On the Road with Legal Talk Network

In conjunction with the State Bar of Texas, Smokeball is providing free trust accounting and billing software for all Texas attorneys. If you're a Texas lawyer, this perk is available to you at no additional charge because of your state bar membership. Tune in to this episode and learn more about the features as well as where to access it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Your firm is more likely to succeed with the right software in place, but not all lawyers have a large technology budget. Judge Barbara Leach shares cost-effective software solutions that can help lawyers grow their business and increase efficiency. Judge Leach emphasizes the importance of a basic investment in practice management software early in your firm's development to seamlessly move from a few clients to many more. She also outlines the valuable resources both mandatory and voluntary bar associations have to offer their members. Barbara Leach is a Circuit Court Judge in Orlando, Florida where she currently serves one of three Domestic Violence Divisions.

Modernization is pushing us toward change, and one area of contention has been Model Rule of Professional Conduct 5.5 and related Unauthorized Practice of Law issues, particularly as they relate to multi-jurisdictional legal practice. Emma Raimi-Zlatic talks with Charity Anastasio and Micah Buchdahl about their session dedicated to the changing landscape of rule 5.5 and how things are shifting as the legal profession sees a greater need for multi-jurisdictional, national, and even global legal practice.  Charity Anastasio is a Practice and Ethics Counsel for the American Immigration Lawyers Association's Practice and Professionalism Center in Washington D.C.  Micah U. Buchdahl is an attorney and President of HTMLawyers, a law marketing company based in Moorestown, New Jersey.

AI is increasingly laced into the daily processes of legal professionals, and it promises to become an even larger part of our lives for greater efficiency and reach in many aspects of the law. Jack Newton joins Laurence Colletti to discuss AI's rapid advancements and how attorneys can manage its use in legal practice. They also discuss ethical concerns and the continued research and developments that will lead this technology into the future.  Jack Newton is the CEO and co-founder of Clio, a pioneer in cloud-based legal technology.

Billing pain points can severely impact a law firm's success, but today's technology can make all the difference. Laurence Colletti chats with Jordan Turk and Jayden Doyé to hear highlights from their session on law firm billing automation. They explain the disadvantages of manual billing and offer resources for attorneys to learn and implement automated billing software for greater efficiency and profitability in legal practice.   Jordan Turk is a practicing attorney in Texas and the Legal Technology Advisor at Smokeball.  T. Jayden Doyé is president of Prestige Accounting Solutions LLC.

Change is hard, especially when your team is uncertain about a new process or uncomfortable with new tech implementations for your legal practice. Gyi Tsakalakis is joined by Danielle Hall and Matt Spiegel to discuss their TECHSHOW session focused on managing change well in your law firm. They discuss common mistakes that may lead to resistance and offer strategies for creating change management processes that encourage and support your team.  Danielle Hall is the Executive Director for the Kansas Lawyers Assistance Program. Matt Spiegel is the co-founder and CEO of Lawmatics, an attorney-client relationship management platform.

Often, attorneys' schedules are so packed that they feel overwhelmed by daily tasks, struggling to manage their time effectively. Lawyers want to have the time they need to do their work well, and Bill Ramsey and Phil Hampton are here to help. They talk about their session dedicated to time-saving practices for lawyers, outlining common struggles, tips for eliminating procrastination, and how a well-prioritized schedule can revolutionize your legal practice.  William T. Ramsey is an attorney at Neal & Harwell, where the primary focus of his practice is complex civil and criminal litigation. Phillip Hampton is a legal technology consultant with over 30 years of experience in the field of information technology.

Lawyers operating in the Microsoft ecosystem can make great use of Law Toolbox and its many integrations tailor made to help attorneys with legal practice and matter management. Karolina Sikorska chats with Carol Lynn Grow to learn more about the latest updates and innovations from Law Toolbox. They discuss AI integrations, document management, deadlines and scheduling, and much more.  Carol Lynn Grow is co-owner and chief operating officer at LawToolBox.

You don't want your law firm to get left behind! The AI renaissance is here, and you should do all you can to leverage its capabilities for your firm. Karolina Sikorska talks with Ruchie Chadha of Smokeball about her TECHSHOW session—The Revolutionary Firm: Combining Your Data and AI for Faster and Better Outcomes. Ruchie shares the new ways AI is being integrated into legal software to enhance workflows and optimize case management processes. Ruchie Chadha is president of Smokeball US.

