Twitter and blogs: A guide for Law students (and others)

Anyone who is just starting a Law degree will know that there can be a lot of reading involved. It might therefore seem counterintuitive to suggest that you should supplement the traditional sources — textbooks, articles, cases and so on — that lecturers and tutors will recommend with such things as tweets and blog posts. However, such additional resources, used wisely, can help to bring the subject to life — not least by demonstrating connections between what you are reading about in textbooks and what is going on in the real world.This is true no doubt of many areas of Law, but is, I think, particularly true of Public Law: the area in which I work, and which is the concern of this blog.

Staying up to date with the sort of information accessible via blogs and Twitter is not just about being aware of the latest case or development (which might or might not be important). It is also about deepening your understanding of the fundamentals by appreciating their real-world application — including, sometimes, their complexity and contested nature.

Here, then, are some suggestions, to get you started, of lawyers who are worth following on Twitter and blogs that are worth looking at. I have limited these suggestions mainly to academics (and one or two others) who are concerned (whether or not exclusively) with aspects of UK law likely to be of interest to undergraduates, and who are active users of Twitter.

Blogs and other online resources

Admin Law Blog — a multi-author blog on administrative law. Edited by Farrah Ahmed, Melbourne Law School, Swati Jhaveri, National University of Singapore, and Adam Perry, University of Oxford
Administrative Law Matters — focus on administrative law. Written by Paul Daly, University of Cambridge
Barrister Blog — legal commentary by barrister Matthew Scott
Brexit Time — legal commentary on Brexit by Kenneth Armstrong, University of Cambridge
Devo Matters — commentary on UK devolution issues. Written by Alan Trench, University of Ulster
Euro Rights Blog – ECHR, Human Rights Act, EU law. Edited by Richard Edwards and Noelle Quenivet, University of the West of England
EU Law Analysis – EU law blog by Professor Steve Peers, University of Essex
EUtopia – EU law from Matrix Chambers
Financial Times Law Blog — regular commentary on legal matters by David Allen Green (free access but registration required)
Free Movement – immigration and asylum law. Written by Colin Yeo, immigration barrister at Garden Court Chambers
Head of Legal — commentary on legal matters. Written by Carl Gardner
Henry Brooke’s Musings, Memories and Miscellanea — a treasure trove of reflections by the late Sir Henry Brooke
House of Commons Library Blog — independent and impartial research on a broad range of legislative and policy matters
Inner Temple Library — law-related news and current awareness
Jack of Kent – commentary and updates on legal matters. Written by David Allen Green (who also writes the Financial Times Law Blog)
Law and Good Administration — a blog on public law and administrative justice. Written by Joe Tomlinson
Lawyer Watch — research and commentary on the legal professions. Written by Richard Moorhead, UCL
McBride’s Guides — advice for law students, focussing on private and criminal law. Written by Nick McBride, University of Cambridge
Oxford Human Rights Hub – a blog on human rights from the Oxford Human Rights Hub
Protest Matters — a blog about the right to protest. Written by David Mead, University of East Anglia
Public Law For Everyone – you’re already reading it
RightsInfo — innovative human-rights website
Scottish Constitutional Futures Forum — joint initiative of several Scottish Law schools which provides an independent framework within which the key questions concerning Scotland’s constitutional future can be aired and addressed
Spinning Hugo — commentary on legal matters
The Chief Justice’s Foot — public law in Hong Kong
The UK in a Changing EU — analysis of the UK’s relationship with the EU
UK Administrative Justice Institute — blog about administrative justice in the UK.
UK Constitutional Law Association Blog – leading blog on UK public law. Edited by Jeff King, UCL, and Stephen Tierney, University of Edinburgh
UK Human Rights Blog — leading blog on UK human rights law. Edited by Adam Wagner, Rosalind English and Angus McCullough of 1 Crown Office Row
UK Supreme Court Blog — useful source of information about recent and upcoming cases in the UK Supreme Court

Twitter

The list below is not in any sense comprehensive, nor was it complied scientifically. It reflects people and institutions I have encountered via Twitter. It is therefore — because of my own academic interests — heavily skewed towards, albeit not exclusively concerned with, public law. And, so far as individuals are concerned, the list is particularly unscientific. The list doubtless omits many, many people who are well worth following, and is intended to serve as nothing more than a starting-point.

