Legal Talk Network - Law News and Legal Topics

Are you blindly following the “rules” of building a case without examining whether or not they are the best strategy for your client or your practice? Renowned plaintiff attorney Tom Keefe shares his “my rules, my way” tips on how to build a case without experts, the benefits of virtual vs video depositions, how visuals can help and hurt you, and other savvy bits of wisdom learned from decades of knowing the rules and making them work in the depo room and the courtroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How fast are you moving potential clients from contact to contract? And businesses, which law practices most definitely are, need metrics, but the guys help you avoid the metrics that are really just noise. And, for a little something extra, we get into what’s been going on with Patagonia and a rant a little bit about the upcoming legal conference season.-----Do you even like making money? Gyi and Conrad walk you through how you’re probably too slow to respond to inquiries and too slow to sign your clients — and it’s costing you. Learn exactly how to track your sales velocity and how fast you NEED to move getting that client through the funnel if you want to grow your client base and grow your revenue.And then, metrics? We don’t need no stinking metrics. The guys share a couple of their interactions with lawyers in the wild and the lingering sentiment of “we’re professionals, not a business.” Guess what, your law firm is a business, and what gets measured gets managed. But, not all metrics are useful, and further, some can be false flags of success. Gyi and Conrad each share their worst metrics to hang your hat on.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a massive disconnect between what courts were designed to do—solve legal disputes through lawyer-driven, adversarial litigation—and what these courts are asked to do today—help people without lawyers navigate complex social, economic and interpersonal challenges, most of which are deeply tied to structural inequality. As a result, the judicial role is in upheaval, according to our guests. In this episode, we discuss how we got here and if we can fix it.Guests: Colleen F. Shanahan, Clinical Professor of Law, Columbia University Law School; Founder of Columbia Law School’s Community Advocacy Lab Anna Carpenter, Professor of Law, Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law; Senior Director, Presidential Initiatives, Office of the President, University of Utah; Founder and Director of the Justice Lab at Utah College of Law Alyx Mark, Assistant Professor of Government, Wesleyan University. Article: “America’s Lawyerless Courts,” written by Anna E. Carpenter, Colleen F. Shanahan, Alyx Mark and Jessica Steinberg. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every attorney knows to lock client secrets behind sophisticated cybersecurity. But as guest Rich Hale explains, the data that’s hiding in plain sight, “Dark Data,” is just as important to your client relationships and your reputation.After this important episode, you’ll want to look around your office. What do you see? Passwords taped to keyboards, thumb drives and scribbled notes left on desktops overnight, email exchanges that keep expanding as more people are looped in? Protecting that data both from thieves and ransomware attacks is every bit as crucial as your clients’ secret formula or business plans.As chief technology officer for the data security firm ActiveNav, Hale is surprised how many organizations are swimming in unsecured Dark Data. Just because you aren’t hearing about a security breach at a small law firm doesn’t mean it’s not happening daily. Learn to shine a light on your Dark Data. This may be one of the most eye-opening podcasts you listen to this year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can law firms rethink lead generation? What are the changes and tweaks you can make to your current strategy?Tom Shapiro joins me for a conversation about creating a lead generation strategy that works for your business.Tom is CEO of Stratabeat, a B2B marketing agency specializing in SEO, content development, content marketing, web design, account-based marketing (ABM), and conversion optimization. Through his career, Shapiro’s clients have included Intel, GE, AT&T, Hewlett-Packard, UnitedHealthcare, and P&G. Previously, Shapiro was the Director of Digital Strategy at iProspect. During his five years at the agency, the number of employees grew from 85 to 700+. With a passion for neuroscience and behavioral science, Shapiro’s insights have been published in Chief Marketer, CMO.com, CNN.com, Forbes, and MarketingProfs. Shapiro is the author of the books “Rethink Lead Generation: Advanced Strategies to Generate More Leads for Your Business” and “Rethink Your Marketing: 7 Strategies to Unleash Revenue Growth,” both available on Amazon. Tom gives listeners actionable tips on: [4:50] How to think about lead generation differently [8:05] How to be creative with your message  [16:45] Lateral thinking vs. logical thinking [22:30] Tips for SEO as it relates to lead generation [25:35] The importance of persona research [29:25] Tom’s book recommendation  Resources mentioned in this episode:Impossible to Ignore by Carmen SimonConnect with Tom here: Twitter LinkedIn https://stratabeat.com/   Connect with me Instagram Pinterest Facebook Twitter Karin on Twitter Karin on LinkedIn Conroy Creative Counsel on Facebook https://conroycreativecounsel.