Columns

Consider teaching law in business school as an alternative career

A JD degree is a gateway to various career alternatives. One of these opportunities, teaching law in a business school, receives little publicity and often is overlooked by law school graduates.

Jun 1, 2023 9:16 AM CDT

Will ‘chatbot lawyer’ make it into Black’s Law Dictionary?

As I write this column, less than 24 hours after the invention of the phrase chatbot lawyer, I’m fully aware that it will be my call, in conjunction with my staff, on whether the term merits an entry in the next edition of Black’s Law Dictionary. And here I am, in a national magazine for lawyers, actually using the term and thereby potentially helping it along. But I can assure readers that I will assess the matter as objectively as I can.

Jun 1, 2023 1:50 AM CDT

Former Biden Chief of Staff Ron Klain reflects on life in law and politics

“The president’s time is the most precious resource we have at the White House,” Ron Klain tells me. As President Joe Biden’s chief of staff, it fell to Klain to make certain that it was used wisely.

May 30, 2023 2:55 PM CDT

‘Jury Duty’ offers some realism hidden in the absurdity

My sister is a huge true-crime fan (shoutout, Ivy). She is professedly obsessed, even to the point that her favorite streaming platform is ID Go. She’s always been intelligent and curious. I think her brother being a career defense attorney might influence her intrigue. Maybe I shouldn’t flatter myself, though.

May 25, 2023 2:21 PM CDT

Legal tech CEO and GC discuss the expanding influence of legal ops and what’s on the horizon

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Marc Zamsky and Marla Crawford, the CEO and general counsel, respectively, for Cimplifi, an integrated legal services provider that aligns e-discovery and contract analytics for corporate legal departments and law firms.

May 25, 2023 9:03 AM CDT

A look at Paul Hastings’ viral ‘no exceptions, no excuses’ presentation missteps

There’s a saying, usually attributed to journalist Michael Kinsley, that in politics, a gaffe is when you inadvertently say something you believe but didn’t mean to disclose—maybe that taxes need to be raised or Social Security benefits trimmed.

May 23, 2023 8:42 AM CDT

Emerging Tech Trends: The rise of GPT tools in contract analysis

Over the past few months, the legal technology sector has experienced a veritable explosion of AI-powered contract analysis tools, largely driven by the advanced capabilities of AI models like ChatGPT and similar technologies. This recent surge of contract analysis products built on machine learning and natural language processing streamlines and simplifies the traditionally laborious process of contract drafting and review.

May 22, 2023 9:49 AM CDT

Law schools should take on students’ mental health and substance use from day one

We must remind our students constantly that seeking help is a sign of strength that will not be held against them in school, when applying for admission to the bar or when applying for employment.

May 17, 2023 1:31 PM CDT

How lawyers can embrace their inner ‘chicken’

"Chicken?" Why not? I would like to talk about a subject many of us in the legal profession are afraid to discuss: fear. As lawyers, our work can be stressful, leaving us gripped with fear. This must be a relevant issue, as with my glance at a thesaurus, I note that there are at least three synonyms for fear beginning with the just letter “a” alone—namely “anxiety,” “alarm” and “angst.”

May 15, 2023 9:00 AM CDT

The public defender approach to personal life

I started my legal career in the Oklahoma County Public Defender’s Office. During one of my 1L first-semester classes, the Oklahoma County public defender and the Oklahoma County district attorney spoke with my section. They conveyed the opportunities available in their offices and explained the application process. I knew from the beginning of law school that I wanted to practice criminal defense, so I showed up at the PD’s office the next day. The intern coordinator kindly told me to wait until I had at least finished my first round of final exams.

May 10, 2023 2:52 PM CDT

The curious case of why lawyers are not called ‘doctor’

It never occurred to this retired lawyer and senior pastor that lawyers would use the title “Dr.” until a few years after graduating from law school, when he accepted an adjunct position at a local college while also practicing law.

May 8, 2023 8:42 AM CDT

Law schools face an inflection point with diversity, equity and inclusion

In recent years, there has been a rise in law students heckling speakers. In 2018, I was shouted down at the CUNY Law School in New York. In 2022, Ilya Shapiro was shouted down at the law school formerly known as Hastings. And more recently, Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan of the Fifth Circuit was shouted down at Stanford Law School.

May 1, 2023 12:06 PM CDT

Chemerinsky: Expect momentous decisions from the Supreme Court as term ends

Unless there is an emergency matter to be heard, the U.S. Supreme Court completed oral arguments for the October 2022 term April 26. The court is expected to hand down decisions by the end of June in all of the argued cases, with a flurry of decisions in the most high-profile cases expected at the very end. What are likely to be the most important rulings from the October 2022 term?

Apr 27, 2023 8:51 AM CDT

3 lessons in lawyering from the theater

As a practicing attorney and a former actor, I have often asked myself the question Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. asked those in a crowded room at Harvard in 1886: "How can the laborious study of a dry and technical system, the greedy watch for clients and practice of shopkeepers’ arts, the mannerless conflicts over often sordid interests, make out a life?"

Apr 26, 2023 11:20 AM CDT

‘Bluey’ and teaching your children about the legal system

An episode of the TV show “Bluey” provided columnist Adam Banner an excellent opportunity to talk with his son about court proceedings, how you can tell when someone isn’t being honest, and the importance of telling the truth.

Apr 25, 2023 12:38 PM CDT