Columns

‘The pandemic has left its mark’ on law firm talent management, says legal tech CEO

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Sang Lee, the CEO and co-founder of Thine, a technology company that develops and deploys prehiring and integration assessments. She is a lawyer and entrepreneur who has also owned and operated SJL Attorney Search and Volta Talent Strategies.

Feb 22, 2022 8:42 AM CST

Survey results: Technology choices ensure law firm resiliency, part 2

Click here to read part 1 of this column looking at the results of MyCase's 2021 legal industry report.

Feb 17, 2022 9:41 AM CST

A few ‘begats’ and ‘thou shalts’: An abbreviated history of lawyers

Where are the lawyers? As a retired one, I recently wondered about this, querying where in history we see lawyers mentioned and in what light? Actually, after thinking about it, I see little or no sign of lawyers for millennia.

Feb 15, 2022 11:31 AM CST

All you need is love—and a contract?

Valentine’s Day is a day for lovers. However, when those lovers are co-workers, things can get complicated—as evidenced by the recent news of another executive separating from employment because of a consensual workplace relationship, CNN President Jeff Zucker.

Feb 14, 2022 9:13 AM CST

The ABA is working to help Afghan refugees, and so can you

As the United States was completing the withdrawal of its forces from Afghanistan in August, the American Bar Association began working to address the needs of Afghans. At first, this assistance came in the form of volunteer ABA members and staff preparing recommendation letters for evacuating Afghans seeking Special Immigration Visas. Simultaneously, individual ABA members and staff were preparing to provide pro bono legal assistance.

Feb 10, 2022 9:45 AM CST

Olympic curler slides to corporate lawyer

With the Olympics getting under way this week in Beijing, curling will make its quadrennial appearance in American households. And for many viewers, watching players sweeping ice with a broom will no doubt leave a quizzical look on their faces.

Feb 3, 2022 1:36 PM CST

Chemerinsky: Justice Breyer is a model for all who sit on a judicial bench

In some of the most ideologically divided areas of law, Justice Stephen G. Breyer has been consistently and forcefully liberal. But in other areas, sometimes Breyer was with the conservatives, even as the decisive vote.

Feb 2, 2022 10:42 AM CST

5 tips for new lawyers who want to go solo

“Ten years of practicing law is an appropriate time to contemplate the past and reflect on what worked and what didn’t. If you’re a young lawyer or law student ... , I hope my experiences as a solo practitioner and the following lessons can help you.”

Feb 1, 2022 10:58 AM CST

Bryan Garner shares brief-writing advice from the late Supreme Court Justice Wiley B. Rutledge

Readers of this column are familiar with my occasionally interviewing long-dead authors. Today’s interviewee is U.S. Supreme Court Justice Wiley B. Rutledge (1894–1949).

Feb 1, 2022 1:10 AM CST

Can the true-crime genre help attorneys with their jury trials?

It’s good to be back. After my usual holiday break, I now find myself staring straight into the eyes of my fifth full year writing this column for the ABA Journal. It has been a privilege and an honor to have such a far-reaching platform for my thoughts on law and pop culture, and I look forward to continuing the content.

Jan 31, 2022 3:21 PM CST

‘You don’t look like a lawyer!’: 6 ways to navigate professional and corporate spaces

Recently, I watched the very popular Netflix movie Red Notice, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. If you’re unfamiliar with The Rock, his name is well-earned. He is a former professional wrestler, and he has huge muscles to show for it. In the movie, he plays an FBI profiler who specializes in fine-art theft. An Interpol agent introduces him to a museum curator who is about to be a victim of a major theft.

Jan 25, 2022 10:20 AM CST

Survey results: Technology choices ensure law firm resiliency, part 1

Now that 2021 is behind us, we’re faced with a new year looming before us, and the only thing that can be easily predicted is continued unpredictability. Pandemic surges have led to rescheduled conferences, canceled travel plans and delayed office reopenings. As a result, it’s no easy task for law firms seeking to lay the groundwork for a successful 2022. Pandemic-related uncertainty must be factored into the mix, and resiliency needs to be at the core of a law firm’s business plan.

Jan 24, 2022 2:22 PM CST

MyCase CEO says remote work is ‘here to stay’

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Jim McGinnis, the CEO of MyCase, a practice management software company.

Jan 19, 2022 8:41 AM CST

What do clients in crisis really need from lawyers?

It’s no secret that investors love predictability and loathe uncertainty. It’s why C-suite professionals strive to increase the former and minimize the latter. And with ever-expanding pools of data and analytics at their disposal, tech-savvy executive teams can now forecast and manage the future better than ever. But analytics and the human imagination are limited.

Jan 19, 2022 8:39 AM CST

3 key steps to take to prep for the rise in antitrust investigations

From technology behemoths buying up dynamic startups to market-leading utility companies joining forces, there is a clear trend of market consolidation in the U.S. In the quest to curb the monopolization of industries, President Joe Biden signed an executive order in July promoting competition in the economy—which signals an upcoming increase in antitrust investigations for the legal industry.

Jan 18, 2022 9:20 AM CST