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The 2008 ABA Journal Blawg 100
These are the 100 best Web sites by lawyers, for lawyers, as chosen by the editors of the ABA Journal.
The voting period has ended.
Thank you to all who participated. The final results are listed below.
For a printable list of all 100 blogs, click here. Check out the mini profiles of Ann Althouse, Ernie Svenson and Jurist-Paper Chase. For our list of One-Hit Wonders, click here.
Niche: The writers focus on particular areas of the law that fewer lawyers are blogging about—or on practicing law in a very specific neck of the woods.
1563
votes
Patently-O
We’ve consistently heard from readers like Chris Holly who check Patently-O daily to keep up on developments (and jobs) in patent law. “I’m a patent prosecutor and reading the blog every day keeps me up to speed with what is going on in the patent world,” wrote Holly, an associate with Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell and Berkowitz in D.C. Co-authors Dennis Crouch of the University of Missouri School of Law and Jason Rantanen of the University of Iowa also have guest posts by other patent practitioners “that are insightful,” Holly wrote. We were excited to see a “Patent Ethics” corner started by Mercer University law prof David Hricik, but sorry to see it go on hiatus during his clerkship.
843
votes
The Pop Tort
From one post: “We love finding fissures in the conservative movement and its generally disparaging views about the civil justice system.” Here, the plaintiffs-side Center for Justice & Democracy makes strident observations about newsy tort cases and never misses the humorous angles.
445
votes
Overlawyered
“Overlawyered.com blogs about the American legal system that too often turns litigation into a weapon against guilty and innocent alike, erodes individual responsibility, rewards sharp practice, enriches its participants at the public’s expense, and resists even modest efforts at reform and accountability.” —Michael Schearer, a student at the University of the District of Columbia’s David A. Clarke School of Law
265
votes
SCOTUSblog
We couldn’t agree more with one fan who held up SCOTUSblog as “extraordinary,” a site that “sets the gold standard to which all blawgs should aspire.” Indeed, SCOTUSblog was on a roll in 2012 as it celebrated its 10-year anniversary, crossed over into pop culture as founder Tom Goldstein made an appearance on The Daily Show, and saw an astounding response to its live blog of the Supreme Court’s health care ruling. The coverage attracted 5 million hits and 1 million simultaneous users, including President Barack Obama.
254
votes
Taxgirl
You’ve got a few more months until taxes are due, but you can read Taxgirl year-round. Philadelphian Kelly Phillips Erb blogs about taxes for Forbes, and it’s not just a personal finance blog; she also reports on political wrangling over tax legislation and tax-related news from the media. If you want to know about the tax woes of Prince and Michael Vick, Taxgirl’s your girl.
215
votes
Bankruptcy Law Network
Have trouble sorting through all the credit and bankruptcy rhetoric during the presidential campaign? The Bankruptcy Law Network, a group of seasoned consumer advocates and bankruptcy lawyers, was quick to post about these issues both in context and in plain English.
125
votes
Drug and Device Law
“The best law blog that I hate to read. Written from a defense perspective by very good defense attorneys, the tone of this blog drives me nuts. But I read it religiously. So much timely and useful information for my practice (I do the same thing but on the plaintiffs’ side). I wish they weren’t so darn good!” —Chip Orr of the Mulligan Law Firm in Dallas
104
votes
Religion Clause
UCLA law prof Eugene Volokh of the Volokh Conspiracy summed up why to follow Religion Clause: “It’s the leading news source on cases and controversies dealing with law and religion, both in the United States and abroad.”
95
votes
Brian Leiter's Law School Reports
Drexel’s Dan Filler is the new blogger on the block, joining the University of Chicago’s Leiter to keep the legal academy on top of law school news, including people moves, appointments and goings-on in administration, plus rankings and data to rival those published by U.S. News.
81
votes
CAAFlog
This all-points-military blog came to our attention when its post on a glaring SCOTUS omission landed on the front page of the New York Times and led to a request that the court reconsider a decision banning capital punishment for child rape. Contributors include current and former Navy JAG officers and military judges. Though we’d prefer to see posts organized by topic, we like the courts-martial news roundups and takes on important military law developments.
74
votes
Sports Law Blog
It’s not all fun and games here, where posts from law profs and others tackle all things from the nexus of law and sports. Think the Chicago Cubs’ playoff curse is off-topic? You’d be wrong. In an October post, contributor Howard Wasserman, a law professor at Florida International University, argued that the Cubs may have cursed themselves on the way to their last World Series victory in 1908 by winning a key game against the Giants with an act of “legal formalism.”
63
votes
Deliberations
Those who are looking for insights into what makes a jury tick will find answers at Deliberations, a smart, captivating blog by Milwaukee’s Anne Reed, a trial lawyer and jury consultant. Her posts and analyses are conversational, smattered with enough jury news-of-the-weird to satisfy a general audience. Don’t miss her “juror misconduct” category and the “American Gallery of Juror Art.”
45
votes
Legal Ethics Forum
Legal Ethics Forum takes a dispassionate look at the choices and circumstances that get lawyers into hot water with professional regulators. With more than a dozen named co-authors from across the country, there’s always a fresh post and new perspective to consider.
42
votes
Legal Profession Blog
The posts here often have us wondering, “What were they thinking?” If a lawyer strays from ethical boundaries, the professors who blog here are quick to pick up on the trail of any discipline with to-the-point, snark-free dispatches.
32
votes
Law & Disorder
Law & Disorder is the fast-paced, first-on-the-scene legal blog from the technology website Ars Technica. Posts track developments in Internet law and policy in the U.S. and abroad.
