Blawg Review

It's not just a blog carnival; it's the law! ~ a fool in the forest

Blawg Review #244


Christmas Sampler shared by chinbit on photobucket

Blawg Review is the blog carnival for everyone interested in law. A peer-reviewed blog carnival, the host of each Blawg Review decides which of the submissions and recommended posts are suitable for inclusion in the presentation. And the host is encouraged to source another dozen or so interesting posts to fit with any special theme of that issue of Blawg Review.

For those just discovering this carnival of law blogs, this special issue of Blawg Review #244 is a sampler. For those who have been following more or less regularly, it's a review of reviews. This is the time of year when everyone interested in law blogs reflects on all the great presentations we've enjoyed throughout the year and nominates those that are most deserving of consideration for special recognition as the Blawg Review of the Year 2009. It's an honor to be nominated.

The rules for this year's nomination process and award presentation are at the end of this post, but first let's take a closer look at those who hosted Blawg Review in 2009. Please make time to honor those who have contributed so much of their time and talents to our community of law bloggers this past year.

Charon QC, posing as the Lord of Misrule, began the year with a Twelfth Night presentation. Susan Cartier Liebel launched the Solo Practice University with a Phoenix Rising. On MLK Day, Yolanda Young reflected On Being a Black Lawyer. Peter Black from QUT in Brisbane hosted on Australia Day. John Bringardner presented Blawg Review from LegalTech NY on ALM's Legal Blog Watch. Jeremy Richey took his inspiration from the seven deadly sins. Mark Bennett reflected on the week in 2009 and in history.

The peripatetic Editor of Blawg Review recalled the Traveling Wilburys and wondered how this project and the law blogs that have hosted will be remembered. Barry Barnett marked the 173rd anniversary of Texas Independence. Carl Gardner provided independent legal comment and analysis from a British perspective. Geeklawyer treated us to a Dionysian orgy on the festival of Bacchanalia. Elie Mystal at Above the Law slaughtered sacred cows.

California insurance lawyer George Wallace entertained us with the Music of the Spheres and special bonus by a fool in the forest on April Fool's Day. Craig Williams celebrated Tartan Week with all things Scottish. Jordan Furlong published all the news that fits. Eric Lane hosted on his Green Patent Blog during Earth Week.

John Hochfelder presented Blawg Review in a poignant tribute to his father. Dan Harris hosted on the 90th anniversary of China's May 4th Movement. David Harlow looked at the first 100 days of the Obama administration. Tamera Bennett found inspiration in the lyrics of the perfect country and western song.

Kevin Thompson hosted on Towel Day, a tribute to Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Charon QC returned midyear and reminded us that on June 1st 1812 the United States of America declared war on Great Britain. Carolyn Elefant, who's famous for inspiring solos, hosted on World Oceans Day because her practice concerns the laws of the seas. John Bolch prepared a documentary Blawg Review based on the Magna Carta.

Tom Colson hosted a Fathers Day edition. Adrian Dayton hosted a Social Media edition of Blawg Review based on twelve virtues. And Cathy Gellis presented an homage to Huey Lewis and the News.

With contributions from Ted Frank, Walter Olson marked the 10th anniversary of Overlawyered, probably the oldest blog about law. And Scott Leviant, with as many years as a complex litigator, hosted next. Marie-Louise Mortimer at Duncan Bucknell Company's IP Think Tank hosted a law blog carnival inspired by Australia's Spring Fairs.

On just a day's notice, Scott Greenfield performed heroically, presenting the Sphincter Rules edition, to which your helpful Editor added a Caribana Blawg Review suppository. The formerly-anonymous legal blogger for the Times of London, BabyBarista, timed the launch of his book to coincide with his Blawg Review, which followed some of the book's major themes.

Seattle Trademark Lawyer Michael Atkins celebrated the anniversary of the famous Pike Place Market. Pink Tape, the blog of a family law barrister, presented her Blawg Review with the spirit of transatlantic competition. Sheryl Sisk Schelin hosted an inspirational blawg review.

