As the year continues, our ABF researchers and Fellows continue to deliver cutting edge research findings, publications, and accomplishments. You will find a few of these featured below. We would also like to thank the more than 200 Fellows who attended our recent virtual Fellows event on race and gender gaps in the profession! If you were unable to attend, you can find a link to the full video below. |
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ABF Researchers in the News |
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ABF Research Professor Traci Burch To Give Keynote Address for Chicago Appleseed
ABF Research Professor and Northwestern University Associate Professor Traci Burch will be featured in a May 19th Chicago Appleseed Virtual Pro Bono Spotlight Event. Professor Burch will give a keynote speech at the event, which will celebrate the strides toward justice of Chicago Appleseed and the Chicago Council of Lawyers in the last year.
To learn more or register click here.
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ABF Research Professor Susan Shapiro was recently quoted in a Chicago Health article discussing the complexity of dealing with a family member's terminal illness. In the article, Shapiro stresses the importance of establishing transparency early on regarding end-of-life decisions.
"When patients never spoke to family members about what they wanted, family members were very, very torn about what they should do," Shapiro explained, referring to her extensive studies on end-of-life decision-making in Chicago hospitals.
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ABF Affiliated Scholar Christopher J. Ryan and co-author Samantha Roy of Roger Williams University School of Law have published "The Next 'Big Short': Covid-19, Student Loan Discharge in Bankruptcy, and the SLABS Market" for SMU Law Review. The article discusses the potential impact of COVID-19 on "SLABS", or student loan asset-backed securities.
The authors detail the current state of student loan debt and the general unavailability of student loan discharge via bankruptcy proceedings, as well as how this may change and how it influences the general economy.
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Professor Alison M. Siegler, Illinois Fellow, Publishes Article on Federal Bail Reform for The New York Times
Professor Alison M. Siegler, Illinois Fellow and founder and director of the Federal Criminal Justice Clinic at the University of Chicago Law School, co-authored an op-ed last month entitled "How Did the 'Worst of the Worst' Become 3 Out of 4?" for The New York Times.
In the article, Siegler and co-author Kate M. Harris note that the "presumption of detention" statute, which was created by Congress some 40 years ago to detain the "worst of the worst" offenders pre-trial, is now used to deny pre-trial freedom to almost all individuals involved in federal drug cases. They suggest that new attorney general Judge Merrick Garland enact policies to "limit pretrial jailing to cases where it is genuinely necessary", among other reforms.
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Jessica Markham, Maryland Fellow, Publishes "Representing Federal Employees and Their Spouses in Divorce: A Practical Guide" Through the ABA
Jessica Markham, Maryland Fellow and managing attorney at Markham Law Firm, has authored a book entitled "Representing Federal Employees and Their Spouses in Divorce: A Practical Guide," published by the ABA.
The guide provides an in-depth assessment of many issues raised in a divorce involving a federal employee. It is geared toward those representing current and former federal employees and provides an understanding of "the major features of the largest federal government pension systems and how to divide them in divorce".
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Fellows Event Spotlight
National Fellows Virtual Event:
"Bridging the Gap: Race and Gender in the American Legal Profession"
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Clockwise from top left: ABF Executive Director Ajay K. Mehrotra; 2020-21 William H. Neukom ABF Fellows Research Chair in Diversity and Law Meera Deo; The Red Bee Group LLC principal consultant and author Destiny Peery; and ABA Senior Lawyers Division Women Trailblazers Project Committee Chair Brooksley Born. |
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On Tuesday, March 23, 2021, the ABF hosted a panel discussion about the personal and professional experiences of women in the legal profession. ABF Executive Director Ajay K. Mehrotra gave opening remarks and a lively panel discussion ensued about the historical and current underrepresentation of women, particularly women of color, in the growing ranks of leaders in the legal profession.
For a video recording of the event click here.
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Register Now:
Suites, Streets and States: A Conference and Symposium Celebrating the Work of John L. Hagan
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Join us on May 31, 2021 to celebrate ABF Research Professor John Hagan's research and scholarly achievements. This conference will feature a wide variety of short research presentations on topics such as diversity and inclusion; sociology and international law; criminal justice reform; juvenile crime; and transitional justice after genocide.
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Support the ABF
We are grateful for your generosity and continued support. Please click here to make your contribution before our fiscal year ends on August 31st.
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The American Bar Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) organization. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in publications or presentations are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the American Bar Foundation, nor the policy positions of the American Bar Association or its affiliates. The AMERICAN BAR FOUNDATION, ABF and related seal trademarks as used by the American Bar Foundation are owned by the American Bar Association and used under license.
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