Legal Talk Network

History of Lynch Mobs | A Chaotic News Cycle Rundown | LIBOR Under the Radar | Best/Worst in ...

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 03:50:53 GMT

A breadth of topics captured my interests this week at Legal Talk Network.

One more for my Goodreads wish list comes from The Modern Law Library. Host Lee Rawles speaks with historian Jane Dailey, the author of “White Fright” for an unfortunately timely and relevant discussion of lynch mobs.

Rawles and Dailey discuss what a historical look at riotous groups can teach us about the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Catching up on a ~~busy~~ psychotic news cycle, the hosts of Thinking Like a Lawyer breathlessly take on the legal standard for “incitement,” how the 25th Amendment works, Amazon’s eviction of Parler, and a few other A1 headlines.

With pages and news sites filled to the brim with riots, political infighting, and the political reckoning corporations are facing, there are plenty of important developments flying under the radar.

The Robert Half Legal Report focuses on an under-reported London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), the primary interest rate benchmark used by the financial services industry for more than 35 years. Host Charles Volkert and Doug Wilbert, a managing director of Protiviti, to discuss legal implications of a transition of the United Kingdom’s Financial Conduct Authority ceases publication of LIBOR by Dec. 31, 2021 as currently expected.

Before you leave 2020 in the dust, the hosts of Lunch Hour Legal Marketing are asking for nominations for the good, the bad and the ugly of legal marketing.

Follow this link to nominate the following for the 2020 LHLM-ys:

Legal Ad of the Year
Worst Legal Ad
Best Ad – Comedy
Out of the Box
Best Legal Website
Best Use of Social Media
Best Vendor You Can’t Live Without

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Thumbnail image: “White Fright: The Sexual Panic at the Heart of America’s Racist History” book jacket via Basic Books.

Editor’s Picks: Creating a Will for Your Practice | SCOTUS Practice Amid Covid-19 | Back to ...

Fri, 08 Jan 2021 03:11:35 GMT

Events over the last year and past week have many thinking about the end of days. And during the pandemic, estate planning became an urgent matter for individuals and families.

Just like their clients, lawyers need to manage their personal affairs. But they also need to consider what will happen to their practices should they retire or meet an untimely demise.

On the State Bar of Texas Podcast, host Rocky Dhir and his guest Penny Robe discuss succession planning. Robe explains steps lawyers should take to essentially create a will for their practice. The two discuss creating a longterm plan, how frequently that plan should be updated, and the state and ABA resources available for lawyers.

Series Explores How Lawyers Adapted to Pandemic Practice

In an interview with U.S. Supreme Court lawyer Jeffrey L. Fisher, Asked & Answered host Stephanie Francis Ward continues a series of discussions with lawyers about how they’ve managed their practices during the pandemic.

For Fisher and the famously antiquated high court, the transition from in-person to phone arguments was a radical shift. Fisher, who’s argued 40 cases at the Supreme Court, shares how he adapted and what he missed and has found challenging in the current format. Plus, he talks about the surreal nature of finishing an adrenaline-charged argument, then walking out of the conference room onto Stanford’s sunny campus where he teaches.

Back to Georgia

Before things got much worse on Capitol Hill, Thinking Like a Lawyer hosts Joe Patrice and Kathryn Rubino broke down President’s Trump call with Georgia election officials and the BigLaw partner caught on tape. Patrice offers his legal ethics take on the difference between representing unpopular clients and representing toxic clients that can damage a firm’s business.

Why Silencing the Ringer Is the Only Option

For an issue that may be a uniting force, Legal Talk Today’s host Laurence Colletti takes on the scourge of robocalls with Prof. Justin Hurwitz. Hurwitz explains why the federal Do Not Call List isn’t saving us from incessant calls to our cellphones.

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To keep up with timely insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network. Or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Top Legal News | What’s Next for Firms? | Plus… Chucking it All to Follow a Dream

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 03:08:23 GMT

In a year that felt like a decade, some of the biggest legal news seems years away at this point.

On Thinking Like a Lawyer, hosts Joe Patrice and Kathryn Rubino discuss top stories covered by Above the Law, from bar exams and bar privilege to lawyers – celebrated and notorious – making headlines.

On Legal Talk Today, host Laurence Colletti speaks with Legaltech News Editor Zach Warren to also highlight top law-related stories. Their discussion covers a range of topics, from civil rights and censorship to risk management at firms covered by Warren and his colleagues at American Lawyer Media.

What’s in Store for Firms in 2021?

Acknowledging that it’s pretty risky these days to attempt predictions, Digital Edge hosts Jim Calloway and Sharon Nelson discuss what they believe the legal industry will face in 2021. Will office life return to normal? Will ransomware remain a threat?

Hope for the Best. Plan for the Worst

With the pandemic raging and vaccines for most of us months away, planning is tricky. Yet, planning is critical for a business to not only survive but to thrive beyond the crisis. On The Un-Billable Hour, Erik Pickering, president of Tracers, who has a background in data research for Bridgewater Associates, spoke about common mistakes and the keys to effective planning during a time of market uncertainty.

Leaving the Law to Follow a Dream

On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, host Craig Williams interviews Jodi Ettenberg, who left her career in law to pursue a passion for world travel. A decade later, she hasn’t looked back. She talks with Williams about her travels, her writing, and the spinal tap that changed her life.

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Santa in the House | Best Books to Read | Recapping 2020’s Top Tech Advances

Thu, 24 Dec 2020 19:16:37 GMT

Show hosts spent the last days of 2020 reviewing a year that was deadly, tumultuous, and at the same time threaded with bursts of innovation and layers of human kindness. And an extra special guest appeared to focus on the latter two.

First, the news…

Firms gave bonuses. One U.S. senator moves to block legislation that would increase physical and data privacy protections for federal judges. These are two top stories discussed on Thinking Like a Lawyer.

Above the Law’s Joe Patrice and Kathryn Rubino talk about the New York Times Style article in support of second chances for legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin. Patrice’s rebuttal is here. They close with the latest barpocalypse development, with California flagging a third of test-takers as possible cheaters.

Santa on IP, Contracts, Elf Diet, and Alexa

Speaking of knowing when you’ve been cheating, specifically whether you’ve been naughty or nice, Legal Talk Today hosted a very special guest. Santa Claus joined host Laurence Colletti, this writer, and Legal Toolkit host Jared Correa for an unforgettable holiday episode. Santa showcased his in-depth knowledge of intellectual property law, contracts, and pivoting to video via Santa Claus Calls during the pandemic.

Best Books to Escape and Recharge

In this Modern Law Library year-ender, reporters and editors from the ABA Journal share the books they read (or listened to), enjoyed, and can recommend from 2020. Host Lee Rawles leads a discussion of comfort books such as Little House on the Prairie and Andre Agassi’s autobiography Open as a substitute for live sporting events. The group dives into heavier reading, and also notes favorite podcasts. They close with previews of wish-list books and listens for 2021.

Recapping 2020, a Year of Tech Adoption and Workers Comp Handwringing

On The Kennedy-Mighell Report, hosts Dennis Kennedy and Thom Mighell connect with Debbie Foster to review Covid-19’s impact on legal, especially with tech adoption and access to justice. They debate whether a return back to “normal” will erase much of the tech progress.

On Workers Comp Matters, host Alan Pierce and Prof. Emily Spieler review early Covid-19 fears that a spike in illness claims would crush workers’ compensation systems. When those claims didn’t materialize at an alarming rate, the spotlight revealed other systemic issues that Pierce and Spieler say might create strain in 2021.

