Digital Commons Network^™

What Does It Mean To Be An Ethical Lawyer?: The Importance Of Context, Leslie C. Levin

Faculty Articles and Papers

Although the entire legal profession shares a single ethical code, lawyers’ understanding of what it means to be “ethical” shows considerable variation. This article discusses the factors that shape lawyers’ ethical conduct in practice. We review the role of legal education, bar associations, the workplace, and hard and soft regulators in the construction of lawyers’ ethical values. We then explore the important role that practice contexts play in shaping lawyers’ understanding of appropriate ethical conduct. Some of the key explanatory factors for differences among lawyers include type of client, office size, specialty and specialization, regulators, and the extent to which …

Mere Words: The Role Of Bar Organizations In Maintaining Public Support For The Judiciary, Leslie C. Levin

Faculty Articles and Papers

No abstract provided.

The Missing Millions: Cy Pres In Federal Securities Class Actions, Scott Dodson, Joseph A. Grundfest

Emory Law Journal

Under prevailing cy pres doctrine, class-action-settlement residuals that cannot efficiently or fairly be distributed to the class may be distributed to a third party that represents the “next best” recipient consistent with class interests. Judges embrace cy pres despite theoretical concerns over inattention, conflicts, and abuse. We shed empirical light on the cy pres debate by examining an original, hand-collected dataset of 373 class-action settlements entered between 2010 and 2018. We document that the theoretical concerns have empirical merit. More than 57% of the settlements lack any evidence in the public record of the identity or court approval of cy …

Does A Lawyer Make A Difference? A Study On The Sentencing Of Death-Eligible Drug Offenders In China, Michelle Miao

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

Does legal representation affect critical judicial decisions? This Article highlights a paradox at the heart of the court sentencing processes used for death-eligible drug offenders in China. On the one hand, lawyers are regarded as a staple of due process. On the other, court decisions are insensitive to the availability (whether drug offenders have access to legal assistance) and the quality (the varieties and the conditions of legal services provided by private versus court-appointed attorneys) of legal representation. I argue that this perplexing contradiction derives from the institutional alienation of criminal lawyers in China, a theory containing three main dimensions: …

Second Look Myopia: State Sentencing Reform And The Local Prosecutorial Response, Alexandra Harrington

Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology

This Article advises caution against over-reliance on local prosecutors’ offices to effect second-look reforms and to filter cases worthy of review. Using the lens of New York’s recent second-look law, the Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act (DVSJA), I analyze the ways in which the local prosecutor can serve as a functional barrier to statewide implementation of sentencing reform. The New York State Legislature enacted the DVSJA—after advocacy from hundreds of directly impacted individuals, stakeholders, and organizations and after significant opposition from only the District Attorneys’ Association—to change the way the State sentences survivors of domestic violence. The DVSJA also allows …

Raising The Bar In Child Welfare Law, Diane M. Sumoski

SMU Law Review

This article explores the unique opportunities arising from child welfare law practice in clinical legal education. While training law students for lawyering in all practice areas, the clinic can also inspire experienced child welfare practitioners to raise the level of their practice. The article provides an overview of the child welfare practice in Texas, the various roles of lawyers in the system, the special training required for these lawyers, and how the lawyers are employed and paid. The article proposes that the clear impact of child welfare legal practice on clients, combined with its interdisciplinary complexity, creates an ideal combination …

Maine Law Magazine - Issue No. 98, University Of Maine School Of Law

Maine Law Magazine

• Maine Law’s Privacy Program Continues to Grow
• How The Maine Center is Strengthening the Environmental Law Program
• COP28 — A Formative Experience
• Profile: Seth Goodall, CEO & Executive Director — Maine Center
• Complex Problem-Solving Across Disciplines
• Expanding Rural Access to Justice
• Activating Change: The Center for Youth Policy & Law
• Students Working Across Borders on Behalf of Asylum Seekers
• Friends and Defenders of the Casco Bay

การต่อรองอัตลักษณ์และสิทธิของกลุ่มชายขอบในอินเดียร่วมสมัย กรณีศึกษา Gangubai Kathiawadi และกลุ่มฮิจรา, นภัสสร ณ นคร

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

สารนิพนธ์ฉบับนี้มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อวิเคราะห์และเปรียบเทียบการนำเสนอภาพลักษณ์ของกลุ่มฮิจราในภาพยนตร์ Gangubai Kathiawadi กับความเป็นจริงทางสังคมของอินเดียร่วมสมัย โดยอธิบายผ่านกรอบแนวคิด Constructivism ที่มองว่าอัตลักษณ์ไม่ใช่สิ่งตายตัว แต่ถูกสร้างและปรับเปลี่ยนผ่านกระบวนการทางวัฒนธรรมและปฏิสัมพันธ์กับโครงสร้างทางสังคม สารนิพนธ์ฉบับนี้พบว่า แม้ในภาพยนตร์ตัวละครฮิจรามีอำนาจทางสังคมและการเมือง แต่อัตลักษณ์ดังกล่าวเป็นเพียงสัญลักษณ์ “ภาพแทนเชิงอุดมคติ” ที่ตอกย้ำภาพจำที่สังคมคุ้นเคย ตรงข้ามกับความเป็นจริงที่กลุ่มฮิจราถูกกดทับจากโครงสร้างอำนาจที่ไม่เท่าเทียม ทั้งในด้านเศรษฐกิจ การจ้างงาน การศึกษา และการเข้าถึงสวัสดิการ แม้รัฐอินเดียจะประกาศรับรองสถานะ “เพศที่สาม” อย่างเป็นทางการตั้งแต่ปี ค.ศ. 2014 สื่อบันเทิง Bollywood มีบทบาทสำคัญในการหล่อหลอมทัศนคติของสังคมและสร้าง soft power ผ่านแพลตฟอร์ม Netflix ซึ่งช่วยให้ภาพลักษณ์ของกลุ่มฮิจราได้รับความสนใจในระดับสากล แต่สื่อกระแสหลักไม่สามารถก้าวข้ามอคติเดิมได้ เนื่องจากฮิจรามักถูกนำเสนอในฐานะ “ตัวละครเสริม” ดังนั้น การต่อสู้ของกลุ่มชายขอบในอินเดีย ไม่ว่าจะเป็นโสเภณีในอดีตหรือกลุ่มฮิจราในปัจจุบัน ไม่ได้เป็นเพียงการเรียกร้องสิทธิทางกฎหมาย แต่เป็นการต่อสู้กับค่านิยมและโครงสร้างสังคมที่หยั่งรากลึกที่ต้องอาศัยเวลา ความพยายาม และความร่วมมือจากหลายฝ่าย เพื่อส่งเสริมให้เกิดความเท่าเทียมอย่างยั่งยืน

Upstream Lawyering: A Framework For Poverty Law, Kate Mitchell

Faculty Publications & Other Works

This Article introduces an upstream lawyering framework within the context of the history of poverty law and impact lawyering. While there have been several theories promoting systems change work, the upstream framework, stemming from public health theories and championed by medical-legal partnerships, offers a model for promoting and informing systemic policy. Using the public health concept of upstreaming, this Article explores lawyering practices that can be utilized to address the root causes of social and legal drivers of health inequity, poverty, and oppression. Part I of this Article provides a refreshed overview of the history of poverty law and civil …

Finding Our Way: Teaching Legislative Advocacy Clinics, Anita Weinberg, Elizabeth B. Cooper

Faculty Publications & Other Works

Legislative advocacy clinics are excellent vehicles for teaching lawyering skills, for achieving broad-based social change, and for imparting to law students the important roles they can play in preserving and strengthening our democracy. Notwithstanding their growth over the last 15 years, there has been little scholarly reflection about the pedagogy of teaching such clinics. This Article helps to fill this gap. We provide a roadmap through the challenges that come with teaching legislative advocacy clinics-some inherent to working within legislative bodies and some that accompany working with organizational clients and advocacy partners-identifying ways that clinicians can ensure an excellent learning …

Dedication To Professor Emerita Marie Failinger, Edwin Butterfoss

Mitchell Hamline Law Review

No abstract provided.

Please, Help Yourself: A Best Practice Model Analysis On The Self-Represented Litigants In America's Legal System, Linnea G. Coltvet

Mitchell Hamline Law Review

No abstract provided.

