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Focuses on the ruling by federal district judges in Florida, California and Tennessee that those states' appointed-counsel systems fail to meet the requirements of a federal law that limits the post-conviction challenges of death row inmates. Features of the federal; Details of the appointed-counsel systems in the three states; Features of a similar system in Indiana.

Focuses on the discrimination lawsuit filed by the Center for Individual Rights group against the Delaware State Bar Association and several law firms for the bar-run Louis L. Redding Fellowship program for first-year law students. Features of the program; Features of the rejection of three white students to the program; Background to the creation of the program.

Focuses on the responsibilities and functions of Alfonso McMillan Jr. and William V. Buccella, chief counsels hired by the Republican and Democratic parties for their 1996 conventions. Academic background of the two lawyers; Description of their styles; Description of their functions.

Reports on the ruling by the US Circuit Court of Appeals that the New Jersey township school board violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 when it used race as the determining factor in the layoff of a white teacher rather than an equally qualified black teacher. Implications on the debate on affirmative action; Details of the case; Reason for the ruling.

Reports that John Blume and Mark Olive have been tapped by Judicial Conference of the United States to help train and counsel lawyers on federal death penalty law. Goal of organization to find innovative and cost-effective ways of educating and providing support to lawyers.

Reports on the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws' approval of a model punitive damages act that would tighten up state procedures for the award and review of punitive damages. Factors provided by the act in the consideration of damage caps; Comments of Roger C. Henderson of the University of Arizona College of Law.

Reports on the increase in AIDS-related cases being handled by courts. Number of AIDS-related decisions made; Comments of Lawrence O. Gostin of the Georgetown University Law Center; Charges applied in such cases.

Focuses on court cases in the United States over the constitutionality of affirmative action programs in higher education. Example of a court case barring affirmative action involving the Cheryl Hopwood's lawsuit against University of Texas Law School; Need for racial diversity in the institution according to administrators; Implication of higher courts' denial for reviewing the case. courts.

Reports on two US Supreme Court rulings reasserting the aggressive roles of appellate courts in curbing jury verdicts that are considered excessive. `BMW of North America v. Gore'; `Gasperini v. The Center for Humanities Inc.'; Argument by the high court that the First Amendment does not bar federal appellate courts from reviewing allegedly excessive jury awards of compensatory damages.

Reports on the withdrawal of Legal Services Corp. (LSC) lawyer Bill Morris from a lawsuit against Arizona for failing to track down deadbeat fathers due to a congressional ban on class actions by LSC attorneys. Background on the case `Blessing v. Freestone'; Selection of Marsha S. Berzon to take over the case.

Reports on a US Supreme Court decision striking down Virginia's men-only enrollment policy at the Virginia Military Institute. Argument by the high court that Virginia's exclusion of women from the citizen-soldier training provided by the institute violates the equal protection clause; Background on the case `U.S. v. Virginia.'

Reports on developments in the United States Supreme Court as it reaches the homestretch of its 1995-96 term. Includes the resolution of a high-profile football case involving the intersection of antitrust and labor policies; Case on federal sovereign immunity; Completion of a series of important sentencing cases involving the authority of district courts.

Presents information on tort reform proposals in the U.S. Congress. Views of Republican legislators on tort reform; Provisions of the Homeland Security Act; Details on a medical malpractice bill proposed by Representative James Greenwood.

Presents several readers' views on an article concerning the burning of Yellowstone park published in the January 1989 issue of the 'Audubon' periodical in the U.S.

The article discuses victories of the U.S. small law firms whether in monetary terms or by establishing important precedent at the trial or appellate level which include Bancroft, Dewey Pegno & Kramarsky, and Goldman Ismail. Topic include Bancroft won securities class action decision against client Household International Inc.; Dewey defend against an employment lawsuit filed by a former consultant; and Goldman saved Bayer Healthcare Pharmaceuticals LLC millions in multidistrict litigation.