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To keep up with timely insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network. Or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Professional Growth Tactics for the New Year | Numbers to Know | Law on Screen

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 16:00:00 GMT

As we close out a, um, memorable 2020, there’s no shortage of wishes for a happier and healthier New Year.

Helping us look ahead is legal industry analyst Ari Kaplan. He reviews some of his recent legal research projects and provides professional growth tips for lawyers with On Balance Podcast hosts JoAnn Hathaway and Tish Vincent.

Kaplan, who celebrates his 200th #VirtualLunch on Dec. 21, shares how legal professionals can build community with teams and peers even when in-person interaction is verboten.

Three Numbers to Know

Ready to get jazzed about bookkeeping? Bernadette Harris, the new financial coach in the Lawyerist Lab program, is as much financial cheerleader as she is expert at demystifying accounting. Harris tells Lawyerist Podcast host Stephanie Everett about the three numbers law firm owners should pay attention to most. She walks Everett through profit and loss sheets (videos), balance sheets (pictures), and the tools lawyers can use to balance their books.

Big4’s Big Impact on Legal

On the ABA Journal’s Legal Rebels podcast, host Lyle Moran interviews Don Francher, a principal at Deloitte’s U.S. legal business services division. The two discuss whether Deloitte plans to apply to offer legal services in states testing new legal services delivery models.

Breaking News, Zoom Attire, and Holiday Classics in the Making

On Thinking Like a Lawyer, juris doctors Joe Patrice and Kathryn Rubino discuss the latest news, then turn their critical eyes toward “pajamagate” and a judge’s subsequent dress-code order. Keep listening for previews of holiday movies featuring lawyers in leading roles ala Lifetime and Hallmark.

Speaking of law on film, Legal Talk Today host Laurence Colletti speaks with Adam Wolf, who heads his firm’s embryo-loss practice, about HBO’s documentary “Baby God.” The show explores widespread fertility fraud by Nevada fertility specialist Dr. Quincy Fortier, who deceived women struggling to conceive by using his own sperm to impregnate them.

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To keep up with timely insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network. Or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Editor’s Picks: Can vaccines be mandated? | Marketing speak decoded | Pandemic-era holiday ...

Thu, 10 Dec 2020 22:02:11 GMT

Vaccines for COVID-19 are headed to the market at lightning speed. The quicker the better for those eager to return to some sort of normal. That’s not to say there isn’t anxiety as the vaccine becomes available. And employers are wrestling with whether they should mandate vaccines for workers.

On Legal Talk Today, host Laurence Colletti speaks with labor and employment lawyer Christine Bestor Townsend to break down which employers are likely to require vaccines, who can say no, what accommodations might look like, and the templates firms can develop to help clients navigate this uncharted territory.

Legal Marketing: Defined, demystified, and decoded

During two recent shows, experts demystify marketing from terms to processes whether lawyers are doing their own outreach or are overseeing staff or consultants.

On New Solo, host Adriana Linares interviews marketing expert and author Seth Godin and Clio CEO Jack Newton. The wide-ranging discussion, in Godin’s signature tweetable and relatable style, covers the difference between entrepreneurs and freelancers, niche practices that spark passion, and making the leap to solo.

On Lunch Hour Legal Marketing, hosts Gyi Tsakalakis and Conrad Saam continue their mission to make marketing accessible and understandable. They define the term UTM parameters from its pre-Google history to its power reveal key metrics and improve the client-intake process.

Pandemic-Era Shopping: Bizarre buys and must-haves

Jared Correia, host of Legal Toolkit, reveals the, um, unique pandemic purchase he made this year. Before listening, guess whether it was:

An inflatable water park
30+ baseball caps
A reindeer
An industrial-sized storage bin

Listen in to hear Jared and veteran journalist Bob Ambrogi review the top legal tech news of the year.

For more conventional lawyer-centric gift ideas, check out Thinking Like a Lawyer’s discussion of Above the Law’s “Lawyer Holiday Gift Guide.”

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Editor’s Picks: Inside story on Joseph Pilates | Military paralegals | Bonus season in full swing

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 01:15:54 GMT

Large Thanksgiving gatherings may have been fewer in number, but one thing is certain, the focus remained on food. Lots of it, whether families substituted turkey with lobster or the ham with tasty takeout.

Now that the gorging is over, you may be exploring ways to fit more comfortably in your clothes. Not quite ready to do the exercise? No worries.

Lee Rawles, host of The Modern Law Library, has a fitness tale to share. She interviews practicing lawyer John Howard Steel, one of the few people still living who worked with Joseph Pilates both in and out of his studio.

Steel tells the story of Pilates, the man behind the physical and mental fitness phenomenon that remains an international sensation, drawing millions of practitioners and tens of thousands of instructors. He shares insights on “contrology” from his book, Caged Lion: Joseph Pilates & His Legacy.

Work-life Balance: Dedicated desk space and how to feel fulfilled at work

In the scramble to set up remote workspaces at home, the home office look and feel probably wasn’t a priority. Now that remote work is more likely even post-pandemic, the Lawyererst Podcast hosts have some suggestions for sprucing up the space. Small things and personal touches can make a big difference in mood and productivity.

For a bigger picture look at fulfillment while working remotely, host Laura Briggs speaks with Sarah Aviram, author of Remotivation: The Remote Worker’s Ultimate Guide to Life-Changing Fulfillment.

Specialized Experience: Legal services in the military

On the latest Paralegal Voice, host Carl Morrison interviews MSgt. Albert Perez Oyola about paralegal training paths in the military and specializations in military law. The two compare civilian versus military systems of justice. Perez Oyola explains that paralegals are still military personnel and are trained and even combat-ready when necessary depending on their assignments.

Business of Law: Bonus season in full swing, plus pandemic-related workplace and hiring trends

Good news or bad news first? Thinking Like a Lawyer hosts Joe Patrice and Kathryn Rubino share the good, the bad, and the ugly with BigLaw bonuses, what those signal for the future, and the new law grad employment situation.

Plus…firing squads. Are they more humane than lethal injection? Patrice and Rubino debate.

On the Robert Half Legal Report, guest Billie Moliere shares pandemic-related workplace trends related to productivity in a remote work environment. And she shared predictions for post-pandemic business culture. Moliere and host Charles Volkert discuss hiring trends and the most desirable candidate attributes in 2020. This includes tech proficiency for lawyers and experience with ediscovery for paralegals.

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To keep up with timely insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network. Or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Editor’s Picks: Gifts for lawyers | Mayflower Compact 400 years later | How ...

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 22:16:07 GMT

Looking for the perfect gift for a tech-loving lawyer? Want some legal history trivia fodder to share with family and friends? These latest episodes have you covered.

Plus, learn how to play to win a guest spot on Legal Toolkit.

Gifts for Lawyers: 20 gadgets to consider for holiday shopping

Ever the listener-favorite, The Digital Edge hosts Jim Calloway and Sharon Nelson review the latest tech gadgets for legal professionals in their annual gifts episode, ‘Tech Toys for the Holidays!’

Items reviewed this year include personal favorites, big-ticket items, and reasonably priced must-haves from a Clean Pod UVC sterilizer and a wireless version of LegalBoard, to a personalized fitness Mirror. The complete gift list with links is on the episode landing page.

Legal History: The Mayflower Compact’s legacy of self-governance

Pilgrims signing the Mayflower Compact, onboard the Mayflower, Nov. 11, 1620. Painted by T.H. Matteson ; engraved by Gauthier, Library of Congress collection.

On Nov. 11, 1620, male travelers aboard the Mayflower signed a compact, a self-government document that lives on more than 400 years later.

