The beginning of the new year is a good time for big ideas and armchair travel.  Two big challenges to understanding trends in global legal services are the size of the globe and the pace of change.  Even frequent international travelers cannot get to all corners of the earth every year, or keep track of all the market developments.  Focus is the first solution, and yet sometimes we also need to look broadly.  That’s why I recommend reading “2012’s Global Marketplace of Ideas and the Big Thinkers Who Make Them,” in FP (Foreign Policy) magazine’s December issue. It’s one of those top 100 pieces, though with more than 100 thinkers covered-- some ideas are attributed to 2-3 collaborators.  What makes it a particularly enlightening read is the breadth of perspectives and disciplines (including a few lawyers!) from big thinkers in 29 countries.   It's definitely not all foreign policy or politics, though the magazine is published in Washington DC.  I can’t vouch for their methodology or objectivity in choosing the people covered.

In addition to the profiles, I really like the shorthand info provided in 65 concise interviews:  “Best Idea; Worst Idea;  American decline or renewal?;  More Europe or less?;  To tweet or not to tweet?”

Last year in the same feature they asked “China or India?” and “Kindle or iPad?” which was good fun-- a year later the questions change, though FP again asks their favorite global thinkers what they are reading.  The list is fascinatingly diverse and a tad daunting.  The issue is gone from newsstands but you can find it online at:   http://www.foreignpolicy.com/2012globalthinkers .   Bon voyage.