Weekly Briefs: Bar group that ditched drag trivia event criticized; Black law schools guide drops overall rankings

Social justice group criticizes bar drag event cancellation The nonprofit Southern Coalition for Social Justice is forwarding a letter with more than 100 signatures to a bar group that canceled a drag show trivia night, citing “political” reasons. The letter says the decision by the North Carolina Bar Association “flies…

Jun 9, 2023 3:04 PM CDT

In ‘stunning development,’ Supreme Court rules Alabama election map violates Voting Rights Act

The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down a congressional voting map that dilutes Black voting strength in Alabama, stating that it would “decline to recast” its caselaw as urged by the state.

Jun 8, 2023 11:39 AM CDT

Nation’s first youth climate lawsuits to go to trial

Held v. State of Montana is part of a growing trend in climate-related litigation: shifting away from lawsuits targeting specific fossil fuel projects and toward a bigger-picture approach focusing on fundamental rights and broad violations of public trust.

Jun 7, 2023 11:11 AM CDT

Role of nonlawyer assistants in client intake addressed in new ABA ethics opinion

Lawyers may train nonlawyer legal assistants to handle client intake matters, but they must ensure that such assistants’ conduct is compatible with the lawyer’s professional obligations, including giving clients an opportunity to consult with the lawyer about questions, according to an ethics opinion from the ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility released Wednesday.

Jun 7, 2023 10:07 AM CDT

Plea bargaining reform urged by ABA task force in new report

An increasing number of criminal cases are not going to trial, and the implications have negative consequences for the entire justice system, according to a new report by the ABA Criminal Justice Section’s Plea Bargaining Task Force.

Jun 2, 2023 11:38 AM CDT

‘Significant noncompliance’ in admissions standard for Pontifical Catholic found by ABA Legal Ed council

The Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico School of Law is out of compliance with an accreditation standard involving admissions, according to a notice posted Wednesday by the council of the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar.

Jun 1, 2023 9:43 AM CDT

Bill Bay, the ABA’s president-elect nominee, hopes to attract new lawyers to the association

Jun 1, 2023 12:30 AM CDT

Meet Our Nominees: ABA candidates, in their own words

Leading up to the ABA Annual Meeting in August, we’ve asked incoming leadership candidates the same four questions: What positive experiences have you had with the ABA? What would you like to accomplish during your term? What is something that not a lot of other ABA members know about you? And finally, why would you encourage other lawyers and judges to join the association?

Jun 1, 2023 12:20 AM CDT

The ABA works to help formerly incarcerated people reenter society

For those incarcerated, the ABA supports appropriate treatment consistent with the Eighth Amendment that offers resources and opportunities shown to reduce recidivism and increase public safety.

Jun 1, 2023 12:10 AM CDT

ABA Notices - June-July 2023

Jun 1, 2023 12:07 AM CDT

Slate for next term announced by ABA Legal Ed council

Judge Bridget Mary McCormack, a retired Michigan Supreme Court chief justice, is slated to serve as the next council chair of the ABA’s Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar during the next term.

May 31, 2023 2:32 PM CDT

New GRE will take about half as much time, Educational Testing Service announces

Starting in September, the time to take the Graduate Record Examinations will be less than two hours, which is about half its current length, according to a May 31 news release from the Educational Testing Service, which is responsible for the GRE and designs the exam.

May 31, 2023 2:00 PM CDT

Rights Work: UChicago constitutional law course brings together incarcerated youths, law students

The eight-week class is designed to give incarcerated youths an opportunity to consider their rights while exposing the law students to the younger students’ worldview through in-class discussions on topics that include freedom of speech, due process and reproductive freedom, along with weekly mentoring sessions.

May 31, 2023 8:12 AM CDT

Weekly Briefs: New ethics rule considered in Virginia; name partner launches new firm

Virginia proposes ban on agreements limiting ethics complaints A proposed ethics rule in Virginia would ban lawyers from making agreements with clients or former clients that limit their right to pursue disciplinary complaints. The Virginia State Bar is seeking public comment on the proposal, which would be added to Rule…

May 26, 2023 10:48 AM CDT

Silver Gavel Awards go to works featuring Emmett Till, Roe v. Wade

This year’s recipients of the Silver Gavel Awards for Media and the Arts delve into a multitude of pressing and prominent legal issues, including abortion rights, affirmative action and modern-day slavery.

May 24, 2023 12:30 PM CDT