University of North Dakota School of Law Prof. Julia Ernst is a descendant of passengers aboard the ship and has studied the legacy of the Mayflower Compact. In a Legal Talk Today interview with Laurence Colletti, she shares legal history tidbits and namedrops famous descendants who can claim their ancestors also were aboard.

Business of Law: How a counterintuitive profit-first model can increase profits, save time, and improve business relationships

One obstacle for law firm owners to overcome is learning that while one primary reason for a practice is to help people, the business’s objective is to serve the business owner. Un-billable Hour host Christopher Anderson says in his latest episode that he gets a lot of pushback on the idea but says understanding this core business objective can help firms better serve clients.

Coming to grips with that and learning how to put profit first cleared a path for a stronger financial strategy for North Carolina family lawyer Jenny Bradley. She shares how she strengthened her business model and improved business relationships along the way.

Play to Win: Listen to Legal Toolkit’s custom Spotify list to win a chance to appear as a guest on the show.

In the latest episode of his re-tooled Legal Toolkit, host Jared Correia announces a brand-oriented contest using songs he pulled together on a Spotify playlist. He also chats with Documate’s founder Dorna Moini, whose company is helping lawyers build legal products without having to code.

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To keep up with timely insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network. Or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Editor’s Picks: Negotiation revisited | Save $$ on legal research | Marijuana election clean sweep

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 15:50:51 GMT

Practice tips and insights from the day’s headlines are nestled in the latest podcast episodes on Legal Talk Network.

My favorites this week covered the practical to the curious, with tips on negotiation to an overview of a few ballot measures that haven’t made front-page news given other news priorities.

How steering a kayak is like negotiation. Photo via Kristoffer Trolle.

Practice tips: How negotiation steers healthy relationships & how to save $$ on legal research

Let’s face it, when it comes to negotiating, most of us think we suck at asking for more or better when closing a deal. Alexandra Carter, a negotiation trainer and clinical law professor, tells Lawyerist Podcast host Sarah Briggs how to best frame negotiation and how for lawyers to use to improve and develop professional relationships.

At a time when lawyers and everyone else is paying attention to the bottom line, authors experts Carole Levitt and Judy Davis share when it’s best to use free legal research databases over expensive paid options. They share money-saving tips with Tish Vincent and JoAnn Hathaway, hosts of the State Bar of Michigan’s On Balance Podcast. Listen for their top three legal research options. While some advice is specific to Michigan, most tips are applicable to lawyers throughout the United States.

Ripped from the headlines: Jones Day doubles down | Magic mushrooms OK’d for therapy | Marijuana clean sweep

Above the Law Podcast hosts Joe Patrice and Kathryn Rubino debrief over a head-spinning news week, leading with dissension and consternation at Jones Day over unwanted attention from the Lincoln Project and MeidasTouch for the firm’s representation of the Pennsylvania GOP.

On Legal Talk Today, host Laurence Collettispeaks with Oregonian reporter Lizzy Ackerman about the first-in-the-nation legalization of “magic mushrooms” for therapy and decriminalization of personal use of many controlled substances.

In another Legal Talk Today episode, Colletti speaks with Ohio State Law Professor Douglas Berman about the states voting for marijuana legalization. Is it time for the feds to step up and join the states?

More from the network

To keep up with timely insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network. Or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

New Formats Highlight Tactical Advice for Evolving Practices

Wed, 11 Nov 2020 20:00:12 GMT

Two popular podcasts featuring practical, actionable tips for growing and marketing a law practice have revealed format changes complete with games and Spotify playlists.

Lunch Hour Legal Marketing is tinkering with format changes in real-time, using the podcast as a live case study to demonstrate branding, marketing techniques, and other strategies for drawing in and engaging a target audience.

Gyi Tsakalakis

Hosts Gyi Tsakalakis and Conrad Saam considered renaming the podcast and changing up the music. They are now embroiled in a marketer v. marketer throw down. The marketer who can increase the audience base the most wins.

Tsakalakis, founder of Attorney Sync, and Saam, founder of Mockingbird Marketing, are focused on providing tactical advice in practical, relatable terms.

After more than a decade in production, Jared Correia’s Legal Toolkit released its reinvigorated format in October.

Conrad Saam

Correia says he opted for a more conversational approach with shorter segments to liven up his previous straight interview format. Not to mention, everyone and their brother is podcasting these days.

“You need to continue to change and take risks to remain relevant,” says Correia, who is CEO of Red Cave Law Firm Consulting and co-founder and COO of Gideon Software.

In the new format, Legal Toolkit takes a page from late-night with a monologue, a conversation with a guest, plus regular segments including skits and games.

Jared Correia

Correia found influence from Bill Simmons’s “Grantland” and “The Ringer.”

“I wanted to combine legal and pop culture the way he combined sports and pop culture,” Correia says. “ Lawyers have other interests in their life outside of the law, and I wanted to make the show reflective of that, more holistic.”

Like Lunch Hour Legal Marketing, Correia’s format change is laced with practical lessons for listeners looking to improve their business models.

“I always err on the side of being bold, and I think that lawyers should be more aggressive in the way they market their practices,” Correia says.

Lawyers are often paralyzed by change if they can’t be perfect. Correia advises the approach he’s taking with the podcast format:

“Try marketing as a series of experiments. You’re testing things out, trying things. Then, you collect the data, gauge response, and see how things go. Maybe it works out, maybe it doesn’t, maybe it needs tweaking. You’re not going to bat a 1,000 anyway, so why not be yourself.”

Check out and subscribe to the latest Lunch Hour Legal Marketing here:

Check out and subscribe to the latest Legal Toolkit here:

More from the network

To keep up with timely insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network. Or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Election Challenges, Dangerous Speech, & Carrying the Nuclear Football

Tue, 03 Nov 2020 15:40:25 GMT

Legal Talk Network hosts put the day’s news into context with the most recent episodes covering promised election challenges, inflammatory speech, and the Cold War-era process for nuclear launch codes.

Snowfall at the White House photo by the White House is marked with CC PDM 1.0

Wait, is there an election this week?

On Legal Talk Today, Ohio State Law Prof. Edward Foley details a time-honored American tradition: the election challenge. Foley, author of “Presidential Elections and Majority Rule” and “Ballot Battles: The History of Disputed Elections in the United States,” walks listeners through the history of contested elections and possibilities stemming from Election 2020.

On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, University of Kentucky Law Professor and author of “Vote for US: How to Take Back our Elections and Change the Future of Voting” dives deeper into issues surrounding the elections, from voter suppression, mail-in ballot disputes, and what role the Supreme Court has played and may yet play.

When does speech become a call for violence?

The irreverent Popehat Ken White on Make No Law: The First Amendment Podcast is donning his “incitingelectionviolencehat” for an episode featuring a discussion of the First Amendment and how it manages inflammatory speech. White takes listeners back in time to the “clear and present danger” standard to the more recent case of a white supremacist convicted for uttering inflammatory speech at a Klan rally.

White and his guests — UConn School of Law Prof. Richard Wilson and Washington University Sociology Prof. David Cunningham — discuss whether the current “imminent lawless standard” holds up in today’s social media era.

Had your fill of election news? How about football?

The nuclear football? In a two-part Legal Talk Today interview, NUKEMAP creator Alex Wellerstein details the evolution of the U.S. president as the final authority on whether to launch nuclear weapons. From an informal assertion to formalized doctrine, nuclear authority has a rich history. Will legislative attempts to add more officials to the decisionmaking process succeed?

