The Intersection: Where the Court of Public Opinion and the Court of Law Collide

This week, Mike and Sallie meet with Martin Bienenstock, chair of the Business Solutions Governance, Restructuring & Bankruptcy Group at Proskauer in New York, ranked among the top 100 lawyers in America by the National Law Journal. Marty currently represents the Financial Oversight and Management Board for Puerto Rico, handling almost $124 billion in restructuring assets. Marty talks about hi...

This week on The Intersection, Mike and Sallie sit down with Rick Chesley, global managing partner of DLA Piper and Co. His focus is in bankruptcy and corporate restructuring, working on the sale and acquisition of various distressed businesses, such as Brooks Brothers, Nine West, and Aeropostale.  Rick discusses how he educates journalists about the complexities of restructuring cases and th...

Mike and Sallie are joined this week by Giel Stein, a member of Clark Hill, PLC in Chicago. He is a trial lawyer with an impressive and extensive record of successfully leading internal investigations. Giel discusses his childhood and the impact on him from growing up on a Kibbutz in Israel and his studies at the University of Chicago, before delving into one of his most high-profile cases, repres...

This week on The Intersection, Mike and Sallie welcome Dan Bergeson, the founding partner of Bergeson LLP in San Jose, CA, one of Silicon Valley’s leading litigation firms. Dan’s clients range from Fortune 500 companies to startups, representing founders, C-level executives, directors, and special committees in high stakes litigation and investigations. Dan discusses his victory defending Al Shuga...

Jessica Rosenberg, a Chambers USA-ranked lawyer and partner at Akin Gump, is this week’s guest on The Intersection.  Born and raised on Long Island,  Jessica’s father was a personal injury lawyer who instilled in her a love for the law from a very young age. Her work focuses on workplace issues such as discrimination, harassment, compensation, and tort claims, including fraud, defamation...

Aryeh Kaplan, a top litigator at Sidley Austin’s Miami office, joins Mike for a special one-on-one episode of The Intersection podcast this week to discuss his expansive career from serving as counsel for sovereign governments, financial institutions, manufacturers and high-profile individuals in the US and abroad.  Aryeh talks about the process of communicating with clients, joking that "Nob...

Legendary entertainment lawyer Marty Singer joins Michael Sitrick and Sallie Hoffmeister to talk all about the origins of cancel culture, and what it’s like to represent celebrities. Described by celebrity clients as a “lifesaver” and “real-life superhero,” Singer has represented Hollywood’s biggest names—including Eddie Murphy, Nicolas Cage, Stevie Wonder, Sylvester Stallone, Scarlett Johansson,...

In this episode of The Intersection, Michael Sitrick and Sallie Hofmeister sit down with Tai Heng Cheng, global co-head of International Arbitration and Trade at Sidley Austin and co-managing partner of the firm's Singapore office. A powerhouse in international law and litigation, Cheng has been recognized across continents for his groundbreaking work. At just 47 years old, his résumé already incl...

On this episode of The Intersection , Matt Feldman joins Mike Sitrick and Sallie Hoffmeister to explore the powerful intersection of law, politics, and public opinion. We’re getting into how PR can be more important to a client than the outcome in a court of law, and how PR strategy can shape the narrative—especially when high-profile individuals come under legal scrutiny. Matt shares insights fro...

Josh Schiller steps onto the Intersection with Mike Sitrick and Sallie Hoffmeister this week to talk all about the media’s impact on high-profile cases. From representing the estate of George Carlin in an intellectual property dispute over his voice being used for AI content, and the problems posed when his voice is misappropriated. Josh also talks about how he informed the press and brought press...

Today’s episode features Lance Etcheverry, a partner in the San Jose office of Skadden, Arps, and superstar intellectual property law litigator. He’s here to talk about intellectual property disputes, how to handle them in the courtroom, and the court of public opinion. Lance reminisces about cases he has worked on with Sitrick And Company and shares a few lessons he has working on cases that incl...

This week we welcome criminal lawyer Lazar Raynal, a partner at King & Spalding in Chicago. With an extensive criminal law background, Lazar is an expert in matters involving patent infringement, breach of contract, and fraud. He has led numerous internal investigations for clients in response to governmental investigations and civil lawsuits. And today, he’s here to share his tips on dealing...

This week Michael Sitrick and Sallie Hofmeister sit down with Jonathan K. Waldrop, Chair of Kasowitz Benson Torres’ Intellectual Property group to talk tech law, PR strategy, and of course, the TikTok Ban.  They'll discuss Jonathan’s upbringing in Birmingham, Alabama, and how he became involved in patent law. They also talk about the challenges of explaining technical issues to the media and...

Legendary trial attorney James Brosnahan joins Michael Sitrick and Sallie Hofmeister to explore where legal battles collide with media narratives. Brosnahan shares insights on the rise of social media and the legal media strategies in cases he has worked on over the years with Sitrick And Company. We'll get behind some of his most controversial cases—from defending Patty Dunn in the HP pretexting...

In this episode of The Intersection, Patricia Glaser joins Mike Sitrick to break down the explosive Blake Lively vs. Justin Baldoni case—one of the biggest legal battles in Hollywood where PR strategy, public opinion, and legal media strategies are at play.  As the case dominates headlines and social media, lawyers, PR strategists and even fans  are weighing in on how media influence on...

This week on The Intersection, Jeffrey Kessler, one of the world’s leading sports attorneys and co-executive chairman of Winston & Strawn, joins Mike Sitrick and Sallie Hofmeister to discuss the power of PR strategy in litigation, and the impact of media influence on legal outcomes. He shares his firsthand experience with high-stakes cases, including the NCAA v. Alston case and major NFL dispu...

Long after a verdict is reached, the court of public opinion continues its trial. In today’s digital world, media coverage of legal cases—especially high-profile ones—can define a person’s reputation forever. PR strategy is essential. But, how can lawyers, PR strategists, and litigation experts fight back against damaging narratives? This week on The Intersection, Matthew Schwartz, Chairman of Boi...

Winning in the court of law often depends on mastering the court of public opinion. So how do lawyers and crisis PR experts shape public opinion to influence high-stakes legal battles?  Wizard of Spin Mike Sitrick and PR partner Sallie Hofmeister explore the powerful connection between media influence and legal outcomes. From crisis management to PR strategies in litigation, Sitrick and Hofme...