Legal Talk Network - Law News and Legal Topics

New rules effective in September 2023 will require Michigan attorneys to name a person with knowledge of their practice as well as an interim administrator in their succession plan. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway welcome April Alleman and Alecia Chandler to discuss how these new requirements came to be and what past problems they aim to solve. They outline the process of naming individuals for these roles and explain the option of enrolling in the State Bar of Michigan’s Interim Administrator Program.Learn more at the State Bar’s webpage explaining Mandatory Interim Administrator Planning or check out the Rule 21 FAQ.April Alleman is Succession Planning Program Counsel at the State Bar of Michigan.Alecia M. Chandler is Professional Responsibility Programs Director at the State Bar of Michigan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Law school, bar prep, and the legal profession in general can be hard on mental health, but there is help through Lawyer Assistance Programs that even law students can access. DeMario Thornton talks with Molly Ranns about the services and support available to help law students and professionals cope with stress, anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Molly also outlines what signs and symptoms law students should be aware of to help them assess their own mental well-being.Molly Ranns is program director for the Lawyers and Judges Assistance Program at the State Bar of Michigan and a co-host of the State Bar of Michigan’s On Balance Podcast.Find out more about the Michigan Bar’s program:Lawyers & Judges Assistance Program - State Bar of Michigancontactljap@michbar.comOr, search for your state’s LAP program here:ABA Directory of Lawyer Assistance ProgramsMentioned in this episode:The Prevalence of Substance Abuse and Other Mental Health Concerns Among American Attorneys Suffering in Silence: The Survey of Law Student Well-Being and the Reluctance of Law Students to Seek Help for Substance Use and Mental Health Concerns Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In light of the recent Internet Archive lawsuit, Dennis has some serious questions about what it and other recent happenings may mean for the future of online content. Will we see an increase in lost access to data or permanently deleted content? Tom doesn’t necessarily think so, but the guys dig deeper into this topic to hash out their thoughts on freedom of information, paywalls, and whether we ought to be concerned about the fate of internet content.Later, time for a checkup on Dennis and Tom’s 2023 tech resolutions! Tune in for their self-assessments on resolution progress to date.As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation that you can use the second the podcast ends.Have a technology question for Dennis and Tom? Call their Tech Question Hotline at 720-441-6820 for the answers to your most burning tech questions.Mentioned in this episode:M365 Viva Insights Notion AI is Amazing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever since cryptocurrency made its debut, many have repeatedly questioned its validity. Is it legal tender? A scam? Well, in today’s digital ether, both exist en masse, and lawyers need to understand how to recognize the real thing and how it fits into our current legal framework. Rocky Dhir welcomes Nelson Ebaugh to chat about his article in the Texas Bar Journal, Texas Cryptocurrency Jurisprudence.Nelson Ebaugh is an attorney in Houston. He has an LL.M. in securities and financial regulation and is certified in criminal appellate law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re back with another stop on our tour through The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited. In these episodes, we dive into each of the six areas of business integral to building client-centered, efficient, and profitable small law firm.Do you know how your clients experience your firm? Designing client experience isn’t something that will happen on its own, you need to be intentional.Today, Stephanie talks with Nkoyo-Ene Effiong, Director of Law Practice Management for the State Bar of Georgia, about Healthy Clients. Learn what that means and tips for how you can do that in a healthy way.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

Also Ron DeSantis is getting beaten up by Disney again.The Supreme Court punts on a thorny felony murder case, prompting a conversation over whether the use and abuse of the rule can ever truly be reformed. There's also a super biller out there who managed to bill an average of over 10 hours a day last year. Presumably the attorney is weeping in a corner somewhere. Finally, Disney took its fight with Ron DeSantis up a notch with a new lawsuit that hasn't made everyone happy.Become a host of the ABA Law Student Podcast: Apply Here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We always want to win in the courtroom, but should that be our only measure of success? Nationally recognized plaintiff attorney John Simon, the founder of The Simon Law firm, one of the winningest firms in the country, argues there is much more. In this candid conversation, John shares how the power of a positive upbringing, hard work, and the joy of a generous heart helped him become one of the top attorneys in America and a very happy human. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you ever considered bringing 49 massive jars of Skittles to the courtroom, dumping a 3-foot stack of medical records into the trash or placing something that looks like a bloody severed leg on your courtroom table? Acclaimed St. Louis attorney Debbie Champion joins John, Tim and Erich to discuss how creativity in the courtroom can help and hurt your case. Our true stories of courtroom creativity will get you thinking about new ways to look at your next case. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The indomitable, outspoken, brilliant, and thoughtful Elie Mystal, author, columnist, and commentator, joins cohosts Jackie Gardina and Mitch Winick to discuss his book Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution. In this wide-ranging conversation, Elie challenges our thinking about how judges should be selected, the myth of judicial ethics, and the false narrative of "originalism". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Becoming a lawyer in the United States is a complicated process, particularly for foreign trained attorneys or international students. In this episode, we are joined by Edzyl Magante, who shares his journey of taking the bar exam in the US, as well as the challenges and barriers he faced as an international lawyer. Throughout the conversation, Edzyl shares valuable insights and advice for foreign-trained lawyers.We also discuss the differences in law school education between the US and other countries, including the structure and curriculum, and how these differences can impact the bar exam preparation for international lawyers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices