October is in full swing and we’ve already seen a slew of high-quality posts from the LexBlog community. Alec and Michelle from our publishing team have picked a handful of their favorites and as always are breaking down what makes each one so great. This week we’re featuring posts that highlight a minimum wage increase in Ontario, demonstrate the value of interview posts and take a look ahead at pro bono week.


Michelle’s picks

What You Need to Know About Donating Art to Charity

We always say that niche blogs are the key to success—and niche posts can fall into that same category. Renee Kroesch authors this specific post on donating art to charity—specifically how tax deductions work in these scenarios. She organizes this post well, separating it into sections based on substantiation requirements, percentage limitations and other rules that may potentially apply. Blog posts such as this that are relevant to precise occasions are much-needed, as clear information on the topic is less likely to exist. When you’re constantly covering general, broad topics, your posts may get lost in the tens of others that already exist. Available at Pannell Kerr Forster of Texas PC’s The CPA Desk.

How Are You Giving Back? Opportunities to Celebrate Pro Bono Week 2021!

Pro bono work is one of the most selfless and important parts of the legal world. In advance of 2021 Pro Bono Week (October 24-20), Laura Bagby has highlighted some opportunities specific to Illinois. She organizes her post by each day and the most relevant events taking place. This is an extremely helpful post, as Bagby provides links to registration when available, times that certain events are taking place and encourages others to share any events she may have missed. Not all legal posts need to be centered around news updates or legal matters—this is a great example of a post that will prove beneficial to the target audience. Available at Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism’s 2Civility Blog.

Even as Pandemic Wanes, Remote Depositions Remain the New Normal

It’s interesting to reflect on the past 18-20 months and see how different industries have changed during that period. For the legal industry specifically, as Peter Sluka points out, remote depositions have cemented their status as the new normal. This post is chalk-full of really great insights and Sluka does a good job hyperlinking to all of the mentioned information. He uses block quotes and bullets when necessary to break the post up and make it easier on the eye. A really interesting and well-organized blog post. Available at Farrell Fritz’s New York Commercial Division Practice.


Alec’s picks

Minimum Wage Increase in Ontario

Emily Siu has done an excellent job carving out a niche for herself. She covers employment and business developments in Ontario, Canada and in her latest post gives an overview of the province’s recent minimum wage increase. Siu anticipates the kinds of questions employers will be asking, lays them out and then answers them in clear terms. She additionally links to helpful resources both outside and within her firm. As always, Siu does an excellent job keeping her post concise and informative—if you’re an employer in Ontario you should be reading her posts. Available at Spring Law’s Employment & Human Rights Law in Canada.

Courts Rule That AI Inventorship Can Rust in Peace

Could artificial intelligence be legally considered an inventor? According to a U.S. District Court the answer is “no.” Alaina Lakawicz looks into this fascinating topic—which sounds like borderline science fiction—and breaks down how this ruling fits into the larger legal landscape. Lakawicz provides necessary context alongside her breakdown of the ruling. She also makes it clear that this ruling is not the end of this legal debate over AI inventorship. If Lakawicz writes more on this subject she is a voice you can trust. Available at Baker & Hostetler LLP’s IP Intelligence.

Making Peace in Mediation – A Conversation with Daniel Spector

Interview posts are something we here at LexBlog recommend all legal bloggers give a shot at some point. Writing one is relatively straightforward since the majority of the article will be the words of your interviewee. They also provide a great opportunity to network with those in your firm or even those outside of it. Jeffrey Galvin gives us a great example at just how simple one of these posts can be as he interviews his colleague from the California Lawyers Association, Daniel Spector. Galvin writes a simple introductory paragraph introducing Spector and then allows Spector to take provide his thoughts on a variety of topics related to his work mediating trust and estate disputes. He asks specific and interesting questions that allow Spector to demonstrate his own expertise and make for an engaging post. Available at Downey Brand LLP’s Trust on Trial.

Photo of Alec Downing Alec Downing

Alec is an intern on LexBlog’s publishing team where he creates content for the company’s various digital platforms. A former radio news anchor, Alec brings both a background in journalism and a passion for law. His writing has been published in The Seattle…

Alec is an intern on LexBlog’s publishing team where he creates content for the company’s various digital platforms. A former radio news anchor, Alec brings both a background in journalism and a passion for law. His writing has been published in The Seattle Times and Crosscut.

Photo of Michelle Newblom Michelle Newblom

Michelle works on LexBlog’s Publishing team and assists in managing and creating the company’s editorial and social content, as well as working with clients to ensure the overall success of their blogs. She has experience working in all different realms of publishing—including newspapers,

Michelle works on LexBlog’s Publishing team and assists in managing and creating the company’s editorial and social content, as well as working with clients to ensure the overall success of their blogs. She has experience working in all different realms of publishing—including newspapers, magazines and research journals. Michelle has published a poetry book and been featured in an anthology.