Features

The 14th: A Civil War-era amendment has become a mini-Constitution for modern times

John A. Bingham wasn’t the most prominent Republican politician during the Civil War period; he probably wasn’t even among the top 10. The role Bingham garnered that provides his most lasting legacy: He is the father of the 14th Amendment.

May 1, 2017 12:10 AM CDT

How one lawyer makes millions providing ads for other firms

Robert Goldwater has dispensed with legal work entirely. After transitioning from law to marketing, the Goldwater Law Firm signs up plaintiffs for various mass torts and class actions and refers them to other firms.

Apr 1, 2017 5:15 AM CDT

The Outer Space Treaty turns 50. Can it survive a new space race?

The treaty is a product of the Cold War and primarily addresses concerns of that era, including nuclear war. So for 50 years, the treaty has prevented belligerent nations from putting weapons of mass destruction into space. But space is becoming big business, and commercial interests are putting new pressures on the law of outer space.

Apr 1, 2017 5:00 AM CDT

5 United Nations treaties in outer space

There are five international treaties that deal with issues such as arms control, freedom of exploration, liability for damage caused by space objects, exploitation of natural resources in outer space, and more.

Apr 1, 2017 4:45 AM CDT

Legal logjam in immigration court grows to more than 540,000 cases

A backlog of pending cases has been growing in the immigration courts for more than a decade—reaching more than half a million cases last year. One immigration judge said that in the fall of 2016, some judges were setting hearing dates as late as 2022.

Apr 1, 2017 4:40 AM CDT

ABA commission had warned of immigration-court backlog

A 2010 report from the ABA Commission on Immigration cited many of the same concerns that exist today about a system incapable of handling increased enforcement of immigration laws.

Apr 1, 2017 4:35 AM CDT

Legal advertising blows past $1 billion and goes viral

Whether it inspires envy, parody, anger, litigation or teeth-clenched admiration, legal advertising is here to stay. Although the ad-buy rush is fueled by personal injury and mass tort lawyers, a report by Kantar Media found other lawyers and legal-service providers have contributed to the boom, ranking Avvo and LegalZoom among the top 10 biggest spenders on TV advertising in 2015.

Apr 1, 2017 12:05 AM CDT

6 major law firm hacks in recent history

Law firms have been victims of some of the most damaging hacks in recent history. Here’s a list of the major law firm hacks in the past five years.

Mar 1, 2017 11:54 AM CST

Female First-Chairs: Firm’s founders chip away at male litigation domination

According to a 2015 report by the American Bar Foundation and the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession, which sampled 2013 filings in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, women in private practice at large and small law firms accounted for only 16 to 25 percent of first-chair appearances.

Mar 1, 2017 11:37 AM CST

Learning to say no—and say so

As a young professor in an MBA program, Kathleen Reardon was at an assignment meeting and got a task no one wanted, including her. “I don’t think I can do that” was her response. Another colleague pulled her aside immediately. “Don’t ever say that. When they ask you to take…

Mar 1, 2017 11:36 AM CST

Grit and a growth mindset are linked to success

Possessing grit influences several factors for lawyers: overall quality of work, the point when in-house counsel join in a decision-making process, and seniority and tenure within an organization, according to a recent study by the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession.

Mar 1, 2017 11:35 AM CST

The Brain Defense: Vets with head trauma, stress find mercy in court

Lawyer Brock Hunter, at left, has developed a specialty in representing veterans charged with crimes outside the military justice system. He and his colleagues in this area offer a version of the brain defense, an approach that considers the possible influence of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and traumatic brain injury caused by their military experience on their clients’ criminal behavior.

Mar 1, 2017 11:20 AM CST

Risk-assessment algorithms challenged in bail, sentencing and parole decisions

With increased adoption of algorithmic sentencing tools, defense attorneys raise due process concerns, policymakers struggle to provide meaningful oversight, and data scientists grapple with ethical questions regarding fairness and accuracy.

Mar 1, 2017 1:30 AM CST

Law firms must manage cybersecurity risks

Cybersecurity is evolving. This is more than just a technology issue or an added clause in the retainer agreement—it’s the biggest risk that law firms face in 2017. Two of the largest firms in the United States got caught in a major cybersecurity breach later linked to a $4 million-plus insider-trading scheme.

Mar 1, 2017 12:50 AM CST

10 lawyer-authors choose the top 10 law novels in the past 10 years

To Kill a Mockingbird, Anatomy of a Murder, Presumed Innocent, The Firm. Most legal fiction top 10 lists include one or more of these recognizable titles. But what about more recent fare? After all, it’s been more than 55 years since Harper Lee introduced us to Atticus, and more than…

Feb 1, 2017 4:20 AM CST