It’s hard for me to believe that I wrote my first Dewey B Strategic post on February 17, 2011. My intended goal was to highlight the
importance of librarians and knowledge managers as strategic assets in their organizations and to be an observer and possibly influencer in the legal publishing and legal tech marketplace. It has been a fantastically interesting ride. I have had a front row seat observing the development of dramatic new technologies. In 2011 the ground was being prepared for the growth of AI, analytics, powerful workflow tools and the invention of new classes of research tools e.g. brief analysis.
In 2011, my first product review was about Fastcase. I covered t the acquisition of BNA by Bloomberg and the collapse of Howrey, the innovative international law firm. I conducted a survey on the Best and Worst Legal Publishing Mergers. The PLL Summit was in its infancy and I covered Keynote, futurist Ester Dyson and a hilarious lunch talk by Esquire writer A.J. Jacobs the author of The Know it All: One mans humble quest to become the smartest person in the world.” (Inspired of course by his father — obsessive lawyer, treatise writer Arnold S. Jacobs). I also railed against ebooks for legal research (the 8 track tape of legal research) – yet they survive! Links to 2011 posts listed below.
Many Thanks I want to thank you – the readers for all your feedback over the years. Thank you to my informal posse of friends and proofreaders who spot my mistakes. Thanks the many bloggers who inspired me, especially Ron Friedmann and Prism Legal, Greg Lambert of Three Geeks and the Law, David Lat of Above the Law and the Law and Bob Ambrogi of Law Sites.
I also want to thank the many legal tech innovators (mostly former lawyers with a dream) who sat down for interviews and shared their frustrations and vision with me and the readers. Too many to mention.
Thanks to my many survey participants. I have conducted a number of surveys over the years. The annual “What’s Hot and What’s Not Survey” has become a staple and always results in a terrific series of summary posts highlighting the hits and misses in legal research and legal tech. You can respond to the 2020-21 survey here.
Its Been an Honor – Not only was I able to sustain the blog but over the years I have been honored with the Fastcase 50 Award, The ABA Blawg 100, The ABA Blawg 100 Hall of Fame, ABA Legal Rebel podcast, and the AALL Private Law Librarians Blogger of the Year.
Conferences – One of the most rewarding aspects of writing this blog has bee the opportunities I received to speak at law librarian conferences across the US and around the world. My universe was broadened with invitations to speak at Legal Tech , ILTA, Stanford CODEX, Ark conferences on KM, Competitive Intelligence, Business intelligence and Libraries. Janders Dean KM in London and Sydney. What a gift to meet so many inspiring colleagues across the globe.
Here is a flashback to what I was writing about in 2011: I wrote my first product review of Fastcase in March 2011, my most controversial post (Myth and the Madness) my most fun post (the Stolen Shakespeare First Folio) early surveys (What is core and Best and worst legal publishing mergers), my critique of ebook technology for legal research (Why are Law Book Publishers Pouring Digital Content into 19th Century Wineskins?)
“Vendor Sourcing” – Thinking the unthinkable as a strategic alternative to outsourcing
Outsourcing, Outrage or Opportunity? What is Core?
Centralization as a Value Strategy
Howrey’s Demise: When Being Innovative Isn’t Enough
Fastcase: Legal Research Enters the 4th Dimension or The Little Engine That Could …
The Myth and the Madness of Cost Effective Legal Research Training
Bloomberg Gets BNA’s Intellectual Capital in the Capitol!
“The Know it All” at the Library Convention, Esquire’s A.J. Jacobs, Makes Us Howl— Makes Us Think!
Bloomberg Law Takes on the Titans: An interview with Lou Andreozzi, Chairman of Bloomberg Law
The Worst Legal Publishing Merger – Can the Virtuous Circle be Un-broken?
eBooks: Why are Publishers Pouring Digital Content into 19th Century Wineskins?
The Votes Are In, Learn Why: Lexis Acquistion of Shepard’s Voted Best Legal Publishing Merger
Cost Effective Research Training Part Deux: The past, the present and the solutions.
