This engaging episode of "Lawyers Who Learn" features a conversation between host David Schnurman and Brent, a business litigation and entertainment lawyer at Bell Nunnally in Dallas. The discussion reveals Brent's fascinating journey from ESPN production to law, highlighting how his media background has shaped his approach to legal storytelling. The conversation explores Brent's innovative approach to continuing legal education, including his popular courses "Ethics Lessons from HBO's Succession" and "Ethics from Suits." Brent shares how he transforms traditionally dry ethics content into engaging presentations by incorporating popular culture references and storytelling techniques. He also discusses his experience working on the high-profile Fifty Shades of Grey litigation case, where he learned valuable lessons about legal storytelling from his mentor Mike Farris, who taught him to present legal arguments in clear, straightforward language that anyone could understand. Throughout the episode, Brent offers insights into balancing a demanding legal career with personal pursuits, including his recent venture into stand-up comedy at open mic nights during business trips. He discusses the challenges of managing stress, the importance of physical exercise, and finding time for family commitments while maintaining a successful legal practice. The discussion provides valuable lessons about the power of creative presentation in legal work, the importance of finding one's authentic style in the courtroom, and how lessons from entertainment and media can enhance legal practice. Brent's energy and positive attitude shine through as he shares practical advice for lawyers looking to break free from traditional approaches to legal practice and presentation.

This podcast episode of Lawyers Who Learn features an engaging conversation between host David Schnurman, CEO of Lawline, and Jennifer Hill, CEO of ThoughtRiver, an AI-powered contract review company. The discussion delves into Hill's fascinating journey from teaching public speaking as a college freshman to becoming a lawyer and tech executive. As a longtime Lawline customer, Hill shares personal stories about how continuing legal education has impacted both her professional and personal life, including a compelling account of how a CLE course helped her advocate for her child during a school bullying incident. The conversation explores Hill's experiences in Silicon Valley, her work supporting women entrepreneurs in New York's emerging tech scene, and her path to leading ThoughtRiver. She offers valuable insights about professional growth, including her "6-month and 18-month rule" for career development, and shares perspectives on AI's role in making legal services more accessible. The discussion is enriched by Hill's international background, as she reflects on how travel and cross-cultural experiences have shaped her outlook and leadership style. Throughout the interview, Hill emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and embracing change, particularly in the context of AI adoption. The podcast concludes with a discussion about Lawline's future plans for AI integration and Hill's encouraging advice for lawyers looking to adapt to technological change: "Don't start with perfect. Just start." The conversation provides a rich exploration of the intersection between legal practice, technology, and lifelong learning.

Lawyers Who Learn podcast features an in-depth conversation between host David Schnurman, CEO of Lawline, and Haley Altman, a remarkable figure in legal tech who has successfully navigated multiple career transitions. The episode explores Haley's journey from aspiring doctor and cancer researcher to corporate lawyer, legal tech founder, and M&A executive. Starting with her early pivot from medicine to law, Haley shares how her love of learning and problem-solving drove her career choices. She discusses her decade as an M&A attorney, becoming one of the fastest partners at Ice Miller, and then founding Doxly, which she later sold to Litera. The conversation provides unique insights into her transition to heading M&A at Litera, where she leveraged her extensive network in the legal tech community to complete multiple acquisitions. Throughout the discussion, Haley opens up about balancing her professional achievements with personal life, including raising two daughters as a single parent. The conversation takes an intimate turn as both host and guest reflect on work-life balance, the importance of acknowledging one's accomplishments, and finding personal freedom alongside professional success. The episode concludes with Haley sharing her multiple potential next steps, both professionally and personally, highlighting her continued drive for growth and new experiences.

In an era where your smartphone, fitness tracker, and even your doorbell could become evidence in court, understanding digital forensics has never been more crucial. This episode of Lawyers Who Learn features Brian Chase, a leading digital forensics expert from ArcherHall who reveals his strategy of using CLE courses as a powerful business development tool, delivering over 120 presentations annually. Brian shares an inside look at developing and teaching CLE courses, particularly those focused on cutting-edge technology issues. The conversation explores several of his popular Lawline courses, including "Truth or Tech: AI-Generated Evidence," "My Ex Hacked Me: The Truth About Cyberstalking," "Your Home is Spying on You: Smart Device Data in Litigation," and "Location Data in Litigation." Through these courses, he breaks down complex technological concepts, from how Fitbit data can become crucial evidence in personal injury cases to the challenges courts face in authenticating AI-generated content. Drawing from his experience as both a former law firm owner and current digital forensics leader, Brian provides practical insights about teaching technical topics to legal audiences, while sharing the surprisingly accessible ways attorneys can start teaching their own CLE courses.

In this revealing conversation, host David Schnurman interviews Molly Kremer, "The Billing Coach," who transformed her career from BigLaw litigator to successful legal coach. Molly shares her journey from practicing insurance defense litigation at AmLaw 100 firm Cozen O'Connor to building her unique coaching practice focused on helping attorneys improve their billing habits. She discusses discovering her niche in coaching after experiencing her own struggles with time management and billing during COVID, and how she built her practice primarily through LinkedIn content and marketing. The conversation offers valuable insights into the business of legal coaching, including details about pricing models, client acquisition, and the shift from large law firms to boutique practices. Molly also reveals practical tips about using tools like Claude AI and Authored Up for content creation, and discusses her innovative approaches like "The Billing Hour" - a communal time for attorneys to catch up on their billing. This episode provides a masterclass in career transition and building a successful coaching practice in the legal industry, while addressing the often taboo subject of legal billing practices.

David Schnurman, CEO of Lawline speaks with Chris Chapman, CEO of Access Lex Institute, a nonprofit with a billion-dollar endowment focused on legal education. Chris details how Access Lex grew from a student loan provider to an organization that now runs multiple programs supporting law students and schools. He explains their bar prep platform Helix, which has helped reduce market prices by $1000 dollars, and discusses the significant changes coming with the 2026 Next Gen bar exam - a shift from memorization-based testing to practical legal skills assessment. The conversation examines the structural challenges driving high law school costs, including federal loan policies and accreditation requirements. Chris shares insights on potential solutions, from expanding online education to allowing non-JD professionals to provide certain legal services. He also discusses Access Lex's MAX program, which provides financial education to law students across 200 law schools, and addresses how AI and market changes may reshape legal education and bar preparation in the coming years. The episode covers key developments affecting the future of legal education, bar preparation, and the broader legal services market.

Beau Atkins, founder of Evolve Law, offers a fresh perspective on family law by implementing fixed-fee and subscription pricing models, making legal services more approachable. He discusses his journey from almost leaving law to scaling his practice with innovative strategies like the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Atkins shares insights on networking authentically through LinkedIn, the importance of structured learning, and his mission to promote accessibility in legal services, inspired by his own childhood experiences. With ambitions for '1000x' growth, he aims to transform divorce law for the better.

Zach Posner, Managing Partner at The Legal Tech Fund, shares his journey from edtech entrepreneur to legal tech investor. He discusses the importance of relationship-building and open communication in the legal tech industry, emphasizing organic growth over profit-driven motives. Posner introduces The Legal Tech Fund Summit, designed to foster connections without commercial pressures. He also dives into the transformative potential of AI, the challenges of early-stage investing, and the commitment to transparency and knowledge-sharing through their research initiatives.

Basha Rubin, co-founder and CEO of Priori Legal, shares her entrepreneurial journey in building a legal marketplace that connects corporate clients with vetted attorneys. She discusses the evolution from serving small businesses to enterprise clients and the ups and downs of raising $25 million in venture capital. Basha emphasizes the integration of AI in legal tech and its impact on team dynamics, while also reflecting on remote work culture and the vital balance between business growth and personal freedom. Her insights are invaluable for anyone interested in legal innovation.

Todd Smithline, former law firm owner and current CEO of Bonterms, specializes in fixed-fee legal services and productizing legal knowledge for tech companies. He discusses transforming traditional hourly billing into predictable subscription models, emphasizing service packaging and client relationships. Todd highlights the importance of creating reusable legal tools to enhance service delivery. He also addresses the impact of AI on legal services, urging attorneys to adapt in an evolving market, while offering practical advice for modernization and efficiency in legal practices.