I’ve been on Twitter for nearly two and a half years now, but I’ve yet to take advantage of one of its better features, Follow Friday. If you’re not familiar with it, #FF is an opportunity to recommend one (preferably) Twitter stream to your followers, along with a brief explanation why. The main reason I haven’t taken advantage of Follow Friday is that if you really want to know which Twitter feeds I recommend, follow all the ones I follow. I only track about 200 Twitter accounts, and I try to cull the list every so often to maintain a 1-to-10 follow ratio, so everyone on my Following list comes with a thumbs-up from me.
Nonetheless, I thought that it might be useful if I identified the Twitter feeds (and the blogs) that I really rely upon when it comes to understanding better the revolution underway right now in the legal marketplace. I’m extraordinarily grateful that these people and organizations deliver so much information and insight regularly, for free, and I wanted you to be able to share the value that they provide.
A Twitter account’s or blog’s absence from these lists does not, I want to emphasize, signal a lack of appreciation or endorsement: I follow many bloggers and Twitterers on subjects like legal technology, legal education, social media and so forth. These lists are what you could call my “legal innovation” recommendations: content streams that consistently appear and focus on the changing marketplace environment.
One more caveat: for conflict of interest reasons, I’m not including blogs or Twitter accounts from my friends and colleagues at Stem Legal or Edge International, although I do follow and recommend Law Firm Web Strategy and the Vancouver Law Librarian Blog (both by Steve Matthews), Amazing Firms, Amazing Practices (Gerry Riskin), At The Intersection (Pam Woldow), and Ed Wesemann‘s eponymous blog.
Okay, that’s it for the disclaimers. Here are 10 blogs and 20 Twitter accounts that explore and report on the rapidly changing legal marketplace; each would reward an investment of your time and attention.
Blogs
3 Geeks and a Law Blog: Toby Brown, Greg Lambert and Lisa Salazar write maybe the best legal innovation blog now in operation.
Adam Smith Esq.: Bruce MacEwen delivers a rare combination of sublime writing and strategic guidance for large firms.
Legal Futures: Neil Rose’s website has a blog, but the whole site is a must-read for the latest developments in the most important legal laboratory: London.
John Flood’s Random Academic Thoughts: Tremendous and incisive insights on UK legal practice and legal education.
Seth Godin: For my money, the best blog anywhere: marketing and client service, yes, but really about making this a value(s)-driven world
Slaw: More than just a legal blog, Canada’s foremost entry in the blawgosphere has become, I think, the first online legal magazine.
Strategic Legal Technology: Ron Friedmann writes about offshoring and commoditization, taking the pulse on the legal workflow revolution.
The Intelligent Challenge: One of the best new law blogs, this UK entry from Mark Smith is remarkably insightful about the legal market.
The Legal Brat Blawg: Financial Times GC Tim Bratton’s new entry, another must-read from the UK, has a journalistic edge rare in legal blogs.
The Wired GC: John Wallbillich brings another (former) GC perspective to his ongoing deconstruction of the outside counsel relationship.
Twitter accounts
In addition to the Twitter accounts attached to the foregoing blogs, here are some more that I highly recommend.
@AdrianLurssen: JD Supra co-founder, VP of Strategic Dev. Ex Yahoo! Writer. Editor. Poet. All-around word guy. (Formerly tweeting @jdtwitt)
@attnyatwork: One really good idea every day
@BetsyMunnell: Former BigLaw partner/rainmaker now relentless career & business development coach for young lawyers/law students; mother of 3; Francophile; expat New Yorker
@donnaseyle: Founder/Coach, Law Practice Strategy, provides resources & training on newly-emerging law practice solutions for solos & small firms:
@eicdocket: Association Publishing Executive, Mom, Wife, Avid Reader, News Junkie, Bunco Player. Roll Tide! Redskins fan.
@jasnwilsn: V.P., Jones McClure Publishing | author, writer of law practice manuals | former trial & appellate attorney | fan of all things tech & paper
@jayshep: Saving the world from lawyers (and saving lawyers from themselves)
@jkubicki: Legal process engineer & project management
@JuSummerhayes: A non-practising solicitor with a passion for excellence in professional practice and social media.
@KevinOKeefe: CEO & Publisher of LexBlog. We’re improving the lives of professionals by building the world’s premier legal network. 28 year lawyer. Father of 5.
@KrebsatACC: Pres., Assoc of Corp Counsel, photographer (http://fredkrebs.zenfolio.com) frustrated Browns, Indians & Cavs fan
@lancegodard: International legal business development and marketing consultant. I help law firms grow and prosper
@LawyerCatrin: Editor of The Lawyer; Welsh-speaking North Londoner; likes theatre, polyphony, music education, curry and the works of Nelson Riddle
@matthomann: Legal Thinker. Innovational Speaker. Creative Facilitator. Dad.
@PosseList: U.S., Canadian and international temporary/contract/freelance attorney market
@pwoldow: Master Coach, Attorney, Advisor to General Counsel & ABA Legal Rebel
@StephenMayson: Director and Professor of Strategy, Legal Services Institute, London; strategic and non-executive adviser; certified business coach; speaker; author; wine fan
@TheTimeBlawg: The past, present and future practice of law (brought to you by Brian Inkster)
@VMaryAbraham: Knowledge Manager, Blogger, Corporate Lawyer, Social Media Enthusiast, Personal Knowledge Management Coach, Twitter Fan.
@ValoremLamb: Trial lawyer for business using alternative fees; Change agent for legal profession,Husband, Father of 4, Blogger
As I say, this only scratches the surface of the available social media resources for lawyers and the legal marketplace. Your turn: what blogs and/or Twitter accounts would you recommend to other readers of this blog (yours not included, of course), and why?
Julian Summerhayes
Jordan
I am very grateful for the mention and there are some great folks on your lists a few that I am now following.
Regards
Julian
Brianna
Follow @RealPractice on Twitter:
Innovative technologies and services helping attorneys and law firms to realize the potential of their practice.
http://www.RealPractice.com
Mark
Thanks for the namecheck Jordan
Lance Godard
Jordan: thanks so much. I’m honored to be called out, and more importantly to be included on a list with so many people I look up to!