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Law Practice Today

The Law Practice Division

This podcast is brought to you by the Law Practice Division of the American Bar Association.

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S4 · E3
Monday · 15 min
Exploring Animal Law: Opportunities and Challenges
In this Law Practice Today podcast episode, the host discusses careers in animal law with professor and author Yolanda Eisenstein, who explains that modern animal law is largely animal protection law and has expanded significantly through increased legal education, clinics, and new legislation such as pet trusts. Eisenstein describes her path into the field, her teaching experience at SMU and the University of New Mexico, and how animal law spans companion animals, wildlife, farmed animals, federal and local practice, and even international work. She notes that companion animals generally receive the greatest legal protection and emphasizes that practitioners can integrate animal issues into many legal specialties. Eisenstein previews her updated second edition of Careers in Animal Law, advising prospective students to assess whether they truly want to be lawyers and can handle topics like cruelty and compassion fatigue, and predicts the field will keep growing amid biodiversity loss, climate change, and illegal wildlife trafficking. 00:00 Wildlife Trafficking Stakes 00:28 Podcast Intro and Disclaimer 01:07 Why Animal Law Careers 01:53 Origins and Expansion 04:37 Teaching and Practice Paths 06:01 Species and Legal Protections 08:15 Career Options and Locations 09:15 Staying Current in the Field 10:23 Book Advice and Self Fit 12:55 Future of Animal Law 13:54 Where to Find Yolanda 14:36 Closing Remarks
S4 · E2
September 15 · 32 min
Empower Your Legal Mind: Traits and Tactics for Lawyers
On the Law Practice Today podcast, host Terrell sits down with psychologists Larry and D'Arcy, authors of Thin Skinned, to discuss research on how lawyers differ from the general public and how those differences affect both practice and personal life. Larry describes decades of data collection—first via a nationwide Myers-Briggs study of 3,000+ lawyers and later through 30 years using the Caliper Profile, now totaling nearly 10,000 lawyer assessments—showing seven atypical trait outliers, including high skepticism and notably low resilience and empathy. They explain that some traits are present before law school, while skepticism, resilience, and empathy are largely learned and can shift with time in law-office environments. The episode highlights practical, research-backed ways to build resilience, including reducing cognitive distortions, increasing positive emotions, and strengthening relationships, plus leadership strategies for creating resilience-friendly firm cultures. 00:00 Lawyers Get Thin Skinned 00:20 Podcast Intro Disclaimer 00:58 Meet the Authors 01:44 Larry's Path to Psychology 02:28 D'Arcy Joins the Project 04:15 30 Years of Lawyer Data 06:36 Seven Traits That Stand Out 09:29 Why Lawyers Differ 10:30 Skepticism Lowers Resilience 18:19 Nature, Nurture, and Selection 19:56 Four Buckets of Solutions 20:47 Bucket One Fix Negative Thinking 24:38 Bucket Two Build Positive Emotions 30:01 Bucket Three Relationships Matter 34:17 Where to Learn More 35:05 Final Thanks and Wrap Up
S4 · E1
September 8 · 18 min
AI Tools for Smarter Law Firms
In this Law Practice Today podcast episode, Greg Siskind discusses an ABA book he co-wrote with Jason Susser and Josh Waddell, focused on practical ways lawyers can adopt generative AI in their firms, including how to prioritize projects, find “low-hanging fruit,” decide what to DIY versus hire out, and avoid ethical or operational trouble. Siskind draws parallels to the early days of law firm websites, recounting building one of the first lawyer websites in 1994 and the skepticism and compliance questions that followed. He describes his firm’s earlier AI work starting in 2015 with no-code expert systems and a later pivot in 2022 after an early look at OpenAI through Casetext’s CoCounsel, leading to an immigration-focused generative AI research prototype. The conversation highlights strong use cases like summarization, translation, inbox workflows, marketing tasks, and prompt “recipes,” emphasizing prompts as effective delegation. 00:00 Why Invest in AI 00:31 Podcast Intro and Disclaimer 01:09 Meet Greg Siskind 01:52 Writing a Practical AI Book 03:44 Lessons From 1994 Websites 07:06 Early Web Marketing Advantage 08:50 Law Firm AI Experiments 2015 11:11 First Look at Generative AI 13:55 Practical Use Cases and Prompts 16:09 Prompting Is Delegation 17:16 Where to Find Greg 17:48 Final Thanks and Outro
