ABA Journal

Podcasts

Judge in a turtleneck

The Modern Law Library

When should life sentences be overturned? Judge shares how he decides

A federal judge's new book is giving readers a rare inside glimpse at how a judge determines which prisoners deserve to have their sentences overturned.

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The Modern Law Library

Convicted of a crime that never occurred? It happens all too often, law prof says

We are used to hearing about wrongful convictions in which a murderer walked free because an innocent person was misidentified. But when Jessica S. Henry, a professor at Montclair State University in New Jersey, was researching material for her course on wrongful convictions, she discovered that in one-third of all known exonerations, the conviction was wrongful because there had not even been a crime.

Asked and Answered

2020 Harvard Law grad postpones bar exam and her wedding plans because of COVID-19

This past spring, when few people realized that most July bar exams would ultimately be canceled, Molly Coleman decided to forgo the test, for the time being, despite her lawyer father’s objections.

The Modern Law Library

Well-meaning social reforms created ‘Prison by Any Other Name,’ authors say

At a time when the country is discussing how the justice system and policing can be reformed, it's critical that we avoid adopting reforms that have damaging consequences.

ABA Annual Meeting

What can we expect from the all-virtual 2020 ABA Annual Meeting?

The Modern Law Library

We need to reckon with feminism’s contributions to mass incarceration, says law professor

As a law professor at the University of Colorado Law School, Aya Gruber has seen her Millennial students wrestle with a contradiction that she has long struggled with herself.

Legal Rebels Podcast

Legal reform advocates need to more actively engage the public

Supporters of broad reforms to how the legal profession is regulated must do a better job drawing the public into ongoing conversations in several states about such issues, says Paula Littlewood, the former longtime executive director of the Washington State Bar Association.

Asked and Answered

COVID-19 hasn’t stopped this lawyer from advocating for wellness and recovery

It may often seem like most, if not all, of your contacts on social media are complaining about wearing face masks, having to social distance and adhere to shelter-in-place orders. Since the novel coronavirus hit, performing these tasks have become part of our daily lives. But it's important to note that you only have control of yourself, says lawyer and author Brian Cuban.

The Modern Law Library

What does police abolition look like?

Legal Rebels Podcast

BigLaw firm’s legal tech subsidiary has launched a steady stream of COVID-19 tools

When the novel coronavirus began rapidly spreading across the United States earlier this year, Kimball Dean Parker says he felt a strong desire to help consumers and businesses in need.

The Modern Law Library

What’s lost when jury trials vanish?

Thirty years ago, between 9% to 10% of federal criminal cases actually went to trial before a jury. That may not seem like a large percentage, but by 2018, only 2% of defendants received a jury trial.

Asked and Answered

Could you be replaced by a robot lawyer?

Do you really need a human for the so-called human touch in lawyering, particularly when a big part of the job is convincing the client to be reasonable? Maybe not, according to some people who created apps that they claim help people accomplish tasks traditionally carried out by lawyers.

The Modern Law Library

Meet 9 American women shortlisted for the Supreme Court before Sandra Day O’Connor

As early as the 1930s, presidents were considering putting the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court. So, who were these other candidates on the short list, and why did it take until 1981 for Sandra Day O'Connor to become the first female justice?

Legal Rebels Podcast

How hosting a national pandemic summit aided the Nebraska courts system with its COVID-19 response

When the novel coronavirus began sweeping across the U.S. earlier this year, Nebraska’s judicial system was better prepared to rapidly adjust its operations than some of its counterparts in other states.

The Modern Law Library

An insider’s guide to succeeding in law school⁠—even during the COVID-19 pandemic

Andrew Guthrie Ferguson says that near the end of every school year, he has law students come into his office "usually in tears." They tell the professor that if they'd only known at the start of the year what they'd figured out by the end of the year, they'd be so much further ahead.

Asked and Answered

Trials and tiaras: How do pageant winners fare as lawyers?

What are two activities where success comes from reading a room, speaking with authority and not appearing nervous, even if you are? Trying cases in court and also beauty pageants.

The Modern Law Library

Journalist investigating wrongful convictions turns lens on white-collar criminal case in Chicago

Legal Rebels Podcast

Online estate planning sees surge during coronavirus crisis

The online estate-planning platform Trust & Will saw at least a 100% increase in business in March amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Cody Barbo, the company’s CEO and co-founder.

The Modern Law Library

How to develop your horse sense with equine law

Julie Fershtman has developed a niche practice helping people who love horses deal with the particular joys and challenges that come with equine businesses. She is one of the nation's best-known lawyers serving many facets of the horse industry.

Asked and Answered

How to practice law remotely and efficiently during the COVID-19 crisis

As people across the country are coping with countless changes in light of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the ABA Journal’s Asked and Answered podcast is taking a break from its regularly scheduled programing to share information with lawyers about how they can adjust to the world’s current situation—such as having to work from home, whether they want to or not.

The Modern Law Library

What should you read about COVID-19? We asked an epidemiologist

With a barrage of information and misinformation about COVID-19 coming our way, it can be hard to evaluate what sources are trustworthy and where to go for reliable medical news. So for this new episode of the Modern Law Library, the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles called her friend Mary Lancaster, an epidemiologist for the federal government.

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