Great books often come from incredible experiences, and many lawyers have more than a few. But don’t get your hopes up, says noted lawyer and literary representative Robert Barnett. With those experiences must come great storytelling skills, and a determination to shape the idea into a manuscript. In a podcast moderated by Stephanie Francis Ward, he discusses options for literary-dreaming lawyers with Jonathan Karp, the executive vice president and publisher of Simon & Schuster, and Hillel Italie, who covers publishing for the Associated Press.
Some people are talented lawyers, but find hiding out in a hotel room more appealing than attending a convention cocktail party, especially if they don’t know anyone there.
If you’re in private practice—or want to be—such fears need to be conquered. ABA Journal Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward talks with guests about how lawyers can overcome their business development anxieties, and discover that they’re much better at networking than they think.
Because the job market is bad to begin with, some young lawyers are tossing aside the notion of playing it safe and pursuing dream attorney jobs.
Career counselors caution recent graduates to keep their options open, but some who recently sought and obtained jobs that drew their interests say they have no regrets.
ABA Journal Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with two recent grads and a career counselor.
You can probably name all nine U.S. Supreme Court justices. But most people can’t even name one. How can we change this for the younger generation?
ABA Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward spoke with educators and experts about why civics ed matters in a constitutional democracy and how some young folks are already putting their lessons into action.
For more on this subject, check out the Journal’s May cover package, “Flunking Civics: Why America’s Kids Know So Little.”
You can probably name all 9 Supreme Court justices. But most people can’t even name one. How can we change this for the younger generation?
ABA Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward spoke with educators and experts about why civics ed matters in a constitutional democracy and how some young folks are already putting their lessons into action.
For more on this subject, read the Journal’s May cover package, “Flunking Civics: Why America’s Kids Know So Little.”
Some state attorney discipline agencies are heavily regulating how lawyers use rating sites for business development. But how do those rules jive with the less-stringent Communications Decency Act of 1996, which says users of such sites aren’t liable for content posted by others?
ABA Journal podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward talks with guests to discuss, among other ethics issues, whether lawyers can/should face discipline for client-written “testimonials.”
Smoking and obesity cost employers a significant amount of money, say some lawyers; so much that many businesses have embraced wellness plans.
The offerings strongly encourage employees to participate in fitness and track their routines with outside vendors in exchange for health insurance discounts and sometimes even cash bonuses.
ABA Journal Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward talks with guests about how employers are using the plans, what seems to be working, and whether employers are prepared to enforce policies if their workers start to slack off.
Many lawyers are unhappy with their chosen profession, and the economy certainly isn’t helping. But despite the struggles many are having with law practice and a fast-changing legal industry, there are still more than a few attorneys who love what they do, and always have.
ABA Journal Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward talked to some of them, and found out why.
Also, don’t miss the related story from the February issue, “Why I Love Being a Lawyer (Seriously).”
Background music to the podcast is “Happiness” by Built to Spill, off their album Ancient Melodies of the Future.
Peruse the Internet these days and you can’t help coming across web sites from disgruntled law students and new lawyers. From sites like First Tier Toilet and Third Tier Reality, bloggers are complaining angrily about the weak job market. Some go so far as to call law school a scam. At the same time members of the legal community—from the American Bar Association to law school deans to current students—are investigating the issues and working to make some changes.
Also read the related story from the February issue, “Law School? Bag It, Bloggers Say.”
When Thomson Reuters announced its acquisition of one of India’s largest legal outsourcing firm late last year, we wanted to know: Is the legal information giant entering into direct competition with its law firm clients? Are general counsel eager to bypass traditional firms in favor of less expensive ancillary legal service providers for routine work?
ABA Journal Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward asks our guests what an outsourcing boom, both overseas and in the U.S., means for today’s large and small legal practices and the future of the profession.
Business of law reporter Rachel Zahorsky @LawScribbler tweeted their conversation live using the Twitter hashtag #ABAJchat.
As corporate legal budgets continue to shrink, many general counsel are turning to midsize law firms in lieu of their more expensive, BigLaw counterparts. In fact, many midsize firms have reported significant success in the Great Recession.
ABA Journal Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward joins our guests to discuss the tactics these firms have used to better understand client needs in a down economy, avoid overstaffing large matters, boost revenue realization rates, and grow a national reputation for expertise while maintaining a regional presence.
