Features

New Precedent: This year’s class of Legal Rebels is leading the way during a time of rapid change in the industry

For this year’s class of Legal Rebels, the ABA Journal and the ABA Center for Innovation have chosen to honor eight individuals who are leading the way during these changing times.

Jan 1, 2026 1:35 PM CST

Out of Bounds: After a natural disaster, sometimes there’s a thin line between attorney help and solicitation

After a natural disaster, it can be confusing to know what conduct is appropriate and what falls outside the scope of the rules, ethics lawyers say, particularly for lawyers located outside the state. After the deadly 2023 wildfire ripped through the island of Maui, Hawaii saw an influx of mainland lawyers offering their services.

Jan 1, 2026 1:30 PM CST

Water Wars: A growing demand for water requires navigating complex laws that regulate its distribution

Whether Americans are able to alleviate the catastrophic depletion of life-sustaining surface water and groundwater—exacerbated by what scientists have concluded is a global warming-driven drought—will depend on the outcomes of negotiations, litigation, legislation and other forms of conflict resolution that vary greatly by jurisdiction.

Jan 1, 2026 12:00 AM CST

Legal Reel-ism: What are some scenes in TV and movies that accurately reflect what it’s like to be a lawyer?

When it comes to law and pop culture, there’s a reason why dramatic license is more important than a bar card. Screenwriters have to be entertaining first. While some degree of realism is necessary in order to get viewers to become invested, it is not the primary factor. That being said, there are some scenes that accurately reflect what it is to be a trial lawyer.

Oct 1, 2025 2:00 AM CDT

A Mother's Trial: Nurse wrongly accused of child abuse forges career bridging law and medicine to help others

“You don’t know when you’re going through this that the doctor you’re talking to is investigating you,” Alexcia Stees says. It was the beginning of a long journey during which Stees, a mother of three, would stand accused of child abuse and build a new career to help others in similar situations.

Oct 1, 2025 1:55 AM CDT

A League of Their Own: Lawyers represent sports organizations in many roles as the industry evolves

Many lawyers gravitate toward the industry because of their personal involvement in or passion for sports. They fill diverse roles, including representing teams and leagues in private practice, serving as in-house counsel for sports organizations, working as agents, and managing compliance for universities or athletic associations.

Oct 1, 2025 12:00 AM CDT

Craving Connection: Lawyers, who face stress and adversarial work, experience more isolation than many professionals

Studies depict lawyers as struggling under the stress of their jobs and lifestyles, weighed down by a host of mental health issues and uniquely positioned to experience feelings of isolation. In 2018, for example, the Harvard Business Review found that lawyers outranked engineers and research scientists when it came to loneliness.

Aug 1, 2025 1:40 AM CDT

Cracks in the System: The long fight to end the racial disparity in cocaine sentencing continues

“Other than public defense structures and payment for assigned counsel, I don’t think there’s been another issue that has galvanized the bar quite as much,” says Kyle O’Dowd, deputy director for the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Because of the stark racial and economic disparities in sentencing of crack versus powder cocaine, O’Dowd says, “it’s still a very lasting symbol of racism within the criminal justice system.”

Aug 1, 2025 1:35 AM CDT

All About the Action: Are lawyers more at risk for gambling addiction?

“Something about gambling draws in certain types of lawyers,” Harry Levant says. But the same things that make them successful in the courtroom can turn against them with gambling and make them vulnerable to wins and losses, he notes.

Aug 1, 2025 12:00 AM CDT

Still They Rise: Numbers for women in the profession are increasing

More than four out of 10 attorneys in the United States are women. However, men still overwhelmingly dominate when it comes to rising through the ranks, as only 28% of law firm partners were women in 2023. That figure marks a slow and steady improvement from 2013, when it was only 20%.

Jun 1, 2025 4:10 AM CDT

20 judges share tips for preparing for your first court appearance

As the calendar counts down to the day of a lawyer’s first court experience, fears of forgetting a key point, getting yelled at by the judge or just plain looking stupid may dominate your thoughts. But judges interviewed by the ABA Journal say that for the most part, you will do well simply by being a reasonable person. Here are their suggestions on how to shine.

Jun 1, 2025 4:00 AM CDT

Bullying is a problem in the legal profession. How can the cycle be broken?

“I have heard from so many people saying, ‘This is exactly what happened to me,’” says Erin Gordon, author of Look What You Made Me Do: Confronting Heartbreak & Harassment in Big Law. “Partners in particular have power in their firms, and they are like bullies in the schoolyard.”

Jun 1, 2025 12:00 AM CDT

Managed Care: When dealing with a serious illness, lawyers should attend to themselves and clients

Lawyers who discover they have a serious or terminal illness face a slew of emotions, along with a list of decisions they must make, including whether and under what circumstances to continue working. For some, health insurance and a paycheck are powerful motivators for staying in their jobs; but lawyers with terminal diagnoses also cite continued purpose, concern for their clients and a fondness for their colleagues.

Apr 1, 2025 3:30 AM CDT

Future Forward: How lawyers can embrace sustainability

Sustainable development means more than “being green,” says John Dernbach, an emeritus professor at Widener University Commonwealth Law School and the founding director of its Environmental Law and Sustainability Center. Rather, he says, sustainable development balances environmental protection, economic development and social justice.

Apr 1, 2025 3:00 AM CDT

Changing Course: Meet 6 students with unusual paths to law school

The ABA Journal talked with six law students and recent graduates with unusual first careers: Olympic athlete, flight attendant, behavioral analyst for kids with special needs, Catholic priest, Broadway actor and chimpanzee handler. While they had unique experiences before heading to law school, their backgrounds have impacted their studies and their hopes to effect lasting change in their original fields though law.

Apr 1, 2025 12:00 AM CDT