Legal Talk Network - Law News and Legal Topics

In this episode’s discussions around the Community Table: Interview questions to ask that help you understand an applicant’s true motivations. Questions that dig a little deeper. And how to accept those answers at face value. Ever had a terrible experience hiring someone? There are tools to help you avoid mistakes, but you have to learn how to use them. But there are no silver bullets. Go boldly, but tread lightly. Dealing with a new hire who won’t complete required training? Can you really require someone to learn, and if they won’t, is that grounds to terminate the relationship? This question quickly drifts into some interesting territory. And finally, how long can you keep a new attorney at your firm before they need to start returning a profit to the firm? Maybe while they learn the ropes, you can at least have them do something that delivers value. (You can only wait so long). Mentioned in this Episode: Malcolm Gladwell, Revisionist History page Malcolm Gladwell, “Hamlet Was Wrong” Using DiSC For Hiring Kolbe The Predictive Index Myers-Briggs personality test Jay Henderson, Real Talent Hiring Real Talent Hiring Wizehire Join the next Community Table live. What’s on your mind? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Ely Delaney joins me to talk about the follow up formula, and how to turn leads into cases. He takes us through his strategic system for client retention, as well as maximizing cases once they’re closed. Ely Delaney is your Automated Systems Strategist and is also known as “The People Whisperer”. He’s the creator of The Follow Up Rockstar System, teaching entrepreneurs how to go from surviving to thriving in any economy through the art and science of building strong relationships and following up for LIFE. He’s an Amazon bestseller with his two books “Marketing Tidbits” and “Networking Tidbits” With a passion for connecting people, his best-selling training course “Networking Like A Rockstar” has over 1389 students registered globally. Ely helps speakers, authors, and coaches automate their follow-up to grow their business without having to have an MBA from MIT. He’s the guy to help you build a 24/7 automated system and turn you into a Follow-Up Rockstar! Ely gives listeners actionable tips on: [3:45] How we make client relationships better [4:35] Replying in a timely manner [5:45] Setting the expectations and timeline for client work [9:40] Communicating client expectations [12:15] Living by your calendar and scheduling platforms [15:40] Making your calendar invites stand out [21:50] Setting up your automations and automated sequences [28:50] Case studies to prove this concept [33:55] How to handle client communication once cases are wrapped up [45:00] Ely’s book review [50:05] One big takeaway from this episode Resources mentioned in this episode: Me, Inc. by Gene Simmons Connect with Ely here: https://www.facebook.com/elydelaney https://instagram.com/elydelaney/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/elydelaney/ https://twitter.com/elydelaney https://connectwithely.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

The July bar exam is right around the corner, and if you’re like most recent law school grads, you’ve probably got some pre-test jitters. DeMario Thornton welcomes young lawyer Taylor DiChello to pick her brain on strategies for successful bar prep and test-taking. Taylor discusses her approach to studying, the usefulness of BARBRI courses, the structure of the bar exam, and much more. Tune in for practical tips and reassurances to calm your nerves as the exam approaches. Taylor DiChello is a corporate associate at Gunderson Dettmer where she specializes in the representation of emerging growth companies throughout their life cycles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mindfulness refers to our ability to maintain our present-moment awareness without drifting unhelpfully to the past or future. That might sound like a heady concept, but a focused, steady mind truly is helpful in life, and its applications in legal practice could lead to radical improvements for lawyers and their clients. So, how do we get there? Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Dr. Nehal Patel about his article, Why Lawyers Fear Love: Mohandas Gandhi's Significance to the Mindfulness in Law Movement, where he highlights Gandhi’s teachings and explains how meditation and mindset shifts help legal professionals thrive in the practice of law. Nehal Patel is a licensed attorney and an Associate Professor of Criminal Justice and Sociology at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tune in as Rocky Dhir talks with William Barr about his personal life, stories from his stints as Attorney General, and thoughts on the future of our nation. Mr. Barr opens up about his family and career and shares advice for others as they navigate both personal and professional life choices. They also discuss Mr. Barr’s recently published book, One Damn Thing After Another: Memoirs of an Attorney General. William Pelham Barr is an American attorney who served as the 77th and 85th United States attorney general in the administrations of Presidents George H. W. Bush and Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Clean Air Act