Legal Talk Network - Law News and Legal Topics

Summer is the perfect time for travel, and the right tech tools can help you get even more enjoyment out of your wanderings! Dennis & Tom talk through a comprehensive list of travel-focused technology to assist with planning, organization, security, and comfort. Whether you're heading out for business or leisure, the guys offer a variety of practical tips to help you travel smarter. 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. Show Notes: A Segment: On the Go: Your Tech-Enhanced Summer Vacation Layla.ai Mindtrip.ai OneDrive https://onedrive.live.com  1Password https://1password.com/  Nord VPN https://nordvpn.com/  Airalo https://www.airalo.com/  Apple AirTags https://www.apple.com/airtag/  Tile Tile Pro | Bluetooth Tracking Devices | Life360  Wise Multi-Currency https://wise.com/us/  AirBnB https://www.airbnb.com/  ResortPass https://www.resortpass.com/  Flighty https://flighty.com/  TripIt https://www.tripit.com/web  AirPod Pro https://www.apple.com/airpods-pro/  Google Translate - https://translate.google.com  Google Lens Anfier M3 Translator Airbuds https://theanfier.com/  Anker Chargers https://www.anker.com  Epicka Universal Amazon.com: EPICKA Universal Travel Adapter, European Travel Plug Adapter - International Power Adapter Worldwide Charger with USB-C & 4 USB-A Ports, Travel Essentials for Italy, Japan, Europe, UK (TA-105, Grey)  B Segment: AI Predicts Tom's Use of AI for His Vacation Parting Shots: Personal Strategy Compass - https://dennis538.substack.com/p/personal-strategy-compass Perplexity Labs - https://www.perplexity.ai/hub/blog/introducing-perplexity-labs  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when a lawyer stops accepting inefficiency as “just the way things are”? In this episode, Zack Glaser talks with attorney and legal tech founder Katya Fisher about her journey from launching a solo practice during the Great Recession to building scalable tools for transactional lawyers.  Katya shares how her legal experience—spanning BigLaw, in-house, and solo practice—revealed pain points in the dealmaking process that technology still hadn't solved. She explains how she went from identifying those issues to building software that brings clarity, organization, and efficiency to high-stakes legal work.  Along the way, Katya unpacks:  The scrappy start to her legal career  How working solo gave her an edge inside a global corporate group  What legal professionals need to know about scaling their ideas  Why tech tools fail lawyers—and how that can change  Whether you're a lawyer thinking beyond the billable or simply curious how innovation happens in the legal world, this episode delivers practical insights with an entrepreneurial twist.  Listen to our other episodes on entrepreneurship:   #411: Staying Entrepreneurial at a Bigger Firm, with Nick Pleasants  Apple Podcast |  Lawyerist  #268: Riding the Entrepreneurial Rollercoaster, with Cameron Herold Apple Podcast | Lawyerist   #205: Entrepreneurial Poverty & Why Average Law Firms Lose, with Mike Michalowicz Apple Podcast | Lawyerist     Have thoughts about today's episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!  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! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.  Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.     Chapters/Timestamps:   00:00 Introduction: The Entrepreneurial Lawyer  01:02 Quarterly Planning: Intentional Business Growth  07:15 Solo Practice Origins: Scrappy Beginnings  13:36 The Competitive Advantage of Broad Experience  17:51 ADHD as a Superpower: Hyperfocus and Foresight  23:36 Accurately Identify a Business Problem  30:40 From Idea to Product: Building a Product or Workflow  36:10 Articulating Vision and Gaining Buy-In  41:14 Lessons Learned: Advice for Aspiring Innovators  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Jared Correia of Red Cave Law Firm Consulting helps law firms run better and helps lawyers live their best lives. In addition, he's both an attorney and an avid podcaster and writer. In this episode Correia and good friend, host Adriana Linares, dive into how law firms can leverage video content to build their business and how to outsource tasks and maximize technical efficiencies.  Correia explains step by step how lawyers can get in the video content game. Buy a tripod, fire up your cell phone, and get started. Modern platforms are your friend, from YouTube to LinkedIn, Loom to VideoAsk, even Zoom.  Make mastering the art of video your goal this summer. Hear where you can find subject ideas, edit and publish, and use AI to turn recordings into articles.  Plus, managing remote contract workers to streamline your business, creating “role-based access” to your files, automating tasks and workflows, and getting the most out of the software that's already on your desk.  Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com   Topics: If you're not leveraging video content to build your business, you're probably losing out to someone who does. Make mastering video production and distribution your summer goal (hear how to get started).  Make use of the newest tech tools – and learn how to use the tools you're already paying for – to automate, streamline, manage, and outsource your daily tasks. Plus, a special guest, Legal Talk Network producer Adam Lockwood drops by to share some pro podcasting and video tips for beginners.  Resources:  YouTube Loom video VideoAsk Riverside.fm video editing Clio Legal Tech Smokeball TaskGate.io Notion Microsoft Teams Adobe Acrobat ChatGPT Microsoft Office tools Acuity scheduling Kevin Stratvert on YouTube ABA Techshow 2026 Clio Cloud Conference 2025 Clio Legal Trends Report Legal Late Night podcast Above The Law podcast Legal Toolkit podcast, Legal Talk Network “How Law Firms Can Leverage Video Content To Drive Business” “How Remote Staff Can Help Small Firms Punch Above Their Weight” “Helping Hands: The Value Proposition Of Remote Work For Law Firms” Previous appearance on New Solo, “Solo, But Not? Shared Office Space (Plus, Chatbots and A.I.)” Previous appearance on Legal Talk Network, Un-Billable Hour, “Separating The Wheat From The Chaff In Legal Tech (And AI)” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And the Supreme Court has a wild one. ----- Except those judges aren't going to like it when you catch them. Like the poor lawyer here who called a judge "honey" during oral argument and entered a spiral of no return. We also had a dramatic week at the Supreme Court, with Justice Gorsuch trying to start something with Justice Jackson and Justice Jackson shutting it right down, and Sam Alito using his concurrence to complain that the transgender care ban is an act of discrimination... and the he wants the Court to be more proud of it. And Vault put out its law firm prestige rankings. Hopefully nothing went down immediately after their survey that radically changed how people perceive the firms! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you know how the government can define away your property rights? Or the basis for the Lemonade Freedom Movement? Through public interest litigation, Attorney David Roland fights for our mutual humanity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hungry for more clients? Sick of spending time and money on marketing that goes nowhere? You're in the right place. Hosted by legal marketing veterans Gyi Tsakalakis and Conrad Saam, this channel dishes out real-world digital marketing strategies that actually work for law firms. From client acquisition hacks to website teardowns to what's driving results today—nothing is off the table (except bad advice). If you're a lawyer looking to grow your practice, consider this your go-to guide—with a side of sarcasm.If you're a lawyer looking to grow your practice, consider this your go-to guide—with a side of sarcasm. Subscribe and join us every week for bite-sized insights with big-firm impact. Let's grow your law firm—one lunch hour at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stanford researchers discuss new data on legal services innovations in Arizona and Utah on Talk Justice. Five years ago, Arizona and Utah launched unprecedented experiments in legal services delivery. Now Stanford has published a report, “Legal Innovation After Reform: Five Years of Data on Regulatory Change,” which provides comprehensive data on what worked, what didn't and what it means for expanding access to justice. These findings build on a previous report that the Rhode Center published after the first two years these regulatory reforms were enacted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI is real and it's rapidly advancing the practice of law. Guest Austin Brittenham is the co-founder of the legal AI company 2nd Chair. As an attorney, he recognized the inefficiencies that plague the legal profession and put his background in computer tech to work to create an AI platform that both recognizes the unique challenges facing lawyers – including security and confidentiality – while speeding workflow and maximizing output.  