You’ve all seen the cringe-worthy legal ads on TV, billboards, at the movies, in your Twitter feeds. Hire Lawyer X who is the most aggressive, obnoxious, etc. Many would say the ads are in bad taste. Should this be allowed by the lawyer ethics rules? Is it? Turns out the answer to these questions depends […]
Should civics be taught in U.S. schools? Steven Spielberg might say yes. In his new Cold War-era movie, “Bridge of Spies,” Tom Hanks plays a real-life insurance lawyer, James Donovan, who takes on a very unpopular pro bono case defending a Soviet spy. At one point in the movie when Donovan is challenged by a […]
It’s my favorite time of the year, Oscar season. I love both movies and awards shows so I have watched (and rewatched) every Oscars since, likely, birth. Now perhaps you’ve seen the hashtag around the Oscars this year, #OscarsSoWhite. Does that sound familiar? If it does, then it’s because it’s the exact same hashtag we […]
Lawyers are paid and trained to skate as close to rules as possible. Clients want lawyers to bless their actions as not violating any laws. In litigation, there seems to be a prevailing belief that whoever narrowly—or barely—complies with rules has an advantage. Maybe the rules shouldn’t allow that gamesmanship. Amendments to the Federal Rules […]
Two years ago, I was sitting in my living room, binge watching Netflix, when my phone rang. I looked down. It was my mother. Now this was surprising as my mother and I, living in two different countries, have an almost exclusive texting and Facetime relationship. I answered the phone quickly, worrying that some disaster had […]
For those of you who work in a courthouse or go to court on a regular basis: have you ever stopped to consider the administration of justice from the perspective of an average person visiting the courthouse for the first time? Perhaps someone visits to file a name change petition or deal with a traffic […]
There is no doubting it, in the Illinois courts and circuit clerks’ offices around Illinois’ 102 counties, paper is king. But as we quickly approach the 2018 deadline for required electronic filing of documents in all civil cases by Order of the Illinois Supreme Court, the court clerks, lawyers, judges, paralegals, and staff are faced […]
As a profession, we lawyers are notorious for thinking of worst-case scenarios. We are the most risk-adverse profession (possibly other than accountants). It’s what leads to our love of the “slippery slope argument.” Upholding Sub-Clause X to Schedule Y of Merger Agreement Z will inevitably lead to the collapse of both companies and, very likely, […]
My Dad is 93 years old. He retired from his career as a general surgeon over 25 years ago. He had no cognitive impairment. During his early years of retirement, he reviewed surgical cases for a malpractice insurer and mentored other surgeons. All through his life, he has continued to read constantly, travel, and play […]
Jobs are hard to come by these days, especially in the legal profession. In 2015, only 60% of graduates found employment requiring a juris doctorate. 25% didn’t find employment at all. So, what does a recent grad need to do to land a job as a lawyer in 2017? Practical legal experience. According to a […]
Sports separates “winners” from “losers.” And there is also the old adage that it isn’t whether you win or lose, but how you play the game. In other words, good sportsmanship counts—and unsportsmanlike conduct can get you thrown out of the game. There’s more than winning and losing in the legal arena as well. And […]
Ever since the American Bar Association modified “Competence” Model Rule 1.1, comment 8 in 2012 requiring lawyers to “keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice, including the benefits and risks associated with relevant technology,” legal technology focused articles and commentary have flourished (just see #legaltech). And rightfully so, as this “technology competency” requirement (now adopted by the majority of states, including Illinois as of January […]
