Blogger’s new templates: Contempo, Soho, Emporio and Notable

 

For a while now, I’ve been increasingly conscious that the design of Law Actually has become a bit long in the tooth. I’ve occasionally tinkered with the look and feel of my blog over the last few years, but there’s been no escaping the fact it was based on a (now pretty primitive) blogger design from six or seven years ago. The last major refresh I’d made to the design was in 2012. Yikes.

I made a few minor changes earlier this year when I suddenly remembered I used to do (and quite enjoy) something called blogging. Don’t look at me like that: apparently, blogging simply isn’t such a big thing any more.  Despite, the need for a visual change, I rather sadly recognised that it was well beyond my web design skills to produce something half-decent myself. Although blogger templates are available from third parties, they tend to be infested with problems – including advert placements and other awkward elements which are difficult to remove or modify. After a few very disappointing attempts to find a free blogger template from elsewhere, I gave up.

Given that Google hadn’t released a new blogger template since 2011, I figured something new might be coming before long. Despite a bit of digging on the blogger blog – that’s almost mind-bendingly recursive, isn’t it – I didn’t find any indication of when this might be.

I was truly delighted, therefore, when, earlier today, I visited blogger to check out my recent visitor stats and saw that Google had made a range of stunning new themes available.

The new theme categories – called Contempo, Soho, Emporio and Notable – are all stunning, modern and functional. I’ve tried a bunch on Law Actually and I had a really tough time deciding which to pick.  That really speaks to the quality of options to choose from – all for what is, let’s not forget, a service that Google makes available for free. I’m no Google fanboi – heck, I use Bing in some sort or perverse act of contrarianism (or is it self-harm?) – but there’s no denying they do some good stuff from time to time.

In the end, I went with a slightly modified version of the white Soho design. The acid test was my wife’s reaction when I first showed her the new theme: “wow, that a looks a bit more modern”, she said.

Enough said, I think.

Law Actually is 10 years old today

Yes - really.

I’ve posted quite a few birthday blog posts over the last – well – decade and, looking back, I always seem to start them by saying that I can’t believe Law Actually has been going so long.  (See here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.)

Well, now this blog has reached double figures, I really can believe it. It feels like ten years.

I started Law Actually as a bit of lark; a creative outlet from the travails of studying law. It was probably my contrarian and rebellious streak coming out, plus a procrastination device to distract myself from preparing for seminars.

Ten years later, it feels like I’ve seen it all come and go in the blogosphere. (And I’m getting an increasing number of grey hairs to prove it.) The web and the world have moved on considerably since blogging was considered de rigueur. Now it feels like it’s something more to be ashamed of than celebrated and the sense of community in the ‘sphere has long since disappeared. I think I’ve grieved long enough over that loss. Life and things move on. I get it.

One thing I’ve found over the years is that I enjoy blogging more when I take it less seriously. People blog for all reasons, but mine is a sort of creative catharsis. I used to get as much (if not more) pleasure from playing in Photoshop creating a graphic to accompany the text as I did from the writing itself. I think my skills on both fronts have improved appreciably from those early days.

I’m conscious that I’ve subjected my readers and this blog to a lot of crap during the last decade. A few years back, it was little more than a bawdy-house for SEO where you couldn’t turn around for all the sponsored links and posts. Apologies for that. Sometimes blogging felt more like a chore than a pleasure in those days.

I’m going to make no predictions as to what the future will hold for me or this blog. But if I hang about in the blogosphere I want it to be on a no-strings, casual basis. If I post, I post. And if I don’t – well, it’s not the end of the world.

There are a lot of memories tied up in the thousand or so posts I’ve published. I’ve often found a lot of pleasure looking back through my archived posts; they stir up at least as many memories as a diary could have captured. And that’s pretty special.

So, thanks, Law Actually. In a bizarre sort of way, you’ve been a good, comforting friend over the years. And I’m really glad you’re here.

Have a great birthday. You deserve it.

Legal blogging – its downfall and (supposed) resurgence

Believe it or not – and I, for one, certainly don’t believe it – legal blogging is experiencing a resurgence.

A resurgence?  In legal blogs?  Really?

Where’s this taking place, then? ‘Cause it’s certainly not on the web.

