COVID-19

How are the ABA’s international ROLI programs adjusting to a global pandemic?

Communities around the world are reeling from the repercussions of the novel coronavirus pandemic and measures taken to contain it. Democratic backsliding threatens to derail significant development gains we have witnessed that have provided fair and equitable access to justice and measures to build accountable and inclusive justice institutions. Immediate…

May 28, 2020 11:24 AM CDT

Chemerinsky: SCOTUS should embrace technology reforms prompted by pandemic

Unless there is an emergency case to be heard, oral arguments are completed in the U.S. Supreme Court for the October 2019 term. The court postponed its March and April oral argument calendars and rescheduled 10 of the cases to be heard in May in telephonic oral arguments. Ten other cases that had been scheduled for oral argument have been postponed until the fall.

May 28, 2020 9:07 AM CDT

An unprecedented finale to the first year of law school, starring COVID-19

A law student at the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law talks about her first year of law school during the novel coronavirus pandemic—what she describes as “more ‘unforgettable’ than usual.”

May 28, 2020 8:00 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Jenner & Block in COVID-19 rent dispute; more malpractice claims likely

Jenner & Block is sued in dispute over rent during pandemic The Chicago landlord for Jenner & Block has filed a lawsuit alleging that the law firm owes more than $3.7 million in unpaid rent. Jenner & Block’s co-managing partner, Randy Mehrberg, says the firm doesn’t have to pay under…

May 27, 2020 2:09 PM CDT

Revenue sharing poses potential roadblock to Major League Baseball restarting, sports lawyers say

Baseball most naturally lends itself to implementing the types of social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But sports lawyers say Major League Baseball likely has the most delicate off-the-field legal and contractual issues to iron out before the teams can play ball.

May 27, 2020 1:01 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Chief justice says pandemic teaches humility; bioweapons charge for alleged spitting

Pandemic teaches humility, chief justice tells grads in video remarks U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. told graduates at his son’s high school on Saturday that the COVID-19 pandemic should teach humility, compassion and courage. “I think the pandemic is the world’s way of saying to mankind,…

May 26, 2020 4:57 PM CDT

SCOTUS refuses to block order to move at-risk inmates at prison with high COVID-19 rate

The U.S. Supreme Court refused Tuesday to stay a judge’s order requiring the Federal Bureau of Prisons to release or transfer inmates at an Ohio prison who face greater risks if they contract COVID-19.

May 26, 2020 4:07 PM CDT

Since remote MBE won’t be available for July bar, Nevada plans for essay-based test

Considering social distancing requirements related to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nevada is going forward with a remote, open-book bar exam, which will be administered in July.

May 26, 2020 2:11 PM CDT

Lawyer accused of pulling gun on store clerk in social distancing tiff gets interim suspension

A Vermont lawyer has had her license suspended on an interim basis after she was accused of pulling a gun on a store clerk.

May 26, 2020 1:12 PM CDT

Coronavirus pandemic prompts wave of ‘business interruption’ lawsuits by restaurants

Restaurants may often invest in substantial insurance coverage for their businesses, including purchasing “business interruption” coverage in case something beyond their control forces a shutdown of their operations. In mid-March, such an event happened: the coronavirus pandemic.

May 26, 2020 9:09 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Man who recorded Arbery video faces charges; Flynn judge asked for response

Official explains charges against man who recorded Arbery video The charges brought against the man who recorded the fatal shooting of black jogger Ahmaud Arbery represent a significant expansion of criminal liability in Georgia, his lawyer said Friday. William “Roddie” Bryan was charged with felony murder and attempted false imprisonment.…

May 22, 2020 3:01 PM CDT

Tennessee adds fall bar exam after reducing seating for July test, allows longer supervised practice

Seating is limited for would-be lawyers taking the Tennessee bar exam in July, so the Tennessee Board of Law Examiners has taken the unprecedented step of scheduling a fall exam to help accommodate those who didn’t get a seat.

May 22, 2020 12:19 PM CDT

How to get paid quickly with online payment tools in the time of the coronavirus

Coming into the office to pay may not be a safe option for either your clients or law firm staff in 2020. Instead, you’ll have everyone’s best interests in mind when you offer your clients the ability to pay legal bills online from the safety and comfort of their own homes. It’s a win-win for both your firm and its clients.

May 22, 2020 9:34 AM CDT

Navigating a new era of virtual events during the COVID-19 pandemic

Ari Kaplan recently spoke with Matt Homann, the founder of Filament, a company that designs and facilitates virtual and in-person meetings, about how to navigate virtual events during the novel coronavirus crisis.

May 22, 2020 8:00 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Texas justice has COVID-19; 7th Circuit win for strip clubs seeking payroll loans

Texas Supreme Court justice tests positive for COVID-19 Texas Supreme Court Justice Debra Lehrmann said Thursday she and her husband, Greg, have tested positive for COVID-19. The couple got tested after experiencing fevers and body aches. Lehrmann told the Dallas Morning News that she and her husband left home only…

May 21, 2020 4:51 PM CDT