ABA Journal

From Columbine to Parkland: How have school shootings changed us?

The 10 years that Dave Cullen spent researching and reporting on the 1999 shootings in Littleton, Colorado, for his book Columbine were so draining that he experienced secondary PTSD. So on Feb. 14, 2018, when he heard about the shootings at Margery Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, he had no initial intention of writing about them. But in the nearly 20 years since the Columbine shootings changed our expectations about school safety, there had been a number of changes—including what the children directly impacted were able to do to change our national conversations about gun laws.

Feb 20, 2019 6:00 AM CST

If lawyers made candy hearts, what would yours say?

Nothing says Valentine’s Day like a box of conversation hearts. If you’re a fan of the sweet treats, your heart might break over this recent news: The New England Confectionery Co., the makers of the iconic Sweethearts candies, went out of business last summer, according to CNBC. While the Spangler…

Feb 13, 2019 3:45 PM CST

Leading advocate for diversity in legal industry hasn’t seen much progress in 10 years

In the 10 years since Emery K. Harlan, co-founder of the National Association of Minority & Women Owned Law Firms, was featured as an ABA Journal Legal Rebel, he says little has changed for diversity in the profession.

Feb 13, 2019 6:00 AM CST

Cartoon Poll: Which monumental caption is set in stone?

We had a blast carving through more than 100 entries for this issue’s Easter Island-themed cartoon caption contest. Now we’re between a rock and a hard place trying to figure out which of these three captions should get ahead of the rest. We want your help to determine the winner.…

Feb 11, 2019 4:51 PM CST

Building blockchain expertise into a practice that pays

Blockchain's a buzzword, but what does it mean? In this episode of the Modern Law Library, our guests James A. Cox and Mark W. Rasmussen give a breakdown of what blockchain is, the emerging legal issues the technology is prompting, and why Jones Day thinks that it's an important emerging practice area.

Feb 11, 2019 8:10 AM CST

Do you think online courses are effective?

Technology has altered the legal profession, and legal education is no exception.

Feb 7, 2019 3:00 PM CST

How do you prepare for days away from the office to stay productive?

With subzero temperatures taking the Midwest by storm, courthouses and many private businesses shut their doors this week, report the Washington Post and Chicago Tribune. The American Bar Association even made the decision to keep its Chicago headquarters closed. Safety is a priority in an arctic blast. But when you’re…

Jan 31, 2019 11:45 AM CST

Finding the right fit: Creating a career you love

Getting the jobs you think you want may not actually be what’s best for you, and being honest about what sort of work fulfills you can help in choosing the right spot.

Jan 28, 2019 7:15 AM CST

How do you manage your screen time?

Technology can be both a friend and a foe. Computers and phones keep us constantly connected, but they also distract from the physical world. Between scrolling through Twitter and checking for emails, you might forget to put down your device and live in the moment. This week, ABA Journal Legal…

Jan 24, 2019 2:31 PM CST

Threats to human rights and the rule of law around the world require our attention

For the past decade, I have been a good friend of a tax judge in Turkey. On July 16, 2016, his last tweet read: “Arrest warrants were issued for 2,745 judges and prosecutors INCLUDING ME who were suspended [this] morning.”

Jan 24, 2019 1:00 PM CST

ABA delegate John Bouma dies in street accident

John Bouma, who chaired Snell & Wilmer for 32 years, died Tuesday evening when he was struck by two cars after walking onto a Phoenix street. Police said Bouma, 82, may have walked onto the street to recover an unknown item, report the Arizona Republic, the Phoenix Business Journal and…

Jan 24, 2019 9:25 AM CST

Supreme Court’s history with alcohol gets a look in ‘Glass and Gavel’

From the earliest days of the U.S. Supreme Court, alcohol has been part of the work lives and social lives of the justices. In the book Glass and Gavel: The U.S. Supreme Court and Alcohol, Nancy Maveety takes readers on a tour through the ways that SCOTUS and spirits have overlapped.

Jan 23, 2019 6:00 AM CST

I decreased my phone screen time by 80%—this is how I did it

It’s not that I hate technology, it’s just that I don’t like spending time with it. I know, that’s weird from a guy who writes, thinks and talks about tech for a living. Consider it contempt through familiarity.

Jan 22, 2019 6:00 AM CST

Who is your favorite civil rights hero?

Martin Luther King Jr. is one of the most prominent faces of the American civil rights movement, having set the standard for nonviolent activism in an era of rampant racial discrimination. Jan. 15 marked the 90th anniversary of his birth. This Monday, a national holiday honors the memory of a…

Jan 17, 2019 1:30 PM CST

From consulting to politics, former Orrick CEO continues to beat the drum for change

When Ralph Baxter joined the inaugural class of Legal Rebels in 2009, he was the CEO and chairman of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe. Just a year into the biggest recession since the Great Depression, he caught the ABA Journal’s attention through his initiatives that took Orrick from a domestic, California-based firm to an international heavyweight while navigating economic turbulence.

Jan 16, 2019 7:00 AM CST