Got spare time? Need a break from brief writing? Check out these legal blogs—and have fun browsing!
The following list of popular legal blogs is borrowed, in significant part, from a recent issue of the “NAPABA Lawyer,” the periodic newsletter of the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (Volume XX No. 3 Election 2010). We are indebted to the organization for its foresight in printing these Web addresses so that lawyers—as well as others interested in legal issues—may entertain themselves in their abundant spare time. The first eight sites listed, along with the snappy overviews of what you will discover there, are from the NAPABA list. We have added five more sites to the list to keep you engaged for an even longer time. We do include one caveat. If you decide to participate in the give-and-take of any blog-site, be mindful of your posts. Your messages could come back to haunt you in quite unexpected ways.
Above The Law (abovethelaw.com): Casting itself as a “Legal Tabloid,” this Web site is akin to the lovechild of CNN and E!—with a law degree. Everything from the latest news in the legal world to the inside scoop on BigLaw culture is covered here, and what’s missing is often filled in by the “comments” section by the blog’s avid readers.
The Volokh Conspiracy (volokh.com): Written in roundtable format by some of the most prominent and cutting edge legal minds in academia, this blog is short on pictures but goes beyond mere issue-spotting coverage by mainstream media into the nuances of the matter as only law professors can tell it.
SCOTUS Blog (scotusblog.com): This blog covers all the goings-on of its namesake, the Supreme Court of the United States. Cases, and more recently, SCOTUS nominations constitute the main topics of debate and discussion among its authors.
The Jonathon Turley Blog (jonathanturley.org): The stories stun, anger, and plain gross out its readers, but that’s what keeps them coming back to this blog written by a GW law professor who is also a regular on MSNBC.
The Wall Street Journal Law Blog (blogs.wsj.com/law): The legal world seen through the eyes of a BigLaw litigator turned journalist, this blog also offers interviews and in-depth analysis of prominent cases.
FP Legal Post (business.financialpost.com/category/legal-post): For an international dose of legal news (with heavy emphasis on the Canadian and British legal worlds), this blog tracks cases across the border and across the pond.
Corporette (corporette.com): Although not strictly tailored to the legal profession, the brains behind this Web site, that focuses on “work-oriented fashion for women,” is a BigLaw associate in Manhattan whose on-target advice regarding style and etiquette would be useful for any summer or first year associate to glean before stepping into the corporate world.
Ms.JD (ms-jd.org): Written by law students with a feminist bent on the law, Ms.JD styles itself as an online community which provides a forum for women lawyers to share their unique experiences and challenges with fellow practitioners as well as budding associates.
Overlawyered (overlawyered.com): This site describes itself as “Chronicling the high cost of our legal system,” and to do so, it reprints (and critiques) pieces from various law journals and media sources concerning high-profile legal cases and issues, including federal government initiatives. A comment section is available for bloggers. It also provides links to numerous policy think tanks, including the Cato Institute.
Legal Blog Watch (legalblogwatch.typepad.com): Besides offering articles on popular, emerging issues like E-Discovery, this site connects its audience to the Law.Com Blog Network and numerous law-based blog sites through its “Blogroll.” One example is the Wall Street Journal blogsite, which focuses on “cases, trends, and personalities of interest to the business community.” It also features coverage of developing cases on the national and international news scene, most recently the surrender of Wikileaks’ Julian Assange to London’s police authorities.
Underneath Their Robes (underneaththeirrobes.blogs.com): In its own words, Underneath Their Robes provides “News, gossip, and colorful commentary about the federal judiciary.” It is perhaps so colorful that government employees may be blocked from accessing the site. If that is the case, try your home computer.
The Legal Balance (thelegalbalance.com): Defining itself as an “exclusive online community for women attorneys in Chicago, this Web site presents a range of resources to help its audience achieve balance among the often competing demands of work-life-law. To assist in career development, the site also facilitates networking and connections to ‘supportive communities.’
Law Jobs (lawjobs.com): Law Jobs bills itself as your ‘hiring partner’ and allows visitors to browse for job openings by category and location. To proceed to application, you will have to sign in and create an account, which may require a fee. ■