And That’s a Wrap: A Look Back on (my Blog Posts for) 2020 & My Clawbies Nominations

I know it’s not quite over yet, but I am happy to shuffle 2020 out the door…it is no longer welcomed around here.  I don’t have to remind all of you about the crappy stuff that has happened to the world this year. 

Nevertheless, while 2020 didn't turn out the way I planned, there were a few good things that came out of this year:

I perfected my bread making skills and my butter tart recipe (no to raisins, yes to a splash of maple syrup).

I’ve spent ten months in jeans & t-shirts (my beautiful fancy shoes are gathering dust on a shelf).

It only took a pandemic for the Ontario court system to realize the fax machine should be permanently retired from duty.

My blog's readership increased in 2020 and I brought back my Women Leading in Law blog series.

….and it’s Clawbies (Canadian Law Blog Awards) time again!

Every year I write a post summarizing my Top Ten articles for that year and I am always pleasantly surprised when I check my Google Analytics to see which ones are the most popular with my readers.

Below is a list of my 10 most-read blog posts in 2020 (some written in previous years), followed by my #Clawbies2020 nominations:

10. Book Review: Full Disclosure by Beverley McLachlin (2018). This book was published in 2018 by the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada and this post is my review of the murder mystery set in British Columbia.

9. Women Leading in Law: Frances Mahon (2020). This post was one of several posts in my Women Leading in Law blog series that I revived in March 2020.

8. As a Lawyer, When Would You (or Should You) Report Another Lawyer for Professional Misconduct (2014). An oldie but a goodie. This post often appears on my top ten list. (I’m not sure what this says about our profession….)

7. “Thank You for Telling Me My Work Sucks” Why Negative Feedback Can be a Good Thing (2020). This very recent post is on how to handle receiving feedback at work. I am happy to see it made it to the Top 10 so soon.

6. Women Leading in Law: Richa Sandill (2020). Another great entry in my Women Leading in Law series.

5. Barristers Robes: The Courtroom Equalizer (2017). An older post about the positive side to everyone wearing the same uniform in court. One thing I regret leaving out of the post is the fact that it is definitely not an equalizer when litigators are appearing against self-represented litigants.

4. What Are a Lawyer’s Professional Obligations When Leaving a Firm? (2015). Another post that remains popular with lawyers over the years. It’s an important question to address if you are thinking of switching firms or starting your own practice.

3. Plain Language Please. ‘Tis Time to Say Goodbye to Legalese (2015). I am quite surprised this post popped up in the Top 10 this year as it has never made it on to this list before. Perhaps more lawyers are thinking of using plain language? I hope so.

2. Women Leading in Law: Anita Szigeti (2020). Anita’s profile talks about her interesting legal practice in mental health law.

And my most read blog post for 2020…….

1. My Career Conundrum: I’m a Litigator and I Hate Conflict (2020). Wow! This post generated so much feedback and prompted dozens of lawyers to reach out to me by email, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. This post definitely struck a nerve in the legal profession.

Now for my #Clawbies2020 nominations:

1. Evelyn Ackah’s videos for her firm Ackah Business Immigration Law. The videos provide helpful information about immigration law, but Evelyn also discusses other interesting topics such as being a business owner and entrepreneur.
2. Lauren Sapic’s blog: Law the Low-Down. Lauren’s blog is focused on helping first generation law students, or those who may not have a helping hand, through law school/the law school application process, as well as recent calls.
3. Myrna McCallum’s Podcast: The Trauma Informed Lawyer. The Canadian Bar Association partnered with former prosecutor and Indian Residential School adjudicator Myrna McCallum, a Métis-Cree lawyer and passionate promoter of trauma-informed lawyering, on her new podcast, ‘the trauma-informed lawyer’. The podcast’s description: “Through inspiring interviews and thoughtful commentary, Myrna McCallum shines a light on a critical competency lawyers often don’t experience in law school. Trauma-informed lawyering is a do-no-further-harm, relational approach to the practice of law which benefits not only clients, but the lawyers and firms supporting these clients.”

​So that’s a wrap on 2020!  All the best in 2021!

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