Banned Books Week takes place from October 1-October 7, with October 7th being ‘Let Freedom Read Day’. You can read more about Banned Books Week and Let Freedom Read Day on the official website maintained by the American Library Association (ALA) here.
Read moreDigital Discoveries – The Trial Lawyer’s Guide to the Attorney-Client Privilege and Work-Product Doctrine
At the heart of the relationship between attorney and client is the assurance that communications between them during the representation will be confidential, thereby enabling candid discussions. However, this privilege, as sacrosanct as it may be, is not absolute. Equally important to the realm of confidential communications is the attorney work product doctrine, which protects from disclosure an attorney’s notes, correspondence, memoranda, etc. Editors Reagan W. Simpson and Robert P. Redemann and a host of attorney authors dissect these related concepts in their book, The Trial Lawyer’s Guide to the Attorney-Client Privilege and Work-Product Doctrine, and offer some guidance to help litigators understand the nuances of both the attorney-client privilege and the attorney work product doctrine and how the privilege differs from the ethics rule on confidentiality.
Read moreHow Texas Courts Work
How Texas Courts Work is a website created by the Texas Young Lawyers Association (TYLA) primarily for the general public and those looking to teach others about the Texas court system so they may be able to understand the system better. The website opens to an overview of the Texas courts. This section of the site is a great resource for those of us who may need an occasional refresher about which cases are filed in the District Courts versus the County Courts, just as an example. It’s also a great introductory resource for those interested in the Texas court system in general.
This site also outlines what people should expect when going into divorce, traffic ticket, DWI, and car accident cases. These videos are all 8-9 minutes long so they just briefly go over what these cases might look like for someone who has never experienced the need to go to court before. They can definitely be valuable to set individuals expectations the right way. The people speaking in these videos are attorneys and judges which I think adds something invaluable to this resource as the information is coming from people who deal with the courts and these types of cases every day.
They also have a video on ways to find a lawyer, if after watching these videos, the public would rather hire someone to assist with their case so they don’t have to represent themselves. The website concludes with videos that portray actors as witnesses taking the stand during trial. These are geared towards secondary school audiences. Teachers can show these to their classes in order to start a discussion about which witness was telling the truth in both a civil and criminal case. While this aspect of the site wasn’t useful for me in particular, I did have fun trying to figure out who was telling the truth on the stand and who was lying as I watched. With that being said, I wouldn’t really recommend this section of the website for anyone who isn’t a teacher of older middle school or high school aged students.
After taking the time to watch through all of these videos, I would recommend this website for anyone who would like to learn more about what to expect throughout their cases or anyone who needs assistance with finding an attorney to help them with their case. It could also be beneficial for those who want to learn more about the structure of the Texas courts. The videos could also be useful for attorneys who have clients that have never been to court before as it gives an easy-to-understand general walkthrough of what they should expect. It is always great to see organizations prioritize non-profit endeavors and websites such as this one. TYLA has also put together a presenter outline for your convenience if you would like to use this site to introduce these topics to any young lawyers or those interested in pursuing a law degree.
National Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15th to October 15th.
Read moreFeel Good Friday: National Ampersand Day
Today, September 8, is National Ampersand Day. In addition to sharing a few fun facts about this squiggly symbol, we will discuss a not-so-recent but still-so-trendy practice in the naming of law firms. Over the last 15 years or so, BigLaw has adopted a more polished, less conventional approach to branding. Instead of the more traditional practice of identifying all named partners in the title of the firm, larger firms have opted for more airy austerity. In 2010, just three Am Law 100 firms officially used a single surname, but in 2023, these abbreviated brands are the rule more than the exception. Shortened names may help build stronger brand identity, as those in favor of the trend like to point out, but these elegant eponyms, according to others, lack a critical element – the ampersand, a most elegant emblem itself.
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