A Utah lawyer has quietly studied violence against attorneys for two decades

“If you go out and look, there really is no method to determine the rate of violence against attorneys,” says Stephen Kelson, who studies violence and threats against lawyers. “It happens, but it rarely gets recorded unless there’s something that really catches the media’s attention.”

Aug 1, 2017 1:55 AM CDT

State goes high-tech to recruit pro bono attorneys

A virtual reality training series are designed to demystify the courtroom experience and entice newer or courtroom-shy attorneys.

Aug 1, 2017 1:55 AM CDT

My Life of Hard-Won Achievement

Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe’s Christina Guerola Sarchio: “While you can never fully escape from people’s biases and misconceptions, I found the secret to success is to identify people—and, importantly, clients—who appreciate what I bring to the table, value diversity and treat others with respect.”

Aug 1, 2017 1:45 AM CDT

10 Questions: LA solo brings together musical lawyers in a philharmonic he founded

Solo practitioner Gary S. Greene formed an all-volunteer orchestra composed entirely of lawyers and judges. The Los Angeles Lawyers Philharmonic has been so successful that Greene has since founded a 100-member chorus and a jazz big band.

Aug 1, 2017 1:40 AM CDT

Attorney finds rewards and challenges as a federal monitor

Jonathan Aronie, a lawyer appointed as a federal monitor of the New Orleans Police Department as part of a Department of Justice consent decree, finds the work challenging and rewarding. “We provide technical assistance. We regularly review all the police uses of force. We review a lot of data.” He also rides along with law enforcement, walks into people’s houses and gets “a real sense of what policing is about.”

Jul 1, 2017 2:10 AM CDT

‘The Originalist’ draws appellate judges to weigh in on Scalia legacy

As the stage play The Originalist opens, the audience finds Justice Antonin Scalia (actor Edward Gero) comparing opera—which the justice famously loved—to his judicial philosophy.

“There’s a sanctity to the score. The notes are the notes,” he says. “That is precisely my view of the Constitution.”

Jul 1, 2017 2:05 AM CDT

Startup Story: Black, female lawyers build their own success

Yondi Morris-Andrews recalls the exact moment she decided to leave her position as a contract attorney at a BigLaw firm.

“I was in a meeting at a large law firm, and at the end of the meeting, one of the partners said, ‘OK, slaves, get back to work,’” recounts Morris-Andrews, who is African-American.

For Morris-Andrews, it was more than just a bad word choice: It was an indicator of a more systemic problem. At that moment, she knew it was time to leave.

Jul 1, 2017 2:00 AM CDT

10 Questions: Immigration lawyer Kimi Jackson deals with matters of life and death

The ABA-sponsored South Texas Pro Bono Asylum Representation Project helps asylum-seekers and other detained immigrants in South Texas detention facilities. Kimi Jackson is ProBAR’s director.

Jul 1, 2017 1:55 AM CDT

Stop apologizing for who you are

Vinson & Elkins partner Hilary Preston: “If your choice looks a bit different from whatever the ‘norm’ is at your firm or company, don’t shy away from that. Be confident in your own choices. To be successful in the long term—because it truly is a marathon and not a sprint—we have to design our careers in a way that works for our lives, not the other way around.”

Jul 1, 2017 1:50 AM CDT

ACLU looks to Silicon Valley in managing funding surge

“Beyond financial contributions, the Silicon Valley community can help organizations like ours harness recent membership surges and spread the word about what the ACLU is doing to protect people’s rights from violations by the Trump administration,” says Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the ACLU. “Y Combinator and [president] Sam Altman are true pioneers in innovation, and now they’re also pioneers in the defense of civil liberties.”

Jun 1, 2017 4:30 AM CDT

Contract lawyers pushing for better pay

Contract lawyers handle everything from document review to intellectual property audits to transactional due diligence to language translation. Since the Great Recession, rates for these services have plummeted from as much as $60 per hour to as little as $19. And because of falling wages, many project-based lawyers are seeking something normally reserved for blue- and gray-collar personnel: overtime pay.

Jun 1, 2017 4:20 AM CDT

Finding personal time that energizes you can actually help your practice

Whether it’s finding and sticking with an exercise routine that gives you the energy you need to function, taking up a new hobby or something much more serious—such as taking care of an ill parent—I have been unapologetic about my personal commitments. This has in turn helped fuel me with the energy and a healthy perspective I have needed for my work.

Jun 1, 2017 4:10 AM CDT

10 Questions: Judge and former NFL player Dwayne Woodruff

Judge Dwayne D. Woodruff, a former professional football player—and Super Bowl champion—Woodruff went to law school full-time while he played defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now, after more than a decade on the court bench, Woodruff is running for a seat on the state supreme court.

Jun 1, 2017 4:00 AM CDT

Canadian lawyer saddles up to test the limits of her endurance

Lawyer Heidi Telstad has an unusual hobby: She likes to race horses. Most recently, she won the 2016 Mongol Derby in China, crossing the finish line with two other riders.

“Mongolia was my first time racing semi-feral horses. I enjoy adventures and always need something to look forward to,” Telstad says. “I must admit, I am a thrill-seeker, as there must be a dangerous element to it.”

Jun 1, 2017 3:50 AM CDT

Challenges to solitary confinement are effecting change

The United Nations special rapporteur on torture defines solitary confinement as isolation for at least 22 hours a day. The U.N. calls for an outright ban on solitary confinement that is indefinite or lasts more than 15 days.

The ABA’s Governmental Affairs Office has testified before Congress about the detrimental effects of the practice, and the ABA Criminal Justice Standards on the Treatment of Prisoners state: “Segregated housing should be for the briefest term and under the least restrictive conditions practicable.”

Jun 1, 2017 3:40 AM CDT