Legal Sleaze: Are pop culture’s unethical, incompetent, crooked lawyers examples of art imitating life? (ABA Journal, August 1, 2022).
Law & Order: Legacy. The franchise’s prime-time formula shaped a generation’s understanding of the legal system. (ABA Journal, August 1, 2021).
Reel Power: Documentaries are shaping public opinion and influencing cases. (ABA Journal, August 1, 2020).
Lawyers, Songs and Money: Music that changed the law. (ABA Journal, July 1, 2019). FINALIST: Peter Lisagor Awards, Best Feature: Non-Daily Newspaper, Magazine or Newspaper Magazine.
The Dangers of Digital Things: Self-driving cars steer proposed laws on robotics and automation. (ABA Journal, March 1, 2018).
Tech Trekkers. Some law firms travel outside law practice to avoid their “Kodak moment.” (ABA Journal, April 1, 2016).
Metrics Can Tell the Tale of a Firm’s Fate (co-authored with Edwin Reeser). Are there stats that can predict when a law firm will succeed … or fail? (ABA Journal, January 1, 2016). FINALIST: Peter Lisagor Awards, Best Business or Consumer Reporting, Specialty/Trade.
Who Owns the Law? Technology reignites the war over just how public documents should be. (ABA Journal, June 1, 2014).
Editor:
Business of Law: Front-of-the-book department in the ABA Journal magazine that focuses on a wide variety of topics, including: legal technology, practice management, lateral partner movement, legal education, work-life balance, and law firm business (2017-present).
NOMINATED (RESULT PENDING): 2023 ASBPE Azbee Awards of Excellence, National and Regional (Regular Department).
WINNER: 2022 ASBPE Azbee Awards of Excellence, National (Bronze, Regular Department) and Regional (Silver, Regular Department).
Legal Rebels. An annual look at lawyers and legal professionals that are changing the industry. (2018-present).
2022: No Turning Back. NOMINATED (RESULT PENDING): 2023 ASBPE Azbee Awards of Excellence, National and Regional (All Content- Group Profile) and Regional (Online – Web Microsite).
2021: Courting Change. WINNER: 2022 ASBPE Azbee Awards of Excellence, National (Bronze, Group Profile) and Regional (Silver, Group Profile), National (Bronze, Web Microsite/Special Section).
2020:It Takes a Team. WINNER: 2021 ASBPE Azbee Awards of Excellence, National (Gold, Group Profile) Upper Midwest Region (Gold, Group Profile), Upper Midwest Region (Silver, Online – Web Microsite/Special Section).
2020: WINNER: Upper Midwest Region (Silver, Online – Web Microsite/Special Section).
Coverage of ABA Techshow (2018-present). WINNER: 2021 ASBPE Azbee Awards of Excellence, Upper Midwest Region (Silver, Trade Show/Conference Coverage).
Digital Dangers. A special year-long look at cybersecurity and how attorneys can better guard their confidential data (2018). WINNER: 2019 ASBPE Azbee Awards of Excellence, National (GOLD, Print – Feature Series) and Upper Midwest Region (GOLD, Print – Feature Series).
State of the Legal Profession: A data-driven look inside the legal profession (2019-present).
2022 Package: Slow Going: Despite diversity gains, some law firm leaders bemoan lack of progress. NOMINATED (RESULT PENDING): 2023 ASBPE Azbee Awards of Excellence, Regional (All Content – Case History and All Content – Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).
2021 Package: View from the Top: Confounding gloomy predictions, Big Law proved to be most resilient to COVID-19. WINNER: 2022 ASBPE Azbee Awards of Excellence, National (Silver, State of the Industry) and Regional (Gold, State of the Industry).
Mind Your Business: Contributed columns providing practical advice for attorneys on how to run their practices, insight into the latest in legal technology and thoughtful strategies for building a successful legal business (2020-present).
Practical Tips for Lawyers: A compendium of crowdsourced suggestions, life hacks, nuggets of wisdom and other bits of interesting information that lawyers might find helpful (2020-present).
Legal Chatbots: What Can and Can’t They Do? Legal Rebel alum Tom Martin talks about the potential of legal chatbots to bridge the access to justice gap and dispels some myths about whether or not they can become sentient.
How Technology Can Improve Immigration Policy and Practice. Attorney and app developer Greg Siskind talks about the tech he’d use if he were starting a practice now, and if he were to suddenly become in charge of our nation’s complex and inefficient immigration system.
How 2 Texas Lawyers are Marketing Their Practice Through Song. Texas lawyers Will Hutson and Chris Harris combined their love of music and knowledge of the law to create songs educating people about the law. This program contains a live musical performance, which is something I’ve long wanted to do on a podcast.
Clio Cloud 2016: Changing Law for Thinking Machines. I chat with Fastcase CEO Ed Walters about the “robot revolution” and how the law might have to change to handle machines. (Legal Talk Network, September 2016).
How Artificial Intelligence is Changing the Way Lawyers Practice Law. Artificial intelligence has long been a tool for lawyers to perform their tasks more efficiently. However, the technology has advanced to the point where computers can now perform many of the tasks that were once the exclusive domain of humans. (Legal Talk Network, March 2016).
Editor:
Legal Rebels Podcast: The ABA Journal Legal Rebels Podcast features people who are remaking the legal profession, changing the way law is practiced and setting the standards that will guide the profession into the future.
Law Technology News
Web Pieces:
Duane Morris Creates Litigation Analytics Tool. The Am Law firm has created a litigation analytics tool, called DNA, designed to control and predict the firm’s litigation costs. (Law Technology News, November 19, 2013) (subscription required).
Smartphone Kill Switch Campaign Gathers Momentum. New York Attorney General argues that disabling phones will cut crimes. Will it help lawyers as well? (Law Technology News, October 21, 2013).
Putting Windows on Macs. Apple products are popular with users but Microsoft dominates office tech. What to do? (Law Technology News, October 18, 2013).
On Cue. Apple acquires personal assistance app. (Law Technology News, October 4, 2013).
Scheindlin Not Charmed When Revisiting Spoliation a Third Time. U.S. District Judge Shira Scheindlin has weighed in on e-discovery spoliation for a third time and she was not charmed by plaintiffs deletion of emails. (Law Technology News, August 16, 2013) (subscription required).
ObamaCare Technology Security is Months Behind Schedule. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is behind in testing the security of the data hub that links state health care exchanges to the federal government. (Law Technology News, August 7, 2013).
Oakland Approves Funds for High Tech Surveillance. High-tech surveillance center will use video cameras, license plate readers, gunshot detection microphones and Twitter to address crime and terrorist activity. (Law Technology News, August 6, 2013).
Judge Refuses to Disqualify EDD Vendor for Playing Both Sides. Kaleida Health isn’t taking a decision by U.S. Magistrate Judge Leslie Foschio lying down. Foscho refused to disqualify e-discovery vendor D4 Discovery and now the matter goes before the district judge. (Law Technology News, July 16, 2013) (subscription required).
Am Law 200 Overview. “Betting on Bulk.” Second Hundred firms are on a hiring binge. What’s not certain is when—or whether—it’ll pay off. (American Lawyer Magazine, June 2013).
Canada Market Report. “If You Build It, They Will Come.” Preparing for the 2015 Pan American Games, Toronto is relying on a distinctively Canadian deal form: the public-private partnership. (American Lawyer Magazine, November 2012)
“Romney’s Lawyer.” Ropes & Gray chairman R. Bradford Malt and Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney have a two-decades-long friendship that has benefited both men. (American Lawyer Magazine, June 2012)
Lateral Report Overview. “This Time It’s Personal.” Lateral partner movement was up significantly in 2011, but it wasn’t because of a thriving economy. Instead, law firms got desperate. (American Lawyer Magazine, February 2012).
Midlevel Associates Feature. “Under Pressure.” It’s good news and bad news for midlevel associates. There’s more work, but hiring is still slow. At least wages are going up again. (American Lawyer Magazine, September 2011).
Intellectual Property Report: “Open for Business.” Some smaller specialty shops have closed their doors in recent years, but others are very much alive. (American Lawyer Magazine IP Supplement, September 2010).
Newspaper Stories:
“Judge Narrows Challenge on Ban on Ultimate Fighting.” A federal judge trimmed a lawsuit brought by mixed martial artists in New York arguing that the state ban on MMA events is unconstitutional. (New York Law Journal, August 2012).
