Legal Talk Network - Law News and Legal Topics

As you may recall, we’re running a new series we call The Life of a Lawyer, Start to Finish, where we explore the experience of becoming and being an attorney, from applying to law schools through retirement and everything in between. On our last episode in this series, we discussed How to Get Into Law School with the Deans of Admissions from both Harvard & Yale Law. In this episode, we move on to...

Women play a vital role in the legal profession, and their leadership should be encouraged and supported as we move into the future. State Bar of Texas podcast host Rocky Dhir talks with four deans of Texas law schools, Joan R.M. Bullock, Jennifer Collins, Felecia Epps, and Patricia Roberts, about their perspectives on women and the law. They discuss changing dynamics in work-life balance, overcom...

As it happens, all three of your hosts competed on high school or college debate teams. So did Ketanji Brown Jackson. This is why you should just turn over your whole governance to the people making jokes about "uniqueness." We also talk about law firms disentangling themselves from Russia and the retrograde nonsense of the Virginia Bar Exam. Special thanks to our sponsor, Posh Virtual Receptionis...

Did you know the average person makes over 35,000 conscious decisions every day? Decision fatigue is real but there are ways to cope. Today’s discussion examines asking for and evaluating advice, setting decision-making boundaries, and recognizing that every decision is really just a choice. Make the decision to check out this podcast, and you’ve got only 34,999 more decisions to go….. Learn more...

The justice gap is real. Thousands of Americans face legal situations such as wrongful eviction, denied access to health and other public benefits, or domestic violence with no money for legal representation. Legal Services organizations are the poverty law experts…providing free legal aid and education to our most vulnerable citizens. Dan Glazier and Karren Warren of Legal Services of Eastern Mis...

Following the NCBP Virtual Midyear Meeting, Carl Smallwood hosts Chief Justice Bridget Mary McCormack and attorney Stephen Younger in a conversation highlighting their individual views on the justice gap, current regulatory innovations, and whether recent changes preserve the core values of the legal profession. Carl Smallwood is NCBP Past President and Executive Council member, and director of th...

Good decisions help lead us where we want to go, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to make the best determination when faced with a choice. Patrick Palace talks to Nika Kabiri at the NCBP Virtual Midyear Meeting about the scientific research behind decision-making processes and how bar leaders can implement this multi-disciplinary knowledge to optimize choices and experience successful leadership. ...

Storytelling is a powerful tool for building influence and trust. Joe Sullivan talks with Ann Marie Houghtailing and Laura Fink about their talk at the NCBP Virtual Midyear Meeting and its takeaways for bar leaders on leveraging personal stories to forge authentic connections with others.  Joe Sullivan is NCBP President-Elect and Executive Council Member, and a partner at Davis, Hatley, Haffeman,...

Promoting lawyer wellness is critical to the future of the profession, and bar associations are uniquely positioned to affect culture change within their communities. From the NCBP Virtual Midyear Meeting, Robin Wolpert hosts Bree Buchanan and Chris Newbold to discuss what bar leaders can do to support wellness efforts and help legal professionals prioritize both physical and mental health. As Boa...

As we all know, “Quantum Leap” was Jared’s favorite TV show as a kid, but his current favorite is… “Bluey!” What’s that, you ask? Tune in for Jared’s take on why this Australian children’s program should take priority on your watchlist. Next up, could learning about legal contracts actually be fun? Well, sure! Jared chats with Laura Frederick of How to Contract about her training program and top t...

How does your style attract your ideal client? What makes you stand out among your competitors? How do you want your clients to feel when they first meet you, and how do you want them to remember you after your meeting? These are all questions that we’re exploring in this podcast episode with Melanie Lippman. Melanie is an image consultant and believes that confidence is a woman’s most important a...

Although the Americans with Disabilities Act is decades-old, many businesses, including law firms, continue to treat it as a suggestion, rather than federal law, according to Eve Hill and Jason Turkish, two lawyers who represent plaintiffs in disability cases. Special thanks to our sponsor, LawPay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

News stories of late have been riddled with concerns over international infrastructure attacks that indicate a growing potential for cyber war. Should you be worried? Dennis and Tom discuss some of the most recent events in this arena and bring their conversation around to what legal professionals should do to prepare for this eventuality. Later, the guys talk about text-to-speech technology and w...