Academics

Mads Andenæs (@MadsAndenas) — University of Oslo
Gabrielle Appleby (@Gabrielle_J_A) — University of New South Wales (public law)
Kenneth Armstrong (@ProfKAArmstrong) — University of Cambridge (EU law)
Mikołaj Barczentewicz (@MBarczentewicz) — University of Oxford (public law)
Catherine Barnard (@CSBarnard24) — University of Cambridge (EU law, labour law)
Lorand Bartels (@Lorand_Bartels) — University of Cambridge (EU law, international law)
Ed Bates (@ed_epb3) — University of Leicester (European human rights law)
James Chalmers (@ProfChalmers) — University of Glasgow (criminal law, evidence and procedure)
Richard Cornes (@CornesLawNZUK) — University of Essex (public law)
Dominic de Cogan (@domcogan) — University of Cambridge (tax law)
Paul Daly (@pauldalyesq) – University of Cambridge (administrative law)
Fergal Davis (@Fergal_Davis) — King’s College London (public law)
Alice Donald (@alicedonald) — Middlesex University (public law, human rights)
Fiona Donson (@FDonson) — University College Cork (administrative justice, human rights)
Matthew Dyson (@1mattdyson) — University of Oxford (tort, criminal law, comparative law)
Mark Elliott (@ProfMarkElliott) – University of Cambridge (public law)
David Erdos (@DavidErdos) — University of Cambridge (information law)
Simon Evans (@DrSimonEvans) — University of Melbourne (public law)
Ben Fitzpatrick (@ben_fitzp) — University of York (criminal law)
Conor Gearty (@conorgearty) – London School of Economics (human rights, public law)
Graham Gee (@GDSGee) — University of Sheffield (public law)
Markus Gehring (@mwgehring) — University of Cambridge (EU law, environmental law)
Martin George (@martingeorge) — University of Leicester (property law)
Richard Glancey (@RichardGlancey) — Northumbria University (public law, civil liberties)
Mike Gordon (@mjg_constitlaw) – University of Liverpool (constitutional law)
Daniel Gover (@DanielGover) — Constitution Unit
Alan Green (@DrAlanGreene) — Durham University (public law)
Swee Leng Harris (@SweeLengHarris) — Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law
Ailsa Henderson (@ailsa_henderson) — University of Edinburgh (political science)
Tom Hickman (@TomRHickman) — barrister and academic at UCL (public law)
Jessie Hohmann (@DrJessieHohmann) — Queen Mary, University of London (international law, human rights)
Hayley Hooper (@hayleyjhooper) — University of Oxford (public law)
Kirsty Hughes (@DrKirstyHughes) – University of Cambridge (public law)
Adrian Hunt (@ahuntbrumlaw) — University of Birmingham (public law, criminal justice, human rights)
Jeff King (@jeff_a_king) — UCL (public law)
Richard Kirkham (@RichardKirkham7) — University of Sheffield (public law)
Liora Lazarus (@LioraLazarus) — University of Oxford (human rights and security)
Andrew Le Sueur (@AndrewPLeSueur) — University of Essex (public law)
James Lee (@jamessflee) — King’s College London (private law, supreme courts)
Mary Liston (@mary1liston) — University of British Columbia (public law)
Tobias Lock (@tobiaslock) — University of Edinburgh (EU law, ECHR)
Fiona de Londras (@fdelond) — University of Birmingham (human rights, comparative constitutional law)
Amy Ludlow (@ACLudlow) — University of Cambridge (labour law, prisons)
Mara Malagodi (@RestlessMafalda) — City, University of London (constitutional law)
Virginia Mantouvalou (@vmantouvalou) — UCL (human rights, labour law)
Roger Masterman/Colin Murray (@mastermanmurray) — University of Durham/University of Newcastle (public law)
Natasa Mavronicola (@NMavronicola) — University of Birmingham (human rights, public law, legal theory)
Chris McCorkindale (@chrismccork) – University of Strathclyde (public law)