Still, Nick Holmes pretty much nails what I think is largely behind the downfall of legal blogging (or blawging as it was once known):

What has changed fundamentally is the nature of the ensuing conversation which formerly took place in the comments sections on blogs. Whilst popular sites, such as national news sites, garner sometimes thousands of (generally [edit – invariably] tedious) comments, most niche blogs receive very few (though better value) comments. The conversation these days has been sucked out of blogs and takes place mainly on Twitter and other social media, so the profile of your blog does depend a lot on your social media “reach”, but that’s another story.

(Emphasis added)

And, as painful as it might be to hear, he (quite rightly) picks up on the fact the commercialisation of blogging amounted to another nail in its coffin.

Unfortunately, but inevitably, the proven success of blogging led to its widespread adoption and ultimately attracted the marketing people! Hence the personality-free corporate blogs and blogs set up purely for marketing purposes that we see all around us, as well as well-intentioned but low value, pedestrian blogs, none of which can be considered worthwhile literary works. In this climate, the good blogs have had to fight harder to be noticed.

I stopped pining for the ‘good old days of blogging’ long ago. That ship has long since sailed. I get it.

I supposed I should consider myself one of the lucky ones as at least I was there for the ride.

Law Actually is eight years old

I know.  I know! I can barely believe it either.

Go on, admit it: you didn’t think I’d still be here, did you?

I’ve just spent the last ten minutes or so looking at my previous Law Actually birthday posts, and reminiscing.  What struck me is just how long eight years is, and how much the blawgosphere has evolved [read: withered and died] in that time.

There’s no point pretending blogging is what it once was.  I think it’s still got it’s place in the world, but its present status alongside some of the more mainstream social media channels is pretty insignificant.

Still, longevity must count for something.  While I preferred the first four years of blogging on Law Actually much more than I have these last four, I’m glad I’m still here, occupying this tiny little part of cyberspace. 

Christmas Update

I’ve taken a bit of a break from blogging recently and there’s no point pretending I’ve not enjoyed it. That said, one of the things my unexpected hiatus has shown is that I’m not finished with Law Actually – at least not yet.

While I might be at a different stage of my blogging adventure than, say, four years ago, I’m certainly not ready to pack away the keyboard and retire. So you’re stuck with me, I’m afraid.

Away from blogging, over the last few weeks I’ve been grappling with and trying to understand why Christmas seems such an unwelcome struggle and half-hearted affair this time round. And it’s not so much me this time – honest!  While I’m often a bit of a festive grouch, it’s everyone else that seems to be struggling to generate much enthusiasm for this whole Christmas business in 2014.

Is it the fact the country’s coming out of the economic doldrums, the unseasonably mild autumn or the fact we’re just all so Christmassed-out, having to celebrate the wretched thing once every twelve months is just too much for us now?  I’ll keep pondering. 

Being unable to break with tradition, Law Actually’s got its Christmas-themed header in place – despite it being a bit of a token gesture low key design this year.

I’m hoping to pick my blogging pace back up over the Christmas break and, you know, actually publish some stuff.  It’s been kind of quiet around here recently and it’s about time that changed.

All’s well at blogging basecamp

Since the demise of Google Reader last summer, I’ve been pondering the best way to keep up to date with the online content I like to follow.

I’ve tried a bunch of online RSS feed services and standalone applications. One of these was Digg Reader which, despite my best efforts in overlooking its obvious faults, I abandoned quite quickly feeling very underwhelmed.

Well, I’m giving it another go. It’s still missing some functionality that I’d really like to see - such as unread post numbers and the ability to add new content directly into a subfolder. But I still prefer it to the competition, like The Old Reader and Feedly, mainly because of its clean and no-nonsense interface.

Since firing Digg Reader back up, I’ve been pruning and purging some of my subscriptions. All that deadwood just had to go.

It also made sense to thin out the number the blogs that I link to. I don’t feel the need to apologise: if you were on my blogroll but aren’t any longer, I’m sure you won’t have noticed the change (you probably haven’t even ventured into the blawgosphere for at least 12 months!).

I keep meaning to spend some time checking out the blogrolls of other blogs, you know, to see if any new shoots in the ‘sphere have sprouted. It might be worth me having a butchers on Google, too. Someone’s got to be blogging out there!

On top of that, I’m tinkering around with the template of Law Actually in areas. The changes are quite subtle so far, but I’ve some more work to do.

Who knows – maybe a complete redesign is on the cards for later in the year…

Law Actually – 7 today

Today marks the 7th birthday of LA. Where the heck has the time gone?

