For lawyers and the legal system, the issues presented by the novel coronavirus have been as novel as the virus itself. The reverberations will be long-lasting—in some cases, forever so. The ABA Journal talked to eight leading lawyers in their fields, including Gloria Allred and Robert Shapiro, about impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on their practice areas.
“I am able to use my skills to help with the board, to help with meal organization, and to help with providing supplemental staffing at a time when more than ever an EMT is needed,” says lawyer Christopher Jennison, an ABA member, employment and labor counsel with the Federal Aviation Administration, and assembly clerk of the ABA’s Young Lawyers Division.
Police say unmanned aerial systems can build trust in the community by deescalating incidents. Critics warn, however, that drones sow fear and distrust.
We asked legal ethics experts for a primer on the most pressing and pernicious ethics traps out there for the modern lawyer, along with best practices to avoid problems on the front end.
How do courts determine a person’s mental state and apply that in deciding guilt or innocence? How do judges and juries weigh evidence related to brain functioning? And what do lawyers and judges need to know to effectively evaluate such questions?
Florida plaintiffs lawyer Debi F. Chalik remembers the moment she decided to file suit against Princess Cruises for negligence arising from the COVID-19 outbreak on the Grand Princess ship. It was March 6, and she was home watching Vice President Mike Pence deliver a televised briefing that included an update on the status of the Grand Princess.
Bringing a case against an ocean cruise line is challenging. Plaintiffs lawyers say these cases are highly specific and highly specialized, governed by myriad legal standards and subject to investigative challenges. It’s an area so unique that it’s easy for a novice lawyer to make an honest mistake that can permanently sink an otherwise meritorious case.
Baseball most naturally lends itself to implementing the types of social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But sports lawyers say Major League Baseball likely has the most delicate off-the-field legal and contractual issues to iron out before the teams can play ball.
“Change must come, not just through outrage but by powerful, countervailing forces. Every state needs strong and enforced hate crime laws, prosecution of police officers who abuse their power, and top-down political resolve that this will not be tolerated,” writes the ABA Journal’s Liane Jackson.
