December 2010 Issue

Cover Story

The 4th Annual ABA Journal Blawg 100

Every year, we see stories and musings about the death of blogging. Yet we keep finding new law blogs to pour into our directory. Even after we delete defunct and lapsed blogs, we count more than 3,000 in our listings. So for now, at least, reports that blogging is on its way out are greatly exaggerated.

That's especially true for blogs written with personality, passion and enthusiasm. New niche blogs pop up all the time—and those that are smartly written, teach us something and introduce us to new perspectives will catch and keep our attention.

In our 4th annual Blawg 100, we organized a bit differently and created some new categories. Yet we know that many blogs defy categories. We have a "lighter fare" grouping, but you can find witty and funny blogs in any category. More of our readers had a hand in the selections this time around: We received more than 1,250 blawg amici, or friend-of-the-blawg, nominations; you'll see some of the testimonials on the pages that follow. This year, more bloggers embraced Twitter, though law profs are trailing the pack.

We've picked our favorites. Now it's your turn. Go to ABAJournal.com/blawg100 to vote for your favorite blogs in each category. Voting will run through the close of business Dec. 30. The popular vote-getters will be announced online in January and in the February edition of the magazine.

Be sure to follow the links to our 100 favorites this year. Then browse our directory of more than 3,000 law blogs by topic, blogger type or location. And you can follow 85 of our Blawg 100 authors on Twitter by following @ABAJournal's Blawg100 list.

Feature Section

Payback: Lawyers on Both Sides of Collection are Feeling Debt’s Sting

Adam Krohn sues debt collectors for unfair practices, but he found himself in a role reversal last year when calling a fellow California lawyer who owed him money on a judgment.

MacGyver Your Software: Necessity Reveals Useful Tools You Never Knew Your PC Had

We use only 10 percent of the features of the computer programs we have.

Up In Smoke: Voter Reactions Have Some Saying It’s Time to Rethink Cannabis Regulation

Approach the squat, green-and-white building at a busy corner in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Palms, and you might be tempted to order two pieces of Original Recipe. On closer inspection, one sees that what used to be a Kentucky Fried Chicken store is no longer, and that KFC now stands for “Kind for Cures.”

Medical Marijuana Is No Get-Rich-Quick Scheme

The gray areas of medical marijuana laws might seem to create a lot of green for lawyers, but that’s not always the case, says Matt Kumin, a partner with San Francisco’s Kumin Sommers