Lawson, N. D. (2021). ” To Be a Good Lawyer, One Has to Be a Healthy Lawyer”: Lawyer Well-Being, Discrimination, and Discretionary Systems of Discipline. Geo. J. Legal Ethics, 34, 65. In 2017, a National Task Force on Lawyer Well-Being comprised mostly of representatives from lawyer assistance programs (LAPs) issued a report recommending “modify[ing] the rules of…
The American Bar Association has published a third draft discussion paper on amendments to lawyers’ client due diligence
The American Bar Association have published a Discussion Draft of possible amendments to the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. The Standing Committees on Ethics and Professional Responsibility and Professional Regulation have developed this draft to address lawyers’ client due diligence obligations. The previous two discussion papers have focused on Model Rule 1.2(d) (Scope of Representation…
IAALS Publishes Report on Regulatory Innovation
The IAALS has published a report: Community & Cooperation: Action Steps toward Unlocking Legal Regulation that summarizes discussions held at a meeting in 2022 on regulatory innovation. The report proposes next steps for regulatory innovation and serves as a resource for those interested in improving the regulatory system. The report covers the following topics: The…
Rise of the Robot Lawyers?
Markovic, M (2019). Rise of the Robot Lawyers?, 61 Ariz. L. Rev The advent of artificial intelligence has provoked considerable speculation about the future of the American workforce, including highly educated professionals such as lawyers and doctors. Although most commentators are alarmed by the prospect of intelligent machines displacing millions of workers, this is not…
Markovic, M (2019). Rise of the Robot Lawyers?, 61 Ariz. L. Rev The advent of artificial intelligence has provoked considerable speculation about the future of the American workforce, including highly educated professionals such as lawyers and doctors. Although most commentators are alarmed by the prospect of intelligent machines displacing millions of workers, this is not…
The National Association for Law Placement’s (NALP) report on diversity discusses the progress made and the ongoing challenges for LGBTQ+ lawyers in US
The National Association for Law Placement’s (NALP) recent report on diversity in U.S. law firms shows that the overall percentage of LGBTQ+ lawyers increased to 4.17% in 2022, roughly half a percentage point higher than in 2021 and almost 4 times the amount of LGBTQ+ attorneys reported in 2002. Representation has increased at a more…
Lawyer Wellbeing as a Crisis of the Profession
Krause, C. A., & Chong, J. (2019). Lawyer Wellbeing as a Crisis of the Profession. SCL Rev., 71, 203. The legal profession is in the throes of a mental health crisis. State bars across the country continue to be rocked by the tragic loss of their lawyers to suicide and accidental drug overdose. Recent studies have also…
Lawyer Wellbeing as a Crisis of the Profession
Krause, C. A., & Chong, J. (2019). Lawyer Wellbeing as a Crisis of the Profession. SCL Rev., 71, 203. The legal profession is in the throes of a mental health crisis. State bars across the country continue to be rocked by the tragic loss of their lawyers to suicide and accidental drug overdose. Recent studies have also…
What’s Inside the Black Box? AI Challenges for Lawyers and Researchers
Yu, R., & Alì, G. (2019). What’s Inside the Black Box? AI Challenges for Lawyers and Researchers. Legal Information Management, 19(1), 2-13. The Artificial intelligence revolution is happening and is going to drastically re-shape legal research in both the private sector and academia. AI research tools present several advantages over traditional research methods. They allow for the…
American Bar Association issues guidance on using legal assistants
The American Bar Association Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility has issued a formal opinion that provides guidance for lawyers on how to use legal assistants to perform client intake tasks under ABA Model Rules. The opinion highlights the benefits of using nonlawyer assistants but also warns that without proper policies, training, and supervision,…