
Hosted by Legal Talk Network · EN

Guest Jaclyn Foster was a paralegal struggling to make ends meet in rural Wisconsin with a new baby when she started her own paralegal services business, online only, out of her home and out of desperation. It took off, generating six-figure revenue and ultimately being acquired just three years later by a larger company, giving her the breathing room to pursue her passions. She founded the Paralegals in Business Society, dedicated to helping others in the field start and run their own paralegal businesses while serving a market that needs those services. Foster is watching and navigating a sea change in the paralegal profession. E-filing, remote work, and new systems are driving the field forward along with the entire legal industry. The COVID-19 pandemic turned the paralegal industry upside down, and for those who adapted, it’s for the better. For freelance paralegals ready to level up, hear how there’s a better way to specialize, solve problems, and get out there. Go beyond resumes and office politics and take charge of your career. Hear how Foster taught herself the business, from marketing to scope-of-work contracts and built her life outside the traditional confines of the law firm paralegal practice. Yes. You. Can. As she says, “There is always a way to figure this out, and paralegals are the best at doing this.” If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Who am I to start a business,” ask yourself instead “Who am I not to.” Mentioned in This Episode: “Paralegals Should Be Millionaires: Stop Settling. Break Boundaries. Create the Life You Deserve,” by Jaclyn Foster, on Amazon NALA, The Paralegal Association NALA Conference & Expo 2026 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The rise of artificial intelligence has created new legal challenges around identity and consent, especially for public figures like Taylor Swift. In response, Taylor has recently taken matters into her own hands by filing trademark applications to protect her voice and image from AI. On this Lawyer 2 Lawyer episode, Craig welcomes Attorney Daliah Saper, Principal at Saper Law Offices. Craig & Daliah discuss spotlight trademark law, AI, trademarking voice and image, and how AI has changed the game when it comes to trademark protection for celebrities and non-celebrities. Mentioned in this Episode: Legal Issues Surrounding Social Media Featuring Daliah Saper (2010) Attorney Daliah Saper is Principal at Saper Law Offices. Daliah’s practice focuses on a number of practice areas including trademark, copyright, and entertainment law. Subscribe to Lawyer 2 Lawyer: https://play.megaphone.fm/6kyeqlhety25kgmgqdr7cw Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An honest discussion about imposter syndrome, rejecting societal timelines, and redefining work-life balance with the newest member of the Heels in the Courtroom cast Sydney Marino gives listeners a relatable and inspiring look at the early stages of a legal career and the mindset it takes to thrive. Marino also opens up about navigating burnout through daily walks and leaning on family support and discusses embracing “change” as her defining theme for 2026. Subscribe to Heels In The Courtroom: https://play.megaphone.fm/lpqcuasdqrkvtile7bx6ng Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AI is changing legal marketing faster than most law firms realize. In episode 617 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Stephanie Everett talks with Conrad Saam, founder of Mockingbird, about what law firms need to understand as AI begins reshaping marketing, reporting, decision making, and the business of running a firm. Conrad shares why AI may give smaller, more entrepreneurial law firms a new way to compete against larger firms with bigger budgets and more data. He explains how firms can use AI to build smarter internal systems, improve reporting, and rethink the tools they rely on every day. The conversation also explores leadership under pressure through Conrad’s volunteer work in ski patrol and search and rescue. From staying calm in high stress situations to debriefing after things go wrong, he shares practical lessons law firm owners can apply when managing clients, teams, campaigns, and business decisions. If you are trying to understand what AI really means for law firm growth, legal marketing, and the future of small firms, this episode offers a grounded look at what is changing, what is overhyped, and what law firm owners should pay attention to next. Listen to our previous episodes on Legal Marketing, AI & Smarter Law Firm Growth. #603: Turn Expertise into Clients: Building Authority That AI Recognizes, with Karin Conroy Apple | Spotify | LTN #584: How to Stay Human in the Age of AI Driven Law Firm Marketing, with Conroy Creative Apple | Spotify | LTN #580: Smarter Law Firm Marketing: AI Tools That Actually Work, with FirmPilot Apple | Spotify | LTN #577: Rethinking Law Firm Growth in the Age of AI, with Sam Harden Apple | Spotify | LTN #550: Beyond Content: How AI is Changing Law Firm Marketing, with Gyi Tsakalakis and Conrad Saam Apple | Spotify | LTN 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. Subscribe to Lawyerist Podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/xrm0mqp4tqwi0ozntiu41g Chapters / Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 00:25 – Lawyer Mental Health and Well Being02:45 – Meet Legal Marketing Expert Conrad Saam03:35 – The Early Days of SEO for Lawyers04:00 – What Search and Rescue Teaches About Business06:40 – Why Law Firm Owners Struggle to Disconnect08:45 – Calm Leadership in Stressful Moments09:55 – How Leaders Shape Law Firm Culture12:05 – Using Checklists to Make Better Business Decisions13:00 – Preparing for Problems Before They Happen14:20 – Why Outcomes Don’t Tell the Whole Story16:05 – The Value of Legal Marketing Content17:40 – AI and the Future of Legal Marketing18:25 – What ABA Tech Show Revealed About AI19:35 – Why Law Firms May Build Their Own AI Tools20:35 – Can AI Level the Playing Field for Small Firms?23:35 – Replacing Expensive Reporting Systems with AI26:25 – Why AI Rankings Can Be Misleading28:45 – Tactical Marketing for Law Firm Owners31:10 – Rethinking Leadership as a Law Firm CEO32:20 – Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, learn about the intersection of animal protection and cruelty, domestic violence, and family law with two leaders in the field. Guests Maricarmen Garza is chief counsel for the American Bar Association Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence and Megan Senatori is the executive director of the Center for Animal Law Studies at the Lewis & Clark Law School. The field of animal law is emerging as states, courts, and lawyers recognize how animal law and animal abuse plays into domestic violence and family law. Progress is being made, but this critical field isn’t fully recognized or understood. In many cases, victims of domestic violence are forced into difficult situations, caught between their own safety and the safety of beloved animal family members. The American Bar Association recently recognized the issue through both its Animal Law Committee and the Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence. ABA’s recently approved Resolution 504 calls for laws and judicial processes that protect domestic violence survivors and their pets through civil protection orders, domestic relations proceedings, and expanded access to safe housing. Litigators play a vital role in developing this area of law. Hear what you can do and where you can find legal guidance when protecting victims of domestic violence and their pets, from dogs and cats to horses and others. Have a question, comment, or suggestion for an upcoming episode? Get in touch at MRogson@SkywardInsurance.com or JAReederJr@gmail.com. Resources Mentioned:Five Ways Attorneys Can Support Domestic Violence Clients with Pets Sheltering Animals of Abuse Victims – Start Up Guide ABA Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section Animal Law Committee ABA Resolution 504 “ABA House Adopts Policy to Protect Domestic Violence Survivors and Their Pets” American Bar Association Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence American Bar Association Animal Law Committee American Bar Association American Bar Association Litigation Section Subscribe to Litigation Radio: https://play.megaphone.fm/rhyxdryztyy2v3itq6sdlq Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an effort to serve more legal needs, Harris County has created LAWPods (Legal Access Workspace Pods) to provide accessible legal help for people from all walks of life. Users can access free legal support within LAWPods, which includes state-of-the-art legal databases, the ability to book free appointments with law librarians, and connections to legal aid and lawyer referral services. Andre Davison, director of the Harris County Law Library, joins Rocky Dhir to discuss the development of this project and stories of positive impacts since the first pod opened in May 2024. Later, they also dig into future opportunities for LAWPods, including location and staff expansion, and sharing their knowledge to help other areas replicate the LAWPod model to provide greater access to justice in more Texas communities. To learn more about LAWPods, visit: LAWPod — Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library Subscribe to Andre’s Podcast: AALLIn Podcast Subscribe to State Bar of Texas Podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/_hh0l5izt4mfkr1zmxo_cg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The ladies leading Weigl Jackson share the emotional and legal complexities of discrimination claims, including managing client expectations, confronting difficult truths about the legal system, and balancing empathy with objectivity. Krystal Weigl, managing partner and trial attorney, shares her philosophy of representing “good people and good causes.” Olivia Weigl, the firm’s practice manager, discusses her transition from high school biology teacher to law firm leader, highlighting how her background in education shapes her approach to communication, organization, and client care. The group also explores the power of family dynamics in business, the importance of complementary skill sets, and how a strong internal team directly impacts client outcomes. The discussion sets the stage for part two, where the conversation turns to the business of running a law firm. Subscribe to Heels In The Courtroom: https://play.megaphone.fm/lpqcuasdqrkvtile7bx6ng Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when the best lawyer in the office becomes the boss? In episode 615 of the Lawyerist Podcast, Zack Glaser sits down with Debbie Foster and Stephanie Everett to talk about the leadership gap inside most law firms and why technical skill does not automatically translate into great leadership. They explore why so many firms rely on “figure it out as you go” leadership, how that creates burnout and frustration, and why so many leaders end up becoming the bottleneck in their own business. Debbie and Stephanie introduce their four leadership cornerstones and explain how law firm leaders can shift from solving every problem themselves to creating teams, systems, and workflows that work without constant intervention. If you are tired of putting out fires all day, this episode is your reminder that leadership should feel more strategic and a lot less exhausting. Listen to our previous episodes on Law Firm Leadership & Building Better Teams. #600: Designing a Law Firm You Actually Want to Run, with Stephanie Everett Apple | Spotify | LTN #597: What Lawyers Get Wrong About Teaching Clients and Teams, with Danielle Hall Apple | Spotify | LTN #575: From Overwhelmed Lawyer to Strategic Law Firm Owner, with Chad Fox Apple | Spotify | LTN #568: How to Build a Law Firm You Can Sell, with Victoria L. Collier Apple | Spotify | LTN Links from the episode: https://beanextlevelleader.com/ Subscribe to Lawyerist Podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/xrm0mqp4tqwi0ozntiu41g Chapters / Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 00:30 – Using AI as a Thought Partner 02:00 – Better Prompts, Better Leadership Decisions 05:30 – Meet Debbie Foster and Stephanie Everett 06:40 – What Are Next Level Leaders? 08:15 – Why Most Law Firms Don’t Train Leaders 10:05 – Learning Leadership the Hard Way 12:10 – The Four Cornerstones of Leadership 17:20 – From Heroics to Architecture 18:45 – Why Leaders Become the Bottleneck 20:10 – From Problem Solver to Multiplier 21:30 – Building Sustainable Leadership Systems 23:00 – Who This Program Is For 25:30 – The Book, Workbook, and Leadership Cohorts 28:00 – Leadership Is a Skill, Not a Title 29:00 – Closing Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s never funny when a worker is injured on the job, but some cases do raise eyebrows. In their annual look into some “unusual” Workers’ Comp cases, Jud and Alan uncover some incidents that challenged the system, some by just being so weird. Where did my ladder go? A worker on a rooftop was stuck when others removed the ladder and left the job. Desperate to get down, he jumped, suffering back and foot injuries. Is the worker to be blamed for intentionally jumping, or was he left with no choice? The falling clipboard case. From the Supreme Court of Idaho, a helicopter pilot died in a crash when a passenger dropped a clipboard that struck the tail rotor and damaged it. Who’s liable? What’s an accident, and where does civil liability intersect with Workers’ Comp? A tryst in France, during a work trip, and the ensuing heart attack? Squeezing an oversized customer into a tiny mermaid-style wedding dress? Messing around with a flammable can of tire glue (at work)? Just as workers do unusual things, the courts also rule in unexpected ways. We can all learn from cases like these. If you have thoughts on Workers’ Comp law or an idea for a topic or guest you’d like to hear, contact us at JPierce@ppnlaw.com or APierce@ppnlaw.com. Mentioned in This Episode: Thomas A. Robinson, WorkCompWriter.com “Krinitt v. Dept of Fish and Game,” Justia.com “The Surprisingly Broad Scope Definition of Workplace Accidents in France,” Proskauer “Lea v. David Bridal of Greensboro, Inc. (2019)” Findlaw “Zerofski's Case,” Massachusetts, 1982 “Employee Loses Testicle to Boss's Golf Swing: Court Affirms Boss's Liability,” FindLaw Subscribe to Workers Comp Matters: https://play.megaphone.fm/uzqas4ukq4ysdntrvbgvgg Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Talk Justice explores the legal battle of a Colorado-born woman with no birth certificate, the roadblocks people without identification and other vital documents experience and how attorneys at civil legal services organizations can help. Legal services attorneys from Louisiana and Colorado discusses how this work supports veterans, survivors of domestic violence, unstably housed people and those impacted by natural disasters. Subscribe to Talk Justice An LSC Podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/a3ett1fzs9a1qjipaqdufa Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices