Posted In: Research, Intelligence & Data Science
How and Where Do You Get Your News, Future Law Firm Leaders?
Finding reliable, real-time news sources and creating good habits to constantly monitor these outlets can be overwhelming for many young professionals. It took me a long time to identify my list of favored resources (tailored to the legal industry) and means to access this list in real time. This blog is aimed at young lawyers/future law firm leaders who are still trying to figure out where they can find reliable news, on the go, in the way they want it.
I must caveat that as a millennial, I prefer to get my news on the go – I am constantly checking various ‘rapid-fire’ news applications on my phone & email throughout the day. Also, my wife and I recently cut the cord and do not subscribe to any major news publications, so it became critical that I find a routine that works for me. This may be a millennial thing, but I am satisfied having everything I need on demand – quite literally – in the palm of my hand (my phone).
Over the past few years I’ve reviewed many news sources and means of accessing these sources. I have seen how easy it is to lose valuable time in the day due to a never-ending avalanche of news. To remain efficient, I’ve narrowed my list to a small group of applications and email blasts that I rely on to save me time and keep me informed.
My list of go-to news sources and how I access them**:
- Reuters iPhone Application (for major world news) –
- Reuters (@reuters) – This is, by far, my favorite source for news, as it is incredibly unbiased. Reuters reports only the facts and covers both world and domestic news focusing on business, politics, technology, markets, etc. I read the Reuters ‘wire’ (a collection of the latest news organized by headline) on and off all day as time permits.
- Twitter – I follow specific law firms and various legal blogs/news outlets such as –
- Bloomberg Big Law (@BigLawBiz) – Covers anything and everything related to the business of law, specifically focusing on large firms and corporate law departments (current events, M&A, tech, editorials, politics, etc.)
- JD Supra (@JDSupra) – This is a great resource for general legal intelligence, news related to specific types of law, and current events. What I like about it is you can tailor the news feed to choose those topics that are greatest interest to you.
- Law360 (@Law360) – This is my resource for updates on major legal industry specific news including mergers (law firm and non-law firm), lateral movements, and the impact new regulations will have on firms.
- Pitchbook (@PitchBook) – ‘The Daily Pitch’ keeps me up to date on the top stories and trends in Venture Capital, Private Equity, and M&A.
- Above the Law (@atlblog) – While ATL does have opinion pieces and is a bit “gossipy”, it does a good job with some developing law firm news (inside scoops) and salary information.
- The American Lawyer (@AmericanLawyer) – A classic resource for lawyers – focuses on the business of law throughout the world, covering firms of all shapes and sizes.
- News related to the markets – domestic & international
- Bloomberg Markets Morning Blast – I get a daily email report on the top five major stories (U.S. related) of the day, which tend to be market related.
- Local News (I am based in Chicago)
- Crain’s Chicago – Morning 10 & Afternoon Wrap – This keeps me informed about Illinois and Chicago’s political and economic current events, as well as Chicago and Cook County’s latest taxes (kidding…kind of). Note – Crain’s publishes this type of information in most major cities.
- Reddit (more so for personal interests and fun)
- Reddit is a user driven platform that aggregates and organizes news, articles, opinions, and vigorous discussions by topic. Reddit is not solely for news – it also aggregates videos, memes, and a collection of other items. Reddit is incredibly popular amongst millennials and has become the 8th most trafficked website in the world. There is plenty of pointless drivel on the site, but I enjoy the fact that there is minimal advertising and that I can filter my home page to weed out topics I am not interested in.
I am most interested in sources that report unbiased facts so I can reach my own conclusions with respect to the legal industry and our clients. While biases exist everywhere, I find these sources (above) to be relatively fair and “spin-free” (except Reddit, which you must be very careful using as its content is entirely user driven). Another caveat is that it is critical to develop a list of sources while taking into consideration the industry and specific clients you serve. Following certain industry associations and trade press may be invaluable for young lawyers seeking to gain a competitive advantage against their peers.
The business of law continues to evolve at a very rapid pace and staying on top of the news – both general and legal-related – will help each of us stay informed, current, and valuable as advisors. While your sources may vary from mine, we both need to stay focused and regimented. Otherwise, we’ll have no time to advise our clients.
**Note – the inclusion/exclusion of any site reflects the personal preference of the author and does not reflect an endorsement or any official position by The LawVision Group.
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