Ellen Stiefler is a celebrity of sorts on LinkedIn.The San Diego-based intellectual property attorney is listed as the top expert in the networking site’s legal community, based on the frequency and helpfulness of the answers she provides to users’ posted questions. Her feedback has touched on issues such as proving the theft of intellectual property, fighting slander and copywriting a new software concept.

Why does she share her insights so freely? “It’s truly enjoyable for me to read and respond to questions in intellectual property, media and Internet law and the other areas that fascinate me,” she says.