Law Practice Trending Topics

To help with your writing efforts, here’s what people are looking for in Law Practice and Legal Marketing online. Trending topics culled from JD Supra, search analytics, social media conversations, and other sources:

Frightening Legal Tales (in Time for Halloween) 

Consider writing about:

Legal disputes with a Halloween-related hook. Consider whether to write either a straightforward or a light-hearted piece about disputes involving any of the following: haunted houses, theme parks, costumes, candy, or other familiar staples of this particular holiday season.

Alternatively, consider writing about your choice of five or more scares involving the legal profession, but with Halloween-related wordplay. Take your pick of cautionary tales, discovery demons, tech traps, disputes that won’t die, mistakes that came back to haunt one side in a noteworthy case, or other accounts that can keep lawyers or their clients up at night. Bonus points for guidance on how lawyers or their firms can avoid these types of frightening scenarios in the first place.

How Lawyers Can Gain the Most Benefit From Being on LinkedIn [Ongoing] 

Consider writing about:

How lawyers can make the best use of LinkedIn as they begin or continue their legal practice; tips on writing compelling profiles, building networks, reaching potential clients, choosing what to post, establishing oneself as a thought leader, publishing new, reused, or adapted content, and more. What do even some experienced LinkedIn users overlook regarding timing, tone, etiquette, or other finer points of being on LinkedIn?

Courtroom Attire: Do’s and Don’ts 

Consider writing about:

Trends and pointers involving courtroom attire; whether a double standard by gender persists in that regard, or whether customs and best practices are highly local in nature; whether an attorney’s choice of wardrobe can be a help or a hindrance in the courtroom; how an attorney may want to respond when a judge makes comments on that attorney’s choice of attire or overall appearance (plus: related issues involving judicial behavior, fitness, ethics, or consequences for a judge).

Related information:

https://abovethelaw.com/2026/09/judge-puts-lawyers-sleeveless-dress-on-trial

How Calif. Legislation Could Impact Legal Profession’s Use of Generative AI 

Consider writing about:

California Senate Bill 574; how this legislation could affect the legal profession’s use of generative AI; whether the governor is likely to sign SB 574 into law; whether other states have, or are considering, similar laws.

Related information:

https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202520260SB574

Trump Administration Goes After Prominent Law School Over Admissions Practices 

Consider writing about:

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education into admissions practices at the UC Berkeley School of Law; rationale for the investigation; results of the joint investigation announced on Sept. 9; what the investigation results could mean for the law school, its admissions practices, and for applicants to the school; whether other law schools are facing similar investigations or have already been the subject of similar probes by the Trump administration; how law schools should be thinking about their admissions practices and diversity policies in light of the Trump administration’s scrutiny of UC Berkeley School of Law.

Related information:

https://apnews.com/article/uc-berkeley-law-school-trump-discrimination-complaint-ec80c881048fbdb0569fe4a347f4ee10

China’s Top Court Issues Guidelines Regarding AI-Related Disputes 

Consider writing about:

Action taken by China’s Supreme People’s Court this month regarding the handling of civil cases involving artificial intelligence; key points made by the court about liability, discovery, disclosure, and other matters; what the guidelines could mean for AI-related disputes and for attorneys.

How to Create High-Quality Webinars [Ongoing] 

Consider writing about:

How law firms can increase their webinars’ appeal and effectiveness. Among the points to consider examining: how to determine a high-value topic; how best to promote an upcoming webinar; how to determine a suitable length, format, platform, forum, and other details; whether to provide an accompanying transcript (plus: transcript tools to use or avoid); tips on repurposing material for, or from, a webinar; how to know whether to make a webinar into a series; effective methods of following up with attendees after a webinar; other ways to maximize a webinar’s impact or to leverage a completed webinar for additional purposes.

Republican Members of Congress Take Aim at Foreign-Born Judges 

Consider writing about:

Legislation introduced in Congress by GOP lawmakers that takes aim at federal judges’ citizenship histories; what the Judicial Loyalty Act, the Constitutional Amendment Resolution, and any similar measures propose to do; rationale for new requirements for federal judges; how unusual these proposals are; prospects for such measures’ passage.

Cybersecurity Obligations and Expectations for the Legal Profession 

Consider writing about:

Cybersecurity obligations, client expectations, or best practices on the part of in-house or outside counsel or other legal professionals; how cyberthreats and related risks involving the legal profession are evolving; how to minimize repercusions after a data breach; any recent lawsuits, ethics opinions, cautionary tales, or other noteworthy developments on this front.

