Legal Expert

"Now, more than ever, Americans are realizing that their votes count. Kim Wehle's excellent guide tells you everything you need to know about the laws governing our greatest right and privilege. A must-read, especially in an election year." -Norah O'Donnell, Anchor and Managing Editor, CBS Evening News Want to change the world? The first step is to exercise your right to vote! In this step by step guide, you can learn everything you need to know.  In What You Need to Know About Voting-and Why, law professor and constitutional scholar Kimberly Wehle offers practical, useful advice on the mechanics of voting and an enlightening survey of its history and future.  • What is a primary? • How does the electoral college work? • Who gets to cast a ballot and why? • How do mail-in ballots work? • How do I register? For new voters, would-be voters, young people and all of us looking ahead to the next election, What You Need to Know About Voting-and Why is a timely and informative guide, providing the background you need in order to make informed choices that will shape our shared destiny for decades to come.

A law professor and author teaches non-attorneys how to think like a lawyer to gain advantage in their lives—whether buying a house, negotiating a salary, or choosing the right healthcare. Lawyers aren’t like other people. They often argue points that are best left alone or look for mistakes in menus “just because.” While their scrupulous attention to detail may be annoying, it can also be a valuable skill. Do you need to make health care decisions for an aging parent but are unsure where to start? Are you at crossroads in your career and don’t know how to move forward? Have you ever been on a jury trying to understand confusing legal instructions? How to Think Like a Lawyer has the answers to help you cut through the confusion and gain an advantage in your everyday life. Kim Wehle identifies the details you need to pay attention to, the questions you should ask, the responses you should anticipate, and the pitfalls you can avoid. Topics include: Selling and buying a home Understanding employment terms Creating a will and health care proxy Navigating health concerns Applying for financial aid Negotiating a divorce Wehle shows you how to break complex issues down into digestible, easier-to-understand pieces that will enable you to make better decisions in all areas of your life.

"A must-read for this era."-Jake Tapper, CNN Anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent  An insightful, urgent, and perennially relevant handbook that lays out in common sense language how the United States Constitution works, and how its protections are eroding before our eyes-essential reading for anyone who wants to understand and parse the constantly breaking news about the backbone of American government. The Constitution is the most significant document in America. But do you fully understand what this valuable document means to you? In How to Read the Constitution--and Why, legal expert and educator Kimberly Wehle spells out in clear, simple, and common sense terms what is in the Constitution, and most importantly, what it means. In compelling terms and including text from the United States Constitution, she describes how the Constitution's protections are eroding-not only in express terms but by virtue of the many legal and social norms that no longer shore up its legitimacy-and why every American needs to heed to this "red flag" moment in our democracy. This invaluable-and timely-resource includes the Constitution in its entirety and covers nearly every significant aspect of the text,  from the powers of the President and how the three branches of government are designed to hold each other accountable, to what it means to have individual rights-including free speech, the right to bear arms, the right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures, and the right to an abortion. Finally, the book explains why it has never been more important than now for all Americans to know how our Constitution works-and why, if we don't step in to protect it now, we could lose its protections forever. How to Read the Constitution--and Why is essential reading for anyone who cares about maintaining an accountable government and the individual freedoms that the Constitution enshrines for everyone in America-regardless of political party.