In our cover story, Andrew Denney takes a look at mandatory minimum sentencing, as a group of former federal judges and large law firm partners team up to advocate for change.

And in this month's One on One: Conversations with Newsmakers, we delve further into the topic of criminal justice. Mark Bauer catches up with Yale Law professor and Pulitzer Prize-winning author James Forman Jr. for a robust discussion about Forman's book, "Locking Up Our Own: Crime and Punishment in Black America." What policy changes are needed to tackle mass incarceration? And how have some states taken successful steps to reduce their prison populations? Check out the interview for more.

Next, with the rapidly changing news cycle occupying all of our waking hours and first-quarter billables in full view ahead, it can be hard to find time for outside reading. Fear not, we've got you covered. In our second feature, National Law Journal editors and reporters discuss their favorite recent books by lawyers and/or about the law. From a biography on RBG, to Scalia's thoughts on wild turkey, we'll hip you to some of the best legal books here.

And in Commentary, former Starbucks General Counsel Paula Boggs reflects on the week in January 1988 she spent helping then-Vice President George H.W. Bush prepare for his deposition by the Office of Iran-Contra Independent Counsel. Boggs, then just three years out of the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, said the experience set her on a path of leadership. Read her column for more.

Lastly, take a gander at the latest legal moves from around the globe in Movers, compiled by Pearl Wu.

As always, we would love to hear from you. Email me at the address below or reach out on Twitter via @lhelemNLJ. Thanks as always for reading and Happy New Year!