S3 · E43
August 24 · 15 min
First Half of 2026 Highlights: Law Firm Strategy and Operations
This special roundup episode of the Law Practice Today podcast brings together three conversations from the first half of 2026 focused on helping law firms build stronger, more resilient, and better-run practices. First, Stephanie Everett joins Terrell A. Turner in "Building a Healthy and Profitable Law Firm.” She explains why law firm leaders need to understand their numbers, create systems that allow the business to operate without depending on the owner at every moment, and revisit strategy regularly through quarterly planning, annual reviews, and longer-term vision setting. Next, Shawn Holahan discusses "Disaster Planning for Law Firms.” She emphasizes that professional and ethical responsibilities do not stop during an emergency. From natural disasters and cyber incidents to technology failures and employee disruptions, firms need a clear plan for maintaining operations and communicating with clients when something goes wrong. Finally, Alexander Paykin joins Terrell for "Picking the Right Legal Tech Tools.” He encourages law firms to look beyond polished demos and technology hype by evaluating tools against their actual workflows, practice-specific needs, security requirements, and expected return on investment. The goal is not simply to adopt more technology, but to choose tools that genuinely save time, improve operations, and support the firm. Together, these conversations highlight three important parts of running a stronger law firm: building a sustainable business, preparing for disruption, and making smarter operational and technology decisions. Listen to the Full Conversations: Building a Healthy and Profitable Law Firm — Stephanie Everett Disaster Planning for Law Firms — Shawn Holahan Picking the Right Legal Tech Tools — Alexander Paykin Episode Chapters 00:00 Special Episode Preview 00:46 Podcast Intro & Disclaimer 01:22 Building a More Resilient Law Firm 02:20 Stephanie Everett: Building a Healthy and Profitable Practice 03:24 Numbers, Systems & Strategy 05:53 Shawn Holahan: Why Disaster Planning Matters 07:07 Ethics and Professional Responsibilities During Disasters 09:07 Building a Reliable Client Communication Plan 10:23 Alexander Paykin: Cutting Through Legal Tech Hype 11:54 How to Stress-Test AI & Technology Tools 13:27 Evaluating the Real ROI of Automation 14:19 Wrap-Up & Full Episode Links
S3 · E42
August 17 · 15 min
First Half of 2026 Highlights: Marketing & Business Development
This special roundup episode of the Law Practice Today podcast revisits three conversations from the first half of 2026 focused on helping lawyers strengthen their visibility, relationships, and professional brand. First, Jason Hennessey joins Terrell A. Turner for “Mastering Law Firm SEO in the Era of AI,” exploring how AI-driven search is reshaping SEO for law firms, why traditional authority signals still matter, and how brand reputation and sentiment are becoming increasingly important as search behavior evolves. Next, Deb Feder shares a practical approach to business development in “Rethinking Business Development: Small Actions, Stronger Relationships.” She explains how lawyers can make networking and relationship-building more manageable by dedicating just a few minutes each day to simple actions, thoughtful follow-up, and staying consistently connected with the people in their network. Finally, Marianne Talbot brings a different perspective to professional branding in “Embracing the Punk Rock Principle in Law.” Her approach encourages lawyers to embrace authenticity, experiment with small acts that challenge the expected professional mold, and let go of some of the pressure to appear perfect—creating more room for individuality, energy, and enjoyment in their careers. Listen to the full conversations: Mastering Law Firm SEO in the Era of AI — Jason Hennessey Rethinking Business Development: Small Actions, Stronger Relationships — Deb Feder Embracing the Punk Rock Principle in Law — Marianne Talbot Episode Chapters 00:00 Special Roundup Preview 01:07 Podcast Intro & Disclaimer 01:43 Jason Hennessey: How AI Is Changing Search and SEO 02:32 Authority Signals, Links & Brand Sentiment 04:47 Quick SEO Strategies for Law Firms 05:26 Deb Feder: The Five-Minute Business Development Habit 07:52 Simple Daily Networking Actions 09:08 Marianne Talbot: The Punk Rock Branding Mindset 11:07 Letting Go of Perfection to Stand Out 12:42 How Small Acts of Rebellion Build Energy 13:52 Wrap-Up & Full Episode Links