also known as (CAA) is a comprehensive Federal law that regulates all sources of air emissions. The 1970 CAA authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and the environment. In this episode of our Environmental Law series, host Craig Williams is joined by Trish McCubbin, a retired Professor of Environmental Law at the Southern Illinois University School of Law, as they spotlight CAA, its impact, progress, and how we as a society can reduce air pollution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rocky Dhir welcomes Daytripper host Chet Garner to chat about his many explorations of the great state of Texas. Chet visits towns of all shapes and sizes to find the beauty and adventure in every location. Tune in for their conversation highlighting the impressive diversity, history, nature, and community Texas has to offer. Chet Garner is the creator, executive producer, writer, and host of The Daytripper, a Texas travel show on PBS. 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 building, enabling, and integrating Healthy Systems in a law firm. Lawyerist Labster Matt Loker sits down with Sara to discuss using systems and automation to deliver a consistent service to clients. They dive into how task management is crucial to consistent communication—from finding the right CRM, to rebuilding their systems and automating tasks, to regular system maintenance. Learn how Matt used healthy systems to save time, improve client experience, and create a seamless client journey. Links from the episode: https://lawyerist.com/resources/lawyerist-store/ 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

Pandemic-era legal proceedings taught Texas lawyers and judges that alternative methods can be extremely effective in a variety of court processes. And now that we have entered into the post-pandemic era, these tech-fueled advancements are still front and center in Texas courts. Judge Roy Ferguson, Megan LaVoie, Michelle Casady, and Jennifer Doan discuss their session on what legal professionals need to know to incorporate the latest options for court proceedings into their practice. Roy Ferguson is a judge of the Texas 394th District Court, presiding over the largest judicial district in the state of Texas. Megan LaVoie serves as the Administrative Director for the Texas Office of Court Administration and Executive Director of the Texas Judicial Council. Michelle Casady is a reporter at The Texas Lawbook. Jennifer Haltom Doan is a founding partner with Haltom & Doan, a boutique trial and appellate firm located in Texarkana, TX-AR. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Artificial Intelligence has significant impact on all industries and especially in the legal industry. Joy Holley discusses the exponential growth of AI and the use in legal and in which the courts are now starting to weigh in. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our Heels in the Courtroom community has grown to thousands of downloads since our first episode. Tune in to hear a reprise of EP101 and get a little background on who we are and why we started this empowering podcast for female trial attorneys. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Melissa Felder Zappala is a litigator with the Washington, D.C., office of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. She has had tremendous success litigating high profile, tech-related, commercial cases and class action suits. She also has a profound hearing disability. In this episode, Melissa describes her experiences as a hearing-impaired law student and, later, as a litigator. Are you prepared as a litigator to work with counsel with unique needs? Being aware of our differences, along with disclosure and clear communication, are key when working with those with hearing loss. Being clear, concise, and direct can go a long way. Learn how technology, reasonable accommodation, understanding, and collaboration can ensure a level playing field for everyone. Mentioned in this Episode: “Melissa Felder Zappala Publishes Essay on Coming to Terms With Being Deaf in Big Law in ABA’s Litigation Journal,” by Melissa Felder Zappala American Bar Association American Bar Association Litigation Section Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Culture can make or break your law firm, and it is absolutely essential to nurture a positive, supportive environment to truly have a successful firm. Senior law firm leaders Holly Draper, Hannah Hembree Bell, Brian Hall, and John Meredith discuss their session from the annual meeting focused on ways to improve your law firm culture. They share experiences from their firms and emphasize the importance of developing vision and values, being flexible enough to recognize changing needs, and striving to live out and support your cultural vision at all levels of your organization. Holly Draper is CEO and managing partner at The Draper Law Firm and host of the Texas Family Law Insiders podcast. Hannah Bell is the founding attorney of Hembree Bell Law Firm, where she specializes in family law, divorce, and estate planning. Brian A. Hall is a member of Traverse Legal, PLC and the managing partner of its Austin, Texas office. John Meredith is the Chief Operating Officer for Chamberlain Hrdlicka law firms with offices in Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia and San Antonio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Damon T. Hewitt, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, discusses Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina and the Supreme Court’s direction on affirmative action. Hewitt explains what Brown v. Board of Education got wrong, exposes the logical fallacy behind the idea that a diversity rationale should have an endpoint, and offers insights on what higher education institutions should do in response to the Court’s decision. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Gordon Firemark joins me to discuss podcasting and the law, and how to avoid legal pitfalls. Gordon Firemark helps creatives, artists, entrepreneurs and others achieve the dream of getting their messages out and making a meaningful impact with their craft. He has practiced media, entertainment and business law since 1992. His practice covers film, television, theater, publishing and digital media as well as copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets and business structures and formations. Often referred to as The Podcast Lawyer™, Gordon is a podcaster as well as a lawyer for creators. He’s been producing and hosting the Entertainment Law Update podcast since 2009. And more recently a livestream and podcast entitled “Legit Podcast Pro” Gordon is also the author of the Podcast, Blog & New Media Producer’’s Legal Survival Guide and creator of several online courses for creatives and entrepreneurs. His undergraduate degree in radio, television and film and experience in live theater production informs his thinking about all things legal. In addition to his busy law practice, he teaches Entertainment Law at Columbia College Hollywood and Intellectual Property and Media Law at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising. Gordon gives listeners actionable tips on: [1:30] How Gordon did you get started with podcasting [3:40] How podcasting has evolved over the years [4:50] Most common mistakes people make starting their podcast [5:40] Why is copyright and trademark important and why does it affect podcasting [8:15] The two sided coin of copyright [9:50] How podcast distribution works [12:35] Release agreements for guests [14:50] Journalism vs. marketing and promotion [17:40] The responsibility to fact check your guest [19:40] The line with privacy when talking about clients and your wins [22:55] Disclosing podcast ads on your show [26:10] Big mistakes people should be aware of [27:30] ​​Attorney advertising rules [28:40] Gordon’s book review Resources mentioned in this episode: Expert Secrets by Russell Brunson Free release form: www.podcastrelease.com Connect with Gordon here: http://instagram.com/gordonfiremark http://twitter.com/gfiremark http://linkedin.com/in/gfiremark http://facebook.com/gfiremark http://thepodcastlawyer.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

The way athletes conduct themselves has the potential to majorly impact them, their team, and their sport as a whole. With such high stakes and the added influence of social media, personal conduct policies are in place to help maintain the integrity of professional sports leagues. Rocky Dhir talks to Kelli Masters, Daniel Hare, and Brian Michael Cooper about how these policies are created and the discipline processes that provide accountability and continued quality within a sports league. Kelli Masters is an attorney, an NFL sports agent and Founder and President of KMM Sports, a full-service sports management company with offices in New York, Los Angeles and her hometown of Oklahoma City. Daniel Hare is the founder and president of Varsity Search, a legal recruiting company dedicated to building great teams by bringing together lawyers and law firms. Brian Michael Cooper is an accomplished sports executive, currently holding the positions of President & Chief Operating Officer at the American Flag Football League. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rocky Dhir chats with Bench Bar Breakfast speakers Justice Debra Lehrmann and Timothy Berg about the mission and efforts of the Uniform Law Commission. They explain what the ULC does, the processes of projects undertaken by the commission, and how their acts provide consistency while still promoting the autonomy of the states. Justice Debra Lehrmann is the Senior Justice on the Supreme Court of Texas. Timothy Berg is General Counsel at Fennemore Craig, P.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Harnessing the power of technology with competence and confidence is now a top consideration for lawyers as they advocate for their clients. How should this look in your legal practice? Rocky Dhir talks with judges Amy Clark Meachum, Jessica Mangrum, and Martin Hoffman about the latest tech-based factors for effective advocacy in Texas courts. They discuss virtual and in-person platforms and share tips for lawyers on how to keep up with current courtroom technologies. Amy Clark Meachum is a judge of the Texas 201st District Court. Jessica Mangrum is a seasoned judge presiding over the Texas 200th District Court. Martin Hoffman is an esteemed judge serving on the Texas 68th District Court in Dallas County. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We hate to say it again, but tech competence in the legal profession is still significantly lacking. Dennis and Tom talk with Ivy Grey about her unique approach to helping lawyers understand and use technology. Ivy connects tech with substance to help the less-than-tech-savvy lawyer embrace necessary tools and fulfill their ethical responsibilities. Ivy also shares her optimistic take on the latest happenings in legal tech, with a particular focus on leveraging AI in legal writing. 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. Ivy B. Grey is the Chief Strategy & Growth Officer for WordRake. Mentioned in this Episode: WordRake Jennifer Marsh of Being Legalytical Jack Shepherd of iManage Navigation Pane Navigation Pane Article by Ivy Grey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As a group, first generation law students and lawyers tend to encounter common issues. Saumya Kuriakose, Nadda Rungruangphol, and Alysia Huskey give highlights from their panel focused on the experiences of first generation lawyers. They each share what led them into the law, discuss the unique challenges they faced, and offer insights on how law schools and firms can support first gen attorneys. Saumya Kuriakose is an Attorney at The Pettit Law Firm in Dallas, Texas. Nadda Rungruangphol is a Staff Attorney at the Texas State Securities Board in Austin, Texas. Alysia Huskey is a licensed attorney with The State Bar of Texas and works as an Assistant District Attorney in Kaufman County, Texas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adding value for bar association members is always a good idea. Jared chats with Rio Peterson, who has just about seen it all when it comes to bar programming—from cool events to tech offerings to stellar educational programs and more. Listen in for her thoughts on improving bar culture and providing more for members. Jared and Rio also talk about how lawyer side hustles are more common than you might think and just might provide the little extra something you need in your life. This time on the Rump Roast—you don’t often use Simon Le Bon heads as your rating mechanism, but today is the day! Jared has Rio rate the annoyance level of a variety of “Name Songs” pulled from the archives of popular music. Also, does Rio like it when you ask her if she “dances on the sand”? If the answer to that one isn’t obvious, tune in to find out. Circling back—since you’re a lawyer, your side hustle has to be seriously legit. You don’t want to find yourself in the middle of a legal ethics violation, so Jared explains the best ways to keep your extra gigs on the up and up. Learn more about this topic in Christa Arcos’ article: Wearing Two Hats: Dual Practices and Ancillary Businesses. Rio Peterson is Bar and Affinity Partnerships Strategist at ALPS Lawyers Malpractice Insurance. ----- We talked about songs titled after girls' name and how annoying that must be if you happen to share that name, so here's a playlist highlighting that occasion! ----- Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. Our closing track is Jewels by Falls. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fred Fisher, president of Expert Service Provider Fisher Consulting Group, Inc. discusses current trends in claims handling and what models can be used to mitigate an insurer’s liability. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Zack sits down with Ed Walters, Chief Strategy Officer of vLex and founder of Fastcase, to discuss AI's role in legal research. Delve into why it’s important to demystify AI and debunk misconceptions about "robot lawyers." Learn about using AI in discovery, the importance of choosing the right tools, and the limitations of language models like ChatGPT. And explore how the industry is working to create dependable tools that can be verified by legal professionals, while maintaining human judgment in the legal process. Links from the episode: Law Review Article Data-Driven Law: Data Analytics and the New Legal Services (Data Analytics Applications) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI has been helping lawyers for many years, but new tools powered by ChatGPT have even more exciting possibilities for the future of legal practice. Korin Munsterman discusses recent developments in legal AI tools and how they are already helping lawyers improve and streamline their practices. Korin also outlines what attorneys need to know about current ethics and privacy concerns surrounding generative AI. Korin Munsterman is a Professor of Practice and the director of the Legal Education Technology program at UNT Dallas College of Law. Mentioned in this Episode: CoCounsel - Casetext Spellbook LegalSifter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More Supreme Court scandal news as Justice Samuel Alito tried to run out ahead of a ProPublica report with his own Wall Street Journal pre-rebuttal. We're all for confronting your problems head on, but Alito only managed to make himself look worse. A judge in D.C. sides against a man with a marijuana prescription because his neighbor didn't like it. So much for property rights. And we discuss the new Above the Law Top Law Schools ranking for the year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Handling a high profile case? Attorney