More from the network

To keep up with timely insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network. Or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Editor’s Picks: Avoiding DIY Legal Turmoil | Teams Tips | WFH Biz Dev | How to Spot Voter ...

Tue, 27 Oct 2020 19:57:24 GMT

HGTV’s Windy City Rehab is in the midst of airing season two.

Favorite episodes cover litigation and municipal codes that added unscripted drama to a popular reality TV show; practical tips and insights about an underrated remote meeting platform; how lawyers are finding new business now that they’re working from home; and whether voters’ rights are being protected since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Shelby County v. Holder

In back-to-back episodes featuring home improvement topics, Legal Talk Today host Laurence Colletti first speaks with code attorney Linda Pieczynski about the spike in DIY projects since stay-at-home orders began in March. Pieczynski tells Colletti about what happens when homeowners cut corners on pulling required permits for home improvement projects.

Colletti shifts gears to a reality TV discussion with entertainment lawyer Toni Long about HGTV’s “Windy City Rehab,” which ended its first season mired in litigation and stop-work orders. Not all reality TV drama is scripted, Colletti learns, as Long walks through what she looks for on behalf of her clients.

Thrust into a dispersed work model, many lawyers are realizing they’ve had a powerful remote meeting and collaboration platform at their fingertips. In the most recent Kennedy-Mighell Report, guest Karuana Gatimu, director of Microsoft’s Customer Advocacy Group, shares tips on how to use Microsoft Teams most effectively and to its fullest.

Lawyers and legal operations leaders should keep boning up on remote platforms, alternatives, and best practices because work-from-home is likely to be permanent or part of a hybrid arrangement for many office-based workers well beyond the current Covid-19 crisis. On the ABA Journal’s Asked & Answered, host Stephanie Francis Ward talks with business development coach Karen Kaplowitz about how lawyers are finding new opportunities to bring in new clients and build business while working outside a traditional law office space.

Also… Not to miss, heading into the election, is a voting rights edition of the Chicago Bar Association’s @TheBar, featuring John Cusick, a litigation fellow at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. Cusick reviews the state of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 with hosts Jonathan Amarilio and co-host Chastidy Burns. The three talk about recent examples of voter intimidation, how to spot it, and how to report intimidation when you see it.

To keep up with timely insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

ICYMI: President’s Health a National Security Issue? | Video Discovery Tips | Firms Downsize ...

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 21:24:27 GMT

Hosts with the Legal Talk Network took on a wide range of topics, many touching on Covid-19-related issues.

Some notable episodes to add to your playlist cover national security and physical health, what discovery looks like in an era of Zoom meetings, and law firms looking to embrace remote work and reduce expensive real estate overhead.

Dr. Sean Conley, President Trump’s physician, gives an update on the president’s condition and his treatment for coronavirus. Screenshot from C-SPAN coverage.

On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, host J. Craig Williams speaks with healthcare lawyer Harry Nelson about what the American public deserves to know about the president’s health. The two discuss national security implications and closer to home, and the duty of employers to keep their employees, including White House staff, safe.

The State Bar of Texas Podcast dives deeper into ADA, with employment lawyer Kelli Fuqua explaining what employers need to know to comply with ADA protections and ways to help best accommodate employee needs during the pandemic.

On Digital Detectives, discovery experts Doug Austin and Brett Burney share tips and best practices for audio and video discovery when so many meetings and events are live via Zoom and other video meeting platforms.

On the Legal Rebels Podcast, ABA Journal reporter Lyle Moran speaks with real estate law expert Sherry Cushman, of Cushman Wakefield, about how law firms and looking to cut costs in part by reducing their physical property footprints.

For timely insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

On the Road with Clio Cloud 2020

Wed, 21 Oct 2020 16:10:44 GMT

Clio’s first-ever all-virtual event drew thousands of participants and a rockstar lineup of speakers, pro trainers, a celebrity chef, and, well, rock stars.

Headliners included civil rights attorney Ben Crump, grit expert Angela Duckworth, and marketing guru Seth Godin. Closers each day were Iron Chef Stephanie Izard, Grammy-winning singer Ben Harper, singer Nathanial Rateliff, and DJ Questlove.

Kicking off the ~~show~~ conference, Clio CEO and co-founder Jack Newton revealed key new products and integrations, including a new Clio for Clients app, and a partnership with Google to better integrate Google My Business with the Clio platform.

On the Road host, Laurence Colletti caught up with several speakers, including Newton who discussed Clio’s new distributed workforce approach, key trends, overcoming adversity, and the latest Clio news.

Clio COO George Psiharis shared highlights from the 2020 Legal Trends Report and the three things firms did with cloud technology that put them at an advantage over their competitors. Hint, one of the things successful firms did was to effectively implement e-billing options for clients.

The Legal Trends Report shows that 27% of lawyers still don’t accept electronic payments. Tom West, CEO of AffiniPay, the parent company of LawPay, talked to Colletti about the reluctance and why these firms that use electronic payments and offer payment options fare better than their competitors. He also shared what to expect from online billing in the future.

Legal Innovators CEO and Co-Founder Bryan Parker shared with Colletti why businesses will see more success if they make diversity and inclusion a business imperative, and use data to assure they’re achieving goals.

Listen to the full lineup of On The Road episodes from Clio Cloud 2020 here.

ICYMI: Three Hot Topics from Dark Money Politics to Free Speech and COVID-19

Wed, 14 Oct 2020 15:23:13 GMT

by Molly McDonough

These three episodes can help you: Take a break from the real world of nasty election politics and dive into a fictional one. Find out how to quit selling and help clients buy. Take a closer look at Covid-19 shutdowns and Ohio’s liability shield.

ONE: If the real world is taking its toll, voting rights lawyer turned novelist Steven Wright has an escape route. Modern Law Library host Lee Rawles explores the world of dark money campaigns and election chicanery in Wright’s book “The Coyotes of Carthage.” Wright shares his real-world experiences that inspired the characters, plot and location of his story. He and Rawles talk about his journey to creative writing, teaching his University of Wisconsin Law School classes remotely, and his plans for a TV series based on his book.

TWO: In the Kennedy Mighell Report, hosts Dennis Kennedy and Tom Mighell take on a major pain point for lawyers: selling their legal services. Their guest, business industry expert Bob Moesta, founder of The Re-Wired Group, explains how lawyers can find more sales success if they quit selling. Instead, Moesta says lawyers should walk in their client’s shoes, see what they see, feel what they feel, and learn what outcomes they need as opposed to services they’re seeking.

THREE: Legal Talk Today’s host Laurence Colletti speaks with constitutional law Professor Eugene Volokh about Pennsylvania’s COVID-19 shutdown order and what made it run afoul of free speech protections. Colletti explores another pandemic-related topic in an episode taking a look at Ohio’s COVID-19 liability shield.

For timely insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Editor’s Picks: 5 Must-Listen Podcasts

Wed, 07 Oct 2020 16:12:40 GMT

by Molly McDonough

The void left by the Sept. 18 death of legal trailblazer Ruth Bader Ginsburg is the topic of conversation in two of this week’s top podcast picks.

ONE: On Above the Law’s Thinking Like A Lawyer, host Joe Patrice interviews former Acting Solicitor General Neal Katyal about his memories arguing before the justice and clerking for her when she was new to the Supreme Court.

TWO: On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, host J. Craig Williams interviews constitutional law Prof. Deborah Pearlstein about Ginsburg’s legacy and the nomination of U.S. District Judge Amy Coney Barrett, a Notre Dame law professor and former clerk to Justice Antonin Scalia, to fill the vacancy.

Pearlstein and Williams discuss Barrett’s nomination of Barrett, the nomination’s timing during an election year, and the potential impact Barrett could have on lightning-rod issues, including Roe v. Wade and healthcare reform.

For a touching tribute to RBG, listen to Legal Talk Today’s special episode featuring the stories of women whose lives and careers were inspired by the late justice.

THREE: On Law Technology Now, host Dan Linna gets a tutorial on how lawyers can evaluate whether new technology products are a good fit. Research Prof. Maura Grossman explains that machine learning is here to stay. Now that firms have realized that, they are scrambling to invest in technologies to become more efficient and competitive. Grossman offers eight questions lawyers should ask when evaluating AI-driven tech solutions for the delivery of legal services.

FOUR: Self-described New Solo fangirl Kelly Roberts gives host Adriana Linares a rundown of what she learned to do and not do when launching her solo bankruptcy practice in Florida a little over a year ago. While Roberts has had a successful start, she and Linares talk about her firm’s growing pains and the next steps for building a support team.

FIVE: In a timely episode, ABA Law Student Podcast host Meghan Steenburgh interviews high-profile lawyer Robert Barnett, a practice debate opponent for numerous Democratic presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

His client list is a Who’s Who of legal and political celebrity, including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Bob Woodward, Mary Higgins Clark, Dick Cheney, Alan Greenspan, Katharine Graham, Ben Bernanke, Nikki Haley, Tony Blair of the United Kingdom, and Queen Noor of Jordan.

For the latest insights on the law, legal innovation, and law practice, visit Legal Talk Network and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts.

Remote Work – Keep America Moving!

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 20:00:20 GMT

Editorial

As Americans, we are usually challenged to meet a variety of hardships, whether in our midst or abroad. Today’s COVID-19 happenings are both. It is extremely important NOT to overreact. We must carry on in safe, rational, and measured ways… Panic is not our friend.

It is vital to keep as much of the economy going as possible. Obviously, we should take reasonable precautions and be mindful of the needs of others. Business is critical right now. Every job matters and supply lines must be maintained. Everyone needs a roof over their head and food on the table. The best thing we all can do is work.

Inspired by the social sharing from wonderful attorneys, bar associations, and organizations everywhere, we compiled a list of articles about remote working in this Open Document. Please forgive its simplicity. We wanted to make it super easy to share additional information as it’s discovered. Please feel free to add your favorite sources on the subject.

In case you were wondering, Legal Talk Network is already working remote with operations at 100%. We are committed to helping the legal profession stay informed.

Dear Business Leaders and Consumers… In ways that are safe and fiscally reasonable, it is important to keep business moving:
– Employees need you
– Local communities need you
– Our Country needs you #FlattenTheCurve #coronavirus #COVIDー19 pic.twitter.com/n0vXXGhDOC
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) March 16, 2020

ABA TECHSHOW 2020

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 01:53:48 GMT

ABA TECHSHOW 2020 kicked off with its 4th annual Start-Up Pitch Competition on February 26th. Hosted by stalwart-statesmen-of-innovation Bob Ambrogi, this growing opening night event brings a wider variety of products and services to the tech conference by inviting new or small vendors who might not otherwise be able to afford the exhibitor fees. In addition to giving fledgling companies a leg up, attendees get a sneak preview of future offerings for the profession.

This year’s winner was Billseye, founded by brothers Alcide and Armond Honore’. Their company’s objective is to streamline billing and enhance customer service during client phone calls with the single touch of a button. In so doing, the attorney activates an application that helps gather client information with ease while also integrating with existing practice management platforms. The idea is to better track for time while entering and maintaining data.

New to ABA TECHSHOW was their ‘Un-Track for Doers’. Planned by Jess Birken, Erin Gerstenzang, Ben Sessions, and Gyi Tsakalakis, this new series of sessions pulled ideas from the “unconference” model to move through more topics and encourage greater attendee participation. In addition to being geared towards practical aspects of legal practice, the unconference sessions facilitated excellent networking opportunities.

We also learned some new things about “deepfakes” and how that could affect legal practice, why litigation finance is about to get really interesting, how ODR is closing one part of the A2J gap, and why virtual reality may become a real staple in courts very soon. In addition, we heard from Clio co-founder Jack Newton how it’s possible for today’s law firm clients to walk away unsatisfied despite getting the result they wanted. And finally, we received an update from ABA president Judy Perry Martinez about her mid-tenure progress as well as recent ABA resolutions aimed at evolving the practice of law.

Below is the complete catalog of our 12 episode podcast coverage from ABA TECHSHOW 2020 including a list of its 35 participants:

Judy Perry Martinez

ABA President Judy Perry Martinez sits down with host Laurence Colletti to discuss Law Day, the importance of voting, and the ‘Value Proposition’ agenda which, among many things, is bringing a library of free CLEs to membership. Stay tuned to hear about Proposition 115 and the 19th Amendment.

Our conference coverage starts with ABA President Judy Perry-Martinez giving an update on 2020 objectives. #ABATECHSHOW pic.twitter.com/iwSvvhZJ6s
— Legal Talk Network (@LegalTalkNet) February 27, 2020

Keynote Speaker Mary Shen O’Carroll

Google Director of Legal Operations and President of CLOC Mary Shen O’Carroll joins host Patrick Palace for a conversation about the prevailing shift in legal operations. Together, they talk about external and internal pressures to modernize legal departments to provide greater value. Stay tuned to hear the three main ways law firms are responding to those mandates.

Keynote Speaker Mary Shen O’Carroll stops by for a fascinating conversation about the state of the legal profession with Patrick Palace. #abatechshow pic.twitter.com/ji8fw8ftSS
— Legal Talk Network (@LegalTalkNet) February 28, 2020

Jack Newton’s “The Client-Centered Law Firm: How to Succeed in an Experience-Driven World”

Newly minted author and co-founder of Clio Jack Newton joins host Laurence Colletti for a conversation about today’s consumer expectations for legal services and how to meet them through a “Client-Centered” approach which is laid out in his new book titled, ‘The Client-Centered Law Firm: How to Succeed in an Experience-Driven World’.

Author and Clio Co-Founder Jack Newton stops by to discuss creating a competitive advantage in modern times through a client-centric approach #ABATECHSHOW pic.twitter.com/0TKCEfHGh3
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 27, 2020

Forecast-Alytics: Understanding Litigation Analytics for Case Evaluation

Blue J Legal’s Ben Alarie and Elevate Service’s Warren Agin sit down with host Dennis Kennedy to discuss predictive analytics and how lawyers can better guide their clients by using historic data. Stay tuned to hear about potential growth in litigation finance.

The future is nigh! @BlueJLegal’s @BAlarie, Elevate Service’s Warren Agin, and Dennis Kennedy go granular about ‘Forecast-alytics’ #ABATECHSHOW pic.twitter.com/bBXSVVXXnM
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 28, 2020

Apps Apps Everywhere–Tablet and Mobile Legal Practice

Blue J Legal’s Abdi Aidid is joined by Burney Consultant’s Brett Burney and Affinity Consulting Group’s Paul Unger to talk about new and best apps for the legal profession. Stay tuned for a couple of their favorites as well as questions to ask vendors before implementing a new product.

Apps Apps Everywhere! Paul Unger and Brett Burney dish-the-deets on helpful apps for lawyers with host and Blue J Legal VP @AbdiAidid #abatechshow pic.twitter.com/ZvsGoOmaLS
— Legal Talk Network (@LegalTalkNet) February 29, 2020

Red Pill vs Blue Pill–How Deepfakes are Defining Digital Reality

More than a mere curiosity, “deepfake” technologies potentially stand to create many problems in our future digital world. Sensei Enterprises’ Sharon Nelson and Canon’s Lincoln Mead sit down with host John Simek to talk about the issues and what lawyers need to know about deepfakes when they practice law.

Sensei Enterprises’ Sharon Nelson and Canon’s Lincoln Mead join data security expert John Simek to talk about ‘Deep Fakes’, how to spot them, and what lawyers need to know. #abatechshow pic.twitter.com/GDU9C63ING
— Legal Talk Network (@LegalTalkNet) February 29, 2020

Rebels Riot Luncheon Q&A

ABA TECHSHOW Co-Chairs Catherine Sanders Reach and Heidi Alexander sit down with Filament’s Matt Homann, myFirmData’s Pegeen Turner, vLex’s Colin Lachance, and Trident Legal’s Sofia Lingos to discuss their topics presented at the Rebel Riots Luncheon.

The inaugural Rebels Riot Luncheon honoring ABA Legal Rebels is in the books! Tune in with @catherinereach and Heidi Alexander as they host this Q&A with honorees @matthomann, @pegeenturner, @colinlachance, and @SofiaLingosEsq. https://t.co/rrpUk6ywPv
— Legal Talk Network (@LegalTalkNet) February 28, 2020

Un-Track for Doers

Birken Law’s Jess Birken, EHG Law’s Erin Gerstenzang, AttorneySync’s Gyi Tsakalakis, and Sessions Law’s Ben Sessions join host Christopher Anderson for a conversation about their “unconference” track designed to cover more practical topics for legal practice while offering better opportunities to network through peer-to-peer learning.

This feisty bunch of Un-track Doers share their learned tales of expanded knowledge. #abatechshow pic.twitter.com/JJqYkyopEU
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 28, 2020

HR 101 for Lawyers – Best Practices for Hiring and Firing

Lawclerk’s Greg Garman sits down with Lawyerist’s Stephanie Everett and Inter Alia Law’s Darlene Tonelli to discuss best practices and tips for hiring and firing. Stay tuned to hear their worst firing stories.

LawClerk’s Greg Garman sits down with Stephanie Everett and Darlene Tonelli to discuss best practices for hiring and firing #ABATECHSHOW @InHouseAllies pic.twitter.com/JPR6y3vFop
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 28, 2020

Online Dispute Resolution – Changing the Status Quo and Defining the Future of Work in the Legal Profession

Civil Resolution Tribunal’s Shannon Salter and Hyphenus’ Jonathan Verk join host Patrick Palace for a conversation about online dispute resolution and the different ways it’s chiseling away at the access to justice gap.

Of Online Dispute Resolution and Changing the Status Quo with Patrick Palace, @shannonnsalter, and Jonathan Verk #ABATECHSHOW pic.twitter.com/YvpKOtHpq2
— Legal Talk Network (@LegalTalkNet) February 27, 2020

Seeing is Believing – Virtual Reality Preparedness

Harvard Law School’s Matthew Stubenberg and University of Oklahoma College of Law’s Kenton Brice sit down with host Laurence Colletti to talk about virtual reality, its decreased cost of use, and why it’s becoming more important in legal practice.

Fun presentation and later interview with Kenton Brice and Matthew Stubenberg about Virtual Reality and how/where it adds value to modern law practice. #ABATECHSHOW pic.twitter.com/fStImWSdkm
— Legal Talk Network (@LegalTalkNet) February 27, 2020

Start Up Alley Winners

Billeye’s Alcide Honore’ and Armond Honore’ sit down with Bob Ambrogi and Laurence Colletti to talk about their one-touch app that’s designed to streamline billing and enhance customer service during client phone calls. In addition, Bob Ambrogi talks about the Start-Up Pitch Competition, how it helps innovation, and what we can expect next year.

The winners (Alcide and Armond) of the Start Up Pitch Competition stop by to share how @_Billseye is helping lawyers better manage phone calls with clients. #ABATECHSHOW pic.twitter.com/GhMD4JRi4j
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 27, 2020

List of Participants (in alphabetical order):

Warren E. Agin (Elevate Services – Managing Director for Digital Strategy & Solutions)
Abdi Aidid (Blue J Legal Vice – President of Legal Research)
Benjamin Alarie (Blue J Legal – CEO)
Heidi Alexander (MassLOMAP – Director)
Bob Ambrogi (LexBlog – Publisher and Editor-in-Chief)
Christopher Anderson (Profit First for Lawyers – Co-Founder and CEO)
Jess Birken (Birken Law)
Kenton Brice (University of Oklahoma College of Law – Director of Technology Innovation)
Brett Burney (Burney Consultants LLC)
Laurence Colletti (Legal Talk Network – Executive Producer)
Stephanie Everett (Lawyerist – President)
Greg Garman (LAWCLERK – Co-Founder)
Erin Gerstenzang (EHG Law Firm)
Matt Homann (Filament – CEO)
Alcide Honoré (Billseye – CEO)
Armond Honoré (Billseye – CIO)
Dennis Kennedy (University of Michigan Law School – Adjunct Professor of Law)
Colin Lachance (vLex – General Manager)
Sofia Lingos (Trident – Managing Attorney)
Judy Perry Martinez (American Bar Association – President)
Lincoln Mead (Canon Business Process Services – Project Manager / Client Relationship Manager)
Sharon D. Nelson (Sensei Enterprises – President)
Jack Newton (Clio – CEO and Co-Founder)
Mary Shen O’Carroll (Google – Director of Legal Operations, Technology and Strategy)
Patrick Palace (Palace Law – Managing Owner)
Catherine Sanders Reach (North Carolina Bar Association – Director for the Center for Practice Management)
Shannon Salter (Civil Resolution Tribunal – Chair)
Ben Sessions (The Sessions Law Firm)
John Simek (Sensei Enterprises – Vice-President)
Matthew Stubenberg (Harvard Law School Access to Justice Lab – Associate Director of Legal Technology)
Darlene Tonelli (Inter Alia Law – Founder)
Gyi Tsakalakis (AttorneySync – Founder)
Pegeen Turner (myFirmData – Co-Founder)
Paul J. Unger (Affinity Consulting Group – Managing Partner)
Jonathan Verk (Hyphenus – Co-Founder and CEO)

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors for their support (Blue J Legal, Clio, Headnote, LawClerk, Nexa, and TimeSolv). Hope you’re having a wonderful #ABATECHSHOW pic.twitter.com/JP902hXU5K
— Legal Talk Network (@LegalTalkNet) February 28, 2020

Inspire.Legal 2.0

Sat, 22 Feb 2020 03:10:33 GMT

An extension to the New York Legal Tech Community and also held on the backside of Legalweek 2020, the Inspire.Legal un-conference made it through its second year. Although last year’s event went very well, this year’s seemed better put together and also more fun. Organized by Christian Lang and Joe Borstein with Matt Homann as master of ceremonies and help from its numerous volunteers, this un-conference with its un-panels, luminaries, and moderators took its impressive shape.

Central to purpose was the lineup of attendees. Hailing from mega law firms like Paul Hastings and Clifford Chance, huge professional service companies like Ernst & Young and PricewaterhouseCoopers, top legal publications like Thomson Reuters and Above The Law, or key vendors that serve the profession like Casetext and Net Documents, the participants were leaders in their respective fields. One element that was noticeably not present were vendors in exhibition. Sure the event was sponsored (hat tip Ernst & Young and Clifford Chance), but the organizers wanted to prevent any notion of “being sold to”. Also absent was any sort of prescribed programming or booked speakers.

