Posts by J. Scott Key
The Political Nature of Successful Legal Advocacy With Lester Tate
Lester Tate, former President of the State Bar of Georgia and former Chair of the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission, discusses his career as a trial lawyer, the current state of judicial ethics, and the often political nature of successful advocacy. Since 1996, Lester has practiced as a shareholder in Akin & Tate, Georgia’s oldest continuing law firm, and offers his advice to new and future attorneys, including the one job he believes best prepared him for a career in law.
Read MoreHow We Won the Rice v. The State Case
The trial was not starting out well at all. At the end of a half-day of motions, I had won exactly zero. All my motions had been overruled. All of the State’s had been granted.
Read MoreResponsible Use of Social Media with Judge Stephen Dillard
Judge Stephen Dillard, the “Twitter Laureate of Georgia” and Presiding Judge of the Georgia Court of Appeals, shares how he has leveraged social media to bring transparency to his role at the court, and explains how lawyers can use social media responsibly and effectively to virtually mentor law students and to educate the public on the practice of law.
Read MoreWhen Is It Time To Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer?
Is it any wonder that, according to Avvo, “59% of people surveyed have tried to solve their legal issues by themselves?”
Read MoreChoosing the Right Juror Can Make or Break Your Case
As a jury consultant for some of the nation’s most noted cases, including the Unabomber and the Boston Marathon bombings, attorney Denise de La Rue explores what lawyers can do to ensure they’re picking the best juries possible to represent their client’s most compelling case.
Read MoreHow To Hire A Personal Injury Lawyer
When you hire a lawyer, particularly on something as potentially complex as a personal injury matter, you are not hiring a mere technician.
Read MoreSenate Candidate Loeffler Attacks Collins for Work as a Defense Attorney
In a recent ad, incumber Senator Kelly Loeffler has attacked challenger Doug Collins for purportedly being a criminal defense attorney, having a website that advertised for clients, and for accepting appointed cases. Her campaign website posted a list of Georgia sheriffs who condemned Collins for his “criminal defense history.” Sen. Loeffler presumably had the assistance…
Read MoreWhy the Upcoming Amendment to the Georgia Court of Appeals Rules is a Good Idea
Beginning on August 1, a single dissent in a three-judge Court of Appeals case will no longer remove its value as precedent for future cases, nor will one judge’s disagreement with the reasoning of the case. Here is the text of new Court of Appeals rule 33.2: If an appeal is decided by a division…
Read MoreToward the Post-Monument Era
If you have practiced law for any time in Georgia, you have walked by Confederate monuments. The smaller and more remote the jurisdiction, the greater the likelihood that you walked beneath the shadow of a Confederate soldier, general, or political figure on your walk to court. Recently, the county commission in Henry County, Georgia, voted…
Read MoreQualified Immunity: The Ultimate Product of Judicial Activism
Congress will soon take up multiple bills to pull back the doctrine of Qualified Immunity. In the House, a bill has been introduced that would roll back Qualified Immunity as it relates to law enforcement and corrections officers. In the Senate, a bill is pending that would roll back qualified immunity as applied to an…
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