The Federal Lawyer (2014)

A look back at at the progress our country has made since the creation of the Civil Rights Act by President Kennedy in 1963, and the ultimate signing by President Johnson on February 10, 1964.

Even before the “surge,” U.S. refugee law exhibited a tendency to characterize Central American asylum seekers as victims of general violence instead of conducting a thorough, individual-based assessment of their claims. Citing both legal history and modern U.S. precedent, this article argues that U.S. law does not call for such a result. It offers a few points of reflection, designed to help preserve the integrity of the “refugee” definition in the midst of a deluge.

Rhode Island is the smallest state
, has the longest official name (State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations), has the longestoperating tavern in the country (it never satisfied the 18th Amendment), and more shipwrecks per square mile than any other state (coincidence?), has a chicken for the state bird, coffee milk for the state drink, the largest insect in the country (Big Blue Bug, 58 ft), and is the only state with a tax return that features smiling and frowning faces. What’s there not to like?

The U.S. financial industry is too large and complex a beast to be effectively
regulated by bureaucrats alone, and outsourcing a check on financial
misdeeds to those in the best position to see what happens on a
transactional level was probably a wise decision in the Dodd-Frank Act.

Comments by past female FBA Presidents Ellen M. Lazarus, Adrienne A. Berry, Jackie A. Goff, Joyce E. Kitchens, Juanita Sales Lee, Ashley L. Belleau, Fern C. Bomchill.

By Hon. Michael J. Newman

The experience of tribal sovereignty and the manner in which it is exercised, the gravitas of sovereignty, is the best indicator of the future of Indian Country. While all tribes have the authority to govern, many may not have realized the gravitas of that sovereignty. Tribes can enhance gravitas and provide prosperity using a four pronged approach: a direct and personal relationship between the tribe and its members or citizens; more democracy and better data; transparent fiscal management; and targeted social welfare assistance programs.

By the FBA Corporate and Association Counsel Division Board

To some employment lawyers, traditional labor law is a relic of a bygone era that they need not consider when evaluating workplace issues. This is a mistake. Labor law applies to union and non-union employers alike and with largely equal force. Employment lawyers with a working knowledge of the fundamental labor law concepts will become much-improved advocates for their clients.