Legal Talk Network - Law News and Legal Topics

The role of experienced paralegal professionals continues to evolve in exciting new directions. Hear how driven paralegals are finding opportunities in organizational leadership as technology and artificial intelligence (AI) continue to disrupt the legal profession. The sky is the limit for today’s paralegals. Guest Tara Kim Eberhart shares how the International Practice Management Association (IPMA) is leading the way with its four pillars: people, process, profits, and progress. Paralegal professionals more than ever are driving the operation of successful firms and organizations creating management opportunities for paralegals. What are the best practices and standards of care in management, and how do organizations incorporate these into their own operations and prioritize goals? Practice management and practice support may be two different fields, but they share the goal of driving an organization in orderly, focused manner. Moving from daily paralegal duties to practice management and oversight can be an exciting career development opportunity for experienced paralegals seeking new challenges. And don’t forget IMPA’s 2023 conference, Building Today For A Successful Tomorrow, Oct. 11-13 (pre and post conference events begin Oct. 9 and wrap up Oct. 15). Mentioned in this Episode: IMPA 2023 Conference, Building Today For A Successful Tomorrow NALA, The Paralegal Association Organizations Affiliated With IPMA California Alliance of Paralegal Associations (CAPA) National Capital Paralegal Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the success of Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster movie, we are once again living in a doll’s world. Toymaker Mattel has long had a reputation for aggressively defending its Barbie-related intellectual property. Hosts Trisha Rich and Maggie Mendenhall Casey are joined by K&L Gates partner, Alexis Crawford Douglas, to discuss the intellectual property aspects of the movie, the origin story of the Barbie doll and the most interesting and impactful IP cases that have been part of the ongoing quest to protect the iconic doll brand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New trends in litigation are changing the way lawyers approach their work in the courtroom. Emma Raimi-Zlatic talks with past-chair Mary McKelvey about the programs, committees, and events within the CLA’s Litigation Section. Learn more about the new technology, increased diversity, and educational opportunities that help litigators do their best work. Litigation Section - California Lawyers Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we chat about the First Amendment, sexual harassment, and, yet again, Blackface in the legal community. ----- Most Americans don't understand the First Amendment... just like Amy Coney Barrett! More sexual harassment allegations in Biglaw, which gives us an opportunity to consider the impact of senior attorneys coming forward to prompt change. And, yes, there is talk about Blackface at the end because it sadly keeps coming up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Admittedly, Tara M. Stringfellow became an attorney simply because her first book of poetry didn’t sell and she needed an income. But after a few years at Crown Castle in Chicago doing family and real estate law, she left, heading straight to the Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing at Northwestern University to get back into the writing game—this time with a lawyer’s sharpened pencil. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No matter where you are in your career, your time and experience can benefit a younger attorney. But if you think mentorship is all about giving, hear how a recent mentorship experience inspired us, and why reaching out and giving back will reinvigorate you too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Marketing is more than billboards and blogs. Your own genuine interest in the people you interact with every day can be your most effective marketing tool. John and Erich discuss simple, low-cost ways to turn clients and colleagues into marketing opportunities for you and your firm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The guys do a whole session on targeting—what it means and how to do it—and then dive deep into a case study on a well-known attorney’s geotargeting mishap. ----- Welcome back to school, kids. Today’s lesson is all about hitting the marketing bullseye—with targeting! Now, targeting means that you are putting the right message in front of the right person at the right time. How do you do that? Gyi and Conrad focus this session of LHLM 101 entirely on helping you understand how to identify and connect with your target market to gain more clients for your law firm. Later, Conrad recently stumbled upon a Facebook ad specifically targeting Pennsylvania car accident victims… but he wasn’t IN Pennsylvania. So, why did this ad appear outside of its target area, and does this equate to sending marketing investments up in smoke? Gyi and Conrad analyze this particular example of a geotargeting blunder and share their thoughts on how lawyers should approach the complexities of area-specific advertising. The News: From the Googly Googs at Google: Something’s up with the Local Pack. Gyi’s thoughts on what to do about Google’s core algorithm update and AI policy changes. ClioCon is coming, and LHLM has swag! Mentioned in this Episode: Target Markets: Why They Aren't Just for Marketers [A Quick Guide] The Geotargeting Mishaps of a Pennsylvania