Lawyers in the Attic

Everyone knows that, if you're accused of a crime, you're entitled to a court-appointed attorney. But, as family law attorney Jennifer Yates explains this week, that's not the case in divorces – which means that a significant number of people end up representing themselves in their own divorce proceedings. In this episode, Jennifer tells us about the things that can go wrong in family court, the p...

This week Danielle De Smeth joins us for an update on the case of  Christopher Rodriguez , a teacher at UCLA's Early Care and Education Center, who was recently convicted of several charges related to the sexual abuse of minors at the school. We talk about new developments in the case, and Danielle shares ideas for parents and children about detecting and preventing child predators from hiding in...

In Part 2 of our series on the art of criminal defense, founding partner Ron Bamieh walks us through the mechanics of going to trial, from preliminary hearings to verdict. Using examples from his years of experience on both sides of the criminal justice system, Ron offers an inside look at the often surprising process that individuals face when accused of a serious crime.  Lawyers in the Attic is...

Ron Bamieh has served as a criminal defense attorney for many years, handling everyday crimes like DUIs and assaults alongside some of the area's highest profile murder cases. In this series of episodes, he walks us through the process of defending a person accused of a crime, from initial contact with the client, detailed investigations, negotiations with law enforcement, and much more. Along the...

In cities and towns across America, roving gangs of teens and pre-teens prowl the streets on electric bicycles, wreaking untold havoc and creating unbelievably contentious lawsuits. Shocking stuff! This week Danielle joins us for a conversation about the new legal territory being mapped out by the presence of e-bikes on our streets. How dangerous are these things, really? And what types of precaut...

What is an "Alternative Business Structure" and how is it changing the future of the legal industry? This week senior partner Jennifer Yates helps guide us through the brave new world of corporate-owned law firms, Amazon medical clinics, and other dystopian developments on the horizon of American society, with private equity firms taking aim at industries that have long held themselves to values b...

What rights and responsibilities come into play when children are involved in legal cases? The firm's senior partners (Ron Bamieh, Danielle De Smeth, and Jennifer Yates) join us this week to share stories from their careers in which children were witnesses, victims, and/or criminal defendants in a wide range of cases, and how the firm handles this particularly delicate area of the law.   Lawyers i...

How often do social media posts, texts, and other bits of digital life come up in court cases? As it turns out, extremely often! In this conversation, family law attorney Jennifer Yates explains the many dangers of lashing out on social media during divorce and child custody cases, as we explore how the colorful alternate reality on your phone intersects with the very real world of law and order....

A question often asked of criminal defense attorneys is, "How do you represent such TERRIBLE people who have done such HORRIBLE things?" This week, I talk with former prosecutor and current criminal defense attorney Ron Bamieh about the moral and ethical elements at play in serving as defense counsel. Ron has represented a wide range of clients accused of everything from sexual assault to murder,...

As Danielle De Smeth anxiously waits for news of a verdict in the re-trial of Christopher Rodriguez, a teacher at UCLA's Early Care and Education Center accused of sexual abuse of children, we talk about the new information and approaches revealed by this second trial. And then, just as we're wrapping up our recording, Danielle gets a dramatic phone call… Read more about the verdict in the Rodrigu...

Since the Trump administration took power in January, more than 260,000 federal workers have been fired by DOGE, the agency headed by Elon Musk and tasked with increasing "government efficiency." This week we talk with family law attorney Jennifer Yates about the impact of job losses on divorce agreements – particularly when it comes to spousal and child support. What happens when a breadwinner no...

This week we talk with senior partner Danielle De Smeth about her role in the trial of Jane Laut, who was accused of murder in the killing of her husband Dave Laut in 2009. The case brought up the painful reality of domestic violence, psychological control, and justice for women who defend themselves and their children from their abusers. Danielle shares the emotional toll the case brought upon Ja...

Jane Laut was charged with murder in the 2009 killing of her husband, Dave Laut, an Olympic athlete and local sports hero. Jane's story of relentless abuse at the hands of her husband made for a shocking and contentious trial that still haunts many of the major players, including Ron Bamieh, who served as her defense attorney. In Part Two of our series, Ron tells the story of Jane's trial, which h...

Jane Laut was charged with murder in the 2009 killing of her husband, Dave Laut, an Olympic athlete and local sports hero. Jane's story of relentless abuse at the hands of her husband made for a shocking and contentious trial that still haunts many of the major players, including Ron Bamieh, who served as her defense attorney. In the first episode of a two-part series, Ron describes how he became...

Jennifer Yates is a senior partner at the firm whose work focuses on family law, but she's also a dedicated true crime fanatic with a deep interest in the dark side of human behavior. In this episode we talk about the Netflix documentary CHAOS: The Manson Murders, which presents an alternative version of Charles Manson's violent hippie cult, one that involves the CIA, LSD, and weaponized mind cont...

What's it like to work on "both sides of the law"? For the firm's founding partner, Ron Bamieh, who worked as a prosecutor before starting a private criminal defense firm, the experience has given him deep perspectives on the intersection of justice, business, and the art of serving clients. In this conversation he shares some of the lessons he's drawn from years of trial experience, and of course...

It's a wacky world for lawyers these days, and as one of the firm's senior partners, Danielle De Smeth has a front seat for much of the wackiness. She joins us in the attic this week to talk about the many cases she's currently juggling, as we contemplate a "week in the life" of a busy working attorney. From noisy neighbor lawsuits and criminal abuse cases to rapidly disintegrating federal agencie...

This week we talk with attorney Jennifer Yates about two big news stories last week that highlighted the dangers of AI and digital tech in the legal industry: another lawyer in trouble for citing non-existent cases "hallucinated" by ChatGPT , and the California State Bar's disastrous attempt to administer the exam with remote technology .  What can we learn from these embarrassing missteps, and ho...

Meghan Sherry is an attorney whose work focuses on equity in education. In Part Two of our conversation, we continue discussing Meghan's personal experiences and legal perspectives on the challenge of equal access for students with autism and other intellectual disabilities. We explore the role of parents, teachers, administrators, politicians, and students themselves within a complicated legal la...

Meghan Sherry is an attorney whose work focuses on equity in education. In Part One of a two-part conversation, she shares her personal experiences and legal perspectives on the challenge of equal access for students with disabilities. We discuss the roles of parents, teachers, administrators, politicians, and students themselves within a complicated legal landscape, and try to imagine new ways of...

This week the firm's founding partner, Ron Bamieh, climbs the ladder to answer questions from our listeners. The number one legal case on everyone's mind recently is the case of Luigi Mangione, who stands accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City in December. Ron sheds light on the idea of "jury nullification" and other issues around Luigi's case, and answers other...

The Trump administration is cracking down on illegal immigration, with new rules, guidelines, and policies for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents) agents conducting raids, stops, deportations, and more. These actions have deep implications for people living and working in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Senior partner Danielle De Smeth outlines some of these dramatic changes, and...

Ron Bamieh's life hit a crossroads in 2001, when his audacious political campaign for the office of District Attorney of Ventura County hit an unexpected bump: anti-Arab racism in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, cynically weaponized by his opponent. In the aftermath of that loss, Ron regrouped, left the DA's office, and started his own law firm. In this conversation, he tells the...

It was a wild weekend for Tik Tok users, with the app shutting down on Saturday night, only to reappear on Sunday morning with a cryptic thank you note to "President Trump" for magically restoring access to America's number one brain-rotting video platform. This week Danielle joins us for a conversation all about the legal angles at play here, from the U.S. government's argument that Tik Tok repre...

This week I'm joined by family law attorney Jennifer Yates, who helps answer the question: What legal rights, if any, do grandparents have over child custody and visitation when parents divorce? She offers some surprising takes on how this works in reality, and explains how grandparents and other stakeholders can navigate the challenging legal landscape of a rearranged family unit. In this episode...