There is a subset of DIY legal consumers that want legal information, advice and services, but they don’t want to pay a lawyer for those items, because they think that lawyers are too expensive, and because they think that they can do a passable job on their own. In certain instances, they’re probably right on both counts. 

As we start to make our way to a new normal, get away from your day-to-day routine, take some time to yourself and gain new perspectives! Our event lineup goes beyond education and includes time for you to safely catch up with colleagues at distanced open-air dinner events, receptions, health and wellness activities and casual bull sessions.

One consistent bit of trouble lawyers have encountered during this pandemic is adjusting to working from home. Taking an entire work process and moving it to an out of office location for an undetermined amount of time was never going to be easy.  

While working at home, for albeit a relatively short period of time, I realized that the health of my professional working relationships was suffering. Perhaps you are still working from home. Perhaps you are still primarily attending meetings virtually. Perhaps you feel the same way.

I recently had the opportunity to read "Unexampled Courage," a book whose title is borrowed from Judge J. Waties Waring’s dissent in Briggs v. Elliott.  Addressing the 66 plaintiffs in Briggs, Judge Waring addressed their strength of character directly, writing that “they have shown unexampled courage in bringing and presenting this cause at their own expense in the fact of the long-established and age-old pattern of the way of life which the State of South Carolina has adopted and practiced and lived in since and as a result of the institution of human slavery.”

There are benefits to hiring a part-time or full-time law student. Small firms and solo practitioners have limited time and energy to mentor student law clerks, and many such firms have few resources to do so. However, given the opportunity, hiring a law student for a paid clerkship can be an asset to a small firm or solo practice. Outlined here are some of the most significant benefits for a smaller or solo practice for hiring a student law clerk.

In the recently decided Supreme Court case Google LLC v. Oracle America, Inc., 593 US ___ (2021), the Court took up the case of whether Google’s copying of Oracle’s API (Application Programming Interface) software constituted a fair use. In a 6-2 decision authored by Justice Breyer, with Justice Barrett taking no part in the case and Justices Thomas and Alito dissenting, the Court determined that, indeed, Google’s use of Oracle’s API was a fair use.

In a perfect world, law firms would generate, consolidate and convert leads with crushing effectiveness. In the real world, law firm leads often disappear. 

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Under the dynamic leadership of IndyBar President Jimmie McMillian, we're celebrating Juneteenth at Bench Bar to bring awareness to our members about this significant piece of history. More importantly, the Juneteenth workshop session will highlight and recognize the experiences and significant contributions that Black attorneys have made to our legal community.

The ongoing pandemic has been rough on everyone, in multiple aspects of life, from the personal to the professional. Lawyers are particularly hard-hit by isolation in even the best of times and suffer higher incidences of depression than the general population. This is especially an issue for solo attorneys.