AI has been put to work in a lot of "lawyer-adjacent” areas of law such as web design, intake, and billing, but Brittenham recognized the need for a model that helps lawyers practice actual law.  He says AI won't replace lawyers, but it may change how lawyers are viewed. If AI can automate mundane tasks, such as drafting paperwork, attorneys may be able to get back to their traditional role of a true “counsellor,” providing meaningful guidance. Hear about what's coming in the future and, more importantly, what's here now. Start slowly, learn the state-by-state rules, and see where you can get in the game. If you've been curious about AI and how it will change the practice of law, you'll want to catch this episode.  Mentioned in This Episode: Join the next Community Table live. What's on your mind?  “The Singularity Is Nearer: When We Merge with AI,” by Ray Kurzweil  “The Singularity Is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology,” by Ray Kurzweil  ChatGPT Microsoft Copilot AI Clio legal software LexisNexis ThomsonReuters CoCounsel AI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This special remastered episode of the Lawyerist Podcast features Stephanie's conversation with Geoff Woods, author of The AI-Driven Leader. We're re-releasing it due to positive feedback on the depth of this discussion, ensuring you'll gain new insights and "aha!" moments with every listen.  In this episode, we explore AI's transformative power, viewing it not as a threat, but as a liberator that enhances our work. We dive into the five core human skills to emphasize in an AI-driven world: strategic thinking, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and creation. We demonstrate how to leverage AI strategically, from evaluating business plans to acting as a growth-minded board member, and you'll hear how we're integrating AI into our own leadership meetings.  Geoff shares real-world examples of using AI as a "thought partner" to stress-test major strategic decisions, even creating an "AI board of advisors." He also provides practical applications for lawyers, such as using AI to review NDAs, stress-test legal arguments, and role-play closing arguments with AI as your jury. To guide your own AI journey, Geoff outlines his "CRIT" framework (Context, Role, Interview, Task) for effective prompting and highlights the importance of understanding AI model settings for data privacy and confidentiality.  Listen to our other episodes on the AI revolution:  #555: How to Use AI and Universal Design to Empower Diverse Thinkers with Susan Tanner Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist   #553: AI Tools and Processes Every Lawyer Should Use with Catherine Sanders Reach Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Lawyerist     #550: Beyond Content: How AI is Changing Law Firm Marketing, with Gyi Tsakalaki and Conrad Saam: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist    Have thoughts about today's episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!  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! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.  Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.  The AI-Driven Leader   Chapters/Timestamps:  0:00 - Episode Introduction and Why This Remastered Version is Special   1:22 - AI as the Next Big Shift for Lawyers   6:28 - Geoff Woods: Redefining Leadership in the AI Era   9:11 - The Five Core Human Skills Enhanced by AI   10:36 - Strategic AI: Beyond Basic Tasks   14:24 - AI as Your Strategic Thought Partner   19:47 - Navigating AI: Threat vs. Opportunity for Lawyers   20:56 - Practical AI Applications: NDA Review and Valuation   28:51 - Building Your AI Habit: The "CRIT" Framework   32:19 - AI Security and Data Privacy for Legal Professionals   34:40 - The Risk of Inaction and Building the Future Firm     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to a new survey, lawyers think their law firms are really tolerant of jerks. Are they right about that, or just overly sensitive? The DC Bar election ended in a blowout, but why? For all the complaining about some wild theories on social media, the simpler reason is that leading a bar association in 2025 means standing up to the administration and Pam Bondi's brother never convinced the members that he'd be able to do that. In fact, the right-wing fear of strong bar associations has gotten so serious that the Florida supreme court actively kneecapped their state bar. And we talk about attending David Lat's Original Jurisdiction party, which you should also be reading. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since it was seized from the Knights Templar in the 14th century, the Inner Temple in London has housed acolytes of a different sort: men (and eventually women) who serve as advocates of the law. Sally Smith spent her legal career—and now is spending her retirement—inside the 15 acres that comprise the Inner Temple, now one of the four Inns of Court. Smith has previously written non-fiction books about historical crimes and legal figures. When she decided to turn her hand to writing fiction, the familiar setting of the Inner Temple was the perfect setting for her new mystery novel, A Case of Mice and Men. Set in 1901, mere months after the death of Queen Victoria, A Case of Mice and Men introduces a new (and very reluctant) sleuth to the literary scene. Sir Gabriel Ward KC is happiest either when holed up in his Inner Temple lodgings with his books, or when making a compelling case in front of the High Court judges. A solitary, particular and cerebral man, Ward is not looking for excitement beyond the intellectual. But he finds it early one morning when he trips over the body of the Lord Chief Justice of England, which has been left on the doorstep of his professional chambers. The ancient privileges afforded to the Inner Temple mean that no policeman is allowed to enter without permission, and an aghast Ward is told he will conduct the investigation himself or be at risk of being kicked out of his lodgings. Unused to the world outside the Temple walls, or of conversing with any women apart from his old nanny or his mother, Ward must stretch himself to discover who killed Lord Norman Dunning. All the while, Ward is also wrestling with a knotty legal issue involving the rights to a bestselling children's book, and will need to exercise all his skills on behalf of his client, the publisher of Millie the Temple Church Mouse. Written by a mysterious author, the book has been a runaway success, bringing throngs of children to the Temple Church and spawning toys, games and an American publishing deal. Now that the author has reportedly surfaced and is demanding her share of the money and control of the intellectual property, what will happen to Millie the Temple Church Mouse? In this episode of the Modern Law Library, Smith and the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles discuss the launch of this new series, which will contain at least three books following Ward's adventures. Smith describes her own career as a barrister, and why she chose to set the series at the beginning of the Edwardian era. She also discusses the issues of class, gender and the complex world within the walls of the Inner Temple. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Liz and Elizabeth share some advice on succeeding as a first generation lawyer. Top tip: nurture your network.  Here's how. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vanessa Priya Daniel's first book, Unrig the Game: What Women of Color Can Teach Everyone About Winning, centers the work of women of color in social justice movements. Daniel discusses her personal journey from community organizer to the founder and Executive Director of Groundswell, a philanthropy organization committed to intersectional organizing. She shares the three superpowers of successful WOC leaders that we can all adopt: a 360 vision, boldness, and generosity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, host Jamy Sullivan welcomes Chad Volkert, Global Solutions Leader at Protiviti, to explore the evolving risk landscape outlined in the Executive Perspectives on Top Risks survey. From economic uncertainty and shifting workplace dynamics to rising labor costs, privacy concerns, and AI-related compliance risks, Chief Legal Officers and General Counsels are navigating one of the most complex eras in corporate risk management. Chad breaks down the top near- and long-term risks facing legal departments and shares how forward-thinking legal leaders are adjusting strategies to stay resilient, compliant, and competitive in 2025 and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legal lions and TV judges Keith and Dana Cutler join Amanda Arriaga on the inaugural episode of "Leading the Bar," a new podcast from the National Conference of Bar Presidents designed to help lawyers engage and grow as leaders. With over 75 years of collective experience, the Cutlers, known for their roles on "Couples Court with the Cutlers" and "Cutler's Court," share their insights into the importance  of bar leadership for the health of the legal profession. Dana Cutler, the first Black woman president of the Missouri Bar, shares how profoundly she was able to advance her career by simply "showing up and saying yes." She discusses the challenges she faced in modernizing a bar association and implementing strategic operational initiatives. Keith Cutler, a past president of both the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association and the Jackson County Bar Association, encourages  connecting with the next generation of lawyers and helping them use their passions to more effectively drive changes. Bar associations have a vital role in upholding the rule of law and protecting the constitution. Dana and Keith point out how leaders must represent the entire legal community, even those with differing opinions, to ensure inclusivity and preserve the bar's integrity. Their unique experience informs their practical advice on essential communication skills for every lawyer, emphasizing the power of active listening and responding with kindness to foster productive relationships. This episode is inspiring  and a reminder of the support available to young lawyers within the bar leadership  community.   Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction: The Paramount Rule of Law and Our Democracy 02:14 - Why Get Involved in Bar Leadership: The Cutlers' Journey 04:00 - The Evolution of Bar Leadership: Engaging New Generations 07:27 - Presidential Challenges: Modernizing the Bar and Strategic Vision 16:14 - Navigating Hot Topics and Preserving the Bar's Integrity 24:55 - The Invaluable Role of NCBP: Support and Shared Solutions 28:22 - Judicial Wisdom: Communication and Relationships in Law 33:53 - Balancing Life and Law: Hobbies and Personal Passions 37:10 - Beyond the Bar: What the Cutlers Would Do  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 In response to the recent protests in Los Angeles, sparked by ICE raids, President Trump deployed 2,000 National Guard troops to L.A, and now 700 active duty Marines have joined, bypassing the authority of Governor Gavin Newsom and estimated to cost taxpayers an estimated $134 million. This stirred discussions over whether the President could use the Insurrection Act of 1807 & declare Martial law and whether these actions can be enforced.  In this episode, Craig is joined by Rachel E. VanLandingham, Lt Col. (ret.), Co-Associate Dean of Research & Irwin R. Buchalter Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School. Together, Craig and Rachel discuss the use of martial law & the Insurrection Act in response to protests, the military's role, Newsom v. Trump,  and whether the deployment of  troops to Los Angeles constitutes martial law. Mentioned in this Episode: Newsom v. Trump Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Legal practice technologies help you provide better, more efficient services for your clients, but how do you leverage them to improve your practice? Dennis & Tom talk with Sarah McCormick about her collaborative tech approach that helps lawyers understand how to apply technology in legal practice. They discuss everyday essentials in legal tech, AI applications for both lawyers and law students, and Sarah also shares insights from her unique career path leading to expertise in legal operations, service delivery, and education.  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. Sarah McCormick is the Director of Legal Service Delivery at Honigman LLP. Show Notes: Leveraging ChatGPT for travel planning How to Protect Yourself From Phone Searches at the US Border Organization — Smart Folders and Tags Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can a young lawyer balance motherhood, burnout, and building a solo practice? In this episode of New Solo's First Flight series, Adriana Linares talks with immigration attorney Kim Felton, whose legal career was born from necessity and built with purpose. After facing rejection while pregnant and being let go from a hostile firm, Kim turned to contract work and eventually launched her own immigration practice and consulting company, Innovation Litigation. Kim shares how she carved her own path using legal tech, project management tools, and an unshakable drive to create a family-friendly law firm not just for herself, but to help other attorneys do the same. Later in the episode, Adriana and ALPS Insurance's Rio Laine discuss how documenting procedures, adopting the right case management system, and creating a positive work culture can protect your practice and your peace of mind. Hear the original episode with Kimberley Felton Learn more about ALPS Insurance.  Receive email notifications every time we release a new episode Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI is coming, and it may be coming for your job. Guest Dan Lear, vice president of partnerships at the digital case management company InfoTrack, shares how paralegal professionals can adapt and remain vital. Spoiler, you can't ignore the AI revolution, but you can learn, evolve, and deliver insights and human skills that AI simply can't match.  File, case, and data management has come a long way, from physically moving boxes of paper filings to electronic management, and Lear has done it all, from moving paper files to his current position legal tech. Along the way, Lear advanced from a file clerk position to a career as a paralegal professional, then earning his law degree. Now he's exploring and embracing AI capabilities. Having worked as a paralegal, Lear understands how vital the profession is to the practice of law, at times even “training” newly minted attorneys as they transition from learning the principles of the law to actually getting the job done.  As Lear explains, lifelong learning, networking, and building strong connections will become increasingly important moving forward, whether you're a newcomer to the field or an experienced veteran.  