ABA Journal

ABA Journal

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Grisham, other legal novelists among authors suing OpenAI for using their copyrighted work

Several legal novelists, including John Grisham and Scott Turow, are among 17 authors joining with the Authors Guild in a proposed class action lawsuit against the artificial intelligence program OpenAI.

Protecting the citizens on the ground—both in Afghanistan and as a lawyer

“Ideas are destiny. Mine sent me to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, to platoon leadership in Afghanistan, to the intensive care unit—and, eventually, to law.”

For 30 years, ABA Children’s Rights Litigation Committee has trained and supported kids’ lawyers

The Children’s Rights Litigation Committee “has just been a fantastic banger of the drum that kids need true representation, just like anyone else who’s inside a system that is making incredibly impactful decisions about their lives,” says Angela Vigil, the longest-serving member of the committee.

4 ways to grow your new law firm without overextending yourself

Before you start drafting a plan to expand your firm into new territories or practice new areas of law, it’s important that you don’t fall into the habit of overworking yourself in order to achieve your business goals.

Weekly Briefs: Judge rules against DACA fix; Paul Weiss goes on hiring spree

New rulemaking doesn’t save DACA

A new administrative rule intended to “preserve and fortify” the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program doesn’t cure its illegality, according to a Sept.…

What is the future of remote working in the law firm world?

Is it only a matter of time before we’re back to being physically present in the office at least five times per week? Or will the virtual or hybrid arrangements that have taken hold be as resilient as the billable hour?

Family First: A group of Washington lawyers works to keep infants with their mothers

While family separations have long been the norm when treating babies born dependent on substances, recent research suggests allowing a mother to stay with and care for her infant significantly improves their health outcomes.

Passion for Justice: Northwestern law prof fights for juvenile rights armed with research

Julie Biehl, an ABA member since 2006, is known as a straight shooter, whose presence fills a room. “She’s a tiny woman, maybe 5’1”, but she is so fiery and so full of passion and just cares,” says Garien Gatewood, deputy mayor for community safety for the city of Chicago.

So you were convicted of killing someone who’s still alive—now what?

Many installments of this column have focused on true-crime documentaries examining murder convictions and the legal process and “evidence” that led to them. While those series or stand-alone shows are undoubtedly intriguing, we always seem to be left with the same conclusion: Even if the defendant didn’t kill the person, the person is still dead. But what if we were presented with a situation in which someone was convicted for the murder of a person who was subsequently found alive and well?

Complex litigation judge has 50 ideas to simplify the courts

As both an attorney and a judge, Thomas Moukawsher has spent the majority of his career dealing in complex litigation. And the Connecticut Superior Court judge would like to make the legal system, well, less complex.

The Real Jerry Maguire: An interview with sports agent and lawyer Leigh Steinberg

How often, I ask Leigh Steinberg, do people say to you, “Show me the money?” “How about every day?” he responds without a second of hesitation. The phrase was cemented into pop culture lexicon by its use in Jerry Maguire, the 1996 film starring Tom Cruise as a sports agent, telling the story of his relationship with the profession and one particularly demanding football player-client.

Chemerinsky: These recent Supreme Court decisions have sparked a wave of litigation

The U.S. Supreme Court’s October 2022 term ended just a couple of months ago, but it’s already apparent that the decisions are leading to a great deal of litigation. What are the major issues left open by the cases that are likely to be litigated in state and federal courts?

Law Firm Finances Simplified: Selecting legal billing software

If getting paid for the legal work you perform is important, then you already know why legal billing software is an indispensable tool. However, now that generative artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT have burst upon the software scene, legal billing systems can seem mundane since they are practical and reliable rather than an exciting new category of software. Yet the importance of this software has not diminished and remains a key element of the infrastructure that supports modern profitable law firms.

A Great Escape: Fugitives and prison cruelty throughout cinematic history

I subscribe to quite a few news apps on my iPhone. I like to get my information regarding U.S. and world events from multiple sources, and feel that if I vary the input sources, there is less chance I’ll fall victim to the self-imposed echo chambers so many of us live in these days.

On Better Terms: What should we do with ‘nonlawyer’?

“Nonlawyer” means someone who isn’t a lawyer. But for years, many have found the word objectionable. And the case against “nonlawyer” isn’t as clear-cut as it might seem, says a lawyer specializing in how to say concisely whatever you want in a contract.

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