ABA Journal

Podcasts

Actual Malice book cover

The Modern Law Library

In ‘Actual Malice,’ law prof explains why NYT v. Sullivan mattered in 1964 and is under attack today

The 1964 decision in New York Times v. Sullivan protected the civil rights movement, established the "actual malice" standard, and is the basis for modern American libel law. But in recent years, criticism of the case has grown among conservatives—with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas calling it "policy-driven decisions masquerading as constitutional law" and suggesting that the decision should be reconsidered.

Read more ...


Asked and Answered

Many young people arrested for Chicago carjackings have been exposed to violence daily, lawyer and pastor says

As rises in Chicago carjackings continue to increase fear among many residents, Cliff Nellis, an attorney and pastor who founded the Lawndale Christian Legal Center, says his nonprofit group represents a fair amount of young people charged with the crime.

Legal Rebels Podcast

How Casetext utilized the latest GPT technology to create an AI legal assistant

In November, when OpenAI unleashed the newest, most advanced version of its chatbot, ChatGPT, it immediately captured the imagination. As we’ve covered on this podcast, ChatGPT represents a major leap forward for generative artificial intelligence in that it can converse with and respond to users in a natural, almost humanlike way. So far, it’s been a hit.

The Modern Law Library

In ‘Her Honor,’ trailblazing women judges take center stage

When Lauren Stiller Rikleen was approached in 2020 by the ABA Judicial Division to help compile autobiographical stories from women judges in America, a powerful motivating factor for her was to capture stories of the barriers that the judges overcame in their words.

Asked and Answered

Family law gave this lawyer some ideas about what clients really want

Jessica Bednarz has spent much of her career representing people, researching access-to-justice issues and using that knowledge to try to find better ways to deliver legal services. That includes using what’s known as “design thinking” for developing client service programs.

The Modern Law Library

In ‘Myth America,’ historians challenge misinformation about our past

Some American patriotic myths are harmless; George Washington may have chopped down a cherry tree at some point in his life, but the popular story told to children where young George fesses up to the deed by saying "I cannot tell a lie" is made up from whole cloth. However, there are much more pernicious lies and misinformation circulated about our past as a country, and that misinformation is used for political ends.

Legal Rebels Podcast

What to expect from ABA Techshow 2023

One of the biggest and longest-running legal technology shows in the country, the ABA Techshow, is right around the corner. From March 1 to 4, thousands of lawyers, legal professionals and vendors will descend upon Chicago to talk about technology.

The Modern Law Library

Bestselling author relished collaboration for ‘Heat’ follow-up

When former lawyer and bestselling author Meg Gardiner teamed up with Michael Mann for the follow-up novel to his 1995 crime thriller movie Heat, working with the legendary filmmaker was an eye-opener.

Asked and Answered

After seeing attitude shifts about opiate addiction, MDL lawyer targets Facebook

In the 35 years that Jayne Conroy has been a lawyer, she’s spent the entire time in private practice doing civil litigation and has tried more than 70 cases. She also worked her way through law school as a paralegal, which she says enhanced her education experience and taught her the best ways to know a case file backward and forward, as well as how things should be organized.

The Modern Law Library

From Amanda Knox to Kyle Rittenhouse, lawyer discusses justice and due process in the digital age

In Anne Bremner’s work as a Seattle-based trial attorney, she saw a disturbing pattern—that high-profile cases often trending on Twitter challenge the concept “innocent until proven guilty,” as cases are tried online, as well as in courtroom proceedings.

Legal Rebels Podcast

Should lawyers embrace or fear ChatGPT?

For some academics, researching, writing, editing and publishing a scholarly piece of work can take months, if not years, of painstaking effort, diligent commitment and rage-inducing frustration. In December, Andrew Perlman, the dean of the Suffolk University Law School and the inaugural chair of the governing council of the ABA Center for Innovation, authored one in less time than it takes to watch an episode of the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon.

The Modern Law Library

Lawyer digs into big data for new legal thriller ‘Code 6’

Lawyer and author James Grippando made a name for himself writing legal thrillers, including the bestselling series of novels featuring Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck. He wanted to try something a little different for his new novel, Code 6, and explore the dangers of big data and tech.

Asked and Answered

How do you build trust with incarcerated clients? Exonerated jailhouse lawyer has ideas

Attorneys often expect incarcerated clients to lie and vice versa, says Derrick Hamilton, who served more than 20 years of a second-degree murder sentence. Those outlooks don’t help build good attorney-client relationships, according to Hamilton, who now works with students at the Yeshiva University Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law’s Perlmutter Center for Legal Justice.

Year in Review

Listen to our 10 favorite podcast episodes of 2022

Looking for a new listen? We've picked our favorite 2022 episodes from each of the ABA Journal's three podcasts. And if this whets your appetite, find more than 10 years of past episodes on our podcast page. You can also check out more legal podcasts from our partners at Legal Talk Network.

The Modern Law Library

This lawyer tackled lifelong anxiety to free herself from ‘The Box’

Since childhood, Wendy Tamis Robbins experienced debilitating anxiety and panic attacks. Her perfectionism pushed her to achieve in sports and academics, and her high level of achievement masked her mental anguish from public view. While she found success in her legal and political careers, Robbins was negotiating with her own brain to get through her days, minute by minute.

Legal Rebels Podcast

Why this BigLaw firm recently started a legal ops division

What are legal operations? According to the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium, legal ops can be loosely defined as a “set of business processes, activities and the professionals who enable legal departments to serve their clients more effectively by applying business and technical practices to the delivery of legal services."

Year in Review: The Modern Law Library

Our favorite pop culture picks in 2022

In our annual Year in Review episode, Lee Rawles speaks to her ABA Journal colleagues Blair Chavis, Julianne Hill and Stephanie Francis Ward to find out how they spent their downtime in 2022. We cover the usual lineup of our favorite books, movies and TV shows, but each participant also provides more niche content.

The Modern Law Library

Can change really come from within? These 13 prosecutors think so

Miriam Aroni Krinsky worked as a prosecutor in Los Angeles County in the 1980s and 1990s as the war on drugs was waged. Mandatory minimum sentences and tough-on-crime laws sent prison populations soaring and ripped apart families and communities. Krinsky thought that change was needed—and that it could come from prosecutors.

Asked and Answered

Worried about the 2023 lawyer jobs market? This legal search consultant has some tips

While 2022 was a phenomenal year for attorneys and “anyone with a pulse” and a law license could find work, 2023 might “go back to normal,” says Valerie A. Fontaine, a founding director of the legal search company SeltzerFontaine.

The Modern Law Library

‘By Hands Now Known’ shines light on cold cases of lynchings and racial violence

In summer 2020, when the murder of George Floyd was igniting protests in Minneapolis and around the country, it occurred to Margaret A. Burnham that "George Floyd" was a common-sounding name. Burnham is the founder and director of the Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Project at the Northeastern University School of Law, where she is also a professor.

Legal Rebels Podcast

It’s a long road ahead for driverless cars, says Fastcase executive

Four years ago, Damien Riehl, like many others, was quite bullish about the future of autonomous vehicles. The potential of the technology was obvious: No more worrying about someone trying to text and drive, no more need for drunken driving checkpoints, and no more danger of falling asleep at the wheel.

Read more ...