The Hoglawyer

From time to time, I get some snarky comment or email about something I've said on this blog.  Such is the cost of thrusting my opinion on the few are willing to suffer through my tortured prose. To me, anonymous comments represent democracy with a capital  "D" and press freedom. Every once in a while, on the Arkansas Blog, a vicious flame war ignites, with one anonymous poster trying to guess the identity of another anonymous poster.  Here is an idea if you really want to know --  offer  a reward to learn the identity of anonymous posters.

(From the Legal Reader) Partner Offers $10K Bounty for Blogger’s Identity

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.