Ken Popehat (<a href="http://www.popehat.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.popehat.com/</a>) might be worth contacting. Even if he can't help directly, he might know someone who can. He's about the closest thing the internet has to a folk superhero in law; he has a "Popehat signal" (<a href="http://www.popehat.com/tag/popehat-signal/" rel="nofollow">http://www.popehat.com/tag/popehat-signal/</a>) he uses for a "call for pro bono help for online folks who get threatened with bogus censorious lawsuits" (<a href="http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1aokls/iama_federal_criminal_defense_attorney_and_former/" rel="nofollow">http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1aokls/iama_federal_cr...</a>) and he got involved, at least twice, with a university-area bus company that has tried to silence criticism on Reddit (<a href="http://beta.slashdot.org/story/185659" rel="nofollow">http://beta.slashdot.org/story/185659</a>).
Every time I see another example of frivolous litigation threats like this, I feel like one of the biggest shortcomings of the U.S. justice system is not enough pain inflicted on frivolous litigators.<p>This goes for patent trolling, too, obviously.<p>There should be a healthy fear of filing baseless legal challenges. Disbarment? Large fines? What's the effective remedy here, that doesn't go so far it dissuades legitimate cases?
Looks like this has already made it to the Wikipedia page for Kiss Trust:<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiss_Trust" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiss_Trust</a>
Aside from this current issue, which has no doubt raised awareness of MMM's website, one of the positive outcomes here is that HN readers may be exposed to some of the most awesomely good advice you will ever receive. Reading his posts has led me to understand that I am not alone by any means in my quest for financial independence, which is true independence. Check out his site -- you can begin with the "Start Here" link on the navbar.
I highly suggest going the "Something Awful" route, and simply just making fun of the lawyer(s) in question until they stop.<p>People like this should be treated the way they act. Like children.
Google cache: <a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:VT0QbIB2VY8J:www.mrmoneymustache.com/2014/03/11/mmm-receives-legal-threats-great-lawyer-wanted/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk" rel="nofollow">http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:VT0QbIB...</a>
Did anybody else notice it said DCMA on the original lawyers letter?<p><pre><code> these posts infringe on our trademarks and copyrights in violation of the DCMA
</code></pre>
<a href="http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/kisstrust_first_bullshit_letter.jpg" rel="nofollow">http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/ki...</a>
google cache of relevant MMM forum thread (removed):<p><a href="http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:tMinWjWB6DYJ:www.mrmoneymustache.com/forum/investor-alley/kiss-trust-has-sent-a-legal-threat-to-this-blog/+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&client=firefox-a" rel="nofollow">http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:tMinWjW...</a>
Organization who allegedly asked the lawyer to take action: <a href="http://www.kisstrust.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.kisstrust.com/</a><p>* Maybe this was just an incompetent attorney, but regardless, taking legal action against a website for a comment posted really demonstrates that the company isn't capable of using its good reputation to handle the situation, and therefore lacks said reputation. Can't compete on the merits - GTFO. /rant
Well that was a good read. Seems that someone needs to learn how the internet works. Just put it on reddit and watch the Streisand effect in action :).
FWIW, the kisstrust.com website appears to be down (giving a 404). Furthermore, I'd like to express my opinion that these lawyers are a bunch of douchebags.
This reminds me of a case I was involved in several years ago, <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2008/07/17/channel-intelligence-sues-just-about-everyone-who-offers-wishlists/" rel="nofollow">http://techcrunch.com/2008/07/17/channel-intelligence-sues-j...</a> - It ended up blowing up in their faces. I remember getting the phone number to the CEO of Channel Intelligence and calling him up directly. His response was, "Can you all just stop calling me! We'll fix this, just stop calling me!" I believe they were trying to collect license fees to establish their patent, but in the end they had to give it away for free to everybody involved. Those who wouldn't accept it got no further legal action. 5 years later Google bought Channel Intelligence. Go figure.
RICO? That may be the most definitively <i>empty</i> legal threat I have ever seen on the internet.<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corrupt_Organizations_Act" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racketeer_Influenced_and_Corru...</a>
As a lawyer who dabbles in IP/cyber law (not admitted in VA, so I can't help out), I really love seeing personal injury/criminal defense attorneys send cease and desist letters to publishers who are clearly protected under federal law.
Second letter:<p>> <i>This will serve as formal notice to preserve all ISP [sic] addresses... </i><p>To paraphrase Churchill: "I may be drunk, but in the morning I will be sober, whereas you will still be an idiot."
Slightly offtopic, but oddly enough MMM is also a name of the most famous Russian ponzi scheme from the 90s. Laughed a little bit, but no parallels, of course. All the luck to this blog.