Drones, technically called Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), are a technological development being utilized more and more in the personal, commercial and governmental sectors. 

The American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility recently issued Formal Opinion 515, outlining the ethical obligations when “A Lawyer’s Discretion to Report When a Client Commits a Crime Against the Lawyer or Against Someone Associated with, or Related to, the Lawyer.” While not something that happens often, when it occurs, it raises significant ethical issues. In particular, the opinion addresses the circumstances under which a lawyer may disclose information and explores the duty of confidentiality under ABA Model Rule of Professional Conduct 1.6 and the implicit exceptions to this rule in such situations.  

I can become so immersed and caught in thought that the world around me fades away. Many or most of you know what I mean because sometimes you do it too. It is the opposite of being distracted. It’s when all your wits light up like lasers, fly into action, and illuminate every contour and crevice of your mind. It’s where you go looking for ideas, answers, insights, and hoping for epiphanies. In the physical world, this can translate to coffee getting spilled on your keyboard, not hearing the phone ring, etc. Until now, actually really just now, I never thought of giving it a name. Maybe thoughtscape. Of course, if I had come up with that during my defense lawyer years, the entry “Deep in a thoughtscape related to issues of...” on a client’s invoice would not have been well received, although it could have replaced several detailed sentences describing the same thing.  

2025 has brought and will continue to bring challenges to the rule of law and access to justice. You, our members, have been meeting the moment by leveraging your voice, power, and influence in service to protecting the rule of law and defending our democracy. For that, I thank you.  

The Winter 2025 issue celebrates the 15th anniversary of the Civil Gideon Task Force, introduces the 98th Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, highlights the 2024 Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg "Pursuit of Justice" Legal Writing Competition winning essay, and more.

In 2020, Congress passed the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) as part of the Anti-Money Laundering Act. The CTA mandates that certain corporations, LLCs, and similar entities report their beneficial owners to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN). These businesses must file a Beneficial Ownership Information Report (BOIR) by January 1, 2025. 

Katayun Jaffari is my colleague, mentor, friend, and soul sister. I am honored to share her journey to becoming the 98th Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association. While Kathy and I have spent many hours together enjoying each other's company as friends and working with each other working as colleagues, I had the chance to sit down with Kathy and inquire about her inspirations, passions, vision, and call to action in service to the Philadelphia Bar Association. I am thrilled to share the transcript of our time together. 

When you live or work in the Philadelphia area there is a lot of background conversation about the two rivers that flow through the city – the Schuylkill and the Delaware. People in Center City use the term “from river to river” to refer to geography; in the suburbs people talk about “the other side of the river,” and the traffic reports often tell you whether or not the Delaware River bridges are backed up. While these two rivers surround the city and have shaped its culture, landscape and development, I realized that I didn’t know that much about either of them beyond their basic existence, so I went down a rabbit hole of discovery. 

The Philadelphia Bar Association was founded to uphold the pillars of our democracy, including respect for the rule of law and advancing the cause of equal access to justice. Every person who interacts with our court system should be able to do so with qualified counsel to help them navigate the complexities of the law.  

We asked members of the Philadelphia Bar Association to share their perspectives on diversity, equity, and inclusion in the legal profession – the good, the bad and the ugly. The need for fair access to opportunities, embracing diversity, and challenging of biases are all reflected in the experiences shared by our members. With the need to break down barriers, we have a call to action to create a culture where everyone feels welcome, heard, and empowered. 

Submissions have been lightly edited for clarity and length.