Nothing like a blog from a public body corporate to really fire the imagination, eh? If you can’t (as we can’t) take sides on hot issues, why bother, you may well ask.
Well, here’s the point: who better to compile a daily quick summary of news and observations on issues of immediate interest to Michigan lawyers than an organization that has a close and constant view of both the national picture and local and specialty bars in Michigan, as well as of the work of the Michigan Supreme Court, legislature, and governor’s office? We already provide you with the e-Journal and daily newsletter. SBM Blog adds insights from the blogosphere and is updated 'round the clock. Although we will stick scrupulously to the constitutional requirement that we not take positions on ideological issues not related to core concerns of the legal profession, as required by AO 2004-1, our goal is to alert you to the most interesting ideas and developments about the profession and the law in a concise and entertaining way.
A special impetus for launching the blog at this time is the work of the Judicial Crossroads Task Force. The Task Force seeks to lay out a path to protect and advance the work of the judicial branch of government in the face of the enormous fiscal challenges and transformational changes facing the state. We need to hear as many of our members’ voices as possible and SBM Blog will be an important vehicle for receiving input.
The most difficult question we’ve grappled with in creating SBM Blog is how to handle reader comments. Here’s where we’ve come down, to start: We welcome your comments and encourage you to comment early and often. We will read all comments and will forward all comments associated with the Judicial Crossroads Task Force mission to its members for their consideration. But we will not, at least initially, post the comments. We may feature your comment in a subsequent posting, but not without your advance permission.
Some of what we will feature is news that has appeared for decades in the Michigan Bar Journal: disciplinary orders, changes in court rules, and death notices for lawyers. The blog just moves that information forward in an immediate fashion and allows for member input. Some of what we’re planning is brand new. As executive director, I am taking on the responsibility of chief blogger, but you will encounter a variety of voices.
The most important voice in this undertaking will be yours. The blog will evolve based on your feedback. Welcome!
Submit your comments: [email protected]
