The Canadian Bar Association’s National magazine recently ran a short article on the benefits to lawyers of publishing a law blog. Our blog and its editor (yours truly) were featured and quoted.

The focus of the piece was using social media to improve lawyers’ bottom lines but one important aspect of running a law blog was missed.

In addition to being an effective marketing tool, a fun creative outlet and a great way of connecting with clients and prospective clients, blogging allows lawyers to provide a free but valuable information resource to people needing current, specialized information to make their lives easier. It also provides a proverbial soap box for demanding necessary changes. Providing these kinds of resources serves a purpose greater than simple law firm marketing. It helps lawyers fulfil their obligation to serve the public by promoting awareness of relevant legal news and issues, distributing useful, practical information, advocating sensible legislative change and enhancing access to justice.

At the Canadian Bar Association annual conference earlier this month in Halifax, Governor General David Johnston, a lawyer himself, reminded us that the legal profession has a “social contract” with society. In return for self-regulation and a monopoly over the practice of law, he said, “We are duty bound” to improve justice and serve the public good.

We completely agree.

After nearly three years of running this blog and hosting tens of thousands of unique visitors, it remains our great pleasure to publish content that we hope you think is informative, entertaining and educational. We will also continue to use this blog as a platform for positive change that benefits the condominium community. While we might periodically ruffle some feathers along the way, being clear and bold is often required to effectively make an important point and we will not shy away from calling things as we see them.

Of course, this work is made much more enjoyable and personally satisfying from the interaction with the people who read this blog. Sincere thanks to our readers, both regular and occasional, to people who share our work with friends or colleagues, and to all of you that submit comments, ideas and other feedback.