Showing papers in "Western New England law review in 2017"

The next american revolution

Abstract: On the whole, the scholarly literature does not go far enough in its understanding of money in politics and corporate political power — ultimately, the role of concentrated capital in democracy. The rising economic and political inequalities affecting the United States are not properly diagnosed as the excesses of a generally legitimate capitalist democracy in need, merely, of legal reforms. Rather, they are the symptoms of an overarching flaw in our political system that requires a revolution — a revolution of the non-violent, constitutional kind. Action follows understanding. If the understanding of a problem is weak and superficial, the reform agenda will also be weak and superficial. It is true, as the call for papers states, that Supreme Court cases on money in politics “shift power to a new economic royalty.” Rather than an embellishment or exaggeration, however, this is actually the essential starting point for putting today’s plutocracy into its proper historical context, that of despotism, tyranny, and oppression. Highlighting the thoughts of key historical figures, this essay has two purposes: first, to explore how revolutionary understandings can bring modern-day problems of economic and political inequality into sharper focus; and, second, to reveal the essential thrust of an enduring solution, a constitutional amendment to separate business and state.

A2j author, legal aid organizations, and courts: bridging the civil justice gap using document assembly

Abstract: Because there is a huge justice gap in the United States, millions of Americans are eligible for legal aid With few attorneys working in legal aid organizations nationwide, low-income people, by necessity, are becoming self-represented litigants This article discusses the history of document assembly and A2J Author®, an interactive interviewing tool for self-represented litigants within the legal aid context; makes the argument for why document assembly can help to close the justice gap; shows that over the past decade, this technology has repeatedly proven itself to be cost effective, efficient, and well received by self-represented litigants; and finally, discusses the next wave of technological advances A2J Author is making to keep itself relevant and useful to self-represented litigants

Corporate social responsibility and taxation: a chance to develop the theory

Abstract: With increased technology and access to information, corporations have evolved in order to reflect the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in their global business strategies. Some companies, such as Starbucks Corporation, have taken this concept a step further and chose to voluntarily pay additional taxes in order to appease the public. This article discusses some of the conclusions and further steps that should be taken with regards to CSR and initiatives of responsible tax planning, in order to improve harmful tax practices.