Modern Arizona

Send us Fan Mail The first year as a licensed attorney brings a learning curve far steeper than law school prepares you for. Billie Tarascio sits down with Modern Law family law attorney Paige Bryson to unpack her first year of practice in Arizona: managing a caseload, explaining family court to clients, avoiding burnout, and using AI in law the right way. Paige Bryson is a family law attorney at...

Send us Fan Mail Raising body confident kids gets harder when they split time between two homes with two sets of food rules. Pediatrician Dr. Whitney Casares joins Arizona family law attorney Billie Tarascio to share practical co-parenting tips that protect your child's body image. Billie explains why Arizona family courts rarely let you control what happens at the other parent's house,...

Send us Fan Mail A high-conflict custody battle in Arizona family court tests every parent. Randall Keith, founder of Present Father, joins attorney Billie Tarascio to share what he learned fighting for his two young kids, and the mistakes that cost fathers the most in child custody cases. Randall is the founder and host of Present Father, a Show Low-based fatherhood and family court advocacy orga...

Send us Fan Mail Arizona's Alec and Lydia Act now defines coercive control as domestic violence, and family courts across the state are racing to catch up. Host Billie Tarascio, founder of Modern Law, sits down with one of the country's leading coercive control experts to break down what the new law means for child custody, parenting time, and anyone facing an Arizona divorce where abuse...

Send us Fan Mail Long distance parenting plans, blended families, and Arizona child custody look very different from the inside. Billie Tarascio talks with Modern Law attorney Eilen E. Castellano Tatis, who spent her childhood moving between her mom's home in New York and her dad's home in Utah after her parents divorced. Eilen explains what her parents did right, why she still credits t...

Send us Fan Mail Arizona just passed a coercive control law, and the family bar, the bench, and the litigants are all figuring it out in real time. Billie Tarascio sits down with returning guest Dr. Cocchiola to look at what actually happened in Connecticut, where a nearly identical statute has been on the books since 2023. The answer matters for anyone facing an Arizona divorce, a custody fight,...

Send us Fan Mail A high conflict divorce can stretch on for years, drain your savings, and leave your children caught in the middle. Glee Nahon spent six and a half years in litigation, worked with four different attorneys, and fought a spouse who hid business assets and refused to settle. She joins family law attorney Billie Tarascio to break down what she wishes she had known before filing. Glee...

Send us Fan Mail Criminal charges and Arizona family court collide more often than most parents realize, and one guilty plea can quietly reshape a custody case. Billie Tarascio sits down with criminal defense attorney Ryan Cummings to break down how DUIs, domestic violence charges, and even a teenager's bad decision online can follow an Arizona family through both courtrooms at once. Ryan Cum...

Send us Fan Mail Most divorce attorneys study the law. Richard Nedlin lived it. The Arizona family law attorney joins Billie Tarascio to talk about how his own custody battle, his years as a prosecutor, and an unconventional path through racing and criminal justice shape the way he handles complex custody and divorce cases today. They also dig into how AI is changing the practice of family law and...

Send us Fan Mail Arizona's family law just changed dramatically.  In this roundtable, Modern Law's Richard Nedlin and Gina Godbehere — both former prosecutors — break down the Alec & Lydia Act (HB 2995) and what it means for parents navigating domestic violence allegations, custody, and legal decision-making in family court. We cover the new burden-shifting standards, what "coer...

Send us Fan Mail Arizona just passed the biggest family law change in two decades. The Alec and Lydia Act reshapes how family court handles domestic violence, coercive control, and child custody, requiring judges to document specific findings before granting parenting time. Billie Tarascio sits down with Hope Hooton, the child safety advocate behind the law, to talk about what failed, what changed...

Send us Fan Mail Gilbert, Arizona has a reputation problem, and residents know it. From skyrocketing water bills to transparency failures to the lingering shadow of the Gilbert Goons scandal, trust between the town council and the people it represents has broken down. This July, Gilbert voters have a chance to change that, and one candidate is making accountability the centerpiece of her campaign....

Send us Fan Mail The SRP election caught most Arizonans completely off guard, and then it became one of the most-watched utility board races in state history. What started as a sleepy, low-turnout local election turned into a four-times-higher-than-normal turnout event the moment Turning Point USA put its logo on candidate signs, and the fallout is still rippling through Arizona energy policy, wat...

Send us Fan Mail Arizona families navigating divorce or custody disputes often face an issue no one talks about: what happens when a spouse, parent, or loved one is in a mental health crisis and refusing treatment. Under Arizona Title 36, there is a legal process that allows family members to petition for a court-ordered mental health evaluation, and in some cases, court-ordered treatment. Knowing...

Send us Fan Mail If you are a solo or small firm attorney trying to figure out where AI fits in your practice, this episode of LawLabs (a special series from the Modern Arizona Podcast) is your starting point. Carolyn Elefant breaks down exactly how to begin with AI tools, why most lawyers are evaluating them in the wrong order, and what the real risks look like when AI gets citations wrong. She a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Modern Arizona Podcast, attorney Billie Tarascio sits down with Lisa Sander, nurse, life coach, and podcast host, to talk about what really happens when a marriage ends in midlife. Lisa shares her own story of leaving a 23-year marriage, how her faith carried her through, and why divorce doesn't have to mean failure. From gender dynamics and loneliness...

Send us Fan Mail If you or someone you know is facing divorce and has ties to both Arizona and Washington, this episode could be one of the most important conversations you watch. Our host Billie Tarascio and Seattle-based family law attorney Michelle Dellino sit down to break down the critical legal differences between divorcing in Arizona versus Washington, including how property is divided, how...

Send us Fan Mail Immigration attorney and law firm founder Hillary Walsh joins Billie Tarascio for a candid conversation about what it's really like to run an immigration law firm in today's turbulent legal and political climate. From filing habeas petitions to protect unlawfully detained clients, to navigating due process violations and a surge in demand for legal services, Hillary shar...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Law Labs, Billie Tarascio sits down with Jessica Travis, Co-Owner and Managing Partner of Fighter Law in Orlando, Florida. They talk about how modern law firms can move beyond billable hours, use AI tools the right way, and build strong internal systems that support real growth. Law Labs is a podcast for law firm owners and legal professionals who want to build...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Modern Arizona Podcast, Law Labs Edition, Billie Tarascio sits down with Bob Simon. They talk about what it means to run a national law firm, build legal tech companies, and step into civil rights advocacy during a time of major legal and political tension. Bob Simon is an entrepreneur, trial lawyer, and co-founder of multiple companies, including a national...

Send us Fan Mail College costs continue to rise, and for families dealing with divorce, remarriage, or complex finances, planning can feel overwhelming. In this episode of the Modern Arizona Podcast, Billie Tarascio sits down with a college funding expert to break down how financial aid really works and what parents need to understand before costly mistakes are made. Brad Baldridge is a College Fu...

Send us Fan Mail In this Modern Arizona Podcast episode, attorney Billie Tarascio sits down with Melissa Leon to unpack the rising safety concerns surrounding e-bikes, scooters, and youth street behavior in master-planned Arizona communities. They explore why accidents are increasing, how misinformation fuels risky habits, and what families, drivers, and neighborhoods can realistically do to prote...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Modern Arizona Podcast, attorney Billie Tarascio sits down with Legal Paraprofessional Sandy Bauer of Modern Law to explore her journey, her work, and the heart behind family law practice. Sandy has spent more than 22 years in the legal field, including over a decade as a senior paralegal before earning her LP license in 2024. Today, she helps clients throug...

Send us Fan Mail Selling the family home during divorce is one of the hardest decisions you will ever make. In this episode, attorney Billie Tarascio sits down with Jill Sawick-Healy, a community-focused real estate agent with Realty One Group who has been serving Arizona families since 2007. Jill has guided hundreds of clients through upsizing, downsizing, and big life transitions like divorce, a...

Send us Fan Mail Whitney Harvey is a former litigator, workplace wellness consultant, and founder of The Self Coached Lawyer. She joins Billie to talk about burnout, resilience, emotional regulation, and how lawyers and clients can rebuild themselves during high-stress seasons. Whitney shares how her early experiences with adversity, plus years in insurance defense and plaintiff litigation, shaped...