ABA Journal Podcast

Should lawyers embrace or fear ChatGPT?

Released Nov. 30, ChatGPT, a chatbot created by OpenAI, has made waves in a short amount of time for how responsive, sophisticated and realistic it is.

Jan 18, 2023 9:10 AM CST

Lawyer digs into big data for new legal thriller ‘Code 6’

“Code 6” follows an aspiring playwright, as she tries to make sense of her mother’s suicide and put on a play about big data while working for her father.

Jan 4, 2023 8:44 AM CST

How do you build trust with incarcerated clients? Exonerated jailhouse lawyer has ideas

A good way for lawyers to build trust with incarcerated clients is recognizing that for some case details, clients probably have a better sense of things than the counsel.

Dec 26, 2022 10:00 AM CST

Listen to our 10 favorite podcast episodes of 2022

Looking for a new listen? We've picked our favorite 2022 episodes from each of the ABA Journal's three podcasts. And if this whets your appetite, find more than 10 years of past episodes on our podcast page. You can also check out more legal podcasts from our partners at Legal Talk Network.

Dec 23, 2022 8:42 AM CST

This lawyer tackled lifelong anxiety to free herself from ‘The Box’

“The Box: An Invitation to Freedom From Anxiety” became an investigation into the mental and emotional barriers that Wendy Tamis Robbins constructed since childhood to protect herself—and a blueprint for dismantling the barriers that no longer served her.

Dec 21, 2022 8:34 AM CST

Why this BigLaw firm recently started a legal ops division

Legal operations handle a lot of the business and technological stuff that many lawyers either aren’t trained to handle or don’t want to deal with. All so lawyers can focus on practicing law and representing their clients to the best of their abilities.

Dec 14, 2022 8:35 AM CST

Our favorite pop culture picks in 2022

In our annual Year in Review episode, Lee Rawles speaks to her ABA Journal colleagues Blair Chavis, Julianne Hill and Stephanie Francis Ward to find out how they spent their downtime in 2022. We cover the usual lineup of our favorite books, movies and TV shows, but each participant also provides more niche content.

Dec 7, 2022 12:26 PM CST

Can change really come from within? These 13 prosecutors think so

Change From Within: Reimagining the 21st-Century Prosecutor shares the personal profiles of prosecutors who want to use prosecutorial discretion to reduce incarceration rates and harm to vulnerable communities from the prison-industrial system.

Nov 30, 2022 8:44 AM CST

Worried about the 2023 lawyer jobs market? This legal search consultant has some tips

While 2022 was a phenomenal year for attorneys and “anyone with a pulse” and a law license could find work, 2023 might “go back to normal,” says Valerie A. Fontaine, a founding director of the legal search company SeltzerFontaine.

Nov 28, 2022 8:40 AM CST

‘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

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

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

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

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

Author and lawyer Scott Turow made generational leap for new legal thriller

Author and lawyer Scott Turow’s latest legal thriller Suspect reintroduces readers to Clarice “Pinky” Granum, the granddaughter of attorney Sandy Stern—a character from the author's novels The Last Trial and his blockbuster debut Presumed Innocent.

Oct 12, 2022 9:36 AM CDT