Your Prompt Attention Requested: Sounding the Alarm Over Prompt Injections 

Consider writing about:

A pro se litigant’s use of prompt injections in a recent Connecticut case; what prompt injections consist of, and how they work; potential hazards created by prompt injections’ existence within legal documents; how the Connecticut Superior Court handled the matter; how lawyers and their clients can best guard against harms that may arise from the use of prompt injections.

Review the New Film Coyote vs. Acme Through a Lawyer’s Lens 

Consider writing about:

The new animation-live action film Coyote vs. Acme — a subject that could prove fun to write about, while also serving as a jumping-off point to explore any of the following angles: corporate defense work, product liability cases, challenging clients, reputational management, or the entertainment industry’s portrayals through the years of corporate America or of the legal profession.

Advice That Has Gone the Distance: Tell Us Your Thoughts 

Consider writing about:

Professional or personal advice that has withstood the test of time. Consider presenting some real-life examples of useful advice you have received that has proven resilient even in the face of significant shifts or upheavals affecting the legal profession, the justice system, or society over the years. What are some evergreen insights or bits of wisdom that have been a touchstone for you in your personal or professional life?

Judges Continue to Be Under Siege; What’s to Be Done? 

Consider writing about:

Continuing threats against judges in the United States. Among the questions to consider exploring: How can judges be protected or supported in this time of heightened security concerns? How are local or federal authorities responding to this issue? How is the Trump administration responding to this issue, considering the fact that some of the threats are coming from individuals or entities that are upset over rulings that are not in the Trump administration’s favor? How might the Trump administration itself be adding fuel to the fire? What is social media platforms’ moral responsibility to curb online attacks, misinformation, and deliberate disinformation that exacerbates negative feeling toward judges? What are the threats’ potential impact to the rule of law? What can the United States learn from other countries that have experienced past attacks on judges, or that may still be experiencing continuing threats to their judiciary? And what role can individuals (whether those in the legal profession itself, the country’s education systems, the news media, or otherwise) potentially play in fostering a sense of respect for the judicial system, for legal processes, for factual information, and for judges themselves?

What’s Next for DOJ, Now That Blanche Has Officially Secured Top Slot? 

Consider writing about:

The confirmation of Todd Blanche as attorney general; significance of the Senate’s vote to confirm Blanche; key challenges ahead for the U.S. Department of Justice under Blanche’s tenure, as well as lingering controversies from his time as acting attorney general; how Blanche’s professional record compares to that of prior attorneys general; what Blanche’s past actions may indicate regarding the priorities and approach he will be implementing at DOJ, now that he’s no longer simply acting AG.

How Law Schools Are Grappling With AI 

Consider writing about:

How law schools in the United States are restricting students’ use of artificial intelligence or other tech tools; basis for doing so; how these restrictions may be evolving or spreading; how other countries’ law schools are grappling with this matter; whether these restrictions are the best approach (and what might you suggest as an alternative).

Related information:

https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/columbia-law-school-updates-ai-policy-with-new-restrictions#google_vignette

How to Deal With a Vexatious Litigant [Ongoing] 

Consider writing about:

Vexatious litigants; how these individuals are legally defined; common characteristics or behaviors of such a person; strategies for vexatious litigants’ targets or their defense counsel; potential court actions in response to a vexatious litigant’s behavior; any noteworthy real-life examples of vexatious litigants and how their endeavors have played out; how artificial intelligence may be impacting vexatious litigants’ actions.

Alternative Dispute Resolution: Trends and Tips [Ongoing] 

Consider writing about:

Alternative dispute resolution trends (generally speaking, or in the jurisdiction of your choice); contexts or case types in which ADR proceedings are most commonly used; pros and cons of the ADR process; strategies for success when preparing for, or participating in, an ADR proceeding; any popular misconceptions about ADR proceedings.

How an Expert Witness Can Be an Asset or a Liability [Ongoing] 

Consider writing about:

How to maximize the effective use of expert witnesses. Possible points to explore: tips regarding expert witness selection, qualifications, or pre-trial preparation; challenges to expert witnesses; and/or damage control. Consider whether to write a “top five” type of do’s and don’ts piece, or a checklist of steps to take at a given point in the process, or an examination of recent or otherwise significant cases where expert witnesses played a large role, and/or where an expert witness became a problem, and how to anticipate, avoid, or correct for such problems.

Is a Growing Crackdown on Litigation Funding in the Works? 

Consider writing about:

Renewed attention to the issue of litigation funding; recent action by state legislators or others; reasons for new restrictions or bans on litigation funding; how the spread of third-party funding has affected litigation trends.

How to Wrangle Technical Information for Jurors [Ongoing] 

Consider writing about:

How lawyers can best present scientific or other highly technical information to jurors; pointers on trial preparation, and choice of written or visual materials, use of expert testimony, and other potentially useful elements; additional guidance on what to do or not do to most effectively convey essential points to a lay audience.

