So here we are. Finishing the most inglorious year that was 2020, deep in a global pandemic, and officially launching the 15th Annual Canadian Law Blog Awards. Fifteen?!? March feels like it was 15 years ago!
As we sit down to write this year’s kick-off post, we find ourselves thinking rosy thoughts about 2006, the year that the Clawbies were born.
It was a simpler time. Twitter had just launched, Facebook was in its early days, and Internet Explorer was still the dominant web browser (and we didn’t have a 
emoji to properly complain!) We didn’t know about the “social dilemma”. There was no iPhone yet. Netflix was still a DVD-delivery service (how quaint!).
But back to this 2020 thing. It hasn’t been the best of years. But the legal profession hasn’t stopped. Right? We’ve seen entire law firms working from home. Virtual workplaces evolving. Law school courses zooming (and testing with your camera on!) Bloggers are still writing, podcasts thriving, and sarcastic tweets are flying.
We are still collectively expressing our voices and writing about the law during a global pandemic. And if we’ve learned one thing from these past months, it’s that you don’t bet against the human spirit. Lawyers included.
The Clawbies have always been a year-end positive force. A revival of our spirits, as we head into a new year. We may guide this process and write up the final awards, but the Clawbies exist because of the nominations model. And believe us, it delivers! Each and every year we discover new personalities, new creativity, and new voices.
So let’s get to the nominating!
What’s eligible to win?
The Clawbies celebrate free online Canadian legal content. It’s all fair game: blogs, podcasts, videos, social accounts, legal newsletters, platform commentary, CanLII Connects, whitepapers, and beyond.
How can I participate?
Tell us who made the world a little better with their content in 2020.
What content blew you away? Responded to a pressing or unmet need in the community? Or compelled you to engage or share?
Using your Twitter account or law blog, help us identify your best of 2020.
As usual, we’ve really only got two rules.
Rule #1 (aka “the humble Canadian rule”):
Do not nominate your own publication or project for a Clawbie. It doesn’t work that way. The only surefire way of getting your work on our radar is to write a post about other commentary authors. Follow this rule and we’ll take a look at your work too!
Rule #2:
Nominate up to three digital publications or authors via blog post or tweets (using the hashtag #clawbies2020). Please include a brief explanation of why you think those authors deserve an award!
Nominations will be accepted until the end of day on Friday, December 18th, 2020.
Then stay tuned, because this year’s winners will be announced on New Year’s Eve.
2020 has been such a challenging year for so many, and it will still be months or even years before we’re out of the woods. Let’s use the Clawbies to honour and acknowledge the passion and dedication that so many in the Canadian legal community have shown during these unprecedented (<= first banned word of 2021) challenging times.
Let’s find some light in this dark place.
