The American Bar Association’s (ABA) pro bono project enjoyed the most volunteer participation ever in 2021, with more than 140 attorneys handling at least 50 legal inquiries last year.

The online program, ABA Free Legal Answers, includes participation from more than 10,000 U.S. lawyers in 45 states, according to information from the trade group. The web-based ask-and-answer service is aimed at helping income-eligible residents get legal assistance from volunteer attorneys.

“For those who cannot afford an attorney and have nowhere else to turn, ABA Free Legal Answers serves as a critical resource,” said ABA President Reginald Turner in a statement. “We are proud of the more than 10,000 volunteer lawyers nationwide who are helping to meet these important legal needs, and particularly pleased about the efforts of our FLA Pro Bono Leaders. We urge other attorneys to step up and assist as well.”

Recently, the ABA recognized the most prolific volunteer attorneys with the publication of its 2021 Pro Bono Leaders list. Texas led the pack with 14 individuals, organizations, schools or law firms answering more than 50 inquiries. Illinois, though, was a close second with 13 such entities qualifying for recognition.

“ABA Free Legal Answers offers a flexible online platform, even in pandemic conditions, to do this important pro bono work from our offices, homes, makeshift workstations at the courthouse and on our own time,” said attorney Brandon A. Robinson. “Participating on the platform with hundreds of North Carolinians has been one of my daily joys during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

From Twitter

Ukraine Advice Project UK @ukraine_advice Mar 11

"IMPORTANT UPDATE Since the project began on Monday 28 February, the response from the profession has been humbling, and somewhat overwhelming. The project has registered over 430 volunteer lawyers to date and given pro bono advice on almost 700 requests."

According to the ABA, the program has helped answer close to 200,000 inquiries and has doubled in volume over the last two years.

Earlier this year, The Association of Pro Bono Counsel put out a report detailing the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the pro bono service industry, and highlighted some of the ways to retain best practices moving forward. The report “Positive Change: How the Pandemic Changed Pro Bono and What We Should Keep,” includes analysis from the legal services community, non-profit legal advocates and experts in the field, according to the Counsel. “We hope it will spark thoughtful discussion about how we pro bono volunteers, legal services organizations, bar associations and the courts can continue to expand access to justice for all members of our communities,” reads information from the group.

According to the report, the Counsel recommends legal service providers offer things like virtual clinics, online platforms, in-person meetings when technological resources are unavailable, technological resources for volunteers and e-filing, among other things.

“This final report documents changes to the delivery of pro bono legal services during the pandemic, with the focus primarily on how the adjustments to intake, representation and advocacy impacted clients,” notes the report. “Our hope is that documenting and sharing these experiences and practices will inspire those responsible for delivering pro bono legal services… and those responsible for the systems with which pro bono client communities interact … to consider keeping the changes that benefited client communities, and to continue to develop accessible, client-centered systems that deliver just outcomes.”

Document automation means creating automated templates, using software, for legal documents (such as contracts).

Once the templates are created, users of the software usually answer questionnaires. Once it has this information, the software can instantly generate the contract, and you’re done.

The purpose is to automate the repetitive process of building a document from scratch each time you need a new contract.

In practice, many contracts are extremely similar, with just a few variations. So, for example, once you create an NDA template, the next time you need an NDA, you can generate the template much more quickly using the questionnaire.

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As a lawyer, you might not think of your work as “creative.”

True, on your off time, you might pursue creative endeavors such as writing, cooking, painting, or practicing a musical instrument. But the practice of law requires a rigorously analytic mindset that relies on precise, predictable processes and precedents.

From a professional standpoint, you probably relegate “creativity” to realms like advertising and product design.

But take a closer look at what you do, and you’ll see that you’re often called upon to come up with solutions that aren’t necessarily found in case law and legal textbooks.

During a difficult negotiation you’re handling for a business client, say, or in researching a legal problem that seems to have no obvious precedents, you may have suddenly come upon the solution while reading a book on a different topic, or while mulling over the matter during a long walk.

