He’s Got Jokes: Former insurance litigator spent decades juggling work, family and cartooning

“I could write and I had analytical abilities, so I thought law school would be a good idea,” Philip Witte says. “I can’t say it was a pleasant experience, though.” It definitely was not as pleasant as sitting in an artist’s studio dreaming of cartoons.

Jul 18, 2024 1:00 PM CDT

A Law Clerk’s Transition: From umpire’s apprentice to fighter in the ring

As law clerks, we learn to write with a dispassionate tone and an air of neutrality. We write to explain. As lawyers, the same rules apply, but the goal changes: We write to persuade.

Jul 17, 2024 12:00 PM CDT

Wife of Trump’s VP pick, who clerked for Roberts and Kavanaugh, leaves her firm

Usha Vance most recently worked as a litigator at law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson in its San Francisco and D.C. offices. Her work focused on fields including higher education, local government, entertainment and technology, according to an archived version of her professional biography, which has now been taken down. She previously clerked for Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., and Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh while he was at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Jul 16, 2024 11:21 AM CDT

Celebrated criminal defense attorney Neal Sonnett dies at 81

Neal Sonnett, a renowned criminal defense attorney and active leader in the ABA, died on Thursday at the age of 81. He was instrumental in the ABA’s efforts to protect civil liberties in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.

Jul 16, 2024 11:00 AM CDT

Fennemore aims to expand talent pool with new remote-work program

Jul 11, 2024 12:38 PM CDT

BigLaw firm confirms staff layoffs with ‘generous separation packages’

Jul 11, 2024 9:19 AM CDT

Federal judge who banned female prosecutor from his courtroom won’t face discipline after giving up cases

Jul 10, 2024 9:18 AM CDT

Federal judge who abruptly resigned had been referred for possible impeachment recommendation

Jul 9, 2024 2:30 PM CDT

Federal appeals judge, 97, who refused to cooperate in fitness probe loses challenge to disability law

Jul 9, 2024 12:20 PM CDT

Sept. 11 defense lawyer, winner of ABA Journal’s 2024 Ross Writing Contest, recognizes humanity of reviled clients

Updated: A former public defender who represents a detainee at Guantanamo Bay is the winner of the 2024 ABA Journal/Ross Writing Contest for Legal Short Fiction.

Jul 9, 2024 11:08 AM CDT

Justice Amy Coney Barrett is charting her own path on the bench

The dissent was biting, accusing the Supreme Court’s conservative majority of “feeble” and “cherry-picked” arguments that inaccurately downplayed the Environmental Protection Agency’s role in protecting air quality. Of course, all three liberal justices signed on. But the writer was a conservative nominated by President Donald Trump: Justice Amy Coney Barrett, who charted a distinctive path during her breakout fourth term on the high court.

Jul 9, 2024 10:50 AM CDT

Writing novels helps this employment lawyer avoid burnout

Brooke Tabshouri was a few years into her legal career when she experienced what she describes as “bad burnout.” She learned through therapy and mindfulness classes that she needed to do something creative when she wasn’t being a lawyer or caring for her two children.

Jul 9, 2024 9:42 AM CDT

Former BigLaw partner settles defamation suit against social media influencer

Jul 8, 2024 1:22 PM CDT

BigLaw DEI leader encountered bias after standing up to ‘nearly all-white firm,’ bias suit alleges

Jul 8, 2024 12:37 PM CDT

This law firm increased revenue by about 139% in 5 years while raising partner profits

Jul 3, 2024 2:34 PM CDT