Leadership doesn’t always come naturally; it is a skill developed through service, mentorship, and a deep commitment to others. In this episode, Amanda Arriaga and Patrick Palace welcome Nate Alder, a longtime leader in multiple associations, including the NCBP. Drawing on his many years of service, Nate shares insights that deepen our understanding of how to lead with humility and a genuine commitment to stewarding and elevating the next generation of leaders in the legal profession. Nate Alder is a shareholder at Christensen & Jensen, where he litigates, tries, and resolves complex civil cases. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In episode 595 of the Lawyerist Podcast, we’re revisiting Stephanie’s conversation with Lawyerist financial coach Bernadette L. Harris about the financial KPIs every law firm owner should understand as a new year begins. We’re bringing this episode back because it’s especially timely for firms setting their strategy, goals, and financial benchmarks for the year ahead. It’s important to continue finding a clear, practical approach to understanding the numbers that drive a healthy firm.  Unlock a clearer view of your law firm's financial health in the latest Lawyerist Podcast. Join host Stephanie Everett as she dives into the essential key performance indicators (KPIs) that can transform how you understand your practice, guided by the expert insights of Bernadette Harris, Lawyerist Lab's finance coach.  You'll gain practical knowledge about five crucial areas that directly impact your firm's success. Understand your net profit margin like never before – not just the surface numbers, but the true profitability that informs your strategic decisions. Explore utilization rate and discover how to optimize your team's time for maximum productivity. Learn the critical importance of your realization rate and practical steps to ensure you're capturing the revenue you've earned. See how mastering AR aging can directly impact your cash flow and create financial stability. Plus, uncover the strategic advantage of understanding your revenue by practice area, empowering you to make smarter choices about your firm's financial future.  For straightforward, actionable insights into these vital financial indicators – the kind that can immediately help you manage your law firm more effectively – tune in to hear Bernadette Harris share her expertise.    Listen to our other episode with Bernadette Harris:  #457: Healthy Profits: Understanding the Story Your Numbers Tell, with Bernadette Harris Apple Podcast | Spotify |  Lawyerist  #523: Financial Red Flags: Are You Hiring Too Soon?, with Bernadette Harris Apple Podcast |  Spotify | Lawyerist  #418: More Income, Fewer Taxes, with Bernadette Harris Apple Podcast |  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 Why We’re Remastering This Episode for the New Year02:55 Law Firm KPIs and Financial Health05:21 Net Profit Margin for Law Firms09:38 Utilization Rate and Team Capacity14:35 Realization Rate and Getting Paid20:05 Accounts Receivable and Cash Flow24:19 Revenue by Practice Area27:16 Using Financial Metrics to Set Strategy  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Three trends dominated this year's coverage. ----- We've made it to the end of the year! And what do we have to show for it as a profession? Our most elite law firms signed deals rather than stand up for themselves in the face of illegal Trump bullying efforts. Others quietly tried to erase their history to avoid the administration's ire. But some firms did fight back and achieved consistent success in court, while the dealmakers got heckled and derided by young lawyers. And, as anyone who has ever watched Star Wars knows, deals with authoritarians just get worse all the time. The New York Times even wrote a feature on a certain publication covering this story. We also ran headlong into a constitutional crisis marked by DOJ lawyers lying to courts -- when the DOJ even bothers to field lawyers legally -- senior government officials declaring "war" on federal judges, and judges being arrested. As right-wing threats against federal judges escalated, the Supreme Court responded with disinterest, preferring to fan the flames with nakedly partisan shadow docket rulings to grease the wheels of Trump's assault on the structure of government. And, finally, we look at the year of AI in legal. Hallucinations dominated the conversation -- from law firms and judges alike -- but this was also the year legal tech made huge bets on AI and folks started to realize that the profession can't avoid the technology. The billable hour may finally be on the decline, but does AI risk making lawyers dumber? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A document dump. Disappearing evidence. And a new depo the first night of trial. Despite all this, Katie pulled off a win and shares what she learned, including how to use a snowstorm to your advantage. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another year gone! With 2025 rapidly bidding us adieu, Dennis, Tom, and their good pal Debbie Foster send us off with their annual Kennedy-Mighell edition of Pardon the Interruption. They argue different sides of popular tech topics in “Toss-Up”,  play legal tech Mad Libs in “What’s the Word?”, and take the temp on 2025 trends in “Hot or Not?”. And, we know the question on everyone’s minds—Can Tom keep up his yearslong winning streak? Listen in to find out.  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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let the record show, records were meant to be corrected. In this episode, we revisit something we mentioned that might not have been the full story, the role of the remote attorney and the freelance attorneys provided by LAWCLERK.  