The LexBlog community closed out February with a batch of great posts and shot right out of the gates in March with more of the same. This week Alec Downing and Michelle Newblom bring you webinar recaps, welcome posts and  an interesting trademark case involving a public figure.


Alec’s Picks

Key Takeaways from New Universal Proxy Rules Webinar

Webinar recaps make for great blog posts—I should know, I wrote one about our most recent LexBlog Learns webinar. As I wrote my recap post, I recognized just how efficient Jay Knight and Scott Bell wrote the recap of their own webinar. They kept it concise, used bullets to condense information, include a helpful chart and link to a recording of the full webinar. You should never pass up an opportunity to turn things like webinars and podcasts into blog posts. Translating your knowledge to various mediums will only benefit you and your firm and this post is a prime example of that. Available at Bass, Berry & Sims’ Securities Law Exchange.

Squire Patton Boggs (US) LLP and CPW Welcomes Privacy Pro David Oberly

What better way to welcome a new member to your team than a blog post? Kristin Bryan does a great job introducing David Oberly to Squire Patton Boggs’ Data Privacy, Cybersecurity & Digital Assets Practice. This post is a great reminder that a law blog does not strictly have to contain posts about current events or legal issues. Sometimes it’s nice to pull back the curtain a bit and let your readers in on what’s happening at your firm. Available at Consumer Privacy World.

New Ontario “disconnecting from work” policy requirement

Blogging is a conversation between you and your readers and this post is a great example of how to effectively maintain that dialogue. It’s just three paragraphs, but in that space Tiffany O’Hearn Davies and Samantha Cass provide meaningful updates to Ontario-based clients of Norton Rose Fulbright. They directly tell readers about two items the firm is working on in regards to the Canadian province’s “disconnecting from work” policy requirement. One being a summary of recent guideline updates and the other being a template form of policy for their clients. By writing this quick update, the team at Norton Rose Fulbright demonstrate that they are being proactive on the issues important to their clients. That’s how you build trust through blogging. Available at Global Workplace Insider.


Michelle’s Picks

I’m not quite ready to declare the pandemic over, but I am ready to stop writing about it every single day

What a really honest, candid title and piece here from Jon Hyman. Hyman had rebranded his blog to the “Coronavirus Law Blog” nearly two years ago—a decision that was initially supposed to be short-term. He reflects on the COVID coverage he’s done since then—writing a whopping 320 posts—and what his publication will look like moving forward. I also have to include the final part of his post as it’s timely and conveyed perfectly:

A final thought. For the past two years, we have fought over masks, vaccines, temporary business closures, and remote schooling. Some labeled this as a fight for freedom. Now, however, we are all witnessing live on cable news and Twitter what a real war over freedom actually looks like. It sure makes our squabbles over whether to wear a piece of cloth over one’s nose and mouth look silly, doesn’t it?

Available at Ohio Employer Law Blog.

Does TRUMP Trademark Ruling Create First Amendment Exception That Is TOO BIG or TOO SMALL?

You normally can’t trademark someone’s name without that person’s consent, but the waters get a little murky when you’re dealing with a public figure and the trademark is viewed as an exercise of free speech critical of that public figure. Jim Flynn and Kevin Elkins co-author this great piece that walks through the story of someone trying to incorporate the word TRUMP into a trademark. It’s well-written, and most of all, extremely interesting. Available at Epstein Becker & Green’s Commercial Litigation Update.

Judge Rakoff: It Would “Chill Protected Speech” To Hold NY Times Liable for Careless, Quickly-Corrected Editorial About Sarah Palin

A big part of blogging is sharing other individuals’ voices with your readership. Charles Michael does exactly that here by providing direct quotes from Judge Rakoff who issued an opinion yesterday regarding the long-running defamation case brought by Sarah Palin against the New York Times. Michael also offers a link to previous posts from his firm Steptoe & Johnson that relate to the case—dating as far back as 2017. It’s very impressive that he has kept up with the topic for so long and by doing so, he has definitely built up a reputation. Available at SDNY Blog.

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.

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.