Mentioned in This Episode: “Behind the Curtain: A White-Collar Bloodbath,” Axios “Tech CEO Warns AI Will Eliminate Jobs. What Can You Do to Protect Your Career?” ABC7 Los Angeles “The Free-Time Paradox in America,” The Atlantic Claude AI ChatGPT / OpenAI Google Gemini Off The Record NALA, The Paralegal Association NALA Conference & Expo 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this insightful episode of the Lawyerist Podcast, we invite you to explore the profound interplay between personal resilience and professional advancement. Join business coach Sara Muender and host Zack Glaser as they guide us through the essential process of reframing failure and leveraging hardships for significant growth.  You'll discover how encountering obstacles or experiencing a dip in professional momentum often reveals deeper, underlying emotional dynamics. We underscore the critical importance of emotional intelligence and the strategic prioritization of human experience over purely technical or strategic solutions. Sara shares how AI tools, while invaluable for streamlining operations like project management, also provide significant support in mitigating overwhelm and burnout, allowing you to shift focus from mere tasks to your overall well-being.  This conversation offers a compelling perspective on navigating your unique challenges, emphasizing that genuine resilience stems from directly engaging with difficulties, not from avoiding them. We'll discuss why comparing your professional journey to others can be unproductive and how embracing even uncomfortable emotions can become a potent catalyst for your development. If you're seeking to cultivate a more robust understanding of your professional hurdles and harness emotional intelligence for sustained success, this episode provides invaluable guidance.    Have thoughts about today's episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!    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! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.    Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.  #516: Flexing Your Discipline Muscle to Stay Motivated, with Sara Muender  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist    #535: Lawyer Burnout: 5 Hidden Signs You're About to Crash, with Natasha Evans  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist    #506: Managing Stress & Avoiding Burnout, with Emily Nagoski  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist       Chapters:  00:00 - Introduction & AI's Role in Work  01:50 - AI for Project Scoping & Management  03:47 - AI, Client Feedback & Emotional Intelligence  04:40 - Overcoming Overwhelm with AI  07:10 - Finding "The Gift in the Struggle"  08:04 - Battling Burnout & Comparison Traps  13:53 - The Power of Slowing Down  16:11 - Embracing Failure & Building Resilience  22:29 - Failure as Data, Not Personal Worth  23:41 - Personal Tragedy & Finding Meaning  29:22 - The Relativity of Pain & Self-Improvement  34:35 - Facing Hard Truths & Growth  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Caving law firms experience exodus. ----- Paul Weiss fancied itself clever when it offered Trump pro bono payola in exchange for dropping an illegal executive order. Instead it keeps hemorrhaging senior lawyers with more departing to join the recent rainmaker spinoff and associates reportedly high on the new firm's wish list. While litigators are largely driving defections from surrender firms, at what point does a hollowed out litigation department start to impact the firm as a whole? Harvard Law Review found itself harassed by the government and it looks like the reason might be a snitch burrowed into the White House. And the one-track partnership model took more hits with Ropes & Gray and Debevoise agreeing to add non-equity tiers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Arizona changed its ethics rules in 2020 opening the door for alternative business structures and nonlawyer ownership for law firms, it sent shock waves throughout the legal industry. Nicole Miller, the chief legal officer of LegalZoom, speaks to the ABA Journal's Victor Li about LegalZoom's experience in Arizona thus far, as well as general issues relating to regulatory reform and alternative business structures. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ironically, there is no end in sight for the drama between “It Ends With Us” co-stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. The feud stemming from their fractured working relationship during the film's production and release continues to offer up splashy headlines almost daily. Allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation led to smear campaigns and then further lawsuits claiming defamation, extortion, libel, and more. Can we make sense of their tangle of legal actions? Tracy Brammeier and Kellie Snyder welcome a panel of legal experts including Jeff Becker, James Hemphill, and Kyla Miller to discuss the details of this case, the intensity of public perception and social media reactions, and what we might expect as the case moves forward.    Kyla Miller is an attorney in Mayer Brown's employment, litigation, and counseling practice where she counsels employers in highly sensitive personnel matters. James Hemphill is a trial and appellate lawyer with Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody where he has practiced First Amendment and media law for more than 30 years. Jeffrey Becker is founder of Swanson, Martin & Bell's entertainment and media law practice group where he helps clients resolve contractual and business disputes.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our conversation with Constitutional lawyer David Roland continues as he discusses recent challenges to your rights and how you can hold task forces and government accountable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A judge, legal aid director and legal aid client come together to discuss the potential impact of the White House's proposal to eliminate the Legal Services Corporation (LSC) on the latest episode of Talk Justice. On May 30, the Trump Administration announced its proposed federal budget for 2026, calling for the elimination of LSC. In light of this, Flagg guides the guests through a conversation about the tangible impacts of defunding civil legal services, explaining how the impact will be felt at every level. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

E-discovery is one of the hottest areas of litigation today. AI chats, Slack and social media, and confidentiality concerns are big news. As the field advances, it's becoming increasingly important that legal professionals understand not just how to manage their own team's data, but also what to ask for in discovery. Guest Nicole Gill, author of Best Practices for E-Discovery: A Practical Handbook (American Bar Association), explains how new sources of digital data emerge almost daily and how rules of collecting and preserving data trails, as well as data generated by AI chatbots, are constantly evolving. You need to stay up to date or you'll be left behind. Knowing how to broadly expand your discovery requests can be crucial. It's every attorney's duty to understand the digital environments where important information, records, and communications live (and sometimes hide). Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Slack are changing the way your own clients, and any subject of discovery requests, communicate. What must be preserved and what can be reviewed? And how are countries outside the United States (including China and the EU) managing data and privacy? Plus, a quick tip from guest Lindsay Polega as she explores the value of taking on pro bono work. It can be hard to take a full-time job fighting for justice. Those jobs don't pay well, and many attorneys are wrestling with overwhelming student loans. But you can still do good by taking on some pro bono work, helping others while getting back to the ideals that got you into the field of law. Resources: Slack WhatsApp Snapchat ChatGPT Thomson Reuters CoCounsel American Bar Association American Bar Association Litigation Section Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode's discussions around the Community Table: To meet client demand, firms are exploring alternative fee structures, such as flat-rate billing. Clients are paying for results, not hours. Today's tech, including AI, can make your firm more efficient and settle cases faster. Hear how you can experiment with different fee structures and where they may, or may not, work.  Do you need a real receptionist, or can you get by with an outsourced, virtual one? There can be advantages. Clients today expect more, including 24/7 availability. Virtual receptionists can be available around the clock, and modern technology can offer lower costs, greater capacity, and add-ons such as multiple languages. As your firm's footprint expands, you may consider opening an office in a new territory. Dig into the pros – and many cons – of expanding your reach and the creative alternatives to physical office space (even sending a ride-share company to pick up distant clients and bringing them to you). Mentioned in This Episode: Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online! Join the next Community Table live. What's on your mind?  Clio Legal Trends Report Previously on The Un-Billable Hour, “No More Billable Hours: The Move To Value-Based, Results-Based Pricing”  Posh virtual receptionist Ruby virtual receptionist Cliocon 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bar presidents share strategies, tools and insights for attorneys growing into leadership roles. Learn from real stories of growth, crisis management, and innovation in NCBP's Leading the Bar podcast. Listen monthly for compelling stories the next generation of lawyer-leaders can use to develop skills, confidence, and vision to lead with purpose and integrity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Drawing from over 30 years experience in legal practice, Judy Selby's newest book offers a wealth of knowledge for attorneys looking to move forward with confidence in their legal career. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway sit down with Judy to learn her insights on creating meaningful relationships with clients while growing a brand that reflects your personal values. And, when it comes to wellbeing, Judy has practical, realistic advice that helps attorneys avoid the pitfalls that could negatively impact their progress.  Read Judy's book to learn more! The Untold Secrets to Thrive as a Lawyer: Six Steps to Ignite Your Legal Career Even if You Didn't Go to Harvard or Yale  judyselby.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 20th, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order (EO) 14160, limiting birthright citizenship. This was met with backlash, as the constitutionality of the order was questioned. On May 15, 2025 SCOTUS heard oral arguments regarding a challenge to the order and a decision is expected to be released by late June or early July 2025. The courts have temporarily blocked the implementation of the Executive Order while constitutional challenges proceed. In this episode, Craig is joined by David C. Baluarte, Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and a Professor of Law at CUNY School of Law. Together, Craig and Dean Balaurte discuss Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship, recent oral arguments before SCOTUS, the constitutional fight for birthright citizenship, and the potential impact of this upcoming decision. Mentioned in this Episode: United States v. Wong Kim Ark Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What exactly does your state bar president do, anyway? A very presidential trio joins Rocky Dhir for today's conversation examining this leadership role and its many responsibilities. Rocky welcomes Past-President Cindy Tisdale, current President Steve Benesh, and President-Elect Santos Vargas to learn more about their efforts for fellow lawyers and their desire to address unmet needs in the profession throughout the state. Later, they dig into the history of the State Bar of Texas, explain the current structure and operation of the organization as a whole, and share how Texas legal professionals can get more involved in Bar programs.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Step inside a real-world example of legal innovation as two Lawyerist Lab members, Rachel Allums and Allison Harrison, reveal how they partnered to create Safe Sendoff, a new company addressing common legal needs for young adults.   Rachel and Allison identified a need for legal documents like powers of attorney and HIPAA releases when young people turn 18. They decided to join forces, sharing costs and leveraging their individual firm experiences to develop a product that serves both young adults and their parents. Beyond providing crucial legal forms, Safe Sendoff also includes an "Adulting 101" course, which educates young people on the responsibilities and rights that come with turning 18, covering topics from employment rules to filing taxes.  Their discussion highlights a new service delivery model offering automated, cost-effective solutions. Rachel and Allison share how their experience running their individual law firms informed their approach to building Safe Sendoff, allowing them to expedite the process of defining their purpose, vision, and ideal client. They also emphasize the benefits of working with a shared coach through Lawyerist Lab, which helped keep them on track. You'll learn about their commitment to transparent, upfront pricing and their focus on delivering valuable legal support through recorded explanations and automated processes, making high-quality legal information accessible at a fraction of the cost.  If this discussion sparks questions about optimizing your firm's operations or identifying new opportunities, consider exploring the "free small firm scorecard" at lawyerist.com/scorecard. It's a quick assessment to help you get a data-driven view of your firm and identify areas for smart improvements as you embark on your own innovation journey.    Listen to our other episodes:  #407: Serving Clients Through Alternative Business Structures, with Mike Payne and Chad Huebsch Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist   #368: Using Strategy Intensives for Your Firm's Success, with Anne Romanello Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist   #320 A Labster Call, with Aaron Thomas Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist    Have thoughts about today's episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!    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! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.    Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.  Chapters/Timestamps:  9:31 - Introducing Safe Sendoff: A New Venture 11:49 - The "Adulting 101" Component & Why Young Adults Need These Documents 15:14 - The Partnership Journey: Challenges and Synergies 17:48 - Building a Second Business Differently 22:46 - The Business Model: Beyond the Billable Hour 25:24 - Lessons Learned and Advice for Entrepreneurs 28:53 - What's Next for Safe Sendoff: Marketing and Growth   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Chambers v. Florida and the Criminal Justice Revolution, historian and former ABA Journal reporter Richard Brust lifts the veil on a case that laid the groundwork for some much more famous civil rights victories. On May 13, 1933, shopkeeper Robert Darsey was robbed and murdered in Pompano, Florida. Four Black migrant farm workers—Izell Chambers, Walter Woodard, Jack Williamson and Charlie Davis—were seized and pressured by the local sheriff into confessing to the murder under threat of lynching. Their appeals eventually reached the U.S. Supreme Court through the efforts of some dedicated African American attorneys, and succeeded in 1940. In Justice Hugo Black's written opinion for the majority, the justice drew parallels between the Jim Crow regime in the American South and the rise of authoritarianism and fascism in Europe. Chambers v. Florida forbade the use of psychological coercion—such as threatening to turn prisoners over to lynch mobs—as well as physical abuse to extract confessions. The court's ruling declared that the protections of the Bill of Rights extended into states' criminal cases, and began to change the kinds of cases that made it onto the Supreme Court docket.Brust sees it as part of a trio of cases, which includes Moore v. Dempsey (1923) and Brown v. Mississippi (1936), that led to a “criminal procedure revolution,” he tells the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles. In this episode of The Modern Law Library, Brust discusses the lawyers who worked on the case, most prominently Simuel D. McGill, a Black attorney in Jacksonville. He delves into the generational differences between the Floridian defense lawyers and the attorneys of the NAACP's Legal Defense Fund who would go on to win key civil rights battles. He explains why Justice Black would have been considered an unlikely author for this opinion. And he shares what he could discover about the fates of Chambers, Woodard, Williamson and Davis after the trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Plaintiff attorney and mediator Jill Bollwerk offers practical tips and insights that can help you be more successful in your next mediation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quite the combination of words. ----- Lawsuit against former Texas SG alleges bizarre cosmic sex fetish. The administration made two significant changes to the judicial nomination process, firing the ABA from its neutral evaluator role and kicking the Federalist Society to the curb. The latter move came with an epic rant declaring Leonard Leo a sleazebag. Broken clocks and all. And Kash Patel lays out the FBI's priorities and child predators and terrorists are now lower on the most wanted list than, "your neighbor who posted an 8647 joke." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We The Action has a simple premise – lawyers have the power to do good. The organization started in 2017 to help connect lawyer with pro bono causes, from immigration and domestic violence representation to non-profit governance and tax issues, from voting rights to copyright.  Anna Chu, the Executive Director, describes how nimble organization started the Federal Workers Defense Network to provide pro bono support for the thousands of federal workers who were fired from their positions in violation of law and without legal process. You can find pro bono opportunities at https://wetheaction.org/lawyers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Case Doctors explain how they've managed clients who are passionate about their cases after a viewer asks them how to handle a client has a short temper and gets defensive when asked tough questions. The hot topic in this episode is about how a high-profile e-cigarette case involving allegations of exploding batteries got removed to federal court. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's talk about the “exclusive remedy,” what it means, why Workers' Comp matters, and the exceptions. The concept of exclusive remedy is based on the principle that in exchange for care and benefits, a worker injured on the job may surrender some options for additional remedies.  If you're covered by Workers' Comp, the ability to challenge the employer in court for injuries and pain and suffering may be limited. Workers' Comp is the remedy. We are covered by Workers' Compensation because that can be a good thing, but we may give up the right to sue. Ideally, it's a fair deal for workers and employers. “The Great Bargain.” But there are twists and turns. Negligence, bad faith, family medical leave needs, disabilities, “double compensation,” and third-party interests all add to the puzzle. When does an injured worker get the “green light” to seek compensation outside of the exclusive remedy?  And what about non-injury damages like defamation, malicious prosecution, slander, or mental anguish? Or what if a “leased” employee (think temp agencies) is hurt? While the exclusive remedy simplifies the management of workplace injuries in many cases, it's not always as clear as it seems, and it's important to know where the exceptions lurk. The goal is always to make injured workers whole. Every case matters.  If you have thoughts on Workers' Comp law or an idea for a topic or guest you'd like to hear, contact us at JPierce@ppnlaw.com or APierce@ppnlaw.com.  Mentioned in This Episode: Green v. Wyman-Gordon Foley v. Polaroid Longever v. Revere Copper & Brass Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Much of our AI exposure comes from the media headlines highlighting its best and worst-case scenarios, but does that give attorneys an accurate view of AI's uses and capabilities? Dennis and Tom talk with Uwais Iqbal about his work in the legal AI space and his focus on helping attorneys understand and implement AI in legal practice. Uwais emphasizes the importance of educating lawyers on the basics of AI so that they can move forward with discernment in tech acquisition to enhance both workflows and client experience.    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. Uwais Iqbal is the founder of Simplexico, a London-based AI consultancy.   Show Notes: Simplexico  Simplexico | The Legal AI Consultancy | Free Course: AI Essentials for Lawyers TextExpander Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Take a deep dive into today's case management and accounting tech with one of the leading voices in legal technology, Allan Mackenzie, the founding partner of the firm Efficient Legal.  Moving from older systems and into the cloud can open lots of doors, affordably. Even small firms can dig into today's modern technology to help manage documents, accounting tasks, and more.  Iron out the wrinkles in your data management, connect platforms, and work seamlessly and efficiently. Case management systems have evolved to include dashboards, workflows, document assembly, phone call and text messaging systems, and even accounting tech and credit card processing. Hear what Mackenzie looks for when he sets out to build the right-sized system for a law firm, whether that's a solo practice or a large organization.  Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com   Topics: Think your legal software and systems are fine because they're what you've always used? Think again. Six months is an eternity in legal tech, and if you haven't reviewed and renewed your software suite, you could be leaving money on the table.  Integrate everything, including your billing, collections, and your phone calls, into every part of your firm, from information management to confidential storage and efficient search and recall.  Your clients are texting more than ever. Today's case management systems incorporate technology to securely receive, sort, and store text messages. Resources: Clio Legal Tech MyCase Smokeball CARET (formerly Zola) Leap Neos Dialpad RingCentral Ion8 Lightbulb Slack Quickbooks MyFirmData Zoho Invoice Centerbase Microsoft Teams Universal Migrator Actionstep Dropbox Dash ABA Techshow 2026  Previously on New Solo, “Winning The Battle: When It's Time To Modernize But There's One Holdout”  Previously on New Solo, guest Peggy Gruenke, “What's New in Legal Financial Management? An Expert's Perspective”  Previously on New Solo, guest Amanda Moore, “Money Management 101 for Solo and Small Firm Professionals”  Clio Cloud Conference 2025 Clio Legal Trends Report Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI is here to revolutionize your law firm, moving beyond simple prompts to actively handling your tasks. This Lawyerist Podcast episode is your essential guide. Zack Glaser sits down with Dr. Charreau Bell, a senior data scientist and assistant professor at Vanderbilt University, who's helping law students and faculty use AI in truly meaningful ways.  This isn't just theoretical—you'll get real clarity on what it means to use AI well in your firm, right now. We break down the crucial difference between merely using an AI model and actually "training" one, so you understand what's happening behind the scenes. You'll also learn when it's safe (and risky!) to send client data into cloud-based AI tools, and how you can even run powerful AI models right on your own computer for ultimate privacy.  But here's where it gets really exciting: we explore how AI is evolving beyond simple prompts into "agentic systems" that can plan, reason, and act on your behalf. Think of AI not just as a tool, but as a proactive assistant that can break down complex tasks and execute them using various "tools" you provide. This isn't just about automating simple tasks; it's about offloading work that previously required significant expertise, freeing you to focus on more creative and complex legal challenges.  If this episode sparks questions about the data in your firm and how you can leverage it, check out the “free small firm scorecard”. It's a quick assessment to help you get a data-driven view of your firm and identify areas for smart improvements as you embark on your AI journey.    Listen to our other episodes about Artificial Intelligence:   #555: How to Use AI and Universal Design to Empower Diverse Thinkers with Susan Tanner Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist  #553: AI Tools and Processes Every Lawyer Should Use with Catherine Sanders Reach Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Lawyerist   #551: Becoming the AI Driven Leader, with Geoff Woods Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Lawyerist     Have thoughts about today's episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!   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! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.  Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com    Chapters/Timestamps:  00:00 - Introduction: Beyond Simple AI Prompts  03:20 - How Data Science Helps Lawyers  04:32 - Automating Document Review and Information Extraction  07:10 - Understanding How AI Models Work (Training vs. Using)  13:25 - Secure AI: Running Models Locally and with Cloud Providers  17:16 - Training AI Models with Limited Data (Transfer Learning)  28:16 - The Power of Agentic AI Systems  34:24 - Interacting with Agentic AI and Security Considerations  38:21 - The Importance of Data Organization in the Age of AI  43:46 - The Future of AI: Automating the Unwanted  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the administrative state to voting rights, they're just sort of winging it trying to reverse engineer results. ----- As Supreme Court season hits fever pitch, we're joined by Professor Leah Litman, author of Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes, to discuss the nightmare we're facing. Elena Kagan took the opportunity to humiliate her colleagues last week calling out an arbitrary carve out created to protect their investments. Kagan's frustration seems to be growing down the stretch, having just eviscerated the government in the birthright citizenship case. Meanwhile, Kristi Noem failed introductory constitutional law in front of the Senate, flailing as she tried to define habeas corpus. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Roland founded the Freedom Center of Missouri to pursue legal protection of our constitutional rights to economic liberty and free speech. Our three-part series is a vital refresher on landmark cases and our ongoing responsibility to litigate for freedom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April, LSC published a research brief, “The Economic Case for Civil Legal Aid,” which shows the results of a systematic review of 56 economic impact studies conducted between 2003 and 2023. The independent evaluations examined 39 different states. Every study found a positive return on investment (ROI) for civil legal aid spending, with an average return of $7 for every $1 invested in these legal services. Hear one compelling example from a medical-legal partnership between Amerihealth Caritas D.C. and Children's Law Center. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this hands-on, in-the-trenches episode about real business development, learn the secrets to acquiring and signing new clients from law firm advisor Steve Fretzin, author of the new book “Be That Lawyer: The 101 Top Rainmaker Secrets to Growing a Successful Law Practice.” Fretzin, an accomplished author, business strategist, and podcaster, works with law firms big and small to help them prioritize goals, build their business, and achieve measurable, repeatable successes. Business development is more than buzzwords such as “branding” or “marketing,” it's about the entire, intentional path to creating a business that is always growing, always producing. It's the process of becoming the lawyer that everyone knows and everyone goes to: a rainmaker. As Fretzin says, “Be that lawyer.”  Hear about “sales-free selling” with a thoughtful, insightful approach to learning what clients need before you start pitching a service. Develop a checklist, a map, for building your business that you can put to work today. Developing a business can be confusing, with a lot of moving parts. Fretzin explains how it all comes together. Mentioned in This Episode: Books by Steve Fretzin  Previous appearance on The Un-Billable Hour, “Business Development: Planning and Practicing” Join the next Community Table live. What's on your mind?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chief Justice John Roberts recently called out the Trump administration for their threats to impeach judges who have ruled against them. In response to these threats to the judiciary, the Keep Our Republic's Article III Coalition, composed of over twenty former federal district and circuit judges  appointed by Presidents Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama, defended the federal judiciary, as political impeachment attempts against judges increase and the federal courts system face heightened scrutiny. In this episode, Craig is joined by Chief Judge Paul R. Michel, formerly of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and member of Keep Our Republic's Article III Coalition. Together, Craig and Judge Michel discuss the calls for impeachment of judges by the current administration, and how a coalition of judges is fighting back. Mentioned in this Episode: Keep Our Republic's Article III Coalition Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Get down with lawyers who rock, and some rock that led to lawsuits. Litigators Andrés Correa and Chris Patton of the Dallas firm Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegmann LLP are both rock and rollers and accomplished litigators. Hear how they make time for their passion for music, but also how the outlet releases stress and opens paths to creative thinking and strategies they've applied to their legal career and legal cases. Their passion for music inspired them to cowrite the Litigation Journal article “Rock Around the Court: How Copyright Litigation Reflects the Muddy Origins of Rock ‘n' Roll” that explores the legal issues surrounding music and creativity. As those who came before influence styles later on, music copyright claims have led to legal cases that shape the world of music and art. Lawsuits continue to this day. What's “inspiration” and what's copyright infringement? From Elvis to Led Zepplin to today. Now, imagine where the brave new world of AI is going to take us.  Resources: “Rock Around the Court: How Copyright Litigation Reflects the Muddy Origins of Rock ‘n' Roll,” by Chris Patton and Andrés Correa, Litigation Journal “Jimmy Page, Sony Pictures Sued by Songwriter Over Led Zeppelin Song,” Reuters “Led Zeppelin Emerges Victor in 'Stairway to Heaven' Plagiarism Case,” Reuters “George Harrison's “My Sweet Lord” Copyright Case,” Performing Songwriter “Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams to Pay $5 Million to Marvin Gaye Estate for 'Blurred Lines'” NBC News “Reggaeton Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Targeting Over 100 of the Genre's Biggest Acts to Move Forward,” Variety American Bar Association American Bar Association Litigation Section Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ready for a serious look at the future of your law firm? In this Lawyerist Podcast episode, Zack Glaser sits down with a panel of law school professors for a wake-up call about something that will fundamentally reshape your practice: the tech-savvy generation of law students entering the field. This isn't a distant trend; it's happening now, and it demands your attention.  