2024 Crummer Truist Portfolio Recommendations: Crummer Investment Management 25th Anniversary, Ryan Astley, Bryan Campbell, Bridget Collis, Axel Einarsson, Caroline Gastonguay, Valeria Hernandez-Grisanti, Jay Kineon, Catherine Mitchell, Charlie Putrino, Nicholas Rojas, David Scupholm, Trevor Siemon, Lily Thornewill, Cole Trinter, Nick Villamil, Brad Vincent, Zane Williams

Crummer Truist Portfolios

We would like to thank you for your service to the Crummer Truist Portfolio. Without your participation, Crummer students would not benefit from the unique insight you bring to managing an active portfolio. We have been fortunate to listen and learn from some outstanding guest speakers who have been generous with their time and expertise: J. Clay Singleton, Emeritus Professor, Crummer Graduate School of Business; Phillip Rich, Chief Investment Officer, United Community Bank; Rasha Mesharafa, Registered Associate, Wells Fargo Advisors; James Bishop, Director, Streamwise Capital; Matej Sušec, Research Analyst, DePrince, Race, and Zollo; Robert Zhang, Senior Research Analyst, DePrince, Race …

Covid-19 Sports Competition Lockdowns, Return-To-Play Decisions, And Participation Requirements: A Retrospective Review And Future Medicolegal Framework, Matthew J. Mitten, Laurel C. Montag, Abigail C. Barnett

Marquette Sports Law Review

No abstract provided.

Police Accountability In Expungement Processing In New Jersey: The Past, Present, And Future, Jahmir Sterling

Student Works

No abstract provided.

Asking Gpt For The Ordinary Meaning Of Statutory Terms, Christoph Engel, Richard H. Mcadams

Public Law and Legal Theory Working Papers

We report on our test of the Large Language Model (LLM) ChatGPT (GPT) as a tool for generating evidence of the ordinary meaning of statutory terms. We explain why the most useful evidence for interpretation involves a distribution of replies rather than only what GPT regards as the single “best” reply. That motivates our decision to use Chat 3.5 Turbo instead of Chat 4 and to run each prompt we use 100 times. Asking GPT whether the statutory term “vehicle” includes a list of candidate objects (e.g., bus, bicycle, skateboard) allows us to test it against a benchmark, the results …

Book Review—Shaping The Bar: The Future Of Attorney Licensing, Kevin P. Lee

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

No abstract provided.

The Sword And The Scale: Model Rule 8.4(G) As A Tool Of Racial Justice In The Legal Profession, Tiffany Williams Brewer

Dickinson Law Review (2017-Present)

Lady Justice. Have you seen her? Standing regal and tall with blindfolded eyes. A sword in one hand and a scale in the other. Her image represents a symbol of hope and idealism in protecting and delivering her virtues. Lawyers enter this noble profession to do right by her and carry on her legacy. We serve our clients with the aim that she will ultimately be both our arbiter of facts and our judge. While the symbolism of her blindfold is often the subject of commentary on justice, consider the symbolism of the powerful tools she has chosen in her …

From Briefs To Bytes: How Generative Ai Is Transforming Legal Writing And Practice, Joseph Regalia

Scholarly Works

ChatGPT is having a moment in the legal field. And for good reason: Generative artificial intelligence (“AI”) was already disrupting the practice of law before OpenAI’s new chatbot came on the scene. But ChatGPT marks a new era. The brain behind OpenAI’s latest AI contains up to a trillion artificial neurons and was trained on hundreds of billions of pieces of text gathered on the web. All that data makes for the smartest AI ever.

But what’s more important is that all that computational muscle is aimed at things lawyers do every day: (1) Understanding complex concepts, (2) analyzing convoluted …

Am I My Colleague's Keeper When It Comes To Disclosing Connections?, Nancy B. Rapoport

Scholarly Works

No abstract provided.

Outsourcing Self-Regulation, Marsha Griggs

Washington and Lee Law Review

Answerable only to the courts that have the sole authority to grant or withhold the right to practice law, lawyers operate under a system of self-regulation. The self-regulated legal profession staunchly resists external interference from the legislative and administrative branches of government. Yet, with the same fervor that the legal profession defies non-judicial oversight, it has subordinated itself to the controlling influence of a private interest. By outsourcing the mechanisms that dictate admission to the bar, the legal profession has all but surrendered control of the most crucial component of its gatekeeping function to an unregulated industry that profits at …

Contingent Fee Conflicts: Attorneys Opt For Quick-Kill Settlements When Their Clients Would Be Better Off Going To Trial, Chryssa Deliganis, Steve Calandrillo, Neela Brocato

Faculty Articles

Despite the checkered history of contingency fees in the practice of law,

attorneys often claim that such fee arrangements perfectly align the interests of

lawyer and client. After all, contingency fee lawyers proclaim in TV ad after TV

ad, “we don’t get paid unless you win.” That superficial logic does not withstand

economic scrutiny. Utilizing a behavioral economics lens, this Article

demonstrates that contingency fee arrangements give attorneys excessive

incentives to settle cases that their clients would be better off taking all the way

through trial. In addition to highlighting this undertheorized problem in law, we

offer normative recommendations to …

Mandatory Anti-Bias Cle: A Serious Problem Deserves More Meaningful Response, Rima Sirota

Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works

This essay addresses the problematic convergence of two recent trends: (1) the expansion of jurisdictions requiring anti-bias training (ABT) as part of mandatory continuing legal education (CLE), and (2) the growing recognition among social scientists that such training, at least as currently practiced, is of limited effectiveness.

