Business of Law

Asian-Americans Facing Challenges In The Legal Industry

Asian-Americans are the fastest-growing minority in the legal profession, but recent studies confirm their underrepresentation among partners, prosecutors, judges and law school administrators. We must take action, say Goodwin Liu, associate justice of the California Supreme Court, and Ajay Mehrotra of the American Bar Foundation.

Series

My Supreme Court Debut: Part Of The Show

Despite thorough preparation for my first argument before the U.S. Supreme Court, when I stood at the podium to deliver my opening lines, my legs were shaking like Elvis’ (although involuntarily and I hoped not too visibly). But when the first question came it calmed me immediately, says Stephen Kinnaird of Paul Hastings LLP.

A BigLaw Ladies’ Guide To Becoming A 1st-Chair Trial Lawyer

Judge Shira Scheindlin recently published an op-ed in The New York Times discussing the statistical truth that law firms have poor representation of female attorneys as first-chair trial lawyers. Backed by data collected by the New York State Bar Association, Judge Scheindlin’s observation is not merely anecdotal. But it doesn’t have to be inevitable, says Sarah Rathke, a partner and trial lawyer at Squire Patton Boggs LLP.

5 Tips To Ensure Proper Deposition Behavior

If conducted properly, depositions can be a powerful tool. At times, though, opposing counsel employ tactics to impede the examiner’s ability to obtain unfiltered, proper testimony from the deponent. By knowing and effectively using applicable rules and case law, however, deposing attorneys can take specific steps to combat these tactics, say attorneys with Ogletree Deakins Nash Smoak & Stewart PC.

Series

My Supreme Court Debut: Flattered, Excited And Obligated

Listening to the recording of my first argument before the U.S. Supreme Court 10 years after it took place triggered my fight-or-flight reflex. But why? Maybe it was time to lift that rock and look underneath, says Verna Williams, interim dean and professor of law at the University of Cincinnati College of Law.

Series

Judging A Book: Tunheim Reviews 'Miles Lord'

Litigator Roberta Walburn’s rollicking new book, "Miles Lord: The Maverick Judge Who Brought Corporate America to Justice," is a really good read — a fascinating story about a life lived in the heat of battle and usually at the edge of what might have been considered appropriate for a federal judge, says Chief U.S. District Judge John Tunheim of the District of Minnesota.

Technology Assisted Review Can Work For Small Cases

For as long as e-discovery lawyers have been using technology assisted review, a belief has persisted that it cannot be used economically or effectively in small cases. But TAR can be highly effective in small cases, typically reducing the time and cost of a review project by 60 to 80 percent, say John Tredennick, Thomas Gricks III and Andrew Bye of Catalyst Repository Systems LLC.

Roundup

My Supreme Court Debut

As the end of the year draws near, all eyes are turning to the U.S. Supreme Court and the decisions it will issue during its October 2017 term. In this series, attorneys that have argued before the high court reflect on their very first time standing before the justices.

New Sedona Principles Stress Information Governance

The Sedona Conference Working Group's updated Sedona Principles provides a timely reminder that the legal industry needs to be thinking more seriously about the interconnectedness between e-discovery and information governance, says Saffa Sleet of FTI Consulting Inc.

Opinion

For More Value And Diversity In Outside Counsel, Go Small

Albert Einstein famously said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.” That maxim applies to large companies that seek more value and diversity from their outside counsel by expecting big firms to change. There’s a simple solution to this problem, according to attorneys Margaret Cassidy, Sara Kropf and Ellen D. Marcus.