The blawgosphere has changed considerably over the past 7 years with a large number of the student/graduate law blogs that used to be so plentiful almost dying away completely.  I’ve mulled over a lot of the changes previously, so there’s no point in repeating them here.

Any hopes I once held for a blawgging revival are long gone. Other forms of social media have taken centre stage and their popularity shows no sign of receding.  For me, they’re not mutually exclusive, but I know I’m in the minority on this. .

My approach to blogging has changed, too.  I find I create fewer of my own images now – something I used to really enjoy.  Maybe I should get back to playing about in Photoshop a bit more.  I also feature more guest posts now.  I’m still trying to get the balance right with that.  I’ll keep at it.

But the main thing to say here is that whilst there is little sense of a blogging community these days, I enjoy blogging now as much as I did 7 years ago.  As long as that’s the case, I’ll carry on.
Here’s to another 12 months as a blogger.  I’m looking forward to it. 

Blogging in a barren landscape

No comments are the ‘new normal’.

The diversity of social media options now available means that people don’t have the attention span, time or energy to typically comment on blogs.

As the habits of internet users have changed, the modern blogger has had to adjust to the changing landscape and not get too downbeat at the tumbleweed blowing past.

I remember in the early days of blogging, over on my F1 blog, I was able to garner a few commenting readers quite quickly.

At Law Actually, I’d been blogging about 6 months when a friendly reader called Law Minx introduced herself via the comments feed. As 2008 dawned, the law student/graduate blawgosphere quickly established itself and the rest, as they say, is history. Looking back, I can honestly say that I was privileged to have experienced and been involved with that community.

Speaking of history, that’s exactly what that rich, vibrant community of bloggers is now. For a whole host of reasons, the blawgosphere has slowly receded to the point of extinction and I’ve long given up on any kind of revival. That’s not to say I don’t get readers (visitor counts are very healthy year on year). I get spam comments by the bucketload, but I reject all such comments without hesitation. Let’s not kid ourselves (ahem – myself) here – blogging is very different now compared with just 3 years ago.

Throughout 2011, it became very clear to me that the community was disappearing and blogging, in the short term at least, would be a more lonely business. That was probably the most difficult period. It was a time when I had to try and adjust to receiving very few comments on my posts and the lack of encouragement from reading the content produced by other like-minded folk.

I suppose lesson number 1 of blogging in a barren landscape is to acknowledge the lack of two-way conversation via your blog, accept it and just get the hell on with things. Over the past couple of years, I’ve had to adjust my mind set and expectations to account for this.

For me, comments were important but not vital. Even without that two-way conversation, I like the ‘voice’ that blogging provides me with and I find the process of producing content strangely satisfying. I’m not too sure how cathartic blogging is for me, but the sense of satisfaction is beyond doubt.

In a comment-less world, it’s more important than ever to blog for fun and to choose to blog about topics which interest YOU rather than trying to second guess what your readers want. My approach has been the classic pebbledash one: throw up a bit of everything and see what sticks. That kind of approach has also been useful to see what kind of content I enjoy producing.

The style of my posts has had to change too. Where I could once could ask questions and expect an answer, I’m resigned to the fact that those days are long gone.

I tend to create fewer of my own graphics now and rely instead on stock images. That frustrates me sometimes (when I stop to think about it) as I often found the creation of the customised graphics one of the most satisfying parts of blogging. A lack of time has sadly curtailed my ability to frolic about in Photoshop - at least for now.

I really should make more effort with Twitter. I’ve been an on-off user of it since January 2007, but despite keeping my account private and being very selective in who I follow, I’ve always found the background ‘noise’ on there often too much to bear. I seem to spend half my time weeding out and blocking morons who swamp me with follow requests which is even less fun than it sounds.

As a blogger, you need to adjust to a new non-commenting readership. I’ve noticed an upturn in the number of people who no longer comment on mainstream news sites and prefer instead to post a shortened URL of the story with a few words of their own on the matter via twitter. For all the possibilities of communication that twitter has opened up, the harm it’s done to blogging is unforgivable.

But it would be too easy to blame them. Clearly that’s what modern web users want so we’re stuck with it for now.

In the meantime, I intend to carry on blogging albeit with a reluctant acceptance that the blogosphere isn't what it once was.

Oh well.

Thoughts on Digg Reader

I finally got my grubby mitts on the eagerly awaited Digg Reader today. And just in time, too, as Google are turning Google Reader’s lights out on Sunday night. Sob, sob.

