A little more than four years ago, Hoosier Janet McCabe ended her service as assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. Since then, the most significant aspects of the Obama-era climate change regulations, namely the Clean Power Plan, have been unwound. Biden’s selection of McCabe signals a doubling down on regulating greenhouse gas emissions.
It has been just over one month since President Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th President of the United States, and he is delivering on his promise to move quickly. Biden has signed more executive orders in his first 30 days than any president in U.S. history. Perhaps another record-breaking instance is the proportion of these actions that relate to energy and environmental policies.
Attorney Robert Hammerle reviews three new releases that left him contemplating: “Nomadland,” “MLK/FBI” and “First Cow.”
By initiating a constitutional amendment based on misinformation, three Indiana Republican state senators, now joined by multiple others, have proposed a radical resolution to eliminate citizen involvement in the retention vote of appellate judges, changing the current selection process that has been in place for 50 years. This proposal also severely decreases judicial independence and increases the political pressure on our state’s appellate judiciary. Indeed, if successful, the proposal would give the legislative branch far greater control over the Indiana state appellate judges and justices. It would also further embed in Indiana’s Constitution more systemic racism.
For more than 100 years, the principle that if a policy term is ambiguous it is construed against the insurer and in favor of the policyholder and coverage — known as “contra proferentem”—has been a foundation of Indiana’s insurance-coverage jurisprudence. The reasons supporting this rule are still as strong as ever.
Movie reviewer Robert Hammerle says “One Night in Miami” is a towering achievement while “The Dig” is a charming gem.
We’ve all scoped a Yelp review, been turned off by a customer’s dismal review and chosen a new restaurant. While restaurant management has the ability to respond to unfavorable online reviews, for a lawyer, it’s not that simple. Here are three things to know about responding to online criticism as a lawyer.
Despite serious travails during our history, presidential inaugurations seem to allow for a pause and some national confidence. Noting this recently, it is perhaps well that we set briefly aside our current concerns and allow some reflection to lighten us up and to observe the critical importance of the judicial branch.
It’s been a little over a year since I first heard the term “COVID-19.” Back then, like many others, I thought Indiana would see a large number of suits attempting to force insurers to cover the myriad losses that resulted from the pandemic and its associated shutdowns. While there were some significant matters filed last year, to date, no Indiana state or federal case regarding COVID-19 insurance coverage has reached a decision on the merits.
When restaurants forced to close due to COVID-19 turned to their insurers to offset their losses because they were unable to use their property as intended, many of us thought the prospects for coverage were good, especially under policies that did not have virus exclusions. But the insurance industry response was fierce.
Over the next few articles, I will share some thoughts on setting your devices up for a “palm practice” (practicing law from the palm of your hand). Most lawyers now have smartphones or devices with us every day. But, with great power comes great responsibility. While these tools are helpful, they can also increase the sense that we should always be working on something.
For lawyers, COVID has forced us out of courtrooms, mediations, conferences and client visits. Videoconferencing software, usually Zoom, has stepped in to fill the void. Zoom is an imperfect substitute with plenty of drawbacks. However, after nearly a year litigating cases via Zoom, it has become an ingrained part of the practice of law. Even after COVID, Zoom is likely here to stay.
Someday not too long from now, we at Indiana Lawyer will say hello to you in person, and I have to say, I can’t wait for that day. Until then, we have some exciting news to share about our annual Leadership in Law awards.
I’ve been wrestling with the idea of a more just Indiana and what that really means and looks like for the millions of Hoosiers impacted by COVID-19, unemployment, racism and in some instances bad luck. COVID has wreaked havoc on customary ways of conducting business, all the while intensifying political divides in an already divided country. Is that disruption of “normalcy” a bad thing?
Movie reviewer Robert Hammerle is intrigued by Oscar-worthy performances in “Promising Young Woman,” “Pieces of a Woman” and “News of the World.”
Rules governing divisional jurisdiction vary in the U.S. District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of Indiana, as illustrated by some recent rulings.
Texts and chat messages are informal and fragmented forms of communication that can be hard to address in both written discovery and the technical collection of documents. So here are a few suggestions to help attorneys who are just starting to grapple with this developing area of electronic discovery.
President Donald Trump’s days in office are numbered. But he’s already stopped doing much of his job. Two months after his election defeat, aides are still struggling to convince him to make an effort to showcase and salvage his achievements in office, with limited success.
Can you be fired for joining a violent mob that storms the Capitol? Of course you can. Based on my experience as a law professor and lawyer specializing in employment law, I doubt that most employers are losing sleep over whether such decisions are legally justified.
Movie reviewer Robert Hammerle has warm words for “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” and finds deep meaning in “The Midnight Sky.”