Opening Statements

Controversial Supreme Court decision lands on the big screen

It’s rare to see a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision turned into a movie. But the case of Kelo v. New London uniquely galvanized a community, spurring one filmmaker to make it happen.

“It just seemed like a terrible affront to justice,” says Ted Balaker, who runs the film’s production company. Balaker helped cover the Kelo case for ABC News, where he worked at the time.

May 1, 2017 3:10 AM CDT

5 tips from a BigLaw partner on ‘making it work’ in real life

Making it Work is a new column in partnership with the Working Mother Best Law Firms for Women initiative in which lawyers share how they manage both life’s challenges and work’s demands.

Joanna Horsnail, being a single parent for 10 years and partner at Mayer Brown for 13 years, offers tips for “making it work” while real life goes on around you.

May 1, 2017 3:00 AM CDT

Trump and the Constitution: Law course explores the limits of executive power

A new course at the University of Washington: “Executive Power and its Limits,” seeks to provide students with the tools—and critical thinking skills—needed to analyze the Constitution and Donald Trump’s presidency. Kathryn Watts, one of two professors teaching the course, says administrators responded to student demand when they created the class, and it filled quickly upon being announced.

May 1, 2017 2:50 AM CDT

10 Questions: Indiana family law attorney has a second career in high fashion

From family court to haute couture, this Indiana solo helps clients present their best.

May 1, 2017 2:40 AM CDT

General counsel say bold moves like HP’s diversity mandate are necessary to achieve lasting change

Achieving diversity in BigLaw has proved an uphill battle for advocates of inclusion. But many general counsel—who are uniquely positioned to influence the dynamic of legal teams—have chosen to direct their business to firms that show a commitment to diversity.

May 1, 2017 2:30 AM CDT

Rise in hate crimes, divisive rhetoric prompts bar groups to act

President Donald Trump’s executive order seeking to restrict immigration from seven Muslim countries was part of a disturbing trend that didn’t surprise members of minority bar associations already prepping for court battles to come. Even before the “Muslim ban,” affinity bars were marshaling resources and teaming up to fight a…

Apr 1, 2017 4:10 AM CDT

Exposing the Bail Trap: New film campaign urges change for bail system

Brave New Films recently released the first short film in the campaign, Breaking Down Bail, which combines information about the bail system—such as the fact that about 500,000 people are in jail on any day, awaiting trial—with man-on-the-street interviews, highlighting the many misconceptions people have about the bail system.

Apr 1, 2017 4:00 AM CDT

10 Questions: For rap and hip-hop artists, LA lawyer Julian Petty represents

As a college intern at Def Jam Records, Julian K. Petty saw firsthand how poorly artists were represented, and he vowed that someday, he’d do something about it. Fast-forward 20 years, and Petty now is a top entertainment lawyer who represents some of the biggest names in rap and hip-hop…

Apr 1, 2017 3:50 AM CDT

What do Supreme Court advocates do with their feather quill mementos?

A unique tradition maintained since “the earliest sessions of the court,” according to the U.S. Supreme Court’s public information office, is presenting goose-feather pens to advocates who appear for oral argument. The practice reportedly dates back to the early 1800s, when Chief Justice John Marshall provided lawyers with quill pens and inkwells to take notes.

Apr 1, 2017 3:40 AM CDT

‘Loving’ movie gives new significance to landmark court case

Loving v. Virginia was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court 50 years ago today. And the Hollywood film Loving has revived the story for the masses at a time when issues that surround equality and state’s rights are dominating the political discourse.

Apr 1, 2017 3:30 AM CDT

Mystery and thriller writers tell the stories of the wrongfully convicted in new book

They’ve confessed to murders they didn’t commit, were mistakenly identified by unreliable witnesses, and have been convicted on phony evidence and false testimony. Many endured decades in prison before the truth would set them free.Every one of the wrongfully convicted has a compelling story, and a group of top-notch mystery…

Mar 1, 2017 4:30 AM CST

Florida lawyer’s firm is dedicated to marine mammals

Natalie Barefoot might be one of the few lawyers who enthusiastically describes her work as fun. As executive director of Cet Law, Barefoot has channeled her passion for cetaceans—which include whales, dolphins and porpoises—into a nonprofit law practice with a mission to advocate on behalf of the mammals and their…

Mar 1, 2017 4:20 AM CST

Surprise Sisters: Lawyer co-workers learn they’ve led parallel lives just a few miles apart

Could a love of the law run as deep as your genes? The case of Julie Hansen and Kelly Mahoney Steenbock makes a compelling argument that it might be so. Born five years apart, both women were raised in Bellevue, Nebraska, and lived less than 5 miles apart, although they…

Mar 1, 2017 4:15 AM CST

10 Questions: Brittany Heyd helps startups solve society’s pressing problems

If you’re a startup dedicated to solving big problems in sectors such as energy, education and transportation, Brittany Heyd wants to help. She’s the managing director and general counsel at 1776, a global venture capital fund and business incubator based in Washington, D.C., that specializes in linking socially innovative startups…

Mar 1, 2017 4:10 AM CST

Iran terror victims receive first payments; will this affect foreign immunity?

It’s not every day that a wire transfer for $40 million crosses a lawyer’s desk—particularly when the cash is coming from the Central Bank of Iran. But for Jamie Bernard, a partner with Stroock & Stroock & Lavan, the multimillion-dollar payout was a satisfying culmination of years of litigation and…

Mar 1, 2017 4:05 AM CST