Legal Rebels

Five initiatives that legal education needs

Just like every other corner of the profession, legal education is grappling with a New Normal that was barely appreciated as recently as four or five years ago. Even as law schools welcomed incoming classes this year, the mood has changed. And it’s no secret why. Applications are down nationally…

Sep 26, 2013 1:30 PM CDT

Law students can collaborate globally to solve problems in the industry, says Michele DeStefano

Opening Law to the World

Sep 25, 2013 1:30 PM CDT

How patent lawyer Raj Abhyanker developed a $8.5M book of business with Trademarkia

Engineering Change

Sep 24, 2013 2:30 PM CDT

Why Silicon Valley’s biggest investors are betting on alternative legal companies

Updated: U.S. lawyers know ABA Model Rule 5.4 prohibits them from sharing profits or forming partnerships with those who aren’t licensed to practice. In theory, this rule keeps the lawyering safely in the hands of the lawyers (and revenue from the practice of law safely ensconced at traditional law firms).…

Sep 19, 2013 1:30 PM CDT

Law firm incubators help both grads and needy clients, Fred Rooney says

Incubating Law

Sep 18, 2013 1:30 PM CDT

Vote for your favorite legal-cartoon caption

Entries, all 150+ of them, have been reviewed in our inaugural cartoon caption-writing contest and the editors have selected three standouts. Over the next two weeks, please visit our desktop site and vote for your favorites: What makes you think this is rigged? —Submitted by Dale Stout Your Honor, on…

Sep 17, 2013 2:23 PM CDT

To cut costs, cut associates’ billable hours through technology, says Casey Flaherty

Bill Buster

Sep 17, 2013 1:50 PM CDT

BigLaw is looking for change in all the wrong places: Part II

Previously, we identified two fundamental problems with the business model prevalent in many of our big law firms today, though it is by no means limited to big law firms. This is where the “start over” of the new business model really begins. In some ways, it is the rediscovery…

Sep 12, 2013 1:30 PM CDT

Yale law prof falls short in challenging Obama’s 2-year JD idea

The Washington Post just ran an op-ed by Bruce Ackerman, Yale Law School professor, dismissing President Barack Obama’s call for cutting the third year of law school as “dead wrong.” Let’s start by stipulating a few obvious things: • President Obama is a pretty smart guy, and he’s likely to…

Sep 11, 2013 10:53 PM CDT

How designer Margaret Hagan drew her way through law school

Draw Law

Sep 11, 2013 1:30 PM CDT

Can John Mayer make law textbooks a thing of the past? ‘It’s fun pushing the envelope,’ he says

Law Lessons Online

Sep 10, 2013 1:30 PM CDT

Law firms in the Great Recession: looking for change in all the wrong places

The last decade, particularly the last five years during the Great Recession, have generated tremendous change within law firms. Many long-term partners in large law firms poignantly observe that the firm they joined bears little resemblance to the firm it has become. Most of this change was focused upon internal…

Sep 5, 2013 2:19 PM CDT

You know about moot court—but Karl Okamoto wants students to practice moot deals

Moot Deals? Yes!

Sep 4, 2013 2:05 PM CDT

Michael Poulshock’s Hammurabi Project aims to make law and regulations accessible to the masses

Code of Law

Sep 3, 2013 2:00 PM CDT

Meet our 2013 Legal Rebels

Excuse us for waving our own flag, but we are exceedingly proud of our fifth-year selections for the ABA Journal’s Legal Rebels. Our annual honors program for the change leaders of the legal profession has again found, thanks to your nominations, 10 outstanding new members. They join the 81 free…

Sep 1, 2013 10:29 AM CDT