Blawg Review can be hosted on great blawgs by law students, like Omar Ha-Redeye, who hosted at Law is Cool, the law school blog and podcast from Canada. Barry Barnett, a Harvard Law graduate, returned to host Blawg Review on the anniversary of the death of John Harvard.

Unsilent Partners Colin Samuels and Mike Semple Piggot combined forces on the United Nations' International Day of Peace to present a Blawg Review to rival War and Peace, not only in literary significance but in length. An anonymous lawyer at Legally Unbound hosted a tell-all Blawg Review about Las Vegas. Susan Cartier Liebel hosted on World Teachers' Day on the blog of Solo Practice University.

Popehat hosted Blawg Review to mark the 150th anniversary of one of the greatest political and legal declarations in American history: the October 12, 1859 decree by Joshua Norton I, Emperor of the United States of America and Protector of Mexico. Vickie Pynchon published an epic Blawg Review about the 200 year present. And on the 80th anniversary of the Stock Market Crash of 1929, Stephen Seckler hosted a Blawg Review about The Great Recession.

The Bogeyman Cometh, another awesome theme by Eric Turkewitz, was scarier than last year's turkey! Christian Metcalfe, in England, hosted an informative and entertaining presentation of the history of participatory democracy with The Putney Debates.

Joel Rosenberg, a self-described "Jew with a gun" blogger and sometime commenter on law blogs, hosted Blawg Review on International Day of Tolerance, and to celebrate the founding of the NRA. Máiréad Enright hosted a tragic Blawg Review at Human Rights in Ireland. Andrew Raff hosted on St. Andrew's Day.

Colin Samuels hosted Blawg Review on a date that will live in infamy. Ron Coleman brightened the Chanukah tradition with an enlightened Blawg Review. And Chris Sherliker brought a feisty spirit to this festive season.

Here's the list of candidates for Blawg Review of the Year 2009.

We all have our favorites, those that inspire, amuse, or move us in ways we never expected. But only one will be the Blawg Review of the Year 2009. To determine which of these Blawg Review presentations is most deserving of this special recognition, there are rules to be followed.

THE RULES

Anyone who blogs or tweets can nominate as many of these candidates as they like. We'll keep track of qualified nominations, tally the results, and name the Blawg Review of the Year 2009 early in the New Year.

Nominations via Twitter tweets qualify if they nominate any candidate Blawg Review, or more than one, by numbers, with a mention of @blawgreview and the hashtag #BR2009 so we can keep track. Tweet nominations as often as you like, but only a certain number of nominations for a candidate Blawg Review from any one Twitter account will actually count, and that number is a secret. Individuals may tweet nominations from any or all of their legitimate Twitter accounts, but anyone gaming the system with fake accounts or otherwise behaving badly will be reported @btannebaum and you know what that means.

Nominations via blog posts qualify if they nominate any candidate Blawg Review, or more than one, by numbers, with a link back to this post to encourage others to vote, and to help us keep track. Because blogging nominations is preferable, nominations via blog posts will be weighted greater than nominations in tweets, which are likely to be repeated as that is also encouraged, to a point. Retweets are welcome but will not be counted again as original nominations.

You may nominate as many Blawg Review candidates as you like, as many times as you want, but you can't nominate your own presentation, even if you honestly think it's the best. You are encouraged to link to this post on your blog and ask your readers and followers to nominate your Blawg Review, but we ask that our hosts refrain from threatening to kill kittens if they don't win.

Upon review of the qualified nominations, the Editor of Blawg Review shall determine and announce the Blawg Review of the Year 2009. That determination is not reviewable or subject to appeal.

Okay, bloggers and tweeters, you know what to do. Light 'em up!



The home page of this weblog has a complete roster of future hosts, so you can see who's hosting next and determine if there's a good date available for you to volunteer to host Blawg Review on your law blog in the coming months. We're looking to light up more law blogs in the New Year!

posted by the Editor on 12/28/2009