ABA Journal Podcast

Investigations of federal judges are rare and should happen more, former clerk says

The investigation of federal judges falls under the Judicial Conduct and Disability Act, and it doesn’t happen nearly as often as it should, says the president and founder of the Legal Accountability Project.

Aug 28, 2023 8:16 AM CDT

Summer reading and back-to-law-school tips

It's time for The Modern Law Library's summer recommendations episode, in which host Lee Rawles shares her pop culture picks with you, plus a re-airing of one of our older episodes with current relevance.

Aug 23, 2023 8:11 AM CDT

Changing the culture at law firms to promote wellness and mental well-being

Whether it was the idea that stress was just part of the job or that taking time out for your wellness was a sign of weakness, the legal industry has not always made mental well-being a priority. Some law firms are trying to change that.

Aug 16, 2023 10:14 AM CDT

Trial lawyer’s tales include wins, losses and international intrigue

The year was 1961. Freshly minted attorney James J. Brosnahan had been on the job as a federal prosecutor in Phoenix for two days when he was handed his first trial: a capital murder case.

Aug 9, 2023 8:38 AM CDT

First quarter of 2023 had some of highest activist shareholder activity ever, say equity investor counsel

According to two New York partners, the increase started with the #MeToo movement in 2017, when an article was published about former film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Jul 31, 2023 8:06 AM CDT

Is family court too flawed to be fixed?

Jane M. Spinak did not set out to write a book arguing for the abolition of family court. She thought that she would be making the case for a set of sensible reforms. But the more she dug into the history of the family court system, the previous attempts at reform, and the examples of real world harms that the system had caused, the more she began to believe there was no saving it.

Jul 26, 2023 8:07 AM CDT

How GPT and other large language models could change e-discovery

Large language models such as ChatGPT are all the rage these days. But this isn’t the first time that a promising piece of legal technology upended the legal industry.

Jul 19, 2023 8:07 AM CDT

Didn’t get it in writing? There may still be a way, says author of ‘Litigating Constructive Trusts’

“If you don’t have it in writing, you’re out of luck.” That’s the common wisdom you’ll hear. But while getting an agreement in writing is a best practice, in some cases you might have more options than you think to enforce a unwritten agreement.

Jul 12, 2023 9:00 AM CDT

Attorney for Lawrence v. Texas reflects on LGBTQ rights on 20th anniversary

Winning a 2003 landmark U.S. Supreme Court case expanded a gay lawyer’s Supreme Court practice, he says, and looking back, it’s his favorite case.

Jun 26, 2023 8:42 AM CDT

‘My Mom, the Lawyer’ explores women’s work and personal lives through the eyes of their children

While directed at young children, a lawyer’s book also speaks to lawyers who are moms, letting them know that being both can be a busy but fulfilling life.

Jun 21, 2023 8:39 AM CDT

What could AI regulation in the US look like?

In the United States, there has been very little movement toward establishing a regulatory framework at the federal level for artificial intelligence. Why is that?

Jun 14, 2023 8:51 AM CDT

SCOTUS faces ‘a catastrophic loss of institutional legitimacy,’ warns author

In his new book, The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America, Michael Waldman identifies three times that the U.S. Supreme Court caused a public backlash against itself—and warns that the court may be well along the path to a fourth massive public backlash.

Jun 7, 2023 8:55 AM CDT

The NextGen bar exam includes an expansion of skills testing, so how will candidates study?

When the National Conference of Bar Examiners launches a revamped version of the bar exam in 2026, called the NextGen bar exam, it is expected that there will be new assessments on skills including legal research, investigation and client counseling.

May 29, 2023 9:00 AM CDT

‘The Shadow Docket’ shines light on an increasingly uncommunicative Supreme Court

In The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic, University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck argues that the U.S. Supreme Court is expanding its powers at the expense of the rule of law and public transparency.

May 17, 2023 8:40 AM CDT

Pre/Dicta takes a radically different approach to predictive analytics than others

In addition to looking at rulings and jurisprudence, Pre/Dicta also examines a judge’s political affiliation, net worth, area of residence, career and other personal and demographic data.

May 17, 2023 8:38 AM CDT