Wednesday, May 18, 2005

Previewing Blawg Review #7

"If the facts are against you, argue the law. If the law is against you, argue the facts. If the law and the facts are against you, pound the table and yell like hell." - quoted by an Illinois native, Carl Sandburg, in The People, Yes (1936)

Jeremy Richey's Blawg adapts this apocryphal trial lawyer's advice to a young litigator in the tagline of his blog: When I'm not pounding the books, I'm pounding the law, the facts, or the table.

Jeremy's a law student (rising 3L) at SIU School of Law, future litigator, blawger, and instigator of the vast right-wing conspiracy. And he's hosting Blawg Review #7 on Jeremy Richey's Blawg next Monday. This is a great Blawg Review opportunity for red-state lawyers, wingnuts, and instapundits with law degrees who've been holding out—waiting for a sensible conservative blawg to submit a post. It just doesn't get any better than this, does it?

As a young law blogger, and regular commnenter on Evan Schaeffer's Notes from the (Legal) Legal Underground, he's taken notes from his blawgfather and has learned how to craft an entertaining yet credible blog by writing honestly.

Jeremy admits to being part of a student organization called the Christian Legal Society ("CLS").
Our CLS group is part of the national CLS organization. The national organization's rules preclude unrepentant sexual sinners--including fornicators, adulterers, and homosexuals--from becoming members or assuming leadership roles, but these individuals are certainly welcome to attend any meeting.
If you think that sounds like fun, and even if you don't, there's more good stuff here. Some of the special features of Jeremy Richey's Blawg that we've come to look forward to are The Weekly Pounding (actually, it's not really as painful as that sounds) which he blawgcasts, The Ideal Law Building, Legal Myths, and something he affectionately calls The Feisty Scalia.

Jeremy writes about his personal experiences at law school, and he'd be the first to tell you it sucks getting yelled at by a law professor. There's always good stuff like this at Jeremy Richey's Blawg, and now he's dressed it all up with a snazzy Wordpress blog design.

If I could select one of his especially creative posts to share with law blog readers here, it might be this:
DEAR IDEM

Dear Id.,

I have never said this to a Latin word or phrase before, but I love you. You see, there is nothing I hate more in the world than putting citations into proper Bluebook form. This is mainly because the Bluebook is a confusing monstrosity that should be shot and put out of its misery. Or at least if someone did in fact shoot it, I would be put out of my misery. But you, Id., you make my life a little easier. I really have a hard time putting in to words how much you mean to me. Let's just put it this way: If the Bluebook ever took you from me, I would never again write a legal paper of any sort. Now that's love my dear Idem, that is love.

Love,

Jeremy
And the comments to that stirring post show us that Jeremy knows how to engage his readership.

So, perhaps the best way to sum up Jeremy Richey's Blawg is to share the comments of one of his regular readers, Matt Schuh, who noted recently, "Jeremy, I've gotta give you credit; I've always (as long as I've read it) enjoyed reading your blog, but you've definitely made some real strides in your blogging the last month or so. I don't know what it is, but keep up the good work."

Blawg Review #7

May 22nd, 2005

"Wisdom is the chief and leader: next follows temperance; and from the union of these two with courage springs justice. These four virtues take precedence in the class of divine goods." –Plato

Wisdom

Glenn Reynolds got a free copy of Judge Posner's new book, Preventing Surprise Attacks: Intelligence Reform in the Wake of 9/11, and shares a few choice words.

Dave Swanner talks about visiting other firms to learn how to run a better law firm.

All Things Policy makes a few changes while groovin' to Dylan, Clapton, and Brooks.

Stay of Execution acknowledges the elephant in the room and compiles a list of some of the lies members of the legal profession tell law students, young lawyers, and themselves. David Giacalone responds.

The ever-skeptical David Giacalone looks at the newly-announced Diversity Disclosure Pact by NYC bar groups and firms.

What is a Jaded Larrikin? Law School Memoirs lets us know.

It upsets Ambimb when the judge apologizes to the prosecution after the defendant is acquitted.

Michael Cernovich praises the Trial Lawyer's College.

Temperance

Christine Hurt examines representation of women authors in the Harvard Law Review.

Ann Althouse recognizes her many piles but refuses to abandon blogworld.

Jay Williams finds joy in the law library being open around the clock during finals.

Michel Ayer celebrates Granholm v. Heald, but hopefully not too much.

Denise Howell balances motherhood and her legal career.

Ms. Howell also podcasts how upstart technologies could impact the legal profession.

The Patent Baristas want a generous tax break like the drug makers are getting under the American Jobs Creation Act.

Here's a post by Energy Spatula — do I really have to explain why I put it under this heading?

Courage

Evan Schaeffer takes his weblog in a new direction. Perhaps Mr. Schaeffer should sign up for AutoBlogger .

Anthony Rickey takes on Professor Brainbridge. The force is strong within him.

Does it take more courage to file a meritless motion or to face the judge after being derided? JurisPundit has the details.

The goddess may file a Motion to Exchange Clients with Opposing Counsel.

E.L. Eversman writes about chutzpa in Ohio.

David Giacalone brings the weblog cheerleaders back down to earth.

Power Line keeps the Minneapolis Star Tribune accountable.

Editor 'n' Chef submits one of his or her own posts.

Justice

Christine Hurt asks if a husband can demand his name back in a divorce, or at least keep his wife from using it in commerce.

Is Nelly getting Vokal? Phosita tells the tale.

Is it possible for a Truth-In-Lending Act opinion to be interesting? Legal Commentary found one that is.

Kevin Thompson takes a look at the growing problem in CyberCrime of extortion by means of distributed denial of service (DDos) attacks.

Ron Coleman writes about a case where reprints of ancient Grateful Dead concert posters in an illustrated book about the rockers was held by the Second Circuit to be a protected fair use.

Blawg Review has information about next week's host, and instructions how to get your blawg posts reviewed in upcoming issues.

Filed under: Old Blog by Jeremy |