Luke McDonagh (@DrLukeMcDonagh) — City, University of London (constitutional law, intellectual property)
Aileen McHarg (@AileenMcHarg) — University of Strathclyde (public law)
Lawrence McNamara (@lawrencemcn) — University of York & Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law
David Mead (@SeethingMead) — University of East Anglia (public law, human rights)
Philip Morgan (@PhillipDJMorgan) — University of York (tort, contract, commercial law)
Richard Moorhead (@RichardMoorhead) — University College London (ethics, regulation, legal services, access to justice)
Sarah Nason (@SarahNason80) — Bangor University (public law, administrative justice)
Lord Norton of Louth (@LordNortonLouth) — University of Hull (government and constitutional design)
Colm O’Cinneide (@colmocinneide) – University College London (constitutional law, human rights)
Rory O’Connell (@rjjoconnell) — University of Ulster (human rights, equality, constitutional law)
Eoin O’Dell (@cearta) — Trinity College Dublin
Ken Oliphant (@KenOliphant) — University of Bristol (tort law)
Laurent Pech (@ProfPech) — Middlesex University (EU law)
Steve Peers (@StevePeers) — University of Essex (EU law, human rights)
Adam Perry (@ad_perry) — University of Oxford (public law, legal theory)
Gavin Phillipson (@Prof_Phillipson) — University of Durham (public law)
Thomas Poole (@DrTomPoole) — LSE (public law)
Noelle Quenivet (@NoelleQuenivet1) — University of the West of England (international law)
Erika Rackley (@erikarackley) — University of Birmingham (judicial diversity; tort law)
Philippe Sands (@philippesands) — UCL (international law)
Cheryl Saunders (@CherylSaunders1) — University of Melbourne (comparative constitutional law)
Ben Saul (@profbensaul) — University of Sydney (international law)
Paul Scott (@PaulFScott) — University of Glasgow (public law)
Jo Shaw (@joshaw) — University of Edinburgh (EU law)
Kirsteen Shields (@drkirsteen) — Dundee University (human rights)
Brian Sloan (@briandsloan) — University of Cambridge (family law, property law)
Jack Simson Caird (@jasimsoncaird) — House of Commons Library
John Stanton (@jsstanton2910) — City, University of London (public law)
Findlay Stark (@FGStark) — University of Cambridge (criminal law)
Justine Stefanelli (@JNStefanelli) — Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law
Scott Stephenson (@s_m_stephenson) — University of Melbourne (public law)
Lindsay Stirton (@lindsaystirton) — University of Sussex (public law)
Adrienne Stone (@stone_adrienne) — University of Melbourne (public law)
Richard Susskind (@richardsusskind) — author and commentator
Phil Syrpis (@syrpis) — University of Bristol (EU law, public law)
John Tasioulas (@JTasioulas) — King’s College London (legal theory)
Robert Thomas (@RobertThomas223) — University of Manchester (public law)
Adam Tomkins (@ProfTomkins) — Glasgow University (public law)
Joe Tomlinson (@JoePTomlinson) — University of Sheffield (public law)
Alan Trench (@devomatters) — University of Ulster (politics, devolution)
Adam Tucker (@AdamJTucker) — University of Liverpool (constitutional law)
Ian Turner (@DrIanTurner) — University of Central Lancashire (public law)
Helene Tyrell (@DrHeleneTyrrell) — Newcastle University (public law)
Steven Vaughan (@lawvaughan) — UCL (company law, banking law)
Graham Virgo (@GrahamVirgo) — University of Cambridge (criminal law, equity/trusts, restitution)
Michael Waibel (@WaibelM09) — University of Cambridge (international law)
Jeremy Waldron (@JeremyJWaldron) – NYU (legal philosophy)
Tom Webb (@Tom_E_Webb) — University of Lancaster (public law)
Grégoire Webber (@GregoireWebber) — Queen’s University Ontario (public law, legal theory)
Seshauna Wheatle (@seshaunawheatle) — Durham University (public law)

Commentators, practitioners and others

David Anderson QC (@bricksilk) — barrister; former Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation
Nick Armstrong (@njbarmstrong) — barrister (public law, human rights)
Paul Bowen QC (@paulebowen) — barrister (public law, human rights)
Kirsty Brimelow QC (@Kirsty_Brimelow) — barrister (human rights, criminal law)
Steve Broach (@SteveBroach) — barrister (public law)
Greg Callus (@Greg_Callus) — barrister
Cambridge Law Tweets (@cambtweetlaw) — Cambridge Law student tweeting about life as a Cambridge Law student
Clive Coleman (@colemancr) — BBC legal affairs correspondent
Ian Dunt (@IanDunt) — editor of politics.co.uk
Caoilfhionn Gallagher (@caoilfhionnanna) — barrister (public law, human rights, media law)
Carl Gardner (@carlgardner) — legal commentator and author of Head of Legal Blog
David Allen Green (@JackofKent and @DavidAllenGreen) – blogger Financial Times legal commentator
Alexander Horne (@AlexanderHorne1) — Legal Adviser, House of Lords European Union Committee
John Hyde (@JohnHyde1982) — Deputy News Editor, Law Society Gazette
Schona Jolly QC (@WomaninHavana) — barrister (equality, human rights, employment, international law)
Sean Jones QC (@seanjonesqc) — barrister (employment law)
Matt Korris (@MattKorris) — clerk to House of Lords Constitution Committee
Stephen Laws (@sc_laws) — former First Parliamentary Counsel
Justin Leslie (@justincjleslie) — barrister (public law)
Lord Lester QC (@Odysseus_Trust) — barrister, peer
Philip Marshall QC (@pjm1kbw) — barrister (family law)
Jo Maugham (@JolyonMaugham) — barrister (tax law)
Simon McKay (@simonmckay) — barrister (human rights)
Obiter J (@ObiterJ) — blogger/commentator
Angela Patrick (@Angela__Patrick) — barrister (public law, human rights)
Tim Pitt-Payne QC (@tpittpayne) — barrister (public law, employment law, information law)
George Peretz QC (@GeorgePeretzQC) — barrister (competition, tax, public law)
Joshua Rozenberg (@JoshuaRozenberg) — commentator
Matthew Scott (@Barristerblog) — barrister
Spinning Hugo (@SpinningHugo) — commentator
Martha Spurrier (@marthaspurrier) — Director of Liberty
James Turner QC (@JamesTurner37) — barrister
Adam Wagner (@AdamWagner1) — barrister, commentator, editor of UK Human Rights Blog and founder of RightsInfo
Jack Williams (@Jack_R_Williams) — barrister (public law)
Colin Yeo (@ColinYeo1) — barrister (immigration and asylum law); editor of the Free Movement blog

Institutions and blogs on Twitter

Admin Law Blog (@adminlawblog)
Administrative and Constitutional Law Bar Association of England & Wales (@ALBA_Members)
Attorney-General’s Office (@attorneygeneral)
Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law (@BinghamCentre) — Independent research institute dedicated to the study, promotion and enhancement of the rule of law worldwide
Cambridge Sixth Form Law Conference (@CSFLC2017)
Centre for European Legal Studies (@EULegalStudies) — University of Cambridge Faculty of Law’s EU law research centre
Centre on Constitutional Change (@CCC_Research) — research centre based at the University of Edinburgh
Constitution Unit (@ConUnit_UCL) — think-tank and research centre at UCL specialising in original analysis into constitutions, Parliament and the judiciary
Hansard Society (@HansardSociety) — independent society working in the UK and around the world to promote democracy and strengthen parliaments
Inner Temple Library (@inner_temple) — useful links to law-related stories on other websites and blogs
Joint Committee on Human Rights (@UKParlJCHR) — UK Parliament’s human rights committee
Judicial Office, England and Wales (@JudiciaryUK) — courts and tribunals judiciary, England and Wales
Judicial Office, Scotland (@JudgesScotland) — judicial office for Scotland
JUSTICE (@JUSTICEhq) — law reform and human rights organisation working to strengthen the justice system
Law Commission (@Law_Commission) — official law reform body for England and Wales
Liberty (@libertyhq) — campaigns to protect civil liberties and promote human rights
Ministry of Justice (@MoJGovUK)
Oxford Human Rights Hub (@OxHRH)
Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Select Committee of the House of Commons (@CommonsPACAC)
Rights Info (@rights_info) — innovative human-rights website
Scottish Law Commission (@ScotLawCom)
Scottish Public Law Group (@ScotPLG)
ThinkCamLaw (@thinkcamlaw) — Cambridge Law Faculty outreac
The UK in a Changing EU (@UKandEU) — analysis of UK’s relationship with EU
UK Administrative Justice Institute (@uk_aji)
UK Supreme Court (@UKSupremeCourt)