Asia

Afternoon Briefs: Chinese human rights lawyer released; AG Barr orders increased home confinement

Chinese human rights lawyer is released from prison Chinese human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang has been released from prison after nearly five years in custody, according to his wife, Li Wenzu. Wang had represented political activists, Falun Gong defendants and victims of land seizures. He was arrested in 2015 and…

Apr 6, 2020 4:24 PM CDT

Political unrest, violence have forced millions to migrate and seek protection of the rule of law

When countries lack the capacity to stop violence and corruption, and their legal and law enforcement systems lack the ability to hold perpetrators responsible, their people often have no other choice but to seek protection elsewhere.

Nov 1, 2019 4:10 AM CDT

China’s all-virtual specialty internet courts look set to expand into other areas of the law

Built to more efficiently resolve the increasing number of online disputes finding their way into the Chinese court system, internet courts also act as an incubator for a judiciary going through rapid change.

Nov 1, 2019 2:00 AM CDT

At a loss for translators, immigration courts dial up unreliable interpreter services

Migrants often speak languages that are little known in the U.S. (except maybe in New York City): k-iche from Central America, urdu from Pakistan, Creole from Haiti. American immigration judges have a hard time finding enough interpreters to show up in courtrooms.

Mar 22, 2019 12:51 PM CDT

Chinese human rights lawyer who helped train legal activists is sentenced to prison

A prominent human rights lawyer was sentenced to prison on Monday on a charge of “subversion of state power” in a closed trial.

Jan 28, 2019 9:35 AM CST

Attorney suicide: What every lawyer needs to know

Lawyers are 3.6 times more likely to suffer from depression than nonlawyers, according to the American Psychological Association. Substance abuse rates within the legal profession are also much higher than for the general population. Clinical depression and substance abuse are highly correlated with suicide rates. The legal industry has the 11th-highest incidence of suicide among professions.

Jan 1, 2019 2:05 AM CST

Cybersquatters have taken advantage of BigLaw mergers to beat those firms to the trademark registry

Chinese copycats have long bedeviled popular brands in fashion and consumer products, but cybersquatters in China now target major global law firms–registering names, especially well-known brand or company names, as internet domains, with the hope of reselling them for a profit.

Nov 1, 2018 12:30 AM CDT

Chief of 3D gun blueprint manufacturer accused in sexual assault of teen

A minor told forensic investigators in Texas that she was paid to have sex with Cody Wilson, the former law student who in June reached a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice to publish blueprints used to make 3D-printed guns. Wilson traveled to Taipei, Taiwan, after a friend of…

Sep 20, 2018 12:35 PM CDT

India high court throws out law prohibiting gay sex in unanimous ruling

An law criminalizing gay sex in India was overturned Thursday by the country’s Supreme Court.

Sep 6, 2018 12:30 PM CDT

LegalZoom announces $500M secondary investment

LegalZoom, the legal services giant, has landed a $500 million secondary investment led by Francisco Partners and GPI Capital, according to a press release issued Tuesday.

Jul 31, 2018 3:30 PM CDT

Why legal tech conferences have become a global phenomenon

Ari Kaplan speaks with Soon Yi Loo, co-founder and CEO of CanLaw Asia, a legal tech consultancy for law firms and corporate legal departments in Malaysia, and the creator of LexTech Conference; and Andrew King, the founder and strategic advisor of E-Discovery Consulting, which provides litigation support guidance to law firms and corporate legal departments throughout New Zealand, and the creator of the LawFest New Zealand conference.

Jun 15, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

Is there an ethical problem with attorneys ghostwriting for pro se clients?

Some states require no disclosure on the part of attorney ghostwriters assisting pro se litigants. Some states mandate disclosure, while other states sometimes require such disclosure.

Jun 1, 2018 1:30 AM CDT

Parents of Otto Warmbier sue North Korea over death of their son

The parents of University of Virginia student Otto Warmbier have sued North Korea for the death of their son, who was detained for the alleged theft of a poster. The suit says Warmbier was tortured during a 17-month detention in North Korea that began in January 2016, report the Washington…

Apr 27, 2018 9:13 AM CDT

Wife of detained Chinese lawyer marches to demand answers on his fate

The wife of a detained Chinese human rights lawyer is planning a 12-day walk from Beijing to the city where she believes her husband may be imprisoned. Li Wenzu says she doesn’t know whether her husband, Wang Quanzhang, is still alive, but she hopes her 100-kilometer walk will help get…

Apr 6, 2018 2:48 PM CDT

10 Questions: Harvard Law’s dean of students began as a ballerina

Marcia Lynn Sells, dean of students at Harvard Law School, once performed with Dance Theatre of Harlem under the direction of co-founder Arthur Mitchell.

Jan 1, 2018 3:40 AM CST