October, 2023

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Every Prosecutor’s Office Should Be Investing in Data

The Crime Report

Local prosecutors hold enormous power over the outcomes of criminal cases. Their decisions – whether to file a case, what charges to bring, what dispositions to offer, and what sentences to seek – impact the lives of individuals and their communities every day. Yet, for decades, little has been known about the inner workings of prosecutor’s offices, as elected prosecutors’ historical resistance to data and transparency has shielded them from accountability both internally and externally.

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Law Firms Need To Stop Suing Associates For Not Hitting Their Billable Hours

Above The Law

It's up to the firm to help associates succeed, and these lawsuits are really missing the mark. The post Law Firms Need To Stop Suing Associates For Not Hitting Their Billable Hours appeared first on Above the Law.

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US appeals court rules in favor of Native American tribe’s hunting rights on ceded lands

JURIST

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on Tuesday in favor of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation’s dispute with the state of Idaho regarding the tribe’s hunting rights on US land. The court found that an 1868 treaty between the Shoshone and the US allows tribe members to hunt on ceded lands without having to permanently reside on a Native American reservation.

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The Clean Energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC): Direct Pay Claimants’ Race Against Time

ClimateChange-ClimateLaw

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is chock-full of tax incentives for climate and clean energy projects. This year, 2023, marks the first tax year in U.S. history during which entities that do not have federal tax liability – including local and state governments and agencies, nonprofit organizations, tribes and municipal utilities – can reap the benefit of these incentives.

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Empower Your Firm: The Modern Guide To Litigation Financing

Litigation is expensive. Expert witnesses, depositions, staffing, and a long list of other expenses can limit your firm’s options. They strain cash flow, limit taking on new clients, and can even impact case strategy. This guide simplifies the complex world of litigation financing and compares different models and how they can impact the access to justice your firm provides to clients.

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The Productive Law Firm: Technology Applications

Above The Law

Everybody wants to be more efficient and profitable. We talk about how to get there on the latest Non-Eventcast. The post The Productive Law Firm: Technology Applications appeared first on Above the Law.

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More Trending

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Predictive Policing Software Terrible At Predicting Crimes

LLRX

Crime predictions generated for the police department in Plainfield, New Jersey, rarely lined up with reported crimes, an analysis by The Markup has found, adding new context to the debate over the efficacy of crime prediction software. Geolitica, known as PredPol until a 2021 rebrand, produces software that ingests data from crime incident reports and produces daily predictions on where and when crimes are most likely to occur.

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ChatGPT Is a Lot More Valuable to Lawyers Now

Attorney at Work

Hot Off the Presses: Meta AI Chatbot Trained with User Posts and ChatGPT Is Not Limited to September 2021 Data. The post ChatGPT Is a Lot More Valuable to Lawyers Now appeared first on Attorney at Work.

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Supreme Court refuses to reinstate Missouri Second Amendment law

SCOTUSBlog

Share The Supreme Court on Friday refused a request by Missouri to reinstate a state law that bars police officers from enforcing federal restrictions on the sale and ownership of firearms that the state believes violate the Second Amendment. A federal judge ruled earlier this year that the state law is itself unconstitutional and blocked the state from enforcing the law.

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Legal Briefs Usually Don’t Need To Be Perfect

Above The Law

Although no judge has ever rejected a legal brief because it was too well written, edited, and proofed, a diminished return on investment is reached at a certain point. The post Legal Briefs Usually Don’t Need To Be Perfect appeared first on Above the Law.

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Transforming eDiscovery: Document Summarization, Sentiment Analysis, And Chatbots Take Center Stage

A Synergistic Approach to eDiscovery In the space of eDiscovery, the convergence of document summarization, sentiment analysis, and chatbots represents a significant change in how legal professionals navigate and manage electronic information. These technologies not only expedite the review process but also empower legal teams with deeper insights into the emotional context and key information within electronic documents.

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UN special advisor warns of escalating genocide threat in Ethiopia, calls for urgent action

JURIST

A UN special advisor expressed grave concern Tuesday over the rising threat of genocide and related crimes in Ethiopia. UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Advisor on the Prevention of Genocide Alice Wairimu Nderitu called attention to ongoing battles between government military forces and local militias, highlighting the critical need to address serious human rights violations such as mass executions, sexual assault and the destruction of property.

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Sabin Center Launches Report with Summaries of the Briefs and Statements Submitted to the ITLOS on The Advisory Opinion on Climate Change

ClimateChange-ClimateLaw

On September 29, 2023, a report titled “ITLOS Advisory Opinion on Climate Change: Summary of Briefs and Statements Submitted to the Tribunal” was published by the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. This report offers an overview of the briefs and statements submitted to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in response to the Commission of Small Island States (COSIS)’s request for an advisory opinion on crucial legal questions pertaining to climate change (you c

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Hip-hop star seeks new trial over lawyer’s alleged use of artificial intelligence to draft closing argument

ABA Journal

Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, a member of the hip-hop group Fugees, has said he is entitled to a new trial partly because his former lawyer used an experimental artificial intelligence program to draft an inadequate closing argument.

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Solitary Confinement Reform Challenges Spotlight Mental Health Care Need

The Crime Report

A new law went into effect in July 2022 that limits how Colorado jails and prisons can use solitary confinement for people with certain mental and physical health needs. Some advocates saw the law as a small step forward toward the elimination of solitary confinement, which is associated with numerous health risks including increased suicide risk. Those advocates are right.

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Recipe for a Failed CLM Implementation

Selecting and implementing CLM technology can be daunting, leading to underutilization or abandonment. Factors like provider differentiation, inadequate planning, and lack of user training contribute to these failures. Recognizing these pitfalls is crucial for successful adoption, ensuring organizations harness the full potential of CLM for streamlined contract management.

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I Am Deeply Saddened To Report The Death Of Monica Bay: Friend, Mentor and Role Model to So Many in Legal Tech

LawSites

For nearly two decades, one person reigned supreme over the world of legal technology. Such was Monica Bay’s prominence and influence that, when she retired in 2015 after 17 years as editor of Law Technology News , Thomson Reuters honored her with her name and image emblazoned above Times Square. As a dear friend, trusted mentor, and inspirational role model to so many in the world of legal tech, Monica stood alone.

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UK Lawmakers Say ‘Limited’, ‘Modest’ Indo-Pacific Presence Not Enough To Address China Threat

Above The Law

UK's Defence Committee also called for greater support of Pacific nations and more clarity on the AUKUS submarine program. The post UK Lawmakers Say ‘Limited’, ‘Modest’ Indo-Pacific Presence Not Enough To Address China Threat appeared first on Above the Law.

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Uganda arrests opposition leader and supporters for ‘inciting violence’

JURIST

The Uganda Police Force conducted a security operation on Thursday to quell ongoing protests against the arrest of opposition leader Bobi Wine. According to the official press release, police arrested 40 suspects for inciting violence, including lawmaker Matovu Charles. The Ugandan police allegedly discovered red berets, handheld megaphone speakers and some t-shirts to be used in the procession to “incite violence.” However, Wine, the leader of the the Ugandan major opposition party,

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Negativity Bias: 5 Ways to Break the Cycle of Negativity

Attorney at Work

Jamie Spannhake | Why so negative? Here are 5 strategies for reducing the unhealthy side effects of negativity bias. The post Negativity Bias: 5 Ways to Break the Cycle of Negativity appeared first on Attorney at Work.

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Contract Lifecycle Management: A Business Enabler Exploring On-Ground Challenges

CLM tools have always strived to push contract management into the digital age for almost 30 years. But the complexities of digitising a legal document are numerous. The current scenarios in business development have shown that having a fully automated CLM has become a mandate for every law firm and in-house legal department. To determine if you need a CLM system, it's essential to clearly identify the on-ground business challenges you aim to solve.

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Long-lost trial transcript answers many questions about ‘Shoeless’ Joe Jackson and baseball’s ‘Black Sox Scandal’

ABA Journal

The book opens with a tantalizing revelation: Until this year, fewer than 10 living people have seen the long-lost trial transcript that’s been a matter…

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New term, new look

SCOTUSBlog

Share As we enter the 2023-24 term, regular blog readers will notice some changes to our coverage of the court. As we have done for nearly two decades, we will continue to provide in-depth, comprehensive reporting on many of the cases, including all of the major cases, before the justices on both the merits and emergency dockets as well as important petitions to watch.

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Calling All Legal Tech Startups: Applications Are Open for the ABA TECHSHOW 2024 Startup Alley and Pitch Competition

LawSites

Since the very first Startup Alley in 2017, the legal tech pitch competition has helped catapult the success of a long list of startups and become a seminal event of the American Bar Association’s annual TECHSHOW. Now the competition is returning for its eighth year, and applications officially open today for legal tech startups to enter to compete for a spot at TECHSHOW 2024 , which takes place in Chicago Feb. 14-17, 2024.

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MAGA Judge Says It’s A First Amendment Right To Hawk Anti-Abortion Snake Oil

Above The Law

The Catholic clinic can continue the unproven practice of offering a ‘reversal’ of the abortion pill. The post MAGA Judge Says It’s A First Amendment Right To Hawk Anti-Abortion Snake Oil appeared first on Above the Law.

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California Civil Discovery Act Undergoes Significant Overhaul

Short article looking at the new CCP 2016.

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Columbia investigation reveals over 35,000 cases of sexual and gender violence in country’s armed conflict

JURIST

Columbia’s Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) tribunal said Wednesday that at least 35,178 people have suffered sexual, gender and reproductive violence during Colombia’s armed conflict. The JEP was created under the 2016 Peace Accord, between the state and the now demobilized FARC , as the justice component of the Comprehensive System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition.

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LinkedIn for Lawyers Who Don’t Like LinkedIn

Attorney at Work

Amy Hunt | You don’t have to be a LinkedIn influencer or frequent poster for LinkedIn to be a potent business development tool. The post LinkedIn for Lawyers Who Don’t Like LinkedIn appeared first on Attorney at Work.

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Law prof pay has dropped 24% in real dollars this decade

ABA Journal

The ABA Journal is read by half of the nation's 1 million lawyers every month. It covers the trends, people and finances of the legal profession from Wall Street to Main Street to Pennsylvania Avenue.

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The Culture of Corrections

The Crime Report

It was a typical midnight shift for a corrections officer in Northern New Jersey responsible for escorting a nurse in the medical unit of the county jail so she could screen inmates who had recently arrived. Additional officers made their rounds, waking up inmates who had fallen asleep in the holding cells. Then, they encountered a problem. One inmate did not wake up quickly enough, most likely due to the lingering effects of whichever drug(s) he took prior to his arrest.

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Dangers of Digital "Reporting": Legal Risks and Unreliable Transcripts

In the world of legal proceedings, the choice between a certified stenographer and digital "reporting" holds significant implications. Certified stenographers go through rigorous training and testing and stand as the gold standard for accuracy in capturing every word. Their expertise ensures a reliable record, a crucial foundation for legal cases.