Abuse of power is the common thread behind the sexual misconduct claims that have recently brought down powerful media, political and business leaders. Law firms, which have been beneficiaries of an avalanche of legal work from sexual misconduct, must now look within and confront the dilemma of powerful rainmakers who…
I watched a lot of Law & Order growing up. My family immigrated to the U.S. in 1988 (the same year that Korea last hosted the Olympics). I was 10 years old and didn’t speak a word of English. Neither did anyone else in my family. As I watched, I…
Time magazine recently named “The Silence Breakers” as its 2017 Person of the Year in recognition of the #MeToo movement and the people who have spoken out about sexual assault. Some of the Silence Breakers led to national storylines chronicling the downfall of powerful men who used their positions to…
After an uphill battle that began in September of 2017, my client finally knew that her false arrest from 17 years ago would no longer stand in the way of her dream job of being a veterans hospital nurse. Judge Charles Crompton of San Francisco Superior Court stated on Jan. 3 that we were “at the cutting edge of justice.”
Lawyers provide a valuable service to their clients when they aggressively obtain information that enables them to evaluate claims for early resolution. This aggressive pursuit of information may result in higher upfront case expenses, but it frequently enables the client to close out his file more quickly. For a client…
Following revelation after revelation implicating President Donald Trump’s team in Russian efforts to subvert the American democratic process, there are murmurs of treason floating around bars and late-night talk shows. Is there any substance to these accusations? “It’s funny because it’s treason.” Stephen Colbert repeats the line a few times…
Some time ago at a pretrial conference, I heard a lawyer correct a judge over a trivial matter. It did not go well for him. Our hearing lasted several hours as we worked through motions in limine and some evidentiary issues. The lawsuit arose from a motor vehicle collision, which…
During nearly a decade as a commercial arbitrator, I have seen some of the most qualified lawyers in the business fumble and flail during what is supposed to be a less nerve-wracking proceeding than an actual court trial. It seems that even seasoned advocates have trouble finding their balance in…
The ABA Journal wants to further facilitate conversations among lawyers about their profession. Therefore, we are revising our policy on unsolicited submissions to allow the legal profession to share, demonstrate and debate the issues and events facing them. We are now accepting queries for original, thoughtful, nonpromotional articles and commentary…
What happens in the jury room brings people together with the conviction that justice have been served. A firsthand look at the process reveals a secret ingredient.
The ABA Journal wants to host and facilitate conversations among lawyers about their profession. We are now accepting thoughtful, non-promotional articles and commentary by unpaid contributors.
