This week’s Ask Friday! answers the question of what blogs I read.  I’ll break this down into three categories – ILN member blogs, the blogs I read for professional reasons and growth, and the blogs I read for fun – feel free to add your favorites to the list in the comments!

Professional Blogs:

• Above the Law – often funny, always irreverent, they’re often at the forefront of legal news.
• Bad for the Brand – after I got back from LMA 2011, I started religiously reading Jonathan Fitzgarrald’s Bad for the Brand. Every time I see a new post, I drop whatever I’m doing just to read it – they’re that good.
• Bill’s Blog – written by Bill Pollak of ALM, it’s a helpful look at the legal publishing industry from an in-house perspective.
• Case in Point – a cartoon series that "illustrates the lighter side of eDiscovery."  Those of you who know me well know I’m a sucker for legal cartoons!
• Corcoran’s Business of Law Blog – I read this not just because I know Tim, but because he’s always got thoughtful, thorough insights that push me to be a better legal marketer and not just go with the status quo.
• Escaping Mediocrity – if you’ve ever wanted more than where you are right now, Sarah’s blog is the one to check out – she’ll push you and get you thinking.
• Patrick Lamb’s In Search of Perfect Client Service – who can’t use tips on better client service? 
• In-house ACCess – I admit to mostly scanning these in-depth posts, but the insights from in-house counsel who are part of the ACC can’t be beat.
• Martindale.com Blog – always touching on topics of interest to me as a legal marketer.
• The Matte Pad – after making a splash at LMA 2011, I wanted to see what else Tom Matte had to offer. His posts are thought provoking and always useful. 
• Myrland Marketing – you already know I’m a huge fan of Nancy Myrland, and her blog is a great reason why – Nancy always has actionable tips not only for strategic social media, but also for legal marketing and business development.
• Outspoken Media – not a legal blog, this was recommended to me during the Social Fresh conference I went to last year in Portland – it’s a fabulous blog on internet marketing that gives me great food for thought in all areas of my work.
• Real Lawyers Have Blogs – I’m always interested to hear what Kevin O’Keefe is thinking about and seeing in the legal sphere, and he doesn’t hold back.  Plus, the blog showcases their tops blogs of the day, which helps me see what else is out there.
•  Social Media for Law Firms – Sam Collier gives the Canadian perspective on social media for law firms, and often gives step by step tips and tutorials for how to make the most out of your social media efforts.
• The Legal Watercooler – Heather Morse’s Legal Watercooler was the first legal blog I started following, and it’s never disappointed.  Heather ties in whatever she’s thinking about or going through with how we can make ourselves better legal marketers in a way that inspires me.
• The PR Lawyer – great posts from Furia Rubel on public relations and strategic marketing in the legal world.
• The Virtual Marketing Officer – Jayne covers a variety of topics focusing on marketing and business development strategies for law firms – definitely a must read!

 

ILN Member Blogs:

• Canadian Trademark Blog – authored by attorneys at Clark Wilson LLP in Vancouver whose practices focus on Canadian intellectual property law.
• Trade Secrets & Noncompete Blog – authored by attorneys at Epstein Becker & Green P.C., this blog offers news and updates on developments in the law of restrictive covenants, unfair competition and trade secrets.
• Executive Women’s Networking Blog – authored by attorneys at Epstein Becker & Green P.C., this blog is a forum for women executives to share their experiences of and opinions about business development, networking, mentoring, and life/work balance.
• General Counselor – authored by attorneys at Arnstein & Lehr in Chicago, this is an employment law blog for in-house attorneys, business owners and executives.
• PPACA Impact and Opportunities – authored by attorneys at Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., this addresses health care reform and the impact of these proposals on the health care delivery system.
• Hospitality Labor and Employment Law Blog – authored by attorneys at Epstein Becker & Green, P.C., this blog offers news and updates on legal issues facing hospitality employees.
• The California Constitution – Steve Mayer, a partner at Howard Rice in San Francisco, offers his comments on the law and politics affecting California’s fundamental charter.
• All Purpose Law Blog – Santiago Mejia-Armenteros of Mejia-Armenteros & Abreu in the Dominican Republic, shares his explorations, comments and review of all legal issues in the Dominican Republic.
• Megawatt: British Columbia Renewable Energy Blog – authored by attorneys at Clark Wilson LLP in Vancouver, came about because of the rising significance of the renewable energy industry in British Columbia, Canada, and the world.
• OMW Employment Law Update – authored by attorneys at Ogden Murphy Wallace in Seattle, this blog focuses on the updates in employment law in Washington State. 
• OMW Health Law – authored by attorneys at Ogden Murphy Wallace in Seattle, this looks at issues of health law in Washington State.
• OMW Municipal Law Blog – authored by attorneys at Ogden Murphy Wallace in Seattle, this blog provides updates on Washington Municipal Law.
• Toxic Tort Litigation Blog – authored by Bill Ruskin at Epstein Becker & Green P.C., this examines news, analysis and trends for toxic tort litigation.