Lawyer Leave Us an Apple Review Lunch Hour Legal Marketing now on YouTube Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even though AI has been around for a very long time, it seems that it is suddenly everywhere, with AI-powered technology at the forefront of nearly every innovation of late. Why is this the case? Lindsey Dean talks with Dr. Chris Mattmann about why AI is having this watershed moment and what lawyers need to do to stay informed about AI tech and its uses in legal practice. Learn more about Dr. Mattmann at: mattmann.ai Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pioneers of New Mexico’s court scribe program discuss how the program makes the courts more accessible on the latest episode of LSC's “Talk Justice.”Language access has long been a priority of New Mexico courts, but the recent addition of court scribes has taken this push for court accessibility to new levels. The scribing initiative allows people in qualifying situations to make an appointment with court staff or a trained volunteer who assists them in filling out their legal forms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s talk about production and winning cases. It’s not only about acquiring new clients, but also acquiring new clients that can deliver results. A potential breakthrough using Artificial Intelligence, AI. How do we frame, understand, and implement the best of AI’s capabilities? Lawyers need to tread lightly, even as AI is becoming increasingly important in the field of law. Data is often “dirty,” unstructured, not built to serve. A properly “trained” AI program organizes these fields into useful information. Guests Evyatar Ben Artzi and Gila Hayat are co-founders of Darrow.AI. Darrow's AI-powered Justice Intelligence Platform scans real world data to detect harmful events, determine the number of potential victims, predict the legislative outcome, and assess the financial value of a case to help firms locate and organize potentially important cases. No more chasing your tail or casting the widest net possible. Across the law, from financial misconduct to environmental protection to pharmaceuticals, there is data out there that creates patterns if you know where and how to look. Properly managing raw data may allow firms to find new clients and tell better stories more efficiently. Producing results starts before a case even walks through the door. Mentioned in this Episode: Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table Darrow.ai Darrow blog Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Mandy Hoskinson joins me to talk about different social media platforms and how to leverage them to connect deeply with your audience. Mandy Hoskinson owns Zolay, a social media agency that gives away 20% of their work for free. Additionally, she is the President of the Social Media Club of Los Angeles, avid traveler and overall lover of all things tech and art. Mandy gives listeners actionable tips on: [0:00] Intro [2:00] Finding where your audience is [3:40] How do you figure out where your audience is most present and comfortable [7:30] Turning audience data into a strategy and action plan [18:10] How to determine if social media is what will help your business [24:30] Your audience is looking for honesty from you [27:00] Captioning your videos and youtube shorts [36:10] Mandy’s book review [43:00] One key takeaway from this episode Resources mentioned in this episode: Positioning by Al Ries Connect with Mandy here: https://www.instagram.com/mediamandy/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/amandahoskinson/ https://twitter.com/mediamandy/ http://mandyhoskinsom.com Connect with me Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter Karin on Twitter Karin on LinkedIn Conroy Creative Counsel on Facebook https://conroycreativecounsel.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being a liaison between different practice areas is what the Law Practice Management Section is all about. Catherine Stock and Gabriela Cubeiro talk with section Chair Joy Murao about her mission to offer resources and education to lawyers in need of technology to suit modern legal practice. Joy highlights the Technology Demo Lab, which helps lawyers understand the problems they face in legal practice and discover new solutions. Learn more at: Law Practice Management and Technology - California Lawyers Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When lawyers hear the term "LLM," their first thought may go to a master of law degree that a person earns after law school. However, the acronym also stands for “large language model,” which is technology that generates and creates writing for offerings that include ChatGPT and Google Bard. The technology doesn’t know what is accurate—that’s where lawyers come in—but the writing is impressive, it could make legal writing better and you could even use it as a writing coach, says Greg Sarab, a technologist and a lawyer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The New Lawyers Section aims to connect and support new lawyers in the state of California through events, educational programs, publications, and more! Hosts Lindsey Dean and Emma Raimi-Zlatic talk with incoming section chair Jake Zindulka about the ins and outs of the section and his top advice for new lawyers. He also highlights the importance of networking opportunities and how they help new lawyers develop relationships within the professional community. Get the support you need during the first 8 years of legal practice! Learn more at: New Lawyers - California Lawyers Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Catherine Stock and Kyle Bagshaw welcome Frantz Farreau, new chair of the Real Property Law Section, to discuss valuable takeaways from the conference for real estate attorneys. Frantz discusses the new legal issues arising in this area of the law and highlights events, webinars, practice solutions, and more that his committee provides for members. Learn more at Real Property Law - California Lawyers Association and listen to their podcast-style webinar, What’s Up With Us? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lindsey Dean sits down with CLA President Jeremy Evans and President-Elect Betty Williams to hear about the latest developments within the California Lawyers Association. They discuss the origins of the CLA and its uniquely crafted goals aimed at being a unifying force amongst California attorneys. They also share insights on upcoming projects and future goals. Learn more at: California Lawyers Association Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Technology adeptness doesn’t have to look exactly the same from law firm to law firm. Kristin Hodgins joins Dennis and Tom to share her thoughts on the latest trends in legal technology and effective approaches to tech competence. She also discusses her career path, the distinction between access to justice and access to legal services, ChatGPT, and much more. As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation that you can use the second the podcast ends. Have a technology question for Dennis and Tom? Call their Tech Question Hotline at 720-441-6820 for the answers to your most burning tech questions. Kristin Hodgins is project manager and product owner at Xcential Legislative Technologies. Show Notes - Kennedy-Mighell Report #348 A Segment: Fresh Voices on Legal Tech: Kristin Hodgins B Segment: Continued Discussion with Kristin Hodgins Parting Shots: Design of Everyday Things: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/840.The_Design_of_Everyday_Things?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=jbaeZOMsdZ&rank=1 This is Service Design Doing: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37935807-this-is-service-design-doing?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_28 Ultimate Ears EpicBoom: https://www.ultimateears.com/en-us/wireless-speakers/epicboom-bluetooth.html Dennis Kennedy: Adding a “Group Advisory Layer” to Your Use of Generative AI Tools Through Structured Prompting: https://www.denniskennedy.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/445/2023/09/KIPL-White-Paper-on-Guided-Advisory-Layer-1.0-September-2023-FINAL.pdf More from the Fresh Voices series: Nick Rishwain Amani Smathers Ivy Grey Tiffany Graves Natalie Knowlton Chase Hertel Kristen Sonday Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited doubled down on our Healthy Firm model. But what, exactly, is it? Join us for another stop on our podcast book tour. This week we dive into what it takes to be a Healthy Owner—beyond the traditional concepts of what it means to be “healthy.” Sara talks with Lab Coach and personal injury firm owner Ryan McKeen about making the decision to build a resilience muscle, leveraging the time and talents of others, not letting your 5-year-old-self run your business, and ultimately, letting go of control. Links from the episode: If today’s podcast resonates with you and you haven’t read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Postali & LawPay for sponsoring this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you’re willing to admit it or not, no firm is too small to be a target for hackers. Each and every one—from large firms all the way down to solo attorneys—is susceptible to cybersecurity incidents. So, how do you avoid becoming a statistic? Sharon Nelson and John Simek talk with Mark Bassingthwaighte about the bad tech habits of law firms that lead to breaches and what to do to fix your security vulnerabilities. Check out these resources from today’s conversation: Social Engineering Awareness Training Vishing – An Old Scam with a New Twist KnowBe4 Blog SANS.org OUCH! Newsletter SenseiEnt.com For more on cyber security risk mitigation from ALPS, subscribe to the ALPS Blog at: https://blog.alpsinsurance.com/blog-subscribe Mark Bassingthwaighte, Esq. has been a Risk Manager with ALPS, the nation’s largest direct writer of lawyers’ malpractice insurance, since 1998. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Montana Funk (herself a Canadian living and working in the United States) talks with immigration lawyer Stephanie Baez about the many facets of immigration law—a field that has been in the public eye a lot recently. Immigration law covers an array of niches, including employment and business immigration, student visas, and removal defense—fighting for desperate clients against deportation. Cases range from emotional courtroom litigation to overcoming mountains of paperwork. The field can be rewarding and plays an enormous role in the country’s history and the lives of families today. It is advocacy in the truest sense of the word. The field offers opportunities to serve private, public, and nonprofit interests. Young lawyers could find themselves helping large corporations to attract workers from other countries or working for a nonprofit helping immigrants apply for asylum as protection against dangers in their home countries. Baez describes how she found her way from law school to the fascinating and vital field of immigration law. Guest References: American Bar Association Commission On Immigration, Website American Bar Association Commission On Immigration, LinkedIn American Bar Association Immigration Justice Project San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program Additional Resources Balancing Ethics and Zealous Advocacy for Undocumented Clients In the Trenches: Representing Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers ABA Young Lawyers Division Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In today’s dynamic environment, paralegals and legal assistants have an exciting opportunity to take their careers to the next level. From utilizing AI and machine learning to streamline complex matters to taking on hybrid, leadership or alternative roles, there are many avenues for growth. Learn about opportunities in the current job market as well as the characteristics employers seek most when hiring paralegals and legal assistants. Get tips to broaden your skill set, improve your marketability, and stay ahead of the curve to advance your career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sam Alito might be citing witchhunters from the 1600s as authority on the meaning of the Constitution, but the Fifth Circuit is taking it a step further and fighting over how the Bible might interpret a statute governing class action lawsuits. The MyPillow guy lost his composure in a video deposition for all the world to see. Probably had a bad night's sleep on some lumpy pillows. And it was quite the worrying summer for law students. Summer associates don't trust that they're going to get full-time employment and exploding offers have proliferated throughout the industry. At least one firm with a low retention rate this year still found the time to take everyone to the club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even though you are on opposite sides of the case, having an adversarial relationship with opposing counsel is probably not the best approach for you or your client. Defense attorney Tim Gearin sits down with Erich Vieth and Tim Cronin to discuss why keeping cordial relationships across the aisle is not only polite, but it can also be very productive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you tempted to use AI to write a brief or do your research? You should know what happened to some attorneys who tried to save time and got sanctioned instead. We have our own ideas on how AI should be used in our profession, but just for fun, we asked Chat GPT to join the discussion too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professor and Dean Emerita Lisa Kloppenberg, author of The Best Beloved Thing is Justice: The Life of Dorothy Wright Nelson, discusses her mentor, colleague, and friend. Judge Nelson was a true trailblazer for women in the legal profession. She was one of only two women in her class at the UCLA School of Law and one of the first 14 female tenure-track law professors in the United States. She became one of the first women to lead an American law school as Dean of USC Gould School of Law and later became a distinguished jurist on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. An inspiring story shared by a nationally renowned scholar in her own right, Santa Clara University School of Law Professor and Dean Emerita Lisa Kloppenberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Burnout: It’s real and it can affect all of us. In this episode, Dave invites a panel of experts to tackle this important and potentially damaging syndrome as it affects attorneys who volunteer their time in a pro bono setting. The demands never seem to end, but volunteering is meant to “fill your cup,” not overflow it. A Bloomberg survey found burnout is a major problem, and it’s getting worse among attorneys. For the first time the survey found reports of attorney burnout exceeded 50%. Reports of wellbeing and job satisfaction are in decline too. But it’s not just in corporate practice, burnout affects those who want to volunteer. With so much need it’s easy to forget you’re only one person, and you can’t do it all. How can we get involved in pro bono work without burning out? It can start with being aware of the syndrome, adjusting our workflow to the right level, adopting “virtual” programs to balance time, sharing the load, and focusing on areas of passion. Learn to recognize the signs of burnout in the pro bono space and how you can help yourself, and others, deal with stress and feeling overwhelmed. And for all who volunteer their services to help others: Thank you. Mentioned in this Episode: Bloomberg Law, “How to Rethink and Encourage Attorney Well-Being in Firms” World Health Organization, “Burn-out an occupational phenomenon: International Classification of Diseases” American Bar Association American Bar Association Litigation Section Anne Geraghty Helms previous appearance on Litigation Radio, “The Need For Pro Bono” Children’s Law Center Of Massachusetts American Bar Association Children’s Rights Litigation Committee Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Dave Pederson is the producer of a new film, “Americonned,” that examines how the past few generations of workers have suffered from income inequality and been crushed by big business and its government influence. Wages aren’t keeping up, yet productivity has rocketed, on the backs of the American middle class. The rich are getting richer, the middle class is seeing the bottom drop out. Why? And what do seismic shifts in wealth mean for the future of the middle class, unions, and the lawyers who represent them? Organized labor and a strong middle class have been the drivers of Workers’ Comp protections. Without them, we may need to worry about the future. But as Pederson explains, a renewed interest in union membership and strength could be the turning point for workplace protections. If the American working class is being conned, how can Workers’ Comp lawyers help? Mentioned in this Episode: Pitchfork Economics podcast Laffer Curve Trickle Down Economics explained “Amazon Loses Bid To Overturn Historic Union Win At Staten Island Warehouse,” NPR “UPS Deal Raises The Bar For Worker Demands,” Axios Starbucks Workers United Gaslit Nation podcast Kurt Andersen, “Evil Geniuses,” President Lyndon B. Johnson “War On Poverty” speech “Student Loan Debt Crisis,” Education Data Initiative Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jesse Ringer joins me to talk about optimizing landing pages for SEO success. Jesse Ringer, the founder of Method and Metric, launched the company in 2017. With over 10 years of experience, Jesse has assisted business owners, entrepreneurs, and marketing teams in crafting successful SEO strategies for their respective organizations. Jesse's dedication to progress, the fusion of creativity with data-driven approaches, and a commitment to making technology accessible to all have driven him to establish an agency that prioritizes the ethical and forward-thinking connection between data and people. Widely recognized as a creative problem solver, marketer, and entrepreneur, Jesse has a track record of assembling high-performing teams and achieving remarkable outcomes. In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, characterized by digital transformation and the convenience of online shopping for consumers, there is an increasing demand for businesses to establish a strong online presence. This is precisely where Jesse specializes in helping companies uncover the formula for generating not only increased website traffic but, more importantly, higher revenue. Jesse gives listeners actionable tips on: [0:00] Intro [2:00] What to do if your website isn't revenue generating [3:45] What is a landing page [5:10] Why a one page website is a bad idea [9:10] The purpose of a landing page compared to a service page or blog post [10:55] How to use AI with landing pages, blog posts, and other content. [13:55] Mistakes people make on their landing pages [16:00] How to build a sales sequence with different types of pages [22:05] Analytics, ads, and what people get wrong [25:30] How to use google analytics to help your customer journey [32:40] Leveraging a page that is gaining traction [33:50] Jesse’s book review [38:50] One big tip to gain from this conversation Resources mentioned in this episode: Living in Data by Jer Thorp Connect with Jesse here: https://www.instagram.com/methodandmetric https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesseringer/ https://methodandmetric.com Connect with me Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter Karin on Twitter Karin on LinkedIn Conroy Creative Counsel on Facebook https://conroycreativecounsel.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As law students learn to be lawyers, some feel that they lose themselves—that their prior creative, dynamic individuality is slowly replaced by an unrecognizable law school robot. If you’ve experienced this disorienting feeling, you’re not alone. Host Leah Haberman is joined by Professor Michelle Falkoff of Northwestern University to talk about how to hang on to your creativity in law school. In their conversation, they examine the art of communication through legal writing and how originality and personal authenticity help you become an even better lawyer. This episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast is full of new voices! Faculty host Professor Todd Berger is joined by student hosts Leah Haberman and Chay Rodriguez for a new season of episodes focusing on topics important to today’s law students. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Be honest! Have you ever muttered or thought someone was being “such a Millennial” or “ok, Boomer!” Yes? Then, this episode is for you as Stephanie dives into generational differences with Katherine Jeffery, a generational strategist. It turns out, these labels aren’t just excuses for behavior. There are real differences in the way each generation was raised that show up in the skill sets and abilities they bring to the workplace. Listen to find out how bathrooms might be impacting your team’s skills and much more! Links from the episode: Learn more about working with Katherine here If today’s podcast resonates with you and you haven’t read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Postali & LawPay for sponsoring this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let’s talk AI. Guests Nina Steinbrecker Jack and Ed Walters worked from the start to build Fastcase, now merged with international legal research firm vLex, striving to make legal research faster, better, and cheaper. Digging through law books is so 2010. Under the merger, incorporating generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), lawyers today have fingertip access to not only U.S. case law but also international law. We’re witnessing a revolution in the use of generative AI, often producing results so good that it’s hard to determine what was written by a human and what was generated by the program. This is becoming the bedrock of legal research, saving attorneys time and money, allowing them work on strategy and building cases instead of hunting for case law. But regular, layman’s, AI is still experiencing some hiccups, “hallucinating” incorrect information as it struggles to learn. Breaking news only on New Solo: Coming soon to vLex and Fastcase, an AI Lab is developing a new class of AI built just for law, globally, called (for now) “Research Assistant.” This new level of AI will be so up to date it will include cases decided in as little as 12 hours prior to each request, fully vetted and referenced. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected] Topics: Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a great tool, but it’s also prone to errors. One popular tool, ChatGPT, is fun, but it’s not for legal research. Can lawyers trust an AI program to create bullet-proof results? Breaking news on New Solo: Coming soon, vLex and Fastcase legal research together have built an AI Lab developing a new class of AI honed just for law, globally, tentatively called “Research Assistant.” AI results you can trust. AI is not going away. If you’re not keeping up, you’re falling behind. Get involved and stay current. The world of computer assisted legal research is blowing up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chuki Obiyo has made a science of growing law firm businesses, with plenty of research to back up his time-tested strategies. Jared talks with Obiyo about how to form deeper connections with your network, tips for start-up firms, and leveraging social media and other technology to promote business growth. Later, who knew September had so many stupid holidays? Apparently, Jared did, so you’re in for a treat on the Rump Roast. Jared and Chuki play “Fake-Ass Holidays" to showcase September’s plethora of silly celebrations. And, Jimmy Buffet had a life well-lived. Jared pays homage to the late musician, highlighting his greatest songs, memorable collaborations, and more. Chuki Obiyo is managing director of business development at Vedder Price. ----- We talked about the recent passing of Jimmy Buffett. So, let's pour out a little rum for our fallen homie. ----- Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. Our closing track is Kokobongo by Alessandro Gugel. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In our latest chat, we discuss Biglaw strip club outings, Jeff Clark taking time away from his indictment to be an idiot online, and associates unhappy with a law firm's office tracker. ----- Gunderson Dettmer got a lot of flack on Reddit from folks accusing the firm of hosting a summer event at a strip club. It wasn't a strip club, but it was a nightclub with scantily clad go-go dancers, which doesn't make it much better from the perspective of a harassment-free work environment. And after making it rain at the club, the firm ended up no-offering a bunch of summers anayway. Jeff Clark took shots at Neal Katyal on social media. He missed. And Goodwin unveiled an office presence tool to let folks know who is in and out of the office at all times. Folks don't seem happy about it, but is it just the price we pay for hybrid work? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Made you look! It’s hard to stand out in a sea of lawyer billboards, but, for better or for worse, some lawyers really make a splash. Later, a performance and brand advertising romance. ----- Let’s take a look at a few lawyers’ arguably tacky billboard tactics. Gyi and Conrad examine the case of Morgan & Morgan and their recent “graffitied” billboards stunt. The legal community has pegged this as an embarrassment to the profession, but it’s hard to argue with that kind of exposure. Is their strategy utterly tasteless or a genius move? Later, performance marketing is nicely quantifiable and efficient, but brand marketing eschews measurability, preferring to just stay frustratingly fuzzy. So, are these two approaches at odds with each other? Actually, no! The guys dig in deeper to help you understand how these strategies work in tandem to improve upon each other and grow your business. The News: Apparently, now’s the time for consolidations and acquisitions: EverService acquired iLawyer Marketing Best Lawyers buys Good2bSocial And, in other news: In an LHLM exclusive (probably), Filevine is going through growing pains some (Gyi) have likened to a dumpster fire. Survey: 51% of Gen Z women prefer TikTok, not Google, for search Mentioned in this Episode: Varner Faddis Elite Legal — F*** Around and Find Out Bryan Wilson — Texas Law Hawk Corri Fetman & Kelly Garland — Life is short. Get a divorce. Leave Us an Apple Review Lunch Hour Legal Marketing now on YouTube Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you are in college or considering a mid-life career change, choosing to go to law school is a big decision. We’ll share some of the pros and cons of our profession and offer a few questions you should ask yourself before you decide to join us in this noble and sometimes gnarly career. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, working from home and communicating and collaborating via real-time communication tools has become the norm for many law firms and offices. The benefits of such arrangements are obvious. However, some firms, including several of the largest in the country, have begged to differ. Citing a need to maintain or preserve office culture and strengthen personal connections, these firms are now mandating at least four days in the office per week. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve probably made lists of how to win your case, but Alvin Wolff suggests it may be more beneficial to consider 20 ways to lose. Hear the rest of Alvin’s tried and true rules from real life courtroom experiences in Part Two of our discussion. We’re pretty sure at least one of these tips will help you be a better attorney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Experts discuss disaster preparedness and the role of civil legal aid in recovery on LSC’s “Talk Justice” podcast. September is National Disaster Preparedness Month. Since 2022 the federal government has issued more than 75 major disaster declarations across the U.S. and its territories. Yet even with the increasing frequency and ferocity of natural disasters, the overwhelming majority of Americans are unprepared if disaster strikes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: Our first topic is how to use vacations – including your own breaks – to affirm company culture. How do you get away without fully abandoning ship and leaving your team to fend for itself? You encourage team members to take vacations to renew and regroup, but what about you as the leader of the firm? Company culture starts at the top. Prevent your email and calendar from running your life and set your own priorities. Don’t let your email own you, and certainly don’t let your team run your life. You run your life. You run your firm. (It’s harder than that sounds When is it appropriate to let an employee know the relationship isn’t working and it’s time to part ways? And, what’s an appropriate severance package Plus, let’s talk about how to grade support staff. Set expectations and reasonable goals so staffers know what’s expected and you know what to expect. Mentioned in this Episode: “Come Up For Air,” by Nick Sonnenberg “We Have Met The Enemy And He Is Us,” Pogo by Walt Kelly Join the next Community Table live! What’s on your mind? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn to manage the data your law firm already creates to make better business and strategic decisions. Zack talks with Joyce Brafford, from CosmoLex, about how internal analytics can drive your marketing decisions, firm growth, and processes. Links from the episode: Grow Your Law Firm with Data-Drive Decisions 10 Metrics Law Firms Should Track Identify Key Metrics to Determine Your Law Firm's Success QuickBooks vs. CosmoLex: Keeping Eyes on Your Business Health with Advanced Reporting Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ross McDaniel shares his insights on growing your firm through local SEO. Ross McDaniel is a dynamic strategist with a rich history of amplifying both local stores and mega brands. Ross is an advocate for the prosperity of local businesses, believing they are the heart and soul of thriving communities. As the founder of Fencepost and the Local Growth Formula, Ross connects quality home service businesses with the best customers. His mission? Foster community growth by championing local service providers and helping the best customers find them. Ross McDaniel, not just a strategist, but a community ally. Ross gives listeners actionable tips on: [0:00] Intro [1:40] How he sees local SEO work for his clients [5:10] The power of answering your phone [7:10] First step in getting into local SEO [11:50] Understanding local SEO metrics [17:05] Optimizing for mobile [19:15] Four key ingredients of growth [24:50] Being able to take critical feedback [26:00] Using social proof to boost conversions [27:40] Ross’ book review [29:00] One key takeaway from this episode Resources mentioned in this episode: From Poop to Gold by Chris Jones Connect with Ross here: https://www.facebook.com/fencepostads https://www.instagram.com/fencepost.co/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lrmcdaniel/ https://twitter.com/therossmcdaniel https://fencepost.co Connect with me Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter Karin on Twitter Karin on LinkedIn Conroy Creative Counsel on Facebook https://conroycreativecounsel.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The legal profession places an enormous premium on getting judicial clerkships, which usually offer both valuable learning experiences and a major boost to a young lawyer’s future prospects. But, are there potential downsides to clerkships? Some law clerks have a wonderful experience, but too many have had an experience marked by harassment and mistreatment at the hands of an abusive judge. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway welcome Aliza Shatzman to talk about her personal story and her efforts to bring transparency and awareness about the full range of clerkship experiences to lift current stigmas and prevent future judiciary workplace mistreatment. Aliza Shatzman is the president and co-founder of the Legal Accountability Project. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is our current approach to legal tech education helping or hurting lawyers? Dennis and Tom think through this question out loud, pondering whether lawyers can truly learn what they need to know through the typical legal tech conference session or CLE class. The guys might not agree, but they hash out their thoughts on learning opportunities, tech engagement, new approaches to tech-ed resources, and more. Later, time for another round of Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down! Dennis reveals his latest scheme for creating better legal profession standards for technology competence, placing both Tom and himself on a “task force” of sorts. Does Tom want to join in on this tech-competence dictatorship? Tune in to find out. As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation that you can use the second the podcast ends. Have a technology question