Brief Encounters

In the third episode of the series, "Intersections: Energy and Environmental Issues in Law and Tech," D.C. Bar EENR Community member Kathryn Caballero and Cathy Pagano of the Board of the Women's Bar of Association of D.C. (WBA) interview Nichole Saunders, Director and Senior Attorney in the Energy Transition Program of the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). Nichole shares how she is...

In episode 5 of this series, A. Valerie Mirko, a Partner at Armstrong Teasdale LLP and Leader of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Litigation Practice, and William Nelson, an Associate General Counsel at the Investment Adviser Association, sit down with SEC Investor Advocate Cristina Martin Firvida. The conversation delves into the crucial role of this statutorily mandated position in safeguard...

In episode 4 of this series, A. Valerie Mirko, a Partner at Armstrong Teasdale LLP and Leader of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Litigation Practice, and William Nelson, an Associate General Counsel at the Investment Adviser Association, discuss recent development in private funds regulation with Karl Egbert, Partner at Baker McKenzie and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Global Private Funds Group. The...

Angela Zhang, previously of the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law, and currently of the USC Gould School of Law, is the author of High Wire: How China Regulates Big Tech and Governs its Economy (Oxford Press, 2024). She provides important and nuanced insights into China's hierarchical regulatory style.  Don Resnikoff moderates. Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the spea...

Kimberly Wood, 2023-24 law student fellow with the D.C. Bar Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Community, interviews Elizabeth Klein, Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). Klein discusses BOEM's role in overseeing offshore wind energy development in the US, outlining their process from identifying potential lease areas to conducting environmental assessments and enga...

In episode 3 of this series, A.Valerie Mirko, a Partner at Armstrong Teasdale LLP and Leader of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Litigation Practice, and William Nelson, an Associate General Counsel at the Investment Adviser Association, discuss recent developments in insider trading with Deborah Meshulam (Partner and a leader of DLA Piper's Securities Enforcement practice). The conversati...

Panelists Bob Hosea with the DC Superior Court’s Multi-Door Dispute Resolution Division and volunteer mediator Stephen Fennell discuss how the Civil Court mediation process can help the parties communicate with each other and expedite resolution of the litigation dispute. Volunteer mediator Fennell focuses on the rewards and challenges of being a mediator. Moderated by Don Resnikoff. Please note,...

Celebrate the 100th episode of Brief Encounters as we talk about the evolution of leadership within the D.C. Bar. Join the past, present, and future D.C. Bar Presidents—Charles Lowery, Jr., Ellen Jakovic, and Shaun Snyder— for a candid discussion reflecting on their legacies, visions, and the defining moments that have shaped the D.C. Bar. Tune in to hear about the challenges and triumphs of bar l...

The series continues by focusing on Dodd Frank Act’s Section 913, which addressed the standards of care of broker-dealers and investment advisers, and the regulatory developments in that space since 2010, including the SEC’s 2011 Study and 2013 Concept Release leading up to the proposal of Regulation Best Interest in 2018. The podcast also addresses the adoption of Regulation Best Interest in 2019...

In the complex seas of financial regulation, the Dodd-Frank Act stands as a landmark piece of legislation crafted in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Fast forward fourteen years and we are once again in a rulemaking cadence that is unparalleled in speed and impact on the financial services industry. In this podcast series, A. Valerie Mirko, a Partner at Armstrong Teasdale LLP and Leader of t...

Patrick Reimherr, an attorney with Van Ness Feldman, interview White House Climate Advisor to President Biden, Ali Zaidi. Ali currently serves as an Assistant to the President and leads the White House Climate Policy Office. In this episode, Ali talks about President Biden’s agenda, the progress we’ve made in energy and environmental policy over the last four years, and the major challenges ahead....

The outcome of the NetChoice cases before the U.S. Supreme Court could provide insight into the degree, if at all, that the First Amendment protects AI speech.  The legal and technology issues are not fictional -- AI is here and advancing daily.  Those who use AI and those who wish to regulate it should understand the First Amendment implications.  Entertainment lawyer Kirk Schroder brings back de...

Join the Family Law Community to learn about the recent updates to divorce laws in the District of Columbia. Supervising Attorney Meridel Bulle-Vu of Legal Aid DC discusses the legislative changes with Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau of Ward 1. Councilmember Nadeau and Ms. Bulle-Vu talk about the origin of this new legislation, what changes to the law have been made, and how District residents, es...

In January of this year, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) adopted final rules regulating SPAC IPOs and business combinations.  Central to this rulemaking was the SEC’s updated and expanded guidance on the use of projections in all SEC filings as well as rulemaking specific to projections in de-SPAC transactions.  The evolving regulatory environment combined with market headw...

The Art Finance industry grows each year, driven by art’s high value and tightening credit markets. Securing an art loan to fund other investment opportunities has become an increasingly viable source of liquidity and a popular alternative to selling. In this episode, entertainment lawyer, Kirk Schroder, talks with Rebecca Fine, a founding member and CEO of Athena Art Finance. Rebecca has more tha...

Daily, entertainment lawyers are bombarded with marketing messages that, with GenAI, we can and should be doing all our lawyering tasks at the speed of light. Entertainment lawyer Kirk Schroder talks with Heidi K. Brown, Professor and Associate Dean for Upper Level Writing at New York Law School, about giving ourselves permission to first decelerate, ease up on the throttle that’s materialized in...

Join the International Law Community as we navigate the complex world of legal options available to individuals affected by international incidents. D.C. Bar Communities Program Attorney Caroline Lannon and  Mike Ehrenstein , trial lawyer and founder of  Ehrenstein | Sager , discuss the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act (FSIA) and the Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA), crucial instruments in the...

The 2023 Merger Guidelines are finally here after nearly 2 years of substantial work and discussion. Join Teisha Johnson, Antitrust Partner at Baker McKenzie, and Joanna Tsai, economist and Cohead of Cornerstone’s Merger Practice, for a discussion of their thoughts on the latest merger guidelines. Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not...

The gaming industry continues to grow at leaps and bounds and is leading the future crossroads for technology and entertainment. Entertainment Lawyer Kirk Schroder hosts Seth Steinberg, principal of Digital Arts Law in San Francisco, to discuss his role as a lawyer and business advisor in the interactive entertainment and digital media spaces (and occasional expert witness). Any opinions expressed...

Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb filed a lawsuit against RealPage, Inc. and 14 of the largest residential landlords in the District of Columbia. The lawsuit alleges that they colluded to illegally raise rents for tens of thousands of DC residents. The Complaint alleges that the collusion used artificial intelligence computer techniques that collected and shared confidential information among land...

The D.C. Affairs Community of the D.C. Bar presents Tory Lauterbach, a partner in the Energy & Climate group at Foley Hoag LLP, in discussion with Erin Garnaas-Holmes, Climate Program Analyst with the District of Columbia Department of Energy and Environment’s Urban Sustainability Administration.  Erin leads D.C.’s climate adaptation planning, including the implementation of the Climate Ready...

The NBA/WLD's Report is a first of its kind national study of Black Women's views and experiences across all legal sectors. D.C. Bar Criminal Law and Individual Rights Community Chair Robin Earnest introduces Morgan Lewis partner Grace Speights to discuss the Report with diversity leaders GW Dean Alfreda Robinson, Holland & Knight partner Kwamina Williford, and WBA President Kandis Gib...

Elizabeth Selmo of the Family Law Community interviews Darin Rumer, a partner in the family law practice at the law firm of Joseph Greenwald & Laake, with 20 years of experience applying what he has seen in litigation to pursue out-of-court resolutions.  Mr. Rumer addresses some of the pitfalls of litigation in family law cases, the alternatives to going to court, and what types of family law...

The Writer’s Guild has settled its strike with the Hollywood studios. The strike was the start of what many people believed was an existential threat to the film and television industry in Hollywood. For this podcast, entertainment attorney, Kirk Schroder brings back, David Kanter, manager partner and producer at Hollywood’s Anonymous Content, who in a previous podcast with Kirk, predicted the tim...

Ann Wilcox of the D.C. Affairs Community interviews Jinwoo Park, Esq, Executive Director of the Criminal Code Reform Commission, an independent agency of DC Govt. Mr. Park describes the criminal code reform framework that was formulated over several years and forwarded to the Congress in 2023 (later disapproved by the Congress). We discuss that process, revised bills that passed the DC Council thi...