Welcome to PhillyLegalNews – Just Facts. No Opinions.

Introduction

At PhillyLegalNews.com, (Philly Legal News), we welcome you to Philadelphia’s new, independent legal news source. Our goal is simple: deliver reliable, well-sourced legal reporting that serves attorneys, legal professionals, educators, and the public. We provide news that matters—with accuracy, clarity, and zero spin.

Our Mission and Values

Upholding Legal Journalism with Integrity

Our mission is grounded in the belief that facts matter. In today’s polarized media environment, we stand apart by publishing legal content rooted in evidence, court filings, and trustworthy sources. At Philly Legal News, we don’t blur the lines between journalism and opinion.

Our tagline says it all: Just Facts. No Opinions.

We serve:

• • Attorneys in litigation and appellate practice

• • Legal educators and students

• • Courtroom technologists and litigation support teams

• • Judges, clerks, and journalists

Every article is built with your professional needs in mind.

What Makes Philly Legal News Different?

Focused. Local. Independent.

While many legal blogs chase headlines, Philly Legal News focuses on the courts and communities that matter most to the Philadelphia legal market. We’re not a clickbait newsfeed or a content mill. We’re your regional source for substantive, high-integrity updates.

We’re committed to:

• • Covering verdicts and settlements that actually affect local practice

• • Analyzing rulings from Philadelphia courts and Pennsylvania’s appellate system

• • Demystifying legal technology in real courtroom use

Our editorial team is led by Thomas G. Oakes, a nationally recognized expert in litigation technology. With more than four decades of experience as a court reporter, educator, and trial tech presenter, Tom brings unmatched expertise and credibility to every piece published here.

What You’ll Find on Philly Legal News

Curated Content for Legal Professionals

Our platform includes:

• • Recent Verdicts: From the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and surrounding counties

• • Court Rulings: Key decisions from PA Superior Court, Eastern District of PA, and federal circuits

• • Legal Analysis: Commentary from seasoned attorneys and court insiders

• • Tech in the Courtroom: Tips, reviews, and implementation strategies

• • Educational Tools: Slide decks, glossaries, and presentations for continuing education

We strive to create resources you can rely on—and refer to.

Why Now? Why Here?

The Legal World is Changing Rapidly

Today’s legal professionals face more than just legal challenges:

• • Remote hearings and depositions

• • Artificial intelligence in drafting and review

• • Compressed timelines for discovery

• • Public misinformation about the legal system

Philly Legal News was created to help professionals adapt. We deliver clarity, not chaos. Whether you’re adjusting to new technologies or interpreting court procedure changes, our content is written with purpose.

Embracing Technology in the Courtroom

Legal professionals today must balance traditional trial advocacy with modern digital demands. At Philly Legal News, we plan to cover the tools and trends transforming the courtroom—everything from real-time deposition streaming and document presentation software to trial graphics and remote witness testimony platforms.

As courtrooms in Philadelphia and across the country adopt more tech-forward procedures, we’ll be there to report on what’s working—and what isn’t. You can expect in-depth articles on platforms like TrialDirector, TrialPad, Trial Line, and legal-specific Zoom integrations. We’ll also highlight best practices for using screen-sharing, trial presentation monitors, and mobile device management in a litigation context.

Whether you’re a litigator presenting a case or a tech consultant supporting the trial team, our courtroom tech coverage will be both practical and advanced.  Tom has been an adjunct at Temple University’s  LL.M in Trial Advocacy, where he has taught trial techniques and technologies.

Download Presentations and Legal Resources

We’ll also be publishing slide decks, glossaries, and white papers that attorneys, professors, and litigation support teams can use in their own practices or classrooms. These materials will be created in-house and made available for download through our “Trial Tech Classroom” and “Legal Glossary” sections.

We believe that free, quality content should support the entire legal ecosystem—from deposition prep to jury presentation. If you’ve seen Tom Oakes present at a national seminar, you’ll recognize the value we bring to these downloadable tools.

Follow Our Legal News Feeds Automatically

PhillyLegalNews is also building automated RSS feeds so you never miss an update. These will include curated summaries from Pennsylvania court dockets, notable federal rulings, and Philly-focused legal stories—delivered directly to your reader or browser. We’ll also syndicate blog posts and editorial content via these channels, ensuring efficient delivery to your inbox or feed manager.

We encourage firms, law schools, and tech teams to subscribe and integrate our feed into their internal dashboards for real-time legal awareness.

Get Involved and Help Us Grow

Be a Voice in the Legal Community

You can support our growth by engaging with us. Here’s how:

• • Subscribe to our newsletter (coming soon)

• • Follow us on YouTube, Facebook, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn

• • Leave a Google Review if our content adds value

• • Share our posts with colleagues, students, and professional groups

• • Send us leads or legal insights

• • Contribute guest commentary

Your involvement helps shape Philly Legal News into a trusted community resource.

Watch, Learn, and Share on Our YouTube Channel

As part of our mission to provide multimedia resources for the legal community, Philly Legal News is launching a YouTube channel. There, you’ll find narrated presentations, how-to videos, product demos, and short educational clips focused on litigation support and trial preparation. Some of these videos are based on real seminars and national speaking engagements delivered by Editor Thomas G. Oakes.

This channel will help simplify complex courtroom tech tools and offer digestible, high-value content for continuing education. We’ll be adding playlists for trial technology, courtroom strategy, and legal analysis.

Subscribe to the channel to stay ahead of the curve—and feel free to share videos with your firm or professional group.

Our Editorial Commitment

Accuracy, Neutrality, and Professionalism

Every piece we publish is fact-checked, reviewed, and edited for clarity. We cite legal authorities, official rulings, and credible publications. When we offer commentary, it is clearly labeled.

We maintain a firewall between advertising and editorial. Our goal is not traffic—it’s trust.

A Final Word from the Editor

This platform is the result of decades spent at the intersection of law and litigation technology. As the founder of this project, my goal is to give back to the legal community in Philadelphia and beyond.

Philly Legal News is here to inform, equip, and elevate professionals who care about the craft of law. Whether you’re a litigator, technologist, or legal educator, you’ll find something here worth reading—and worth sharing.

Thank you for joining us at the beginning. We look forward to building this platform with you.

— Thomas G. Oakes
Founder & Editor, PhillyLegalNews.com