legal profession
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National law student diversity remained stable this year, but enrollment of Black and Hispanic first-year students at the nation’s most prestigious law schools declined sharply, with Black enrollment falling 8% and Hispanic enrollment dropping 9%. Experts warn this could mark the beginning of a “cascade effect” caused by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to…
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The Illinois Supreme Court has authorized the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools by judges, attorneys, clerks, and other court officials under specific conditions. The new policy, announced Wednesday and effective Jan. 1, emphasizes that AI usage must comply with existing legal and ethical standards while promoting innovation and efficiency in the judiciary. “This policy…
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A U.S. federal judicial panel has taken a decisive step toward restructuring public defender programs by endorsing greater organizational independence within the federal judiciary. This move would empower lawyers representing indigent defendants with enhanced control over budgets, staffing, and policies. The proposal emerged in a report released Wednesday, summarizing discussions held during the U.S. Judicial…
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Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor faced a judicial misconduct ruling after publishing an essay in The New York Times criticizing Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. In the May 24, 2024, essay, Ponsor condemned Alito for allowing provocative flags, including an upside-down American flag, to be displayed outside his homes. The flags resembled those used…
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A conservative advocacy group aligned with Republican President-elect Donald Trump has filed a judicial misconduct complaint against U.S. Circuit Judge James Wynn. The Article III Project, founded by Trump ally Mike Davis, accused Wynn of violating judicial ethics after he reversed his decision to retire following the faltering of President Joe Biden’s nominee to succeed…
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Mangi Criticizes “Smear Campaign” After His Nomination Collapses On Monday, Adeel Mangi sharply criticized the “organized smear campaign” that ended his chance to become the nation’s first Muslim federal appeals court judge. In a letter to President Joe Biden, Mangi called the judicial appointment process “fundamentally broken” and expressed disappointment over the outcome. Despite Biden’s…
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Law schools across the United States maintained racial and ethnic diversity in their 2024 incoming class, defying predictions of a steep decline following the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to ban affirmative action in college admissions. Data released Monday by the American Bar Association (ABA) shows that the percentage of Black, Hispanic, and Asian law students…
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Virginia and South Dakota Adopt NextGen Bar Exam Virginia and South Dakota Announce Transition Plans Virginia and South Dakota confirmed on Thursday their plans to adopt the new NextGen bar exam, set to debut in July 2026. This decision increases the number of jurisdictions committing to the revamped test to more than half of the…
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North Carolina Solicitor General Ryan Park announced on Thursday that he has formally withdrawn his candidacy for a seat on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. This decision follows months of stalled progress on his nomination, which President Joe Biden put forward in July. Park’s withdrawal highlights the political complexities surrounding judicial confirmations in…
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Judge Rules Baker & Hostetler Must Face Key Racketeering Claims in Fraud Lawsuit In a major development, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Marvin Isgur in Houston ruled that Baker & Hostetler must confront civil racketeering claims tied to its former client, Alliance Health. On Wednesday, Judge Isgur rejected the Cleveland-founded law firm’s attempt to dismiss these claims,…
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