In the world’s best Christmas movie (other than Scrooged, of course), Kris Kringle — sitting in the Santa Claus chair at Macy’s flagship store — sends a mother to the Acme Toy Store on 46th Street to find the toy fire engine her son wanted but Macy’s didn’t carry. Kris says “I follow the toy market pretty closely.”
Editing an employment law blog, I follow blogs on employment law and on writing the same way: pretty closely. Like Kris, I want to offer my favorites in case my friends and I haven’t covered the toy fire engine that you were looking for. Maybe, it’s at Gimbels or one of these fine stores:
Legal Developments In Noncompetition Agreements
Ken Vanko’s blog is lives up to the promise in its title; it is also smart and droll (which is a compliment if you like Oscar Wilde). Consider this opening for a recent post:
Jurors called to serve look forward to the possibility of drawing an exciting (even if tragic) case.
Non-compete cases are not exciting.
At least by the average layperson’s standard.
This is why the specter of a jury trial may cause parties to rethink whether to take the case to trial.
Screw You Guys, I’m Going Home
Donna Ballman had me with her blog title (which is probably an unrequited crush since she’s a plaintiff’s lawyer). Her recent series – “State With Pro-Employee Laws” – will teach even veteran employment lawyers something new.
From June to October, Andrew Frisch went silent. But, he’s back with excellent judgment on what cases are important and straightforward summaries of why those cases. He’s a plaintiff’s lawyer but can’t I like Russian literature without being Russian?
Hanging out with the smart kids is important to get the unusual perspectives. Their analysis of the NLRB’s recent decision in Purple Communications is not only short but also incisive; it blows away the crap dropped everywhere else on this case.
Figures Of Speech Fresh Served
Jay Heinrichs isn’t a lawyer, much less an employment lawyer. He’s merely a demigod of argument. His book — Thank You For Arguing – should be on every lawyer’s bookshelf next to Judge Aldisert’s Logic For Lawyers. His current post is proof enough: “How Do You Begin An Argument” (December 5, 2014).
Bryan Garner is insufferable. . Unfortunately, sometimes he is right such as his recent distinction between “lawsuit” and “complaint.” Besides, reading his blog is like a shot of pure adrenaline for anyone who likes to argue. When coffee doesn’t work, reading a snoot will.
The California Employment Law Blog
Steve Pearl’s resume says that he has been a defense lawyer and a plaintiff’s lawyer before becoming a mediator and writing a book on California wage-hour law. Every state has its nuances but California is all oddities for those of who, like the Joads, travel there from elsewhere. Pearl’s blog is the Lonely Planet guide for non-California employment lawyers.
The International Employment Lawyer
Most of us ain’t got enough stamps in our passports to attempt this without help. Ute Krudewagen’s blog makes the list not because she too works at DLA but because she doesn’t say so: her blog is that rarity — a genuine effort from someone with a fine collection of passport stamps to help US lawyers to understand employment law on a global basis rather than gin up more business for its author.
Only one of my choices made the ABA’s list of 8 employment law blogs. Y’all are welcome to check which one and to read the other 7 to see if you find the qualities there that that I missed: all competent but none with enough flair or flash to make my regular reading list.