First things first, the import process (from Google Reader) works well; it retained the folder structure and the arrangement of RSS feeds within folders. My preference is to have folders stacked in an order which suits me and for the individual subscriptions within those folders to be sorted alphabetically. The fact all this was carried over intact from Google Reader was an unexpected surprise. Good show.

Perhaps most importantly, Digg have kept to their brief. They have made something very lightweight and utilitarian, that does a few things very well (resisting the temptation to turn it into a kitchen-sink type of web app). Less is definitely more when it comes to RSS aggregators.

Overall performance is surprisingly good. It seems slightly more responsive than Google Reader and, quite frankly, it’s nice to have a new interface to live with for a while. Let’s face it: Google Reader has been neglected for far too long.

Ok, I grant you, Digg Reader is still a bit buggy, but that’s only to be expected at this stage. The few bugs I’ve encountered, though, have been relatively minor. For instance, I’ve noticed some of my previously deleted subscriptions have been strangely resurrected in the transfer and I’ve found myself needing to click twice (sometime three times) on a subscription to view the content.

In any case, Digg have always stressed this is by no means the finished product. It was vital they got version 1.0 out of the door before Google turned the lights out on Reader on 1^st July. It’s important to keep a sense of perspective too; for Digg to have put together what they have in such a short time is a testament to their engineering prowess. Well done, I say.

So, overall, I’m impressed with Digg Reader after a full day of use and I’m looking forward to the updates to come. If you’re a current Google Reader user, you should give it a go, too.

As an aside, going through my RSS subscriptions made me realise to what extent the once vibrant blawgosphere has dwindled. It really is a sad state of affairs from the heyday of 2008 to 2010.

Nevertheless, for those of us who remain, the show must go on

And Digg Reader is going to make it that bit easier.

Digg Reader to launch next week. A heaven-sent gift to bloggers?

From the Guardian 18/06/13:

The Google Reader RSS aggregator service shuts down on 1 July, leaving many of its users scrambling to choose and migrate to a suitable replacement. One of the candidates, Digg Reader, is now confirmed to launch next week.

Make that the only potentially viable replacement, subject to the world, you know, actually seeing it.

It's the work of a five-person team within Digg, which is enjoying its second lease of life as part of startup incubator Betaworks, which acquired the social news website in July 2012.

Digg announced plans to build a Google Reader replacement in March 2013, promising to rebuild that service's best features "but also advance them to fit the Internet of 2013". It proceeded to survey more than 18,000 people on their wishlists for the new product.

Three months later, version one of the Digg Reader has a launch date – 26 June – and the promise that it will be fast, simple and focused on the keenest users of Google Reader as they look for a new home.

Like everyone who relies heavily on Google Reader, I was dismayed when Google announced earlier this year it would be retiring its RSS aggregator.

As a blogger, I use Google Reader extensively to keep track of the posts of other bloggers out there and it’s been invaluable in allowing me to monitor developments in the blawgoshere. Rather than having to check a long list of blogs for new posts, any blog featuring a new post is flagged up automatically in my Google Reader list. It’s been an absolute Godsend.

But over the past couple of years, I’ve found myself using it increasingly for work purposes, too, keeping up with legal content, industry developments, Ofcom’s latest consultations and so on.

I’ve tried other RSS aggregators, but like so many others, Google’s no-nonsense utilitarian style suited me perfectly. The rest (up until now at least) don’t even come close.

And I’ve only got about 10 days left to enjoy Google Reader before the lights go out permanently.

So I’m praying Digg’s new offering is up to scratch from the get-go. I have relatively simple needs from an RSS reader but I really hope Digg Reader is able to fill the void that’s going to be left by Google exiting the market.

I’m itching to give it a go next week when it goes live. 

Happy Birthday Law Actually

Yep, that’s another one ticked off!

Six years old – and still going strong!  I can hardly believe it.

As long as no one calls in and requests Vanessa (Frickin’) Feltz plays the number one song* from the day Law Actually was born, we’ll all be fine.

Happ-PEE Birth-DAY…..Happ-PEE Birth-DAY

Oh, actually, they’ve changed the jingle now, haven’t they?  I think it’s the moronic interviews which irritate me most of all.  Still, I can’t miss Chris Evans’ breakfast show, can I?

*(It seems it was Mika’s “Grace Kelly”.  There’s no accounting for taste….)

