Modern Lawyer

Expert Analysis

• Why We Must Recruit And Advance More Black Prosecutors

  Black Americans make up a disproportionate percentage of the incarcerated population but are underrepresented among elected prosecutors, so the legal community — from law schools to prosecutor offices — must commit to addressing these disappointing demographics, says Erika Gilliam-Booker at the National Black Prosecutors Association.

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  Ask A Mentor: How Can Associates Deal With Overload?

  Young lawyers overwhelmed with a crushing workload must tackle the problem on two fronts — learning how to say no, and understanding how to break down projects into manageable parts, says Jay Harrington at Harrington Communications.

• A Scientific Path For Improving Diversity At Law Firms

  Law firms could combine industrial organizational psychology and machine learning to study prospective hires' analytical thinking, stress response and similar attributes — which could lead to recruiting from a more diverse candidate pool, say Ali Shahidi and Bess Sully at Sheppard Mullin.

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  Ask A Mentor: How Can Associates Seek More Assignments?

  In the first installment of Law360 Pulse's career advice guest column, Meela Gill at Weil offers insights on how associates can ask for meaningful work opportunities at their firms without sounding like they are begging. 

• Legal Sector Regulatory Reform Is Key To Closing Justice Gap

  In order to improve access to justice for those who cannot afford a lawyer, states should consider regulatory innovations, such as allowing new forms of law firm ownership and permitting nonlawyers to provide certain legal services, says Patricia Lee Refo, president of the American Bar Association.

• 7 Tips For Predeposition Meetings Under New Federal Rule

  Attorneys can use a new predeposition meet-and-confer obligation for federal litigation — taking effect Tuesday — to better understand and narrow the topics of planned testimony, and more clearly outline the scope of any discovery disputes, says James Wagstaffe at Wagstaffe von Loewenfeldt Busch.

• Guest Feature

  Mentorship Is Key To Fixing Drop-Off Of Women In Law

  It falls to senior male attorneys to recognize the crisis female attorneys face as the pandemic amplifies an already unequal system and to offer their knowledge, experience and counsel to build a better future for women in law, says James Meadows at Culhane Meadows.

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  Preparing The Next Generation Of Female Trial Lawyers

  To build the ranks of female trial attorneys, law firms must integrate them into every aspect of a case — from witness preparation to courtroom arguments — instead of relegating them to small roles, says Kalpana Srinivasan, co-managing partner at Susman Godfrey.

• Guest Feature

  5 Ways Firms Can Avoid Female Atty Exodus During Pandemic

  The pandemic's disproportionate impact on women presents law firms with a unique opportunity to devise innovative policies that will address the increasing home life demands female lawyers face and help retain them long after COVID-19 is over, say Roberta Liebenberg at Fine Kaplan and Stephanie Scharf at Scharf Banks.

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  BigLaw Needs More Underrepresented Attorneys As Leaders

  Hiring more women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community to BigLaw positions of power is the first key to making other underrepresented attorneys believe they have an opportunity for a path to leadership, says Ernest Greer, co-president at Greenberg Traurig.

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  BigLaw Cannot Reap Diversity Rewards Without Inclusion

  BigLaw firms often focus on increasing their diversity numbers, but without much attention to equity and inclusion, minority lawyers face substantial barriers after they get their foot in the door, says Patricia Brown Holmes, managing partner at Riley Safer.

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  Ideas For Closing BigLaw's Diversity Gap

  If enough law firms undertake some universal diversity best practices, such as connecting minority lawyers to key client relationships and establishing accountability for those charged with spearheading progress, the legal industry could look a lot different in the foreseeable future, says Frederick Nance, global managing partner at Squire Patton.

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  How Law Firms Can Hire And Retain More Black Attorneys

  The pipeline of Black lawyers is limited, so BigLaw firms must invest in Black high school students, ensure Black attorneys receive origination credit and take other bold steps to increase Black representation in the industry, says Benjamin Wilson, chairman at Beveridge & Diamond.

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  Advancing Racial Justice In The Legal Industry And Beyond

  In addition to building and nurturing a diverse talent pipeline, law firms should collaborate with general counsel, academics and others to focus on injustices within the broader legal system, says Jonathan Harmon, chairman at McGuireWoods.

• Guest Feature

  Diversity Work Doesn't Have To Be Reserved For Partners

  Serving on my firm's diversity committee as an associate has allowed me to improve access, support and opportunity for minority attorneys at the firm, while building leadership skills and fostering meaningful relationships with firm management and industry professionals, says Camille Bent at BakerHostetler.