The ABA Journal has released its fourth annual list of what it considers the "top legal blogs," and I'm pleased to say that Lowering the Bar is on the list. The blogs are chosen by the editors, who select 100 blogs in 12 different categories.
Lowering the Bar is in the "Fun" category.
You can vote for your favorite in each category at the Journal's website. There is apparently no large cash prize or honorary Darth Vader Partner Desk awarded as a result of winning this vote, but if such an award is added at the last minute I would certainly share it, or at least I am not above pretending to offer to do that in a subtle attempt to get votes. (I am talking about sharing the cash, not the desk. Get away from the desk.)
As always, there are lots of good blogs on this list, and also lots that are not on it, maybe because they have either won before (Legal Juice comes to mind) or have been overlooked at least by the ABA (Popehat comes to mind). I'm not familiar with all the blogs on the list, but here are a few recommendations if you are voting:
- Court Watch: SCOTUSblog has won before, I think, but is too good not to recommend.
- Law Biz: I don't know these well, but will go with AdamsDrafting because they also hate legalese.
- News: Above the Law and the WSJ's Law Blog are great, but I am also a big fan of Legal Blog Watch, which frequently cracks me up.
- Law Prof Plus: many good ones here, but Tax Prof Blog is perennially good. This week he got in a reference to an attorney who sells "disposable body-gas neutralizers" on the side, and that's good enough to get my vote.
- Torts: NY Personal Injury Law Blog is excellent, and I have used FDA Law Blog and Jackson on Consumer Class Actions as resources. (I also work on class actions, though, so vote for him but hire me.) New blog Abnormal Use is also very good.
- IP Law: Me likee Patently-O, not that I know patent law but because I have researched goofy inventions there.
- Criminal Justice: for Simple Justice, see "has won before, is too good," supra. Also good: Defending People.
- IMHO (Opinion): Jonathan Turley, and I also honor The Legal Satyricon in part for its willingness to drop F-bombs when warranted. It's often warranted these days.
- Niche: fellow Forbes contributor Kashmir Hill, for privacy issues, and Taxgirl, for, um, tax issues.
- For Fun: since LTB is in this category, I will just say that I have now read all of the other six blogs listed and can certify that they are, in fact, fun, and also very well-written. God damn it!
- Legal Tech: Prof. Eric Goldman has more than one good blog, but here's the one they listed, on technology and marketing. If you use an iPhone, iPhone JD is awesome.
Thanks very much to those who nominated this blog, and to the ABA editors for choosing it. And a continuing thanks to all of you. Sometime later this week, Lowering the Bar will record its two millionth page view, which obviously would not be happening if it weren't for you pointing your eyeballs at this blog and using your retinas to collect the photons emitted from it. (By the way, no rush, but I do need to get those photons back sometime. They aren't free anymore, you know.)
Thanks for reading.