Do ex bloggers ever pop back for old times’ sake?

I’ve been having a massive clear out of Google Reader subscriptions over the last couple of days. I must have deleted dozens and dozens.  It’s certainly not creaking under the strain any longer.

Many of those I deleted were for old (once prolific) contributors to the blawgosphere who had either deleted or mothballed their blogs or had suddenly disappeared without trace, having left virtual tumbleweed to blow across their slowly decaying posts.

I kept a subscription to many of them on the off chance they suddenly returned to blogging, but many of them have been absent for over 2 years now.  I think that says they aren’t coming back - however painful that might be to accept.

It got me thinking about whether old bloggers who have suddenly left the ‘sphere ever pop back out of curiosity.  Once you pack away the keyboard for good, is it possible to just switch off completely and never give the blogosphere another thought?   That’s quite a sad prospect if it’s true.

Personally, I love trawling back through old blog posts and looking (and cringing) about some of the stuff I’ve posted in the past.

Christmastime once again

You see, I know it must be that time of year again, faithful reader, because Law Actually has received its annual festive makeover.

I’m a bit more satisfied with this year’s attempt; it’s good to have the horrors of trying to decorate that nauseating coffee and cream monstrosity from last year a full 12 months behind me.

Never has the expression, “putting lipstick on a pig” been more appropriate.

Remember?

2011

The 2010 version still has a special place in my heart, however.  I think it was the falling snow.

Which, it turned out, was just an improved version on the 2009 attempt.

And 2008’s theme seems like centuries ago!  Still, happy days as I recall.

Ah – and the Christmas header which started it all off back in 2007.

Nothing like a trip down memory lane, eh?

There aren’t many left in the blawgoshpere who have been around for all of my LA Christmas makeovers - save for the lovely Andro, of course. 

Law Actually is recruiting...

We’re looking for a Google Reader Reader

Law Actually is a UK-based global leader* in the blawgosphere.

_{Who the frick are we kidding?!?!?}  

After being repeatedly driven to distraction by an unmanageable list of Google Reader subscriptions, editor-in-chief (the Michael) has decided to recruit someone to do it for him and report back providing a digest of all the blogs and blawgs and other stuff out there he regularly peruses.

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and hardworking individual, driven to succeed (you know, all the usual bits of airy-fairy recruitment mumbo-jumbo which job descriptions are full of these days). The ability to organise and assimilate vast amounts of information is crucial yadda yadda yadda.

You should be familiar with Google Reader (for hopefully obvious reasons) but hey, training can be provided ‘on the job’ if required.

We’re looking for a candidate to grow with us. (we’ll put you in traction if necessary!!)

The ability to read is a must; the ability to understand what is read a distinct bonus.

Candidates should ideally be educated to degree level having obtained ‘a Desmond’ (2:2 :p ) or higher. That said, we’re not hugely fussed so if you’re not a graduate or made an absolute balls-up of your degree, all is not lost. Experience of law is preferable, but not essential.

A word of warning: free-thinking and creative individuals need not apply – you’ll only get bored and give notice within a week, so let’s not waste each other’s time.

The successful candidate should very likely be a female, 18 to 30,* be dynamic, self-disciplined and able to work as a valued part of a team or individually with curves in all the right places, and an ample bosom.* _{*comments officially redacted following employment law advice (God knows why).}

We’re looking for a candidate with a "Strong Work Ethic" (note the capitals there – we copied it off of another job description so we’re assuming it’s a term of art..). Put another way, we are less keen on those who are sloppy, slapdash, couldn’t-give-a-toss kind of employees (but hey, in these tolerant days of non-discrimination, you might as well apply).

Competent telephone manner (see... only ‘competent’ ... we’re not asking the earth here). As long as you can pick up the phone when it rings, know how to dial numbers and speak (English), you should be fine. Plus, we’re not adverse to a bit of back-chat at Law Actually particularly when the moron on the other end of the line is ‘asking for it’.

The successful candidate must also be able to facilitate with ease with technical concepts and details of managing data for our projects to ensure that the client’s deliverables are on time and on budget. OK – scrap that. We don’t know what any of that means either.

(Oh, we don’t tolerate smokers by the way, so any fag-ash Lils or Lennies out there need not apply!).

Your role will include:

· Reading Google Reader subscriptions (it’s a kind of what-it-say-on-the-tin job description).

· ... and that’s about it.... there might be the odd errand you’ll be sent on.

