Lawyers in the Attic

On Part Three of our Trial Diary, attorney Danielle De Smeth provides some shocking updates in the trial of Christopher Rodriguez. Rodriguez was a teacher who worked at the UCLA Early Care and Education Center for more than 25 years. He stands accused of a number of charges of sexual abuse of children at the school, and Danielle is representing several of the victims' families in potential civil l...

It's a whole new year for Lawyers in the Attic, and we're starting off 2025 by diving into our sick obsession with history's nastiest serial killers. In this conversation, attorneys Jennifer Yates and Meghan Sherry come to the attic to discuss the recent Netflix documentary This is the Zodiac Speaking , as we explore how the Zodiac murders sparked our collective interest in weird killings and the...

On Part Two of our Trial Diary, attorney Danielle De Smeth catches us up on developments in the trial of Christopher Rodriguez. Rodriguez was a teacher who worked at the UCLA Early Care and Education Center for more than 25 years. He stands accused of a number of charges of sexual abuse of children at the school, and Danielle is representing several of the victims' families in potential civil liti...

Christopher Rodriguez was a teacher who worked at the UCLA Early Care and Education Center for nearly 25 years. He stands accused of a number of charges of sexual abuse of children at the school, and attorney Danielle De Smeth is representing several of the victims' families in potential civil litigation regarding UCLA's negligence and liability for Rodriguez's alleged crimes. In this trial diary,...

Manuel Rodriguez was 19 years old when he was charged with a gang-related murder in Santa Paula, California in 2007. The resulting trial, in which founding partner Ron Bamieh served as his defense attorney, contained shocking twists and revelations that resulted in a surprising (and historic) outcome. In this conversation, Ron joins us to share the story of Manuel's case, and offers his thoughts o...

It's holiday time, so you know what that means: bitter divorces and custody disputes! This week we talk with family law attorney and senior partner Jennifer Yates about the special family pressure that holidays can bring, particularly for families dealing with kids and custody issues. Jennifer shares some brutal stories along with tips on how everyone can navigate this time of year with minimum dr...

In the wake of conservative electoral victories this month, there is renewed discussion about the end of "no fault divorce," a key victory from the feminist political moment in the 1970s. Perhaps unsurprisingly, family law attorney and senior partner Jennifer Yates has lots to say about that, and joins us in the attic this week for a conversation all about the rapidly evolving legal landscape of m...

Ron Bamieh is much more than Ventura's favorite lawyer. As a parent and coach, he's made a significant impact on the lives of the city's young people for more than 30 years. I know because I was one of those young people, learning the law from Ron as a high school student in the County Mock Trial competition way back in the 1990s. In this conversation, Ron reflects on his years as a coach and ment...

It's officially Spooky Season on Lawyers in the Attic, so this week we're talking about the history of witch trials with attorney Jennifer Yates, who shares stories from the recent book Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials by Marion Gibson. Along the way, we reflect on how the specter of "witches" continues to haunt the American legal landscape, in surprising (and not so surprising) forms. Law...

Immediately upon passing the bar exam in 2009, attorney Danielle De Smeth began experiencing a persistent shortness of breath that left doctors puzzled, initiating a years-long medical mystery that ultimately changed her perspectives on health, career, and much more. In this conversation, she tells a personal story that's as inspiring as it is harrowing, and offers a few lessons on perseverance in...

This week senior partner Danielle De Smeth joins us to report on her experiences at the CLIO Cloud Conference in Austin, Texas earlier this month. The conference focused on the future of the legal profession in light of recent developments in AI, and Danielle shares some mind-blowing, sometimes terrifying, ideas about how tech is changing the work that lawyers do, and how smaller law firms can kee...

Ron Bamieh has worked dozens of murder cases, both as a prosecutor and a criminal defense attorney. In this conversation, he tells the story of Gus Tapia, who was accused of a 2006 murder in Ventura, California and hired Ron to defend him. As the case unfolds, Ron discovers that the Ventura County District Attorney's Office is prosecuting the wrong man for the crime. And that's just the tip of a v...

What happens when a spouse takes the children across national borders? Family law attorney Jennifer Yates joins us this week to examine a shocking local case, as a judge awards a father sole custody and rules to "deport" a mother's children to Italy – but is that the whole story? As we unpack the legal elements at play when dealing with international divorce and child custody cases, Jennifer fills...

This week we talk with the family law super team at Bamieh & De Smeth: Jennifer Yates, Jason Frantz, and Thelma Corsa. These are seasoned family law attorneys with stories to tell and bittersweet life lessons to share. In this conversation, we talk about the hard facts of divorce and child custody, and reflect on the tricky balancing act of emotional and legal support for people in challenging per...

This week attorney and senior partner Danielle De Smeth joins us in the attic to share memories and reflections of a formative experience from her high school days: participating in the Ventura County Mock Trial competition. From overcoming nerves and dressing appropriately to the unexpectedly fierce competition with rival schools, we explore how the Mock Trial experience introduced us to legal wo...

In April 2024, Jacob Caliboso, a 25 year old man from Oxnard, California, stood trial in Ventura County Superior Court for his involvement in the deaths of Elva Andrade, 55, and her granddaughter Nevaeh Gomez, 7. Caliboso was charged with 2nd degree murder after driving under the influence of prescription drugs and striking the motor scooter driven by Andrade.  In this series of episodes, we follo...

It's back to school week, so we've got all the firm's senior partners (Ron Bamieh, Danielle De Smeth, and Jennifer Yates) together in the attic for a conversation about schools, students, teachers, and the long arm of the law. We also kick off the NFL season with details about our "Partner Picks" livestreams, every Wednesday at 4pm Pacific.  Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law office...

In the concluding episode of our series on the murder of Katrina Montgomery, Ron Bamieh describes his experience serving as lead prosecutor in the trials of Justin Merriman and his mother, Beverlee Sue Merriman. The court proceedings contain some of the wildest moments of Ron's legal career, and the case's outcome leads us to reflect on the meaning of justice for Katrina and her family.   Lawyers...

In April 2024, Jacob Caliboso, a 25 year old man from Oxnard, California, stood trial in Ventura County Superior Court for his involvement in the deaths of Elva Andrade, 55, and her granddaughter Nevaeh Gomez, 7. Caliboso was charged with 2nd degree murder after driving under the influence of prescription drugs and striking the motor scooter driven by Andrade.  In this series of episodes, we follo...

When she's not at the office or in court, family law attorney and senior partner Jennifer Yates can most likely be found reading novels and non-fiction, consuming books at an impressive rate (and tracking them on her reading apps). This week we talk about the connections between Jen's reading practice and her work as a lawyer, as she reflects on a life of book nerdery and shares some of her recent...

Do people really commit more crimes during the hotter summer months? Are there more divorces in January? As it turns out, yes! This week we talk with Jennifer Yates and Danielle De Smeth about the seasonal flow of life at a law firm, as we explore how weather, human psychology, economics and a host of other factors shape the yearly rhythms of legal work. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by t...

In April 2024, Jacob Caliboso, a 25 year old man from Oxnard, California, stood trial in Ventura County Superior Court for his involvement in the deaths of Elva Andrade, 55, and her granddaughter Nevaeh Gomez, 7. Caliboso was charged with 2nd degree murder after driving under the influence of prescription drugs and striking the motor scooter driven by Andrade.  In this series of episodes, we follo...

In Chapter Five of our series on the disappearance of Katrina Montgomery, founding partner Ron Bamieh describes building a complex wire operation in a county jail to ensnare the main suspect, Justin Merriman. As the case progresses, we learn shocking details about Merriman's mother, Beverlee Sue Merriman, and her level of involvement in covering up her son's heinous crimes. Lawyers in the Attic is...

Love is forever – until it isn't. And that's when a prenuptial agreement can come in handy. This week we talk with family law attorney Jennifer Yates about one of marriage's most controversial documents, as we explore how prenups can function as important legal and practical guides when things go sour. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & DeSmeth: https://www.bamie...

This week senior partner Danielle De Smeth joins us in the attic to talk about her current role representing families of victims in a disturbing sex abuse case emerging out of UCLA . We talk about the details of the case and the wider institutional culture that allows predators to get away with heinous acts for years, sometimes decades, before justice is served.  Lawyers in the Attic is brought to...