Creatures Great and Small: 9 court rulings that shaped the Endangered Species Act

Widely regarded by legal experts as one of the world’s most powerful statutes for protection of wildlife and ecosystems, the Nixon-era Endangered Species Act has halted the decline of hundreds of species along with protecting their habitats. But the unified political support that led to the act has vanished.

Apr 1, 2024 12:00 AM CDT

How can you qualify for PSLF?

Feb 1, 2024 3:45 AM CST

2024 Legal Rebels: Game-changing AI

Time will tell if generative AI is the real deal or just hype. But right now, it’s a cutting-edge form of technology that’s already in the process of changing the legal profession and the practice of law. And that’s rebellious.

Feb 1, 2024 3:30 AM CST

Family Limbo: Movement to repeal a Clinton-era law sparks debate about foster care and adoption

The Adoption and Safe Families Act of 1997 sits at the center of a debate among legal scholars, attorneys and activists: Is this law in the best interest of children, or is it unjust and unconstitutional?

Feb 1, 2024 3:00 AM CST

These Public Service Loan Forgiveness applicants have seen their student debt erased

Many public service attorneys had an overwhelming feeling that massive student loan debt would travel through life with them. But many of those attorneys got relief in the past year, thanks to recent changes to the federal government’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.

Feb 1, 2024 12:00 AM CST

Inside the claims against DoNotPay’s Joshua Browder and the ‘World’s First Robot Lawyer’

Kathryn Tewson, an investigative paralegal with the New York City-based corporate law firm Kamerman, Uncyk, Soniker & Klein, has taken her dispute with DoNotPay and its founder, Joshua Browder, from social media to the courtroom.

Dec 1, 2023 3:30 AM CST

This lawyer has built a criminal defense practice for clients with mental disabilities, autism and dementia

Her mission is to get fair and compassionate outcomes—not make excuses—for clients who don’t fit neatly into a system that is often ill-equipped to deal with them. “You use a mental disability as a reason, not as an excuse,” Elizabeth Kelley says. “Not all people with mental disabilities get in trouble or are charged with crimes or commit crimes.”

Dec 1, 2023 3:00 AM CST

You’re Not Alone: No matter how dire the situation might seem, help is available

Dec 1, 2023 12:05 AM CST

Making It Back: Bruce Simpson tried to take his own life, then he started healing

I have practiced law in Kentucky for 40 years, and I write this today to warn you about reaching the point of no return should you ever determine, as I did in January 2023, that death is a better option than life. Here is why I am sharing this: People are more vulnerable to being mentally shattered, given certain life crises, than they sometimes can appreciate. I do not want anyone I can influence—lawyer or not—to descend into an unstoppable spiral to the point of no return.

Dec 1, 2023 12:00 AM CST

Keeping Up Appearances: Slow-to-evolve dress codes often burden female and minority lawyers

Dress code expectations for lawyers are evoked in the name of professionalism and steeped in tradition. But advocates say that centuries-old grooming dictates have negatively impacted people of color, women, those with disabilities and LGBTQ folks and need to evolve. Many question their necessity.

Oct 1, 2023 4:10 AM CDT

Vet Detectives: Forensic veterinarians help examine beastly crimes

Forensic veterinary investigations are a growing force in animal law, with vets working at the intersection of law and veterinary medicine. On any given case, the scope of the vet’s work runs from crime scene investigations, lab work, animal autopsies and report writing to serving as an expert witness in court.

Oct 1, 2023 4:05 AM CDT

Animal abuse and domestic violence can go hand in hand

“The tide is definitely changing on the perception of the importance of investigating animal cruelty,” says Martha Smith-Blackmore, president of Forensic Veterinary Investigations in Boston. “Crimes against animals do not exist in a vacuum.”

Oct 1, 2023 4:00 AM CDT

The Defame Game: Libel cases are on the rise and increasingly politicized

Media law experts say they are seeing several developing trends in libel and defamation cases. Those trends include forum shopping, having an increasingly political component, adding allegations unrelated to the defamation claim, increasingly naming individual reporters as defendants and demanding huge damage awards.

Oct 1, 2023 12:00 AM CDT

Doing Their Homework: How these incoming law students selected their schools

In terms of big life choices, deciding where to attend law school may be in the top 5 for aspiring attorneys. Most face the prospect of taking on significant debt to pay tuition and living expenses, along with the stress of selecting a school they think will lead to the best job opportunities and not knowing if it will be easy to make friends where they land.

Aug 1, 2023 4:00 AM CDT

Shadow Foster Care: Children and caregivers in a 'hidden' system miss out on benefits and support

In formal foster care, child protective services agencies annually separate more than 250,000 children from their parents and place them in their state’s legal custody under the oversight of a family court judge. By some estimates, agencies separate the same number of children through hidden foster care but do so by suggesting parents transfer physical custody to a kinship caregiver, such as a grandparent or aunt.

Aug 1, 2023 3:30 AM CDT