Lawyers in the Attic

Family law attorney Jennifer Yates, aka The Divorce Whisperer™, joins us in the attic this week for an examination of the Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie divorce saga. From jointly owned French wineries and plastic surgery bills to child custody and serious abuse allegations, we talk about the legal elements at play when giant celebrity couples split up. Stars: are they really just like us?  Check out th...

This week we're joined by Charlotte Krem, attorney at Bamieh & De Smeth, who shares her experiences working in both criminal and civil law. We talk about the need to confront one's idealism in the context of the "real world," and how balancing noble intentions with effective legal work (while maintaining your own sanity) is a critical skill for young lawyers to develop.   Lawyers in the Attic is b...

This week, we continue the harrowing saga of Katrina Montgomery, a young woman who disappeared in 1992 after attending a party thrown by white supremacist gang members. In this episode, Ron Bamieh, who served as a prosecutor and key investigator of the case, explains how a complicated, unprecedented wire operation uncovered critical evidence, and the dark truth of Katrina's fate begins to surface....

This week we're joined by senior partner Danielle De Smeth, who explains how parents of children with disabilities can navigate the complicated legal rights and responsibilities of special education. Danielle shares a number of stories that highlight the particular challenges families can face in securing equal and dignified schooling for their children, and discusses the role of legislation and l...

Anzac Jacobs is a criminal defense attorney at Bamieh & De Smeth who joins us in the attic this week for a conversation about his path to becoming a lawyer, the tricky "work/life balance" of legal life, and the complicated relationship between defense attorneys and local law enforcement.  Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & DeSmeth: https://www.bamiehdesmeth.com/ ...

This week we return to the story of Katrina Montgomery, whose 1992 disappearance led to a years-long investigation, ultimately headed by prosecutor Ron Bamieh at the Ventura County District Attorney's Office. In this episode, Ron explains how some of the case's most shocking developments unfolded in 1998, as he and his team crafted a sophisticated wire operation to ensnare the main suspects in hop...

This week we are graced by the presence of all three senior partners at Bamieh & De Smeth, who join us in the attic for a conversation about law school and the outlook for young lawyers in a rapidly changing legal landscape. Ron, Danielle, and Jennifer have lots to say about the different paths one can take in the legal world, and share stories and insights about what it really means to "succeed"...

The death of O.J. Simpson provides us an occasion to reflect on domestic violence, "stalkers," pests, and other dangers of relationships gone toxic. Family law attorney Jennifer Yates joins us in the attic for a conversation about the legal angles involved when "the ex" just can't, or won't, let it go.  Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & DeSmeth: https://www.bami...

This week we talk with Meghan Sherry, an attorney at Bamieh & De Smeth whose work focuses on equity in education, particularly around disability and access issues. In this conversation, she shares how her own experiences shaped her path in the legal world, and explains how ideas about "special education" are evolving in the 21st century. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of...

Continuing our story of Katrina Montgomery's disturbing disappearance in 1992, attorney Ron Bamieh tells us how, after taking on the case in 1997, he began the tricky process of ensnaring the main suspects. In this conversation, we hear about Ron and his team getting warrants, leaning on witnesses, and traveling across the country to find the people responsible for Katrina's death. As they narrow...

This week senior partner Danielle De Smeth climbs the ladder and joins us in the attic for a conversation all about the world of personal injury, from car accidents to dog bites. Danielle has some incredible stories to share about how technology is shaping civil litigation, and explains how getting the right insurance coverage is a vital tool of self defense. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you...

The disappearance of Katrina Montgomery is one of the more haunting cases in Ventura County's history. Katrina was 20 years old in 1992 when she attended a party on the Friday after Thanksgiving, and was never seen or heard from again. In this series of episodes, attorney Ron Bamieh tells the story of how, in 1997, five years after Katrina's disappearance, he began investigating the case as an amb...

Family law attorney (and senior partner at Bamieh & De Smeth) Jennifer Yates comes to the attic this week for a conversation about the strange, disturbing world of  "alienation" camps for children of divorced parents , as we explore how our most intimate relationships intersect with the legal system. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & DeSmeth:  https://www.bamieh...

What makes a good lawyer? And more importantly, what makes a bad lawyer? This week we've got all the firm's senior partners (Ron Bamieh, Danielle De Smeth, and Jennifer Yates) together in the attic to offer their (often brutally) honest advice to young attorneys about how to make it in a rapidly evolving legal world.   Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & DeSmeth:...

Have YOU been injured in a car accident? Do you remember the  McDonald's "hot coffee" case ? This week Danielle climbs up to the attic to share her thoughts on the world of personal injury or "P.I." as we say in the biz (the lawyer biz). Personal injury litigation is a massive piece of the American economy, and in this conversation we get into the good, bad, and ugly bits of a widely misunderstood...

This week Ron stops by the attic to share some details on a tragic local murder case, as he strategizes a defense for his client. This leads us to a wider discussion of felony murder and recent sentencing/police reform movements in cities like San Francisco and New York. With crime remaining a major concern heading into an election year, how do we balance safety and security with freedom and civil...

Kanye West's  2005 mega hit "Gold Digger" repeats a number of popular misconceptions about gender bias in the American family court system. In this episode, family law attorney (and senior partner at Bamieh & De Smeth) Jennifer Yates joins us for a conversation about what's right and wrong in Kanye's song, as we explore divorce, alimony, child custody, prenuptial agreements, and all the other mess...

This week Danielle stops by the attic to discuss school bullying in the age of Tik Tok, as she offers details of an intense civil rights case in Santa Barbara that highlights the rapidly shifting landscape of tech and the law. What legal responsibilities do school officials have when it comes to bullying, both online and in person? And what options do parents have when their child is subjected to...

It's an exciting week in the attic, with all of the firm's senior partners climbing the ladder for a roundtable conversation. Ron Bamieh, Danielle De Smeth, and Jennifer Yates get on the mics to offer their takes on a few of 2024's biggest cases, from the "cannabis psychosis" murder in Thousand Oaks, California , to the continuing legal fallout from Alec Baldwin's accidental (negligent?) killing o...

This week we talk with Jennifer Yates, senior partner at Bamieh & De Smeth. Jennifer shares the chilling childhood story that drew her into a life of law, and explains how the world of family law presents unique emotional pitfalls for both clients and attorneys. From divorce and child custody to the ever controversial "prenup," Jennifer relates how personal lives dramatically change when the state...

This week we talk with attorney Danielle De Smeth, senior partner at Bamieh & De Smeth. Danielle tells us about the chance encounter in high school that set her on the path to law school, the growing pains of transitioning from school to the "real world" of criminal law and civil litigation, and some key ideas and cases that continue to challenge her worldview. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to y...

In the debut episode of Lawyers in the Attic , we talk with attorney Ron Bamieh, whose storied career is the stuff of local legend in the coastal communities of Southern California. Ron shares some highlights of that career, from landing a job in the White House right out of law school, to working capital murder cases in the Ventura County District Attorney's office, to building his own law firm f...