ABA Journal

‘Laughter is a blood sport at the court’ when used by SCOTUS justices, new study says

U.S. Supreme Court justices use courtroom humor as a tool of advocacy and as a signal of their power and status, according to a new study of oral arguments by two law professors. As justices have taken on a greater advocacy role in the modern era, there has been an…

Mar 12, 2019 7:30 AM CDT

Who do you think is an inspiring woman in law and why?

March is Women’s History Month in the United States, a time to recognize women from the past and present who overcame adversity to excel in a male-dominated society. Within the American Bar Association, women were not admitted until 1918, and black people were not allowed to join until 1943—meaning not…

Mar 6, 2019 2:13 PM CST

Former JAG Corps captain draws from history and sports for diversity advice

Kenneth Imo spent years playing college football for Southern Methodist University, working his way up in the U.S. Air Force and leading the charge for diversity in two international law firms. Imo mined his experiences for his book, Fix It: How History, Sports, and Education Can Inform Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Today.

Mar 6, 2019 7:05 AM CST

10 Questions: This former criminal defense lawyer builds on his Puerto Rican heritage as a bilingual comedian

Comedian Elizardi Castro is going to make you laugh, in two languages. Castro is the creator of Made in Puerto Rico, a high-energy bilingual one man show about island life, culture and pride.

Mar 1, 2019 1:55 AM CST

Legal director of Lambda Legal has spent her life pursuing LGBT rights

Sharon McGowan is the chief strategy officer and legal director of Lambda Legal, which is committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and individuals living with HIV.

Mar 1, 2019 1:50 AM CST

Are you a lawyer with public speaking anxiety? You are not alone

Ignoring our negative mental soundtrack and automatic physical responses to stress doesn’t help us learn how to manage those tangible foes in a constructive way. I trudged forward pretending I knew what I was doing. I didn’t.

Mar 1, 2019 1:30 AM CST

Self-care isn’t selfish and can actually help your performance

Women, especially mothers, carry a disproportionate share of the cognitive load when it comes to child rearing and running the household. This is an additional burden for lawyers, who are already under tremendous pressure. Often, self-care practices lead to compounding positive effects. When you exercise, you have more energy, your mind feels clearer, you’re better able to focus and you’re more productive.

Mar 1, 2019 1:20 AM CST

Test your knowledge of these not-so-everyday words

Among language lovers, Johnson O’Connor is best known for his work in understanding how vocabulary augmentation is a major key in unlocking human potential. O’Connor used these words in the 1940s to test American adults, some college-educated and some not.

Mar 1, 2019 1:15 AM CST

ABA Center for Human Rights is a living legacy of its founder, says 6th Circuit judge

Willie Kimani was a Kenyan lawyer who was brutally murdered in 2016. At the time of his death, he was representing a victim of police misconduct and calling for an investigation into the implicated police officers. The evidence has since linked his murder to the police officers he had sought…

Feb 28, 2019 6:45 AM CST

What tech gear do you use at your law firm, and how is it helpful to you?

In the 21st century, law firms no longer run on just paper and pencil. Legal technology is a booming industry, which is why lawyers and professionals come together annually for the ABA Techshow in Chicago. This year, from Feb. 27 to March 2, attendees will scour the expo floor and…

Feb 27, 2019 2:57 PM CST

As deepfakes make it harder to discern truth, lawyers can be gatekeepers

"We're entering an era in which our enemies can make it look like anyone is saying anything at any point in time, even if they would never say those things," former President Barack Obama announced in a video PSA for BuzzFeed News last year.

Feb 26, 2019 6:30 AM CST

Cartoon Caption: Brush up your best work of art for this courtroom scene

Is this an artful opening statement in the literal sense, or is the painter lawyer just trying to capture the judge’s good side? Send us your best caption for this cartoon. The winner of our March challenge will see their caption and credit printed in an upcoming issue of the…

Feb 25, 2019 12:33 PM CST

9th Circuit can’t count deceased judge’s vote, Supreme Court rules; pay-equity decision vacated

Judge Stephen Reinhardt. Photo from Wikimedia Commons. The U.S. Supreme Court has vacated a pay-equity ruling by a federal appeals court because the circuit judge who wrote the opinion was no longer alive when it was issued. The Supreme Court granted certiorari and ruled on Monday in a per curiam…

Feb 25, 2019 10:55 AM CST

Bullying from the bench: How to cope in court

When attorney Roula Allouch got involved with Bullyproof, an anti-bullying initiative with the ABA Young Lawyers Division, she quickly saw that many members’ complaints were about judges.

Feb 25, 2019 6:00 AM CST

Should defendants be forcibly medicated to be competent for trial?

When a defendant shows signs of mental instability, their competency to stand trial comes into question. The Supreme Court case Sell v. United States sets guidelines for when defendants should be forcibly medicated so that a trial can proceed. The ruling recommends that a judge order medication in select situations…

Feb 21, 2019 3:17 PM CST