INSIDE LEGAL BLOGS AND CHAT BOARDS SPONSORED BY JUDGED
Inside Legal Blogs [By Jeff] As Sen. Ted Stevens pointed out, the Internet is little more than a series of tubes. Sometimes those tubes get clogged and nothing can get through. Think of this column as the Liquid-Plumr that eats away at the content of the Internet, destroying everything in its path so that commerce can thrive. Every week, we take the latest news from our favorite law blogs and chat boards and break it all down for you using harsh amino acids and a deadly cocktail of chemical agents.
The most talked about law blog issue of this
more concerned by the legal issues presented
satisfaction. According to MacEwen, people
week and last week has been the firing of
by broadcasting the private conversation
leave their firms for reasons relating to:
Denise Howell from Reed Smith. Howell was
between two powerful world leaders. One
behind the popular law blog Bag and Baggage.
word, in particular, stood out. Bush said he
In her final blog entry, she breaks the news
was “tired of this sh*t” in reference to the
that she’s out of a job and that she will be
acts of hostility between Israel and Hezbollah.
spending more time with her family. She went
QuizLaw wonders what would happen if the newsworthy clip were to be played unedited on the nightly broadcast news. In light of recent FCC changes, major fines can be levied for the mere utterance of a four-letter word. But if the President of the United States says it, by definition, it is infallible. Jeff Jarvis of BuzzMachine notes that had the originally proposed FCC bill gone through, Bush himself could have been hit with a fine for using the brown word.
out with dignity though, and her last blog post is bittersweet. The fallout on the blogosphere was immediate; and a few weeks later, it is still going strong. Robert Ambrogi of Law.
com’s Blog Network kept a list of all the blogs writing about Howell’s firing. Justin Patten of Human Law says that Howell, one of the founding mothers of law blogging, was just too creative and cutting-edge to fit in with a big, scary law firm like Reed Smith. According to legend, it was Howell who coined the term
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firm values and culture (58%)
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freedom and autonomy (56%)
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exciting challenges (51%)
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a well-managed firm (50%)
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career advancement and growth (39%)
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respect for lifestyle (14%)
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job security (8%)
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acceptable pace and stress (1%)
So law firm values and culture—not long, grueling hours or boring work—are apparently fueling the growing associate attrition rates. Finally, we have news from the Envy Files. Ana Marie Cox, formerly of the blog Wonkette, has been named the new Washington Editor
“blawg.” While some questioned Reed Smith’s
In other news from the frontlines of the
of Time magazine’s website. This news comes
wisdom in letting her go, others wondered if
associate-salary war, Bruce MacEwen of the
to us from The Huffington Post. I guess she
her termination wasn’t evidence of economic
blog Adam Smith, Esq. has an analysis of
technically wasn’t a law blogger, but she was
hardship at the firm. Still others were happy
what is driving the “war for talent” and why
close enough to add to the growing list of law
to just celebrate Howell and her contribution
it’s worse now than ever before. MacEwen
bloggers who were able to turn their modest
to the blawgosphere. Ernie the Attorney even
identified a decade-old survey that claimed the
Internet celebrity into prestigious legit gigs
threw her an online baby shower. Howell has
retirement of the baby boomers would mean
with huge salaries. The announcement comes
remained quiet about her future prospects,
less eligible employees. He also points out that
on the heels of Anonymous Lawyer, Jeremy
but she says she will make sure whatever she
the free flow of information on the Internet
Blachman’s novel, which has garnered rave
does next will be something that satisfies her
makes it more likely that an associate would
reviews. Diehard fans of Blachman’s website
creatively.
jump ship as soon as he or she spies a better
may be upset to find that most of the content in
opportunity on the horizon. Some say a lack
the book comes directly from his blog.
Another highly blogged about news item
of flexibility and dull law firm lifestyles are
from last week has been the President and
leading attorneys to leave their firms by the
But the question on everyone’s lips is, what
Tony Blair’s secretly recorded conversation
droves, but MacEwen isn’t so sure. Turning
does this mean for me!? Could I get a gig as
captured at the G8 summit. While many
back to the old survey, he reveals that flexibility
some kind of pickle spokesperson or a job as
bloggers reveled in the unintentional humor
and lifestyle aren’t even in the top 10 on the
a fluffer on 60 Minutes? I’ve got the x-factor,
of the candid camera antics, others were
list of contributing factors to low levels of job
you know.
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