On UnCommon Law, legal issues, public policy, and storytelling collide. We'll explore the most important legal stories of the day: Is affirmative action in college admissions constitutional? Is it time to kill the bar exam? Should social media face special legal scrutiny? What are law firms doing to fix their lack of diversity? Produced and hosted by Matthew S. Schwartz.
Big Law Gender Gap: Re-imagining the Legal Workforce [Bonus Episode]
Law firms have a gender equity problem. Data has shown that women struggle to reach the upper levels of the profession, and that those who do had to work harder than their male counterparts. For example, two thirds of female attorneys say they've been perceived as less committed to their careers, compared with just two percent of male attorneys, according to a 2019 ABA survey.
The reasons why aren't a mystery: the pay gap, the "motherhood penalty," legacy origination, a dearth of male mentors, and sexism, to name a few.
But what are the solutions? If the ideal, female-friendly law firm could be created from scratch, with an infinite amount of start-up capital, how would it be done? We posed that question to nearly a dozen people in the legal industry, including diversity consultants, law firm partners, ex-partners, associates, and women who were on track to make partner but felt they were forced to leave. In this podcast, they tell us what they'd prioritize and some of the challenges that can't be fixed with money.
Do you have an idea of how to create a women-friendly law firm? Share your thoughts with us by clicking here.
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9/21/2022 • 30 minutes, 38 seconds
Why the Supreme Court's Gun Decision Matters So Much [Bonus Episode]
In a landmark 2nd Amendment decision on Thursday, the Supreme Court struck down New York's gun licensing law. It's a decision that transforms where and when a gun can be carried. And, for the first time, the Court recognized a constitutional right to carry a gun outside of the home, in public. If you know this is a big deal, but you're not sure why, or you just want a refresher on how we go here, we've got you covered.
Today we're releasing an episode of our Cases & Controversies podcast for our [Un]Common Law listeners. This episode was originally released in November, just after oral arguments in the case. Bloomberg Law's Kimberly Robinson and Jordan Rubin explain what it's all about and why it is a "landmark decision."
And, for the latest on this case and the Supreme Court go to news.bloomberglaw.com.
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6/24/2022 • 22 minutes, 37 seconds
Business, Interrupted
Businesses all across the country have been shutdown for days, weeks, or even months at a time due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many assumed their insurance policies would help them defray some of their lost revenue. But those assumptions were, by and large, wrong.
In this special audio documentary, “Business, Interrupted” we look at why insurers denied the claims of their shuttered policyholders. A team of reporters from Bloomberg Law and Bloomberg Tax look into the so-called “virus exclusion” clauses, that insurers quietly inserted into many of their business policies, and how those clauses are now creating strife between insurers and businesses.
We hear from several small business owners across the country about the shock they felt when their pandemic claims were denied, in some cases within hours after filing. We also hear from regulators and lawmakers about whether they will force insurers to retroactively honor these claims, a possibility that insurers view as an existential threat to their entire industry.
--With assistance from Lydia Beyoud, Evan Weinberger and, David Hood
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