ABA Journal

The tragedy of ‘deaccessioning’ books from university libraries

Book research shouldn’t be superseded by online research. Yet university libraries are unloading millions of unread volumes.

May 1, 2018 1:20 AM CDT

4 strategies for effectively implementing a mindfulness program

Creating a long-term mindfulness program that encourages participants to practice on a regular basis isn’t easy. It takes a good launch protocol, selecting the right technology and delivery mechanism, and curating the content to be highly relevant.

May 1, 2018 1:15 AM CDT

Cartoon Caption: Is Lady Justice the cat’s meow for these canine lawyers?

Cat got your tongue? It seems like Lady Justice has these canine attorneys by theirs. Send us your best caption for this month’s cartoon. The winner of our May challenge will see their caption and credit printed in an upcoming issue of the ABA Journal. Congrats to April’s winning contest…

Apr 30, 2018 11:25 AM CDT

Where are the jobs for the Class of 2018? (podcast)

Newly minted law grads will soon be entering the job market, but where are they most likely to find employment? In this episode of Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with Valerie Fontaine, founding partner of the legal search firm SeltzerFontaine, about which in-demand areas of law have open job positions—and how law grads can secure them.

Apr 30, 2018 8:30 AM CDT

Judicial independence and accountability in administrative law

The administrative law judiciary, both state and federal, has a greater need to demonstrate its judicial independence than the judicial branch because there have been long-held perceptions by segments of the public, that administrative law adjudicators—who are designated as “ALJs,” “hearing officers,” or “hearing examiners”—are too cozy with the agencies whose cases they hear.

Apr 26, 2018 8:30 AM CDT

How do you use social media to market your practice?

“I spent years studying how other law firms use their voice in social media. Some do a good job, but most do a really bad job,” lawyer Jessica Hoerman of Edwardsville, Illinois, said in a story for the May issue of the ABA Journal. Lawyers need to be engaging in…

Apr 25, 2018 11:19 AM CDT

How broken windows policing changed the legal landscape in ‘Misdemeanorland’ (podcast)

As violent crime in New York City peaked from 1988-1991, policy makers were desperate for ways to combat and prevent it. In 1994, a new theory was embraced by the NYPD: that by controlling low-level “quality-of-life” violations like vandalism, noise complaints, traffic violations and aggressive panhandling, the police would ward…

Apr 25, 2018 8:30 AM CDT

Fees and fines threaten judicial independence

For more than a decade, state court systems have been chronically underfunded. The ABA’s Task Force on the Preservation of the Justice System has called it “one of the most critical issues facing the legal profession.” But rather than support courts and the justice system through general tax revenue, states are increasingly relying on criminal fees and fines charged to defendants.

Apr 19, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

Do you ever send handwritten notes to professional contacts?

Can a handwritten note stand out in a sea of emails and text messages?

Apr 18, 2018 11:32 AM CDT

Cartoon Poll: Which caption is head and shoulders above the rest?

We had a great time sorting through more than 115 entries for this month's cartoon caption contest. It's time to vote for the entry that's way ahead of the rest. The caption that receives the most votes will appear in an upcoming issue of the magazine.

Apr 16, 2018 5:07 PM CDT

Start monetizing those unused (discountable) billable hours

Recently, a business trip took me to Paris. As the schedule was tight and I had a number of appointments across the city, I had to frequently rely on Uber to get me places in time. Doing a number of comparable rides over a couple of days, I started to…

Apr 16, 2018 7:00 AM CDT

Supporting independent courts—from the inside out

It’s really easy to blame efforts to erode the independence of our courts exclusively on shrill politicians or the fragmented news media. Legislators seek to curtail the authority of the courts by cutting their budgets or packing the court, while special interest groups spend millions on television ads in judicial campaigns to get “their” judge.

Apr 12, 2018 8:30 AM CDT

Are you considering deleting or deactivating your Facebook account?

After the revelation that Cambridge Analytica, a data-mining firm affiliated with Donald Trump's presidential campaign, had improperly harvested the data of tens of millions of Facebook users, a #DeleteFacebook movement emerged as people questioned whether they want to continue to entrust the social media platform with their personal data.

Apr 11, 2018 1:15 PM CDT

Roe v. Wade had broader impact than the public realizes, says author of ‘Beyond Abortion’ (podcast)

In the 45 years since Roe v. Wade was decided, it has been a focal point for both anti-abortion and pro-abortion rights groups. But the opinion in the 1973 case has also been used by activists of liberal, libertarian and conservative ideologies to develop privacy arguments for issues ranging from access to experimental drugs to euthanasia to personal data security to sex worker rights.

Apr 11, 2018 8:30 AM CDT

Internal investigations need rethinking in the #MeToo era

As I’ve watched the #MeToo movement gain momentum over the past several months, I’ve been thinking a lot about the intersection of #MeToo and the internal investigations space. In particular, I think the current environment warrants an examination of certain aspects of the usual approach to sensitive internal investigations. First,…

Apr 10, 2018 7:00 AM CDT