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There’s no question about it, content marketing is today’s marketing. It’s what everyone in the marketing world is talking about and has been talking about for the last couple of years.

And with good reason: within one broad banner, content marketing encompasses almost every aspect of marketing, client engagement and brand promotion.

It makes sense, then, that content marketing has been touted as the “must have” strategy for businesses, and many have jumped on board the content marketing train.

According to Hubspot, content marketing generates three times as many leads as traditional marketing but costs 62% less. Furthermore, companies that publish at least 16 blog posts per month average 3.5 times more traffic than those that post four or fewer.

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General Electric's general counsel's 2012 compensation package afforded him almost $11 million in cash, making him the highest paid general counsel on Corporate Counsel magazine's latest list of the nation's 100 highest paid GCs. So reports Law.com.

At $1,853,671, the average take-home pay enjoyed by the lawyers on the list this year is the highest it has ever been.

Read the full article from Law.com here.

After entering a guilty plea, John Farahi, founder of Newpoint Financial Services Inc., was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison on March 20, according to a National Law Journal story. The Beverly Hills businessman admitted his role in a $20 million Ponzi scheme and the plea could have ramifications for former Nixon Peabody securities partner David Tamman, who was found guilty for his role in the scheme.

Tamman’s lawyer, though, insists the two instances are different and “suspect the judge will listen to what we have to say and make a decision accordingly."

Read the full article from the National Law Journal here.

A Los Angeles nutrition company is locked in a legal battle with billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, who has accused the company of perpetuating a pyramid scheme. Herbalife officials said the company will up their legal defense costs from $25 million to $40 million in the wake of Ackman’s accusations, according to a Los Angeles Times article.

Ackman, who reportedly bet $1 billion the company is a sham, has said most of the company’s sales people lose money and expects the company’s shares to fall to zero.

Read the full article from the Los Angeles Times here.

Food and Drug Administration logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

When attorney F. Lee Bailey was indicted for mail fraud in 1973, he quoted a popular aphorism referencing the difference between how England and the U.S. treat their criminal defense lawyers.  “In England they are apt to be knighted; in the United States they are apt to be indicted.”  There is quite a bit of truth in the saying and the dangers inherent in practicing law in the U.S. are not only faced by defense lawyers.  Sensing an opportunity, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently set its sights on corporate in-house counsel.

In November, 2010, Lauren Stevens, a former vice president and general counsel for pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, was indicted on federal charges of making false statements and obstructing a federal investigation.  Stevens was accused of making false and misleading statements in a series of letters to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on behalf of her employer.  Despite it having been obvious from the beginning that Stevens was only relaying information furnished by her client and had no intent or motive to mislead federal investigators, she was enthusiastically pursued by the DOJ.  “Where facts and law allow, the Justice Department will pursue individuals responsible for illegal conduct just as vigorously as we pursue corporations,” Tony West, assistant attorney general for the civil division, said in a statement.  It should be noted that despite the DOJ’s stated commitment to pursue corporations, GlaxoSmithKline’s name was noticeably absent from the Stevens indictment.  West continued, “Criminal charges are appropriate when false statements such as those alleged here are made to the FDA.”

Read the full article here...

A new task force set to examine the intersection between law, technology and artificial intelligence (AI) will include several former high-ranking government officials and legal experts including ex-secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and Stanford Law School professor Daniel Ho.

The new American Bar Association (ABA) initiative entitled the Task Force on Law and Artificial Intelligence, was formally unveiled on Monday, August 28. In addition to Chertoff and Ho, who is also a member of the National AI Advisory Committee and associate director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, the task force will also include:

• Michelle Lee, former director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and undersecretary of commerce for intellectual property
• Miriam Vogel, who also sits on the National AI Advisory Committee
• Seth Waxman, a former U.S. solicitor general.

“The work of the ABA AI Task Force is critical to identifying solutions to AI risks–from countering the creation and spread of disinformation, to protecting privacy in AI development, to guarding against security threats from use of AI in informational warfare,” Chertoff said.

The AI Task Force will be chaired by attorney and cybersecurity engineer Lucy L. Thomson, who was also a founding member of the ABA Cybersecurity Legal Task Force. Additionally, Laura Possessky, Cynthia Cwik and James Sandman will serve as its vice chairs, according to the ABA announcement.

From X (formerly Twitter)

Dr. Vinícius Almada Mozetič @_Mozetic

"I’m honored to share that I’ll be one of the speakers at the X International Seminar on Law, Technology, and Innovation, discussing the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and the Right to Health. Grateful to Prof. Dr. Ingo Wolfgang Sarlet and the organizing committee for this opportunity. Excited to engage in meaningful conversations at PUCRS from November 20-22, 2023."

The role of AI in the legal space has been a hot-button topic in the U.S., especially over the last three years, and the task force comes during a time of rapid development and intense research in the space. As such, the US. Department of State has also taken a noteworthy role in the development of policies aimed at safely and effectively leveraging the technology.

“A global technology revolution is now underway. The world’s leading powers are racing to develop and deploy new technologies like artificial intelligence and quantum computing that could shape everything about our lives–from where we get energy, to how we do our jobs, to how wars are fought,” said Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken. “We want America to maintain our scientific and technological edge, because it’s critical to us thriving in the 21st century economy.”

One way the Department of State seeks to achieve this goal is through guidance provided by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development AI Policy Observatory. In 2019, notes the department, the U.S. adopted a set of “intergovernmental principles” aimed at responsible AI development.

Along those lines, the new ABA task force is set to study:

• AI legal practices and their ethical implications
• Risks related to bias, privacy, cybersecurity and the spread of disinformation
• Generative AI
• Access to justice through the utilization of AI
• AI’s role in governance
• AI’s role in the legal education space

“At a time when both private and public sector organizations are moving rapidly to develop and use artificial intelligence, we are called again to lead to address both the promise and the peril of emerging technologies,” said ABA President Mary Smith.

The practical applications of advanced artificial intelligences (AI) are virtually endless, and educators, scholars, lawmakers and even theists are facing an expansive list of questions and concerns around the ethics and legalities of its wide scale implementation.

In recent weeks, there have been a number of high-profile examples of how OpenAI’s nascent chatbot, the Generative Pre-Trained Transformer known as ChatGPT, may push the boundaries of nearly every established element of the legal space. In addition to taking and passing a law exam, the technology’s applications span everything from e-discovery to trial law and more and are being thoroughly examined by public and private pundits from every corner of the legal industry. In Massachusetts, state Sen. Barry Finegold cleverly introduced legislation to govern the impressive technology drafted by the tech itself.

From Twitter

Barry Finegold @Barry_Finegold· Jan 26

"Thanks for the assist, @OpenAI! For the full text of my legislation (An Act drafted with the help of ChatGPT to regulate generative artificial intelligence models like ChatGPT), please visit: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/SD1827…. #mapoli #ChatGPT 1/7 https://twitter.com/i/status/1618742425232740352"

As is often the case, legislative frameworks are forced to adapt to rapidly changing technologies. Now, it seems this process may need to be accelerated as AI is already aggressively being integrated into the status quo. Another example of this is the recent announcement from Ironclad, a digital contracting platform, that it will be using OpenAI technology to complement its existing services.

“There has been a ‘race for novelty’ in our industry, but Ironclad has always prioritized investing in technology that drives impact and real business results for our customers. After testing GPT3 within Ironclad for several months, it’s clear that this is much more than novelty; it’s a groundbreaking innovation,” according to the platform. “In that spirit, we have been working with OpenAI to put the power of GPT3 to work across our product.”

According to the announcement, that product, which will be called “AI Assist,” is in beta testing. “… AI Assist lets users instantly generate redlines to an entire document. Those redlines–made using generative AI–appear as tracked changes, which allow human users to quickly scan and accept, or reject, those redlines in just a single click,” according to the product description.

The White House also weighed in on the subject with its recent release of the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Task Force report.

The report represents the federal government’s efforts to create a roadmap for how to address the many pressing issues related to artificial intelligence and develop a way to ensure adequate access to the necessary resources needed by those working on its research and development. “AI advances hold tremendous promise for tackling our hardest problems and achieving our greatest aspirations,” said Arati Prabhakar, the policy director for the Office of Science and Technology. “We will only realize this potential when many more kinds of researchers have access to the powerful capabilities that underpin AI advances.”

According to the White House, the NAIRR Task Force was established in the National AI Initiative Act of 2020 and is co-chaired by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the National Science Foundation. It features representation from private entities, academia and the public sector. “OSTP’s work on AI, including the development of an updated National AI R&D Strategic Plan and the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, is intended to maximize its benefits, while ensuring that AI-driven systems do not harm Americans’ rights or freedoms,” said Deputy Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer Alexander Macgillivray.

Read the AI Bill of Rights here. 

The American Bar Association has begun the piecemeal release of its ABA TechReport 2021, which takes a comprehensive look into how lawyers use technology in their everyday practices.

The first segment of the report was released on Wednesday, Nov. 10. In total, the publication will provide observation, analysis and predictions on a number of topics from leaders in the legal tech space, according to the trade association.

The report will be separated into eight different segments with the first portion of the report focusing on cloud computing. One area of particular note is with respect to data protection while engaging with the cloud.

“The 2021 Survey highlights a major concern that, while lawyers talk the talk about security concerns in cloud computing, to a shocking degree they do not walk the walk,” reads the report. “The poor results in the cybersecurity category should be a major concern for the legal profession. If you take only one thing from this TechReport to add to your 2021 technology agenda, it should be to up your game on cloud security, for your sake and, even more so, for the sake of your clients.” 

From Twitter

Digital Legal Lab @SectorplanDLS Nov 6

"There’s still time to submit your abstract for Digital Legal Talks 2021! We welcome published & unpublished work on law & digital technologies from interdisciplinary perspectives. More info & get involved here https://sectorplandls.nl/wordpress/digital-legal-talks-2021/"

Among some of the other topics covered in the report, which was compiled by the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center, include the impact of COVID-19, budget allocations and employee wellness.

For example, according to information in the survey, 26% of respondents reported a decrease in access to print materials as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. This decrease was most obvious in firms of 100 or more, as 44% of attorneys in those firms reported a decline in access to print materials. Only 4% of those asked reported an increase in access to print materials, notes the tech resource center.

Further, the report also indicates law firms have increased their attentiveness to technology, and as such are budgeting for it at a higher clip than ever. The report points out 65% of firms are now setting aside funding for technology, while that number was only 62% in 2020, 60% the year before and even lower in 2018. As has been the case traditionally, larger firms tend to be more inclined to budget for technological changes than smaller ones.

According to analysis from technology consulting and research firm Gartner, in-house legal departments have been hesitant to shift toward new technological paradigms like automation, but COVID-19 might have accelerated the need to adopt such changes.

“The new pressures brought about by the coronavirus pandemic certainly have acted as a catalyst for this shift,” said Zack Hutto, a director at Gartner. “Legal and compliance teams have rarely been frontrunners to modernize, digitalize and automate. The pandemic has flattened staffing budgets and increased legal workloads; technology is the most obvious solution for many legal departments.”

From Twitter

MarkUpgrade @markupgrade
"With the pandemic legal companies are seeking more innovation to enhance efficiency and decrease costs, hence turning to technology. Check out the #naming choices of the top players in the #legaltech sector
https://t.co/Xg4fEzAPWL?amp=1"

According to information from the ABA, the remaining segments of the report will be posted on Wednesdays through Dec. 29. The other topics are as follows:

• “Websites & Marketing”
• “Practice Management”
• “Budgeting & Planning”
• “Technology Training”
• “Solo & Small Firm”
• “Cybersecurity”
• “Life & Practice”

There’s no better time than now to sit down and plan for success. Law firms like yours need actionable steps and clear attainable business goals to achieve success and facilitate the growth of your business. 

Download FindLaw’s 2022 Law Firm Business planner today, in digital format.

Retired U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman to serve on the nation’s highest court, was praised for her independence, commitment to the rule of law and advocacy for civic education after her Friday, Dec. 1 passing.

O’Connor was appointed to the bench in 1981 by then-President Ronald Reagan and retired in 2006. An announcement from the Court indicated the 93-year-old trailblazer died in Phoenix from complications related to dementia, a respiratory illness and possibly Alzheimer’s.

“A daughter of the American Southwest, Sandra Day O’Connor blazed an historic trail as our Nation’s first female Justice. She met that challenge with undaunted determination, indisputable ability, and engaging candor,” said Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. in a statement. “We at the Supreme Court mourn the loss of a beloved colleague, a fiercely independent defender of the rule of law, and an eloquent advocate for civics education. And we celebrate her enduring legacy as a true public servant and patriot.”

O’Connor, a Stanford Law graduate, published five books during her career including her most recent work, Out of Order: Stories from the History of the Supreme Court, which was released in 2013. She also founded the well-regarded education platform iCivics, reads information from the announcement.

From X (formerly Twitter)

US Capitol Historical Society @CapitolHistory ·Dec 1

"Our thoughts are with Sandra Day O’Connor’s family. In her last public remarks, she said: 'If we want our democracy to thrive, we must commit to educating our youth about civics' and helping them 'understand their crucial role as informed, active citizens in their communities.'”

President Joe Biden also heaped praise on the late O’Connor for the objectivity and pragmatism she brought to the Court. “Justice Sandra Day O’Connor … spent her career committed to the stable center, pragmatic and in search of common ground. I did not agree with all of her opinions, but I admired her decency and unwavering devotion to the facts, to our country, to active citizenship and the common good,” read Biden’s statement. “Defined by her no-nonsense Arizona ranch roots, Justice O’Connor overcame discrimination early on, at a time when law firms too often told women to seek work as secretaries, not attorneys.”

Biden also pointed to O’Connor’s dedication to her work and her family in his remarks, noting she left the nation’s highest court to care for her ailing husband, John. “She knew that for democracy to work, we have to listen to each other, and remember how much more we all have in common as Americans than what keeps us apart,” he added. “Our hearts today are with Justice O’Connor’s three sons, Scott, Brian, and Jay; her brother, Alan; her six grandchildren; and all those who loved her.”

From X (formerly Twitter)

Sen. Lisa Murkowski @lisamurkowski ·Dec 1

"Sandra Day O’Connor was more than a brilliant legal mind, more than the first woman on the United States Supreme Court – she was an inspiration who impacted an entire generation of young women who saw that it was possible to serve our country in the highest office."

American Bar Association President Mary Smith said O’Connor’s legacy extends “far beyond” being named as the first female justice to the Supreme Court.

“In addition to her many accomplishments, O’Connor was a great friend to the American Bar Association in which she remained active, after her retirement from the high court, working as a tireless advocate for judicial independence and the Rule of Law throughout the world.”

Smith noted several landmark rulings penned by O’Connor including Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey, which “reaffirmed the core holding of Roe v. Wade.” She also wrote the Hamdi v. Rumsfeld opinion rejecting the government’s claim it could shirk due process while holding detainees in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba.

From X (formerly Twitter)

Condoleezza Rice @CondoleezzaRice ·Dec 1

"Remembering today the legacy left by the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, Sandra Day O’Connor. She was a @Stanford alumna and spent her post-court years advocating for civics education. She was an important trailblazer in the American story and a friend. Rest in Peace."

The Supreme Court also announced O’Connor will “lie in repose” on Monday, Dec. 18, in the Great Hall of the Supreme Court of the United States. The public will be allowed to pay respects beginning at 10:30 a.m. after a private ceremony hosted by the Court starting an hour earlier.

A private service is scheduled for the next day at the National Cathedral, and the late justice’s family has asked for donations to icivics.org in lieu of flowers.

From corrupt politicians in Miami to hitmen in Fort Lauderdale, here are some notable verdicts from last month.

Most Open Verdict: Florida Dentist Guilty In Murder-For-Hire Plot 

Wealthy Fort Lauderdale dentist Charlie Adelson was convicted of murder for ordering the hit of law professor Dan Markel, according to an article from the Tallahassee Democrat. The jury deliberated for only a few hours before coming to the unanimous decision in the case that began in 2014. Assistant State Attorney Georgia Cappleman said the case remains open and it is unclear if anyone else will be charged for their role in the plot.

Most Impactful Verdict: Family Of Murder Victim Calls For Changes In Truancy Law After Brutal Carjacking Homicide

John Honore, of Louisiana, was found guilty of second-degree murder for killing Linda Frickey during a brutal carjacking, according to an article from Fox. The victim’s family has called for changes in state truancy law as Honore and his co-defendants committed the crime while they were supposed to be in school. He will be sentenced Friday, Jan. 12.

Most Rejected Verdict: SCOTUS Punts On $40M ‘'Forever Chemical' Ruling Leaving Award Intact

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the $40 million verdict won by an Ohio resident against E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co., according to an article from Reuters. The case originated when Travis Abbott sued the company for releasing “forever chemicals” into drinking water that contributed to his cancer diagnosis. The company asked for the case to be reviewed due to the fact that a lower court restricted the company from contesting allegations of negligence that took place during bellwether test trials that could have impacted Abbott’s case.

Most Garnished Verdict: Miami Pol To Have Earnings Garnished After Political Retaliation Verdict

The City of Miami has been ordered to garnish Commissioner Joe Carollo’s wages in the wake of a $63 million civil verdict against him, according to an article from NBC. While the exact amount to be diverted is unclear at the moment, federal law states the garnishment cannot exceed 25% of his wages. Carollo said he plans to appeal the civil penalty ruling that found he used his position to engage in political retaliation.

Most International Verdict: Dupond-Moretti Escapes Abuse Of Power Charges In High-Profile French Case

French politician Dupond-Moretti was acquitted of charges he used his position to “order probes targeting magistrates who investigated him, his friends and his former clients,” according to an article from Radio France Internationale. Tried in a special court used specifically to hear cases involving alleged foul play by government officials, the two-week trial came during calls for Dupond-Moretti to resign from his position as a justice minister. If convicted, he could have faced a maximum sentence of five years’ prison time, a fine and ban from future public office.

Notre Dame Law School is launching a new human rights clinic aimed at strengthening international protections for vulnerable populations, the school recently announced.

As such, the Notre Dame Law School Global Human Rights Clinic will represent cases in a slew of international venues as well as engage in advocacy and research in collaboration with the United Nations. Launching in the spring, it will be open to Human Rights LL.M students and J.D. students, and J.S.D. students will be able to participate in certain projects as doctoral fellows, according to the announcement.

“The creation of this new Global Human Rights Clinic is a testament to our unwavering commitment to make a lasting impact. The clinic will actively pursue justice under international law, hold perpetrators accountable, while providing crucial support to those striving for justice in their countries,” said G. Marcus Cole, the Joseph A. Matson Dean and Professor of Law, in a statement.

From X (formerly known as Twitter)

NBC News @NBCNews ·Nov 19
"Deputy national security adviser Jon Finer would not say whether the White House is confident that Israel is following international law after Israeli forces invaded Gaza’s main hospital last week.-@MeetThePress  https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/top-white-house-official-refuses-say-israel-international-law-rcna125880"

The institutions the clinic will engage with include the International Court of Justice, the International Criminal Court, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and the U.N. Human Rights Treaty Bodies. It will also address cases “challenging authoritarianism in the Global South, advocating for individuals who may not typically be represented by other human rights clinics.”

The International Criminal Court is tasked with the investigation and prosecution of individuals accused of the “gravest crimes of concern to the international community” like genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes, according to the international court housed in The Netherlands.

Diane Desierto, a law and global affairs professor who oversees Notre Dame’s LL.M. Program in International Human Rights Law, will serve as the clinic’s founding faculty director. According to the school, Desierto comes with more than 20 years of experience dealing with human rights, international litigation and arbitration. “Growing 15 to 20 international human rights lawyers from all over the world itself creates a multiplier effect as they serve innumerable individuals and groups for the rest of their lives,” Desierto said. “We equip them to make a lifelong difference in their respective countries. That is our true mandate and mission.”

From X (formerly known as Twitter)

DW Politics @dw_politics ·Nov 14

“'The accusations being made against Israel are absurd.'” German Chancellor Olaf Scholz says Israel is acting in accordance with international law in defending itself against Hamas.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1724424201191260167"

Desierto added the endeavor serves as a call to arms to the school’s substantial alumni and provides a great opportunity to come together for those who need it most.

“We are truly witnessing the strength of community and collaboration, as nothing galvanizes our human rights lawyers more than the prospect of working together in the much-needed global defense of human rights, anchored in the best pedagogic and intellectual traditions developed and cultivated at Notre Dame Law School,” Desierto said.

Ohio voters continued the states' undefeated streak to protect abortions as they approved a constitutional amendment by a margin of roughly 57% to 43% during this year’s election.

Issue 1, which protects decisions regarding contraception, miscarriage care, fertility treatment and continuing pregnancy in addition to abortion, passed with 2,186,962 voters signing off on the measure, per Ballotpedia. The measure also permits the state to restrict abortion after the fetus has reached viability, although those restrictions do not apply to instances when the pregnant patient’s health or life are at risk.

Reactions to the measure’s passage were predicably diverse with lawmakers, policy advocates and religious leaders taking strong public positions after the votes were tallied. President Joe Biden painted the decision as a response to conservative Republicans anti-abortion push on the federal level.

“Tonight, Americans once again voted to protect their fundamental freedoms–and democracy won,” Biden said. “In Ohio, voters protected access to reproductive health in their state constitution. Ohioans and voters across the country rejected attempts by MAGA Republican elected officials to impose extreme abortion bans that put the health and lives of women in jeopardy, force women to travel hundreds of miles for care, and threaten to criminalize doctors and nurses for providing the health care that their patients need and that they are trained to provide.”

On the other side of the issue, Bishop Edward Malesic of the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland said he will continue to fight for “every life, at every stage.”

“Today is a very sad, disheartening day for me, as I am sure it is for so many of you who have championed the great cause of upholding the sanctity of human life, from the moment of conception,” Malesic said. “Even though our efforts to overcome the enshrinement of abortion into our state constitution failed, we must never give up on the just cause to support a culture that values every life, at every stage.”

The religious leader called for more services for pregnant women who may be faced with challenging pregnancies and said services from places like the Christ Child Society and those offered by Catholic Charities can provide “physical, emotional and spiritual” support.

From X (formerly Twitter)

Kamala Harris @KamalaHarris

"Kansas, California, Michigan, Montana, Kentucky, Vermont, and now Ohio. Voters continue to reject extremists’ plans to ban abortion. When we organize together and fight for our freedoms, we win."

J. Bennett Guess, executive director at the ACLU of Ohio, lauded the decision for its timing. “During a time where attacks on democracy are coming from all directions, Ohioans showed up to bring power back to the people,” Guess said. “This was not only a victory for reproductive freedom, but a win for our democratic principles and process.”

Guess added the approval provides legislative momentum as the 2024 election cycle heats up. He also called for additional protections for voters facing unfair electoral maps, which represents another expected hot-button free speech issue as next November approaches. “Just as we removed the intrusion of extremist politicians from our doctors’ offices, we must now remove partisan control of our redistricting process,” he added.