Should you start a podcast for your law firm? Showcasing your expertise could be a great way to engage new clients, but where do you begin? Co-hosts Gyi Tsakalakis and Laurence Colletti chat with Patrick Wright and Mathew Kerbis about their TECHSHOW talk on podcasting for lawyers. They talk through a DIY approach to podcasting, discussing gear and technology, AI-powered workflows, content creation and scheduling, and other basics to help you consider whether a podcast might be right for your law firm.  Patrick A. Wright is managing partner of The Wright Firm, LLP, a law firm based in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex.  Mathew R. Kerbis is founder of Subscription Attorney LLC, a modern law firm affordable access to legal advice for business owners, freelancers, and everyday people. Links: Lunch Hour Legal Marketing www.lawsubscribed.com  thewrightlawyers.com

It's always best to assume that your case could go to trial, and, with that in mind, lawyers need to be prepared and organized throughout the entire matter. Host Lydia Malone welcomes Alicia Aquino and Heidi Barcus to learn tips from their TECHSHOW session on best practices for methodical trial document organization—highlighting technology use, creating and managing pre-trial documents, developing trial binders, and more.  Alicia Aquino is the CEO and Trial Technology Consultant with Aquino Trial Services. Heidi Barcus is a healthcare trial attorney Lewis Thomason, P.C.

The past year brought yet more happenings in discovery with shifts in technology and communication creating new challenges. To examine the newest case law and outline upcoming cases, panelists David Horrigan, Scott Milner, Jessica Tseng Hasen, Justice Tanya Kennedy, and Nirav Shah discuss highlights from their session. They explain the latest updates, emphasize the importance of tech competence, and discuss notable cases' impacts on data law. David Horrigan is Relativity's discovery counsel and legal education director.  Scott A. Milner is a partner at Morgan Lewis & Bockus.  Jessica Tseng Hasen is Senior Counsel at Perkins Coie LLP.  Justice Tanya Kennedy is an Associate Justice of the Appellate Division, First Department of the New York State Supreme Court.  Nirav Shah is the eDiscovery Manager for The Home Depot. 

The legal world and its tech space have seen huge impacts from generative AI in the short time that it has been monopolizing our attention. However, in the midst of this rapidly evolving tech are many questions about safe, effective uses that truly solve problems for legal professionals. Ed Watts talks with Jamie Brown and Isha Morathe about current and hopeful deployments of GenAI to advance the profession, and then also address concerns over bias, security, and more.  Jamie Brown is Vice President of Global Advisory Services at Lighthouse Isha Marathe is a Legal Technology Reporter at Legaltech News for ALM Media.

Effective processes for discovery, data handling, collaboration, and everything else your case requires are essential to the life of a litigator. Karolina Sikorska talks with Elan Hersh about his session addressing the growing data demands in litigation. He discusses his personal experience and shares methods and tools to help litigators tap into the full value of available technologies.   Karolina Sikorska is a sales manager at InfoTrack.  Elan Hersh is a Partner at Akerman LLP in its Litigation Practice Group and also leads Akerman's eDiscovery Services team.

The Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Civil Rules has recently released proposed changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. What do attorneys need to know? Robert Levy, Jeffrey McKenna, Wendy Butler Curtis, and Chris Hurlebaus share insights from their panel discussion about the proposed changes' impacts on legal professionals, including issues of privacy, cybersecurity, case management, filing deadlines, and more.  Links: Lawyers for Civil Justice Proposed Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure Robert Levy is an attorney in the Law Department of Exxon Mobil Corporation. Jeffrey McKenna is a Senior Privacy and eDiscovery Attorney in Orrick's Chambers-recognized eDiscovery & Information Governance practice based in San Francisco.  Wendy Butler Curtis is Chief Innovation Officer at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP. Chris Hurlebaus a Principal Technologist at Microsoft.

AI is certainly a disruptor in the legal profession, and as such, there is a huge need for deep learning and new implementation of AI tools in legal practice. Bridget McCormack, Linda Beyea, and Diana Didia share their insights on AI solutions that address problems and pain points for lawyers and their clients. They discuss products developed at the American Arbitration Association and their all-in approach to leveraging AI's potential in legal.  Bridget McCormack is President and CEO of the American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution. Linda Beyea is the Vice President of Innovation at the American Arbitration Association. Diana Didia is the Senior Vice President, Chief Information and Innovation Officer at American Arbitration Association-International Centre for Dispute Resolution

Clio recently published its report showing specific trends for mid-sized law firms. Karolina Sikorska welcomes Joshua Lenon to get an overview of the findings of this latest report as outlined in his Legalweek session. Joshua explains challenges for mid-size firms and tips for overcoming them, including revenue lockup, billing and payments, technology adoption, AI, and more.  Links: clio.com/enterprise  clio.com/ltr Karolina Sikorska is a sales manager at InfoTrack. Joshua Lenon is Clio's Lawyer in Residence, and has worked on the front lines of legal technology innovation for more than a decade, helping to educate legal professionals on how they can better use technology to run their firms more efficiently and effectively.

Looking ahead, Dan Lear talks with Stephanie Wilkins about what evolutions the next 5-10 years may bring to the legal profession. Stephanie explains the focus of her panel discussion, particularly discussing AI's current and potential applications in the legal world as it moves from theoretical to practical uses.  Dan Lear is vice president of partnerships at InfoTrack. Stephanie Wilkins is the Editor-in-Chief of Legaltech News at ALM.

After a long fight for freedom following his wrongful conviction at just 16, exoneree Brian Banks focuses his efforts toward raising awareness and inspiring others. Host Michael Semanchik talks with Brian about his keynote speech at ClioCon 2023. Brian shares his story and offers insights on how resilience and perseverance can help us through difficult times.  Brian Banks is a former football player turned keynote speaker, life coach, and passionate advocate for criminal justice reform.

Being organized and efficient with your law firm's finances gives you peace of mind and increases your profits. Host Phil Brown talks with Jayden Doyé and Alex MacGillivray about strategies lawyers can tailor to the financial needs of their law firms. They discuss budgeting, tracking income and expenses, billing software, working with an accountant, and much more.  T. Jayden Doyé is president of Prestige Accounting Solutions LLC. Alex MacGillivray is the Vice President, Corporate Controller at Clio.

Optimizing your use of LinkedIn can help you grow your legal business and make great industry connections. Alison Demelis shares insights for putting your best foot forward on LinkedIn. Alison walks lawyers through the ideal LinkedIn profile and also offers tips for building your reputation, exuding authenticity, and forging meaningful relationships with peers.  Alison Demelis is head of Enterprise Sales Canada and has quickly become a pivotal member of the LinkedIn Family.

The ways you invest in yourself, your technology, and your law firm can make or break your success in times of struggle. Host Gyi Tsakalakis talks with Nefra MacDonald about the concept of creating an anti-fragile law firm. Nefra shares highlights from her session at ClioCon, featuring tips on being tech-forward, client-centered, and creative in your legal practice.  Nefra MacDonald is senior manager of strategic engagement at Clio.

If you want to stay relevant, or better yet, ahead of the curve, you need to embrace AI and learn its uses for your legal practice. Gyi Tsakalakis welcomes Ed Walters, Alia Luria, Erin Walker, and Mitch Jackson to talk about their session dedicated to teaching lawyers how to implement AI technologies while also maintaining necessary ethical responsibilities. And no, robots aren't replacing you! But, you do need to proactively work with AI and automation to keep your firm from getting left behind.  Ed Walters is the Chief Strategy Officer of vLex and the founder of Fastcase.  Alia Luria is managing partner at LNK Law, PLLC. Erin Walker is the Director of Strategy and Enablement at Clio. Mitch Jackson is a California trial attorney and private mediator.

Clio's cloud-based software created the industry's first-ever opportunity to collect anonymized data on legal practice as it is happening day to day. This real-time data has given huge insights on the state of the profession and what attorneys can do to increase efficiency and profitability in their law firms. Laurence Colletti talks with Joshua Lenon about Clio's 2023 Legal Trends Report to get an overview of this year's findings.  Joshua Lenon is Clio's Lawyer in Residence, with experience working on the front lines of legal technology innovation for more than a decade.

What exactly is dark social? Gyi Tsakalakis chats with Conrad Saam about his ClioCon session titled, “Dark Social: How to Turn Your Community Into an Eager Referral Source.” You might have points of contact with consumers that are virtually impossible to track, but these connections are still bringing new clients to your law firm. Conrad explains dark social strategies for lawyers and how they can build affinity for your firm and bring in new business. Hear more from Gyi and Conrad on their podcast, Lunch Hour Legal Marketing! Conrad Saam is founder of Mockingbird Marketing, an online marketing agency focused exclusively on the legal market.

AI is everywhere, but lawyers are naturally—and rightfully—skeptical about whether using it in legal practice is secure and ethical. Clio has just announced Clio Duo, an AI legal assistant, that was built from the ground up by Clio to comply with lawyers' unique security needs. Patrick Palace talks with Hemant Kashyap about Duo and all the latest products Clio has to offer.  Hemant Kashyap is chief product officer at Clio.

Clients feel better about your law firm when they feel their needs are met and their concerns are heard. What can you do to make sure this happens in your firm? From ClioCon, host Christopher Anderson talks to Pegeen Turner about her session on client-centered practices for your legal business. They chat about best practices for intake forms, technology, scheduling, and billing.  Pegeen Turner is the President of Legal Cloud Technology, a Raleigh-based legal technology firm. Mentioned in this Episode: legalcloudtechnology.com

Jack Newton sits down with Laurence Colletti to talk about the current happenings at Clio and what they plan to bring to their legal tech offerings in the future. Now in over 100 countries around the globe, Clio hopes to continue to leverage evolving technologies to positively impact the practice of law and improve access to justice worldwide. They also discuss Clio's upcoming AI assistant, Clio Duo, and talk through the 2023 Clio Legal Trends Report and what the profession can glean from its findings.  Jack Newton is the CEO and co-founder of Clio, a pioneer in cloud-based legal technology.

Because there are so many solo/small firm attorneys in California, if you are a member of CLA, you are also probably a member of the Solo and Small Firm Section! Outgoing Chair Robby Klein and incoming Chair Josh Bonnici talk through the networking and programs offered by the section and their goals to help members grow as attorneys and as business owners.  Learn more at: Solo and Small Firms - California Lawyers Association   And check out their publications: The Practitioner and The Solo Advisor

Family law can be very contentious, so it is critically important for attorneys in this area to learn to be cool-headed advocates for their clients in difficult situations. Host Laurence Colletti welcomes Family Law Chair Demetria Graves to discuss the current happenings in the section. Demetria highlights the upcoming “Anatomy of a Trial” program happening both in Oakland and Los Angeles, points members to the “Family Law News” publication, and explains where to find other CLE information.  Family Law Section - California Lawyers Association  

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

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

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

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

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

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

The virtual world of NFTs and Web3 is developing rapidly, and within this space, intellectual property disputes are now cropping up at a similarly rapid pace. Diane Littlejohn, Kristen Roberts, and Jessica Neer McDonald talk through their TECHSHOW presentation on trademark and copyright issues arising from NFTs and Web3 and share how to assess goals and uses for virtual content to decide what protections a creator may need.  Diane Littlejohn is an attorney currently serving as the Executive Director of the Technology Law and Policy Center at North Carolina Central University School of Law. Kristen G. Roberts, Founder & Managing Attorney at Trestle Law, APC is a California-based intellectual property attorney who helps business owners build a bridge from their brands to their bank accounts. Jessica Neer McDonald is founder of intellectual property law firm Neer McD PLLC, based in Miami, Florida.

Change is difficult, but that doesn't mean it isn't needed. So, what might we need to do to change the way we conceive of legal services? Lynda Shely, Darth Vaughn, Jayne Reardon, and Ed Walters share highlights from their keynote—a fictional public hearing—debating the idea of modifying attorney Rules of Professional Conduct to address challenges in access to justice and legal service delivery. Lynda Shely, of The Shely Firm, PC, Scottsdale, Arizona, provides ethics and risk management advice to lawyers and law firms. Darth Vaughn serves as Litigation Counsel and leads the Legal Innovation & Technology Operations team for Ford Motor Company's Office of General Counsel. Jayne Reardon is the former executive director of the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism. Ed Walters is the CEO and co-founder of Fastcase.

ChatGPT's ability to work at the level of language is already catching the attention of litigators around the world. Pablo Arrenondo and Stephen Embry recap their talk at TECHSHOW on how ChatGPT and other AI can be used as tools to aid attorneys in legal practice. They discuss concerns with accuracy and bias and also explore the many positive opportunities presented by this burgeoning tech. Pablo Arredondo is co-founder and chief innovation officer at Casetext. Stephen Embry is a member of Frost Brown Todd LLC and part of the firm's class action, privacy, and mass tort groups.

As Web3 and the metaverse continue to grow in their reach, more and more people are using cryptocurrency—even to pay their legal fees. What do lawyers need to know about these new forms of payment? Jessica Neer McDonald and Jamie Szal give an overview of blockchain, cryptocurrency, and Web3 payment sources and explain their legal and ethical implications for law firms. Jessica Neer McDonald is founder of intellectual property law firm Neer McD PLLC, based in Miami, Florida. Jamie Szal is a partner at Brann & Isaacson, where she focuses her practice on assisting businesses in all aspects of state and local tax controversy.

The newest market for legal professionals may not exist in the physical world, but legal matters in the metaverse are very real, opening up a host of opportunities for attorneys. Kristen Roberts, Diane Littlejohn, and Mathew Kerbis talk us through the basics of the metaverse and its expanding need for legal services. Kristen G. Roberts, Founder & Managing Attorney at Trestle Law, APC is a California-based intellectual property attorney who helps business owners build a bridge from their brands to their bank accounts. Diane Littlejohn is an attorney currently serving as the Executive Director of the Technology Law and Policy Center at North Carolina Central University School of Law. Mathew R. Kerbis is an associate attorney at Condon & Cook, LLC focusing his practice in civil litigation defense of first-party and third-party insurance and personal injury matters.

If you've run into a problem that you can't seem to solve in-house, it might be time to seek out an integration partner. Tressa Schultze and Catherine Stock talk with Laurence Colletti about the benefits of these partnerships and how they help lawyers streamline processes and develop efficient, profitable legal practices. Tressa Schultze leads product and integration strategy at MyCase. Catherine Stock is partnerships manager at InfoTrack US.