ABA Journal

Legal Rebels Profiles

192 ABA Journal Legal Rebels Profiles articles.

2022 Legal Rebels: No Turning Back

For this year’s class of Legal Rebels, standing pat before, during or after the pandemic was never an option. They all work in the hopes of building a better tomorrow—regardless of what it looks like or when it arrives.

Utah became first state to change ethics regulations to allow for alternative business structures

The leadership of Justice Constandinos “Deno” Himonas and John Lund paved the way for the Utah Supreme Court’s unanimous vote in August to adopt a package of sweeping regulatory changes.

Thanks to chief justice, the Michigan Supreme Court pivoted to remote proceedings during COVID-19

Court is less intimidating on screen, Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack says. “When you are in the comfort of your own home, where you feel safe and secure, it’s easier to feel confident in letting the court know what’s on your mind.”

Housing lawyer Sateesh Nori knew COVID-19 would force courts to go digital—so he stepped in to help

As COVID-19 spread through New York City and shuttered its courthouses in March 2020, Sateesh Nori realized JustFix.nyc could do even more to empower tenants to exercise their rights during the pandemic.

Jayne Reardon is changing the practice of law by promoting civility and looking toward the future

Reardon is a great listener who gets people’s support by understanding their agendas and emotions. “She plays the long game, not the short game. She never comes in and jams something down people’s throats,” law professor William Henderson says.

Judge Scott Schlegel deployed tools to help keep his docket moving at the height of the pandemic

Soon after his 2013 election to the bench in Louisiana’s 24th Judicial District, Judge Scott Schlegel started looking for ways to repurpose technology common in the private sector for deployment in the court system.

Judge John Tran spearheaded adoption of tech to facilitate remote hearings and helped train lawyers

After the Virginia Supreme Court issued an order June 22 stating that remote proceedings should be used to conduct as much business as possible, Tran offered webinars to help lawyers with the Fairfax Bar Association get up to speed with Webex.

Quinten Steenhuis used tech expertise and passion for social justice to create tools for legal needs

For nearly 12 years, Steenhuis worked as a senior housing attorney, systems administrator and developer at Greater Boston Legal Services, where he also built Massachusetts Defense for Eviction, which helps pro se tenants defend themselves.

2021 Legal Rebels: Meet 10 legal professionals who are courting change

For this year’s class of Legal Rebels, the ABA Journal and the ABA Center for Innovation have chosen to highlight judges, lawyers and legal professionals who have helped bring about changes to the judicial system.

Nothing is off-limits for this California bar task force

The group, which laid the groundwork for what could become the largest modern reform to the state’s professional rules potentially set a road map for others around the country.

Thanks to Legal Hackers, hackathons are an important tool for making law more accessible

Conventional wisdom in the legal profession dictates that attorneys should have all the answers, mistakes can be detrimental, and people who call themselves “hackers” are known for identity theft and…

An LSC grant program is trying to increase access to justice through tech

The Technology Initiative Grant Program awards regional LSC offices money for creating technology plans that help low-income people with their legal needs.

Measures for Justice brings about reform by traveling the country to record criminal justice data

Staffers of travel the country unearthing, cleaning and publishing county-level criminal justice data in what they hope will be each of America’s 3,141 boroughs, counties, independent cities, parishes and the District of Columbia.

2020 Legal Rebels: It takes a team

Beginning with the 2020 class, we decided to move Legal Rebels to February-March. To mark this new beginning for Legal Rebels, we decided to try something new. Whereas prior classes have mostly featured individuals with the occasional team thrown in, we decided that 2020’s class would be made up entirely of teams.

Jonathan Petts and Rohan Pavuluri joined forces and took on Chapter 7 bankruptcy

Legal Rebels Rohan Pavuluri and Jonathan Petts never had reason to think much about Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Both came from well-off families and graduated from Ivy League universities. They strongly think that the law shouldn’t discriminate based on income.

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