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The overall employment outcomes for 2007 and 2021 law school graduates were both 91.9%. And while that sounds like a good thing, it could be a warning. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More likely than not, your tech stack isn’t enabled to its greatest functionality. Why? Well, sometimes you just don’t know what you don’t know. Dennis and Tom talk about maximizing the potential your tools, platforms, apps, and software have to interact more collaboratively to improve the day-to-day operations of your law firm. Connecting your components improves not only your human interactions, but lets your technologies work together to their greatest capabilities. Though not yet widely available, Twitter’s edit function is out in the wild for a small group of users. The guys put this edit button through their “Hot or Not?” filter, considering the negative and positive possibilities enshrouded in an editable tweet. 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 EpisodeSegment A: The Collaboration Layer of Your Technology StackThe Lawyer’s Guide to Collaboration Tools & Technologies: Work From Home Edition https://www.americanbar.org/products/inv/book/424883450/ Segment B: Hot or Not - Twitter’s New Edit Function https://www.theverge.com/2022/9/3/23335692/twitter-edit-button-platform-bluesky Parting Shots: Movemap - https://www.movemap.io/explore/us LTRC Roundtable Discussion: Personal Knowledge Management https://www.lawtechnologytoday.org/2022/08/ltrc-roundtable-discussion-personal-knowledge-management/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you a fresh grad about to start working as a lawyer, or a relatively junior lawyer still figuring things out? The road to becoming a lawyer certainly isn’t an easy one; and the shift from studying law to actually practicing law can seem a bit intimidating. In this episode of Young Lawyer Rising, guest and litigation attorney Dave Scriven-Young shares top tips for starting your legal career off on the right foot, as well as some common mistakes young lawyers make early on. Get professional insights and practical advice on: How to Pick the Right Law Firm and Law Practice Area for You How to Get Involved in Your Practice Areas of Interest The Benefits of Having a Good Mentor and How to Develop a Legal Mentorship Team Goals Young Lawyers Should Set and Try to Accomplish Early on in Their Legal Career How to Build Confidence as a New Lawyer What Young Lawyers Need to Know About Career Planning Tips to Make You Stand Out as a Junior Lawyer Steps to Take to Ensure Your Success as a New Lawyer Additional Resources: How to Think Like a Lawyer Incorporating Interpersonal Skills in Everyday Law Practice The Client in the Next Office The Importance of Asking "Why?" Get Into the Big Client Meetings and Important Hearings Some Advice for the New or Soon-to-Be New Lawyer Building a Career You Love as a Young Lawyer ABA Young Lawyers Division ABA Career Center Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can the legal profession be more supportive of law students and lawyers with disabilities? In a profession already marked by the hypercompetitive pursuit of performance and achievement, young lawyers often face pressure to downplay their disabilities. In addition, access to accommodations for law students and lawyers with disabilities can sometimes be difficult, adding a lot of stress to an already stressful process. In this special episode, host Sonia Russo sits down with three different lawyers to hear their stories, struggles and triumphs of dealing with disability in law school and the legal profession. Hear how these three inspiring young lawyers overcame the unique challenges of law school, navigated the LSAT and bar exam, their process of finding a job after law school, and their continued work and perseverance in the legal industry today.  How the Legal Industry Often Lets Down Lawyers With Disabilities What is the definition of 'Disability'? How to Support Law Students and Lawyers with Disabilities Improving Disability Diversity and Inclusion in the Legal Profession Guests on this episode include: Elizabeth Hardcastle – Partner with Sidley Austin, LLP John Broadbent – Corporate Attorney and Disability Advocate with Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP Spencer Hill – Environmental and White Collar Litigation Lawyer at MANKO | GOLD | KATCHER | FOX LLP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In August, Lloyds of London announced that beginning in 2023 all of its insurer groups will exclude “catastrophic” state-backed attacks from their cyber insurance policies. And, unfortunately, this is just one of many on a growing list of potential exclusions for insurers worldwide, even though premium prices have continued to climb. So, is cybersecurity still worth it? Sharon Nelson and Jim Calloway talk with John Simek about the elements driving these shifts and what you need to know to make the best choices for your law firm.John W. Simek is vice president of the digital forensics, managed information technology and cybersecurity firm Sensei Enterprises. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices