Top news stories for 2024
Year in Review
Top news stories of 2024
December 24, 2024, 8:00 am CST
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Every year, we like to give our readers a peek behind our analytics and share which of our stories got the most traffic. We’re sharing our top 10 stories for ABAJournal.com in 2024 and the top 5 articles that appeared in our magazine. This year, the Second Amendment, law schools rankings and retirement of lawyers were all hot topics.
Top 10 articles on ABAJournal.com
1. States can’t ban guns in banks, hospitals and churches, but property owners can, 9th Circuit says
A federal appeals Court has refused to let two states ban guns in certain locations, but it has limited the impact of this decision by ruling that property owners have the right to refuse firearms.
New bar passage statistics show that several law schools are below the ABA cutoff.
According to data released by ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions, Western Michigan University’s Thomas M. Cooley School of Law had the lowest bar passage rate among ABA-accredited schools for 2021 graduates.
3. Changes in US News’ rankings of law schools for 2024
The U.S. News & World Report Best Law Schools ranking for 2024 is rife with ties. There are three ties at the top of the list, and a couple of unusual jumps.
Judge resigns after Jan. 6 rally investigation; ‘I’d do it again’
A New York village court and town court judge agreed to resign after an investigation into his attendance of a rally in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021.
5.
Black judge who flew in first class says flight attendant told her to use coach toilet
A retired Black judge from Chicago claimed that she was flying in first class when a flight attendant of American Airlines accused her of slamming a first-class bathroom door. She was then told to use the restrooms at the back of plane.
6.
4th Circuit sanctions law firm with $1M for attempting to’sabotage federal court’s authority
A federal appeals court ruled that a federal judge had the inherent power to impose $1,05 million in sanctions against a national firm for asking state court to order an end to U.S. District Court litigation.
7.
Retiring reluctantly: As lawyers age they struggle with exit strategies
Since years, law offices across the country have struggled with how to deal with the baby-boomers, the generation born from 1946 to 1964, who are now approaching and exceeding the retirement age of 65. Law firm consultants say that the problem is that many lawyers don’t want leave.
8.
Judge who was assigned to Trump’s criminal trial in Georgia worked for DA
The state court judge who will preside over the Georgia racketeering trial against former President Donald Trump was once employed by Fani T. Wilis, the current Fulton County District Attorney in Georgia, who obtained the indictment.
9.
Duane Moris partner fired after wife found dead on stairwell, and her parents accuse domestic violence. (Update)
A Cook County judge has issued a temporary restraining orders that prevents the now-fired partner of Duane Morris, who found his wife’s body in a stairwell at his South Loop residence, from retrieving her remains.
10.
Teen enrolled in law at age 13 passes California bar exam
A 17-year old girl beat her brother’s record by becoming the youngest person in California to pass the bar exam.
Top five ABA Journal magazine articles
1.
25 Books for Lawyers
The ABA Journal asked lawyers to share books they found insightful, inspiring and useful in their practice of law. Here are 25 of the suggestions.
These Public Service Loan Forgiveness candidates have seen their student loans erased
Many public service lawyers had the overwhelming feeling that massive student loans debt would follow them throughout their lives. Many of these attorneys have found relief thanks to recent changes in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
3. Retending Your Cases: Are you thinking about retirement? Lawyers offer advice on money, goals and happiness
After retirement, lawyers can live meaningful and fulfilling lives. There are important steps that you should take before retiring from a full-time career in law.
4. You are writing for intelligent people, not lawyers.
Bryan Garner writes that lawyers must be excellent explainers because they are professionals who work with words. “The basic approach for expert explainers is that they say what needs to be said simply, pleasantly and clearly to a small audience of intelligent people. You think this is all obvious? It’s not. The qualities we are discussing here are not commonplace. They’re rare.”
5.
Avoid poor legal research by following these 3 writing techniques
Bryan Garner writes: “Not too long ago, partners in a law office told me about a trial that was embarrassingly disastrous.” “They asked me if I knew how to prevent such a problem. Yes, but with a qualification: while there are no panaceas for suboptimal research, certain protocols can help minimize the risks. Here are three key points.”
