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The views expressed in this post are those of Jim Beck alone.
Hermann and I are pretty much of one mind when it comes to the meat of our blog, such as the broad scope of preemption or the continued value of the learned intermediary rule, so we don’t usually list which of us is the author of a particular post nor check in with each other before every posting.
Hermann’s recent post about how big law firms look at blogs is Hermann’s honest opinion, but it’s not my, Jim Beck’s, view. I’m is actually happy with the support I get from my firm, Dechert. Most obviously, I do most of my blogging work on Dechert time.
My Dechert colleagues are proud that this is the most widely read product liability blog on the Internet. On Friday, a partner stopped by my office to share a chuckle about how plaintiffs’ counsel in a mass tort he was defending was complaining about our blog and how it was widely circulating its “biased” positions.
In my own opinion, Dechert is always supportive of our strong advocacy of defense positions, and indeed has supported me when I’ve written books, articles, etc. Whether on this blog, in print, at conferences, supporting tort reform, etc., Dechert lawyers are out there. It’s part of what we do.
I work hard to post things that people not only want to read, but want to save. I don’t pretend every post has been perfect. But that’s why blogging is such hard work and perhaps why there are so few of them. That there are so few – and that Dechert allows one of its senior lawyers a substantial amount of time to do this – indicates to me that some big law values blogging. So, Beck, J. respectfully dissents.