S3 · E41
August 10 · 30 min
How to Write and Publish a Book with the ABA (and Why It Matters)
This episode of the Law Practice Today podcast features Terrell A. Turner, CPA's interview with Carol Greenwald, chair of the Law Practice Division Publication Board, about what it really takes to write and publish a book with the ABA. Greenwald shares her background transitioning from academia to law firm consulting focused on communication, and explains that lawyers are trained in law but not always in clear communication with clients and teams. She discusses why people write books (reputation and expertise), how the division selects topics across business, finance, management, marketing, and technology, and why “evergreen” subjects differ from fast-changing topics like AI. Greenwald outlines appropriate and inappropriate uses of AI in writing, the challenges of completing a nonfiction book on deadline, and how to pitch a book idea to the Pub Board via a questionnaire process. 00:00 Writing Sounds Like You 00:34 Podcast Intro Disclaimer 01:13 Why Write With ABA 01:53 Carol Greenwald Background 04:27 Lawyer Communication Gaps 06:06 How People Remember 07:51 Why Books Build Credibility 09:06 Evergreen Versus AI Topics 09:30 Choosing ABA Book Topics 11:51 Clients Getting Tougher 14:04 AI And Copyright Limits 14:34 Using AI The Right Way 17:29 What Makes Books Valuable 20:30 Writing For Different Learners 22:11 Guiding Readers With Breadcrumbs 23:37 Publishing Goals And Deadlines 25:23 Finishing A Book Is Hard 28:32 How To Pitch The Pub Board 29:31 Wrap Up And Thanks
S3 · E40
August 3 · 21 min
Mastering AI-Driven SEO for Law Firms
On the Law Practice Today podcast, Terrell A. Turner, CPA speaks with David Arato, owner of Lexicon Legal Content, about law firm marketing and SEO as AI overviews and AI platforms reshape how clients find lawyers. Arato explains that while AI is a major shift, many fundamentals still apply: clean sites, valuable content, and omnichannel presence, with today’s emphasis on frequent, fresh, conversational content, technical elements like schema markup, and building authority through libraries of content, backlinks, and third-party mentions (including sources like Reddit). He notes that AI overviews now trigger for many legal searches, devaluing traditional #1 organic rankings and making AI citations critical for traffic and leads. He also defines common acronyms (SEO, AIO, GEO, AEO) and argues “zero-effort” AI content has “zero value,” warning of amplified misinformation and compliance risks. 00:00 AI Content Ranking Reality 00:20 Podcast Welcome Disclaimer 00:59 Meet David Arato 02:00 From Law School to SEO 04:05 Is AI a Seismic Shift 06:38 Winning AI Overviews 10:27 SEO Timelines and PR Signals 13:44 New SEO Acronyms Explained 15:19 Zero Effort Content Trap 19:55 Misinformation and Compliance Risks 20:37 Where to Find David 21:06 Final Wrap Up
S3 · E39
July 27 · 24 min
Legal Dimensions of the Gaming Industry
In this episode of the Law Practice Today podcast features Chrissie Scelsi discussing how law applies to video games. Scelsi shares her background as an in-house attorney, co-editor and contributor to ABA publications on game development and intellectual property, former U.S. general counsel at Wargaming (World of Tanks), and her work at Universal Orlando on licensing and adapting The Last of Us into a Halloween Horror Nights haunted house. The conversation highlights the wide range of legal issues in gaming beyond IP—international operations, HR and office matters, esports contracts and rulebooks, data privacy, banking and anti-money laundering concerns, marketing and trend-based advertising, and uncertainty over laws aimed at online child safety and social media features. They also discuss ESRB ratings’ impact on content and advertising, right of publicity, and college football/NIL developments, and advice for young lawyers on networking and writing to break into the field. 00:00 ESRB And Ratings 00:22 Podcast Intro And Disclaimer 01:01 Meet Chrissie Scelsi 01:40 Her Path Into Game Law 02:53 Universal And Horror Nights 04:12 Beyond IP Global And Ops 07:00 Marketing Trends And Risk 08:20 New Regulations And Uncertainty 09:11 Live Service Bills And Layoffs 11:23 Breaking In Networking Writing 15:30 Esports And Litigation War Stories 17:44 Concerts In Games And Content Choices 21:06 Right Of Publicity And NIL 22:39 Books Resources And Wrap Up 23:52 Closing Credits
S3 · E38
July 6 · 19 min
In-House Counseling: The New Law Firm Resource
In this episode of the Law Practice Today podcast, Terrell A. Turner, CPA, discusses mental health and self-care in law firms with Adriana Buckingham, Esq, MSW, a Philadelphia-area attorney turned counselor who founded AB In-House Counseling. Buckingham explains how her experience as a litigator led her to seek support tailored to attorneys, prompting her to earn a social work degree while practicing law and then create counseling and coaching services for legal professionals through their employers. The conversation focuses on supporting associates and staff as a firm’s key resource, noting that healthier employees can improve productivity, retention, and client service. They discuss common challenges like time management, delegation, and saying yes to everything, and how reframing can help. Buckingham emphasizes strict confidentiality: firms pay for her time, not session substance. 00:00 Associates Matter Most 00:25 Podcast Intro Disclaimer 01:04 Mental Health Focus 01:54 Meet Adriana Buckingham 02:35 From Lawyer to Counselor 04:17 Balancing School and Practice 05:48 Which Career Feels Rewarding 08:01 Why Firms Should Support Staff 11:01 Common Associate Struggles 13:34 Coaching Not Crisis 15:57 How In-House Counseling Works 17:43 Contact and Closing
S3 · E37
June 30 · 13 min
AI Hallucinations in Court The Sullivan & Cromwell Lesson
Recorded as a fireside chat at the ABA Law Practice Division Spring Meeting in San Diego, this special episode examines reports that Sullivan & Cromwell filed a brief containing nonexistent or inaccurate case citations and later apologized to opposing counsel and the court. Steve Embry, Jennifer Ellis, and Michael Eisenberg discuss why AI hallucinations continue to appear in legal filings despite widespread awareness of the risks. They point to ignored firm policies, time pressure, overreliance on confident-sounding AI outputs, and a lack of understanding of generative AI's limitations as key contributing factors. The discussion also explores how these failures relate to lawyers' ethical duties of competence, candor, and supervision. The speakers emphasize that legal citations should always be independently verified using traditional legal research tools—not AI—such as Shepardizing in Lexis or Westlaw. They also stress that proper training and experience are essential for recognizing unreliable AI-generated results. 00:00 – AI Hallucinations Hit BigLaw 00:37 – Show Intro and Disclaimer 01:16 – Sullivan & Cromwell Brief Fallout 02:19 – Why Lawyers Keep Getting Burned 04:19 – Competence Rules and Citation Checks 06:53 – Workflow Reality Check 08:55 – Training to Spot Hallucinations 10:45 – Verifying Citations Without AI Tools 12:55 – Closing Thoughts and Wrap-Up 13:02 – Podcast Outro and Resources
S3 · E36
June 15 · 13 min
Avoiding AI Hallucinations in Legal Practice
This Law Practice Podcast fireside chat with Alan Klevan, Jennifer Ellis, and Steve Embry discusses recent court responses to lawyers filing AI-hallucinated or fabricated citations, focusing on the Oregon appeals decision in Williams. The panel explains that the court emphasized Rule 3.3’s duty of candor to both the court and opposing counsel, criticizing the lawyer not only for including fabricated authorities but also for attempting a “quiet correction” without acknowledging the problem. They discuss growing judicial frustration, the likelihood of sanctions and disciplinary referrals, and examples of suspensions. The speakers stress that generative AI hallucinations are inherent, so lawyers must verify every citation by checking links and reading cases, use appropriate research tools, learn effective prompting techniques, and promptly disclose and remedy any errors rather than conceal them. 00:00 AI Hallucinations Intro 01:08 Fireside Chat Setup 02:42 Williams Case Breakdown 03:24 Candor Rule And Quiet Fix 05:21 Sanctions And Discipline 07:45 Protecting Public Trust 08:34 How To Prevent Hallucinations 10:14 Verification And Tooling Tips 11:57 Why AI Hallucinates 12:59 Wrap Up And Resources
S3 · E35
June 8 · 7 min
How AI Is Changing Legal Billing and Client Value
In this Law Practice Podcast fireside chat on “Billing in the Age of AI,” host Jim Calloway is joined by Julie Bays, Director of the Management Assistance Program at the Oklahoma Bar Association, and Wendy Meadows, a family law attorney in Maryland and coaching consultant for small and solo law firms. Together, they discuss how AI is changing the way lawyers think about billing, value, and client communication. The conversation centers on the “efficiency paradox”: when AI helps lawyers complete certain tasks faster, how should that speed be reflected in the client’s bill? Wendy shares how her practice has shifted toward a hybrid billing model, using flat fees for document-based work like complaints and marital settlement agreements, while continuing to bill hourly for meetings, phone calls, and other client-facing work. Julie emphasizes that invoices should do more than request payment — they should help clients understand the value of the work performed. Even when AI makes legal work more efficient, lawyers still bring years of judgment, experience, and legal strategy to the final product. The panel also discusses the importance of clearly outlining billing structures in engagement agreements, continuing to track time even for flat-fee work, and setting limits when a matter exceeds the original scope. They also highlight the need for client disclosures around AI use, including warnings about placing attorney work product or confidential documents into public AI platforms. Finally, the conversation explores how AI-driven efficiency may help lawyers expand their ability to take on pro bono and low-bono work. Rather than viewing AI only as a billing challenge, the speakers frame it as an opportunity to improve access to justice, increase capacity, and encourage lawyers to adopt AI thoughtfully — one small step at a time. 00:00 Welcome and Overview 00:33 Show Disclaimer 01:12 Billing in the Age of AI 01:15 Meet the Panelists 01:35 Invoices as Value Proof 02:11 Hybrid Billing in Practice 03:35 Engagement Terms and Time Caps 04:24 AI Disclosures and Confidentiality 05:23 Efficiency and Access to Justice 06:22 Closing Takeaways 07:05 Outro and Resources
S3 · E34
June 1 · 18 min
The Lawyer’s Passport to AI, Cybersecurity, and Global Opportunity
On the Law Practice Today podcast, host Terrell speaks with Betania Allo, an Argentinian lawyer with graduate studies in international relations (Harvard) and an LLM (Syracuse) who is finishing a doctor of engineering in cybersecurity analytics at George Washington. Allo describes her work at the intersection of law, policy, international security, and emerging technologies, including roles at the UN in New York and in Saudi Arabia on the NEOM smart-city project leading cybersecurity culture and awareness for thousands of employees and contractors. Now head of TMT, AI governance, and privacy at Legaltracks in Riyadh, she discusses bridging regulators and innovators, the human factor in cybersecurity, differences in global regulatory priorities, and practical advice for lawyers seeking international opportunities through study, networking, and conferences. 00:00 Networking Opens Doors 00:21 Podcast Welcome Disclaimer 01:00 Meet Betania Allo 01:58 From Argentina to Cybersecurity 04:27 Balancing PhD and Work 05:39 Law Degree as Passport 09:02 Cybersecurity Culture Worldwide 10:47 Saudi Vision and AI Policy 12:36 Finding Global Legal Roles 13:37 Conferences and Speaking Gigs 14:33 Bridging Lawyers and Engineers 16:17 Build Your Network 17:19 Where to Find Betania 17:44 Final Thanks and Outro
S3 · E33
May 18 · 15 min
Staying Irreplaceable in the Age of AI
On the Law Practice Podcast, Terrell and guest Rachel Clar discuss whether AI is “breaking” the legal industry and how it is compressing the timeline for lawyers, especially women in Big Law, to become irreplaceable and reach income or equity partnership. Rachel, an attorney and founder of Interconnected Us, argues that protecting career trajectory increasingly requires building a book of business, noting a Major, Lindsey & Africa study showing average rainmaking gaps (men $3.9M vs women $2.4M) that affect compensation. She shares her trademarked BNRI framework: Branding (self-awareness and a clear niche beyond practice area), Networking (identifying where target clients and decision-makers gather, using AI and LinkedIn research), Rainmaking/relational selling (making the ask and handling rejection), and Influence (amplifying value and building internal allies for partnership). She also offers resources via LinkedIn and interconnectedus.com, including a legal conference cheat sheet. 00:00 AI Compresses Partnership 00:34 Is AI Breaking the Law 01:08 Meet Rachel Claire 02:25 Women Leadership Pressure 03:16 Origination Gap Numbers 04:18 Timeline Before AI 05:42 Dinner Party Advice 07:17 BNRI Branding First 08:50 Networking With AI 10:15 Relational Selling Ask 11:43 Influence Inside Firm 13:10 How To Connect 13:58 Free Conference Cheat Sheet 14:39 Why This Work Matters 16:50 Closing Thanks
S3 · E32
May 11 · 17 min
Rethinking Business Development: Small Actions, Stronger Relationships
On the Law Practice podcast, host Terrell Turner welcomes back Deb Feder, a former big law and in-house lawyer turned consultant, to discuss practical business development and client relationship strategies for lawyers. Feder explains her approach to business development as three parts: growing your network, nurturing relationships, and sharing expertise, emphasizing that it’s often overcomplicated and can be done in small daily actions. She encourages simple, human connections (starting with “hello”), asking better client-focused questions, and avoiding assumptions, such as making AI the center of every client conversation; instead, lawyers should gauge clients’ interest and use AI tools thoughtfully without sacrificing trust. Feder advises building habits early and shares quick examples like check-ins, follow-ups after conferences, and keeping topic lists, along with a monthly calendar of five-minute tasks available on her website. 00:00 Five Minute Business Development 00:23 Podcast Welcome and Disclaimer 01:01 Meet Deb Feder 01:33 From Lawyer to Consultant 03:11 Why Client Questions Matter 05:00 Business Development Basics 07:12 Stop Overcomplicating Networking 10:29 AI in Client Conversations 15:16 Build the Daily Habit 16:38 Five Minute Task Ideas 18:06 Resources and Wrap Up
S3 · E31
May 4 · 16 min
Avoiding Burnout: Building a Sustainable Legal Career
On the Law Practice podcast, host Terrell interviews career coach and former attorney Dena Lefkowitz about navigating a legal career without burning out. Dena shares how, after over 20 years practicing law, she realized law school didn’t prepare lawyers for the business of law—networking, marketing, and sales—and that lawyers themselves must generate business. She describes feeling embarrassed after discovering that litigation was a poor fit for her personality and values, and warns against “doubling down” on past decisions when a role harms your health or life. Dena explains using values and the five-factor personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extroversion/introversion, agreeableness, neuroticism) to evaluate fit, and discusses finding outlets or pivots when misaligned. She recounts a back injury that prompted a change to in-house counsel work aligned with her values, and highlights her book, "Winning in Your Own Court." 00:00 Lawyers Are Miserable 00:12 Podcast Intro Disclaimer 00:50 Meet Dena Lefkowitz 01:33 Two Things Law School Missed 02:23 Wrong Practice Area Realization 04:20 Embarrassment And Sunk Costs 06:17 Trapped By Lifestyle Choices 07:50 Values Driven Career Pivot 08:50 Big Five Personality Factors 10:32 Misalignment And Mental Health 13:00 Injury Forced A Change 14:24 Book Title And Key Laws 15:44 How To Contact Dena 16:15 Final Thanks And Outro
S3 · E30
April 27 · 15 min
A Practical Guide for Lawyers When Choosing the Right Legal Tech
Live at the ABA TECHSHOW, host Terrell interviews Jay McAllister of Paragon Tech about how law firms should evaluate legal technology, especially AI, with a skeptical, results-driven approach. Jay explains that marketing hype often overstates capabilities, using software “integrations” as an example, where firms must check whether syncing is unidirectional or bidirectional. He ties vendor due diligence to lawyers’ duty of competence, urging firms to understand the benefits and risks of new tech and to ask what large language model powers a tool and, more importantly, what primary legal data sources it uses to reduce hallucinations. Jay describes Paragon’s “Leverage AI” framework, starting with identifying a firm’s limiting operational constraint, and shares a case where a custom GPT cut discovery chronology work from over an hour to five minutes with human verification. 00:00 Live From TECHSHOW 00:20 Meet Jay And Paragon 00:58 Why Stay Skeptical 01:24 Integration Claims Explained 02:57 Vendor Due Diligence 03:35 Ai Model Hype Check 05:59 Ask About Data Sources 08:45 Leverage AI Framework 09:14 Case Study Discovery Timeline 10:49 Human In The Loop 11:51 Pick The Right Tool 12:50 Show Floor Wrap Up 13:36 Closing Thanks
S3 · E29
April 20 · 10 min
Disaster Planning for Law Firms
In this episode of the Law Practice Podcast, the host interviews Shawn L. Holahan about disaster planning for law firms, drawing on her experience as a New Orleans litigator displaced by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Holahan explains how a simple laminated wallet card with key phone numbers helped him reconnect with her firm when power and communications failed, underscoring that low-tech tools can be critical when “the power’s out.” She outlines a practical disaster recovery approach centered on a low-tech critical information binder containing family and staff contact details, bank account information, and password references listed in a non-identifying way, plus guidance on posting calm, redundant client-facing messages with updated contact information. Holahan emphasizes that lawyers’ ethical obligations to clients are not suspended during disasters, and encourages broadening the definition of “disaster” beyond hurricanes. 00:00 Low Tech After Disaster 00:20 Meet Shawn L. Holahan 00:39 Katrina Changed Everything 01:34 The Laminated Card Lesson 03:20 Critical Info Binder Basics 04:26 Ethics Don't Pause 06:53 Client Communication Playbook 08:12 Why Attend TECHSHOW 09:37 Closing Thanks
S3 · E28
April 13 · 13 min
How to Write an ABA Book: Collaboration, Deadlines, and the Editing Process
In this episode of the Law Practice podcast, Terrell interviews Catherine Sanders Reach, a co-author of an ABA book on design thinking, about what it’s like to write and publish with the ABA. Catherine explains how the project began at ABA TECHSHOW, became a collaborative effort with multiple authors, and was assembled into a practical guide featuring real attorney stories and worksheets. She shares her writing workflow—outlining and research first, removing distractions by turning off email and phone, using music to focus, and relying on deadlines for motivation—plus tips on choosing the best time of day to work. Catherine describes the iterative editing process, including peer review, handling critical feedback, and refining organization to match how readers learn. She outlines a typical timeline of about a year and discusses her recent 900-page managing editor project and interest in a future book on project management for lawyers. 00:00 Focus Rituals 00:17 Podcast Intro Disclaimer 00:56 Meet Catherine Sanders Reach 01:15 Design Thinking Book Origin 02:44 Writing Workflow 04:03 Music For Focus 04:49 Editing And Peer Review 06:20 Feedback And Structure 09:00 Book Timeline And Delays 10:17 Future Book Ideas 11:19 Wrap Up And Publishing Tips 12:24 Outro And Subscribe
S3 · E27
April 6 · 21 min
ABA TECHSHOW 2026 Highlights: AI and the Future of Legal Practice
Live from ABA TECHSHOW 2026, the Law Practice podcast shares three perspectives on Jordan Furlong’s day-one keynote. Alan Klevan calls the talk motivating and terrifying, emphasizing that AI can act like a “3L” but cannot replace courtroom advocacy or the counselor role, and he urges firm-wide AI policies plus a residency-style training model for new lawyers amid emerging privilege and work-product questions. Ruby Powers highlights Furlong’s framework of civic, proficient, and human lawyers, connecting the civic role to community work and the rule-of-law theme, and raising concerns about law school graduates’ readiness and future needed proficiencies. Julie Bayes focuses on rapid AI-driven change, debates about apprenticeships, law school relevance, and eliminating the bar exam, and notes ongoing real-world ethics problems like hallucinated citations and sanctions, while encouraging lawyers to learn practical AI use and attend TECHSHOW 2027. 00:00 Keynote Recap Setup 00:24 Podcast Welcome Disclaimer 01:03 Alan First Reactions 04:19 Residency Model Idea 05:05 AI Policies And Privilege 07:19 TECHSHOW Community Wrap 08:00 Meet Ruby Powers 09:19 Civic Human Proficient Lawyer 11:05 Law School Readiness Gap 12:14 Why Attend Next Year 13:16 Meet Julie Bays 14:11 Rethinking Law School Bar 16:23 AI Adoption Ethics Reality 19:36 Conference Highlights Closing 20:24 Final Sign Off

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