My Favorite Ohio-Based Law Blogs
Now that I've been doing this law blog thing for about eight months, I've had a chance to get acquainted with my neighbors in the blogosphere. There are of course my subject matter compatriots all across the country that I've enjoyed coming to know through their blogs (Chris Moander of the relatively new Wisconsin Business Law and Litigation blog and Rush Nigut of Rush on Business from Iowa (the home in my youth) especially come to mind). But today I wanted to focus on my geographically proximate neighbors practicing law in Ohio while writing their blogs.
Like anyone else I have my favorites. I don't claim to be any arbiter of quality or worth so the following is really nothing more than what I've found I've liked the most so far.
Perhaps my own personal favorite Ohio-based blog is The Briefcase which has been published by solo practitioner Russ Bensing for quite a while. It promises to provide "commentary and analysis of Ohio law" and it certainly delivers. Russ gives brief summaries and case updates of Ohio civil and criminal cases decided by the various Court of Appeals and the Ohio Supreme Court with a bit more criminal than civil cases. While this is of course useful, his regular "Friday Roundup" feature focusing on the more entertaining legal cases out there is a must-read for me every week. In addition, even the case updates and summaries are given with a definite bit of "attitude" that makes them much more interesting than the usual dry case summary. And his "About" section is particularly well done. Russ's stuff is not often the sort of thing I tend to link to (which may say more about me than him), but I certainly appreciate his contributions.
My other "substantive" favorite Ohio-based blog is the Ohio Employer's Law Blog published by Jon Hyman of Kohrman, Jackson & Krantz for more than a year. Its tagline is "Practical employment law information for businesses in Ohio and beyond." What I like about this blog is Jon's well written, informative, and useful (even "practical") posts about important issues in the labor and employment law areas. I also think Jon's analysis of the legal issues he covers is clear and seems right on point. In addition, I like his regular "What I'm Rreading" series which features several quick links to other interesting posts around the blogosphere. I don't practice in this area so I appreciate having such excellent resource available to keep me up to date about pertinent legal developments.
Ohio Employer's Law Blog is one of two Ohio-based blogs focusing on employment and labor issues. The other is Porter, Wright, Morris & Arthur's Employer Law Report which says it will be "Reporting on recent legal developments and trends affecting employers". It has been published sporadically over the last couple of years, but now seems to be adding new worthwhile posts more frequently.
The D&O Diary published by Kevin M. LaCroix of Oakbridge Insurance Services, an insurance intermediary focused exclusively on management liability issues, focuses on perhaps the most complex issues of any Ohio-based law blog. It is intended to be "A Periodic Journal Containing Items of Interest from the World of Directors and Officers Liability, with Occasional Commentary". I haven't had much chance to become fully acquainted with this blog yet, but hope to so in the near future.
When it comes to coverage of both substantive and professional developments of interest to Ohio lawyers, I like the Cleveland Law Library Weblog the best. It explains that "our goal is to inform local attorneys of major legal developments important to their practice". I often find ideas for posts by reading this blog and appreciate the links usually provided. The Cincinnati Law Library Blog and the Moritz Legal Information Blog which provides "Legal Information and Research Resources Brought to You by The Michael E. Moritz Law Library at The Ohio State University" also provide these sort of services.
One of the newest Ohio-based law blogs is the Ohio Real Estate Blog published by the attorneys of the Real Estate Practice Group of Kohrman, Jackson & Krantz which started up only a couple of months ago in April. In same real estate practice area is the Build on This! blog published by the attorneys of the Real Estate and Construction Practice Group of Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLP which offers "Current news, information, and events affecting the real estate, construction and land use industry and its professionals".
Another recent addition to the blogosphere is the Reasonable Doubts blog published by Jeffrey Davis. It started in March 2008 and, as its name would suggest, focuses on crminal law. In addition, the Ohio Family Law Blog, published by Robert Mues of Holzfaster, Cecil, McKnight & Mues, LPA, began in December 2007 and tries to provide "Family Law and Divorce Information for Ohio Families Seeking Solutions".
Interestingly, there are TWO Ohio based law blogs called Sixth Circuit Blog. One seems to focus on criminal law and offers "Case summaries and commentaries by federal defenders of the Sixth Circuit". The other, published more sporadically by Eric Zagrans, focuses primarily on civil law and is "Devoted to Appellate Law and Practice Within the Sixth Circuit and Its Constituent States"
Rounding out the roster of Ohio-based law blogs (at least those I'm aware of) are the following with which I am less familar, in part because they relate to areas of law with which I have less experience in my day to day practice:
- The Ohio Trust and Estate Blog published by Michael D. Bonasera of Buckingham, Doolittle & Burroughs, LLP
- Tsibouris & Associates Law Blog published by the attorneys at Tsibouris & Associates
- Consumer Rights Law Blog published by Ron Burdge and focusing on "Motor Vehicle Lemon Law, Consumer Protection Law, Car Law, News, Notes, Issues, and Updates"
While there are several newer Ohio based law blogs, there are also many that have been published for two or three years or even longer. There are also some earlier Ohio-based blogs that are no longer publishing. In addition, there are several "business" blogs based in Ohio that touch on legal issues from time to time, but that's a subject for another day.
I hope I haven't forgotten anyone, but if I have, just add a comment with your URL and then we'll know about you too.
