After judge calls prosecution office a ‘rudderless ship of chaos,’ its leader resigns

“Embattled” is a word that multiple news stories have used to describe St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who announced her resignation Thursday, after she was accused of mismanaging her office by the state attorney general and contempt of court by a frustrated judge.

May 5, 2023 1:22 PM 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

Georgia’s discipline process racially biased, suit claims; data on alleged disparity sought

Updated: A Black lawyer has filed a proposed class action lawsuit that accuses Georgia disciplinary officials of racial discrimination in the handling of ethics complaints.

Apr 25, 2023 10:47 AM CDT

Grit and growth mindset boosts work of teams, new ABA report finds

Can teams operate in a gritty and growth mindset-oriented way, and if so, does that make them more successful?

Apr 24, 2023 4:07 PM CDT

The ABA needs ideological diversity to ensure its future

A generation ago, nearly half of the lawyers in the United States were members of the American Bar Association. Today, that number is probably closer to 20%, if not lower. This decline is often attributed to an unwillingness of young attorneys to join civic organizations. Or perhaps lawyers no longer see tangible benefits from membership. Or maybe the dues are too high. All of these explanations ignore the elephant in the room—and I mean elephant in the figurative and political sense. The American Bar Association consistently skews to the political left. And this progressive mandate alienates conservative lawyers.

Apr 20, 2023 12:49 PM CDT

Stanford Law’s Black Law Students Association pulls out of recruiting activities after Federalist Society event

Updated: Stanford Law School’s Black Law Students Association will not participate in formal recruiting events, following the school’s apology to Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans.

Apr 19, 2023 1:43 PM CDT

First-time bar pass rate for Black candidates below 58%, ABA data shows

According to information released Tuesday by the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar, Black candidates continue to have the lowest first-time test-taker pass rate, which was 57% in 2022, compared with 61% in 2021.

Apr 11, 2023 4:30 PM CDT

ABA announces 2023 Margaret Brent Award recipients

Five women who are continuing the legacy of the first female lawyer in America will receive the 2023 Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award at the ABA Annual Meeting in August, the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession has announced.

Apr 11, 2023 8:47 AM CDT

How can law schools comply with faculty diversity accreditation standards? Some deans have questions

It’s been almost a month since ABA notice was posted that the University of Oregon School of Law was out of compliance for a diversity accreditation standard, and Marcilynn Burke, the dean, still hasn’t figured out why. She’s in the process of finding out, and in the meantime, is getting a report ready to demonstrate compliance.

Apr 10, 2023 10:49 AM CDT

‘Never Far From Home’ chronicles lawyer’s journey from NYC projects to Microsoft executive offices

Bruce Jackson grew up shuttling between Brooklyn and Manhattan public housing projects in New York City. His journey led him to Hofstra University and then the Georgetown University Law Center. He ditched a white-shoe firm job to launch a career in entertainment law and represented some of the hottest hip-hop and rap artists in the 1990s.

Apr 5, 2023 10:41 AM CDT

ABA endorses 10 principles to improve gender equality in the criminal legal profession

Apr 1, 2023 12:30 AM CDT

Studies supporting mismatch theory are replete with ‘demonstrably incorrect’ assumptions, law prof says

Studies supporting an “academic mismatch” theory claim that students are harmed by racial preferences, but the data doesn’t support that assertion, according to a professor at the University of California at Los Angeles School of Law.

Mar 29, 2023 9:41 AM CDT

Florida plastic surgeon accused of killing lawyer who disappeared after going to restroom

A Florida plastic surgeon who filed a lawsuit over alleged medical billing errors by his former employer has been charged with murdering a lawyer representing the defendants.

Mar 27, 2023 10:32 AM CDT

Arrests without formal charges or convictions no longer have to be disclosed by would-be lawyers in New York

The New York Supreme Court’s appellate division is whittling down the types of justice system involvement that would-be lawyers have to disclose when applying for bar admission. The changes are intended “to better promote equity and fairness in the character and fitness interview process.”

Mar 20, 2023 9:35 AM CDT

Data on about 6,500 law students proves my mismatch theory, shows racial-preference harm, law prof says

A controversial law professor has said data on about 6,500 law students at four law schools provides strong support for his “academic mismatch” theory—that law students with lower qualifications than their peers fall behind and have worse outcomes in a learning environment geared toward better-qualified students.

Mar 16, 2023 11:47 AM CDT