In November 2017, the ABA’S Business Law Section unveiled its new format for Business Law Today: a dynamic website that would cover every practice area in the business law arena and provide monthly updates and analytical articles on critical issues and substantive topics in business law. The unveiling of www.businesslawtoday.org witnessed the culmination of two years of intense planning and development that was spearheaded by Chris Rockers, former BLS chair and current delegate to the ABA House of Delegates, and Jonathan Rubens, the BLT website’s first Editor-in-Chief.
But one ingredient was the key to the BLT website’s success: the staff editor who would guide, nurture, and grow the content. The Business Law Section was fortunate in finding for its first editor, Sarah Claypoole.
A recent graduate of the University of Chicago, Sarah joined the staff in January 2018 and quickly began to familiarize herself with the various topic areas of business law and demonstrated the valuable traits of an editor who must adhere to quality standards of writing while also balancing deadlines and schedules.
“The new Business Law Today is one of the content offerings of which I’m most proud,” said Norm Powell, Business Law Section Content Officer. “Designed based on significant polling from Section members, it has steadily increased in popularity since the launch. Sarah’s been a huge part of that success. She has shared and delivered on the vision that we were creating a virtual hub (a coffee shop, if you will), where folks regularly pop in to see what’s happening in their worlds.”
During Sarah’s tenure, hundreds of articles and month-in-briefs have published, as well as videos, podcasts, and, most recently, an ambitious content offering of recent developments in business and commercial litigation. The shear amount and quality of content is a reflection on Sarah and her eclectic, analytical approach to subject matter and her appreciation of fine writing.
Her interest in business law was the catalyst for Sarah to consider a career as a lawyer, and, in May 2021, she committed to attend the Duke University School of Law, and will leave as editor of www.businesslawtoday.org in July to make her new home in Durham, North Carolina.
“Sarah has been an integral part of every decision made at BLT since BLT was re-launched as an online platform in 2018,” said Lisa Stark, current Editor-in-Chief. “Sarah’s contributions to BLT have been crucial to BLT’s success. Sarah also is an amazing person and will be sorely missed.”
A new BLT editor will improve on Sarah’s accomplishments and continue the tradition of quality content that has been a hallmark of the Business Law Section’s content offerings. Yet, Sarah Claypoole has left her mark on the BLT website and the BLS content members and leadership wish her continued success in law school and in her future career as a lawyer.
