Around lunchtime almost any day of the work week, you could find Joseph McDaniel at Baby Kay’s Cajun Restaurant in Phoenix. And every month or so, I would be at his table. It was one of the great pleasures of my life, listening to Joe hold forth on whatever topic was uppermost in his mind.
Sometimes it was about me. “Alex, you should lose weight.” And he would give step-by-step instructions on how. Or it was about the magical healing powers of Vitamin C. (Somehow, everything could be cured by taking vitamin C, according to Joe.)
But the topic could be just about anything: Politics. Shotokan karate. Getting a book e-published. The Society of Creative Anachronisms. No wine at mass? Really? But no matter what the topic, it was always entertaining and enlightening, delivered with great humor and typical Joe McDaniel flair.
Joseph McDaniel, a leading Arizona bankruptcy attorney, died suddenly, Tuesday, September 27, 2011. I will miss him more than I can express.
I met Joe because he wanted to know more about online marketing. In the beginning I was the teacher, sharing with him all I knew about the internet. Joe was an apt pupil. I told him to blog at least twice a week. A month later, he had written 57 blog posts. Joe absorbed everything I said and started studying on his own. It was the way he did everything – always learning, then studying and then sharing what he knew. He became a prodigious blogger and savvy web marketer – rising to number one for the most competitive bankruptcy phrases in Phoenix. Eventually, he was teaching me about web marketing.
Joe was the lawyer’s lawyer, sharing what he knew.
One of Joe’s great legacies will be that of a mentor to other attorneys. Joe cared deeply about the profession of law and his chosen niche, bankruptcy. He devoted his career to becoming the best at what he did. He became a Certified Specialist in bankruptcy, was AV rated by his peers and led the bankruptcy section of the Bar. His bankruptcy blog reflected his amazing bankruptcy knowledge. The blog quickly became a national resource for young bankruptcy attorneys everywhere. He once told me, “Every question I have ever been asked in 30-plus years of practice is a potential blog post.” Joe had a lot to say.
One of Joe’s great legacies will be that of a mentor to other attorneys. Joe cared deeply about the profession of law and his chosen niche, bankruptcy. He devoted his career to becoming the best at what he did. He became a Certified Specialist in bankruptcy, was AV rated by his peers and led the bankruptcy section of the Bar. His bankruptcy blog reflected his amazing bankruptcy knowledge. The blog quickly became a national resource for young bankruptcy attorneys everywhere. He once told me, “Every question I have ever been asked in 30-plus years of practice is a potential blog post.” Joe had a lot to say.
As a bankruptcy attorney, Joe thrived in the recession, but it bothered him that so many of his peers were suffering. Lots of attorneys were coming to him for bankruptcy, and “baby lawyers” were not getting jobs. He started a blog called http://www.justforattorneys.com/ that showed lawyers how to succeed. He also made sure that his beloved paralegal Heidi kept his lunch hour open so that he could meet with any attorney who wanted to learn from him. I cannot begin to guess how many Arizona attorneys benefited from his wise and generous counsel.
From day one, Joe was far more than a client. He was a dear friend of mine and countless others. And, Joe, I’ll get serious about losing weight. Thank you for always caring.
From day one, Joe was far more than a client. He was a dear friend of mine and countless others. And, Joe, I’ll get serious about losing weight. Thank you for always caring.
***
Joseph's Obituary can be found here:
A visitation is scheduled from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, Monday, October 3, 2011 at Messinger Indian School Mortuary, 7601 E. Indian School Rd., in Scottsdale. A funeral Mass is scheduled at 10:30am, Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 11300 N. 64th Street, in Scottsdale. Burial will take place at St. Francis Catholic Cemetery in Phoenix at 48th Street and Oak. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the Catholic Charities of Arizona: www.pathsofhope.com/donations or The Cookie Company (Children's Theatre) at Phoenix Theatre: www.phoenixtheatre.com
