Busy law students may think they don’t have time to keep up with the legal industry as they maneuver school, assignments, and personal and professional obligations.
We know it’s tough (we were there once ourselves), but you’ll benefit from following many of these legal publications, blogs, and podcasts as you prepare for your legal career.
- ABA Journal
https://www.abajournal.com/
The American Bar Association (ABA), the largest voluntary bar organization in the U.S., publishes a monthly magazine as well as industry news and analysis. The monthly issues of ABA Journal can be accessed online. Each issue includes several featured stories, as well as shorter articles, letters from readers, and organization updates from the ABA.
The digital edition of ABA Journal is free to ABA members, though many articles are available for everyone on the ABA Journal website. The ABA Journal website also features respected podcasts and columns on a variety of topics, including legal writing, wellbeing, the Supreme Court, and more. Regardless of whether you’re an ABA member, you can sign up for a free, weekly newsletter to keep up with the latest developments in the industry.
- Attorney at Law Magazine
https://attorneyatlawmagazine.com/
Law school, legal marketing, and practice management are among the topics covered by Attorney at Law Magazine. The magazine is available in print or digital format and is complimentary for private practice attorneys, though many news articles can also be accessed without a subscription on the Attorney at Law Magazine. The website has a “Legal Advice” section that categorizes relevant articles by legal specialty, such as criminal defense, employment law, family law, and more. The site also lists legal events and provides a directory of expert witnesses.
- Bloomberg Law Podcast
https://www.bloomberg.com/podcasts/law
Hosted by Emmy-Award winning journalist June Grasso, the Bloomberg Law podcast features analyses of important legal issues and cases. Podcast guests include well-known attorneys and prosecutors, legal scholars, professors, editors, and reporters from Bloomberg News.
The Bloomberg Law podcast releases several episodes a week, with most episodes around 30 minutes long. They can be streamed online on the Bloomberg Law website or through Apple Podcasts.
- The Purdue Global Law School Connector
https://www.purduegloballawschool.edu/blog/
This is the blog of Purdue Global Law School (formerly Concord Law School), the nation’s first fully online law school. Many articles on The Purdue Global Law School Connector are authored or curated by the dean or faculty members.
The blog features a robust news and commentary section and articles on law-related issues that affect various fields including cybersecurity, health care, and education. There’s also advice on succeeding as a law student, particularly in an online setting.
- Constitutional Law Reporter
https://constitutionallawreporter.com/
The Constitutional Law Reporter is an online publication covering current and historic Supreme Court cases. The site is frequently updated with articles covering specific cases. Each article features a section on the facts of the case and on the Supreme Court’s decision.
In addition to reporting on new cases, the Constitution Law Reporter website also features in-depth information on historic cases, making it a great reference for law students. It also includes the full text of the Constitution and biographies of current and past justices, presidents, vice presidents, and other prominent Americans.
- The Crime Report
https://thecrimereport.org/
The Crime Report is written by criminal justice journalists and published by the nonprofit Center on Media, Crime and Justice at John Jay College. It provides nonpartisan information for law students, lawyers, journalists, and academia.
The Crime Report publishes several articles every day about breaking criminal justice news, with categories including courts, policing, immigration, reforming the system, and more. The Crime Report also offers a free weekly newsletter regarding the latest in criminal justice.
- Customs & International Trade Law
https://customsandinternationaltradelaw.com/
Published by Diaz Trade Law, the Customs and International Trade Law blog helps practitioners unravel the complexities of U.S. laws and regulations regarding import and export transactions.
Articles are typically published several times a week and revolve around news and updates on international trade law. The law firm behind Customs and International Trade Law has extensive experience in customs law, international trade law, food and cosmetics law, and product licensing laws. This blog is a great source of information for law students who are interested in specializing in these areas.
- Evolve the Law
https://abovethelaw.com/evolve-the-law/
Evolve the Law, from Above the Law’s Legal Innovation Center, is a blog, podcast series, and roundup of legal news and events on trends shaping the present and future of the legal industry. Many of Evolve the Law’s articles focus on law school and the changes within the legal career field, making it a great publication for law students to follow.
