Legal Talk Network - Law News and Legal Topics

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

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

What’s up at the U.S. Supreme Court, which has rocked the legal world with a conservative majority rolling back rights the rights of minorities, including 2023 rulings against affirmative action for college admissions and affirming the rights of business owners to deny service to LGBTQ patrons based on religious beliefs. Guest Stephen Vladeck is a professor of law, nationally recognized expert on constitutional law and the Supreme Court, and the author of the book “The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic.” The Supreme Court has been exposed in recent years as an institution unbound by checks and balances and appears unaccountable to anyone. The Court regularly shapes the American system of justice through a “shadow docket,” decisions and rules made apart from headline cases. Are we witnessing a crisis in the judicial branch? Is this a Court that can do what it wants when it wants? What happens to ethics, accountability, improprieties? Plus, tips about discovery and the potential pitfalls of third-party collaboration apps (such as Slack and Teams). Hear what rules apply, and which ones don’t. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Supreme Court Correspondent Nina Totenberg discusses her fifty-year career as a reporter covering some of the most important Supreme Court decisions of our time. As a front-row witness to history, with unique access to Supreme Court Justices and Washington D.C. policymakers, Nina joins SideBar cohosts Jackie Gardina and Mitch Winick to discuss the importance of building relationships - with the Court - within the Court - and most importantly, with the public. Along with Susan Stamberg, Cokie Roberts, and Linda Wertheimer, Nina was one of the "Four Mothers of National Public Radio" who laid the foundation of one of the most respected news organizations in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Marcus Ohanesian joins me to teach lawyers and law firms how to reduce the visual strain of cluttered websites. Meet Marcus, the proud owner of Perfect Evolution, a seasoned branding and web designer who's equally passionate about sipping craft beer, savoring coffee, and relishing sandwiches. With extensive experience in the realm of visual design and project management, Marcus specializes in crafting polished, captivating, and informative design journeys tailored for small enterprises. Marcus possesses the unique skill of transforming your ideas into reality, working in close partnership with you to encapsulate your distinct visual identity. Every project undertaken by Perfect Evolution reflects the culmination of Marcus's creative prowess and technical finesse, honed over two decades of immersion in the world of visual marketing. This rich experience empowers their clients to shine through arresting design, garnering attention from a wider audience of potential customers. Marcus gives listeners actionable tips on: [0:00] Intro [2:25] Biggest problem visually that people do with their website [6:10] What is the happening in the mind of the user when you overload your website [8:45] How to communicate with your customer without overly using legal jargon [12:40] Directing a conversation with an overwhelmed potential client that may not understand legal terms [15:50] Website design best practices [18:00] Developing baseline analytics [19:55] Tips for evaluating your website [22:40] Problematic aspects on a website [25:00] Why ‘white space’ is so important [30:15] Tips for branding your website, including logos and fonts [36:45] How branding impacts website conversions [38:10] Tracking clicks, CTAS, and understanding where traffic comes from [42:50] Marcus’ book review [47:35] One key takeaway from this episode Resources mentioned in this episode: Stories that Stick by Kindra Hall Connect with Marcus here: https://www.instagram.com/perfectevodesign/ https://www.twitter.com/perfevolution https://www.linkedin.com/company/perfect-evolution/ https://www.perfectevolution.xyz/ 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

It’s been 563 days, but we’re finally back in the Playroom with musical guest Mark Oblinger. Mark holds the double distinction of being an Emmy-winning/Grammy-nominated musician AND having a longtime connection with this very podcast! Tune in for Jared and Mark’s chat about his colorful career in music and audio. Mark highlights his time playing with bands like Firefall and Pure Prairie League, his successful stint in the tv-music world, and his current budding career as a solo artist. And then, the good stuff! Mark performs two of his songs live, including his slightly darker, melancholy version of the classic hit “Amie” by Pure Prairie League. Learn more about Mark and his upcoming tours and projects at: https://markoblinger.com/ ----- Mark's done us the kindness of putting together an absolutely stellar playlist for our enjoyment. Check out some of the songs that inspire his work and maybe become inspired as well. ----- Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. Our closing track is Little Bird from Mark's 2019 album High Water Line. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With primaries set to start in spring of 2024, an upcoming presidential election, and a number of federal & state indictments against former President Trump, including the January 6th indictment, section 3 of the 14th amendment has taken center stage. It reads "no person who has taken an oath as an officer of the United States can hold office if they “have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof”. So, will Section 3 of the 14th Amendment actually impact the presidential election and eliminate Donald Trump from the running? In this episode, host Craig Williams is joined by guest Ron Fein, the Legal Director for Free Speech For People. as they spotlight Section 3 and what this could mean for the upcoming presidential election. Mentioned in this Episode: The Sweep and Force of Section 3 by William Baude and Michael Stokes Paulsen The Constitution Prohibits Trump From Ever Being President Again by J. Michael Luttig and Laurence H. Tribe Conservative Case Emerges to Disqualify Trump for Role on Jan. 6 by Adam Liptak The 14Point3 Campaign Trump is Disqualified Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Business owners often hear the advice: “hire help and delegate!” In this episode, Stephanie talks with entrepreneur Dan Martell about why you should hire to buy back your time. Learn how small shifts in how you think as a business owner can make big impacts on your business—and your happiness! To start, Dan shares why it’s time for lawyers to let go of their inboxes and calendars. We know why you think that is impossible but listen to hear why it is essential. 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

Lee Sale from Expert Service Provider S-E-A discusses the investigations of crane-related accidents and the impact on claims. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A little Broadway for this week's title. ----- Law firm productivity is down, but are we really worried about that? It's a traditional harbinger of layoffs, though something about this market feels a bit different. Meanwhile, a right-wing advocacy group has sued a pair of Biglaw firms for offering fellowship programs aimed at improving diversity -- offering a lesson in forum shopping along the way. Finally, former ASS Law professor Joshua Wright brought a defamation suit against former students for harming his professional reputation. He admits that, as a married professor, he was sleeping with multiple students simultaneously but seems to think that's NOT the part that ruins his reputation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you apologize for moving a meeting or asking a legitimate question? Apologizing can be a knee jerk reaction that implies a weak position, or it can be a powerful tool to get what you want. We’ll discuss when it’s appropriate to apologize and how to do it without diminishing your self-worth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The corporate rep depo is a powerful tool to expand discovery and solidify facts in your case. Today’s discussion covers what information you should seek in a corporate rep depo, effective ways to organize comprehensive topics and questions, and how to address common objections. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Matthew Stafford joins me to talk about SEO, and we dig deep to uncover how it works beyond traffic. Matthew Stafford is the CEO and Owner of Build Grow Scale and the mad scientist behind the data and development of BGS’s Revenue Optimization TM system. He has a keen eye for impediments in the customer journey, is excellent at interpreting data to find diamonds in the rough, and can see things from a business owner’s perspective, having run his own companies for the past 27 years. Although he won’t tell you himself, he is known as the top Shopify optimization expert in the game, with nearly a billion dollars worth of data over the last ten years alone. He spends a ton of time turning people away. But we are excited to have him here to share the wins and, more importantly, some of the losses from all this data. Matthew gives listeners actionable tips on: [0:00] Intro [2:05] The most important metrics to pay attention to [4:20] How to streamline your website for better conversions without expending extra energy [9:30] Tips to optimize your call to action buttons [12:20] What to track and pay attention to in terms of analytics [16:40] Prioritizing optimization [18:40] How local search plays into higher conversion rates [26:50] SEO know, like and trust factors [28:30] Creating your authentic voice and personality with AI [30:55] Matthew’s book recommendation [33:35] One big takeaway from this episode [35:20] Optimizing your website for mobile Resources mentioned in this episode: 10x is Easier than 2x by Dan Sullivan Connect with Matthew here: https://www.instagram.com/matthewstafford815/ https://twitter.com/BuildGrowScale https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewstafforddotcom/ https://www.facebook.com/matthewjacobstafford https://buildgrowscale.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

After almost 40 years on the bench, Judge Pauline Newman of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has sued her chief, two judge colleagues and the Federal Circuit Judicial Council, following a court committee interview and a medical records request, which she denied, and a suggestion that she should be suspended from work for one year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nearly every person has had the frustrating experience of being told that an appliance or piece of electronic equipment cannot be repaired. Why are we told that a laptop cannot be repaired when the battery dies or that our dishwasher needs to be replaced when the electronic control panel malfunctions? In this episode, hosts Trisha Rich and Jennifer Byrne chat with Gay Gordon-Byrne, founder of the Digital Right to Repair Coalition (repair.org), about the far-reaching economic and environmental benefits of empowering consumers by protecting their right to repair their own stuff. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nick Rishwain joins the guys as another fresh voice on the current happenings in legal technology. Nick shares his approach to helping attorneys understand and make the most of legal tech and discusses areas where competence still has a long way to go. Later, Dennis & Tom pick his brain on AI, blockchain, collaboration, exciting new startups, social media, 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. Nick Rishwain is Vice President of business development and relations at Experts.com. Show Notes - Kennedy-Mighell Report #346 Show Notes - Kennedy-Mighell Report #346 A Segment: Fresh Voices on Legal Tech - Nick Rishwain Experts.com B Segment: More with Nick Rishwain Parting Shots: Experts.com Readwise Reader Getting Things Done Method Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kirk Simoneau joins Sara to explore client experience design and accessibility. Sharing his journey from trauma survivor to lawyer, Kirk emphasizes the importance of understanding the client's perspective and creating a personalized and empathetic client experience. He advocates customizing spaces and communication to clients’ individual needs, but for taking on pro bono work and representing people with disabilities, as it can be both financially rewarding and make a positive impact. You’ll also learn the origins of his firm’s name, "Red Sneaker Law." Links from the episode: Lawyerist LabCon Red Sneaker Law 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

AI is capable of doing so many things in the legal tech world, not least of which are its uses in digital forensics. Sharon Nelson and John Simek welcome Shashi Angadi to discuss AI’s current applications in cybersecurity—including threat detection, analysis, evidence gathering, and more. Shashi offers real-world examples of AI at work and shares his thoughts on what we might expect in the future of generative AI technologies. Shashi Angadi is CTO at Exterro and one of its original co-founders. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Alexandra Graves tells her story, and it’s unreal. Bad things happen to good people. She was experiencing headaches and vision issues as a 2L and discovered she had a brain tumor. She needed neurosurgery and had to withdraw from classes. Then she started over. If you hit obstacles, and you will, you can overcome them. Life can throw you for a loop. You can fight back. You are not alone. Graves’ story is an inspiring tale of pursuing dreams, no matter what. She took a step back and went back to law school. But while studying for the bar, her brain tumor came back, and she failed the exam. Anyone can fail because of medical issues or other distractions. Failing the bar, for whatever reason, hurts. But it’s not the end of the world, and you can regroup and pass if you don’t give up. Through it all, Graves learned what’s important to her. She set her priorities (she loves spending life with her animals, especially her new baby donkey, and being close to her family). Do what you love and love what you do. Don’t sweat the small stuff (or even some of the big stuff). You got this. Plus, an update on some big legal rulings: Andy Warhol, Prince, Fair Use, NIL rules (College athletes), and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Fifth Circuit judge made a bunch of headlines last week and we jump into all of them. Plus Texas's use of water saws and Ron De Santis isn't faring well in his battle with Disney. (Always bet on Mickey.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your product liability case isn’t just about a single product. Design changes, comparable models, previous incidents and marketing materials should be carefully examined to find the potential flaw or “profit over people” claim for liability. We’ll offer more tips on where to look to find this information and how to use it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to the Humane Society, 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs every year in the United States. Today we take a look at the laws regarding responsible pet ownership, including what constitutes vicious propensity and what your insurance may or may not cover if you or your dog is injured by another person’s pet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s time for the Modern Law Library’s summer recommendations episode, in which host Lee Rawles shares her pop culture picks with you, plus a re-airing of one of our older episodes with current relevance. This year, that episode is our 2018 interview with Kathryne M. Young about How to Be Sort of Happy in Law School. Young used her background in sociology to gather data from students, alumni, faculty and law-school dropouts on their experiences during and after law school. Based on her findings—and her own experiences as a law student and professor—she offers advice on protecting your mental health; choosing courses and activities to pursue; managing the practical aspects of your household and budget; and forming relationships with mentors and peers. She also discusses how to decide when if it’s time to leave law school altogether. Rawles also shares some favorites from what she’s been reading, watching and listening to since our 2022 year-end pop culture picks episode. If you have your own favorite reads so far in 2023, send your recommendations to [email protected] with a brief description, and we may choose to highlight them on our social media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does SEO demand that you prune old content from your website? And, Gyi and Conrad pick The Face and The Guest during round 3 of the marketing dream team draft. ----- Improving your SEO performance is always a good idea, but there have been disagreements of late as to whether deleting underperforming content is a means to that end. So, what’s the deal? Should you, indeed, prune legacy content? As usual, the answer may not be black and white, but Gyi and Conrad draw from their years of experience to explain how to analyze performance in order to decide what to do with older content. Later, time for round three of drafting your marketing dream team! Conrad picks The Face—an individual your law firm puts forward to rally affinity toward your business. Gyi picks… The Guest! Who’s that? Someone whose respected expertise translates into podcasts, events, speaking engagements, and more. The News: So, CNET is deleting old articles to try to improve its Google Search ranking. Google’s Danny Sullivan and John Mueller say, “No, absolutely not”, but Gyi and Conrad say, “Hmm…” Also sensational—The ABA just pulled an Op-Ed on lawyer reforms —what’s that all about? Lawmatics has some cool new features, and so does CallRail Labs. Could it be that they both listened to this LHLM? Mentioned in this Episode: Our other Marketing Dream Team picks: Round 1 Round 2 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

Experts from Bay Area Legal Services and Florida Youth SHINE discuss developments in access to legal information for foster youth on LSC's “Talk Justice” podcast. A new website and app, FosterPower, enables Florida’s foster youth to easily access information on their rights, and the state of Florida has passed a bill requiring more information for foster youth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn how MeanPug, a law firm marketing company, manages a multitude of projects, tasks, and workflows within their company. Listen-in as Zack talks with founding partner, Bobby Steinbach, about their project management software journey. And learn how you can use project management concepts to drive efficiency and productivity in your firm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is your marketing missing a key component, say, a way to reach Spanish speaking audiences? Many attorneys miss a large segment of their community that wants legal services, if only they would reach out. Guest Hugo Gomez founded and leads Abogados Now, a digital marketing company that helps connect attorneys in the U.S. with the Spanish-speaking communities around them. This is about more than hiring a translator, this is about understanding different cultures and reaching out to them. Go beyond adding a “Google Translate” button to your website. What works in English often doesn’t work in another language. Even in Spanish the language and nuances vary from country to country, community to community. Think it doesn’t matter? The Spanish speaking market is the fastest growing segment in the U.S., and nearly 1 in 5 people in the country have connections to Spanish speaking communities. The numbers don’t lie. It’s a massive market. But it’s not easy, and it takes experts who understand the cultures. Reaching out, effectively, to the Spanish speaking markets in your area can be your competitive edge. Learn the steps you can take to establish an entirely new arm to your marketing and the services you provide and the people you help. Learn about adding a layer of authenticity, understanding, and honest representation. What works, where do you present yourself, and how do you reach these markets? Mentioned in this Episode: Law360, “Abogados Now Founder On Reaching Spanish Speakers” Join The Un-Billable Hour Community Table Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jessica Aries joins me to talk about social media growth hacks and how lawyers can leverage the digital space, master the right platform for them, and create massive impact with their clients. Jessica is a lawyer turned digital marketer who helps lawyers simplify their digital marketing to build consistent visibility and profitable practice. A former in-house legal marketer at some of the largest and fastest-growing firms in the world, Jessica understands the pressures lawyers face and strives to help them perfect their digital presence to build relationships, develop new opportunities, and transform their approach to marketing in an easy and approachable way. Jessica gives listeners actionable tips on: [0:00] Intro [3:30] Diversifying your content strategy [4:45] How to know if a platform is worth investing energy into [8:35] How AI has taken over [10:45] Her agency’s main social media platforms and why [12:40] Strategies for repurposing content [14:45] Advice for staying professional while keeping up with trends [20:10 How messaging changes on each platform [24:35] The consumption of video content [29:25] Telling clients they don't need to use a platform just because their competitors do it [38:30] Is there a benefit to still using Facebook [43:40] Jessica’s book review [47:40] One big takeaway from this episode Resources mentioned in this episode: Tomorrow’s Lawyers by Richard Susskind Connect with Jessica here: https://www.instagram.com/byariesmarketing/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicaaries/ https://www.facebook.com/byariesmarketing https://www.byaries.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