Salary: Competitive (GRIN) negotiable. You should be keen to go above and beyond - working some months without pay.

This is a fulltime role (although flexibility is called for).

Perks include:

- use of a computer (with a cutting edge operating system Windows Vista – pronounced “veeee-sta” or so Huw Edwards claimed).
- Law Actually branded bumper stickers
- use of uni-sex toilets (we reserve the right to charge on a per-flush basis, though).

Law Actually is an equal opportunities employer (if anyone asks).

Please email your C.V. with a description saying why you think you’d be a good fit for the role to: jobs-for-suckers@lawactually.co.uk

Oh – and for the avoidance of doubt, this job DOES NOT EXIST. (Let’s call it a belated April fool).

Blogging, Blogs and Blog Posts

I like to think I’ve been a fully fledged blogger (you know, as distinct from a half-baked one) for quite a few years now.  I’ve always thought I was comfortable in using blogging terminology – comfortable in the sense I knew what it all meant. 

So, when I’m blogging, I update my blog (Law Actually) with blog posts (like this thing I’m writing).  I might update my blog by writing a blog post, but it doesn’t seem quite right that I “write a blog”.  Does it?

So, “to blog” is a verb, “a blog” is a noun (a portmanteau of web log) which is the whole shebang (i.e. the site), made up of individual “blog posts”.

So why do people seem to take delight in knocking the universe out of kilter by referring to “writing a blog” or even “doing a blog” (yes, really!) when what they mean is to write a blog post.  It just doesn’t sit quite right with me - no matter how much I try to ignore it.

So, have I got this horrifically wrong, are they wrong, or are we both right?   Or does it not even matter?  Please don’t say yes to the last one.

I am right on this, aren’t I?

It’s getting kind of quiet around here…

I’ve just been clearing out / sorting some more of my Google Reader subscriptions.  What the hell has happened to the ‘blawgosphere’? 

The legal bloggers who I always regarded as ‘old timers’ are looking a bit thin on the ground suddenly, and those who are still about, haven’t updated in a while.

I’m scared to speak too loudly in case it echoes! 

You’ll be telling me there’s tumbleweed rolling down the road next…

Ah – crap!

Another Law Actually Birthday

Yep. Another blogging birthday is ticked off.

I looked back at what I wrote a year ago and was depressed to realise it was more or less identical to what I planned to write this time.

So I just won’t bother.

I think I’ll go off and enjoy some Law Actually birthday cake instead. 

King’s Student Law Review

For those who aren’t in the know (and in the interests of karma), I thought it would be well worth flagging up the King’s Student Law Review, the existence of which I was alerted to recently.

So what’s the big deal?

Well, firstly, it’s an excellent peer-reviewed journal written by students for students everyone.

It describes itself as an:

online academic publication managed by students of the King's College London School of Law. The Review seeks to publish high-quality legal scholarship written by undergraduate and graduate students at King's and other leading law schools across the globe.

If you aren’t a King’s student and your law school has a law school magazine which is more like this, have no fear. The KSLR isn’t locked behind an expensive paywall; its open access policy means everyone can access and download the material completely free of charge – just as God intended. If you feel a bit funny accessing ‘free-as-in-free’ material, it’s also available via HeinOnline, for you old-school sticklers out there.

Either way, it’s well worth checking out.

Secondly, they’re accepting articles for publication.  Yep, all you law students out there – that’s where you come in.

Working on the basis that practise makes perfect, writing an article for the KSLR would provide you with a great opportunity to improve your legal writing whilst getting your name out there. Plus, for those undergraduates keeping an eye on the future (that’s more or less everyone, right?) it’s something else which might elevate your CV over those of your peers.

That’s not the only incentive, though, as for each edition, the author of the best judged article is awarded £250.

Oh yes. 

The requested word count for each article is between 5,000 to 10,000 words. Like I said, practise makes perfect.

Still, if that sounds a bit over-ambitious for you, submissions are also welcome for shorter pieces (around 1,000 words) for their various blogs in the following areas:

• European Law
• Legal Theory
• Human Rights
• Constitutional Law
• Commercial Law
• Criminal Law
• International Law
• Legal Practice, Procedure and Profession

Submissions for the next edition of the KSLR are due by 29th February 2012, 23:59 GMT, so, you know, you might want to get your skates on!

Submissions for the blogs are welcome at any time.

