IACP Blog Guidelines

The purpose of the IACP blog is to provide accurate, timely, and helpful information to

professionals and consumers about Collaborative Practice. The blog is not a referral service,

nor does it offer legal advice to any individual. The blog is intended to create a forum for

Collaborative Professionals to share best Collaborative practices and educate consumers.


Submissions are welcome from any IACP members.


1. Goals of the IACP Blog

  1. Increase member engagement with IACP.
  2. Expand the reach of the IACP website to consumers and professionals with meaningful and dynamic content.
  3. Engage consumers and increase public awareness of Collaborative Practice.


2. Guidelines

  1. The blog is an opportunity to share what professionals know and have learned about any aspect of Collaborative Practice with colleagues and the public. Blog posts are a chance to engage with a potential client, Collaborative colleague, or professional who is new to Collaborative Practice.


3. License

  1. The Author grants to IACP the non-exclusive right to publish the submission across all IACP entities, including but not limited to the IACP website and social media outlets, in any and all capacity in perpetuity.
  2. IACP will credit the Author on the IACP Website.
  3. IACP agrees to link the blog post to the author’s professional website so long as a professional website is provided. The Author is requested to re-post/share the IACP social media post and/or promote the blog post.


4. Indemnity

  1. Author represents that Author is the owner of the offered submission.
  2. Author represents that offering this license does not violate the rights of any third parties, such as prior publishers.
  3. Author represents that the blog submission does not identify any of Author’s clients by name or specific details without written consent of the client. The written consent must be provided to the IACP. While information or case experience may arise from actual cases without consent, the information should be shared in such a way that identities are protected, unless written consent is received. No pictures, videos, or audio files of actual clients should be posted without written consent.
  4. In the event that a third-party asserts a claim of liability arising from publication of Author’s submission, Author shall hold harmless and indemnify IACP, its Board of Directors, Officers, and each of their subsidiaries, assigns, agents, staff, and successors, against any damages arising out of any such claim.


5. Prior & Further Publication

  1. IACP will accept original (having not been submitted, posted or printed elsewhere before) submissions, as well as previously shared works. Please specify in your submission if this is an original or previously shared work. If it has previously been shared, please include where.
  2. This is a non-exclusive licensing agreement. The Author is free to refer to the blog in subsequent publications so long as the Author notes that it appears on the IACP Website and provides a link to the blog post on the IACP website.


6. Independent Views and Opinions and Professional Regulations/Ethics

  1. IACP’s publication of a submission is not an endorsement of whether the views and opinions expressed in the blog post comply with the authors’ professional rules and governing bodies.


7. Style Guide


Content:

IACP welcomes topics that expand professional and consumer awareness and knowledge about

Collaborative Practice.

  • Focus the topic, narrow the issues – you can’t teach all of family law and all of Collaborative Practice in one blog entry.
  • Avoid revealing client’s identities and confidential information without written consent
  • Check your facts
  • Write in plain language. Does the blog post “stand alone” if it is the reader’s first
  • introduction to the Collaborative Process?
  • Author will receive credit as the author of the piece. IACP will publish a bio of no more than 50 words.


Avoid:

  • Topics contrary to IACP’s blog program mission
  • Revealing client personal information without written consent
  • Polarizing political commentary
  • Obscenity or profanity
  • Disparaging or defamatory statements
  • Unattributed quotes


Format:

  • The optimal length of a blog post is 1200 words. However, the minimum length of a blog post that IACP will consider is 300 words.
  • Include full link address for any hyperlink


Photos/Videos:

  • Photos and videos are encouraged. However, unless the media item is Author’s personal intellectual property or Author has purchased all rights exclusively, it cannot be published. IACP may make use of stock photography when Author does not have a photo to contribute.


Tone:

  • Authors should listen and write for a tone and rhythm that is authoritative, yet approachable and conversational. An example of this approach can be heard in TED Talks. This serves two purposes (1) reader engagement – they feel like Author is speaking to them not lecturing and (2) in the future, IACP may add a YouTube channel and make use of member videos – blog entries could be a source for those video topics.


Technological considerations/Social Media links

  • It is helpful to the IACP marketing efforts and website growth that each blog entry includes hyperlinks to other internet sources. Authors should identify and include hyperlinks. For example, if the writer cites a statute, there should be a hyperlink to the online source; if the writer references an organization, there should be a hyperlink to that organization’s website.
  • In addition, Authors are encouraged to include an internal hyperlink to at least one of the IACP website’s other pages, resources, or blog posts.
  • Please ensure that you “like” or “favorite” IACP social media pages.


Call to Action

  • Consider including a call to action in the closing, for example, a link to IACP’s About Us page.
  • Write in “Plain Language” - Avoid technical language
  • The general public does not know what “discovery” in a lawsuit means; it is of no value to say that Collaborative Practice reduces the burdens of the “discovery process.”
  • Authors are encouraged to submit blog posts in their native language.


8. Submission & Review Process:

  1. All blogs are initially submitted via the blog submission form available at http://collaborativepractice.com/blog. Questions may be sent to info@collaborativepractice.com.
  2. IACP reserves the right not to publish any blog post. IACP also reserves the right to edit or amend any blog post or propose any edits or amendments to blog posts for length or clarity. IACP will notify you upon acceptance or rejection of a blog posts and reserves the right to schedule it at a time determined best by IACP.