Ten years ago — July 1, 1999 — I put up the first post in this space. You can read the first fifteen days’ worth of posts here.
Thanks for the congratulations and kind words that have been coming in:
- Patrick, Popehat: “Here’s to ten more years for Overlawyered. And may your name never be featured there.”
- Scott Greenfield, Simple Justice: “That’s 10 years of holding lawyers’ feet to the fire. Thank you!” [Twitter]
- Social-media champion Kevin O’Keefe, of the LexBlog empire: “Don’t always agree, but inspired me to blog.” [Twitter]
- Eric Turkewitz of New York Personal Injury Law Blog has an exceedingly generous post that notes my interest in linking to views from across the conventional divide. I hope I succeed in living up to his high praise.
- Carter Wood, NAM “ShopFloor”: “the Web’s single most effective puncher-of-holes in the excesses of the litigation industry”.
- Ron Miller, Maryland Injury Lawyer Blog: “You always feel like you are getting his thoughtful views as opposed to a knee jerk ‘party platform’ opinion.”
- David Bernstein, Volokh Conspiracy: “I think it was the first legal blog, and I know it’s still one of the best.”
- Cathy Gellis (Statements of Interest): “Blog so old he used to post with typewriter and carbon paper ;)”
- Robert Ambrogi, Law.com “Legal Blog Watch”: “That is a full decade of chronicling the abuses and excesses of the litigation system, of commentary that is consistently cutting and wry. I may not always agree with Walter Olson, but I sure as heck always read him.”
- Mickey Kaus, Slate “Kausfiles”: “The high process costs of litigation are what lawyers — for obvious reasons — habitually leave out of their let’s-have-notice-and-a-hearing-for-everything reasoning. One thing Olson does is to put them back in.”
- And more: Doctor Wes of the eponymous blog [Twitter], Steven Cohen’s LibraryStuff, Spada (U.K.) Swordplay, Wise Law Blog (Toronto), Milwaukee Federalists, Ron Coleman/Likelihood of Confusion, and Christopher Robinette at TortsProf.
27 Comments
Happy B-Day Overlawyered!
Happy birthday!
Bob
These birthday wishes in no way constitutes an offer to provide, ensure or otherwise warantee any emotional state, nor does the offer assume any risk that might be thereby entailed. This offer is for entertainment purposes only, nor does wisher claim any value to these wishes. These wishes may not be transferred, vended or sold without permission of wisher under penalty of law. The acceptance of these wishes constitutes agreement to this contract, stated or implied, including, not limited to an agreement of due care on the part of the wishee, acceptance of risk on the part of the wishee, agreement to the terms and limitations of such transfers under the laws of the locality wishee resides in, assumption of the risk of failure or ancillary agreements. Wishee agrees that he has read the warning list that may or may not be available at some location and assumes those risks and any that may or may not be added to later under relevant regulation, legislation or case law. Wishee agrees to arbitration under any dispute of the terms of this transfer and assumes all costs associated with this wish including taxes, service fees, shipping and handling fees, carbon footprint fees and tipping the delivery man. Void where prohibited by law.
congrats. i sometimes wonder if you guys are trying to bail out the pacific ocean with a thimble, but keep fighting the good fight. 🙂
Btw, this seems to be more a case of overregulation than overlawyering, but the bar associations are pushing back against new federal rules that would require everyone who bills for their work to check for identity theft. http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202431910679&FTC_Rule_on_Identity_Theft_Draws_Strong_Criticism_From_Bar_Groups
btw, if adopted this rule would mean that literally every person who bills for services after the fact would be required to check for identity theft. which is probably about 90% of working americans. i mean seriously who is paid at literally the same instant as they render services?
and sorry for the ugly html. i didn’t realize it would do that.
Around the web, July 1…
My other blog, Overlawyered, turns ten years old today — so far as anyone knows, the oldest weblog on law [Overlawyered] Look before you leap, guys: report for British courts suggests weakening loser-pays rule for class/collective actions [Hartley] Y…
Happy Birthday!
OL not just the oldest, but the best.
Thanks
Walter: Congratulations on a decade of public service in bringing fascinating and important news stories to light…and for being a pioneer on the internet.
Wishing you many more years of success, good health and good fortune, Sam Singer
Happy 10th Anniversary to Overlawyered.com:…
Overlawyered, founded by my friend Walter Olson, turns ten today. I think it was the first legal blog, and I know it’s still one of the best….
Bravo. Viva il Overlawyered.com!
While The Gang at f/k/a insisted (for a mere six years) that lawyers do right by their clients, Overlawyered has insisted for a decade that lawyers do right by their society. I don’t always agree with your conclusions, but I continue to admire your stamina, commitment, clarity, and prolificacy.
[…] Walter Olson, happy 10th anniversary of Overlawyered.com, the Web’s single most effective puncher-of-holes in the excesses of the litigation […]
Happy 10th Birthday!
10 years? Well, may there be many, many more for your wonderful site.
Happy Birthday! This was the first legal blog I started following, I believe.
Walter.
Congratulations. Proud to be a fan!
-tr
Wow, ten years of blogging. You are a glutton for punishment! Happy Blogging Birthday!
Ten years?
You don’t look a day over 9 years old.
Congratulations!
I arrived here only a few months ago from a linked article from I think Ace of Spades. I’ve only posted a couple of times- the old “better to keep your mouth shut…” comes to mind. But I’ve gotten to where I like coming here- it’s entertaining, and I’ve learned a few things. All that to add to the chorus for a happy 10th.
…Void where prohibited by law.
Bob, you forgot to add “Your mileage may vary.” Now I’m going to sue for return of my subscription fee. 🙂
Congrats – you’re one of my must-reads!
Congrats indeed. I can verify that you wrote a life-changing blog.
[…] Congrats Posted in Blogs | Trackback | del.icio.us | Top Of Page […]
[…] other news … Congratulations to Overlawyered who turns 10 today! And in some very interesting news … the Possible body of the Apostle Paul […]
On the occasion of a birthday, a famous Owl once wrote on A Useful Pot To Put Things In: “HIPY PAPY BTHUTHDTH THUTHDA BTHUTHDY”
Congress seems to believe that my copy of this book (reprint 1961) is not fit to pass on to a child of 10. Thank you (for your other posts too, not just for blogging about the CPSIA) and Happy Birthday to Overlawyered.
Congratulations on your 10th anniversary–proof that you were way ahead of the curve.
As a German lawyer I work in a legal system where even probably 90% of all PI lawyers tend to agree to almost all of your views – and I learn a lot from you (and from the NY PI law blog, too) about litigation in the U.S., and I enjoy reading this blog every time! – Thank you a lot! Happy birthday!
congratulations! It is all I can do to generate a weekly newsletter of case summaries for our clients. I can only surmise you do not sleep, or if you do it is for an hour or two maximum. I read and forward links from Overlawyered on a daily basis, and look forward to doing so for a long time. Let us know if you get down to Central Florida. Would love to buy you a beer or three.
[…] of?) that, lawyers make up a large share of our most loyal and valued readers. Overlawyered just celebrated its tenth anniversary, which so far as I know (though someone may come along to prove me wrong) makes it the oldest blog […]