Legal Talk Network - Law News and Legal Topics

Winning a 2003 landmark U.S. Supreme Court case expanded a gay lawyer's Supreme Court practice, he says, and looking back, it's his favorite case.Because Paul M. Smith was the editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal, clerked for then-U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis F. Powell Jr. and handled various Supreme Court cases—including for paying clients—many thought that it made sense for the Washington, D.C., lawyer to argue Lawrence v. Texas, which led to a 2003 landmark opinion that struck down state laws criminalizing sexual conduct between consenting adults of the same gender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On September 30, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 2 (SB 2), also known as the Kenneth Ross, Jr. Police Decertification Act of 2021, establishing a statewide system to decertify or suspend officers who have committed serious misconduct.So what constitutes police misconduct? And how is SB 2 shaping police departments? In this episode, host Craig Williams is joined by guest Marshal Arnwine, Jr., an Advocate for the Criminal Justice Program at the ACLU of Northern California. Craig and Marshal discuss SB 2, decertification due to police misconduct, transparency in police departments, and the impact on states' decertification/revocation laws.Mentioned in this Episode:Police Decertification in California: How Does it Work?Protect SB 2 Press Conference (Bradford, 2021)Coalition Opposition to SB 2 TBL: Contact Information Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the saying goes, if you don't make time for your health now, you'll be forced to make time for your health problems later. In this episode, hosts Jonathan Amarilio and Trisha Rich chat with Jonathan Mraunac, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of GCM Partners, and all-around wellness enthusiast about the struggle many lawyers face in prioritizing their health and well-being. Jonathan shares manageable tips for lawyers to balance the four main categories of health: diet, exercise, mental health and sleep. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Professors Andrew Garcia and James Matthews discuss Suffolk University Law School’s Accelerator to Practice program. Designed to prepare students for small and solo practice, students partnered with small law firm owners in the Lawyerist Lab coaching program. Using tenets learned in Lawyerist’s book The Small Firm Roadmap, students interviewed the owners, analyzed their firms, and presented a case study complete with recommendations for improvements.Links from the episode: If today’s podcast resonates with you and you haven’t read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free!Thanks to Posh Virtual Receptionists, Clio, & LawPay for sponsoring this episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Guest Andrew Schierberg retired from his first career after 20 years as a police officer, investigator, and chief in Northern Kentucky. Then he asked, “What next?” With a law degree and a lifetime of working in tense situations with people during their most stressful moments, Schierberg started a law practice with a focus on helping families by specializing in elder law and estate planning.He wrote his own business plan, shadowed established attorneys, sought educational and business development support, found shared office space with other lawyers, and developed a holistic approach that lets him to build relationships with his clients and work not only as an attorney but also as a trusted advisor.Learn how he set up his practice, selected case management software, established a flat-fee subscription plan for his clients rather than hourly rates, and developed an understanding of the needs of both elder clients and their families as they navigate a new stage of life.If you’re well into a first career, you might be surprised at how much your “real world experience” can translate to a solo law practice.Got questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com  Topics: Starting a solo practice as a second career and putting your “old job” skills to work in your new venture. The importance of selecting the right practice management and office equipment tools, learning about marketing, and asking for help when you don’t know. The value of finding a niche that lets you focus your energy on the kind of law that matches your passion.  Mentioned in this Episode:Fearless Paranoia podcastLife Care Planning Law Firms AssociationActionstepMyCaseElderCounselDecisionVaultCalendlyTextexpanderMaximum Lawyer podcastThe 80/20 Principle podcastThe Law Entrepreneur podcastLunch Hour Legal Marketing podcastPeggy Gruenke on Legal Talk Network podcasts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mental health, wellness, and managing burnout made headlines during and after the pandemic. But what did we learn? Guest Richard Rivera, a highly successful partner at a Florida law firm, knows we should. Many of us work too much and too hard and push beyond reasonable limits.Rivera knows firsthand. He was a fourth-year associate in a litigation focused firm, and he said yes to everything. Any new case, any new project, he was game. It was a matter of professional pride and rapid development. Then he noticed the stress was taking a physical toll on his body resulting in itchy and yellowing skin, fatigue, and sleepless nights. He figured eventually things would slow down and these conditions would pass. Of course, neither happened. A doctor eventually found the constant stress had taken an enormous toll on his body. Set boundaries: a time you won’t go to the office before or stay after; take at least one day off – really off – during the week. You only have so much capacity, and when you exceed that, you damage yourself and you can harm your clients and your firm with errors due to exhaustion. If you’re not good to yourself, you’ll be no good to anyone. Take a moment to listen to this critically important episode.   By Rich RiveraMy Experience with Organ TransplantationAdditional Resources How Sleep Affects Your Health How Lawyers Can Manage Stress and Cortisol Levels How to Talk about Mental Health with Your Employer ABA Young Lawyers Division ABA Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Copyright law is buzzing with the rising possibilities of AI-related legal matters. Is this a major concern in our current era of blossoming AI technologies? Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway welcome Vedia Jones-Richardson to get her expert opinion on a variety of legal questions arising from the “creative expressions” of generative AI. They review the current landscape of AI’s copyright connections, get explanations on what is and isn’t protected, and discuss notable cases that have explored the infringement and copyright implications of AI-created materials. Vedia Jones-Richardson is a Principal with Olive and Olive, PA, where she leads the trademark and copyright practice group. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Because someday you might face massive espionage charges... or something.Donald Trump is struggling to find representation in his multi-count federal criminal case and it shows because he just can't stop saying incredibly damaging stuff about his case. Like how he will plead guilty for money. This is what happens after decades developing a reputation for stiffing attorneys. We also have more layoffs from Orrick and Reed Smith -- what can we glean from these moves? And a Massachusetts court expanded the standard for ineffective assistance of counsel to include instances where the lawyer is clearly bigoted. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you have a particular interest outside of becoming a lawyer? With how incredibly broad the law is, a niche practice area might just align with your passions. For Arlan Lewis, his experience in architecture and some serendipitous happenings in law school led him to a fulfilling career in construction law. DeMario Thornton talks with Arlan about his career path, the nuances of construction law, and his top advice for today’s law students, no matter what area of the law they choose to pursue.  Arlan D. Lewis is a partner at Blueprint Construction Counsel, LLP. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which attorney has jumped out of an airplane? Had an invisible friend? Or was required to wash rocks as a child? We went around the table using a fun life experiences questionnaire that prompted revelations and introspection from four Heels in the Courtroom attorneys. Get to know us by learning who did what…then try it with your own friend group and get to know them a little better too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices