Michael Ravnitzky is a national treasure. He earned my respect during my civil service days as a counsel to Inspectors General at multiple agencies.

He is a FOIA expert and a relentless seeker of important government information that the public should know. He filed many FOIA requests and followed up on the most important tenaciously.

Other agency lawyers hated him. They resented the fact that his many FOIA requests caused them extra work, sometimes significantly more work.

I’ll never forget the time I mentioned his name at an interagency meeting. I suggested that rather than fight with him, reflexively resisting every request, they should cooperate with him, working with him to let him refine his requests. They could help him get the information he needed in a timely fashion, while minimizing the work they would need to do. This suggestion annoyed many in the audience, who moaned or hooted when I said his name.

My view was different. I always respected him. His requests demonstrated the wisdom of Congress in enacting the Freedom of Information Act.

Mike’s new article The New Administration: A Boon for Investigative Journalism is the best explanation I have seen of the way forward for journalists in these troubled times.

Ernie Svenson‘s comments on AI skeptics are right, as usual:

I’ve seen this movie before. The plot is always exactly the same: new tech emerges and gains some buzz. Then naysayers and nitpickers who haven’t used the tech emerge and, eventually when adoption is massive, they retreat back into the dark loam of smug ignorance to await the next innovation cycle.

One of Dennis Kennedy's fine books.
One of DK’s Fine Books

I can’t think of anyone who has contributed more to the advancement of legal technology than Dennis Kennedy. I’ve known and respected Dennis a long time and was privileged to collaborate with with him for several years, so it’s great to see that the American Legal Technology Awards has given him their Lifetime Achievement Award.

Dennis did not merely look good his suit that day, but touched on some worthy ideas in his acceptance speech and blog post. My favorites?

DK: Amidst all this change, one thing has remained constant: the spirit of generosity and collaboration that defines our community.

Gee, sounds like I’m not the only person to be grateful for the generosity of others working in the legal tech field! I’ve received more generosity over the past quarter century than I could every fully acknowledge.

DK: Give Back: As you progress in your career, look for opportunities to mentor others and contribute to the community. This not only helps others but also reinforces your own learning and network.

The older I get, the more I appreciate the joy of giving, especially since on balance my generosity usually nets me much more benefits than I give away.

Too many presenters seem to feel an odd compulsion to apologize the the audience at the beginning of their talk. Not a good idea!

My latest article at LLRX explores the reasons for this strange behavior and suggests situation when apologies are appropriate and when they are not. Thanks to the ever-alert Sabrina I. Pacifici for picking this up.

When Should Presenters Apologize?