The Results Are In
Illustration by Michael Doret
More than 3,000 readers registered to vote on ABAJournal.com for their favorite law blogs in our third annual Blawg 100. Here are the popular choices in each of the 10 categories:
NEWS
Routinely credited by the mainstream media for breaking news of law firm layoffs and salary freezes, this self-proclaimed legal tabloid is a must-read for those who want to know the latest industry gossip. ATL star David Lat has rejoined editor Elie Ying Mystal, and they are the primary contributors, aided by anonymous tipsters and forwarded e-mails. In response to industry woes, the blog added a “Notes from the Breadline” column last year.
LEGAL THEORY
The Volokh Conspiracy is named for its founder, UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh, but it is authored by nearly 20 contributors, mostly law profs with a passion for con law, government policy and each other’s observations. One fan, Vanderbilt law student Alexander Denton, praises Volokh contributors for “engaging posts on a variety of topics, thoughtful interaction … and writing styles that are [both] scholarly and accessible.”
CAREERS
The law students who run this legal blog know where to find feminist essays, work-life balance studies and interviews with women who are leaders in the profession and can reconcile their goals and desires.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE
TalkLeft: The Politics of Crime
The A-team at TalkLeft: The Politics of Crime—Jeralyn Merritt of Denver, T. Christopher Kelly of Madison, Wis., and Armando Llorens of San Juan, Puerto Rico—take a shamelessly liberal view of crime and justice news and issues.
LIGHTER FARE
Bitter Lawyer is a category killer for legal humor websites, complete with video programming, daily reports from the Bitter Newsroom and frank interviews with law-yers with unusual stories to tell, such as the lawyer-founder of a dating agency for marrieds looking to cheat.
PRACTICE SPECIFIC
This blog takes coverage of mainstream news of corporate governance issues and the Securities and Exchange Commission a step further with extra legwork and clear, concise analysis. Editor Broc Romanek still finds time for lightheartedness—like sharing short summer vacation videos from Paris with his readers.
IMHO
San Diego First Amendment practitioner Marc Randazza and his band of “Satyriconistas” prove time and again that no topic is off-limits.
LEGAL TECH
TechnoLawyer Blog covers the latest technology for law practice management and highlights the best of the legal blogosphere. Many posts are merely teasers for content only available on TechnoLawyer’s free electronic newsletters, but posts from those newsletters are thorough and solid.
*TechnoLawyer Blog drew the most votes in this category only after it ran a sweepstakes campaign offering readers who claimed to have voted for it the opportunity to win one of two $500 first prizes and five $100 second prizes. Had the sweepstakes offer not been made, the likely winner would have been e-Lessons Learned.
BUSINESS OF LAW
Mendelson’s Musings drew our admiration when Boulder, Colo., lawyer/venture capitalist Jason Mendelson tackled a weighty project: Law Firm 2.0. Over a 10-month period, Mendelson discussed frustrations with startup lawyers, redesign of the organization and what clients need to do to get law firms to implement change.
GEO
If it’s law-related in China, Seattle-based Dan Harris and Shanghai-based Steve Dickinson have it covered. Posts are timely, thorough and often practical, focusing on what it takes to have successful U.S.-China business relationships.
The editors of the Blawg 100 would like your suggestions about how to improve the Blawg 100 in 2010. Send suggestions to Molly McDonough, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), keeping only this goal in mind: The Blawg 100 should draw attention to high-quality legal blogs written primarily by lawyers for a legal audience.
