The launch of our UKSC blog has given us pause for thought as to the increasing variety and number of other legal blogs from the UK. The legal world may not be known for being at the forefront of harnessing modern technologies (though note of course the recent decision allowing an injunction to be served via Twitter), but the UK legal world is now making good use of blogs.

Delia Venables sets out a comprehensive list of the UK legal blogs that are available and is well worth a look to see what matches your needs/ interests. The subject matter and style vary greatly and it is trite but true to say that there is something for everyone. The following is a quick gallop through what is out there…

First there are the informative blogs which offer hoards of regularly updated information, but with little or no comment. Arguably the most comprehensive of these is the Inner Temple Current Awareness facility. This is updated daily with material selected by the Library staff in Inner Temple and covers case law, changes in legislation and more general legal news. If it isn’t in the daily update, it probably isn’t worth knowing about. It covers every area of UK law, so it is particularly suited to students and general practitioners. The resource has excellent links to the original source material, a search facility and you can even follow the site on twitter and Facebook! On the other side of the more general legal blogs, Charon QC offers a light-hearted commentary on legal news which inspires the author, Mike Semple- Piggott, and it tends to be both topical and highly readable.

From generalist to specialist: there are a range of specialist blogs offering a mix of information and comment/ analysis. Family law is particularly well served. Bloody Relations is an excellent and practical resource from Jacqui Gilliat, a barrister at 4 Brick Court. The Benussi blog from Diane Benussi, senior partner of Benussi & Co, offers a more emotional insight into the practicalities of divorce, whilst the Family Law Week blog is the companion site to Family Law Week, offering wider comment. Employment law is another blogger’s favourite, with (to name but two) Employment Litigator online, from Gary David Armstrong reporting on all aspects of employment law with significant and helpful comments and Employment Tribunal Claims which supports the authors’ (Naomi Cunningham and Michael Reed’s) book, Employment Tribunal Claims: Tactics and Precedents) . On the subject of specialist blogs, it would be wrong not to mention IPKat, the much loved and well subscribed IP offering from Jeremy Phillips. IPkat achieves an excellent balance between information and comment and it is virtually unknown for a happening in the IP world to escape the notice of the IPKat.

Increasingly law firms and barristers’ chambers are setting up collective blogs as resources running alongside their own websites. See for instance Pannone’s offering of blogs including employment law, family law, clinical negligence and personal injury and Seddons‘ series of blogs on property, employment and disputes. 11 KBW has this year set up a site Panopticon covering all areas of Information Law.
Finally the entertainment blogs from the legal world. Anonymous Assistant is the now independent blog, previously featured on Times Online, which follows the activities of fictional litigation assistant Helen Bailey in a large city law firm. Highly amusing. Note also BabyBarista (serving coffee for the rich and powerful)- life from the perspective of a junior barrister, billed as fictional and again on Times Online with quite a following.
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