Real Lawyers with Kevin O'Keefe

Kevin O’Keefe sits down with Kevin LaCroix of the D&O Diary to talk about nearly two decades of disciplined publishing in a narrow legal niche. LaCroix explains why he committed to writing four to five times a week, how consistency helped him build international credibility and why blogging sharpened his expertise more than any formal marketing effort. They also discuss authority versus visibility, the limits of social media driven publishing and what long-form legal writing means in an AI influenced future.

Todd Smith, a pioneering Texas appellate lawyer and founder of Texas Appellate Council PLLC, shares his journey of launching one of Texas' first appellate blogs in 2006. He discusses how blogging built his credibility and served as a pivotal online presence. The duo explores the evolution of legal content, the importance of owning your platform, and the role of AI in writing. Todd emphasizes the value of publishing authentically, especially for young lawyers, while focusing on niche blogging to establish authority in specific fields.

Kevin talks with Ohio employment lawyer Jon Hyman, author of the long-running Ohio Employer Law Blog. Jon shares how he started in 2007, how consistency shaped his reputation and why he keeps his writing conversational and authentic. They cover his “worst employer” series, his approach to daily posts and how AI now supports his workflow. A grounded look at how sharing what you know continues to open doors for lawyers today.

Kevin O’Keefe sits down with Nicole Black of 8am to trace how publishing and online connection reshaped her career. She explains how writing led to early opportunities, meaningful relationships in the legal tech community, her move into MyCase, and eventually her role at 8am. The conversation covers how lawyers can use consistent publishing to open doors, build trust and navigate toward the work they want, along with Nicole’s perspective on legal tech’s evolution and where it’s headed next.

Kevin O’Keefe sits down with Alan Kaplinsky of Ballard Spahr, the lawyer behind the long-running Consumer Finance Monitor blog. Alan shares how the blog came together around the launch of the CFPB, how it evolved into a go-to resource in consumer financial services and how he has blended publishing with client work over the years.Kevin and Alan talk about what it takes to sustain a high-volume law blog, why a practicing lawyer needs to be the champion for any publication and how focused commentary can shape a practice group’s reputation with clients and regulators alike.

Kevin sits down at ClioCon with A.J. Axelrod, head of Payments and Financial Services at Clio, to dig into how billing gets out of the way so lawyers can work. They cover fraud prevention inside payment operations and why faster cash flow matters for small firms. A.J. shares lessons from Visa, how recent acquisitions fit the platform and why Clio is focused on the unmet legal market. A straight shot on getting paid, earning trust and building software for people.

Recorded at ClioCon, Kevin talks with Chris Stock, Clio’s VP of Legal Content and Migrations about his path from Australian law practice to legal tech, why Clio’s culture hooked him and how Clio Draft and AI workmates aim to speed everyday documents and expand access to counsel. Chris also shares his reentry work, thoughts on the latent legal market and how smarter automation can help lawyers serve real people faster.

Recorded live at ClioCon 2025 as part of LexBlog's coverage of the event (more to come!), Kevin talks with Clio CEO Jack Newton about seeing five years ahead and why the VLex deal makes the future of legal work feel inevitable. Jack shares how Clio grew from humble beginnings to a platform that can surface lawyer-authored insight where work happens, giving solos and small firms real thought-leadership reach. They hit on building a company while raising a family, the team behind the keynote, and why approachable leadership on social matters. Plus, the long-running ClioCon morning run tradition. A candid look at vision, execution and the human side of a transformational year for Clio.

Kevin O’Keefe talks with Ed Walters — Fastcase co-founder and now Chief Strategy Officer at vLex — about why consistent writing still wins work in an AI era. Ed explains how blogs function as secondary law, how LexBlog content will surface inside vLex and why Vincent AI grounds answers in sources you can click and verify. He revisits his path from the White House to Fastcase, explains the vLex combination and shares what makes ClioCon different plus Jack Newton’s role as a visionary leader. A candid conversation about expertise, relationships and publishing with purpose.