Although this post isn’t directly related to my usual posts regarding NY injury law, I nonetheless thought it was an interesting one that would be of interest to my readers.

A Chicago lawyer doesn’t like some comments that an anonymous blogger has been making about this attorney and his firm so the attorney has offered a $10,000 reward for whoever reveals the identity of the anonymous blogger. Kind of reminds me of the “Wanted” posters for the bad guys in the old Western movies! 🙂

I personally dislike the idea of anonymous blogging and feel that if you feel strongly enough about what you are saying than you should be strong enough to sign your name to it. We all know it’s easy to talk tough behind someone’s back or anonymously but the real test of one’s conviction is to do it face-to-face or by signing one’s name.

With that said, I understand that many very interesting blogs are anonymous because the writer’s circumstances force them to post anonymously because otherwise they would be promptly fired.

So this really creates a dilemma and I would be very curious to hear back from my readers as to how they feel about anonymous blogging– is it a good thing or bad thing? Please post your comments and we can have a discussion regarding this interesting dilemma……

Here’s the link to the story that pasted below: http://www.abajournal.com/weekly/partner_offers_10k_bounty_for_bloggers_identity

Partner Offers $10K Bounty for Blogger’s Identity

Posted Jan 22, 2008, 05:28 pm CST
By Martha Neil

A Chicago lawyer who is being criticized, along with his law firm, in an anonymous Internet blog supposedly authored by a fellow attorney has offered a $10,000 reward to anyone who can provide him with the identity of “Troll Tracker.”

The anonymous blogger, who claims to be “just a lawyer; interested in patent cases but not interested in publicity,” has criticized Raymond Niro and his 30-lawyer IP boutique, Niro Scavone Haller & Niro, for representing clients who own patents but don’t necessarily make products. Instead, the firm earns licensing fees from users of the patented technology—and potentially sues users if they don’t pay up, explains the Chicago Tribune.

Although Troll Tracker claims a First Amendment right to criticize the firm anonymously on the blog, Niro says the blogger should take responsibility for his or her views. Plus, he points out, knowing the identity and affiliations of the blogger likely would affect the way that readers perceive the Troll Tracker’s critique.

“I want to find out who this person is,” says Niro, who initially offered a $5,000 reward in last month’s issue of the IP Law & Business trade magazine, and has since upped the ante to $10,000. “Is he an employee with Intel or Microsoft? Does he have a connection with serial infringers? I think that would color what he has to say.”