Law bloggers as citizen journalists and legal commentators shape the law

Legal blogging is often referred to as content marketing. 

But watching the depth and breath of the law blog posts on our network, I continue to see legal blogging as something so much more important.

Not only has legal blogging democratized legal publishing, but legal blogging represents a body of secondary law. 

I was speaking to a communications and outreach person with a major law school today regarding a project or two. Our discussion got into the significant role that legal bloggers play in our society.

The law exists not only in codes and regs, but in our interpretation of that primary law. The law is alive and continues to evolve and be shaped by this ongoing interpretation.

This interpretation of the law coming from those in the law, ranging from the judiciary’s deciding cases to legal professionals developing secondary law through their writings. 

Traditionally, secondary law – legal insight and commentary – came from the “learned lawyers” who had access to publishers. It was only a few practicing lawyers and legal academics who wrote for journals, reviews, and books. The amount published was minimal, especially as it came to niches in the law.

Legal blogs democratized such publishing, it’s open access now. All legal professionals, via blogs, have access to digital publishing and the ability to create secondary law or, at a minimum, insight and commentary on the law.

Not only did the numbers publishing increase, but the depth and breath of the publishing increased.

Lawyers practicing in niches by area of law and by jurisdiction for the first time shared what was between their ears. Reporting and commentary that has gone on to shape the law.  

I read an article today about Mosul blogger and citizen journalist, Omar Mohammed. Wanting to counter ISIS portrayal of Mosul as a city of death, Mohammed began to publish the ‘Mosul Eye’ to cover the city’s recovery, history, culture, women, health, and education. 

“I care a lot about the future of Mosul,” Mohammed told a reporter for the Deccan Herald. “I believe we are in the movement and have a long way to go. Only when you believe in your individuality, is when your nation can actually succeed.”

The power of a passionate and individual citizen journalist. Something never possible before blogs. Check out Mohammed‘s blog, it’s impressive. 

Blogging lawyers certainly don’t risk their life as Mohammed does in Mosul, but their belief in their individuality as a citizen journalist and commentator on the law is so important to the evolution of law in this country and the public’s understanding of the law.

Not to worry about the law blogs of such citizen journalists and legal commentators working as a marketing tool.

Published lawyers, the lawyers with a name, never worried about getting work back in the the day of limited access to publishers.  It’s the same for the citizen journalists and legal commentators of today – the law bloggers.