Blog 2021

In this third and last episode of a new three-part series on how the brain works, host Caroline Mandell is welcoming Dr. Sophie Leroy, Associate Professor of Management at the University of Washington BothellSchool of Business. Together they explore topics such as attention, distraction and procrastination and discuss their implications for judges as high-volume decision-makers and writers.

In this second episode, host Caroline Mandell is interviewing David Badre, professor of cognitive, linguistic, and psychological sciences at Brown University. Together, they explain what cognitive control (also known as executive function) is and discuss its implications for judges and all legal professionals.

In this first episode of a new three-part series on how the brain works, host Caroline Mandell is speaking with UNSW Sydney’s Emeritus Professor John Sweller. Together, they explore a fundamental question: how do our brains process, retain, retrieve, and apply information? In short: how do we learn?

Host Caroline Mandell speaks with Justices Sheilah Martin, Mahmud Jamal and Alice Woolley about how to develop a judicial voice, the specifics of writing judgments compared to writing as an academic or as a litigator, and the role of editing software and AI tools in judgment writing.

Host Caroline Mandell speaks with Civil Resolution Tribunal Vice-Chairs Kate Campbell and Shelley Lopez about rethinking reasons. In this episode, we explore how CRT’s commitment to A2J carry through to its written decisions, measure parties’ satisfaction and more.

Host Caroline Mandell speaks with Justices Peter D. Lauwers and Shaun Nakatsuru, and decision-maker and lawyer Jennifer Khurana. In this episode, we explore the issue-driven structure and expose some challenges of writing for self-represented litigants.

Host Caroline Mandell speaks with professional editor Iva Cheung and language expert Cheryl Stephens about the challenges and benefits of plain language in legal writing.

Host Caroline Mandell speaks with Justice John I. Laskin, language specialist Edward Berry and educator and consultant Steve Armstrong about the Canadian “judgment writing school.” In this episode, we explore the reasons why judges need to learn how to write judgments, even though they have spent a career reading them.