The blog has been fairly quiet this summer, but today is the opening day of school – so it’s back to more detailed blogging and new blog developments.  I’d like to thank those of you who stayed with the blog this summer, and to the newcomers – thanks for clicking this way.

Law profs – if you have an interest in doing an occasional guest blog – let me know.

(esp)

Just a thanks to everyone who has been clicking this way.  In the recent rankings of Paul Caron over at Tax Prof Blog, the white collar crime prof blog came in as 16th in the "Top 35 blogs edited by law professors with publicly available SiteMeters for the most recent 12-month period (July 2007 – June 2008)." (see here)

(esp)

The diminishing print media is pretty frightening. It seems like every day one opens the newspaper to find another paper laying off people, consolidating, offering buyouts, and basically cutting back.  The dismal economy coupled with decreased advertising in print has serious consequences to the dissemination of news.  Most importantly in hurting print media is the World Wide Web and the availability of news online.

Blogs like this white collar crime blog do not replace the press.  They offer transparency on some issues, and hopefully also offer explanation of the issues covered by the press. This blog also aims at providing links to the vast sources available on the distinct topic of white collar crime.  In a world of information overload, having a place to easily access materials in a particular area can hopefully be time-saving. And to the many who peruse this blog – I thank you for clicking this way as it is nice to know that the many hours of work that this takes is useful to some.

But this blog does not do something very important for people, and it is something that print media has provided – this is investigative reporting. Many a white collar case arose as a result of someone in the media culling through government documents and speaking with relevant people to find corruption, discrepancies, and criminal conduct. Likewise, it is print media that investigates and exposes government improprieties.  The small Watergates that occur throughout the world are brought to light by the hard work of investigative journalists.

With newspapers reducing personnel and the web being an insufficient substitute – at least at present – for advancing this form of reporting, it raises concerns about an important check on government.  It isn’t likely that the government will be bailing out this industry, and certainly conflicts arise in even considering this option.  But one has to wonder if white collar crime prosecutions, and other prosecutions of this nature will decrease as the press will no longer be there to expose criminality that is often difficult to prove.  And more importantly, will there be an appropriate check on government conduct when print media becomes a mere skeleton.

(esp) (w/ disclosure that my partner is in print media)   

Checkout this NYTimes story here. I think there is some truth to this piece, especially when it’s not your full-time job.  The law prof who takes on  blogging finds him or herself glued to the computer more hours than prior to taking up blogging.  Weight gain –  yes! Loss of Sleep – yes!  But in the end,  I would have to say that blogging results in better teaching, as the material learned while blogging significantly enhances the classroom experience.

I am hitting Paul Caron at TaxProf, Dan Solove at Concurring Opinion, Dan Filler at Faculty Lounge, Ann Bartow at Feminist Law Professors, Glenn Reynolds at InstaPundit, Paul Butler at BlackProf, and Doug Berman at Sentencing Law & Policy.  What do you think? 

(esp)

Professor Doug Berman – Sentencing Law & Policy – "I agree on all fronts.  I probably work more, but I also know I know more and do more.  And if I am putting myself closer to an early grave, at least I will leave a lot behind to cite…"

Joe Hodnicki – X.O Law Professors Blog  "Hazardous? Yes. Two herniated discs in my neck from toiling over a keyboard (bad posture) last year! Joe"

Professor Ann Bartow – Feminist Law Professors Blog – "I definitely spend too much time at the computer, which can’t be good. Of far more concern to me, though, are the agressively nasty e-mails and (attempted) comments I receive as a result of the blog. They add a lot of stress." 

Professor Dan Fuller – Faculty Lounge – "Since law teaching is already a full-time job when you’re not blogging, it’s inevitable that blogging will eat into the rest of your life.  But for me, I’ve come to accept that it is a work-related hobby, and a great way to indulge in one of my personal love/hate passions: writing.  I agree with Ann – nasty responses are no fun.  But it only adds an incentive to write precisely, so that the nasty folk are at least responding to something I actually intended to say!"

