The internet is a place where information is available at the click of a button. Blogs and websites form an integral part of information dispensation and constitute a significant portion of Indian legal data. Law is transient, and therefore, there is a lot of scope for lacunae, practical issues and interpretation, thereby, making legal blogging a brilliant platform to discuss these aspects and share a professional opinion with a large number of readers, not only in India but beyond the borders. Blogs and websites, some of which deal with Indian case laws, also help readers enhance their understanding of the subject as well as develop a sense of critical thinking. The following are some of the legal blogs dealing with law in general which are helpful to law students and lawyers alike:
MONDAQ
A comprehensive online resource of expertise and knowledge related to legal, financial and regulatory information from over 70 countries, Mondaq is one of the most multi-faceted online legal search portals which covers a majority of topics related to law. With a specific segment for Indian law and eminent contributors such as Trilegal, IndusLaw etc., Mondaq is a multi-disciplinary online source which helps readers comprehend subject-matter transparently and holistically. Mondaq is an online legal search portal which caters to a range of topics and has a large amount of Indian legal data, from the most basic articles to highly specific issues on a particular subject. Therefore, it aids in building a lucid understanding of the law. It is exceedingly beneficial to legal professionals, especially students and interns who are beginning their journey in the profession.
FIRM-RUN BLOGS
Law is a combination of theory and practice, and lawyers are probably the most equipped to bridge the gap between the statutory law and the practical problems faced during application of these laws. One fruitful way of bringing the issues to the forefront and starting a dialogue to solve such issues is by writing blogs. Various legal firms have their blogs which discuss a variety of aspects related to law, such as amendments and their implication, Indian legal cases along with their critical analyses and impact, pending bills in the Parliament while projecting the effect if passed as an Act, etc.
Mostly all big legal firms have their own blogs, which contain well-researched articles written by their associates and partners. These blogs are critical as they voice the industry perspective of legal issues and provide in-depth analysis of Indian legal data. Firms such as Cyril Amarchand and Mangaldas (cyrilamarchandblogs.com), Nishith Desai and Associates (nishithdesai.com), etc. have brilliant blog posts and articles discussing very relevant issues concerning the current scenario in the industry be it tax law, corporate law, competition law or any other branch of law. These posts are written by experts in the field and therefore, help the readers understand the nuances involved in law. Most of these firms follow the philosophy that learning is only enhanced when shared, and they take research and development very seriously. It is, therefore, advisable for students and interns to follow these blogs to keep themselves updated with the changes taking place in the field from an industry-based practical perspective.
LEGAL NEWS RELATED BLOGS
Anybody who is in the legal field knows the importance of being up-to-date with the recent development in the area. Every day there are new Indian case laws which contribute to the transience in law. Therefore, it becomes crucial to follow the news and trends to be well-aware.
Specific law-news related blogs and websites such as barandbench.com and live law (livelaw.in) cater to this need of the readers. They report important judgments and Indian case laws which greatly impact the legal scenario in India. These legal websites and online legal search portals also have their apps which notify the subscribers when a new post or blog is updated in their respective sites.
These websites and blogs not only report news related to law, but they also conduct interviews of luminaries as well. Many times, when a landmark judgment is given with a different out-of-the-box interpretation, the interviews of judges and lawyers help to understand such judgments in a cohesive manner. Therefore, these websites help young minds keep themselves updated and well-informed.
LEGITEYE
Law is transient in nature. The deeper we probe into it, the more dimensions and nuances are discovered and more enriched we become in terms of knowledge. This is the philosophy behind legiteye, which is coming up as a leading law blog in the industry. It encourages academicians, lawyers, judges, experts in the industry to think and write about issues that are relevant to the current scenario. By opening a platform for dialogue, Legitquest attempts to contribute to the development of law.
ONLINE LEGAL SEARCH PORTALS
There are various online search portals which also maintain their own blogs. One such blog is that of SCC Online, which is known for its Indian legal database and case laws. The blog not only features articles but also publishes case briefs which are incredibly beneficial for the readers.
2. Blogs and Websites Related to Specific Branches of Law
Blogs provide a medium for the members of the legal community to write about the current trends in law, its development, criticise the loopholes, and discuss viable solutions with a broad reader base. There are some general blogs which deal with all sub-areas of law, but there are some which are highly specific and cater to a particular category. The most prominent advantage of these blogs is that the articles are thoroughly researched and written by experts. They cover the smallest of topics which come within the ambit and scope of their specialisation. Some of the well-known and renowned blogs are as follows:
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) refers to the general term for the assignment of property rights through patents, copyrights and trademarks. It is a specific branch of law with its own set of complexities. SpicyIP is a renowned blog which widely caters to IP laws and its intricacies.
CORPORATE LAW
IndiaCorpLaw is a legal blog which deals mostly with corporate laws. A lot of guest articles are written by students of law who are passionate about the subject and have the knack for writing and research. Therefore, it is a brilliant platform for students and lawyers who wish to showcase their writing and research skills.
ARBITRATION
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is the use of methods such as mediation, negotiation and arbitration to resolve a dispute without resorting to litigation. Court cases are lengthy processes, and therefore, ADR is the future of dispute resolution as parties want speedy dispute resolution mechanisms. As more businesses are resorting to ADR, especially arbitration, some practical issues keep coming up. To discuss these problems and come up with viable solutions, Kluwer Arbitration Blog is one of the best in the industry.
Kluwer Arbitration Blog caters to the need of the industry and the articles deal with arbitration as well as other forms of dispute resolution. It is one of the most renowned names when it comes to research related to ADR. For a student or legal practitioner dealing with ADR cases, it greatly aids in legal research.
LEGAL RESEARCH
Legal research is a skill that every individual in the legal community has to have – students, lawyers, and judges et al. Therefore, it becomes extremely important to continually hone this skill set and improve research methodology for better quality and efficiency. Legitquest is an online legal search portal with an enormous Indian legal database of case laws which enhances the effectiveness of legal research. However, it also has a blog which caters specifically to legal research and methodology which aims to aid and improve the research skills of students and lawyers alike.
CONCLUSION
Articles, Indian case laws, interviews of luminaries are all available on online legal search portals making legal research a lot easier than it used to be before the advent of the internet and the blogging culture. The access to Indian legal data is no longer an impediment. Lawyers and students greatly benefit from these sites which keep them updated and well-informed, thereby sharpening their skills which are required in the industry. The impact of these blogs and websites cannot be denied. Therefore, it becomes even more imperative to continue maintaining the quality of such blogs while inculcating the culture of research and debate in the young minds in the legal fraternity.
