For the seven years of our existence, The Texas Lawbook has had essentially the same look.
Today, we launch a completely new look that we believe is easier for our readers to navigate and is considerably more mobile friendly. The homepage is more traditional in its presentation and the article pages are easier to read and allow us more flexibility to present charts and graphics. The homepage is basically the front page of our newspaper, highlighting our newest and most important articles.
We upgraded our special sections by practice groups: Appellate, Bankruptcy, Commercial Litigation, Corp. Deal Tracker/M&A, GCs/Corporate Legal Depts., Firm Management and White Collar/Regulatory. Each section has its own homepage and allows us to better display our content for each practice area. In addition, subscribers can sign up for a free weekly update that lists all the articles The Lawbook published that week about that practice area. We highlight the content in our special sections on the homepage in the space just beneath Top Stories and More Stories.
Most importantly, the new website allows us to better showcase our primary and most important product: Substantive and unique content.
The biggest and most obvious difference in The Texas Lawbook 2.0 is, of course, the new homepage, which is three columns wide and includes the following categories:
Exclusive articles are displayed prominently at the top and include major breaking news stories or articles that are only in The Texas Lawbook and are extremely important to our readers.
Top Stories in the left column is home to the news stories of the day, such as developments in litigation, new M&A deals, new enforcement actions taken by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and new law firms opening in the state.
Centerpiece is a new category that anchors the middle column. Centerpiece articles are more in-depth. Centerpiece stories examine trends and developments in the law and the practice of business law. Centerpiece articles may take the reader behind the scenes of a major merger, acquisition or trial.
Features is a section in the right column that will profile key newsmakers or provide a lighter look at the law and those who practice it.
Directly below Centerpiece in the middle column is another new category called Expert Voices, which allows our readers to showcase their expertise. In Expert Voices, lawyers are able to author articles that provide their unique insight on timely subjects, developments and trends. These are not self-promotional articles.
We still have our column called GCs, Lawyers & Firms, which allows us to recognize lateral movement in the legal profession, awards and honors recognizing lawyers and promotions to partner and leadership positions.
Finally, we are pleased to introduce a new value statement that better emphasizes our mission and policy. Gone is “Serving Business Lawyers in Texas.” After seven years, we decided that we no longer need such a statement to show our purpose. Instead, The Texas Lawbook team decided we needed a statement that showcases our priorities and mission. In doing so, we selected three constitutional rights: Free Speech, Due Process and Trial by Jury. The three were fundamental in our Founders’ Declaration of Independence. We believe they are as sacred today as ever before and they are especially close to our heart.
As always, we are open to your suggestions and questions. Please do not hesitate to contact me.
