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Recent Articles from Commentary:
Why August is a top month for divorce
Think of August as Black Friday for divorce filings. It’s one of the top months to say “I don’t.” According to a study out of the University of Washington, divorce rates consistently peak toward the end of the summer, specifically in August. Spouses finally realize their family vacation was the last bit of togetherness they […]
Accomplishing DEI through workplace design
As a people & culture leader, I have long advocated for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Recently, my daughter experienced a major injury which confined her to a wheelchair for six weeks, and this life event profoundly evolved my perspective: Inclusion is also synonymous with accessibility. Life events – a sudden injury, a personal loss, […]
The challenge of first impressions
I doubt I’m the only one who grew up hearing, “Make sure you make a good first impression.” At the time, I probably wondered whether that was my parents just being persnickety. It turns out they were right. This realization occurred when I reconsidered my take on a person I had historically viewed as a […]
Maryland lawyers and student loan debt
According to the American Bar Association, the average law school graduate owes approximately $160,000 in educational loan debt after graduation. In Maryland, the starting median salary for first-year lawyers is about $100,000, with incomes ranging from $50,000 to over $200,000 depending on location, size of the law firm, and type of law. This means graduates […]
How to stop kids from vaping
At a recent congressional hearing, Rep. Dan Newhouse, R-Washington, expressed concern about the illegal Chinese-manufactured flavored, disposable vaping products widely available nationwide. He noted that many of these products are made in unregulated facilities and could be laced with fentanyl — threatening the health and well-being of children. In response, Food and Drug Administration Commi[...]
CEOs want you back in the office. Why?
To my fellow CEOs, with all due respect, maybe this “back to office” mandate is more about your comfort than team performance. The most recent American Time Use survey shows that women are 30 percent more likely to work from home. People with disabilities and caregivers need work-from-home accommodations. Knowing that forcing people back into […]
What to do when leaving a law firm
Departing a law firm is stressful for clients, departing lawyers and the law firm. Fortunately, Maryland provides good guidance on ethical departures.
Generative AI in law: Resistance is futile
I started writing this column on legal technology in 2007, and over the years I’ve noticed a pattern. Time and time again, whenever a new technology comes along that impacts the practice of law, members of our profession tend to have a knee-jerk reaction to it. There’s talk of “bans,” declarations of significant consequences due […]
The doctrine of ‘apparent agency’
In July 2022, Maryland’s highest appellate court issued a decision in Williams v. Dimensions Health Corporation, dealing with a hospital’s liability for the negligence of an independent contractor treating emergencies at the hospital. Generally, a principal is liable for the negligence of its agents. More specifically, an employer is responsible for the negligence of its […]
Deep distrust of government is dangerous
The majority of Americans distrust the federal government. They don’t believe the government helps people or listens to them. It may be a surprise to learn that, with few exceptions, Americans have distrusted the government since the early 1970s. According to Pew surveys, trust in government was astronomically high, at 70 percent, during the Dwight Eisenhower and […]
The ins and outs of multiparty mediations
One of the most challenging aspects of mediating multiparty disputes is the allocation of liability and contribution by each defendant. Typically this is encountered in construction disputes, class actions, mass torts, and in some catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases. Unfortunately, defendants in multiparty cases often overlook whether or not their own contribution amount is […]
AI’s potential to trigger discrimination claims
The use of artificial intelligence in the workplace has prompted the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to evaluate the potential use of AI by employers for hiring, promotion, and firing decisions. To that end, the EEOC recently released a technical assistance document titled “Assessing Adverse Impact in Software, Algorithms, and Artificial Intelligence Used in Employment Selection [&hellip[...]
