Blogs make it easy to stay current and connected with all the latest developments in the practice of law.  The blogging trend started nearly ten years ago and continues to be a popular resource for current awareness.  Blogs are Web pages where an individual or group of users record their opinions or compile information on a regular basis. Law related blogs, also known as blawgs, report on important cases and topics, provide insightful commentary, and enhance professional networking. Once you locate blawgs which are relevant to your interests, it is very easy to subscribe to them via email alerts, RSS feeds, social media connections or mobile applications.

Looking for a few good blawgs? The American Bar Association recently published a survey listing the top 100 Blawgs for 2011, (with a shout-out to Althouse). In addition, the ABA website maintains a comprehensive Blawg Directory which lists more than 3500 legal blogs. It includes a topical index, as well as an author index, and even sorts these sites by region and by law school.  There is an abundance of relevant (and entertaining) legal information here.

And after reading legal blogs, why not create your own? In a recent National Law Journal article, "Law Students: Get Blogging", author Adrian Dayton reports on a legal services marketing course now taught at Fordham University Law School.  It is designed to prepare law students for the practice of law in a competitive economy.  Blogs distribute information quickly and to a wide audience.  If you have developed an engaging niche interest, blog about it for professional visibility and building a brand.

Submitted by Cheryl O'Connor on March 14, 2012

This article appears in the categories: Law Library