Under The Influence

While I can't link you to the Daily Journal's sixth annual list of California's 100 most influential lawyers, I can at least congratulate several esteemed jurists,

• Janice Rogers Brown


• Ronald M. George


• Alex Kozinski


• Carlos R. Moreno


• Dorothy W. Nelson


• Stephen R. Reinhardt

and academics,

• Erwin Chemerinsky


• Joseph A. Grundfest


• Larry Lessig


• Pamela Samuelson


• Joseph L. Sax


• Kathleen M. Sullivan

one favorite securities law instructor (who I understand has quite a little law practice on the side),

• Larry Sonsini

one prior co-counsel,

• Tom Malcolm

and one prior opposing counsel, in the same case,

• John Keker

for the well-deserved recognition they have received.

According to the DJ, this list is selected by vote of the California legal community. Oh, and Judge Kozinski knows poultry:

The judge, known for penning New Yorker magazine pieces and distinctive 9th Circuit opinions, raises six or seven chickens in his Palos Verdes Peninsula backyard. (Reportedly, he has enough land to keep the chickens happy and his neighbors on the hill from tarring and feathering him.) Kozinski's breeds include black giant, longhorn, Sebright Bantam, Sulton and two of a rarer breed called Dorkings.

I wonder if the good judge's expertise extends to turkeys? (No cracks, please, about the ones who from time to time address his Court.)

I also wonder if this is the first year the list includes a blawger (I think so), and if how much the ranks will grow by 2004? (My money's on Pam Samuelson.)

Today's New Blawg

Joshua Smith, an intellectual property associate at Wildman Harrold in Illinois with an adorable family, writes UnSecure Privacy. [Via the Blawg Ring] Joshua's blawg is not yet a month old, but already features some excellent and timely posts on computer security, RFID, "SCO v. The World," and privacy in underwear purchases. (Have I mentioned lately that I love the law?)

Listings in the Blawg Ring appear to have crossed the 300 mark over the weekend. Way to go, JCA!

Places I Might Go In November (If I Could Still Fly)

November 3-5, New York, NY: AD:TECH, which will have a bunch of interesting sessions, including John Battelle's on e-communities.

November 7, Vancouver, BC: The Pacific Legal Technology Conference, which will have a bunch of interesting sessions, but nothing at all on e-communities.

Crushing Good Times

The Rock Paper Scissors 2003 International Championships took place over the weekend in Koolhaus, Toronto: "Congratulations Rob Krueger: 2003 Molson Canadian Rock Paper Scissors Champion of the world. ... Check the major networks for coverage. [!] RPSchamps.com will offer a full breakdown of the matches shortly."

As Howard has already noted, Daily Journal staff writer Tyler Cunningham has two excellent articles on blawging in today's issue. That characterization isn't solely a function of the fact I'm quoted, nicely talked about, etc.; in fact, I bring them up here for three entirely different reasons:

• They note this blawg's tendency to discuss things like, oh, Rock Paper Scissors: "[Howell] writes about intellectual property law and technology, interspersed with material about everything from T.S. Eliot to rock-paper-scissors strategy."


• They feature Eugene Volokh, who has not one but two posts today about, you guessed it, Rock Paper Scissors. (Also featured are Judge Kozinski, Justice Bedsworth, Howard Bashman, Bret Fausett, J. Craig Williams, Rick Hasen, Jennifer Granick, Holland & Hart/Greg Piche, First Amendment lawyer Roger R. Myers, and, though not by name, Chuck Hartley, David Wagner, and Jeff Drummond.)


• They dovetailed beautifully with my talk today about legal weblogs, and include this quote which I shared with the group: "Lawyers are natural bloggers. They are smart, opinionated and articulate. They have access to a wealth of documents. They blog for fame, fortune, knowledge or clients. But most say they do it because it comes naturally."

Serendipity, thy name is blawging!

Pic From Today's Associates Meeting

Here we are in the meeting; I'm just wrapping up. Thanks to all who submitted feedback, it's been very helpful!