scholastic Review Board, a board that was responsible for determining whether students were able to appeal grades that they disputed. While serving on the Board, he received the Earl Dayton Award for Excellence and Dedicated Service. He also served as a member of the Moot Court Board, and as an Assistant Editor on the Thomas M. Cooley Law Review in 1995-96. Mr. Johnson received American Jurisprudence/Book Awards for the highest grades in his class in Bankruptcy, Moot Court, Professional Responsibility, Research and Writing, Scholarly Writing, and Torts. Following law school, Mr. Johnson began practicing law in the areas of insurance defense, insurance law, personal injury, construction defects, bankruptcy, and business and commercial litigation with the law firm of Vannah Costello Canepa Wiese & Riedy. Mr. Johnson was a partner for several years at the law firm of Hutchison & Steffen, where he served as one of the firm’s primary business litigation attorneys and was the head of the firm’s bankruptcy and insolvency practice. Mr. Johnson later became a named partner in the law firm of Lavelle & Johnson, P.C., before forming the law firm of Matthew L. Johnson & Associates, P.C. Mr. Johnson is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, where he sits on the committees for Business Reorganization and Real Estate. He is also one of the very few attorneys in Nevada who is Board Certified in Business Bankruptcy Law by the American Board of Certification. Mr. Johnson has been the chair of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society, Las Vegas Chapter since 2002. He has a “BV” rating from the Martindale-Hubbell legal directory, which “indicates high to very high legal ability and very high ethical standards as established by confidential opinions from members of the Bar.” Mr. Johnson is admitted to practice in state and federal courts in Nevada, Colorado and Utah. He is fluent in Spanish and has taught Spanish on a college level at the University of Utah and at Lansing Community College. He has also taught classes and written materials for lawyers in the areas of bankruptcy and insolvency law, arbitration, and real estate. Mr. Johnson is an avid outdoorsman. When not practicing law, Mr. Johnson enjoys camping, hiking, backpacking, riding four wheelers, skiing, and spending time with his wife and four children. He has been an active boy scout leader for many years and enjoys working with various youth in the community. For several years he has volunteered his time assisting children in Clark County who are in need of legal services. REPRESENTATIVE EXPERIENCE: Mr. Johnson practices primarily in the areas of commercial and business litigation, bankruptcy and creditor’s rights, real estate, corporate law, and personal injury. Bankruptcy and Creditor’s Rights. Mr. Johnson devotes his bankruptcy practice primarily to the representation of business debtors under Chapter 11 as well as creditors under Chapters 7, 11, and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. Mr. Johnson has successfully reorganized or assisted in the successful liquidation of a variety of businesses, including In re Zigfields of Nevada, Case No. 98-10725 (RCJ), a case in which all creditors were paid in full; In re Go For It, USA, Case No. 99-19709 (LBR), a struggling gymnastics company that was successfully reorganized and went on to produce gymnasts who participated on the United States’ Olympic Team; In re Plan B, LLC, Case No. 00-11762, a real estate investment company that was able to sell its assets to shareholders and in which all creditors were paid in full; In re Developers Maintenance, 01-66687 (LBR) a reorganization of a construction clean up company; In re Levitz Plaza, LLC, Case No. 01-16649 (LBR), a real estate holding company with over $15 million in assets that were successfully preserved; acted as special litigation counsel in In re Saxton Incorporated, et al. Case Nos.01-23232-LBR, 02-14420-LBR, in which he was required to litigate a number of issues, including turnover actions, adversary proceedings, cash collateral issues, financing issues, and other matters on behalf of the Debtors; In re Associated Airline Services, Inc. 00-10667 (RCJ), an airline service company that was successfully liquidated; In re Odyssey Transportation, Inc., Case No. 00- 11300 (RCJ), an air-courier business case that was converted from an involuntary Chapter 7 to an operating Chapter 11 entity; In re Development Services of Nevada, Case No. 00-12570 (LBR), a liquidation of an engineering firm; In re Nevada Housing Opportunities, Case No. 01-02335 (RCJ), a real estate holding company specializing in the development/ownership of apartment complexes held by tax credit partnerships; and Lawrence Moving & Storage Co., Case No. 02-13492, a Chapter 11 reorganization of a moving and storage company. Mr. Johnson has also represented numerous clients in business disputes in bankruptcy court, including In re Bel Holdings Corp., Case No. 92-29112 (RCJ), (a dispute involving ownership of equipment in a construction case); In re Hawg Heaven, Inc., Case No. 97-29665 (RCJ), (a case where Mr. Johnson represented Harley Davidson Motorcycle Company in bankruptcy court regarding a dispute over counterfeit Harley Davidson motorcycles); In re Dague, Case No. 92- 02055 (RCJ), (a case in which Mr. Johnson successfully tried to conclusion a case objecting to the debtor’s discharge for fraudulent conduct by the debtor); Forello v. Valle, Case No. 92-02210 (RCJ) (same); Hinden v. Bray, Case No. 92-02218 (LBR) (objection to discharge); Fisher v. Wizemann, Case No. 92-02280 (LBR) (objection to discharge); In re Ty-De Development, Case No. 92-10742 (LBR) (objection to disclosure statement and plan of reorganization); In re Branson Signature Resorts, Case No. 98-27619 (RCJ) (litigation regarding patent infringement in bankruptcy court); In re Red’s Market, LLC, Case No. 01- 18920 (LBR) (litigation concerning fuel delivery in bankruptcy court); Pygmallion Investments, et al v. Rust, Case No. 96-24660 (LBR) (objection to discharge); In re Lambda Holdings, Inc., Case No. 01-21385 (RCJ) (litigation regarding fraudulent transfer of real property to avoid deed of trust); Universal Bank v. Stephen, Case No. 99-2265 (LBR) (objection to discharge): First USA Bank v. Tatarek, Case No. 99-2267 (LBR) (same); In re Thrower, Case No. 99-19115 (RCJ) (lift stay litigation regarding deed of trust encumbering real property); Fleet Credit Card Services, LP v. Reeter, Case No. 00- 02028 (LBR) (lift of co-debtor stay in Chapter 13 case), In re Classic Building, Case No. 00-15962 (RCJ) (litigation regarding payment of general contractor through construction control account); In re Thomas Lodi, M.D., Case No. 00-2357 (LBR) (dismissal of attorney malpractice action and many others); and Resurgent Capital Services v. Burnett, 306 B.R. 313 (9th Cir. BAP 2003) (published opinion in client’s favor regarding claims trading in bankruptcy). Mr. Johnson has also represented the Official Unsecured Creditors’ Committee in the Chapter 11 case of a real estate developer, In re E.A. Collins Development Co., Case No.01-02148 (RCJ), a case in which Mr. Johnson is assisting the Unsecured Creditor’s Committee monitor and liquidate over $50 million in assets. Mr. Johnson has represented creditors, business debtors, and unsecured creditor’s committees in Bankruptcy Courts in Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Illinois, Wyoming, Delaware, and California. Business Litigation and Other Litigation: Other than bankruptcy, Mr. Johnson also represents clients in the areas of business and commercial litigation, real estate, personal injury, and insurance defense. Some of his non-bankruptcy related cases include Systems and Services Technologies, Inc. adv. Olson, Case No. A454971 (Dept. 12, Las Vegas, Nev. 2004), a two day jury trial in which he obtained a defense verdict for his client as well as recovery on a counterclaim and an award of attorney’s fees in an action for alleged wrongful repossession of an automobile; A two-day trial resulting in a defense judgment for the client in a product liability case where plaintiffs demanded $1,500,000 in damages in Sears, Roebuck and Co. adv. Sponder, Case No. A418744 (Dept. 7, Las Vegas, Nev. 2003); Kasparec adv. Poe, Case No. A358460 (Dept. 4, Las Vegas, Nev. 1996), containing damages for the client in an automobile negligence case; Gaines adv. Gettis., Case No. A367556 (Dept. 5, Las Vegas, Nev. 1997), in which he obtained dismissal of case in the client’s favor in a buy/sell business dispute; Prudential Property & Casualty Ins. Co., et al. adv. Fine, Case No. A359084 (Dept. 9 , Las Vegas, Nev. 1997), completely absolving the client of liability in an automobile negligence case; successfully obtaining appointment of a special master in a derivative shareholder action involving a publicly-traded European pharmaceutical company in Gaylor v. Euromed, Inc., et al., Case No. A373888 (Dept. 7, Las Vegas, Nev. 1997); an arbitration resulting in a defense judgment for the client in Sears, Roebuck and Co. adv. DiSalvo, Case No. A427492 (Dept. 8, Las Vegas, Nev. 2001); a bench trial involving breach of contract where damages were contained for the client in K-G Communications, Inc. adv. Alsum, Case No. A310709 (Dept. 4, Las Vegas, Nev. 1997); a defense judgment for his client in a breach of contract case in which the Plaintiff sought damages in excess of $500,000.00 in Dullye adv. The Mirage, Case No. A363069 (Dept. 10, Las Vegas, Nev. 1998); obtaining an order after a four- day trial quieting title to real estate in favor of the client in Fisher adv. Harris, Case No. A371914 (Dept. 7, Las Vegas, Nev. 1999); a two- week jury trial in the Eighth Judicial District, Clark County, Nevada, where plaintiff requested $7.5 million in closing arguments in a negligence action and the jury returned a defense verdict in favor of the client in Sears Roebuck & Co. adv. Alan Chenin, Case No. A353747 (Dept. 3, Las Vegas, Nev. 1999); a one-week jury trial in the Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, Nevada, where the jury awarded the plaintiff half of the client’s offer of judgment in a negligence case in Sears Roebuck & Co. adv. Richard Jergis, Case No. A389161 ( Dept. 9, Las Vegas, Nev. 2000); a four-day jury trial in the Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County, Nevada, where the jury limited damages to $7,500.00 in a business dispute where the claimant sought over $100,000.00 in Goldberg v. Fox, Case No. A365680.( Dept. 2, Las Vegas, Nev. 2000); and Chrome Masters, Inc. adv. Barno, Case No. A377656 (Dept. 12, Las Vegas, Nev. 2001), a three-day bench trial in which the Court entered a judgment in favor of the client in a $150,000.00 dispute over the purchase of a chrome-plating business. Mr. Johnson has drafted briefs and other documents in cases before all state and federal courts in Nevada and Michigan, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Johnson has also drafted various commercial real estate and loan agreements in connection with the purchase/sale of real property.

[thanks to Anon for this tip]