We explore how these future lawyers are already operating differently. You'll hear firsthand about their strong preference for the Google ecosystem – and why that directly impacts your firm's current reliance on tools like Microsoft Word. This isn't just about software; it's about the shifting expectations and workflows these digital natives are bringing with them as they become your colleagues.  Here's where it gets interesting for you: we explore how you can leverage this change to your firm's advantage. The professors share insights on how these students are uniquely positioned to drive AI adoption within your practice. Think of them as an untapped resource, ready to experiment with and implement AI-powered services that can elevate your firm's capabilities and even open doors to new service areas.  And let's be clear, you can't afford to ignore the rising importance of tech fluency, especially in AI. The professors don't mince words: a lack of understanding in this area will directly impact your ability to serve clients effectively. In a world swimming in digital data, from car sensors to smart devices, your firm's relevance depends on it.  This episode is your essential guide to:  Stay ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving legal landscape  Unlocking the potential of the next generation of legal talent  Building a future-proof firm that thrives on innovation  Tune in!  Listen to our other episodes about Artificial Intelligence:  #556 Hidden Data: What Lawyers Need to Know About Digital Forensics, with Cole Popkin Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Lawyerist  #538: AI is Making Law Firms Obsolete, with Alistair Vigier Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Lawyerist  #551: Becoming the AI Driven Leader, with Geoff Woods Apple Podcasts  Spotify  Lawyerist    Have thoughts about today's episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X!   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! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you.  Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com.  Chapters/Timestamps:    00:00 – Intro: The Tech-Savvy Future of Law - Google Natives vs. Word Warriors  01:13 – The Google-Native Generation of Lawyers    02:51 – Changing Communication Norms    04:35 – Meet the Guests: Law School Professors on the Frontlines    06:21 – Teaching AI in Law School: An Overview    08:01 – Dennis Kennedy on AI in the Classroom    10:11 – Nicole Morris on AI Governance and Research    15:03 – Tracy Norton on AI as a Legal Writing Tool    25:25 – Is AI Dumbing Down Legal Education?    30:23 – Why Law School Must Teach AI    35:41 – How Should Professors Grade AI-Generated Work?    41:46 – Using AI to Improve the Classroom Experience    47:00 – How AI Will Change Legal Mentorship    52:19 – The Future of Law Firms and AI Expectations    55:25 – Final Thoughts: You Can't Tap Out of AI    57:52 – Outro    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Attorneys Jeffrey Rapattoni and Adam Calvert from the law firm Marshall Dennehey discuss common staging tactics impacting commercial auto and trucking transportation litigation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Matthew Dixon, co-founder of DCM Insights, is a researcher who's spent much of his career studying the shared characteristics and behaviors of successful B2B salespeople. In 2011, he released a study called “The Challenger Sale.” While giving a keynote on his findings at an annual partner retreat, an audience member stood up and challenged him. “He said, ‘Dr. Dixon, you've been talking for 45 minutes about sales effectiveness and salespeople and selling and sales process, and it's all very fascinating and I'm sure our clients would be very interested in this,'” Dixon recounts to the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles in this episode of The Modern Law Library. “‘And after all, we do a lot of consulting around go-to-market strategy. But what maybe you don't recognize is that we are partners at our firm. We are not salespeople. In fact, there's not a single salesperson in this audience. I might go so far as to say we don't sell anything here.'” Dixon was taken aback. “What I realized was this world of partnerships, of professional services, of doer-sellers is actually quite a bit different from the world of sales and what we had written and all this research we'd done over the years.” In 2022, he tackled this population with the Rainmaker Genome Project, a study that became the basis for The Activator Advantage: What Today's Rainmakers Do Differently, co-written by Dixon, Rory Channer, Karen Freeman and Ted McKenna. The Rainmaker Genome Project surveyed 3,000 partner-level professionals in 41 firms across law, public relations, accounting and investment banking. About 39% of respondents were lawyers. Each received a score for effectiveness in business development and were analyzed for how they provided client services. And it turns out that partner was correct: What makes a lawyer an effective rainmaker is not necessarily what makes a salesperson effective. After doing a vector analysis on the data, “what we found was that every one of those 3,000 professionals could be placed into one of five business development profiles,” says Dixon. The five profiles were the expert, the confidant, the debater, the challenger and the activator. Dixon stresses that the five categories are not about personality. While personalities are immutable, behaviors can be changed. “These are about the things we can all learn to be better at,” says Dixon. “It's about how we spend our time, how we engage clients, how we use resources, how we collaborate with colleagues—and those are things we can all get better at with the right training, coaching and support from our firms.” In this episode, Dixon expands on each type, but the most effective performers in business development were the activators. “The reason we chose the term ‘activator' instead of ‘connector'—people have asked—is that they're not about collecting business cards and letting them collect dust or just hoarding LinkedIn connections,” Dixon tells Rawles. “What these folks do is try to turn these relationships into paying client relationships. They activate those relationships by proactively bringing new ideas—ways to mitigate risk, make money, save money—to clients.” Dixon offers practical advice on how to behave like an activator, including the most effective ways to use LinkedIn. Lawyers and other client-servicing professionals can't just sit back and wait for business to find them, he warns. “Whether we like to admit it or not, clients are less loyal today than they once were,” he says. “They're less likely to come back automatically to their incumbent provider. No matter how great the relationship or the value you've delivered, they're forcing us to compete in ways we didn't have to in the past. So activators want a backup plan. They know today's great client might not be a client tomorrow, no matter what you've done. So you need a backup plan.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Seashellgate meets Surrendergate. ----- Since we're cursed to act as keepers of the flame to remind the legal community that several large law firms really did willingly sell out to the Trump administration, this week we discuss our columnist Vivia Chen's exploration of the unique impact of these moves on young lawyers learning early that Biglaw is more than happy to throw them under the bus. We also discuss how James Comey's Instagram pic triggered a tragicomic meltdown of some of the most deranged people on the internet ranting about seashells as a subliminal assassination threat worthy of John Wilkes Squarepants. Unfortunately, some of those internet denizens are also running federal law enforcement. And we conduct a lightning round of quirky Am Law 100 financial facts that will make you appreciate that you took some time off last year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices