I’ve been talking about law reviews/journals versus blog publishing software for sometime.

The week before last, I blogged that a case can be made that blogs should replace law reviews as the leading form of legal publishing.

On Friday, I noticed that my friends, and long standing legal tech leaders, Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell discussed my blog post, and blogs versus law reviews, on their widely listened to podcast.

My discussion here is as much about the need to listen effectively on the net as it as law blogs versus law reviews.

After all, it wasn’t like Tom and Dennis called me up and said “listen to our podcast, we’re talking about some things you discussed. You’ll want to listen.”

I found out about their podcast discussion by listening to the word, “publishing” from credible sources.

How so? I monitor the word “publishing” on Feedly.

Skimming through the headlines, including those for podcast introductions, this morning, I saw a headline regarding the publishing of law reviews versus blogs. Sure grabbed my attention.

The headline stopped me in my tracks when I saw it was from the Legal Talk Network, a network of legal podcasts.

It was a real pleasant surprise to see that the podcast referenced was the Kennedy-Mighell Report. And even more so to hear them reference my blog post as the impetus for their discussion.

I learned a bunch from their podcast discussion.

  • That the issue of blogs versus law reviews is a valid one.
  • How I should be framing the discussion.
  • The challenges for each blogs and law reviews in this regard.
  • Other forms of legal publishing to consider.

A discussion (more learning for me) then ensued with an exchange between Mighell and I on Twitter. He replied to a point I made on Twitter to something he said during the podcast.

The vast majority of lawyers look at blogging, social media and podcasts as a way to broadcast. To get heard. To build an audience.

The good stuff though can be in what you hear by listening. Listening to the general conversation, and listening to people replying to what you say.

The highlight of my day, last Friday, was seeing that Kennedy and Mighell picked up on what I was saying and what I learned in response.

All from listening to the conversation.

By the way, listen to their podcast on the subject. It’s good.