Guest Kristin Tyler is a lawyer and co-founder and chief brand officer at LAWCLERK, which supplies contract attorneys for growing, busy law firms under an arrangement where freelance attorneys work under the supervision of a client’s in-house attorneys.  From discovery to document review to deposition management, contract attorneys can manage routine tasks at rates designed to be affordable for growing firms. Why hire a part-time paralegal when you can hire an actual attorney at a comparable rate?  Whether you’re a growing firm or an attorney looking for part-time work, hear why this could be the solution you’ve been looking for.  Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at NewSolo@legaltalknetwork.com.  Topics: Contract and part-time remote attorneys can help busy, growing firms find affordable legal assistance when things get hectic. Why hire a remote paralegal when you can hire an actual, licensed attorney at a comparable cost? Do your best and outsource the rest! Special for our listeners, for your first hire from LAWCLERK, use the promo code NewSolo25 for a $100 rebate. Hear how the arrangement works, including ethical and licensing policies, confidentiality, state-specific availability, and even hiring attorneys who are experts in the exact area of law you need. Resources: Previous appearance on Legal Talk Network, “Clio Cloud 2022: Hire for Success – Best Practices for Growing Your Team” Previously on New Solo, “Checking In! Four Years Later, Solo Practice Aloha Divorce Is Thriving”  Clio ABA Techshow 2026 Clio Cloud Conference 2026  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As the year comes to a close, Stephanie Everett and Zack Glaser look back at the Lawyerist Podcast episodes that stood out most to them in episode 594 of the Lawyerist Podcast. From practical AI workflows and ethical guidance to mental health, communication, and leadership, this episode highlights the conversations that sparked new thinking and delivered real value.  Stephanie and Zack revisit standout moments, share why certain episodes resonated, and reflect on the themes that shaped the year—while inviting listeners to share which episodes made the biggest impact and what topics they’d like to hear more about in the year ahead.  Listen to some of the episodes highlighted this year:  Episode #585 – First Aid for the Mind: Mental Health and the Law, with Sumia and Jill — Apple | Spotify | LTN  Episode #577 – Rethinking Law Firm Growth in the Age of AI, with Sam Harden — Apple | Spotify | LTN  Episode #565 – Becoming the AI-Driven Leader, with Geoff Woods — Apple | Spotify | LTN  Episode #553 – AI Tools and Processes Every Lawyer Should Use, with Catherine Sanders Reach — Apple | Spotify | LTN  Episode #579 –  Knee Deep in Escheating: Intricacies of Lawyer Trust Accounts, with Amy Woods — Apple | Spotify | LTN  Episode 539 – This VOICE HACK Will Transform Your Legal Career!, with Reena Cook —  Apple | Spotify | LTN  Episode 554 – Competence and Diligence in Light of Changing Laws and Regulations, with Craig Dobson — Apple | Spotify | LTN    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 / Timestamps:   00:00 – Introduction & Year-End Reflection  01:35 – Why These Episodes Stood Out  01:56 – AI Tools and Practical Tech Takeaways  02:59 – Building Community and Adult Friendships  04:28 – Mental Health First Aid for Lawyers  07:06 – Ethics, Flat Fees, and Changing Scope  09:14 – Voice, Presence, and Communication Skills  11:46 – Becoming an AI-Driven Leader  14:36 – Rethinking Growth in the Age of AI  18:00 – Trust Accounting and Compliance Essentials  20:03 – Listener Feedback & Looking Ahead  21:07 – Closing Thoughts and Thanks      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With over 40 years of courtroom experience, attorney Peter Dunne is still learning by teaching. Hear some of his favorite lessons from the classroom and the courtroom. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ho ho ho...gan Lovells merging. ----- A critical analysis of the best variety of Coca-Cola product gives way to a conversation about law this week. Cadwalader ends its tumultuous year -- involving a Trump administration capitulation and a series of defections -- with a big quasi-transatlantic merger announcement with cross-Pond Hogan Lovells. Christmas came early -- to the extent anyone thinks of U.S. News law school rankings as "Christmas" -- with a prediction about the new law school pecking order. And it looks like garbage at a time when those rankings may be more important than ever. Also, ICE appears to be publishing an enemies list? That doesn't seem great. All that and some thoughts on Alan Dershowitz writing a new book suggesting Trump might be able to get a third term despite the clear text of the Constitution. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every firm knows it should be marketing. But go deeper. How should you be thinking about your firm’s own individual goals, brand, and budget? If you’re at a smaller or mid-size firm, you don’t get a pass on marketing. You still need to reach potential clients. But you’ll have to do it on a smarter, scaled level. Guest Erika Steinberg spent decades developing marketing strategies for large firms, then she formed her own company, CMO2go, which helps smaller and mid-size firms develop and execute marketing strategies that fit their budgets.  Don’t feel overwhelmed by the word “strategy” or be intimidated by the very idea of marketing. Strip it down to the essentials and take it step by step. A good marketing brainstorming can help you not only focus your strategies but also understand your firm’s goals and target audience.  Are you committing the sin of “random acts of marketing?” Find out on this episode of the Un-Billable Hour.   