The  ABA Blawg 100 crowned a new Best Blawg in criminal law, and the honor goes to Jamison Koehler and his modestly named Koehler Law Blog.  While the competition may not be my cup of tea, that doesn’t mean that winning isn’t a significant achievement, and reflects the respect and dedication of readers.  Jamison has attained that respect and earned the prize.

Jamison, a former Philadelphia public defender, struck out on his own in Washington, D.C. a couple years back.  Like every lawyer trying to establish his own practice, it’s hard to shine without clients to provide the opportunity.  He started the blog as an opportunity to establish his knowledge in the eyes of potential clients, and has written some excellent posts, particularly in the area of drunk driving, where his knowledge of the intricacies of testing and procedure really shines through.

But more than his skill in drunk driving defense, Jamison’s writing style is perhaps the most enjoyable in the blawgosphere.  The ABA Blawg 100 description of his blawg called him “(refreshingly) humble,” a characterization few of us could ever claim.  And indeed, he is, with a self-effacing style that is impossible not to appreciate.  Frankly, I can only aspire to be as good a writer as Jamison.

My wild guess is that he gets it from his father, a poet of both renown and great talent.  Jamison’s occasional homage to his father, who lives on his writing, is both heartwarming and moving.  They say the apple never falls far from the tree, and if that’s true, then Jamison’s fabulous writing style comes to him as honestly as can be.

This likely explains why Jamison’s readers think so highly of him and are both devoted and supportive, which isn’t always the case in the blawgosphere.  It’s all too easy to let controversy cloud the person behind the blawg, and yet Jamison’s tone manages to come through in very post. 

So I congratulate Jamison for his well-deserved win for Best Blawg in Criminal Law.  As every blawger knows, it’s not easy to produce thoughtful posts that not only reflect well on the author, but help to improve the law and add to the scope of knowledge generated by the blawgosphere, and I look forward to Jamison’s continued contribution to helping illuminate worthy ideas and reflect the highest ideals of the profession.  Now that’s he’s the best criminal law blawger, expectations run high, and I expect Jamison to be just the man to meet them.