Preview Mode Links will not work in preview mode

 

Legal Speak is a weekly podcast that makes sense of what's happening in the legal industry. Each episode tackles a subject that's worthy of a deep dive—from law firm profit hacks to Supreme Court showdowns to the most promising plays in legal tech. Hosted by Law.com Editor-in-Chief Zack Needles and Newsroom Innovation Director Vanessa Blum, Legal Speak offers straight talk from experts, plus an inside-the-newsroom perspective on market-shaping stories.

Jun 1, 2018

Appellate advocates are concerned that the tradition of oral argument is falling out of favor in federal appeals courts. According to the statistics from the Administrative Office of U.S. Courts, arguments were heard in just 20 percent of cases decided on the merits during the most recent 12-month cycle. That’s down from about 40 percent of cases 20 years ago. In this week's episode, San Francisco bureau chief Ross Todd examines the drop off and talks with James Martin of Reed Smith and M.C. Sungaila of Haynes and Boone about what will be lost if oral argument fades away