David Allen Green explains why and how he blogs and the power of blogging

David Allen Green (@DavidAllenGreen) (@JackofKent) began blogging in 2007, was shortlisted for the Orwell Prize for blogging in 2010 and longlisted in 2010. He began blogging for The New Statesman on law and policy and most recently moved to the FT, which I marked and covered here. During his representations to the Leveson Inquiry here, David Allen Green addressed the matter of social media and blogging. He sees himself as a modern-day pamphleteer:

"The elements of speed and self-publication in blogging make it, in my view, akin to pamphleteering... blogging is akin to pamphleteering, then it is pamphleteering with electronic footnotes."

He then explained how he blogs. He said:

"Jack of Kent is hosted on a straightforward and easy to use blog host website called "Blogger". I have no idea where the servers of Blogger are located. Anyone with internet access is able to create such a biog. The other main site for blogs is provided by "WordPress". Most bloggers who have not built their own website or blog on a commercial or group site tend to use either Blogger or WordPress. 

In essence, all I do is type into a field to create a "post" (or "blogpost") and, when finished, I press publish. The post is then published to the world and can be accessed by any person able to reach the Blogger site. It used to be that some minor technical knowledge of HTML code was required to blog, but increasingly one can prepare posts on "What you see is what you get" (or WYSIWYG) basis.

I usually file my posts for the New Statesman and The Lawyer by email, and they are uploaded by editorial staff."

Why he blogs:

"My usual approach to legal blogging is to take a legal matter - usually a live case or one just decided - and to explain the applicable law and procedure. I have no particular interest in academic law, but I am fascinated by just how certain cases end up in the courts or how legal items end up in the news. I blog often so as to promote the public understanding of law. As far as possible I seek to help the reader understand the relevant materials and I take full advantage of linking and the lack of a word count. I also work hard at making the layout of a blog page easy to read and scroll down... I am one of a number of legal bloggers (not all of whom are practicing lawyers) who promote the public understanding of law. Whilst we are careful never to provide legal advice, and always are mindful of any duties to the court and to any client, we use blogs to provide useful legal information and to direct people to original material."

He explained the power of blogging:

"From spring 2008 to spring 2010 Jack of Kent became popular for its detailed and accessible coverage of the libel claim brought against Simon Singh by the British Chiropractic Association. 

There was intense interest around the world in this case, especially in the scientific community, but no sources of reliable information and I was able to provide a responsible and informative commentary on the case, including links and the reproduction of materials, and also to host discussions as to where the case should go at certain set-backs. Those posts have been credited by Dr Singh’s solicitor and others as providing the basis for how support in that case was converted to a libel reform campaign which led to all three major parties committing to libel reform at the last general election."

David Allen Green's contributions to the Leveson Inquiry here. Jack of Kent blog here. His blog on The Financial Times here.

My blog post on David's move to the FT here. I also covered his take on social media regulation here. My other blog posts: One lawyer said that blogging makes him a better lawyer here; Editor of Legal Cheek talks legal blogging here; legal bloggers can learn from non-legal bloggers here; US law firms with blogs grow faster, see here; my blog on understanding blogging here; the blog is the home of the modern lawyer here; Andrew Sullivan on how blogging has enormous depth here; UK legal blogger was cited in High Court judgement here; the state of legal blogging via Brian Inkster here; why you need to blog with Andrew Sullivan and Matt Yglesias here; separation of blog from website here; why lawyers can't blog here; scientists use social media and blogs and so should lawyers here.

My post for Legal Tech here, 'Legal Blogging: Understanding the Form.' My blog on Defero Law on 'blog versus blog post' here and on the lessons we can learn from non-law bloggers here.

Richard Susskind on the lawyer's pushback against technology and new media here, here and on the lawyer's email hysteria here.

John Cooper QC on the lawyer's adoption of new media here.

Adam Wagner, "the very definition of a modern lawyer", gives his take on social media and blogging here.