What changes for the legal profession at being discussed at #InspireLegal? pic.twitter.com/NcxxqBPnWq
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 7, 2020

You might be asking yourself what’s the point of gathering all these superstars for an un-conference without an agenda? That’s where the magic happened. By removing the incentives to transact and focusing on topics important to attendees, the goal was to have open and honest discussions about ways to improve the legal profession. And that’s where the diversity of stakeholders showed its value. By inviting practitioners, service providers, educators, and yes prospective law students to the mix (shoutout Antonio Cavazos), a broader and more comprehensive set of conversations were had.

These conversations were centered around five main pre-planned themes (listed below) but the topics within were generated on-location by the attendees after the conference began. In addition to the un-panels, Inspire.Legal featured fun and fiery debates during the lunch programming as well as a legal problems forum where 20 problems styled as questions were put to paper and attendees could go table to table and discuss (also listed below).

Five Un-Panel Themes:

Technology Procurement & Adoption
Platforms & Interoperability
New Offerings & Client/Lawyer/Law Company Collaboration
Experiential Learning & Training
Collaborative Funding Models

20 Legal Problems:

How might we demonstrate & articulate value from multiple stakeholder perspectives?
How might we engage users earlier in the procurement process & maintain their engagement throughout?
How might we get all stakeholders invested in successful adoption & use outcomes?
How might we demonstrate & measure value for different technologies?
How might we create a legal community around data standards?
How might we reasonably add people to new & ongoing tech initiatives?
How might we conduct needs assessment & incorporate stakeholder input before we buy something?
How might we improve collaboration between law schools, firms, & clients to educate new lawyers on the business of law?
How might we align firm hiring process with what clients demand & adapt law school curriculum to match?
How might we prepare young lawyers to succeed as the practice fundamentally changes?
How might we teach & optimize legal service delivery to align with customer value? (effectiveness, efficiency, & experience)
How might we incentivize useful training for lawyers?
How might we help founders create their own collaboration funders in our cash-rich/collaboration-poor ecosystem?
How might we get law firms to invest in disrupting themselves?
How might we identify & assemble willing & able stakeholders to orient around a concrete problem?
How might we design new incentives and build effective change management that survives contact with lawyers & firms?
WTF is value? … A.K.A. How might we define business value delivered to the client enterprise by legal teams?
How might we help clients better communicate their needs, constraints, & expectations to their legal supply chain?
How might we help legal teams focus on collective outcomes instead of individual inputs?
How might we overcome profit-driven proprietary standards & frameworks that prevent / disincentivize open community-driven platforms?

Below is access to our four episode podcast series covering what was discussed at Inspire.Legal 2.0 and a list of those who participated. Another great source for information on this unique event comes from our friend and legendary legal tech blogger Bob Ambrogi with his post titled ‘In Search Of Innovation At 3 Legal Conferences’. We hope you enjoy!

About Inspire.Legal 2.0

Inspire.Legal organizers Christian Lang and Matt Homann join co-hosts Dan Linna and Laurence Colletti to discuss their un-conference model, what problems they are aiming to solve, and the all-stars in attendance. Stay tuned to hear about charismatic deviants.

And with that the 2nd #InspireLegal kicks off. pic.twitter.com/UppqJJTl50
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 7, 2020

Technology Procurement & Adoption

Host Nicole Bradick sits down with Haley Altman, Carlos Gamez, Sanjay Kamlani, and Lucy Endel Bassli to talk about how vendors, associates, and partners can help with law firm technology procurement while making sure to solve the right problems.

Nicole Bradick hosts (possibly trolls ) this discussion about ‘Technology Procurement and Adoption’ with guests Carlos Gamez, Sanjay Kamlani, Lucy Bassli, and Haley Altman. #InspireLegal pic.twitter.com/QwRPQ87FVk
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 7, 2020

Experiential Learning & Training

Casetext’s Laura Safdie, Latham Watkins’ John Scrudato, Stegman Elliot’s Andrea Alliston, and Univar’s Jeff Carr join host Dan Linna to discuss the impact of future automations, the value of being a life-long learner, and characteristics that lawyers of the future will need to succeed.

Host Dan Linna is joined by Jeff Carr, Andrea Alliston, John Scrudato, and Laura Safdie for a discussion about their un-panel ‘Experiential Learning and Training’. #InspireLegal pic.twitter.com/IY9nHtNzpc
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 7, 2020

New Offerings & Client/Lawyer/Law Company Collaboration

Host Ralph Baxter is joined by Microsoft’s Jason Barnwell, Ernst & Young’s Peter Krakauer, and Priori’s Basha Rubin for a conversation about legal services not keeping up with demand, new ways to deliver legal work, and selling to in-house legal departments.

Host Ralph Baxter talks with @pkrakaur, Jason Barnwell, and Basha Rubin about their un-panel ‘New Offerings and Client/Lawyer/Law Company Collaboration’. #InspireLegal pic.twitter.com/JJPJMb9gaT
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 7, 2020

List of Participants (in Alphabetical Order):

Andrea Alliston (Partner at Stikeman Elliot LLP)
Haley Altman (General Manager of Transaction Management at Litera Microsystems)
Jason Barnwell (Assistant General Counsel-Modern Legal at Microsoft)
Lucy Endel Bassli (Founder and Principal at InnoLegal Services, PLLC)
Nicole Bradick (Founder and CEO of Theory and Principle)
Ralph Baxter (Former Chairman & CEO of Orrick)
Jeff Carr (Former General Counsel at Univar)
Laurence Colletti (Executive Producer for Legal Talk Network)
Carlos Gamez (Client and Partner Lead in Legal Technology Innovation at Thomson Reuters)
Matt Homann (Founder and CEO of Filament)
Sanjay Kamlani (Managing Director of 1991 Group)
Peter Krakaur (Managing Director and Legal Operations Markets Leader with EY Law Americas)
Christian Lang (Head of Strategy at Reynen Court LLC)
Dan Linna (Professor at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law)
Laura Safdie (COO and General Counsel at Casetext)
John Scrudato (Attorney at Latham & Watkins)

Legalweek 2020

Sat, 22 Feb 2020 03:09:36 GMT

Legalweek continues to be one of the biggest and most influential conferences for the legal profession. According to Zach Warren, editor-in-chief of Legaltech News, this year’s event brought in over 8,500 attendees. Many out there will remember this conference as Legal Tech New York but it has evolved in recent years to provide a wider array of programming. Like other conferences, the organizers are constantly making adjustments to optimize the experience. One change from last year is that the main content tracks were reduced from five to three (Legal Tech, Legal CIO, and Legal Business Strategy). But that certainly didn’t seem to affect the quality of the programming nor did it ward off top-name presenters like former United States Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein as the keynote.

During the keynote, which was styled as a fireside conversation, Mr. Rosenstein addressed many key issues to the profession and our society including rule of law, faith in the judiciary, keeping politics out of our legal system, and his return to private practice after many years of government service (heavy emphasis on conflict checks). He also fielded many questions from the audience on topics like “What is the biggest threat to our democracy?”, “Why is the government hesitant to prosecute big tech companies like Google and Facebook?”, and “What do you think about President Trump’s tweets?”.

For his part, Mr. Rosenstein tried to keep political leanings out of his answers. In his view the biggest threat externally to the United States is interference in our elections. He believes that the government needs to be cautious when prosecuting big tech companies because they are so important to our country’s well-being. As for President Trump’s tweets, he understands the novelty of being able to see what the president is thinking. He does not see them as a threat to the country but is not sure if they are good or not. As for election cycles and what many perceive as chaos in that system, Mr. Rosenstein was optimistic and reminded the audience that chaos has always been part of our political system and, despite that, we always find our way through.

Fascinating fireside-style keynote about the rule of law, faith in elections, and foreign policy with Former US Deputy Attorney General @RodRosenstein. #Legalweek pic.twitter.com/ZDFxblAFzo
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 4, 2020

Although, I think it’s fair to say Legalweek is geared towards big law or at least larger firms, the information disseminated is relevant to practitioners everywhere. From our audio coverage alone, we learned about modern trends for law firm growth and the declining equity partner track. We also discovered alternative legal careers that don’t necessarily involve the practice of law. We heard about proposed regulatory changes in states like Arizona, Utah, and California that are aimed at closing the access to justice gap and potentially widening the definition of legal practice. We also learned from big firms like Orrick, Mayer Brown, and Clark Hill as well as client-sided Microsoft the whys and hows of being adaptable in a world of change. And speaking of adaptability, we also discussed the “Big Four” professional service firms (Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers) and what attorneys can learn from their full service model.

Below is access to the complete catalog of our audio coverage from Legalweek 2020. It features nine episodes with 29 participants across all three conference tracks. Our guest lineup includes State Supreme Court Justices, CIOs from top firms, leading legal journalists, and influential entrepreneurs who are changing the landscape of legal practice.

Legalweek 2020: All About Legalweek with Zach Warren

Editor-in-chief of Legaltech News, Zach Warren sits down with host Ralph Baxter to discuss the evolution of Legalweek, the various learning tracks, CLE opportunities, and workshops focusing on specialty topics.

Legalweek 2020: 40 Years of Data – What the Data on the Industry Says About Its Future

Host Dan Linna is joined by ALM’s Gina Passarella and Patrick Fuller for a conversation about what they’ve learned through analyzing 40 years of AM Law 200 data. Together, they delve into growth trends, empirical metrics supporting diversity, modern client demands, and what firms are doing to keep their talent. Tune in to hear how big law is innovating around practice whereas smaller firms are innovating around process.

Legalweek 2020: Open Access – Utah, California, Arizona, Oh My! What Changes to Law Firm Ownership Rules Really Mean

Arizona Supreme Court’s Vice Chief Justice Ann Timmer, Utah Supreme Court’s Justice Deno Himonas, University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign’s Rebecca Sandefur, and ROSS Intelligence’s Andrew Arruda join host Ralph Baxter for a conversation about the efforts their various states are taking to close the access to justice gap and expand who can practice law. Stay tuned to hear about the 167 million new civil justice problems annually and how only 15-25% of those receive legal help.

‘Open Access and What Change in Law Firm Ownership Really Means’ …. Justice Timmer, Justice Himonas, Professor Sandefur, and Andrew Arruda join host Ralph Baxter for a deep dive discussion.NYC #Legalweek20 pic.twitter.com/61B7pVwkBT
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 4, 2020

Legalweek 2020: Robotic Process Automation – The Next Step in Legal Automation

Baker & Hostetler’s Michelle Dewey, Littler Mendelson’s Cynthia Brown, and Ogletree Deakins’ Jennifer Mendez join co-hosts Ralph Baxter and Dan Linna to talk about automating tedious practice tasks, why minimally viable products are valuable, and the innovation process at their firms. Stay tuned to hear about Carlos, the helpful chat bot with personality.

Legalweek 2020: Change Management – How to Get Lawyers and Staff to Buy-In to Change

Host Ralph Baxter sits down with Thompson Hine’s Bill Garcia, LawWithoutWalls’s Michele DeStefano, and Ari Kaplan to discuss change management and the elements that go into successfully implementing it. Stay tuned to hear why instinct eats collaboration for breakfast.

Legalweek 2020: Algorithmic Malpractice & Lawfare

Hosted by Dan Linna, this episode features Baker Hostetler’s James Sherer and New York Institute of Technology’s Jordan Thompson discussing tech competence and what lawyers are responsible for as well as what clients are demanding. Stay tuned for their talk about artificial intelligence and balancing privacy rights.

Legalweek 2020: The Path Less Followed – The Rise in Nontraditional Careers

Co-hosted by Ralph Baxter and Laurence Colletti, this episode features Above the Law’s David Lat, ReplyAll’s Zach Abramowitz, and Taylor English Duma’s Chris Wilson discussing their decisions to leave traditional legal practice for different pastures. Stay tuned to hear what jobs are available for lawyers who don’t want to practice law.

Legalweek 2020: The Big Four, ALSPs and the Law Firm Restructured

Axiom’s Karl Kong, ALM’s Nicholas Bruch, Deloitte’s Luis Fernando Guerra, and ALM’s Gina Passarella join host Ralph Baxter to talk about the “Big Four” (Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers) and what lawyers should learn from their mixed offering of services.

Legalweek 2020: Demonstrating Agility in the Face of Constant Change

Orrick’s Wendy Butler Curtis, Mayer Brown’s Samuel Whitman, Clark Hill’s Joan Holman, and Microsoft’s Dominic Crosby sit down with host Laurence Colletti for a conversation about law firms and how they can maintain adaptability despite a constantly changing world. Stay tuned to hear about design thinking and how to successfully implement it at your firm.

Lots of fun discussing ‘Demonstrating Agility in the Face of Constant Change’ with panelists Wendy Curtis, Dominic Crosby, Joan Holman, and Sam Whitman. #Legalweek20 NYC pic.twitter.com/S8CH6DWMmU
— Laurence Colletti (@LaurenceEsq) February 4, 2020

List of Participants (in alphabetical order):

Zach Abramowitz (Co-founder of ReplyAll)
Andrew Arruda (CEO and co-founder of ROSS Intelligence)
Ralph Baxter (Former Chairman & CEO of Orrick)
Cynthia Brown (Director of Research Services for Littler Mendelson)
Nicholas Bruch (Senior Analyst at ALM Legal Intelligence)
Laurence Colletti (Executive Producer at Legal Talk Network)
Dominic Crosby (Senior Technical Program Manager at Microsoft)
Wendy Butler Curtis (CIO at Orrick)
Michele DeStefano (Founder of LawWithoutWalls)
Michelle Dewey (Legal Research Services Manager at Baker & Hostetler)
Patrick Fuller (Vice President and General Manager of ALM Legal Intelligence)
Bill Garcia (Chief Practice Innovation Officer at Thompson Hine)
Luis Fernando Guerra (Deloitte Legal’s Global Leader)
Justice Deno Himonas (Utah Supreme Court)
Joan Holman (CIO at Clark Hill PLC)
Ari Kaplan (Founder of Ari Kaplan Advisors)
Karl Kong (SVP of Product at Axiom)
David Lat (Founder/Writer at Above the Law)
Dan Linna (Professor at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law)
Jennifer Mendez (Director of Knowledge Management Firm Solutions at Ogletree Deakins)
Gina Passarella (Editor-in-Chief of The American Lawyer)
Rebecca Sandefur (Professor at the University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign)
James Sherer (Partner at Baker Hostetler)
Vice Chief Justice Ann Timmer (Arizona Supreme Court)
Jordan Thompson (Deputy GC and Privacy Officer of New York Institute of Technology)
Rose Walker (News Editor for Legal Week at ALM Media)
Zach Warren (Editor-in-chief of Legaltech News)
Samuel Whitman (Global Knowledge Management Leader at Mayer Brown)
Chris Wilson (Partner at Taylor English Duma)