Legal Talk Network - Law News and Legal Topics

What’s it like to be a prosecutor in a case so high-profile it was dubbed “the trial of the century”? This special episode of Litigation Radio features guest John Meadors, the veteran murder trial prosecutor hired by the South Carolina Attorney General’s office to help prosecute prominent South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh in the sensational 2023 murder trial. In South Carolina, there had perhaps never been a more highly watched and scrutinized trial, and reporters and TV trucks filled the courtroom and the streets.Hear how Meadors and the prosecution team maintained focus and composure under the glare of television cameras and inside a packed courtroom facing a highly skilled and experienced defense team. The pressure during the weeks-long trial was enormous as reporters struggled to uncover every detail while attorneys and the court worked to maintain decorum and ensure a fair and just outcome. Meadors will join the American Bar Association’s Litigation Section Annual Conference as a guest in a session titled, “The Court of Public Opinion: Litigating in the Media Spotlight.” In addition to the conversation with John Meadors, this episode features Larry Kristinik, Chair of the ABA Litigation Section, who provides tips on preparing for large legal conferences, and Judge Griselda Vega Samuel, who highlights the upcoming ABA Litigation Section Annual Conference in Chicago.Mentioned in This Episode:“'He lied and lied!' John Meadors closing argument in Alex Murdaugh trial: full video” YouTube “Trial of Alex Murdaugh,” Wikipedia“To Crown a King, Kill the Law,” by Leonard Niehoff, Detroit Daily NewsProfessor Leonard Niehoff: “Mathew Rosengart, Power Litigator Who Freed Britney Spears From Conservatorship, Closes Chapter of Representing Pop Superstar,” The Hollywood ReporterAmerican Bar Association 2025 Litigation Section Annual Conference April 30 – May 2, American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar Association Litigation Section Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lawyers know they need to think about processes and efficiency in their practice, but it’s not always easy to map your workflows when you’ve got so much else on your plate as a busy attorney. Dan Lear welcomes Lauren Murphy to learn how she helps law firms automate workflows to create reliable consistencies in their processes. Implementing automation helps firms streamline everyday tasks, discover solutions to pain points, prevent missed details, and boost growth. Lauren Murphy is Vice President of Product Market Strategy at ProfitSolv. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the explosion of AI products, apps, software integrations, and more, many attorneys have no small amount of nervousness about whether they should trust this technology and, if so, how to use it to their advantage. To discuss AI’s current place in legal work and its future potential, Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway welcome Sateesh Nori, legal innovation strategist and professor at NYU School of Law. They examine the many helpful uses for AI in everyday legal work, discuss AI in access to justice, and address the ethical and regulatory questions surrounding this technology. Later, Sateesh looks ahead to consider what legal professionals and law students should do to prepare themselves for a future with increasing AI use in the practice of law.  Sateesh Nori is a lawyer, law professor, senior non-profit executive, legal strategist, and author of “Sheltered: Twenty Years in Housing Court”.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Deferred contracts are becoming a powerful tool in Major League Baseball, allowing teams to stretch massive payouts over decades — but what does that mean for the sport? In this episode, Craig is joined by Jeremy M. Evans, attorney and CEO of California Sports Lawyer, to discuss the rise of deferred contracts and how they’re reshaping financial strategy in baseball. Craig and Jeremy break down how teams like the Dodgers are leveraging media revenue, why private equity is entering the conversation, and what lessons MLB might take from other leagues. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Boosting efficiency starts with basic tools your law firm probably already has! But, if you’re not engaging with your tools effectively, your firm may very well be falling behind the competition. Niki Black and Stephanie Everett talk with Dan Lear about their session on enhancing law firm workflows and client experience with simple, innovative technology. Embracing tools for scheduling, finances, communications, and more improves your firm’s productivity, draws in new clients, and helps you do your best work. Nicole Black is an attorney, author and journalist, and serves as the principal legal insight strategist at MyCase (AffiniPay). She is the nationally-recognized author of “Cloud Computing for Lawyers” and co-authored “Social Media for Lawyers: The Next Frontier”. Stephanie Everett is CEO and a Law Firm Business Coach at Lawyerist and serves as Affinity Consulting Group’s Chief Growth Officer. She is a co-author of Lawyerist's book, “The Small Firm Roadmap”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Starting a law firm straight out of school? Meet Philip Mauriello, an attorney who wasted no time launching his solo practice just three months after passing the bar. In this episode, host Adriana Linares revisits her conversation with Philip, who shares the smart, scrappy strategies that helped him build a successful business from the ground up. From freelancing to build startup capital to picking the right tech stack before day one, Philip shares real-world strategies for getting up and running fast. Plus, Adriana Linares and Rio Laine from ALPS Insurance break down why thinking ahead, specializing early, and planning your growth can reduce risk and lead to long-term success. Hear the original episode with Philip Mauriello.Learn more about ALPS Insurance. Receive email notifications every time we release a new episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Attorney Craig Dobson, an expert on ethics and professional responsibility, joins Stephanie Everett to talk about the ethical and professional responsibility concerns lawyers face in a rapidly evolving legal landscape. They discuss how solo and small firm attorneys can stay compliant while leveraging new tools, the importance of confidentiality and competence, and the fundamental need to maintain diligence in your practice. Craig and Stephanie examine alternative fee structures beyond just hourly billing and provide guidance on ethical practices around lawyer pricing models. Craig also shares how he’s approaching billing in his own practice and why lawyers need to be proactive about understanding the risks. Read Craig’s article: Overview | Full Article  Listen to our other episodes about ethics and alternative billing practices:   #350: Ethics in Your Business: It's More than Regulations, with Susan Liautaud Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Legal Talk Network  #488: The Power of Value-Based Pricing, with Shaun Jardine Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist   #543: What Lawyers Need to Know About the Ethics of Using AI, with Hilary Gerzhoy Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist  #547: Legal Tech You Need for Flat Fees, with Adriana Linares Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Lawyerist    Have thoughts about today’s episode? Join the conversation on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and X! 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! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. Chapters:  00:00 Introduction  00:18 Lawyerist Coaching 05:22 Expense Tracking in MyCase  10:01 Integrating Finance with Practice 14:54 Immigration Law and the Current Administration 17:53 Specialization and Maintaining Competence Across Multiple Areas 22:39 Lawyer Pricing Models in an Era of Uncertainty  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s new for NALA in 2025? Get the scoop from guest Vanessa “Vinnie” Finley, the CEO of NALA since 2019. There’s plenty of news about the upcoming NALA conference and new initiatives to help you be your best professional self. 2025 is no ordinary year for NALA as the paralegal association celebrates 50 years. Start with the latest on the 2025 NALA Conference & Expo, July 10-12 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Earn continuing education credits, network, learn new skills, and hear about NALA’s plans for the future. Early bird registration ends May 7. Plus, dig into NALA’s newest national survey on utilization compensation and learn about trends in pay, billing, and benefits. You’ll also hear about new limited licensing programs, AI, and trends across the field.And we’ll talk about NALA’s new Resource Navigator, pulling together vendor information and the newest in tech, and a new collection of relevant articles and updates on NALA’s free Paralegal Brief page. Even more? How about a review of NALA’s work with affiliates and students nationwide and an upcoming free webinar on billable hours. This special episode has it all.Mentioned in This Episode:Vanessa Finley, prior appearance on Paralegal Voice, “The Year Ahead For NALA, Plus A Preview Of The 2024 Conference” Vanessa Finley, prior appearance on Paralegal Voice, “The NALA Paralegal Jobs Report: Get Paid What You’re Worth!”  NALA, The Paralegal Association NALA Conference & Expo 2025NALA Resource NavigatorNALA Paralegal BriefGet involved with NALA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And now we have a tracker for that!-----After a few weeks of watching some law firms stand up to facially illegal demands from the Trump administration... and more law firms rapidly cave to those same demands, we put together a helpful tracker to keep clients, potential laterals, and law students fully aware of where firms currently stand. But we depend on you out there to keep us up-to-date! Meanwhile, more associates have taken a stand against their surrendering firms and some law students have already told the firm recruiting events that they aren't interested in firms that can't stand up for themselves. Also the February bar exam numbers were terrible. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our goal is to lift you up with every episode, and today we are sharing our mentor’s most valuable life lessons. We hope these ideas help you get through the day with a little more grace, a little less angst and a lot more confidence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices