The Practice

For Jerome Bruner, the law was made of stories

Jerome Bruner, who died in 2016 at the age of 100, was one of most influential psychologists and interdisciplinary thinkers of the 20th century. Late in his career, Bruner became fascinated with the law. Trial lawyers employ the power of storytelling to, in Bruner’s words, go beyond the information given.

Nov 1, 2018 1:35 AM CDT

Our shifting meanings: Test your knowledge of modern usage

In each question that follows, one choice is a misusage that wouldn’t pass muster with a good copy editor. See whether you can recognize the traditionally correct forms.

Nov 1, 2018 1:30 AM CDT

Top 10 tips for solo lawyers

From January through May, the ABA ran a contest asking members to offer words of wisdom to new lawyers in four categories: young lawyers, business lawyers, litigators and solo practitioners.

Nov 1, 2018 1:22 AM CDT

Top 10 tips for young lawyers

From January through May, the ABA ran a contest asking members to offer words of wisdom to new lawyers in four categories: young lawyers, business lawyers, litigators and solo practitioners.

Nov 1, 2018 1:20 AM CDT

Civility reboot: Can lawyers learn to be nicer to one another?

When did it become so cool to be so unkind? Can our profession (and society in general) detoxify and reboot its soul? How should citizens or members of healthy and nontoxic households converse with one another?

Oct 1, 2018 1:30 AM CDT

How do you say it? Try this quiz to evaluate your pronunciation skills

Over time, words can change in spelling, meaning and pronunciation. In this quiz, choose the pronunciation favored in the late 19th century through the 20th.

Oct 1, 2018 1:25 AM CDT

Tales of addiction: What every attorney should know about alcohol and substance abuse

Lawyers often are warned about the dangers of excessive alcohol use, even as they celebrate wins and mourn losses. Legal practitioners must understand the issues of control, compulsion and consequences in managing their consumption. If you have a gut feeling about troubles facing another lawyer, you don’t have to diagnose the problem, says lawyer and consultant Jeena Cho. But you may need to prepare for a difficult conversation.

Oct 1, 2018 1:20 AM CDT

‘Springsteen on Broadway’ gives lawyers 3 storytelling lessons

Bruce Springsteen pares his 500-page autobiography and more than 50 years of songs into three acts with a clear narrative arc.

Sep 1, 2018 2:10 AM CDT

Lawyers and cognitive decline: Diminished capacity may bring ethics problems for sufferers

The most common ethical problem of a lawyer with cognitive impairment is violating the first rule of ethics—the duty of competency. Lawyers in solo or small firms often feel the impact more because there aren’t others in the office to pick up the slack.

Sep 1, 2018 2:05 AM CDT

Some posthumous wisdom on writing from Robert Louis Stevenson

The novelist’s posthumous 1920 essay collection, Learning to Write, inspires an interrogatory with the ABA Journal’s legal writing advocate.

Sep 1, 2018 2:00 AM CDT

Relaxing the anxious lawyer brain takes practice

Lawyers live in a constant cycle of exhaustion and tension, trying to do more in less time. Jeena Cho writes that it seems normal to fantasize about catastrophic events intervening to postpone a court hearing, client meeting or other anxiety-provoking event.

Sep 1, 2018 1:55 AM CDT

Talented but overlooked: introverted lawyers

Introverts bring clients their skills in active listening, deep methodical thinking, creative problem-solving and empathy. How can employers assess job candidates for these quiet strengths?

Aug 1, 2018 2:25 AM CDT

Strive for clarity and context in emails that address legal questions

There’s a widespread problem in the way junior lawyers answer questions by email. They tend to respond to moderately complex legal questions merely with answers—without explicitly repeating the question.

Aug 1, 2018 2:20 AM CDT

Celebrity attorneys face challenges, ethical pitfalls

Attorneys who have been in the limelight say it’s important to be aware of the challenges that come with representing celebrities and how missteps can impact their reputation and yours.

Aug 1, 2018 2:20 AM CDT

Self-care is the key to stress and anxiety management

When I teach mindfulness and meditation, I’ll often start by asking the people in the room for a show of hands: Do they frequently experience stress and anxiety? Almost all the hands in the room go up. Then I ask, “How many of you take deliberate steps to prevent or let go of stress and anxiety?” Often, it’s only a small percentage of the room that responds.

Aug 1, 2018 2:10 AM CDT