for Dennis and Tom? Call their Tech Question Hotline at 720-441-6820 for the answers to your most burning tech questions. As Dennis mentioned, be sure to check out episodes from the Fresh Voices Series: Nick Rishwain Amani Smathers Ivy Grey Tiffany Graves Natalie Knowlton Chase Hertel Kristen Sonday Show Notes - Kennedy-Mighell Report #347 A Segment: Learning at Legal Tech Conferences B Segment: Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down Parting Shots: Notebook LM: https://notebooklm.google/ Displaying and Evidencing Contract Terms in a Post-Visual Era” - https://www.michiganstatelawreview.org/vol-20222023/2023/4/6/displaying-and-evidencing-contract-terms-in-a-post-visual-era; LTRC Roundtable Discussion: Phishing and Email Scams - https://www.lawtechnologytoday.org/2023/08/ltrc-roundtable-discussion-phishing-and-email-scams/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephanie talks with our new Lawyerist Lab business coach, Leticia DeSuze, about what is holding most business owners back and how working with a business coach can help. They also explore why it is time to be radically honest with ourselves about what we are—and aren’t—willing to do. Links from the episode: If today’s podcast resonates with you and you haven’t read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Postali & LawPay for sponsoring this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new set of laws has just been enacted by the 88th Texas Legislature, and the September 2023 edition of the Texas Bar Journal is chock full of informative articles on these changes. To look at some of these laws in greater detail, Rocky Dhir welcomes Kristal Thomson and Jerry Bullard to discuss their articles on the areas of family law and civil litigation/appellate law, respectively. Tune in to keep ahead of the latest updates! Kristal explains what did and didn’t change for the Texas Family Code and other updates for family lawyers, and Jerry offers pertinent information for civil trial and appellate practitioners. Kristal C. Thomson is a partner in the family law practice group of the firm Langley & Banack in San Antonio. Jerry D. Bullard is a shareholder in the Grapevine firm of Adams, Lynch & Loftin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Also, how to create a culture that welcomes Biglaw vacations. ------ Amy Coney Barrett recently spoke publicly about how she longs for the days when most Americans couldn't recognize Supreme Court justices, highlighting that justices don't have to be there long for a culture of unaccountability to set in. Speaking of which, the majority of Clarence Thomas's former clerks signed an open letter shrugging off his ethical problems. But the real question is... did any of them bother to read a draft before signing on? And a managing partner wrote the firm about the virtues of taking a real vacation and got some blowback from attorneys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“A client who has been through several lawyers is probably a client you wish you didn’t have.” St. Louis plaintiff Attorney Alvin Wolff has been practicing for over four decades and his entertaining tips offer wit and wisdom for any attorney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s infuriating when opposing counsel refuses to pick depo dates, makes excuses to delay proceedings or just plain ghosts you. We believe justice delayed is justice denied, and hope today’s tips can help you push your case forward when the other side digs in with common delay tactics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As both an attorney and judge, Thomas Moukawsher has spent the majority of his career dealing in complex litigation. And the Connecticut Superior Court judge would like to make the legal system—well, less complex. In this episode of the Modern Law Library, Moukawsher and the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles discuss his ideas and his new book, The Common Flaw: Needless Complexity in the Courts and 50 Ways to Reduce It. Instead of advocating for legislation to simplify the court process, Moukawsher says many of his ideas could be immediately put into practice by judges. Many of Moukawsher's theories were developed in the wake of having to make changes in court proceedings during the COVID-19 pandemic while court buildings were closed. He says being forced to reexamine the habitual ways cases were heard was actually beneficial. Realizing how much could be conducted remotely gave him confidence that broader systemic changes in that direction are worth trying. One such suggestion is to conduct more jury trials remotely to increase juror numbers and diversity. The Common Flaw contains many concrete suggestions for lawyers and attorneys to streamline trials, but it was also written to be enjoyed by the public, Moukawsher tells Rawles. To that end, concepts are liberally illustrated with cartoons, and despite having 51 chapters, the book is not doorstopper-length. Speaking of length, one of Moukawsher's largest concerns is that the length of time many cases drag on decreases public confidence in the legal system as a whole. He says he sees this often in family court, where conflicts that could be handled in weeks stretch out through months or years and can lead to bankruptcy. He and Rawles also discuss his thoughts on the billable hour; how his ADHD helped him prune away unnecessary flummery in court processes; how he would rethink the job duties of law clerks; and his top tips for not fumbling cross-examinations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices