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WHAT WE'RE WATCHING

SET FOR STONE – The sentencing of Roger Stone, convicted of witness tampering and lying to Congress in connection with the 2016 presidential election, is set for 10 a.m. As Jacqueline Thomsen reports, the post-conviction phase of the legal drama has resulted in accusations of political interference by the Trump DOJ, the final straw for at least one career prosecutor, and the topic of many tweets from President Trump. Meanwhile, speculation about a presidential pardon has gained steam, amid other pardons Trump handed down this week.

ANSWERS – Nearly three-quarters of lawyers and legal professionals say their jobs have had a negative effect on their mental health over time. That's according to the responses from more than 3,800 lawyers and legal pros answering the Law.com Mental Health and Substance Abuse Survey. As Lizzy McLellan reports, almost 33% of respondents said they've increased their use of drugs or alcohol as a result of work. At the same time, nearly 61%  said their firm's concern for lawyer and staff mental health seems sincere.

DEAL, NO DEAL – The U.S. Department of Education and the American Bar Association have settled a three-year-old lawsuit, which means the department will recognize ABA employees as qualifying for the federal government's public service loan forgiveness program. Represented by Ropes & Gray, the ABA and four employees sued the department in 2016, alleging the education department changed eligibility requirements for work that was clearly "public service." In the meantime, a public interest group sued the education department on Wednesday in New York federal court over a new rule that rolls back Obama-era protections for students who claim they were defrauded by colleges or universities.

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EDITOR'S PICKS

Labaton's Political Donations Line Up With Pursuit of Client, Records Show

Even Without Client Pressure, Firms Are Becoming BFFs With ALSPs

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WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

ABOUT FACE – The European Commission has unveiled a strategy for artificial intelligence that aims to boost the use of AI in Europe while addressing concerns about data privacy. As Simon Taylor reports, EU digital policy chief Margrethe Vestager was expected to propose a ban on the use of AI for facial recognition. Instead, the commission has called for a debate on how exemptions could be made from the EU's strict data privacy rules to allow the use of facial recognition.

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WHAT YOU SAID

"The numbers are off the charts. It shows us that we're still at crisis level in the profession on all these issues."

|— Lisa F. Smith, a lawyer and recovery advocate, commenting on the results of the ALM Intelligence Mental Health and Substance Abuse Survey, which, among other things, shows that nearly 18% of lawyers and legal professionals have contemplated suicide in their careers. 

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