Business of law reporter Rachel Zahorsky @LawScribbler tweeted their conversation live using the Twitter hashtag #ABAJchat.
Editor’s Note: ABA Journal legal affairs writer Stephanie Francis Ward covered the inaugural public hearing of the ABA’s Commission on Hispanic Legal Rights and Responsibilities.
Below his her report on the hearing and a brief interview with one of the commission’s honorary co-chairs, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.
Work-life balance is always a hot topic among our readers, but this month our podcast guests were the ones fired up in a heated discussion about the realities of practicing law, raising children and making it all work.
ABA Journal Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward led our guests through a frank debate examining whether reduced-hour workloads derail partner-track careers; how female attorneys can gain more power over their schedules; and whether computer software that simulates client interactions adequately prepares students and underutilized associates to practice law.
Business of law reporter Rachel Zahorsky (@LawScribbler) tweeted their conversation live using the Twitter hashtag #ABAJchat.
On this First Monday of the U.S. Supreme Court 2010-2011 term, ABA Journal editor Richard Brust talks with our guests about the cases, controversies, clerkships and foreseeable changes facing the high court in the coming days and months.
This newly configured court will for the first time feature three women justices, and a younger, Ivy League-educated bench meeting in a dynamic political climate.
Also see this month’s ABA Journal:
Grave Encounters
Al Snyder’s son died a Marine, but his funeral has become a First Amendment issue.
The Immune Response
The Supreme Court may tell families with autistic children whether they can sue vaccine makers.
A Changing Landscape
In first court with three women, all eyes are on Justice Kagan.
A few weeks ago, legal affairs writer Stephanie Francis Ward sat down at the high court with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to talk about the justice’s legal career and family life.
Ginsburg talked about her legal advocacy and her rise to the highest court in the land; about her marriage to her late husband, Martin; and about the changes that women have seen in law and parenthood.
In this recording, Ginsburg talks about how she balanced her career and family life when her children were young.
Also read the related feature, “Family Ties: The private and public lives of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”
Last month, legal affairs writer Stephanie Francis Ward sat down at the high court with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg to talk about the justice’s legal career and family life.
Ginsburg talked about her legal advocacy and her rise to the highest court in the land; about her marriage to her late husband, Martin; and about the changes that women have seen in law and parenthood.
In this recording, Ginsburg talks about the gender discrimination cases she handled as a lawyer and how the country’s views on equality have changed over the past 30 years.
Also read the related feature, “Family Ties: The private and public lives of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.”
Faced with the problem of having no job, some young lawyers are striking out on their own as solos.
In this month’s audio program, ABA Journal Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward talks to our guests about the hurdles and rewards for young lawyers starting their own law practices.
Clients are tired of paying top dollar for lawyer on-the-job training.
In this month’s audio program, ABA Journal Podcast moderator Stephanie Francis Ward talks to our guests about where to start and what to charge for the work of lawyers-in-training.
Yesterday’s service partners can be today’s niche lawyers. So says a panel of business development experts, who discussed a variety of tools for the transition.
Yesterday afternoon, in the tradition of U.S Supreme Court confirmation hearings, witnesses came in to testify regarding Elena Kagan’s nomination. Among others, Democrats brought in thepresident of the Harvard Law Armed Forces Association; and Republicans brought in two retired officers and an Army National Guard captain to testify about Kagan’s military recruiting policies while dean of Harvard Law School.
To hear about these and other key witnesses from Thursday, Richard Brust, the ABA Journal’s U.S. Supreme Court editor, debriefs reporter Mark Walsh, who is covering the confirmation hearing for the Journal. Walsh is calling in from one of the Senate’s old-fashioned phone booths.
The Senate Judiciary Committee has finished questioning U.S. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. Still to come today is testimony from the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary regarding its “well qualified” rating of Kagan.
To take a look at the testimony left for today and a look back at issues of interest in the first three days of the hearing, such as questions about Kagan’s curriculum calls as dean of Harvard Law School, Richard Brust, the ABA Journal’s U.S. Supreme Court editor, debriefs reporter Mark Walsh, who is covering the confirmation hearing for the Journal.
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