Just wanted to notify everyone that I have been made aware that one link on the blog was hijacked.  The matter is being corrected and the blog is being examined to avoid this problem in the future.  I appreciate being notified of any problems you find.  Thanks. 

(esp)

It is with sadness, but understanding, that I see my co-blogger Peter Henning leaving the white collar crime prof blog.  And although I considered folding up this shop,  I have made the decision to move forward with some occasional guest bloggers and your assistance.

I will be adding a few new items to the blog in the next couple of weeks, such as a spotlight on a lawyer (USA, AUSA or defense attorney) or professor who teaches in the white collar area. If you have someone you would like me to consider here, send it my way – epodgor@law.stetson.edu   I also appreciate when you send pleadings from your cases, court decisions, and other happenings that you hear about. Receiving these items will make my job significantly easier – so please send all the news you have to offer.  Your readership is appreciated, and I hope you will continue to check out this blog.

With many many thanks to Peter. 

(esp)

Just like President Nixon leaving the White House with arms raised high and head unbowed, so too am I leaving the White Collar Crime Prof Blog — how’s that for a final image.  I guess I could have used Eliot Spitzer as my model for a quick exit. 

While I didn’t last quite as long on the blog as "Tricky" Dick, a bit less than three-and-a-half years, but I was around longer than Spitzer’s sixteen months as Governor of New York.  And I’m not leaving as an unindicted coconspirator either, at least not as far as I know.  But seriously, folks . . .  it has been a great deal of fun to write on this blog, and I’ve made a number of new friends and contacts over the last three years.  More importantly, I’ve learned quite a lot about the law, some of it from looking up cases, statutes, and court documents to figure out what was going on to compose a post, and more than a few times from the helpful comments of readers correcting my many mistakes.  Over the course of a couple thousand posts — and way too many words in most of them — I hope I’ve become a better writer and a bit more observant.  One of the joys of doing the blog is following cases on a regular basis, which gives me a much better understanding of how they unfold.

I owe a significant debt of gratitude to Ellen Podgor, my co-editor of this blog and co-author on more than a few projects.  We got into this endeavor almost on a whim, talking about it for a few minutes during one of our many telephone conversations and basically diving into the blog without knowing where it would go.  At one point we said we’d consider it a major achievement to have 500 viewers in a day — we now average over 1,000 on weekdays, and your reading what we write is much appreciated.  Ellen and I disagreed about .1% of the time about items in the blog, and even then it was a principled difference, and she has been terrific to work with.  She plans to continue the blog, so it remains in good hands.

For those worried that I may be out roaming the streets looking to create mischief without the blog, fear not — I have more than enough to keep me busy.  For those who forwarded items from various cases, please stay in touch because I plan to continue to follow developments in the field.  White collar crime is now much more than just a niche, what with all those politicians with their assignations and CEOs looking to inflate revenue and earnings, so I suspect it will remain that way. 

Thanks again, and as Steely Dan once sang, "Sue me if I play too long," but don’t try it as a civil RICO claim.  Aloha!

— Peter Henning

Please provide feedback and assist in improving this blog by taking this quick survey.  It should take less than 2 minutes and your answers will be very much appreciated.  Just click this link here.  Thanks.

(esp)

Paul Caron, over at TaxProf Blog, ranks the law professors blogs (see here) with the White Collar Crime Prof Blog coming in at # 15 on traffic ranking.  He also ranks page views.  So thanks to all who are reading this blog.

Law Prof Blog Traffic Ranking — Visitors (Feb. 2007 – Jan. 2008)

(esp)

We wish everyone a happy, healthy, and peaceful new year. 

We will be at the CALI Bloggers Booth at the AALS Conference on Thursday, January 3rd at 3 P.M.  Stop by and say hello.  (ph & esp)