Legal Talk Network - Law News and Legal Topics

As a new lawyer, have you ever considered a career in government oversight? It’s a broad, important field that ensures a wide range of agencies work as designed while protecting public funds and interests.Guest Lucy Lang is a former prosecutor now serving as the New York Inspector General. She is charged with overseeing investigations into corruption, fraud, and abuse in the New York State government (more than 100 agencies) and has been a steady advocate of criminal justice reform. Lang shares her path and passion in this inspiring episode of Young Lawyer Rising.The complex nature of Lang’s work depends heavily on her ability to lead, a skill she had to learn on her own and is now pressing the legal education field to include in law school curriculum. Seeking out mentors, learning on the job, and taking on new challenges were all part of her career growth. “If not you, then who,” she asks. “Be brave; take the bull by the horns.”Get an inside look at the workings of government oversight, the value of public service, untangling difficult ethical decisions, and making a positive difference through leadership. It could be just what you need to help you take your next, bold step.Resources:New York Offices of the Inspector GeneralNew York State Offices of the Inspector General, Job PostingsLucy Lang, Wikipedia “Lucy Lang ’06: An Advocate for Criminal Justice Reform and Government Integrity,” Columbia University NewsLucy Lang, Selected Publications“New York State Inspector General Report Finds Persistent Racial Disparities in Discipline Within New York State Prisons”“NYS Parks Employee Pleads Guilty to Official Misconduct”New York State government oversight hotline: 1-800-DO RIGHTNew York Offices of the Inspector General on Twitter/XABA Section of State and Local Government LawAmerican Bar AssociationAmerican Bar Association Young Lawyers Division Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When forensic evidence gets it wrong, how do we free the innocent?-----In our history of criminal prosecutions, some types of evidence ended up being unreliable. Forensic sciences like bite-mark identification, arson investigations, and shaken baby syndrome sent many innocent people to prison. So where does that leave us? How do we make it right?Lindsay Herf, executive director for the Arizona Justice Project joins host Michael Semanchik to discuss junk science and ways to protect innocent people.Special thanks to our sponsor Clio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, author and speaker Emily Nagoski, Ph.D., discusses how to handle stress and break the burnout cycle in your personal and professional life.  Links from the episode:  Check out Rocket Matter: modern legal software for busy lawyers Burnout by Emily Nagoski  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!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jared kicks it off by exploring the biggest players in productivity software you should be using, well, be more productive. But no productivity suite is perfect. So, get to know the strengths and weaknesses of each so you can make the right choice for you.Then, back in the day, lawyers often got their IT services from some independent techie who took care of stuff on an as-needed basis, but that sort of break/fix model is problematic if your tech strategy is only reactive instead of proactive. Jared talks with Michael Doherty about what it looks like for lawyers to engage IT services through a managed service provider (MSP). Michael walks attorneys through modern realities and ethics for technology use in their law firms and the potential for better outcomes when working with an MSP. Later on—the Rump Roast, of course! The guys play “Hard Choices”, where Jared poses difficult Boston-themed scenarios and Michael must educate the masses on what a true Bostonian would do. -----Let's keep this Boston train going. Next stop: some of Boston's greatest musical hits.-----Our opening track is Two Cigarettes by Major Label Interest.Our closing track is Take a Ride With Me by The Revolution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Now, this is a story all about how Sam Alito's wife got flipped-turned upside down.-----Sam Alito flew his flag upside down in the aftermath of the insurrection. He doesn't deny that, but he blames his wife for it. Dames, amirite? Aside from the obvious ethical issues implicated by having a Supreme Court justice visibly light in the "defending the Constitution against all enemies, foreign and domestic" department, why is Alito so objectively bad at responding to his scandals? Next thing you know, he'll be blaming her for the Dobbs leak too. Meanwhile the California bar exam is running into bankruptcy and rather than address the problem, the State Bar is just gonna kick the can further down the road. And Elon Musk's lawyers again earn their reputation as the gang that can't shoot straight, managing to Streisand Effect a dispute with a Delaware law expert by threatening to fire a Biglaw firm if the professor filed his brief. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you hear all this talk about how lawyers can use an assistant but worry it will never work for you? In this episode, Stephanie talks with law firm owner Robyn Christo, law firm owner, and Raquel Gomes, Stafi founder. Hear about Robyn’s experience hiring her first virtual assistant from Stafi and finally delegating her inbox to someone else! It can be done!  Links from the episode:  Visit Stafi and get $500 off with code Lawyerist!  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!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You want to help that friend of a friend with their minor auto accident settlement, but taking the case is not a good business decision. However, there are things you can do to extend goodwill and validate the referral…tune in for our tips. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It seems like every time that there’s a major disruption or event that threatens to upend the legal industry, it spells doom for the billable hour. But that could be more out of hope than anything else. The billable hour survived the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, despite many people thinking—or maybe wishing—that it wouldn’t. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Whether you have a DIY approach to your law firm marketing or an in-house team at your beck and call, you really should be using the top tools of the trade, and Gyi and Conrad share just what you need! But first—many, many SEOs preach that you should keep ALL your old content… but we’re pretty sure you really need to toss the majority of that bulk overboard. Is your website riding a bit low in the water? We keep hearing marketers say that your old content is some sort of treasure trove, but, more likely, it’s just outdated junk that needs to be jettisoned—quickly. Clearing things out can make more valuable content perform better, and Gyi and Conrad lay out how to decide what should stay and what should go. Next, the list you’ve always needed to fill up your marketing toolbox! Depending on your approach and resources, the guys outline three different lists of essential tools to help you hone your marketing tactics. Total Beginner - The DIY Lawyer’s Marketing Tools Google Searches Meta’s Ad Library Google Maps CallRail Camera  Microphone - SM58, MV7, or similar. Intermediate Tools - For the Those With Growing Expertise    Local SEO Tools: Local Falcon, BrightLocal, Whitespark, or Places Scout. Intake Management Software: Clio Grow, Lawmatics, Litify, Lead Docket, etc.  A Link Index Tool: Ahrefs, Semrush, Moz Advanced Tools - for the Seasoned Pro, Marketing Directors, SEO Leads, and the Like!Screaming Frog The News: Google I/O 2024 (their developer conference) just wrapped up, so what’s gonna be happening with the latest in the search realm? Google is adding more AI to its search results | TechCrunch and Generative AI in Search: Let Google do the searching for you. ChapGPT 4.0 (Omni) is now available, and we’re all just still hoping AI isn’t going to eventually kill us all: Hello GPT-4o | OpenAI  LSA now means Let’s Screw Attorneys — So, should you play the game or just quit now? Thanks? We got a blog award: The 16 Best Legal Marketing Podcasts Of 2024  Gyi and Conrad will both be participating in the Law Firm Growth Summit from May 21-23.  And, LocalU Detroit is coming up on June 24th!  Mentioned in this Episode:The Bite - Lunch Hour Legal Marketing Newsletter!Leave Us an Apple Review Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on YouTube Lunch Hour Legal Marketing on TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Being a lawyer involves constant pressure and stress. It’s a profession filled with challenges—everything from demanding partners and tight deadlines to adverse rulings and deadbeat clients. It’s enough to wear down anyone. Guest Erin Clifford is a partner and director of marketing and business development at Clifford Law Offices in Chicago. And she’s also a trained and nationally certified counselor and wellness coach, helping professionals create and maintain healthy lifestyles. As a lawyer, she knows all about stress. As a counselor, she knows the importance of mental and physical well-being.Feeling stressed and overwhelmed can lead to health problems and even substance abuse. It’s easy to fall down a rabbit hole at the cost of simply living a happy, healthy life. Hear Clifford’s tips for improving your outlook, enjoying happy moments, and creating time for yourself and the things that make you happy.Though we sometimes lose sight of it, we are all much more than our law practice. Do you know the signs of chronic stress and stress-related illnesses? Learn how to build resilience, set aside stress, and live a healthier life. Be kind to yourself.Resources:“Setting Boundaries Can Lead to a Happier, Healthier, and Wealthier Life,” by Erin Clifford, American Bar AssociationAmerican Bar AssociationAmerican Bar Association Litigation Section Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices