Letters From Our Readers: ABA works for us
ABA works for us
We are often asked as ABA members why lawyers should be ABA members. The question comes in many ways, but what it really comes down to is: What is the value and relevancy of ABA membership?
The answer, to this writer, is simple. Just read the Report from Governmental Affairs in the Fall 2025 edition of the ABA Journal. It is titled “Protecting the Legal Profession” (page 68) and speaks to the ABA as the national voice of the legal profession working “to preserve the profession’s independence and ensure legislation and regulations do not undermine lawyers’ ability to represent clients or interfere with courts’ authority over the practice of law.”
As an ABA member for over 44 years, I can attest to the ABA’s efforts in preserving the core values of attorney-client privilege and client confidentiality when federal agencies proposed rules would undermine this.
Can there be any more relevance and value of membership than this?
You be the judge!
William K. Weisenberg
Highland Heights, Ohio
Bluebook blues
Regarding “Latest ‘Bluebook’ has ‘bonkers’ rule on citing to artificial intelligence” (ABAJournal.com, Sept. 25): The Bluebook: A Uniform System of Citation, is a disaster, and studying it was a huge waste of my time in law school. Only lawyers would tolerate such an archaic and illogically complex citation scheme. Also, if fonts, punctuation, capitalization, etc. don’t contribute to finding a reference efficiently, these items are about as relevant as whether the author was left- or right-handed. If the authors can’t work out a simple system that can be summarized on a dozen or so (virtual) pages, have a contest for a new system, and give the developers a nice prize.
Nicholas Benfaremo
South Portland, Maine
AI mistakes happen
In “2 federal judges reveal AI use by staff members led to error-riddled opinions” (ABAJournal.com, Oct. 24), the letters from the U.S. district court judges blaming their staffs for not verifying artificial intelligence citations are studies in poor leadership and failures in being accountable. I’ve seen identical dodges by partners who blame associates for relying on faulty AI citations in court filings. In both instances, the filings were under the names of judges and lawyers who wholly fail to acknowledge their responsibility and their role in these embarrassing fiascoes.
I believe this failure to accept sole responsibility for not reading their own opinions or filings is the core problem—something that will continue until the supposed leaders begin to lead by first acknowledging their responsibility and then by being solely accountable to the court and to the public when errors like this occur. Pride in our work and work product—and the public’s respect for the integrity of the court system—won’t be restored until the senior lawyers and judges demonstrate how to be accountable and responsible. It’s as simple as that. AI errors are sensational distractions from the real problem, which is nothing new at all.
Michael Rafferty
Memphis, Tennessee
Correction
The print version of “A Mother’s Trial” (Fall 2025, page 54) should have indicated that the bill Dr. Jill Glick opposed was the Protecting Innocent Families Act. The story also should have correctly spelled the name of Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A. Lightford.
The ABA Journal regrets the errors.
Journal appreciation
Thank you, Debra Cassens Weiss, for your many years of hard-hitting stories in the ABA Journal, many of which are not very flattering to the lawyers or institutions named. Many of your articles are discussed in my co-authored textbook Ethical Problems in the Practice of Law—now going into its 7th edition—and are cited in the footnotes. The book is the most-assigned professional responsibility textbook in law schools, and we wouldn’t know of some of the most interesting and grotesque lawyer misconduct without your reporting.
Philip Schrag
Washington, D.C.
Editor’s note:
Debra Cassens WeissIn December, Debra Cassens Weiss put down her reporter’s notebook for good, retiring after an amazing 39-year career with the ABA Journal. There aren’t enough words to cover the impact she’s had on our publication and the Journal staff. We will sincerely miss her as a journalist, colleague and friend, and we wish her the best as she rides off into the sunset. The Journal won’t be the same without you, Deb.
Letters to the Editor
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