ABA Journal: Asked and Answered

Can you plan to prevent workplace bias before it starts? In some cases yes, says Joan Williams, the founding director of the Center for WorkLife Law at University of California Hastings. The ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward discusses with Williams tips on how to create what she calls “bias interrupters” to head off potential discrimination.

Artificial intelligence has long been a tool for lawyers to perform their tasks more efficiently. However, the technology has advanced to the point where computers can now perform many of the tasks that were once the exclusive domain of humans. In this month’s Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal’s Victor Li talks to freelance writer Julie Sobowale about how artificial intelligence is revolutionizing the practice of law.

Cost savings are particularly important for small firms and solos. What are some easy fixes for making law firm budgets go further, and what are some common mistakes to avoid? In this month's Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward gets some tips and tricks for stretching firm's dollars further. 

You may have noticed that some lawyers are often quoted in the press. They might have a practice that naturally garners attention, or perhaps they are great at explaining complex issues succinctly and have a good camera presence. Or it could just be that they’re known for returning phone calls and emails in a timely manner. Reaching out to the media can be helpful–or harmful–to your clients. What are the best ways to approach reporters when you're looking for a media spotlight? How can you provide reporters with useful information, in a way that also promotes you and your clients in a positive light? In this month’s Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal’s Stephanie Francis Ward discusses how lawyers can best approach the media when they’d like some press. This month's guest  is Vivia Chen, a senior columnist with the American Lawyer. Vivia Chen is the creator and chief blogger of the Careerist, an American Lawyer column that focuses on women and diversity in the profession. A former corporate lawyer who is now a senior columnist, Chen’s writing has been honored by the American Bar Association and Business Insider.

It's time to set goals for the new year. But can you actually follow through with them? In this month's Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward discusses what reasonable steps you can take in 2016 to improve your life and your career. Her guest Karen Kaplowitz gives listeners tips on making and keeping achievable goals.  Karen Kaplowitz is the president of the New Ellis Group, a business-development consulting firm. She specializes in business development strategy, training and coaching for lawyers and other professional service providers. In 1971, Kaplowitz was the third woman lawyer hired by O'Melveny & Myers, and a few years later she opened a small, women-owned law firm that focused on plaintiff employment cases. She also was a partner with Alschuler, Grossman & Pines.

Can a commitment to blogging help develop a practice area and turn you into an expert? In this month’s Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal’s Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with Hilary Bricken, a Seattle lawyer and one of the authors of Canna Law Blog. Recently honored as one of the ABA Journal’s 9th Annual Blawg 100, the Canna Law Blog discusses cannabis laws and how they affect the emerging legal cannabis industry. Ward speaks with Bricken to find out how her firm, Harris Moure, decided to launch a blog on this specific topic; how the blog has performed as a client-development tool; and how writing for Canna Law has helped Bricken expand her own knowledge and expertise.

Are lawyers prone to anxiety, or is the pace of the profession the culprit? The ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with Will Meyerhofer, a psychotherapist who has also been a practicing attorney, to learn more about anxiety and get tips on how lawyers can manage and overcome it. http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/podcast_monthly_episode_68

The market for legal jobs may be getting better, but it’s still not great. That being said, are there specific practice areas that need more attorneys to serve current and future needs? In this month's episode of Asked and Answered, the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward speaks with legal search consultant Valerie Fontaine to find out what the best prospects are for a long-term, successful legal career.

What good can some men serving life sentence do for other inmates? A great deal, says Judge Laurie A. White, who co-founded a re-entry program for inmates of the infamous Angola State Penitentiary in Louisiana. In this episode of Asked and Answered, she tells the ABA Journal's Stephanie Francis Ward about how the program utilizes the skills of men who will never leave prison to improve the lives of those who will.

Do you get social anxiety thinking about networking at big events? Is it hard to make connections with other lawyers? Focus on what you can learn about others, rather than telling people about yourself, business development coach Larry Kohn tells the ABA Journal’s Stephanie Francis Ward.