ABA Top 100 Discriminates Against Non-Lawyers?
The December 2007 cover story on the ABA Journal featured the "Blawg 100" - the top blawgs written by attorneys, ranging from our favorite law practice management blogs to "gossip, rumor and innuendo".
Some legal 'blawgers', however, noticed that many insightful blawgs were omitted from the list not because of their content, but because they were not authored by attorneys. Harvard blogger Amy Campbell and Edge Group Founder Patrick McKenna both commented on the obvious omissions. Kevin O'Keefe summarized a number of blogger's not-so-positive reactions to the list here.
I've been a member of the ABA for seven years, and a contributor to the ABA's Law Practice Management Magazine for the past five years. I hope that next year they consider expanding their review to at least paying members of their association.
Does anyone else find this odd?
It’s not correct to say we omitted blawgs because they weren’t written by lawyers. We omitted blawgs because we thought they weren’t among the 100 best.
Indeed, the Blawg 100 includes several blawgs that are written, in whole or in part, by non-lawyers (see list below). And our directory of more than 1,700 blawgs (www.abajournal.com/blawgs/) includes many, many more.
The BLT (The Blog of Legal Times)
The latest breaking legal news from the nation’s capital with original reporting from the likes of U.S. Supreme Court veteran Tony Mauro.
LawBeat
The director of Syracuse University’s legal reporting program finds endless examples of shortcomings in the mainstream media’s coverage of high-profile court cases and other legal topics.
On Point
Subtitled “A New Take on Legal News,” the site is well-orga¬nized with a daily regimen of legal news and information. It provides an entertaining yet useful interactive map, documents from high-profile trials and a calendar of key trial/ hearing dates compiled by Courthouse News Service.
Overlawyered
The tort reform debate rages on here, with frequent posts on litigation news, trends and issues from across the nation. Daily roundups make skimming easy.
Point of Law
Legal policy is discussed in this regularly updated blog primarily focused on the U.S. litigation system and hosted by the Manhattan Institute.
SCOTUSblog
A first stop for need-to-know Supreme Court news, announcements, analysis and original source material thanks largely to nearly 50-year-veteran SCOTUS reporter Lyle Denniston, the only full-time blogger with permanent Supreme Court media credentials.
Crime Scene KC
All the crime that’s fit to print in Kansas City. The cops’ beat is updated throughout the day and organized by dozens of criminal justice categories.
Grits for Breakfast
Covers criminal justice news and events, with a healthy dose of Texas-size politics.
Durham-in-Wonderland
A fascinating one-topic blog delving into the legal, ethical and human implications of the Duke University lacrosse rape prosecution debacle.
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Edward A. Adams
Editor and Publisher
American Bar Association Journal
Posted by: Edward A. Adams | February 25, 2008 at 09:42 AM
Ed - thank you VERY much. I stand corrected, and am glad that I was in error. Please forgive my mistake.
Mark
Posted by: mark beese | March 02, 2008 at 08:09 PM