Here’s a reminder – while it’s nice to receive unsolicited email and instant messages (about trademarks, not Nigerian bank scams), such contacts are at most initial or peripheral contacts, that will not create an attorney-client relationship for purposes of privilege, malpractice or conflicts of interest.  While I agree to keep such communications confidential, bear in mind that Internet communications may be inherently insecure. 

Some people write to ask me for ‘curbside’ opinions.  When there is an identifiable adverse party, it is prudent to identify the adverse party before you disclose information that you deem to be confidential.