Lawyer 2 Lawyer

The economic downturn has taken its toll on law firms, especially lawyers. Law.com bloggers and co-hosts J. Craig Williams and Bob Ambrogi welcome Attorney Skip Simpson from the Law Offices of Skip Simpson to explore the rash of suicides hitting the legal community and what law firms need to do to prevent them. Later in the program, Bob and Craig welcome Peter Zeughauser from the Zeughauser Group to take a look at the long-term changes in law practice caused by the recession.

There has been a lot of talk in the mainstream media lately about a revival of sorts in asbestos litigation. Law.com bloggers and co-hosts J. Craig Williams and Bob Ambrogi welcome Attorney Kirk Hartley from the firm Butler Rubin Saltarelli & Boyd and Attorney Steven Kazan Managing Partner at Kazan, McClain, Abrams, Lyons, Greenwood & Harley, to discuss the recent victory for W.R. Grace in a Montana trial, how attorneys have been filing cases in other states with friendlier courts and what is being done to put the asbestos litigation system on the right path.

At the age of 69 and after 18 years on the Supreme Court, Justice David Souter made the announcement that he would be retiring from the Supreme Court at the end of this year’s term in June. Law.com bloggers and co-hosts, J. Craig Williams and Bob Ambrogi welcome Professor Daniel J. Meador, James Monroe Professor of Law Emeritus at the University of Virginia School of Law and Kermit Roosevelt, Professor of Law at University of Pennsylvania Law School and Justice Souter's former law clerk, to reflect on Justice Souter's career, look at the potential list of replacements and the opportunity for President Obama to leave an imprint with his choice for the High Court.

The first prosecution of a pirate in the U.S. in 100 years! The world watched closely as Richard Phillips, Captain of the Maersk Alabama cargo ship was rescued, after being held hostage by four Somali pirates. Law.com bloggers and co-hosts, J. Craig Williams and Bob Ambrogi welcome piracy law expert, Professor Samuel P. Menefee, Maury Fellow at University of Virgina’s Center for Ocean Law and Policy and Attorney Joseph R. McFaul from Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold LLP and a retired Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve, to explore the legal issues on the high seas surrounding the Somali pirates, the future of the captured pirate and how this case could be a deterrent in other incidents of piracy.

Jurors Twittering details of a trial. Jurors Googling information about a case. And last month, a Judge declaring a mistrial in a big federal drug case in Florida when jurors conducted research online. On this edition of Lawyer2Lawyer, we're talking about the advances in technology, communication and information flow interfering with the justice system and the potential effect on 'trial by jury.' Law.com blogger and co-host, J. Craig Williams welcomes jury behavior expert, Dr. Edward P. Schwartz, Attorney Peter Raben, defense attorney from Miami, Florida and Attorney Sean Ellsworth managing partner at Ellsworth Law Firm P.A, to discuss this hot legal topic.

If you've been hearing a lot about legal software as a service or SaaS lately, you'll want to listen to this Lawyer2Lawyer program. Join Law.com bloggers and co-hosts, Bob Ambrogi and J. Craig Willliams with guests, Jack Newton, Co-founder and President of Clio, who holds an M.Sc. in Computer Science and Erik Mazzone, the Director of the Center for Practice Management for the North Carolina Bar Association to take an in-depth look at the advantages, disadvantages, risks and even ethical issues when it comes to legal (SaaS).

There has been much debate as of late on the proposed Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) of 2009. Join Law.com bloggers and co-hosts, J. Craig Williams and Bob Ambrogi, as they welcome Professor Richard A. Epstein, Professor of Law at the University of Chicago Law School and Attorney Nancy Schiffer, Associate General Counsel with the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), to explore both sides of the Employee Free Choice Act debate and what the outcome would mean for the future of unions and employers and the lawyers who represent them.

With outraged taxpayers reeling from AIG bonuses awarded to executives after a bailout, the question of executive contracts comes into play. Join Law.com blogger and co-host, Bob Ambrogi as he welcomes Franklin G. Snyder, Professor of Law at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law and editor-in-chief of ContractsProf Blog and Professor Deborah W. Post, the interim dean for Academic Affairs and Faculty Development at Touro Law Center, as they take a look at how the AIG case will provide precedent going forward and maybe even change the future of contracts.

While Bernie Madoff awaits sentencing for the largest Ponzi scheme in U.S. history, hear from one of his victims - Lawrence R. Velvel, Dean of the Massachusetts School of Law. Join Lawyer2Lawyer co-host, J. Craig Williams as Dean Velvel tells his story and how he is turning his experience into activism, along with special guest, Attorney Ross B. Intelisano, partner of the law firm Rich & Intelisano LLP, who represents other Madoff victims. They will take a look at the fate of the victims and who else could be involved.

How will the pharmaceutical companies, doctors and patients and legal cases be impacted by the recent SUPCO ruling in the Wyeth v. Levine case? Join Law.com bloggers and co-hosts, J. Craig Williams and Bob Ambrogi as they welcome Wyeth’s attorney, Bert W. Rein, founding partner of the law firm, Wiley Rein LLP, to discuss the wide-reaching impact this ruling will have for many years to come.