Law is a rapidly changing profession. The kinds of work that lawyers did one quarter may be completely different the next. That’s why every lawyer needs to pay attention to “law new,” which is all about using the practice of law in innovative ways to meet the needs of current and future clients. This might mean working with underserved communities, finding new ways to reach them and embracing technology. It might also involve finding new strategies that don’t fit into the traditional structure of a law firm, such as being open to fee arrangements other than the classic partner track.
a bill: 1. A proposal for a new law or change to an existing law. The ideas for bills can come from a member of Congress (or another branch of the federal government) or from people who want something changed and recommend it to the member who represents them. The bill can then go through several stages, such as being reviewed and amended by a committee or being passed and sent to the other branches of government for approval.
common law: Laws that arise from court decisions rather than from statutes (“codes”) or a constitution. This includes the body of law that began in England, where U.S. law comes from, as well as state laws and regulations.
case law: The legal writing about past cases that lawyers use to help make their arguments in the present case. It is usually published in books or journals. A citation is the number and letters that identify a case, usually found in a court book or in the database of a legal reference website.
docket number: The first two numbers indicate the year that the case was filed, the letter shows the county where it is being heard and the last six numbers are the case number. A citation is the process by which the court notifies a person that they must go to court and/or post bail.
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