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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Biglaw Firm Conducts Layoffs, Citing ‘Shifting Market Dynamics’

Above The Law

Layoffs continue among even the most successful Biglaw firms. The post Biglaw Firm Conducts Layoffs, Citing ‘Shifting Market Dynamics’ appeared first on Above the Law.

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Elon Musk’s ‘Thermonuclear Lawsuit’ Is Here And It’s… Positively Tepid.

Above The Law

After promising a bombshell of a lawsuit against Media Matters, Elon Musk delivers a dud. The post Elon Musk’s ‘Thermonuclear Lawsuit’ Is Here And It’s… Positively Tepid. appeared first on Above the Law.

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Litigating Enforcement: Germany’s Contested Climate Governance and the New Wave of Climate Litigation

ClimateChange-ClimateLaw

Climate litigation in Germany has achieved another major victory. On November 30, 2023, the Higher Administrative Court Berlin-Brandenburg ruled in DUH and BUND v. Germany that the federal government must adopt an immediate action program (‘Sofortprogramm’) under the Federal Climate Change Act (CCA). The program is intended to ensure compliance with the annual emission targets for the building and transportation sectors for the years 2024 to 2030.

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Trial Prep: What Attorneys Really Want (And How to Deliver It)

Speaker: Joe Stephens, J.D., Attorney and Law Professor

Get ready to uncover what attorneys really need from you when it comes to trial prep in this new webinar! Attorney and law professor, Joe Stephens, J.D., will share proven techniques for anticipating attorney needs, organizing critical documents, and transforming complex information into compelling case presentations. Key Learning Objectives: Organization That Makes Sense 🎯 Learn how to structure and organize case materials in ways that align with how attorneys actually work and think.

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Generative AI, Having Already Passed the Bar Exam, Now Passes the Legal Ethics Exam

LawSites

Well, it’s happened again: Generative AI has passed a critical test used to measure candidate’s fitness to be licensed as a lawyer. Back in March, OpenAI’s GPT-4 took the bar exam and passed with flying colors , scoring around the top 10% of test takers. Now, two of the leading large language models (LLMs) have passed a simulation of the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE), a test required in all but two U.S. jurisdictions to measure prospective lawyers

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Artificial Intelligence and Copyright in China: Lessons from a Recent Court Case

Patently O

by Dennis Crouch Thus far US copyright and patent tribunals have refused to award rights for AI generated works. China has begun its move in the opposite direction with the recent decision granting rights to an artist who created an image using the popular generative AI system Stable Diffusion. The case of Li v. Liu was decided by the recently Beijing Internet Court.

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In First for A U.S. Appeals Court, 5th U.S. Circuit Court Considers Rule Requiring Lawyers to Certify they Did Not Rely on AI to Create Filings

LawSites

In what it appears would be a first for a federal circuit court, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is considering adoption of a rule change that would require lawyers and unrepresented litigants to provide a certification regarding their use of artificial intelligence in preparing court filings. Lawyers and other filers would be required to certify either that they had not used AI in drafting the document or that, if they did, “a human” had reviewed the document for accuracy.

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The Rumors Were True: Thomson Reuters Acquires Casetext for $650M Cash

LawSites

Rumors had been swirling that Thomson Reuters was about to acquire Casetext, and they proved to be true. Just before 9 p.m. Eastern time today, TR said it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Casetext for $650 million cash. “The proposed transaction will complement Thomson Reuters existing AI roadmap and builds on its recent initiatives, including a commitment to invest more than $100 million annually on AI capabilities, the development of new generative AI experiences across its p

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Court conflicted over Purdue Pharma bankruptcy plan that shields Sacklers from liability

SCOTUSBlog

Share It has been 27 years since the prescription opioid OxyContin first came on the market. The manufacturer of the drug, Purdue Pharma, promoted the drug as less susceptible to abuse, but OxyContin proved instead to be highly addictive. The result was a public health crisis and, eventually, thousands of lawsuits seeking trillions of dollars against Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, which principally owns the company and controlled it until recently, accusing them of having deceptively mark

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Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

Speaker: Amanda Adams, Fractional CFO, CPA

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Amanda Adams, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

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Ethiopia rights commission reports civilian killings in Amhara region

JURIST

The Ethiopia Human Rights Commission (EHRC) issued a report condemning the killing of numerous civilians by drone strikes and house to house searches in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. The Monday report documented several incidents of extrajudicial killings, injuries, displacement and property destruction by the government security forces and state militia.

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Colorado bill limits ‘reunification treatment’ in child custody cases, requires training and expertise

ABA Journal

Family courts in Colorado custody cases can’t cut off a child’s contact with a protective parent to whom they are bonded just to improve a relationship with a rejected parent accused of abuse or domestic violence, according to a bill signed into law last week.

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Saul Kassin Probes Dangerous Practices in ‘Duped: Why Innocent People Confess—and Why We Believe Their Confessions’ (Book Review)

The Crime Report

Do innocent people really confess to horrific crimes they did not commit? Yes, they do. A masterful recent book from John Jay College of Criminal Justice Professor Saul Kassin, “ Duped: Why Innocent People Confess—and Why We Believe Their Confessions ,” proves it beyond any doubt. And Dr. Kassin’s book goes further than that. It shows how mobilizing scientific research about interrogations can reduce errors.

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Push To Strip Fox’s Broadcast License Over Election Lies Gains New Momentum

Above The Law

From the 'hey at least we're trying something' department. The post Push To Strip Fox’s Broadcast License Over Election Lies Gains New Momentum appeared first on Above the Law.

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Paralegal Power Move: Your Guide to Getting the Tech Tools That Maximize Your Time

Your time is valuable—and you know the right technology could help you do even more. From document management to client communication, modern tools can transform how you track deadlines, manage cases, and support your legal team. This practical playbook shows you how to: Compare and evaluate technology vendors Understand all costs and ROI potential Build a compelling presentation Handle common objections Pitch your solution like a pro Created by legal technology experts who understand how pivota

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The ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Climate Change: What Happens Now?

ClimateChange-ClimateLaw

Photo by Mathias Reding on Unsplash Climate change litigation has finally reached the world’s highest court. On March 29, 2023, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted a resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the obligations of States with respect to climate change. The UNGA adopted resolution (A/77/L.58) by consensus.

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FAQs on Chat GPT for Solo and Small Law Firms

My Shingle

In the past three months since the November 30, 2023 release of ChatGPT, I’ve seen all kinds of misconceptions about the technology from how it works to whether reliance on it could trigger copyright liability or penalties in Google search engine ranking. Part of the misunderstanding arises from reliance on outdated material – the tech… The post FAQs on Chat GPT for Solo and Small Law Firms appeared first on My Shingle.

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Prescribing Red Flags and Suspicious Controlled Substance Orders: Current Cautionary Tales

FDA Law Blog

By Larry K. Houck — Separate decisions by federal district courts in Texas and Puerto Rico in the past two months provide cautionary tales for every pharmacy and wholesale distributor dispensing or distributing controlled substances. On October 10th, based on ability to pay, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas imposed a $275,000 civil penalty on Zarzamora Healthcare LLC, in San Antonio, and its pharmacist-owner.

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Harvard’s Jacinda Ardean Calls on the United Nations to Crack Down on Free Speech as a Weapon of War

JonathanTurley

Jacinda Ardern may no longer be Prime Minister of New Zealand, but she was back at the United Nations continuing her call for international censorship. Ardern is now one of the leading anti-free speech figures in the world and continues to draw support from political and academic establishments. In her latest attack on free speech, Ardean declared free speech as a virtual weapon of the war.

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Case Study: Maximize Client Compensation by Unlocking the Power of Diminished Value

Your auto accident clients don’t realize that they have lost value in their vehicle because the insurance company covered their repairs and gave them a rental to drive until their vehicle was “brand new.” When they realize that loss in value is when they go to trade or sell their car.

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Mumbai protestors march to Adani Group offices over city slum redevelopment plan

JURIST

Thousands of protestors headed by opposition parties marched to billionaire Gautam Adani’s offices in Mumbai on Saturday to express their objection to his conglomerate’s $614 million reconstruction plans for one of the city’s largest slums. The demands of the protestors include both eligible and non-eligible residents of the slum to be housed inside the redeveloped area, be given bigger homes of 500 square feet instead of the promised 300-350 sq ft. and for the government to ta

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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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Russia Supreme Court labels LGBTQ+ movement ‘extremist,’ drawing international condemnation

JURIST

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk condemned on Thursday the Russian Supreme Court’s decision to outlaw the LGBTQ+ movement in the country and label proponents of the movement “extremists” under new legislation. The court’s decision is the most recent development in Russia’s ongoing crackdown against LGBTQ+ people within the country.

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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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Enhance Your Legal Document Translations with The Ultimate Comprehensive Checklist

Are you a paralegal professional aiming to elevate your practice and ensure impeccable translation of every legal document you handle? Cesco’s Legal Document Translation Checklist is your ultimate guide to achieving excellence. Learn how to prepare for translation by identifying your audience and selecting qualified translators. Simplify and review documents to ensure clarity and consistency.

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UN expert claims UK poverty levels violate international law

JURIST

In a Sunday interview with The Guardian, UN special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights Olivier De Schutter stated that the poverty levels in the UK are “simply not acceptable” and that the UK government is violating international law. The UN poverty envoy is due to visit the country later this week, where he will urge the government to increase welfare spending.

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Former Sri Lanka president Rajapaksa accused of obstructing mass grave investigations

JURIST

Four Sri Lanka activist organizations accused former Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on Thursday of obstructing police investigations into mass graves discovered in an area where he served as a military officer during a Marxist rebellion in 1989. Activist groups the International Truth and Justice Project, the Center for Human Rights and Development, Journalists for Democracy in Sri Lanka, and Families of the Disappeared said in their report that Rajapaksa tampered with police records, t

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Papua New Guinea PM potentially linked to Australia businessman facing corruption investigation

JURIST

Papua New Guinea police launched an investigation into the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape after an international investigation on Wednesday exposed his potential links to Don Matheson, an Australian Businessman being investigated for corruption. The inquiry into Matheson centers around a joint report from Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that he made multiple payments to officials at the PNG Ports, the sta

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New York Senate passes bill to prevent tropical deforestation

JURIST

The New York State Senate Tuesday passed the Tropical Deforestation-Free Procurement Act , a bill aimed at protecting tropical rainforests and human rights in other countries through state government relations with contractors. The bill will require state contractors who work with commodities derived from rainforests to certify that their products are not contributing to deforestation or degradation.

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Deposition Prep Like a Pro: Insights from a Paralegal's Playbook

Speaker: Kaitlyn "The Persnickety Paralegal" Story

Deposition preparation is a critical aspect of a paralegal's role, requiring meticulous attention to detail and proactive management of the case timeline. In this session, participants will explore how effective deposition preparation not only contributes to the success of the legal team but also helps maintain a balanced workflow, minimizing last-minute crises.