You can find submission guidelines on their website at http://www.kslr.org.uk/. 

While you’re at it, why not follow them on twitter via @KCLSLR, too?

Good for a giggle: Solicitors don’t solicit. Well, not in that way...

I still find it staggering just how bad some university websites are at marketing their courses, given their budgets and specialist marketing departments. What with the hikes in tuition fees, increasing doubt over the value of degrees and the fact that traditional law school prospectuses are going the same way as the Yellow Pages, the effectiveness of their websites has never been more crucial.

I should probably explain: I’ve visited loads of law school websites over the years. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one, when, as a procrastinating student stuck fast in the grips of a never-ending paper, I decided to research the authors of some of the materials I was citing. There’s nothing like a trawl through the staff profile pages of law school websites to while away a few minutes, (and if you can convince yourself it’s a productive use of time, so much the better). And don’t knock it until you’ve tried it; sometimes it even bears fruit.

It’s very refreshing, then, to see the University of Glamorgan adopting an aggressive stance embracing social media that isn’t (just) confined Facebook and Twitter. As part of their ‘Glam-Insight’ programme, they have bravely decided to let a selection of current students blog about their experiences of studying at the university.  The resident law student, Rachael, is in her 3rd year with aspirations of qualifying as a solicitor and is keen to offer up nuggets of wisdom along the way.

The latest post on ‘Rachael’s blog’ (sometimes the simplest names are the best) was an absolute corker.

From Rachael’sblog 02/01/12:

“To be a good lawyer, you need to spend some time out of the library”

Good stuff: always start with a quote … she could have almost been a pupil of the Law Actually school of blogging.

As for the sentiment behind the words, I think it’s the old ‘all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy for a boring CV’ message. Yep - that ol’ chestnut.

But wait - there’s more. Rachael’s got quite a way with words - in a laugh-out-loud kind of way.

Those are the words of advice given to me at a law fair a few weeks ago. At a first glance, such words seem quite dramatic – particularly in the context of soliciting.

In the context of WHAT, Rachael?!? Heavens above, girl!  Does your mother know about this?  I know the legal job market is grim at the moment but surely there’s no need to plan on breaking out the mini skirt, fishnet tights and red stilettos? And besides: that kind of get-up (and associated shenanigans) will almost certainly get you thrown out of the law library.

Rachael goes on:

However, today, the advice is invaluable. Of course, academic achievement is essential to being successful in law, but today, employers often look for ‘something special’ in their ideal candidate and thus place much importance on other aspects of your application as well as your grades.

I hope the ‘something special’ isn’t a euphemism. Graduates are desperate to land a training contract or pupillage at any price and senior partners might not be above taking advantage. And, fresh out of law school, there’s nothing worse than a Monika Lewinsky type of incident all over your new suit. (I mean: you could try claiming the dry cleaning bill back on expenses, but prevention’s better than cure and all that).

But I digress.

The moral of the story, then, children, is that proof reading is vital. Secondly, it seems there’s a bit more mileage left in blogs after all; maybe they’re now regarded as so old, they’re back in fashion. But perhaps most significantly of all, it’s that whilst solicitors do a lot of things (some good, some bad), most aren’t guilty of “soliciting”. (That sort of thing goes down very badly with the SRA).  I wonder what the official advice might be on this point?  Probably to confine it to the bedroom with your beau and to stay away from street corners.

Maybe there’s a practice note on this? 

A new broom sweeps clean

Well, that’s that then.

The Christmas decorations have been taken down at Law Actually HQ – both real and virtual. Our Christmas tree has been stripped naked and taken outside for me to operate on at a later date with a pair of secateurs and a saw.  It will eventually be fed into our garden composter – just as nature intended.

The Christmas-fied blog header, has been consigned to the dustbin. May it rot merrily in hell there. I was never overly keen on this year’s header (I think it shows). Oh well: must try harder in 11 months’ time.

I know it might be a bit early for a spring clean, but I’ve started to whittle away at some of the dead wood of blogs I linked to previously. Yes, you’re all allowed to groan at the awful mix of metaphors there.

I regard some of those blogs as dead because they’ve been removed entirely, have not been updated in ages or their authors have gone absent without official leave.  Harsh though it is, sometimes you’ve just got to have a clear out.

It would be easy to dwell on the number of blogs that I’ve removed and wax lyrical about what a dire state the blawgosphere is in. But January’s depressing enough already, so I won’t.