Opening Statements

Embracing the possibilities of law grads from nontraditional backgrounds

Those of us who have had challenges on the way to working in the legal industry must speak up about their own experiences to inspire others. At the University of Exeter, a program called Pathways to Law supports high-achieving students from nonprivileged backgrounds as they finish school and start the process of applying to university.

Jul 1, 2018 1:55 AM CDT

Lawsuits, leads and legwork helped expose Larry Nassar

The sentencing of Dr. Larry Nassar for molesting young gymnasts and USA Gymnastics’ alleged complicity riveted the nation for months. But it was a lesser-known lawsuit and partnership between investigative journalists and lawyers that helped crack the case wide open.

Jun 1, 2018 2:10 AM CDT

IRS overhaul throws divorce calculations into turmoil

President Donald Trump’s tax code overhaul has confused matrimonial lawyers, mediators and divorcing couples trying to reach financial settlements. For 75 years, alimony was deductible for the payer, and the recipient paid income tax on it.

Jun 1, 2018 2:05 AM CDT

10 Questions: Activist-turned-drag queen builds successful careers in law and the arts

Ben Schatz founded one of the country’s first legal nonprofits to combat AIDS-related discrimination, served as executive director of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association and held a leadership position on the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS during the Clinton administration. In 1999, he left the world of law and became a full-time singing drag queen.

Jun 1, 2018 2:00 AM CDT

Structure from a chaotic beginning

My path to law has been shaped by legal institutions that brought order to a chaotic upbringing. As a child, family law brought safety from domestic violence that motivated my parents’ divorce. That early ancillary primer on criminal justice provided orientation for my adolescence when witnessing the prosecution of my two siblings for murder charges, and it shielded against physical abuse due to my sexual orientation.

Jun 1, 2018 1:55 AM CDT

Art behind bars: Creative programs for inmates help change the narrative

Creative expression programs in detention centers include a memoir-writing class for Cook County Jail detainees awaiting trial for violent offenses.

May 1, 2018 2:05 AM CDT

Oregon Supreme Court gets first African-American justice

Judge Adrienne Nelson, appointed to the Oregon Supreme Court, says the most important issues are those that people don’t feel entirely comfortable talking about.

May 1, 2018 2:00 AM CDT

10 Questions: Lawyer’s memoir recalls growing up Jewish in Japan during WWII

Isaac Shapiro detailed his unique experience during World War II. His parents, Jewish emigres from Russia, were living in Berlin when Adolf Hitler began his rise to power. Sensing danger, they fled, eventually settling where they thought their young family would be safe: Japan.

May 1, 2018 1:55 AM CDT

Life, lemons and lemonade

The hard challenges always seem to throw me off balance and make the task of going to the office feel like an impossibility. In moments of calm, I can look ahead to challenges. The kindness of others makes difficult times bearable.

May 1, 2018 1:50 AM CDT

Justice Department rescinds guidance on excessive court fines and fees

Civil rights advocates see continued rollback of reforms in the common practice of fining poor defendants in misdemeanor and civil infraction cases in order to boost revenue.

Apr 1, 2018 2:50 AM CDT

7 Marathons, 7 Continents, 7 Days

Bret I. Parker, executive director of the New York City Bar Association, ran the World Marathon Challenge: seven marathons on seven continents in seven consecutive days.

Apr 1, 2018 2:45 AM CDT

10 Questions: LA lawyer and former congresswoman blazed a trail for women and minorities

Yvonne Brathwaite Burke in 1973 became the first African-American woman from California to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the first member of Congress to give birth while in office. She also was the first congresswoman to be granted maternity leave—a benefit that at the time had to be specifically authorized by the speaker of the House of Representatives.

Apr 1, 2018 2:40 AM CDT

Embracing the possibilities of law grads from nontraditional backgrounds

Lawsuits, leads and legwork helped expose Larry Nassar

IRS overhaul throws divorce calculations into turmoil

10 Questions: Activist-turned-drag queen builds successful careers in law and the arts

Structure from a chaotic beginning

Art behind bars: Creative programs for inmates help change the narrative

Oregon Supreme Court gets first African-American justice

10 Questions: Lawyer’s memoir recalls growing up Jewish in Japan during WWII

Life, lemons and lemonade

Justice Department rescinds guidance on excessive court fines and fees

7 Marathons, 7 Continents, 7 Days

10 Questions: LA lawyer and former congresswoman blazed a trail for women and minorities

#MyPathToLaw: One Immigrant’s Journey

Sex trafficking survivors in Nepal receive legal training

#MeToo movement sparks national legal response

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