- The Fashion Law
https://www.thefashionlaw.com/
Consistently ranked among the top legal blogs, The Fashion Law is the go-to source for information on the legal side of fashion, which encompasses intellectual property, business, international trade, and other specialties. The Fashion Law prides itself on providing analysis on the implications of the day’s news instead of simply reporting the breaking news headlines.
The Fashion Law is updated several times a week, with categories including fashion, business, culture, and law. In addition, the blog features a “Daily Links” update, which provides a roundup of business and economics articles from other publications.
- I Am the Law Podcast
https://www.lstradio.com/
The I Am the Law podcast discusses, through interviews with law school graduates, how to become a successful attorney. Listeners can hear interviewees speak first-hand about different practice areas and settings, which may give law students a good idea of which legal specialty they would like to pursue. The podcast is created by Law School Transparency, a nonprofit dedicated to consumer advocacy and public education about the legal profession. Episodes can be streamed on the I Am the Law podcast website or through your favorite podcast app.
The site also features a podcast miniseries on discrimination and empowerment called Women in the Law. The series covers workplace issues that negatively impact women in the legal field with roundtable discussions about how to best address these issues.
- InhouseBlog
https://www.inhouseblog.com/
The award-winning InhouseBlog offers news for in-house counsel along with job listings, salary guides, and other resources to facilitate job searches and careers. Common topics covered by InhouseBlog include industry trends and job postings for in-house counsels and general counsels. There are also articles that provide career advice applicable for all types of legal professionals.
The InhouseBlog website also includes a general counsel directory that is frequently updated with new announcements and promotions of general counsels around the country.
- The IP Law Blog
https://www.theiplawblog.com/
Weekly posts from the IP Law Blog provide practitioners with insights and analyses on copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, and other intellectual property topics. It is published by Weintraub Tobin, a California-based IP firm.
Articles discuss recent legal trends and in-depth explanations of court cases. This blog can be a great source of information for students who are interested in specializing intellectual property law.
- Law & Order
https://www.businessinsider.com/law
No, it’s not the TV show. Business Insider’s Law & Order blog provides free and premium content on the latest legal news and developments. The blog is updated daily with articles that primarily focus on current events in the criminal justice and legal space. While many of the articles are available for everyone, some require a Business Insider subscription.
- Law Technology Today
https://www.lawtechnologytoday.org/
As the name implies, Law Technology Today covers technologies relevant to the legal industry and practice of law. The blog is published by the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center and is aimed at practicing lawyers as well as technology professionals. Common topics covered include security, hardware, software, and litigation. There is also a “Looking Ahead” category that features stories on new technologies that law firms may wish to embrace moving forward.
In addition to articles, Law Technology Today publishes roundtable discussions, podcast episodes, and reports. Their ABA TechReport series features in-depth summaries and analyses of the ABA’s annual Legal Technology Survey Report, which is great for readers who want to stay up-to-date with the latest findings but do not have access to the full report. The Law Technology Today website also publishes a Women of Legal Tech series, which celebrates women working in the legal technology field. Every article in the series features a Q&A-style interview with an influential woman leader.
- Lawyer Monthly
https://www.lawyer-monthly.com/
Don’t let the name fool you. The Lawyer Monthly website is updated multiple times a day with the latest legal news and insights across multiple practice areas. There is, of course, a monthly magazine of the same title. The digital magazine can be accessed for free on their website.
The Lawyer Monthly website can be a useful tool for networking and job searching. They frequently post about upcoming events for legal professionals, both virtual and in-person, and have a category on the site dedicated to event announcements. They also have a section for law jobs which highlights job listings for a variety of legal roles. This section of the website provides links to relevant Lawyer Monthly articles on topics such as law school and training.
- Lawyer 2 Lawyer Podcast
https://legaltalknetwork.com/podcasts/lawyer-2-lawyer/
The Lawyer 2 Lawyer podcast features the perspectives of attorneys, law professors, and other industry professionals on recent news and court rulings. Launched in 2005, it is one of the longest-running podcasts. The 30-minute episodes are released every two weeks, with each episode covering one or two recent news stories.
The Lawyer 2 Lawyer podcast is produced by the Legal Talk Network. Episodes can be streamed on their website or through a variety of podcast apps.
- Lawyerist Podcast
https://lawyerist.com/
Any lawyer hanging out their shingle will want to follow Lawyerist, a podcast that describes itself as the “leading community and resource hub for starting, running, and growing a healthy small law firm.” Lawyerist produces a weekly podcast offering resources on careers, marketing, law firm management, and more. The podcast features conversations and interviews with lawyers, thought leaders, and other legal professionals, with a focus on the trends and tactics that are shaping the future of the legal industry.
- Lawyers Gone Ethical Podcast
https://lawyersgoneethical.libsyn.com/
Lawyers Gone Ethical is a podcast tackling tough topics in legal ethics for both young lawyers and experienced practitioners. Episodes cover everything from the ethics of virtual consultations to the implications of bar associations asking applicants about their mental health.
The podcast is hosted by ethics attorney Megan Zavieh, and often features lawyers and law professors as guests. It can be streamed on the Lawyers Gone Ethical website or through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or Google Play.
- Legal Talk Network
https://legaltalknetwork.com/
Legal Talk Network is a podcast network made up of more than 20 active podcasts for legal professionals. All the podcasts they produce can be accessed on their website. Some cover legal news and developments while others are more specialized, focusing on topics such as career advice, law school, or technology.
The Legal Talk Network website also features an impressive blog that reports on a number of topics, including SCOTUS practice amid COVID-19, mandatory vaccines, cyber law, voter intimidation, and access to justice.
- Mondaq
https://www.mondaq.com/
Mondaq offers syndicated content from law firms around the world. It’s a great source for information on leading cases and court decisions in a wide range of legal specialties. It also provides comparative guides of laws and regulations across multiple international jurisdictions.
Mondaq also has an advice center which provides information for real-life legal situations that may affect businesses, such as intellectual property law, advertising and marketing, and international trade. The advice center includes practice guides, notes on precedents, and checklists. It is broken out into guides for different countries since the laws on these issues vary widely in different parts of the world.
- Patently-O
https://patentlyo.com/
In Patently-O, authors Dennis Crouch and Jason Rantanen dig into the latest cases and decisions in patent law. The blog features guest posts by intellectual property lawyers and professors. New articles are published several times a week. There are also weekly roundup posts which include links to recent headlines from other publications discussing intellectual property law.
In addition to the blog, Patently-O publishes a law journal focused on patent law. The website also has a “Jobs” section where law firms can submit and post job listings for patent attorneys and related roles.
- SCOTUSblog
https://www.scotusblog.com/
SCOTUSblog is a must-read for any law student or lawyer who wants to keep up with the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). In addition to unmatched insight and analysis, the site provides listings of cases and petitions broken down by Supreme Court term, with archives dating back to the October 2007 term. For each case, SCOTUSblog lists information such as a summary of the case, important dates, and relevant coverage from SCOTUSblog. This makes the site a great source for those looking for information on a specific Supreme Court case.
- Sheppard Mullin Labor & Employment Law Blog
https://www.laboremploymentlawblog.com/
Global 100 law firm Sheppard Mullin publishes a blog for employers with the latest news in labor and employment law. Articles cover updates that employers need to know regarding topics like OSHA, employee privacy, and the legality of COVID-19 paid sick leave. It’s also a great resource for practitioners in this specialty to stay up-to-date on the latest developments in employment law.
- Technologist
https://blogs.findlaw.com/technologist/
The rapidly advancing field of technology law is the focus of Technologist, published by FindLaw.com. The blog also discusses the impact of technology on legal practice and the courts. Common topics include net neutrality, online censorship, and how COVID-19 has pushed law firms to embrace new technology. This blog is an excellent source of news for law students and practitioners who want to stay informed on the latest technology affecting law practices.
- Verdict
https://verdict.justia.com/
Verdict is dedicated to legal analysis and commentary from law professors and other legal thinkers. The blog discusses topics related to a variety of legal specialties including constitutional law, criminal law, technology law, and more. It is published by Justia.com, a site that provides the full text of statutes, codes, regulations, and cases, as well as other legal resources.
Verdict also has a useful resource center that features links to other legal blogs and publications.
This article was first published by Purdue Global Law School.