Robert Haar has a few helpful tips on how to deal with the press, convincing reluctant witnesses to cooperate, and the power of taking pride in your work in Part Two of our conversation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bombings. Organized crime. And witness protection programs. Gain insight into these interesting areas of the law with renowned St. Louis Attorney Robert Haar. Part One of our discussion covers these issues plus pitfalls in parallel proceedings, when to advise corporate clients to retain separate counsel and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The judge says “mistrial” and Poof! Your half-argued case just became a do-over. What now? It recently happened to us and we want to supply some insight into what can cause a mistrial and how we handled it. We also had a big win which included punitive damages and a unique argument….tune in for the dish on our latest trials and tribulations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How do you rank number one for every keyword? Well, you don’t. And that’s a terrible question. Gyi and Conrad answer the most common questions—both good and bad—they get as marketers and share the all-too-rare questions you really ought to be asking. ----- When you work with a marketer or set about your own campaign, what are the main questions you need to consider? As it turns out, most lawyers actually have similar questions about marketing, but very few are asking the *right* questions. But, we know you don’t know what you don’t know, so Gyi and Conrad are here to help. They ask and answer the FAQs of legal marketing and explain why many of them really won’t help you understand your plan or its results. Later, the guys lay out the Rarely Asked Questions they really wish you would ponder—questions that, when answered correctly, have the power to give you a sound understanding of your marketing tactics. The News: Not sure if it will make a difference, but Google is Suing over Fake Reviews. Time will tell if this lawsuit slows down the multitude of scammers out there. AI is at it again: EvenUp Raises $50.5M Series B, Announces Integration with Litify, and Launches Litty: The First-Ever AI Personal Injury Legal Assistant And, the Universal Analytics Sunset is happening, like, right now. We warned you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Diversity, equity, and inclusion should be central to your law firm’s mission, but how do you go about building a welcoming workplace? John G. Browning gives tips from his session at the State Bar of Texas’ Annual Meeting on effective DEI solutions for law firms. He discusses historical challenges surrounding this issue and the education, training, and resources available to help your firm become a welcoming place for all. John G. Browning is a partner at Spencer Fane and a former Justice on Texas’ Fifth District Court of Appeals in Dallas. Mentioned in this Episode: National Association for Law Placement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we’ll talk “big picture.” Are you ready to scale up, build your client base, and be more successful? Guest Sam Mollaei is passionate about creating scalable law firms and helping others understand and implement his blueprint for going big while disrupting the traditional law firm model. He challenges firms to embrace automation, innovation, offshoring, and move beyond the old fashioned face-to-face, brick and mortar route. Mollaei employs the latest tools to beat the high cost of paid search, create efficient client intake processes, overcome SEO snags, find new ways around labor inefficiencies, and accelerate business development. And he’s just getting started as developments in artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT continue to evolve the business of law. Hear how Mollaei teaches firms to ride the wave instead of chasing it. Changes are coming fast, and everything is on the table. There’s a lot to learn, but adapting to this new environment is not an option, it’s the future. Be a part of it or be left behind. Mentioned in this Episode: Google Ads Seamless food delivery “Virtual Law Firm Secrets” ebook Un-Billable Hour Community Table Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two legal tech experts join Talk Justice’s Molly McDonough to discuss how emerging tools with generative AI could fit into the future of legal services—and who they’ll be accessible to—on the latest episode of LSC's Talk Justice podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Jesse Stein joins me to discuss the latest content marketing hacks, and the best practices when it comes to gaining market share in the digital space. Jesse has founded, operated and sold multiple online ventures. Jesse started SportsMemorabilia.com, growing it from a raw domain into the world’s biggest autograph store and a Top 500 Internet Retailer. Jesse is also Founder & CEO of DietSpotlight.com, a nutrition website with more than 130 million visitors and an Inc 5000 fastest-growing company in 2018. Jesse also purchased, developed and sold category-defining domain names, including Hobbies.com, Boating.com, Yachting.com and Biking.com. Before that, Jesse was Co-Founder and CEO of Soho Digital, a $32M digital agency with 200+ clients. He sold Soho Digital to a portfolio company of Insight Venture Partners. Jesse is an angel investor in Integral Ad Science, TMRW, Dstillery, Data.world, SKTCHY, Blanket and WhereBy.Us. Jesse holds an MBA from The Wharton School, an MA in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania’s Lauder Institute and a BA, with Honors, in Sociology and Asian Studies from UC Santa Barbara and Sophia University in Tokyo. Jesse gives listeners actionable tips on: [2:55] How to create a system for content marketing and why it matters [4:15] Leveraging AI to help you with content marketing [9:30] Keeping your ego out of your content [16:50] Not creating duplicate content [19:05] How to talk about your wins without being overpowering [23:05] Creating content that is authentic and relatable [27:55] Meeting your audience where they are [35:35] Learning from your mistakes and trying again [40:00] Jesse’s book review [42:00] One key takeaway to implement right away Resources mentioned in this episode: The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck Connect with Jesse here: www.instagram.com/audience.co www.twitter.com/audience.co https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessejstein/ www.Audience.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

Tune in for highlights from the State Bar of Texas’ Annual Meeting! During the conference, Laurence Colletti talked with presenter Dyane O’Leary about her session on how a modern mindset helps lawyers stay current with best practices and evolving legal technology. Dyane shares tips for maximizing efficiency through tech-powered practice management and gives insights on where to start if you’re looking to expand your knowledge of modern legal trends. Dyane O’Leary is an Associate Professor of Legal Writing and the Director of Legal Innovation & Technology Concentration at Suffolk University Law School. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Winning a 2003 landmark U.S. Supreme Court case expanded a gay lawyer's Supreme Court practice, he says, and looking back, it's his favorite case. Because Paul M. Smith was the editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal, clerked for then-U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. and handled various Supreme Court cases—including for paying clients—many thought that it made sense for the Washington, D.C., lawyer to argue Lawrence v. Texas, which led to a 2003 landmark opinion that struck down state laws criminalizing sexual conduct between consenting adults of the same gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On September 30, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 2 (SB 2), also known as the Kenneth Ross, Jr. Police Decertification Act of 2021, establishing a statewide system to decertify or suspend officers who have committed serious misconduct. So what constitutes police misconduct? And how is SB 2 shaping police departments? In this episode, host Craig Williams is joined by guest Marshal Arnwine, Jr., an Advocate for the Criminal Justice Program at the ACLU of Northern California. Craig and Marshal discuss SB 2, decertification due to police misconduct, transparency in police departments, and the impact on states' decertification/revocation laws. Mentioned in this Episode: Police Decertification in California: How Does it Work? Protect SB 2 Press Conference (Bradford, 2021) Coalition Opposition to SB 2 TBL: Contact Information Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the saying goes, if you don't make time for your health now, you'll be forced to make time for your health problems later. In this episode, hosts Jonathan Amarilio and Trisha Rich chat with Jonathan Mraunac, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of GCM Partners, and all-around wellness enthusiast about the struggle many lawyers face in prioritizing their health and well-being. Jonathan shares manageable tips for lawyers to balance the four main categories of health: diet, exercise, mental health and sleep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Copyright law is buzzing with the rising possibilities of AI-related legal matters. Is this a major concern in our current era of blossoming AI technologies? Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway welcome Vedia Jones-Richardson to get her expert opinion on a variety of legal questions arising from the “creative expressions” of generative AI. They review the current landscape of AI’s copyright connections, get explanations on what is and isn’t protected, and discuss notable cases that have explored the infringement and copyright implications of AI-created materials. Vedia Jones-Richardson is a Principal with Olive and Olive, PA, where she leads the trademark and copyright practice group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mental health, wellness, and managing burnout made headlines during and after the pandemic. But what did we learn? Guest Richard Rivera, a highly successful partner at a Florida law firm, knows we should. Many of us work too much and too hard and push beyond reasonable limits. Rivera knows firsthand. He was a fourth-year associate in a litigation focused firm, and he said yes to everything. Any new case, any new project, he was game. It was a matter of professional pride and rapid development. Then