Lawyers, you really actually do need to use KPIs—that’s Key Performance Indicators for those of you who *still* haven’t kept up with good business practices. Do it! And, Jared’s here to help with a breakdown of the 5 KPI categories you need to start keeping track of, like, yesterday. Next, software demos! If you’re paralyzed with indecision about what software to use, a demo could help, but only if you ask good questions throughout the process. Jared welcomes Andreas Becker to talk about the importance of planning and strategizing to gain the knowledge you need to solve problems and increase productivity with new software. And, the Rump Roast takes yet another new turn, this time leaving us with Jared & Andreas dreaming about the songs they’d love to use in their podcasts if royalties weren’t a thing. Andreas Becker is director of business development of Lawyaw at Clio. ----- If we had no limit on the money we could spend for music, can you just imagine what music we'd use on this show. Well, IMAGINE NO MORE! Andreas and I share our dream picks for podcast music. ----- Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. Our closing track is Chillabye by Midnight Daydream. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Craig is away on a well-deserved vacation, we wanted to do things a little bit differently, and share with you one of our favorite episodes from the Chicago Bar Association’s @the Bar podcast. This episode is Defending Against Domestic Violent Extremism: A Discussion with Brian Michael Jenkins. We hope you enjoy it! ----- In this episode, host Jonathan Amarilio speaks with one of the world’s leading authorities on terrorism and the man famously known for predicting 9/11, Brian Michael Jenkins of the RAND Corporation. They discuss Mr. Jenkins’ historical work as an advisor to many U.S. Presidents and governments on terrorism, as well as the current state of domestic political violence and terrorism in America. In this riveting discussion, Mr. Jenkins shares his advice for how we can develop a pragmatic strategy to combat the rising tide of violence in today’s tumultuous world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stephanie talks with Eric Webber about the silent addiction of gambling. In this episode, we explore why you can’t go anywhere or watch a sporting event without hearing betting terms. Online gambling has become all the rage, but it is not without potential dangers. Especially in a profession like law where attorneys have access to client’s money, problems can turn problematic quickly. Learn more about what is triggered in the brain during gambling, what signs to watch for, and how to know when to suggest help for a colleague or yourself. Understanding this part of addiction is part of nurturing our healthy team. Links from the episode: Caron Treatment Center Judge and Lawyer Assistance Program 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

Lawyers are often confused about the best and safest ways to share files with clients. Are standalone file sharing tools best? Should every lawyer have a client portal? Is email okay? Sharon Nelson and John Simek have an in-depth conversation with Roberta Tepper about everything you need to know about ethical, secure file sharing solutions. Roberta Tepper is the Chief Member Services Officer at the State Bar of Arizona. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know the legal writing classes you took in law school? There’s a lot more to learn, and with a few steps, you can get better – and get better results. Guest Chris Schandevel is the “Brief-Writing Ninja” and passionate writing clear, simple, concise legal briefs that win over courts. Courthouses are busy places. Judges and clerks deal with a lot of distractions and competing demands. Make your briefs stand out boy making them easier to read and follow. Any jargon, excessive footnotes, parentheticals, and asides just add to the chaos and detract from your argument. Good writing, formatting, and attention to detail matter. Schandevel has created an easy-to-use, three-page style guide for legal writing and clear formatting. You don’t need to use fancy words to sell your case. Clear, simple language and a clean story help the court understand your argument and see your point. Take a deep dive into the art and artistry of writing and presenting a legal brief at the highest levels, and get some tips you can start using today. (Plus, do you know the official preferred font of the U.S. Supreme Court?) Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected] Topics: Judges aren’t impressed with fancy words and jargon. A clear, easy-to-read legal brief is easier to follow to the conclusion you want your reader to reach. Learn to remove barriers to the reader such as excessive footnotes, lengthy sentences and changes in “voice.” And do use the Oxford comma! What is the “cleaned up parenthetical?” (And how is it being adopted at the highest levels of the law?) Find out. Mentioned in this Episode: BriefCatch software “Think Commas Don't Matter? Omitting One Cost A Maine Dairy Company $5 Million” “Cleaning Up Quotations” by Jack Metzler in The Journal of Appellate Law Practice and Process “Legal Writing: Font Matters,” Thomson Reuters Legal Office Guru Legal Office Guru’s Deborah Savadra on New Solo, “Word Up 2: Creating Tables of Authority with Ease” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And they're running out of a bunch of lawyers. A surprising level of jerk content this week as we discuss the value of real Jamaican jerk seasoning, Clarence Thomas getting his RV financed by a health care executive, Alan Dershowitz complaining about his neighbors, and Judge Aileen Cannon botching straightforward criminal law (more than once). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, lawyers who worked in BigLaw could expect some version of the following: Work long hours, including nights and weekends, with minimal free time, giving up almost all semblances of a social life. The reward: money and a potential partnership. And if you didn’t like it, there was the door. And if you were having mental health or wellness issues, then suck it up and deal with it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liability waivers appear all around us…..on amusement park tickets, at ax throwing establishments, prior to medical procedures and maybe even as a requirement from your son’s friend’s parents before that weekend party at their lake house. Are these documents really enforceable, or are they just toothless deterrents? And should you sign them? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The scope of your pleadings dictates the scope of your discovery, and it’s important to make sure your pleadings are broad enough to allow discovery into all the product issues you need to explore. This two-part discussion outlines a discovery checklist for product liability cases, including what documents and persons may be pertinent to your case and how to track them down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Berkeley Research Group (BRG) is a Premier Sponsor of the ABA Litigation Section. On this Litigation Radio episode, we will hear from Richard Finkelman, Managing Director of BRG, about hiring economists as experts. The selection of the BRG as the subject of this interview should not be construed as an endorsement by the American Bar Association of BRG and its services. ----- Is your firm using Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Should it be? AI is expected to have a profound impact on the practice of law. Lawyers are already using AI in their practices to review documents and conduct research. Yet, as the technology emerges, there are ethical, privacy, and practical concerns. Guest Richard Finkelman of the global consulting firm Berkeley Research Group (BRG) is an expert in AI applications in the legal profession. Finkelman is sees AI and machine learning already widely in use, specifically in e-discovery and document review. Four out of five legal firms surveyed by BRG employ AI in some capacity. This is the stuff of today, not the future. AI can already determine if a document is subject to privilege, pinpoint which documents need review, and even scan expert testimony (yours and theirs) for red flags. This speeds workflow, improves accuracy, and protects against potentially sensitive errors. Never again worry about accidentally turning over a privileged document or intellectual property? That sounds nice, but there are risks. Hear how you can incorporate AI tech into your practice, provide disclosures at the start of a case, check for accuracy, and avoid boxing yourself in with pre-trial agreements without knowing what’s coming next in the field. Learn this stuff before your next case. Mentioned in this Episode: ChatGPT Google Bard American Bar Association American Bar Association Litigation Section “Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Report,” by Richard Finkelman at BRG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Productivity practices are essential—even life-changing—in legal practice. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, that your time is not your own, hopelessly behind on technology, or that you just can’t seem to balance work and life, learning productivity strategies can help. JoAnn Hathaway and Molly Ranns talk with Dan Siegel and Allison Johs about their book, “How to Do More in Less Time: The Complete Guide to Increasing Your Productivity and Improving Your Bottom Line, Second Edition.” Dan and Allison share the most recent updates to their book, including pertinent information addressing post-pandemic, tech-fueled changes facing the legal profession. The ABA has provided a 20% discount code for listeners! Enter HTDMILT23 at checkout for How to Do More in Less Time: The Complete Guide to Increasing Your Productivity and Improving Your Bottom Line, Second Edition Daniel J. Siegel is a nationally recognized authority on ethics, technology, data protection and business workflow management, and the principal of both the Law Offices of Daniel J. Siegel, LLC and Integrated Technology Services, LLC. Allison C. Johs, Esq., is president of Legal Ease Consulting, which provides marketing, social media, business development, productivity, and practice management coaching and consulting for lawyers and law firms. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices