re: Cali Law Review Advocates using Black English for Lawyers.

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I read this as lawyers should learn hood ebonics so they can better represent their black criminal defendants.

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On one hand I get it, if you are going to represent criminal defendants you should be versed enough in their slang to be able to accurately understand what they are saying.

On the other, the courts, prosecution, and jury shouldn't have to need a translator to understand English. If you can't present your case clearly, including soliciting testimony from witnesses that is clear and articulate, then you haven't done your job as an attorney.

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I legitimately don't know the difference in those

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Stewardess, I speak jive:

I think "he at work" is the present tense: he is at work.
"He be at work" is a continuous tense. Not necessarily now, but in an ongoing way.

Exactly, I found the article completely reasonable.

I want a Lawyer Dawg.

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Differences between language varieties in sounds and grammar can change and have changed the outcome of cases: “He at work” and “He be at work” mean two completely different things.

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1. he is actually at work

2. he claims to be work, that is what he said but if you find his arse let me know

Now do possessives. It's like Chinese arithmetic to some people.

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“He at work” and “He be at work” mean two completely different things.

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If not for Tigerdroppings, I would have never googled this and learned how efficient AAVE be.

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In African American Vernacular English (AAVE), the phrases "He be at work" and "He at work" (which omits the "is") communicate completely different timeframes. The difference relies on grammatical rules involving habitual aspect versus temporary, ongoing action.1. "He be at work" (Habitual or Intermittent State)Using the uninflected "be" (the habitual "be") indicates a recurring, ongoing, or permanent reality. It means he is usually or consistently at his job as a habit.Meaning: "He works here regularly/usually," or "He is at work most of the time."Example: If someone asks, "Where is your brother on weekdays?", the answer "He be at work" means he is at his job routinely.2. "He at work" (Immediate, Temporary Action)Omitting the verb altogether (known as "zero copula") indicates that the action or state is happening right now.Meaning: "He is at work at this exact moment".Example: If someone asks, "Can you call him right now?", the answer "He at work" signifies he is currently clocked in, but it doesn't mean it's his daily routine or habitual schedule.AAVE vs. Standard EnglishIn traditional Standard English, both of these contexts are expressed using the "to be" verb in the present tense (e.g., "He is at work"). Standard English requires extra phrasing (such as adding "usually" or "every day") to capture the habitual meaning that AAVE conveys with a single word.

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Isn't this special treatment rather than everyone being treated equally?

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On one hand I get it, if you are going to represent criminal defendants you should be versed enough in their slang to be able to accurately understand what they are saying.

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I know plenty of Black people and 100% of them are capable of communicating in standard English when needed.

Where are the people who can neither communicate in English nor explain to their lawyer what a slang term means?