COVID-19

Lawyers and Atlanta Opera team up to create covers for N95 masks for local hospital

“We put together this team of attorneys from Carlton Fields and Troutman Sanders to start looking at how we could protect the opera and allow us to mobilize to get as many of these masks produced as possible,” said Micah Forston, managing director of the Atlanta Opera.

Apr 9, 2020 3:17 PM CDT

Public defenders in this state are told to slash budgets as traffic-ticket funding plummets

Public defenders in Louisiana face uncertainty over the future of their jobs as the COVID-19 pandemic impacts a big source of their funding: traffic tickets.

Apr 9, 2020 2:53 PM CDT

Pay cuts and furloughs continue as more firms trim costs to address COVID-19

Several major law firms announced pay cuts and some furloughs this week, joining at least nine midsize and large firms that took those steps last week.

Apr 9, 2020 1:02 PM CDT

Netflix’s ‘100 Humans’ ponders the question: Can good looks keep you out of jail?

In response to COVID-19, Oklahoma shut done all nonessential business like many other states in the nation. Our governor declared legal services essential, but I don’t always feel that way. Perhaps it’s because the office is barren since the staff is at home. Maybe it’s more to do with the…

Apr 9, 2020 10:41 AM CDT

Cops charge people for coughing on grocery store shelves, police officers during pandemic

People accused of intentionally coughing on grocery store shelves and police officers are facing criminal charges, as is one man accused of licking grocery containers.

Apr 9, 2020 9:34 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge is accused of using staff for errands; summer associates will be paid for no work

Judge is accused of using staff to run personal errands Ethics charges filed Friday accuse an Atlanta municipal court judge of using court staffers to run personal errands and regularly threatening to fire employees for minor issues. The judge, JaDawnya Baker, is also accused of improperly dismissing cases, interfering with…

Apr 8, 2020 4:43 PM CDT

Legal community has mixed reactions to ABA resolution on limited law practice for recent grads

As law students worry about what the coronavirus pandemic will mean for their careers, some lawyers say those concerns should be eased by a Tuesday ABA resolution urging states to adopt emergency rules authorizing supervised limited practice for recent graduates, along with a bar pass requirement of no later than December 2021.

Apr 8, 2020 3:57 PM CDT

Some corporate lawyers see pay cuts as coronavirus impacts bottom lines

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting corporate earnings and the compensation of top corporate executives—including some general counsels.

Apr 8, 2020 3:35 PM CDT

BigLaw firm creates fund to help employees harmed by coronavirus and matches contributions

Paul Hastings has created a fund to help staff members and lawyers below the partner level who are affected by the novel coronavirus.

Apr 8, 2020 10:10 AM CDT

ABA Young Lawyers Division establishes national hotline for pandemic-related legal services

Updated: The ABA Young Lawyers Division has created a national hotline to connect those needing legal services during the COVID-19 pandemic through its Disaster Legal Services Program.

Apr 8, 2020 10:08 AM CDT

A remote LSAT is scheduled for May because of coronavirus

Because of the novel coronavirus pandemic, a remotely proctored version of the LSAT, which can be taken at home, will be offered in May, the Law School Admission Council announced Tuesday.

Apr 8, 2020 9:55 AM CDT

‘People at home have got to start paying attention,’ says Texas lawyer on COVID-19 front lines

On April 3, personal injury lawyer Jim Mullen departed from his wife and toddler for a three-week assignment as a temporary nurse at a Level 1 trauma center in New York City. He completed his first shift—7 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.—this past Sunday morning. He spoke to the ABA Journal shortly afterward and answered 10 questions.

Apr 8, 2020 8:00 AM CDT

ABA Board of Governors backs limited practice for recent law school grads as they await bar exam

The board is urging states to adopt emergency rules authorizing limited practice with lawyer supervision for recent graduates if the coronavirus pandemic causes cancellations of July bar exams.

Apr 7, 2020 7:00 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Amazon GC’s leaked notes may lead to lawsuit; ABA legal ed section’s council seeks ideas

Amazon GC badmouthed protest organizer in leaked notes Amazon general counsel David Zapolsky badmouthed fired warehouse employee and protest organizer Christian Smalls, according to internal notes of a meeting leaked to Vice News. Zapolsky wrote in his meeting notes that Smalls is “not smart, or articulate, and to the extent…

Apr 7, 2020 4:52 PM CDT

Lawyer is charged for front-porch Pink Floyd performance, says he was unaware of gathering crowd

A New Jersey lawyer is facing charges for performing Pink Floyd songs on his front porch Saturday night while a group of about 30 people watched from his yard.

Apr 7, 2020 12:55 PM CDT