Just for Fun

And because you never know where business ideas will come from (or who will share your interests), I thought it would be fun to include the blogs I read for personal reasons: 

• A Year to Ten Percent – this blog follows Peter Shankman’s journey to scaling himself down to ten percent body fat.  It’s a great motivator, and as his trainer told him "You can’t out-train your diet." 
• Bakerella – if you love sweet things, this is a great blog – Bakerella is known for her cake pops (for which she has a cookbook out) and it’s fun to see what new creations she’s working on. 
• The Basset Boys – I’ve finally badgered my mom into starting a blog, which she’s writing from the perspective of her two basset hounds, Dudley and Bentley. She’s just getting started, but if you’d like to know what life is like in the mind of a basset, check this out.
• Brocante Home – a single mom in England, Alison blogs about all things life, love and vintage housekeeping. She is taking a short break from blogging, but her site is worth a check!
• Elizabeth Waterstraat – a cousin of one of my high school classmates, Liz is a triathlete, coach, mom, and wife. Her blog is funny, thoughtful, inspiring, and full of good info for anyone who likes to work out.
• The Handy Homeowner Girl – this is a blog that I author, which focuses on my home improvement projects, adventures and mishaps as a single homeowner.
• The Happiness Project – even though Gretchen Rubin is a former lawyer, that’s not what drew me to this blog. We could all use a little more conscious identification and focus on what really makes us happy, and Gretchen offers concrete tips and suggestions for how to do that.
• Jessica Claire – Jessica is one of the world’s top ten wedding photographers, and her shots really are beautiful. If you life photography, check her out.
• Kaileen Elise – this blog never fails to inspire me – Kaileen focuses on adding "sparkle" to her life and helps you find ways to make your own life extraordinary.
• The Lettered Cottage – I sometimes think about unsubscribing to this blog because they are just SO talented at creating a beautiful home that I despair of ever getting there myself. If you love Pottery Barn, check out this blog.
• Mommy Musings – though not yet a mom myself, I follow my sister’s blog on life as a stay at home mom of one, soon to be two, children.  
• Morgan Day Cecil – Morgan is one of the bloggers I’ve been most touched by and I’m grateful to have gotten to know her a little personally a well. Although she’s also taking a blogging sabbatical, check her blog out for articles on falling more in love with your life.
• Organized Home – if you’re like me, you’re always trying to figure out how to get better organized. The organized home offers great tips on how to do that!
• The Pioneer Woman – you might have heard of Ree Drummond with her recent books being published (a cookbook, her love story, and a children’s book about her basset hound) or because she’s going to have her own Food Network show later this year. I’ve been following Ree’s blog for a long time, and she talks about everything from her bassets Charlie and Walter, to learning to live and work on a farm after growing up a city girl, cooking, photography and home schooling. She’s hilarious and fabulous.
• Quiet Life – Donna Boucher talks about her life and family in Wisconsin, illustrated by her beautiful photos and photography tips. 
• Run Lindsay, Run – this blog is also authored by me and chronicles my journey from couch potato to 5k runner (and back to couch potato and back to 5k runner).  If you’ve never been a gym class hero, this might be the blog for you.
• Savage Chickens – another cartoon series, this one focuses mostly on chickens drawn on post-it notes.  They never fail to crack me up. 
• Your Wishcake – Written by a wife, crafter and soon-to-be mama, this blog just makes me happy. 
• Zen Family Habits – focuses on simple happiness and how to get there – their suggestions for how to get ready for a weekend are ones that I use regularly and they do make my life happier!