ABA Journal

Latest Features

Time's up: Legal, judicial systems slow to adapt to sexual harassment and assault issues

Employment lawyers say decreasing sexual harassment at work requires awareness that behavior may make colleagues uncomfortable and willingness to stop the conduct without resentment.



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Why 3 BigLaw firms ended use of mandatory arbitration clauses

In some situations, confidentiality of arbitration can be a problem, as it makes corroborating claims more difficult. The Me Too movement has prompted some law firms to review human resources policies.



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Building a niche law practice rewards extra work, special training

In a challenging job market for young lawyers, a specialized legal niche provides a marketing edge for solo practitioners and better advice to clients.



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New York considers changing discovery rules that often leave defense lawyers in the dark

Advocates have dubbed New York’s discovery scheme the blindfold law, arguing that the lack of information requires defense counsel to prepare for trial, or advise clients about plea bargains, without ever seeing the evidence.



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Appeals court stymies bid to regulate high cost of prison phone calls

After 14 years of pleas, the Federal Communications Commission in 2015 made a rule capping rates for in-state prison phone calls. But the affected telecommunications companies sued—and in June 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit handed them a victory. The court said the FCC overstepped its statutory authority when it regulated in-state calls, and that the way it set the rates was “hard to fathom.”



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Increased enforcement of immigration laws raises scam risk

Fraud targeting immigrants did not begin with the Trump administration; advocates say it’s constant and pervasive. But the administration’s aggressive approach to immigration law enforcement is driving up interest in legal services, they say. And some subset of those immigrants looking for help will end up trusting the wrong people.



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Underreporting makes notario fraud difficult to fight

Immigration legal-services fraud is extremely underreported, advocates say. One potential solution: making victims of immigration legal-services fraud more comfortable coming forward.



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A new book looks at how a law firm stint revived Nixon's political and presidential prospects

Having his own firm gave Nixon access to deep-pocketed clients, allowed him to travel internationally and burnish his foreign policy credentials and, most importantly, helped build a formidable staff of top-notch lawyers, researchers and writers—a staff that did just about everything for him when it came time to ramp up for the 1968 campaign.



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These lawyers balance full-time practices with a side hustle that pays

Lawyers often take on additional work beyond the boundaries of their practices. But some attorneys take parallel paths, excelling in another areas completely unconnected to law. These mega-multitaskers have essentially built second careers—making money, gaining recognition, building brands and reporting a level of satisfaction they think wouldn’t be possible working in law alone.



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Courts are awarding significant damages to families whose dogs are killed by police

Substantial, high-profile awards have been won in cases in which judges found constitutional violations against owners.



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