Forty-six American states require continuing legal education (CLE), and eleven of these states now require lawyer ABT as one facet of CLE requirements. I have previously criticized the mandatory CLE system because so little evidence supports the conclusion that it results in more competent lawyers. The central question tackled by this essay is …

Talking Foreign Policy: "Foreign Policy And Climate Change" November 20, 2023 Broadcast, Cwru Law School

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Regulating The "Unregulated": The European Union And United Kingdom Have Put In Place Anti-Money Laundering Directives For The Art Market. Should The United States Follow?, Lauren A. Turner

Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law

No abstract provided.

Exploring Consequences Of Statutory Law Through Lightweight Modeling, Joshua T. Alele-Beals

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The complexity of statutory legislation often leads to confusion and disagreement in interpretation, even among legal experts, leaving ordinary citizens disempowered. While technology offers potential solutions, it can unintentionally deepen the divide between citizens and the law, contributing to a sense of alienation. Our work aims to address this gap by proposing an alternative application of technology: a digital sandbox that empowers legislators, lawyers, judges, and citizens to collaboratively define and explore the consequences of legislation.

We employ a “lightweight” computational modeling approach, using automated analysis to uncover hidden assumptions and potential unintended outcomes. Our case study focuses on expungement …

A Case Study On Variations In Network Structure And Cross- Sector Alignment In Two Local Systems Serving Pregnant And Parenting Women In Recovery, Liza M. Creel, Yana Feygin, Madeline Shipley, Deborah Winders Davis, Tiffany Cole Hall, Chaly Downs, Stephanie Hoskins, Natalie Pasquenza, Scott D. Duncan

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Objective: To describe network structure and alignment across organizations in healthcare, public health, and social services sectors that serve pregnant and parenting women with substance use disorder (SUD) in an urban and a rural community.

Data Sources and Study Settings: Two community networks, one urban and one rural with each including a residential substance use treatment program, in Kentucky during 2021.

Study Design: Social network analysis measured system collaboration and cross-sector alignment between healthcare, public health, and social services organizations, applying the Framework for Aligning Sectors. To understand the alignment and structure of each network, we measured network density overall …

Addressing Healthcare Disparities Faced By Aging Down Syndrome Populations, Rhea Mistry

Pitzer Senior Theses

Down syndrome (DS) is a chromosomal genetic condition that impacts the development of the body and brain. The life expectancy of individuals with DS has drastically improved over the decades, increasing from 9 years in 1929 to 25 years in 1983 and further reaching 60 years by 2002. Individuals with DS face a variety of prominent co-occurring health conditions that are subject to change over time, including cognitive, visual, and hearing impairments, sleep apnea, cardiovascular defects, Down syndrome regression disorder, and dementia. Despite this increase in life span, DS is still most familiar to pediatric care providers, resulting in healthcare …

Indian Country Lawyers: A South Dakota Survey, Bryce Drapeaux, Hannah Haksgaard

Faculty Publications

South Dakota’s reservations are rural and suffer from a shortage of lawyers. Relatedly, there are very few Native American licensed attorneys in South Dakota. This essay confronts the rural lawyer shortage on South Dakota’s reservations by documenting the lawyers practicing on South Dakota’s reservations. In addition, this essay addresses the access to justice crisis amplified on South Dakota’s reservations by this lawyer shortage. The essay provides some insight into the difficulties of placing more lawyers onto the reservations, while also offering potential pathways to remedy this crisis.

The Development, Implementation, And Evaluation Of An Online Program For Emergency Nurses Caring For Victims Of Interpersonal Violence: A Mixed Methods Study, Melanie Brown

Theses

Forensic nursing encompasses a range of skills that can be utilised across healthcare services and legal services. The delivery of forensic nursing care covers a vast number of roles and practice areas that can improve patient outcome, including the care of victims of interpersonal violence who often face multiple barriers in achieving a positive medicolegal outcome. A nurse’s ability to identify a potential victim and initiate forensic nursing care in an emergency care setting can positively influence the patient’s engagement with support services and the justice system. Despite this, a review of the Australian literature has identified inconsistencies in forensic …