How to Build on Midyear Metrics 

Consider writing about:

Midyear reality checks and professional development tips, whether for individual lawyers or for firms as a whole. Among the points to consider covering: What individuals and firms should be paying attention to at the half-year mark; how to build on successes, or, conversely, how to carry out a course correction; how to handle difficult conversations about performance; how to get the most out of client check-ins.

AI Cautionary Tales (and Practical Implications) for the Legal Profession 

Consider writing about:

Some of the latest or otherwise most interesting examples of AI use gone awry for members of the legal profession; how courts are responding to these types of incidents, in terms of sanctions after the fact, or suggested or required steps as precautions; how to bounce back after one or more AI-related mishaps; what individual professionals or law firms should be doing at this point to help ensure that they are using AI tools wisely and efficiently and with a minimum of risk.

Pointers on Establishing a New or Niche Practice [Ongoing] 

Consider writing about:

Issues to keep in mind when deciding whether to change or add practice areas; or, alternatively, considerations when deciding whether to take on a new practice area involving an emerging or highly technical subject; how attorneys can decide if a particular practice area is a good fit for them; how to grow a new practice area, develop expertise, and set oneself apart from other practitioners.

Personal or Professional Lessons From Leisure Pursuits [Ongoing] 

Consider writing about:

Analogies between hobbies and the legal profession. Consider whether to write a practical, first-person piece about lessons learned from the pursuit of a hobby and how you have been able to apply those lessons to your law practice, or whether to write a more general piece comparing a sport or other outside interest to the practice of law.

Why AI Should Have Law Firms Reassessing Their SEO Strategies 

Consider writing about:

Artificial intelligence’s potential impacts on law firms’ SEO strategies; how online users’ AI-influenced search efforts are impacting firms’ website traffic and SEO results; what to know about evolving user behavior and search results, and how these shifts should have law firms taking a fresh look at their strategies; how law firms can harness AI to boost their visibility, rather than minimizing it.

Former Court Clerks Face Federal Charges Over Alleged Interference With ICE Courthouse Actions 

Consider writing about:

The arrest of two state court clerks for allegedly thwarting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts at a Utah courthouse; charges that the court clerks are facing; how the clerks’ case compares to that of a judge in a different jurisdiction who wound up in federal authorities’ crosshairs over allegedly similar behavior; related regional or national trends; what to know about ICE agents’ authority when inside a courthouse; what to know about court personnel’s legal obligations, rights, or protections when interacting with federal agents.

Related information:

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/two-former-utah-court-clerks-arrested-and-facing-federal-charges-after-allegedly-helping

How Lawyers and Clients Can Help Each Other Be More Effective [Ongoing] 

Consider writing about:

How lawyers and clients can help each other be more effective in their professional relationship. Among the possible points to choose from: how to get a professional relationship off to a good start; common misunderstandings to avoid; how to improve written or oral communication or recover from a miscommunication; how to manage expectations; how to deal with setbacks or changes in strategy during the course of a specific matter or an overall professional relationship. Consider whether to present your guidance as a list of tips, or whether to write a first-person account of a successful or improved client relationship and the factors that helped make it a success.

DHS Shifts Attention to Attorneys in Latest Pushback Against Asylum Claims 

Consider writing about:

A May 26 directive by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security regarding purported asylum fraud; what this May 26 release may mean for immigration attorneys as well as for their clients in terms of enforcement actions and potential penalties; any practices attorneys and their clients should be reviewing or strengthening in light of accelerating pressures from DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Related information:

https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/05/26/dhs-takes-additional-steps-crack-down-asylum-fraud

Florida Supreme Court Adopts New Rules Regarding AI Use 

Consider writing about:

New rules adopted last month by the Florida Supreme Court regarding the use of artificial intelligence in legal proceedings; the rules’ effective date and potential penalties for non-compliance; how the Florida rules compare to other states’ rules on AI use within the court system; whether the Florida rules’ inclusion of pro se litigants is a novel development in courts’ approach to AI’s increasing role in legal proceedings.

Related information:

https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/florida-supreme-court-issues-new-ai-rules-for-lawyers

How Lawyers Can Address Pop Culture’s Impact on Jurors [Ongoing] 

Consider writing about:

The intersection of pop culture and the courtroom. How can litigators adjust their courtroom strategies in the face of popular fictional or real-life TV shows and podcasts, and their potential resulting impact on jurors – or should they? What effects are popular programs having on prospective jurors, in terms of impressions of the legal system, and possible misconceptions about legal processes, science, methodology, evidence, or prosecutions? Do lawyers need to tailor their courtroom tactics, demeanor, and presentations accordingly?