Guest attorney Ruth Carter is nothing if not transparent. A client’s failure to plan should not be a cause for crisis to an attorney! Carter talks openly and honestly with host Adriana Linares about being clear with clients. Tell them your rates up front, even put them on your website. And set “rush rates” for any work that suddenly pops up, it sets expectations and encourages clients to think ahe...

By default, many paralegal professionals serve as project managers, keeping cases on track and knowing when the next filing is due. But is traditional, linear project management best for all cases?  Agile project management has been around in other business sectors for 20 years, but the legal field has been cautious and slow to adopt.  Guest Alicia Mitchell-Mercer is an expert in applying the mode...

TECHSHOW is coming up March 2-5 in Chicago! Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway welcome this year’s co-chairs Brooke Moore and Ivan Hemmans to learn more about the in-person and virtual offerings for conference-goers. Visit techshow.com to register!  Brooke Moore is the legal editor for Legal Templates LLC and founding attorney of MyVirtual. Lawyer, an online, limited scope representation law firm mode...

James Barbieri from independent adjusting and investigation company Claims Advantage discusses the importance of conducting a thorough background check prior to obtaining a recorded statement. Special thanks to our sponsor, AM Best Company, Best’s Insurance Professional Resources, including Qualified Member attorneys, adjusters and expert service providers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit...

After weeks of waiting, Davis Polk enters the salary increase game and re-raises, offering higher numbers for mid-level and senior associates. Is this the new normal, or could the market sustain one more shock to the system? Meanwhile, "Hobbit Law" aficionado Paul Davis gave Business Insider an interview that reads suspiciously like a rehabilitation attempt from a thoroughly embarrassed lawyer. Fi...

When determining whether you can sue a hospital, municipality, or the federal government in wrongful death or personal injury litigation, it’s vital you understand the nuances of sovereign immunity. Many government entities and municipalities are exempt from certain types of lawsuits, but there are exceptions and limitations you need to know. Tune in for a better understanding of sovereign immunit...

Intimidated by oral arguments? Appellate law experts Joan Lockwood and Rich Finneran suggest reframing your mindset to create a teaching conversation with the judges rather than simply extending your argument with opposing counsel. Today’s episode also includes tips for preparing more effective oral arguments, how to handle questions from the bench, and a few good reasons to show up to court early...

Law professor Kim Wehle is used to helping her students begin to think like lawyers. But the methodology behind making tough decisions as a legal professional can also benefit the general public. It’s why How To Think Like A Lawyer—and Why: A Common-Sense Guide to Everyday Dilemmas was a natural follow-up to her two previous books, How to Read the Constitution—and Why and What You Need to Know Abo...

The Super Bowl isn’t just about football and bean dip, it’s about the ads! Join Conrad and Gyi as they explore an increasing trend in the legal industry - ads during The Big Game. But first, the guys challenge Kevin O’Keefe’s latest take on Advertising vs. Business Development. How do we distinguish between the two, which is better? Is there room for both reputation and relationship building? And...

Guest Malcolm Crosland is a South Carolina attorney with more than 30 years’ experience protecting workers and their rights. In today’s gig economy, it’s up to Workers’ Comp attorneys to guard against employers, lobbyists, and insurance carriers as they angle to classify workers in ways that could exclude them from workplace protections.  Crosland shares how important Workers’ Comp attorneys are b...

Senior Advisor to the president and American Rescue Plan Coordinator Gene Sperling discusses implementing the historic $1.9 trillion rescue plan and what it means for access to justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Google ads, Facebook ads, pay per click, TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn – the list goes on.   In an ever-changing digital landscape, how do you know which tactic is right for you and your firm?   A key takeaway from this episode is that sometimes the old school marketing techniques still work, and this is what we’re talking about with Shreya Banerjee and Paul Counts: How to get free traffic from Goog...