Ask us anything for the Community Table. Leave us a question online! Join the next Community Table discussion live! Always the third Thursday of the month at 3pm Eastern. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leaders from faith organizations and mission-driven nonprofits discuss the connections between faith communities and legal services on Talk Justice. For many, faith provides guiding principles, like the instruction to help those in need. The Salvation Army recently launched their Faith and Community Based Organizations’ Disaster Training. LSC developed a Faith Community Outreach Toolkit to help faith leaders understand the role of legal services. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fewer lawyers are gaining real courtroom experience, and the future of trial advocacy is at risk. In this special episode of On the Road, veteran trial attorney and educator Michael Schwartz examines why trial lawyers are becoming harder to find and what it takes to develop the skills true advocacy requires. Drawing on decades of experience trying hundreds of cases, Schwartz breaks down the foundations of effective trial lawyering, from witness examination and jury selection to professionalism, ethics, and strategy. He shares lessons from pivotal courtroom moments and explains why trials remain essential to the pursuit of justice and the search for truth. Michael Schwartz is a trial lawyer, legal educator, and founder of Trial Advocacy Group, where he trains lawyers nationwide in trial advocacy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On December 1, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in the landmark copyright case, Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment.  This case centers on whether Cox, an internet service provider, can be held legally liable for copyright infringement committed by its subscribers when those users downloaded and shared thousands of copyrighted songs without permission.  On this episode of Lawyer 2 Lawyer, Craig joins Professor Christopher Jon Sprigman, Co-Director of the Engelberg Center on Innovation Law and Policy at NYU Law,  as they spotlight Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment. Craig & Chris discuss this SCOTUS case, oral arguments, the friend-of-the-court brief, copyright law, and the potential impact of a future ruling.   Mentioned in this Episode: Cox Communications, Inc. v. Sony Music Entertainment Brief of Amici Curiae ACLU et al. in Support of Petitioners Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looking for something to occupy yourself over the holidays, or to kick off your 2026? Lee Rawles is joined by her fellow Legal Talk Network hosts Stephanie Everett of the Lawyerist podcast and Conrad Saam and Gyi Tsakalakis of Lunch Hour Legal Marketing to share what books, TV shows and movies they enjoyed this year. They also share some of their own resolutions for 2026–and reveal a special new project for the Modern Law Library, coming soon to your podcast feed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Not all clients are created equal—and some quietly drain your firm’s time, energy, and profits. In episode 593 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Stephanie Everett talks with Affinity Consulting’s Jeff Krause about the hidden cost of bad clients and how law firms can use data to make better decisions about who they serve.  Jeff breaks down his Moneyball-inspired profit formula to show how client quality impacts leads, conversion rates, revenue, and margins. They explore why discount-seeking clients create compounding damage, how setting clearer expectations can improve client behavior, and when it makes sense to let certain clients walk away. A closer look at the tension between profitability and access to justice, and how intentional business models can support both.    Listen to our previous episodes about Client Experience & Law Firm Profitability:  Episode #384 – Delivering Bad News to Clients, with Marjorie Aaron — Apple | Spotify | LTN  Episode #462: Designing an Empathetic Client Experience, with Kirk Simoneau — Apple | Spotify | LTN  Episode #474: Moneyball for Lawyers, with Jeff Krause — Apple | Spotify | LTN  Episode #560 – Stop Doing Everything Yourself! Unlock Your Law Firm’s True Potential, with Leticia DeSuze — Apple | Spotify | LTN    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 / Timestamps:   00:00 – Introduction  05:12 – Meet Jeff Krause  06:51 – What “Moneyball for Lawyers” Really Means  09:08 – The Profit Formula That Drives Firm Growth  12:46 – How Bad Clients Damage the Numbers  15:30 – The Compounding Cost of Discounts  18:21 – Raising Rates vs. Chasing More Clients  19:45 – Can You Improve Mid-Tier Clients?  21:58 – Profitability vs. Access to Justice  24:19 – Building Intentional Service Models  26:48 – Trusting Your Data—and Your Gut  27:43 – One Step Firms Should Take Right Now  28:23 – Closing Thoughts  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you want 2025 in a nutshell, it doesn't get much better than a blundering Secretary of Defense bragging that the Pentagon bought an expensive, bespoke AI bot and it immediately started calling out the Trump administration for committing war crimes. As the legal industry ventures into a hallucinatory AI frontier, it's worth remembering that sometimes the bots outperform the human lawyers. At the Supreme Court, Justice Sotomayor tries to convince her colleagues not to blow up the federal government over a theory concocted in the 1970s. Sadly, she's fighting the wrong fight. And in a world of mergers -- especially cross-border mergers -- we have a reminder that sometimes it doesn't work out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re so proud to have won a $10 million verdict for our client in a battle that took seven years and two trials. Mary Simon shares her courtroom story, including how she handled losing her carefully prepared outline and what she learned through this team effort. Tune in and celebrate with us! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The failure rate of our prison systems is staggering, with recidivism exceeding 70% in nearly every state. What should this tell us about the success—or lack thereof—of our criminal justice system? And, how can those who are incarcerated survive the harshness of prison and avoid becoming part of the large percentage who seem to inevitably return?  This time on For the Innocent, Michael Semanchik welcomes Matthew Cooke, writer and director of Survivors Guide to Prison, a documentary exploring life in United States prisons from the perspectives of two wrongfully convicted men, Bruce Lisker and Reggie Cole. Drawing from his extensive research, Matthew reveals a system plagued with fundamentally misaligned incentives that do little to create pathways for inmates to succeed on the outside.  Michael and Matthew discuss new shifts in criminal justice reform and offer their thoughts on how to continue to bring this issue to the forefront of public discourse. The system is broken, but change is possible.  Listen to our episode about Bruce Lisker’s story:  A Deceitful Detective & Manipulated Evidence – The Wrongful Conviction of Bruce Lisker. Learn more about Matthew Cooke and his film projects on IMDB: Matthew Cooke - IMDb Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live from Denver and the ABA Labor and Employment Law Section Annual Conference, a conversation with guest Charlotte Burrows on gender discrimination and the status of the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).  Host Matt Greer talks in person with Burrows, the former chair of the EEOC and a fellow at both the University of California Berkeley’s Applied Technology Policy group and the New York University School of Law.  When most people spend the majority of their adult lives working, Burrows says there’s nothing more important than workplace protections against discrimination, sexual harassment, and abuse, regardless of sex and gender identity.  Today, recent attempts to roll back many protections have brought the mission of the EEOC into the spotlight. Hear from a lifelong fighter for workers’ rights about how the tug of war over conflicting interpretations of the law, along with staffing cutbacks and shortages at the EEOC, are impacting workplace rights, protections, and case processing.  Also, a few minutes with Salomon Chiquiar-Rabinovich Ph.D., 2025 winner of the ABA Labor and Employment Law Section’s Honorable Bernice B. Donald Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Legal Profession Award. Chiquiar-Rabinovich came to the US from Mexico and shares his inspiring story of immigration, his thirst for knowledge, and overcoming challenges and a disability in his service to others. Live from Denver and the ABA Labor and Employment Law Section Annual Conference, a conversation with guest Charlotte Burrows on gender discrimination and the status of the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).  Host Matt Greer talks in person with Burrows, the former chair of the EEOC and a fellow at both the University of California Berkeley’s Applied Technology Policy group and the New York University School of Law.  When most people spend the majority of their adult lives working, Burrows says there’s nothing more important than workplace protections against discrimination, sexual harassment, and abuse, regardless of sex and gender identity.  Today, recent attempts to roll back many protections have brought the mission of the EEOC into the spotlight. Hear from a lifelong fighter for workers’ rights about how the tug of war over conflicting interpretations of the law, along with staffing cutbacks and shortages at the EEOC, are impacting workplace rights, protections, and case processing.  Also, a few minutes with Salomon Chiquiar-Rabinovich Ph.D., 2025 winner of the ABA Labor and Employment Law Section’s Honorable Bernice B. Donald Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Legal Profession Award. Chiquiar-Rabinovich came to the US from Mexico and shares his inspiring story of immigration, his thirst for knowledge, and overcoming challenges and a disability in his service to others. Mentioned in This Episode: Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Meritor Savings Bank v. Vinson, Wikipedia EEOLeaders.org  EEOC Title VII The ABA Labor and Employment Law Section 2026 Annual Conference is scheduled for Nov. 4-7, 2026 in Washington, DC  ABA Labor and Employment Law Section Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Neurodivergence is far more common in the legal profession than many realize and when supported thoughtfully, it can be a powerful asset. In this special episode of On the Road, legal professional and advocate Christina Hough shares practical insights on working more effectively with neurodivergent attorneys, paralegals, clients, and colleagues. Drawing from both personal experience and decades in the legal field, Hough explores how conditions such as ADHD, autism, PTSD, and other neurodivergent traits can influence communication, learning styles, sensory processing, and collaboration. From inclusive meeting practices and clearer communication strategies to simple workplace accommodations that improve focus and outcomes, this episode offers a roadmap for building more inclusive, productive legal environments while recognizing the unique strengths neurodivergent professionals bring to the practice of law. Christina Hough is a neurodivergent legal professional, speaker, and advocate with more than 23 years of experience in the legal field. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices