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Should juries be feared or revered? Retired lawyer examines their roles

The jury system first scared me at the age of 9. How, you ask? I grew up in Montreal, the son of parents who immigrated from Belgium. My late father was a humble tailor who worked in a factory. One day, we received a letter in the mail. It had an impressive-looking logo of a crown and the scales of justice.

Marcel Strigberger

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Thanks for nothing: When should lawyers end an email with 'thank you'?

Writing a professional email is difficult enough. And choosing an appropriate signoff can be daunting, with so many options to choose from: “Thank you” (or just “Thanks”), “Sincerely,” “Best,” “Regards,” “Yours” or nothing at all (as in, “—Jon”). The list goes on.

Michael Zuckerman, Jamie Hwang and Connor Cohen

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'On the Basis of Sex' and remembering Justice Ginsburg

R.I.P., RBG. Here we are again, almost four years from the last time a U.S. Supreme Court Justice died in office. Justice Antonin Scalia passed away in February of 2016, and President Barack Obama nominated Merrick Garland for the vacant position. We all know how that turned out.

Adam Banner

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'CSI effect' remains a myth, retired judge says on 20th anniversary of popular forensic science show

The “CSI effect” is a myth, Donald Shelton tells me. “Like the unicorn and the mermaid,” the former Michigan judge adds. Just in case I didn’t get his point.

Shelton is referring to the idea that juries in criminal trials have a high expectation that prosecutors will present scientific evidence…




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Chemerinsky: The Supreme Court returns to a term like no other

No other first Monday in October, the traditional start of a new U.S. Supreme Court term, ever has been like this one. With the country still in the midst of a pandemic, oral arguments will be held by telephone as they were in May. The justices and the country are still reeling from the death of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Sept. 18. Looming large is the coming confirmation battle over the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who would add another staunch conservative to the court.



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How contract review software can save your law firm time and money

As the pandemic rages on, lawyers have become accustomed to the new normal, and their comfort levels with remote working have increased significantly. Many larger law firms have extended work-from-home requirements into next year. And most lawyers from firms of all sizes have worked remotely at some point—and many continue…


Nicole Black

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How to empower working moms during the coronavirus pandemic

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Carolyn Elefant, an attorney who focuses her practice on energy and environmental matters and the author of several books, including Solo by Choice: How to Be the Lawyer You Always Wanted to Be.

Ari Kaplan

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What I learned from Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Last week, we lost a giant—a giant who stood just a little more than 5 feet tall and who made the world a better place for all of us. She will be remembered for many of the legal theories and opinions she espoused during her 27 years on the U.S. Supreme Court, but more than anything else, she will be remembered for the critical role she played in advancing equality for women.

Susan Smith Blakely

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A look at Netflix's 'Longmire,' Indian Country and the battle for jurisdiction

Being born and reared in western Oklahoma, I was always fairly familiar with the tribes in that area. Even though I don’t have any American Indian blood, plenty of my friends do, and I have had the opportunity to grow up experiencing the wealth of history and culture they offer.

Adam Banner

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Does firm size matter? Retired lawyer muses on pros and cons of BigLaw and SmallLaw

The concept of BigLaw only recently crossed my radar. Though I had an idea of what it means, I wan’t sure and so I Googled it and went straight to one of my most trusted word reference texts, the Urban Dictionary.

Marcel Strigberger

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