Top news stories of 2024
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Every year, we like to give our readers a peek behind our analytics and share which of our stories got the most traffic. For 2024, we're sharing the top 10 news stories written for ABAJournal.com and the top five articles that also appeared in our magazine. The Second Amendment, law school rankings and retirement for lawyers all drew attention this year.
Top 10 articles on ABAJournal.com
1. States can’t ban guns in banks, hospitals and churches, but property owners can, 9th Circuit says
A federal appeals court has refused to allow two states to ban guns in some locations but limited the impact of its decision when it ruled that property owners can reject firearms.
2. New bar passage stats show several law schools below ABA cutoff
Western Michigan University’s Thomas M. Cooley Law School had the lowest two-year bar passage rate for 2021 graduates among ABA-accredited law schools, according to data released by the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.
3. Shake-up in US News’ 2024 law school rankings
The 2024 U.S. News & World Report Best Law Schools rankings is riddled with ties, including three ties in the top tier, and a few unusual jumps.
4. Judge resigns amid Jan. 6 rally probe; ‘I would do it over again’
A New York village and town court judge has agreed to resign amid an investigation into his attendance at a Jan. 6, 2021, rally in Washington, D.C.
5. Black retired judge who flew first class says flight attendant ordered her to use coach restroom
A Black retired judge from Chicago said she was flying first class when an American Airlines flight attendant accused her of slamming the first-class restroom door and later directed her to use the facilities in the back of the plane.
6. 4th Circuit upholds $1M sanction for law firm that tried to ‘sabotage’ federal court’s authority
A federal judge had inherent power to impose a $1.05 million sanction against a national law firm for asking state courts to order an end to U.S. district court litigation, a federal appeals court has ruled.
7. Retiring Reluctantly: As lawyers age, many struggle with exit strategies
For years, law firms across the country have been grappling with what to do with the baby boomers, the generation born between 1946 and 1964, as they reach and surpass the typical retirement age of 65. The problem, law firm consultants say, is that lawyers often don’t want to leave.
8. Judge assigned to Trump’s criminal case in Georgia once worked for DA
The state court judge appointed to preside in the Georgia racketeering case against former President Donald Trump once worked for Fani T. Willis, the current Fulton County, Georgia, district attorney who obtained the indictment.
9. Duane Morris partner ousted after wife found dead in stairwell and her parents allege domestic violence (Update)
A judge in Cook County, Illinois, has granted a temporary restraining order that prevents a now-ousted partner at Duane Morris from retrieving the remains of his wife after her body was found in a stairwell in his South Loop residential building.
10. Teen who enrolled in law school at age 13 becomes youngest person to pass California bar exam
A 17-year-old girl has beaten her brother’s record to become the youngest person to pass the California bar exam.
Top five ABA Journal magazine articles
The ABA Journal asked attorneys to share reads they found inspiring, insightful and useful in the practice of law. Here are 25 of their suggestions.
2. These Public Service Loan Forgiveness applicants have seen their student debt erased
Many public service attorneys had an overwhelming feeling that massive student loan debt would travel through life with them. But many of those attorneys got relief in the past year, thanks to recent changes to the federal government’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
3. Resting Your Cases: Thinking about retirement? Lawyers give advice about money, goals and happiness
Lawyers can have meaningful and fulfilling lives after retirement. However, there are some important steps to take long before leaving a full-time legal career.
4. Lawyers as Explainers: Remember, you are writing for intelligent people
“As professional workers with words, lawyers above all must be good explainers,” writes Bryan Garner. “The basic approach of expert explainers is to say what would need to be said clearly, simply and pleasantly to a small mixed audience of intelligent people. You think all this is obvious? It’s not. The qualities we’re discussing here aren’t commonplace. They’re rare.”
5. Guard against poor legal research with these 3 writing practices
“Not long ago, the partners at a law firm told me of an embarrassingly disastrous trial,” writes Bryan Garner. “They wanted to know whether I knew of ways to prevent this type of problem. The answer is a qualified yes: While there are no panaceas, certain protocols can minimize the risks of suboptimal research. Here are the three crucial points.”
