ABA Journal

‘By Hands Now Known’ shines light on cold cases of lynchings and racial violence

In summer 2020, when the murder of George Floyd was igniting protests, it occurred to Margaret A. Burnham that “George Floyd” was a common-sounding name. She went into her archive of Jim Crow-era homicides and found another George Floyd.

Nov 16, 2022 3:30 PM CST

The legal dilemma of ‘The Wizard of Oz’

“I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!” One of my favorite movies is The Wizard of Oz. I rewatched the film recently, and this time, I focused on a scene with great legal significance.

Nov 14, 2022 12:40 PM CST

In family law, don’t focus; use a wide-angle lens

There’s truth to the adage by renowned education administrator Nicholas Murray Butler, “An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less until he knows absolutely everything about nothing.” Some lawyers are becoming increasingly specialized to carve out their niche in the legal field. Opportunities for specialization continue to crop up, with growing need in areas like cannabis law, for example.

Nov 9, 2022 8:52 AM CST

It’s a long road ahead for driverless cars, says Fastcase executive

There hasn’t been much progress when it comes to driverless cars. Most major car manufacturers have sunk hundreds of billions into developing and testing driverless cars; yet the finish line seems to be nowhere in sight. So what happened?

Nov 9, 2022 8:51 AM CST

Chemerinsky: Stakes are high as Supreme Court considers affirmative action cases

The future of affirmative action in the United States rests on two cases heard by the U.S Supreme Court Monday: Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admission v. Harvard College. Both liberals and conservatives expect the court to overrule precedent and end affirmative action by colleges and universities. This will have a dramatic effect on both public and private schools, and how the court does this could have enormous implications for many areas of law.

Nov 2, 2022 2:19 PM CDT

How to get more clients from the comfort of home

As the world continues to digitalize, legal professionals must embrace this change sooner rather than later to remain competitive. Check out five steps to increase your online client base before you find your business left behind gradually, then suddenly.

Nov 1, 2022 8:41 AM CDT

Stressed about holiday parties? Think about skipping them, says lawyer in recovery

As we head into the holiday season, consider what you want your celebrations to look like, rather than meeting everyone else’s expectations, says a lawyer who has been sober for almost two decades.

Oct 31, 2022 9:00 AM CDT

Lawyer with autism explores Netflix series ‘Extraordinary Attorney Woo’

I am almost always hesitant to watch stories about autism on TV. I find them extremely stressful because neurotypical creators and actors have a way of consistently “getting it wrong”: focusing on young boys; emphasizing traits in a way that feels like someone is checking them off from a list rather than fleshing out a whole human character; and almost consciously hitting upon every single stereotype.

Oct 27, 2022 10:21 AM CDT

Astros cheat, lawyers prosper and fans strike out in sign-stealing scandal

On Friday night, the Houston Astros will go to bat against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of baseball’s Fall Classic. For many, this will call back Major League Baseball’s finding in 2020 that the Astros engaged in illegal sign-stealing during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

Oct 27, 2022 9:52 AM CDT

How do you calculate damages in injury trials? Longtime expert witness reveals methodology

Estimating what the future would have looked like if an accident had never occurred can seem more like a thought experiment than a scientific process. But there’s a science behind it, says Michael Shahnasarian.

Oct 26, 2022 8:47 AM CDT

Innovation and law firm digital transformation in Europe

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Freddie Hustler, the head of international sales at Litera, a software company that provides document lifecycle, deal management and firm intelligence solutions to the legal profession.

Oct 24, 2022 1:08 PM CDT

Take one thing off your plate with virtual receptionists

If you’re like most lawyers, one of your top business goals is to grow your law firm. Law firm expansion means a more profitable law practice and the ability to change the world for the better. Of course, it’s often easier said than done. Growing a law practice takes time, and that’s something most lawyers don’t have a lot of.

Oct 24, 2022 9:44 AM CDT

A Credit to the Genre: ‘Serial’ and the case of Adnan Syed

Back in 2019, I wrote an installment for this column discussing whether true-crime documentaries can do more harm than good for the criminal justice system. In that piece, I focused squarely on the Netflix documentary series Making a Murderer. I spoke with a reporter who had covered the trial and received his feedback regarding what was actually included in the series and what was left out. I referred to that editorial practice as the “CliffsNotes version.”

Oct 20, 2022 2:07 PM CDT

Paying the ‘diversity tax’ to practice law

Two years ago, to preserve my mental health, I walked away from my dream of working as a legal aid attorney. I'm no longer practicing law but now work as a diversity and equity inclusion officer at the same organization at which I practiced, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia.

Oct 19, 2022 3:19 PM CDT

How lawyers can unlock the potential of the metaverse

The metaverse is all the rage these days. Users can enter a virtual world where they can interact with people from all parts of the physical world, play games, engage in commerce and do a lot of other things. Some law firms have also seen the potential.

Oct 19, 2022 8:39 AM CDT