“Suit Challenges Ban on Mixed Martial Arts.” The Ultimate Fighting Championship turns to litigation in hopes of lifting ban on MMA events in New York. (New York Law Journal, November 2011).
“As Gun Debate Grows Second Amendment Champion Gura Girds for Battles Ahead.”Alan Gura’s victories before the Supreme Court in Heller and McDonald have made him the go-to guy as gun-rights advocates look to expand the Second Amendment rights in the shadow of the Newtown massacre. (Am Law Daily, February 2013).
“Romney, Ropes, and Bain and the Ties that Bind.”Mitt Romney’s ties to Bain Capital may have cost him the South Carolina primary. And it put an unwanted spotlight on his tax situation, which is managed by Ropes & Gray chairman Brad Malt. (Am Law Daily, January 2012).
“Judge Tells Concert Promoter to Take a (Moon)Walk.” A federal district court judge in Manhattan said “Beat It” to most counts in a $300 million suit filed against Michael Jackson’s estate, Jackson’s supposed ex-manager, and Anshutz Entertainment Group over promotional rights to the comeback tour the King of Pop was planning prior to his death last summer. (Litigation Daily, November 2011).
“Challenging a Student Lender Head On.” New York lawyer Josh Fensterstock takes on student lenders. (American Lawyer Magazine Student Edition, October 2010).
“Mixed Reviews for Zubulake II.”Two judges differ on how to penalize flawed e-discovery efforts. (American Lawyer Magazine Litigation Supplement, September 2010).
Charticles/Listicles:
I came up with lots of ideas for graphics, charts, and charticles for the front-of-the-book section. Here are some of my favorites. (NOTE: I did NOT do the artwork – only the written parts).
Starting at the Top: In March, Paul Weiss partner Roberta Kaplan made her U.S. Supreme Court debut when she argued on behalf of an octogenarian widow challenging the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. Kaplan joins the ranks of other Am Law lawyers who have made their maiden arguments before the high court on landmark cases. (The American Lawyer, May 2013).
Ex Post Facto: In late January, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia invalidated President Barack Obama’s controversial recess appointments in 2012 which filled three vacancies on the National labor relations Board. The court defined “recess” narrowly – to the point that most recess appointments made in modern times would have failed the test. Here are notable recess appointments featuring Am Law lawyers. (The American Lawyer, April 2013).
Tour de Force: A selection of quotes from Lance Armstrong’s lawyers defending the biker, over the years, from doping allegations. (The American Lawyer, March 2013).
Golden Parachute: Am Law firms have been a nice landing spot for defeated Presidential and Vice-Presidential nominees. (The American Lawyer, October 2012).
Rogue’s Gallery: Chadbourne & Parke partner Abbe Lowell has represented a “who’s who” of Washington’s elite. (The American Lawyer, May 2012).
… And in This Corner: A lawyer and his nemesis jump back in the ring. A look at the ongoing war of words between WWE’s top outside counsel Jerry McDevitt of K&L Gates and journalist Irv Muchnick. (The American Lawyer, February 2011).
Other Publications
“Hit the Boss Button.” Ever wanted to watch the Final Four or the World Cup at your office computer without getting in trouble with your boss? Never fear because the “boss button” is here! (April 28, 2010)
“Leaning Left? The AMA at a Crossroads.”The American Medical Association has helped kill several health care reform efforts over the past 80 years. That changed with ObamaCare. Has this bastion of conservatism moved to the left? (January 13, 2010)
“Nine-Year-Old Girl Wins Spelling Bee.”For 9-year-old Shivani Angappan, “poinsettia” spelled v-i-c-t-o-r-y. Luckily for her, she didn’t actually spell it that way. (Oct. 4, 2009)
Class of 2000 Notes (Summer 2015) (subscription required)
Class of 2000 Notes (Fall 2014) (subscription required)
Class of 2000 Notes (Spring 2013) (subscription required)
Class of 2000 Notes (Fall 2012) (subscription required)
Class of 2000 Notes (Spring 2012) (subscription required)
Class of 2000 Notes (Fall 2010) (subscription required)
Listicles:
Cheating in Soccer. If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying. From handballs to doping to diving to match-fixing, here are some of the most well-known examples of cheating in soccer. (Jan. 6, 2009).