he noticed the stress was taking a physical toll on his body resulting in itchy and yellowing skin, fatigue, and sleepless nights. He figured eventually things would slow down and these conditions would pass. Of course, neither happened. A doctor eventually found the constant stress had taken an enormous toll on his body. Set boundaries: a time you won’t go to the office before or stay after; take at least one day off – really off – during the week. You only have so much capacity, and when you exceed that, you damage yourself and you can harm your clients and your firm with errors due to exhaustion. If you’re not good to yourself, you’ll be no good to anyone. Take a moment to listen to this critically important episode. By Rich Rivera My Experience with Organ Transplantation Additional Resources How Sleep Affects Your Health How Lawyers Can Manage Stress and Cortisol Levels How to Talk about Mental Health with Your Employer ABA Young Lawyers Division ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Andrew Schierberg retired from his first career after 20 years as a police officer, investigator, and chief in Northern Kentucky. Then he asked, “What next?” With a law degree and a lifetime of working in tense situations with people during their most stressful moments, Schierberg started a law practice with a focus on helping families by specializing in elder law and estate planning. He wrote his own business plan, shadowed established attorneys, sought educational and business development support, found shared office space with other lawyers, and developed a holistic approach that lets him to build relationships with his clients and work not only as an attorney but also as a trusted advisor. Learn how he set up his practice, selected case management software, established a flat-fee subscription plan for his clients rather than hourly rates, and developed an understanding of the needs of both elder clients and their families as they navigate a new stage of life. If you’re well into a first career, you might be surprised at how much your “real world experience” can translate to a solo law practice. Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected] Topics: Starting a solo practice as a second career and putting your “old job” skills to work in your new venture. The importance of selecting the right practice management and office equipment tools, learning about marketing, and asking for help when you don’t know. The value of finding a niche that lets you focus your energy on the kind of law that matches your passion. Mentioned in this Episode: Fearless Paranoia podcast Life Care Planning Law Firms Association Actionstep MyCase ElderCounsel DecisionVault Calendly Textexpander Maximum Lawyer podcast The 80/20 Principle podcast The Law Entrepreneur podcast Lunch Hour Legal Marketing podcast Peggy Gruenke on Legal Talk Network podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professors Andrew Garcia and James Matthews discuss Suffolk University Law School’s Accelerator to Practice program. Designed to prepare students for small and solo practice, students partnered with small law firm owners in the Lawyerist Lab coaching program. Using tenets learned in Lawyerist’s book The Small Firm Roadmap, students interviewed the owners, analyzed their firms, and presented a case study complete with recommendations for improvements. 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, Clio, & LawPay for sponsoring this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Because someday you might face massive espionage charges... or something. Donald Trump is struggling to find representation in his multi-count federal criminal case and it shows because he just can't stop saying incredibly damaging stuff about his case. Like how he will plead guilty for money. This is what happens after decades developing a reputation for stiffing attorneys. We also have more layoffs from Orrick and Reed Smith -- what can we glean from these moves? And a Massachusetts court expanded the standard for ineffective assistance of counsel to include instances where the lawyer is clearly bigoted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have a particular interest outside of becoming a lawyer? With how incredibly broad the law is, a niche practice area might just align with your passions. For Arlan Lewis, his experience in architecture and some serendipitous happenings in law school led him to a fulfilling career in construction law. DeMario Thornton talks with Arlan about his career path, the nuances of construction law, and his top advice for today’s law students, no matter what area of the law they choose to pursue. Arlan D. Lewis is a partner at Blueprint Construction Counsel, LLP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While directed at young children, a lawyer's book also speaks to lawyers who are moms, letting them know that being both can be a busy but fulfilling life. As Michelle Browning Coughlin, of counsel at ND Galli Law in Louisville, Kentucky, was raising her two daughters, she wanted her kids to understand what lawyers do. She worried that children only knew the type of lawyers who commonly appeared in courtrooms on television shows. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which attorney has jumped out of an airplane? Had an invisible friend? Or was required to wash rocks as a child? We went around the table using a fun life experiences questionnaire that prompted revelations and introspection from four Heels in the Courtroom attorneys. Get to know us by learning who did what…then try it with your own friend group and get to know them a little better too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Helping workers and their families get back on their feet after a workplace injury or other workplace-displacing health event takes more than legal aid, insurance, and even doctors. Injured workers are people first, and people have emotional needs. Guest Danielle Troxel is managing director of Kind Souls Foundation, a non-profit, donation and volunteer driven organization dedicated to helping displaced workers with the emotional support and services navigation assistance they need to recover. Many of us see ourselves as our job. It’s part of our identity. Being stripped of that routine may lead to feelings of isolation or loss of identity. Having someone to talk to about those feelings can help people adjust and move forward. Assistance is offered discretely, even anonymously. There’s no need to provide a case number or any details. No insurance companies need to be involved and no medical records are needed. Kind Souls Foundation simply wants to help. If a client or someone you know has been displaced from work due to a health event and could use emotional support, they can contact the Kind Souls Foundation at their website, https://www.kindsoulsfoundation.org/ and schedule a session. Help is available online through a face-to-face video connection, through text and chat sessions, or by phone. Sponsorship opportunities are available at the Kind Souls Foundation website. Individual donations are accepted online at https://kindsoulsfoundation.charityproud.org/Donate . Mentioned in this Episode: Kids’ Chance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Focus groups are common in marketing, but they also can help a lawyer learn what resonates with nonlawyers before presenting a client’s case before a jury. Focus groups, in their simplest form, offer a “test run” for issues and strategies you are considering using in pretrial and trial matters, and will let you know if you are building the best strategy and communicating your legal arguments in a way that is understood. You can even use them to evaluate whether your expert witness is likeable and communicates well. Don’t wait until your client’s fate is on the line! In this episode, guest Ken Levinson, a focus group expert and successful personal injury lawyer, gives advice on how attorneys can incorporate focus groups into their trial preparations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Thaddeus Johnson, former police officer, Senior Fellow at the Council on Criminal Justice, and Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Georgia State University, discusses his research and unique insights on empowering citizens to create safer communities. Public safety requires more than police reform, it requires community reform and in this wide-ranging and motivating conversation, Dr. Johnson details the steps communities can take to reduce crime, increase police accountability, and rebuild trust. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To succeed in a competitive business environment, leaders in the legal field need to continuously develop new skills while responding swiftly to change. Host Jamy Sullivan and guest PJ Dunn, C.C.P., a certified behavioral strategist and professional development coach, discuss competencies and management strategies that became essential during the pandemic and are needed by law firms and legal department leaders to excel today, including creative thinking, innovation and agility and tips for prioritizing well-being. Mentioned in this Episode: PJ's Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even if you’re a great lawyer, your top-notch skills might be holding you back when it comes to running your business. Jared talks with Steve Seckler about his recent article in the ABA’s GPSolo eReport, Stop Thinking (and Acting) Like a Lawyer, in which he outlines the typical attorney characteristics that work great in legal matters, but kinda suck when you’re trying to network, grow your firm, get referrals, manage your employees, and more. Listen in to learn how to suppress those lawyer instincts when needed. Later, time to Roast some Rumps! Jared has crafted a brand new game for today’s special guest, titled “Deep Cuts with Steve Seckler” and featuring obscure trivia from the world of popular music. And, if you haven’t noticed, most law firm logos are terrible. Tune in to hear Jared’s list of what not to do when you design your logo—we’re looking at you, Doric columns, books, boring stuff, etc—and learn how to make something that’s actually appealing. Stephen Seckler is president of Seckler Legal Recruiting and Coaching. ----- It's time to get deep - DEEP - into Steve's musical tastes. That's right, we've got some deep cuts here. ----- Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest. Our closing track is Tenderness of You by Cast of Characters. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices