Between the Briefs

*/ ?>

Latest Episodes:

Is Not Using AI a Malpractice Risk? ft. Shannon Boettjer Jul 24, 2026

A few months ago, people were asking whether not using AI could ever be malpractice. Now, that question feels a lot less theoretical.
In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Shannon Boettjer, partner at Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran LLP, for a sharp, practical conversation on AI governance, legal risk, and what it means to build defensible systems before technology decisions turn into lawsuits.
What You’ll Learn:

Why the AI conversation shifted from “should we use it?” to “how do we use it responsibly?”
How the knife vs. kitchen analogy helps firms understand different levels of AI complexity
Why AI governance should start with a risk-benefit analysis, not a checkbox list
Why hallucinations are better understood as common side effects, not random surprises
How “parallel from the start” can help firms avoid bad habits that compound at scale
Why AI literacy is only the starting point, and AI fluency is the real goal
Why lawyers need to understand the tools their teams, co-counsel, and vendors are using
Why machines require a zero-trust approach, while humans require trust but verify

This episode is a clear-eyed look at legal AI adoption and the actual governance work required when lawyers start putting powerful tools into everyday practice.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction
01:19 Is It Malpractice Not to Use AI?
02:56 AI as a Tool: The Knife vs. Kitchen Analogy
05:04 Why Basic AI Skills Are Becoming Expected
07:17 Today’s Design Decisions Become Tomorrow’s Liability Theories
07:36 The Pharmaceutical Lens for AI Governance
09:40 Why EDRM Is an Underused AI Governance Framework
10:18 Choosing the Right Tool for the Right Pain Point
13:10 Why Human Review Still Matters
14:50 AI Literacy vs. AI Fluency
16:21 Lessons From Legal Week
16:43 Common Side Effects and Rare but Serious Risks
18:36 The “Parallel From the Start” Framework
20:16 Why “Grab It and Go” AI Adoption Creates Risk
20:47 The First Question Every AI Strategy Should Ask
23:51 Why End Users Need to Be in the AI Conversation
26:02 Data Governance, Privacy and Cybersecurity in AI Use
29:48 How Firms Should Assess Their AI Maturity
33:17 Why Old Technology Problems Keep Reappearing
37:17 Applying Existing Legal Duties to AI
38:03 Trust Humans, Zero Trust Machines
41:05 Where Legal AI Is Heading Next
47:18 The Cognitive Cost of Working With Machines
49:31 Shannon’s Hot Take: Personal Knowledge Management
52:02 The Swiss Cheese Problem in AI Governance
54:03 Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

“AI is a tool, and I think of it in terms of something like a knife.”
“Every layer of AI potentially solves a problem and potentially creates risks.”
“Start with literacy with the end goal of being fluent.”
“Trust but verify your human colleagues. I would hold a different standard for working with machines: zero trust.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Will AI Lower Legal Costs? Tim Fox Explains the Twist Jul 16, 2026

Everyone wants AI to make legal cheaper. But what if that’s the wrong promise?
In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Tim Fox, Chief Data and AI Officer at Ogletree Deakins, for a sharp, practical conversation on what AI adoption really looks like when you are trying to scale it across a large law firm.
What You’ll Learn:

Why build vs. buy is rarely as simple as “building is cheaper”
How internal tools create long-term support, maintenance and upgrade costs
Why legal is not a rational economic actor when it comes to technology adoption
How firms can measure adoption through actual use and attorney feedback
Why shadow AI, hallucinations and privilege risks make governance non-negotiable
How peer-to-peer learning moves lawyers faster than another mandatory webinar
Why law schools need to teach AI literacy before students arrive at firms
Why AI may increase quality, capacity and profits without reducing legal costs

This episode gets into the messy middle of legal AI: not the hype, not the doomsday predictions, but the actual work of making attorneys use tools responsibly, strategically and well.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction
01:17 Tim’s Journey From Technology to Law
04:01 How Legal Tech Led to “Legalmation”
06:21 The Build vs. Buy Question in Legal AI
09:46 Why Legal Tech Vendors Struggle to Sell to Law Firms
10:30 Legal Is Not a Rational Economic Decision-Maker
14:41 How Vendors Should Actually Pitch Lawyers
18:50 What a Chief Data and AI Officer Really Do
19:02 Scaling AI Strategy Across Ogletree Deakins
23:36 Why Product Demos Beat Pitch Decks
26:59 How Tim Measures AI Adoption
29:00 Balancing Leadership With Hands-On Innovation
31:28 What Law Schools Are Getting Wrong About AI
36:03 Building AI Governance at Scale
39:12 The Hallucination Risk That Keeps Firms Awake
42:52 Why Peer-to-Peer AI Education Works
46:39 Tim’s Hot Take: The Truth About Legal AI Costs
48:25 Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

“Building it yourself isn’t always cheaper. It’s not always easier. It’s almost never faster.”
“Legal is not a rational economic actor. You can have the best tool, the best solution out there, and attorneys can still say, no, we don’t want it.”
“Show me your product. I don’t want to just see your PowerPoint.”
“I don’t think anybody has cracked change management in law firms, and AI is change management.”
“AI doesn’t always save time. It makes the work better and it allows you to do more.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Everyone Wants AI to Think Like a Lawyer. That's the Problem. ft. Colin Levy Jul 10, 2026

Legal AI has no shortage of promises. Now, the real challenge is figuring out which ones are worth adopting. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Colin Levy, General Counsel at Malbek, legal tech author, and educator, to discuss how lawyers can adopt AI thoughtfully without sacrificing professional judgment.
What You’ll Learn:

Why the biggest obstacle to AI adoption is often lawyer mindset, not the technology itself
How to distinguish meaningful AI capabilities from legal tech marketing hype
Why testing AI with real legal workflows is more valuable than watching polished product demonstrations
How to build realistic expectations for AI by treating it as an assistant, not an infallible expert
Why human judgment remains the defining skill that AI cannot replace
How junior lawyers can develop confidence in evaluating AI-generated work despite having less practical experience
Why legal tech vendors should focus on education and partnership instead of overselling AI
How law schools can prepare future lawyers by embedding AI literacy throughout legal education rather than treating it as a standalone subject

This episode explores how lawyers can make smarter technology decisions, and build a future where legal expertise and artificial intelligence work together, not against each other.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction
02:30 Colin's Journey Into Law and Technology
06:58 Navigating AI Adoption in the Legal Industry
11:30 Why Lawyers Are Embracing AI More Cautiously
17:19 Cutting Through AI Hype With Practical Legal Tech
23:13 Teaching AI and Judgment to the Next Generation of Lawyers
29:06 Writing, Creativity, and AI as a Legal Assistant
35:46 The Human Skills AI Can't Replace
37:07 Hot Takes & Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

“Technology, as I've long recognized, and like you both recognize as well, doesn't hold back and doesn't wait for any industry or anyone or anything to keep up with it. It just continues to march on forward and evolve.”
“AI is not self-aware, it is not thinking the way you and I think, it is not reasoning, it doesn't understand context beyond what you provide it with. And so, you can't think about it in human terms.”
“There is an incumbent need for AI to be part of the curriculum of legal education. Perhaps from the very first year, but I would argue that it shouldn't be taught in isolation. It should be taught as sort of a cross disciplinary type of thing.”
“I think for law firms, as well as for legal departments, frankly, who are also buyers of legal tech, the most effective way to get through to them is to almost in some ways consult with them, build a relationship with them, understand their needs. Understand where they're coming from and educate them in a non-salesy way with content, with resources, and take things slow rather than foist the things upon them.”
“Humans being so fickle, so imperfect, flawed and emotional - these are all things that technology historically and continues to really struggle with, and I don't see that changing anytime soon or ever. So I dare say that, the humanness element is something that technology can never conquer.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Your AI Strategy Isn’t the Problem - Your Readiness Is ft. Elaine Barsoom Jul 03, 2026

Everyone wants an AI strategy but far fewer companies are ready to actually use one.In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Elaine Barsoom, AI and innovation leader and Venture Partner at Silicon Foundry, for a grounded and practical conversation on what it really takes to turn AI ambition into measurable business outcomes.
What You’ll Learn:

Why most AI efforts fail because of readiness, not technology
How to identify where repetitive work, trapped knowledge and overloaded judgment are slowing teams down
Why “go slow to go fast” means doing the work in the right order, not moving timidly
How leadership urgency and employee buy-in have to work together
Why fear often shows up as “we’re too busy” or “the tools aren’t ready”
How legal teams can act as accelerants instead of gatekeepers in AI transformation
Why reskilling is really about rewiring how people work with technology
How proprietary data and tribal knowledge can become a company’s real AI advantage

Tune in to understand what it takes to be truly AI ready.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Elaine Barsoom01:04 Elaine’s Background in Innovation, Emerging Tech and Growth02:06 Building a $200M Joint Venture at American Express03:13 What It Means to Architect the Execution Layer04:10 Why Activity Does Not Equal Progress05:38 How Elaine Bridges Legal, Engineering and Business Teams07:09 Aligning Incentives Across Engineering, Legal and Leadership09:02 Why Companies Need Discovery Before Engineers10:06 Why Legal Engineers Can Be Strategic Accelerants11:57 The Problem With AI for AI’s Sake13:27 Balancing Leadership Urgency With Employee Buy-In15:16 How to Prioritize the Right AI Workflows17:03 Why Companies Underestimate Fear19:39 Reskilling, AI Adoption and the Future of Work22:28 Go Slow to Go Fast23:21 The Three Questions Every AI Strategy Should Start With24:45 How Silicon Foundry Supports AI Transformation26:07 What AI Fear Gets Right and What It Gets Wrong28:29 Why AI Can Be a Big Advantage for SMBs30:15 Where to Save Time Without Damaging Trust31:16 The AI Mandate Problem for Small Businesses33:12 Elaine’s Favorite Diagnostic Questions35:42 Build vs. Buy in AI Transformation40:03 What Elaine Finds Most Exciting in Legal AI42:07 Why Tribal Knowledge Is the Real Competitive Edge43:30 Elaine’s Hot Take: It’s a Readiness Problem44:22 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks
Quotes:

"Activity doesn’t actually correlate with progress. We have to understand where the underlying work is."
"The leadership can create the urgency, but then it’s really getting the buy-in from the people that are actually doing the work."
"When I say go slow to go fast, I don’t mean moving timidly. I just mean doing the work in the right order."
"People won’t say, I’m afraid that this is going to make me less relevant. They say I’m too busy, or the tools are not ready, or we need more guidance."
"Most companies do not just have an AI technical problem or strategy. They have a readiness problem."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Man Who Helped Make eDiscovery Make Sense ft. George Socha Jun 25, 2026

Before eDiscovery had a name, George Socha was already asking the questions most of the legal industry had not caught up to yet.
In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome George Socha, Senior Vice President of Brand Awareness at Reveal and co-founder of the Electronic Discovery Reference Model (EDRM), for a wide-ranging conversation on how legal technology has evolved from floppy disks and early matter management systems to GenAI, agentic tools and AI-powered discovery workflows.
What You’ll Learn:

Why eDiscovery became an industry standard through collaboration, timing and free access
Why liberal arts thinking matters in legal tech more than people might expect
How GenAI and agentic AI are making eDiscovery feel new, open and uncertain again
Why discovery is not about finding “everything,” but finding just enough to take the next step
How AI tools like Ask can give lawyers grounded narrative answers with citations
Why discovery is not a waste of time, but the work that gives lawyers the facts they need
Why every AI platform may start with similar models, but the difference lies in what gets built on top

Tune in to hear why one of eDiscovery’s most influential voices believes this is the hottest moment legal tech has ever seen.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting George Socha01:16 From Early Programming to Law School03:03 “Real Attorneys Do Not Type”04:07 Refusing to Lose the Computer05:16 Building Litigation Support and eDiscovery Capabilities06:38 How the EDRM Framework Was Created09:04 Why EDRM Stood the Test of Time09:31 Why Free, Collaborative Standards Won12:24 Why Liberal Arts Thinking Matters in Legal Tech14:28 How eDiscovery Has Changed Since the Early Days17:56 Why This AI Moment Rhymes With Early eDiscovery18:11 What Excites George About GenAI and Agentic Tools20:49 The Million-Dollar Data Story Project22:33 What Reveal Is Building with AI23:35 How Ask Gives Lawyers Grounded Answers28:30 The Myth of Finding Everything in Discovery29:11 Why Good-Faith Discovery Matters More Than Perfection33:43 The Biggest Misconceptions About eDiscovery35:52 What Actually Differentiates AI Platforms39:22 Can AI Improve Access to Justice?41:58 George’s Hot Take: Legal Tech Is at a 15 Out of 1043:16 Final Thoughts
Quotes:

"When we started EDRM I said no way, how are we going down that path where you have to buy standards. Whatever else we do, the diagram and the content we publish around it comes at no charge to anybody. Everything wrapped around that diagram was the result of 35 people coming from law firms, corporate legal departments, service providers, and software providers, so it wasn't any one person's work or organization's work."
"What you can learn through getting a liberal arts undergraduate education that is very hard to learn if you have a technical education focused on a specific area are really powerful critical thinking skills. The ability to stand in the shoes of others and look at things from their perspectives, and to call on foundational elements that come from any number of disciplines like philosophy, sociology, economics and history."
"We're seeing more rapid and more extensive change now than we have ever seen. In some ways with generative AI and agentic capabilities, we are back at that same starting point again. History doesn't repeat itself but it definitely can rhyme, and we're on a rhyming stage right now where it's at the same type of open range of possibilities."
"The area of eDiscovery that has always been of greatest interest to me is what can you do with this stuff once you've got it. We are now seeing with all of the capabilities emerging with generative AI and agentic possibilities a whole array of opportunities for lawyers to work with content to more effectively prosecute or defend a matter at far lower cost in a much compressed time frame."
“The number one preconception is that discovery stuff is just a waste of time and money. What do you do in a lawsuit? There are two things you focus on - the law and the facts. Discovery is what gets you the facts, and if you do discovery well, you're much better placed to combine them together to reach an outcome."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Is Legal Still Riding Horses in the Age of GenAI ft. Umair Muhajir Jun 18, 2026

Law firms have, historically, struggled with change. In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Umair Muhajir, Vice President and Global Head of Managed Review at DISCO, for a sharp, honest conversation about what GenAI is really doing to litigation workflows.
His view is clear: GenAI is not simply making old workflows faster. At its best, it is forcing the industry to ask whether those workflows still make any sense.
What You’ll Learn:

Why GenAI replaces first-level document review work, not lawyers themselves
How AI-powered review can deliver high precision and recall while creating stronger audit trails
How legal teams can separate case learning from document review using AI-powered Q&A tools
Why law firms struggle to adopt AI when their billing systems are still built for hourly work
Why many “AI ethics” horror stories are actually old-fashioned lawyering failures in a shinier outfit
Why legal education may need more statistics, validation and practical technology literacy

Tune in to hear why the future of legal work will only be won by lawyers who know how to use AI without lowering their standards.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Umair Muhajir01:07 From Paul Weiss to the Early Days of eDiscovery04:48 What DISCO Does and Umair’s Role in Managed Review06:45 Is AI Replacing Associates or Replacing Document Review?08:52 How DISCO Builds Client Confidence Around GenAI Review09:32 Why Precision and Recall Matter in AI-Powered Discovery13:18 The Biggest Barriers to Law Firm AI Adoption15:48 How Junior Associates Learn Cases When AI Handles Review20:00 Why AI Should Reimagine Workflows, Not Just Speed Them Up21:17 What Comes Next for AI in Discovery and Legal Data24:21 What Big Law Actually Wants From Legal Tech Vendors27:10 Why Legal Has Multiple Historical Periods Inside One Firm29:03 How GenAI Challenges Hourly Billing and Pricing Models32:56 What Law Schools Need to Teach in an AI-Native Legal World38:02 How Global Review Strategy Works Across Jurisdictions40:44 Why Many AI Ethics Failures Are Really Lawyering Failures45:05 Umair’s Hot Take: Legal’s Overinvestment Problem46:47 Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

"The issue isn't associates learning the case, it's how they are learning the case. Technological developments have meant that you can actually bifurcate learning about the case from document review. We have a Q and A chatbot that works with lawyers and associates on the case team to learn the case, and it'll give you a supporting citation and highlights."
"The technology ought not to be an invitation to recreate the exact same workflows we've always done, but maybe should also be an invitation to reimagine what those workflows can be in the future."
"The reality is not that AI is replacing people. It's that people who use AI are going to replace people who don't. Law students will need to expect certain different things from their legal education, including introductions to statistical thinking, which might not be natural to us in law school."
"A lot of the cases and horror stories that get press are really examples of legal malpractice, not a Gen AI problem. If you don't think it's a great idea to discuss your case with someone at the bar, it's probably not a good idea to feed confidential stuff into a public instance of Gemini."
"An hourly model will never adequately capture what needs to be done at either the provider or the client side. Law firms have billing systems that might only be set up to process hourly rates, and it is very difficult for them to fit a tech-driven solution into their existing internal billing systems."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Paralegals Are Quietly Becoming More Valuable Than Associates ft. Michelle Pendleton Jun 11, 2026

Paralegals have long been boxed into the role of “document reviewers” but their true value goes far beyond that. And with AI in the mix, their place in law firms is being rewritten entirely. In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Michelle Pendleton, Certified Paralegal and eDiscovery specialist at Allen Matkins and President of the San Diego Paralegal Association, to explore how paralegals are quietly becoming the most valuable players in law firms.
What You’ll Learn:

How to navigate the paralegal profession's shifting identity
How to structure case management from intake to trial
Why paralegals must reframe AI prompts for machines, not lawyers
The art of managing attorney expectations through timeline transparency
How to treat paralegals as strategic professionals, not administrative assistants
The paralegal's untouchable value: strategic case orchestration that AI cannot replicate
Why the next frontier for paralegals is technical infrastructure literacy

Tune in to understand how the role of the paralegal is undergoing a major transformation and what technology has to do with it.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Michelle Pendleton 00:01 How Michelle Went from Receptionist to Paralegal00:50 All It Takes is One More Question in Litigation02:53 How eDiscovery Evolved and Why Paralegals Led the Charge04:02 Why Paralegals are the Unsung Architects of Complex Legal Cases06:33 Learning New Legal Technology: Then vs. Now08:28 Why You Need to Prompt AI Like You're Speaking to a Beginner10:04 Managing Attorney Expectations Through Transparent Timelines11:42 How to Treat Paralegals as Strategic Professionals13:34 Why Communication Matters Now More Than Ever13:57 Real-World Applications of AI in Daily Paralegal Work16:16 A Paralegal’s POV on AI Adoption and Job Security18:26 The Evolution of the Paralegal Role from Back Office to Courtroom20:57 Paralegals as Gatekeepers: Evaluating Legal Tech Vendors22:20 Making the Right Sales Pitch to Paralegals 23:54 Career Advice for Aspiring Paralegals and New Professionals25:34 San Diego Paralegal Association: Current Conversations and Concerns28:01 Michelle’s Case for Paralegal-Specific Education29:48 Designing the Courses Paralegals Actually Need32:33 What the Future of Paralegals Looks Like 34:22 Mastering the Nuts and Bolts of eDiscovery Tools35:55 The One Thing Technology Cannot Replace37:29 Emotional Intelligence and Soft Skills in Paralegal Work38:35 How Digital Communication Is Changing Professional Interactions39:34 Michelle's Hot Take: You Can't Avoid It, So Learn It41:17 Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts
Quotes:

"The biggest thing for me was to always ask one more question. I think in litigation, that's a big, big thing to think about because even if you get something that looks pretty simple and obvious on its face, it's not always that way when you start to dig in and look at the actual information and the documentation, especially, the evidence."
"We are kind of a jack of all trades. I do something different almost every day, at least a little bit that I haven't done before. You know, whether it's today I'm using Google Earth to map a demonstrative for a hearing, but I think just being willing to make those adjustments because it's a constant movement in terms of what the case requires, what the judge requires, what a witness might require to take their deposition properly."
"I learned that even though people say use common language, use natural language, you also have to be cognizant that you're talking to a machine or someone who may not know anything about the legal profession. I learned that I have to take a few steps backwards when I'm starting those prompts because I tend to just jump in and I'm used to using the jargon and legal tools that know exactly what those parameters are."
"I think it's the case management - that's the key. Because I find when I see a case that hasn't had a paralegal on it, it's not structured. There's no management and no tracking of all of those things that we've been talking about. The ability to know where you're going and what you're gonna need to get there - it's invaluable."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Questioning Everything We Think We Know About AI in Law ft. Daniel Schwarcz Jun 04, 2026

The impact of AI on law has been studied through the narrow lens of productivity and profitability. But the reality is much broader than that. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome back Daniel Schwarcz, Professor at the University of Minnesota Law School to discuss groundbreaking empirical research on how AI impacts lawyer performance, legal reasoning and long-term professional development.
What You’ll Learn:

How to move beyond benchmarking studies to measure what actually matters
Why reasoning models and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) platforms deliver measurable improvements
The counterintuitive finding that using AI for research strengthens independent legal reasoning when AI is unavailable
How litigation work benefits more measurably from current AI tools than transactional work
The critical distinction between confidentiality risks and genuine professional concerns
Why high-valuation legal tech firms like Harvey and Legora face competitive pressure from accessible alternatives

This episode challenges everything we think we know about AI’s cognitive impact on lawyers and their practice.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Professor Daniel Schwarcz 2.0 02:09 How AI Progress Has Defied Earlier Predictions03:34 Getting into the Research: New Findings & More 05:56 Why Randomized Controlled Trials Matter for Lawyers10:47 Reasoning Models vs. RAG: Choosing the Right AI Architecture for Your Practice16:40 How and Why AI Research Skills Persist Even When Technology is Removed23:00 Legal Tech Vendors, Study Citations & Navigating Selective Evidence26:43 Why It’s Critical to Use Foundation Models Responsibly30:02 AI's Role in Access to Justice & Pro Se Litigants and Future Research34:00 The Long-Term Effects of AI in Law and Emerging Research Questions36:19 Human vs. AI: Context-Dependent Futures in Legal Practice39:05 Why Empirical Evidence Shouldn't Slow Adoption42:31 Daniel’s Hot Take: High-Valuation Legal Tech Firms Face Significant Market Pressure44:12 Key Takeaways & Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

"I'm excited about this new paper I have that tries to look at not only what the effect on quality and speed is of using AI on legal tasks, but also what the effect is on the ability of people who are using AI to reason when the AI is taken away from them. I think that's an important step in trying to understand the broader scenario that all lawyers and members of the legal academy more generally are facing right now."
"The mere fact that an AI can do well on an exam or on a task doesn't really answer the question most lawyers want answered, which is: how will I perform when I use AI compared to how I perform when I don't use AI? You can't extrapolate from the fact that an AI performs well on its own to the fact that if I use an AI, I'll start performing well on my own."
The basic interpretation is that AI helped our participants understand the legal source material better - they understood the case law better, they understood the law better. That produces benefits that persist even when they no longer have AI."
"The study made me more confident than I would otherwise be that using these tools can be beneficial in many ways, even in ways that aren't fully intuitive.”
"In some contexts, the practice of law will absolutely look like AI judgment being primary with humans handling exceptions - like in will drafting where an AI handles the initial draft and a human checks it. But in other settings with massive human elements like counseling clients or talking to judges, AI won't be a substitute because the human element is essential."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Is the Legal System Every Lawyer’s Biggest Enemy? ft. Legal Futurist Sateesh Nori May 28, 2026

Lawyers can (technically) be the superheroes society needs them to be but the legal system simply doesn’t allow it. With a broken system, flawed legal aid and crumbling structures, justice gets the short end of the stick - but can AI be part of the solution? In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Sateesh Nori, Chief Legal Futurist at LawDroid and Senior Research Fellow at NYU School of Law, to explore how justice can truly be democratized.
What You’ll Learn:

How to quantify the access to justice crisis
Why AI is uniquely suited to legal work
The triage bottleneck and how chatbots solve it
Why housing court illustrates systemic failure
How to reframe legal services as a utility, not a luxury
The critical gap in law school curriculum

Right now, millions are disenfranchised, without access to the legal care they deserve. Tune in to find out how legal technology is tipping the scales.
Highlights:
02:29 Sateesh’s Journey from Housing Court to Legal Technology04:26 Let’s Quantify the Access to Justice Crisis07:20 Why Large Language Models Are Architecturally Perfect for Legal Work09:10 The Harsh Truth About Housing Courts Today13:04 Fixing the System Before Court, Rent Assistance & Bureaucratic Friction14:12 Building Intelligent Triage Systems that Eliminate Burnout16:50 Courts Need Both Systemic Reform and Technology19:30 Why Comparative Risk Analysis is Our Best Friend Right Now22:41 What Needs to Change So Access to Justice Can Be Real 25:40 Innovation Hubs: Stanford, Suffolk and Utah's Regulatory Sandbox Model27:08 Thinking About the Future of Legal Services28:40 How We Need to Prepare Law Students for Disruption31:10 The Death of the Billable Hour in an AI-Driven Legal Market33:31 AI-Native Law Firms Without Humanity Mean Nothing 35:15 Redesigning Client Experience: The McDonald's Model for Legal Services36:56 Sateesh’s Rapid Fire: Big Law Pro Bono, Tec-Led Education & More39:37 Making Legal Aid and Clinics Irrelevant40:56 Thought Leaders Shaping the Future of Access to Justice42:17 Sateesh’s Hot Take: An AmLaw 40 Firm Will Fail Within 12 Months43:13 Key Takeaways & Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

"I'm someone who always wanted to go to law school. Since I was a kid, I thought it was such a great way to spend time, to help people, to dress up and go to court, to stand up for the little guy. But after a long time practicing as a lawyer, I realized we're like superheroes, but we're being held down by a giant force. And that force is the legal system."
"The time that we do have, we're spending not on helping people, but on paperwork, on procedural things, on internal things within the structures of nonprofits, on fundraising, on answering emails. We're probably spending less than 40% of it on actually helping people and more than half of it on the drudgery of working in a big system that's so oppressive."
"We're comparing what we're offering to the perfect lawyer, which no one's gonna get. In fact, you're not gonna get anybody. The average person is going to Reddit and Google for help, and they're also going to OpenAI and Gemini. This is already happening. So regulating it from that end is not gonna do anything."
"I think law schools are still following law firms. The higher rank the law school, the more insulated they think their students are because they're still gonna get jobs. But you fast forward couple years, and if the law firms stop hiring people from elite law schools, what happens to the law schools? They're not thinking ahead far enough."
"We need to be the McDonald's. Instead, we're operating even the most modest legal services office like a fancy Michelin star French restaurant. People want burgers and fries and pizza, the basic answers to their legal problems, and we're like, let me see what the chef has in mind for you today. It's totally broken."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

AI Transformation Without Change Management is Useless ft. Mike Russell May 21, 2026

The only thing more important than embracing AI transformation for legal teams today is being able to communicate the change and manage it. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Mike Russell, Head of Global Legal Operations at Expedia Group, to explore just how legal operations is spearheading this movement.
What You’ll Learn:

How to position change management as the most critical skill in legal operations
The framework for evaluating AI tools in legal departments
Why measuring "lawyer hours saved" alone is an incomplete metric
How to structure listening tours across global legal operations
The strategic vision for self-serving legal agents that reduce human touchpoints
How to navigate the law firm relationship evolution in an AI-enabled market
The governance framework that separates productivity gains from legal liability
Why legal operations should hire for curiosity and adaptability over experience
How peer-driven adoption accelerates AI implementation across legal teams
The opportunity to position legal operations as the first hire after general counsel in growing companies

Tune in for the play-by-play on building and managing AI-enabled departments.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction 02:09 From Law Firm IT to Global Legal Operations: A Three-Decade Journey04:33 Breaking Down the Legal Ops Evolution 07:54 Why Change Management Defines Legal Ops Success08:30 Mike’s Legal Ops Success Playbook13:48 Building AI-Enabled Legal Operations Teams15:30 Is Saving Lawyer Hours a Valid Metric? 19:21 The New Skills: Hiring for Legal Ops Today 21:53 Building Agents That Compress Decision Timelines25:03 Architecting Self-Serving Legal Agents 10127:20 How to Sell Innovation in a Conservative Industry29:13 The Truth About Managing Multiple AI Agents30:17 Making AI Compliance Intrinsic, Not Retroactive31:36 The Importance of Internal AI Champions and Peer Advocacy33:23 How Real-Time Visibility and Peer Success Drive Deeper AI Adoption34:38 Unconventional Skills That Transform Leadership37:00 Balancing Innovation Velocity With Organizational Readiness38:10 The Art of Listening: Using the Five Whys to Diagnose Workflow Friction40:45 Essential Resources: Richard Susskind, David Cowan, and the Business of Law41:48 Why Jurisdiction Differences Demand Flexibility43:18 AI Won't Eliminate Jobs, It Will Transform Them44:31 Mike’s Hot Take: Legal Ops is the Secret to Scaling 45:34 Key Takeaways & Final Thoughts
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Legal AI Game: Why Waiting Might be Better Than Rushing ft. Myah Bowermaster May 14, 2026

Applying AI to an already bad process is just automating a bad process,” says Myah Bowermaster, Head of Legal Operations at Cvent, in this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno. Tune in as hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Myah to explore the truth behind AI adoption in the legal landscape.
What You’ll Learn:

How to position legal operations as strategic partnership
Why waiting for AI maturity beats first-mover adoption
The framework for assessing legal tech readiness
How to build credibility as a non-lawyer legal operations leader
The “help me help you” approach to process implementation
Why contract data integration unlocks revenue-generating insights
How to hire for legal operations success without a legal background
The human-AI balance that protects cognitive capability

AI is shiny, but not all that glitters is gold. And, it turns out waiting, rather than rushing, might be the smarter choice when it comes to the AI game.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Myah Bowermaster 01:43 From Paralegal to Legal Operations Leader: An Unconventional Path05:48 What Legal Operations Actually Does and Why It Matters10:16 Strategic Patience: Why AI Adoption Should Follow Market Maturity13:29 Myah’s Advice to Legal Teams 15:40 Input Quality Determines Output Reliability18:27 Descriptive Context Over Prompt Engineering20:41 Building Credibility Without a Law Degree23:05 Ownership, Maturity Models, and Growing Legal Operations Teams25:50 The Real Resistance: Centralization and User Interface Design27:20 Three-Year CLM Implementation and Cross-Functional Excellence29:32 Hiring for Legal Operations: Soft Skills Over Legal Background32:33 Crisis Management and the Chaos Coordinator Role34:23 The Evolution of Legal Operations: From Admin to Chief of Staff35:57 When to Hire Your First Head of Legal Operations37:33 AI Tool Evaluation: Consistency, Integration, and User Experience40:02 Turning Contract Data Into Revenue-Generating Intelligence44:20 Myah’s Hot Take: Just Because AI Can Doesn't Mean It Should45:16 Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts
Quotes:

"Legal operations is doing everything it takes to run a legal department that doesn't involve practicing law. We're the connective tissue bringing the process to compliance. Lawyers are really good at being lawyers, but lawyers are not typically process oriented or tech oriented, and so a big part of what legal ops does is we empower lawyers to do what only lawyers can, and then we automate and operationalize the rest."
“Everyone kept saying we need to catch up with AI, but all the pain points that we have were not something that AI could do yet in the legal space. I could purchase this right now and address 25% of the pain point, but we haven't done the internal work to get to that 40%. Why don't I just wait and let the market catch up to us so they can address 70 to 80% of our pain points?"
"You don't need to be a prompt engineer. You need to be descriptive and then let the AI do the prompt engineering for you. Start every prompt with: I want you to refine this prompt so it works best with my tool. Do not run the prompt. This shows you how descriptive you actually were and what the AI understood from what you said."
"It is all about relationship building. I went out to everyone and said, help me help you. What are your pain points? Instead of telling you the best way to do something, I understand what your pain points are and tell you everything I do is to help you and enable you and make your life better. It all comes back to trust."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

AI's Role in eDiscovery and Information Governance ft. Matthew Krengel May 01, 2026

What if legal professionals have been missing the key to responsible AI implementation this whole time? In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Matthew Krengel, eDiscovery Counsel and Director of Information Retention Counseling at Cooley LLP, to explore the real solution.
What You’ll Learn:

How to transition from viewing AI as a liability to recognizing it as a strategic asset
Why the "move fast and break things" ethos conflicts with legal practice, and how to implement a phased approach to AI governance
The critical importance of client consent frameworks for AI usage
How to protect confidentiality and trade secrets in an AI-enabled workplace
The psychological barriers to effective AI implementation, including automation bias and confirmation bias
Why information governance and records management professionals have become more critical than ever

We're at an unprecedented inflection point in law and technology and this conversation reveals how to position yourself at its forefront.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Matthew Krengel 01:57 From eDiscovery Pioneer to AI Governance Leader07:10 What’s Changing in the Tech-Law Space Today 10:50 Machine Learning's Two-Decade Role in Legal Discovery13:56 From Malpractice Fear to Mandatory AI Implementation18:06 Discovery Sanctions and the Technology Adoption Cycle21:57 Combating Automation Bias in Legal Practice26:19 Hafner Case: Confidentiality Breaches and Privilege Waiver30:45 Client Consent Frameworks and Engagement Letter Protocols35:28 Implementing Governance Without Perfection38:25 Fear and Existential Doubt in an AI-Driven Practice39:55 AI as Force Multiplier for Trial Team Excellence42:44 Business Acumen: The JD-MBA Advantage in Legal Practice45:42 Matthew’s Hot Take: We’re at an Inflection Point48:00 Key Takeaways & Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

"I like to gravitate towards the new and unformed. I like to be on sort of the frontier of, you know, the development of law."

"How do I enable the responsible use of information? How do I make sure that companies are using it responsibly so that they can then use it in a manner that both benefits themselves and also the people that they serve."

“Move fast and break things works because when they break things, you don't end up with sanctions, you end up with, “okay. We just need to rebuild this and fix it.” That doesn't really always work for the law."

“Attorneys are known for their analytical rigor. If we're not doing that because we're now seeding it to AI, then how are we supposed to verify and vet the outputs with any degree of scrutiny if we're not exercising that."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Eric Friedman: Leading the Future of Law and Tech Apr 23, 2026

What does it take to lead one of the world's most prestigious law firms through a global financial crisis, a pandemic, and now, a generative AI revolution?
In this episode, Eric Friedman draws on his three decades of experience at Skadden to dissect the current "headwinds" impacting the legal landscape. Now an advisor to legal tech leaders like Litera and Ironclad, Eric explores why adoption remains the number one hurdle for innovation and how the "client voice" is finally forcing the hands of reluctant law firms. From the "crystal ball" question of the billable hour's future to the potential for AI to move the needle on access to justice, this conversation provides a strategic roadmap for the future of legal services.,,

What You’ll Learn:

How tech, competitive dynamics, and geopolitics are creating a high-pressure environment.
Why meeting lawyers "where they work" is the only way to overcome the static of new tools.
Why value-based billing might finally gain traction as clients demand to share in tech-driven efficiency gains.
Understanding the complex "Middle Earth" between the business and practice of law to successfully sell to law firms.,
Why we are still in the "early innings" of tech innovation and why declaration of winners is premature.

Highlights:
00:01 – Introduction: Welcoming Eric Friedman, former CEO of Skadden.
01:04 – The Pivot: Transitioning from M&A lawyer to the "Business of Law."02:27 – Under Pressure: Assessing the "ferocious" competitive and geopolitical landscape.,,08:18 – The Adoption Challenge: Why "meeting them where they work" is the key to success.,13:42 – The Billable Hour Crystal Ball: Will tech finally kill the predominant benchmark?,,23:54 – The Founder’s Bane: Navigating the complex buyer persona in Big Law.,38:29 – Access to Justice: Using tech to bridge the gap for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC).,41:35 – Hottest Take: Why it’s still "early innings" for the legal tech battle.,
Quotes:

“Law firms are under pressure from every direction... Tech, I'll start there... the emergence of this next wave of legal tech is definitely creating pressures on law firms. You also have a massive competitive dynamic... Law firms are ferociously competitive. That may always have been the case. It feels like it's notched up a bit.”,
“Adoption is the number one challenge. You have to get through the static of which tools should we even pilot... Meet them where they're working and be accretive to what they're otherwise doing and you have to prove the value proposition in the real world for lawyers.”,
“I do want to point out that at least since the mid 1980s, the legal media has been talking about the death of the billable hour. And so 40 years later, I would say it remains the predominant benchmark for legal service delivery.”
“I don't think it's a bubble. I think we're still in the early innings of tech innovation and adoption... it’s way too early to be declaring winners in this space.”,

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

High Stakes, Human Impact: Brian Shapiro on Navigating Catastrophic Injury Litigation Apr 17, 2026

What does it take to represent families facing the unthinkable? For Brian Shapiro, it starts with deep mentorship and a commitment to strategic precision. In this episode, Brian discusses his journey from a "family of law" to becoming a passionate advocate for individuals impacted by spinal and brain injuries. He pulls back the curtain on his firm’s meticulous intake process, explaining how he identifies red flags early and prepares clients for the psychological rigors of depositions from the very first meeting.
Beyond the courtroom, Brian explores the intersection of technology and law, highlighting how tools like Steno’s Transcript Genius are revolutionizing medical record review and deposition prep. He also dives into his legislative work with the Consumer Attorneys of California (CAOC), discussing the vital importance of protecting access to justice against corporate-backed fee-cap initiatives.

What You’ll Learn:

How a background in a "family of law" and judicial clerkships provides a competitive edge in trial practice.
The psychology of client coaching: How to help plaintiffs remain calm, honest, and likable during depositions.
Strategic case selection: Identifying "red flags" and navigating difficult conversations about insurance limits.
The evolving role of AI in litigation, from summarizing medical jargon to interrogating multiple depositions with Transcript Genius.
Why trial lawyers have a professional obligation to engage in legislative advocacy and pro bono work.

Highlights:

00:00 - Introduction: Meet Brian Shapiro, catastrophic injury specialist
01:10 - Learning the ropes from a father and mentor
03:58 - Clerking for Judge James DeCeaser in Orange County
08:14 - The case that cemented Brian's path
10:53 - Why selective cases require high-resource commitment
14:32 - Coaching clients to be "the star" of their own story
21:57 - Translating Medicine: Simplifying spinal and brain injuries for a jury
25:22 - The AI Advantage: How Steno's Transcript Genius transforms prep
34:10 - Giving Back: Pro bono work with the Legal Aid Society of San Bernardino
43:15 - Hot Take: Why the trial lawyer remains irreplaceable in the age of AI

Quotes:

"We spend hours with the folks in the very beginning... we are pre-training them on how we're almost taking their depo without them knowing... we do want them to know from the very beginning... they are kind of getting ready."
"In a deposition, we want you to be comfortable. The number one thing is we want you to feel like you could speak slowly... that it's your—you're the star. If you don't remember the question, don't feel like you need to answer it."
"@Steno, obviously with depots, I very much am a fan of Transcript Genius... being able to literally ask the deposition anything... and then it will pop up where in the depot and highlight the section it's coming from so you can verify it real time."
"We represent folks... we have that voice and a lot of times we have the resources... if you can't commit the time, I think that we all owe it... to at least give to the cause when you can, because people are coming after us."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

How Judge Paul Raleeh Disrupted Texas Courts Without a Law Degree Apr 10, 2026

In these volatile and uncertain times, what does it really take to uphold peace? Someone like Judge Paul Raleeh, it would seem. In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Joe Stephens and Adrian Cea sit down with Judge Raleeh, Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1 in Collin County, Texas, to explore the critical yet often misunderstood role of justice courts in modernizing local litigation.
What You’ll Learn:

How to navigate pro se representation effectively
The critical distinction between bond-setting and punishment
Why civil jurisdiction expansion matters for rural and urban practitioners
How exclusive eviction jurisdiction consolidates both residential and commercial disputes
The customer service imperative in judicial administration
Why AI-assisted legal research and judicial drafting require human oversight

Tune in for the full deep dive on why the justice courts of America are an integral part of the country’s legal system.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction: Welcome to Between the Briefs
00:59 From Law Enforcement to the Bench: Judge Paul's Unconventional Path
02:38 Collin County's Explosive Growth and Its Impact on Local Courts
04:30 The Surprising Scope of Justice Court Jurisdiction
09:33 Navigating the Learning Curve: Civil Law and the Early Days
15:56 Serving Pro Se Litigants Without Crossing Into Legal Advice
19:53 AI, ChatGPT and the Dangerous Illusion of Legal Expertise
23:39 Beyond the Bench: A Judge's Role in Community Education
26:33 Magistrate Duties and the Evolution of Bond-Setting Standards
30:54 Senate Bill 6: How Legislative Change Reshapes Judicial Practice
32:45 Balancing Justice With Humanity in Criminal Proceedings
37:00 The Realities of Running for Reelection as an Elected Judge
42:08 The Hardest Part: Politics, People and Lasting Impact
46:35 Controversial Cases and Judicial Philosophy on Marriage Equality
51:18 Key Takeaways & Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

“The justice of the peace or the justice court judge is the only judicial position in the entire state of Texas that doesn't require you to first be an attorney. My career started off in law enforcement, and I went to school for public administration. I had no idea I was gonna be a judge, but one day the sitting justice of the peace told me I had the qualifications and personality to do it, and I decided I'd run for the position."
"We have jurisdiction in criminal cases of all criminal offenses that are punishable only by a fine. We also have civil court jurisdiction for cases of $20,000 or less, and we have exclusive jurisdiction over all evictions, both residential and commercial. Last year, I took the bench 6,000 times with 6,000 trials or hearings of some sort."
"My role is to navigate people through the process. The rules that govern the court don't go away just because you're in a justice court, and almost everybody that represents themselves are unprepared for what their role is. I have seven staff that work in my office, and we have the same responsibility to help people understand the process in plain language so that they know their rights."
"When people Google search or use AI information sites, it's great information, but it doesn't make you an attorney. I don't know how to change a plug in the wall, but I can Google it and walk through it and get that plug changed, but it won't make me an electrician. AI is going to change not just the court system, but it's going to change the world, and it's going to happen very quick."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why the Legal AI Revolution is Actually a Good Thing for Appellate Law ft. David Coale Apr 03, 2026

What if the legal AI revolution is actually a good thing? In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome David Coale, partner and leader of the appellate practice at Lynn Pinker Hurst & Schwegman, to unpack how said revolution is transforming appellate law without replacing human judgment.
What You’ll Learn:

How to structure an appellate practice that balances deep legal writing with real-time courtroom advisory work

Why generative AI excels at document digestion, trial transcript summarization and sophisticated legal research

How to draft appellate briefs by writing the argument section first using legal principles, then backfilling facts

Why young attorneys need intensive reps in writing, research and oral advocacy to develop mastery

How a single presidential term of judicial appointments can shape a circuit's jurisprudence for 30+ years

Why the human element of judgement, preparation and understanding remain relevant in appellate advocacy

Tune in for the full deep dive on navigating appellate law in the age of AI.
Highlights:

00:00 Introduction
00:00 The Dual Nature of Modern Appellate Practice
00:02 Building Mastery: Reps, Writing and Deliberate Practice
00:05 Generative AI as Research Partner, Not Brief Writer
00:07 Navigating AI Risks: Citation Hallucination and Quality Control
00:10 What Humans Bring to Appellate Advocacy
00:12 Common Mistakes That Undermine Appellate Work
00:14 Reading Like a Writer: Studying Judicial Craftsmanship
00:17 Strategic Brief Architecture: The Reverse-Engineering Method
00:19 The Intake Process and Case Assessment
00:20 Fifth Circuit Dynamics: How Politics Shapes Appellate Dockets
00:23 Presidential Appointments as Multi-Generational Court Shapers
00:27 Judicial Resources and the Reality of Appellate Workload
00:28 Trial Experience and Appellate Excellence: Finding Your Path
00:31 Writing as Creative Practice, Not Compliance Exercise
00:33 Intellectual Influences and Maintaining Sharp Analysis
00:33 The Future of Law: AI Integration and Professional Transformation
00:37 Key Takeaways: Excellence in the Age of Appellate Innovation
Quotes:

"Half of my practice is writing learned intellectual briefs to courts and appeals. The other half is providing advice to very smart, very aggressive trial lawyers, often on the fly while they're at the courthouse when something comes up. I call it the drop in traffic, and it's absolutely fascinating because it keeps me from getting to Ivory Tower."
"You gotta get reps in to develop the skills, and that means writing whatever needs to be written, offering to do whatever. It's fundamentally a written practice, and you have to like writing and the process of sitting there and getting it done. If you like writing, you need to practice it to get better at it, and you need extra reps writing articles to hone those skills."
"What AI forces you to confront is what am I really adding as a human being to this? Certain parts of the briefing process now take a lot less time and energy than they used to, which frees me up to do more meaningful stuff. The net is a better product in the end because I'm spending my time on way more beneficial work than me digging around in a bunch of boxes."
"Generative AI is here to stay, and ChatGPT was released three and a half years ago, but the ChatGPT today is unrecognizable from what it was. In another four years, it's going to significantly impact society and the profession, with fewer new lawyers hired and overwhelming changes to what humans do in the legal system."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

How Victoria Schall is Beating the Corporate Shell Game in Nursing Home Litigation Mar 26, 2026

Corporate greed and care cannot exist together. The only way to win is if you play a different game altogether. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Victoria Schall, New Jersey Supreme Court certified civil trial attorney and Founder of Schall at Law, reveals her rule book for advocating against nursing home abuse and winning neglect litigation.
What You’ll Learn:

How to leverage the "dignity matters" framework in jury selection by asking jurors whether the manner of death matters to them

Why electronic health records (EHR) systems like PointClickCare require specialized litigation support

The corporate structure strategy and how to beat it

How to build cases around residents' rights violations in addition to physical injuries

The staffing data methodology and why it’s a sign of systemic corporate failure

Why family engagement and detailed documentation matter for case strength

Tune in for her inspiring journey of mastering the intersection of corporate accountability and resident dignity.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction
02:06 From Teenage Volunteer to Nursing Home Advocate
07:56 Dignity Over Age: Reframing the Standard of Care
10:14 The Connection Between Culture and Care
13:08 Private Equity's Impact on Resident Care Quality
17:32 Navigating Corporate Structure in Litigation Strategy
20:10 Electronic Health Records: The AI Opportunity Gap
21:37 Building Expert Teams Through Industry Knowledge
25:49 Strategic Jury Selection: The Dignity Question
30:24 A Good Family is One That Cared
31:37 Residents' Rights Violations as Standalone Claims
36:46 Advising Administrators: Accountability and Whistleblowing
39:10 Defining Success Beyond Settlements
47:13 Victoria’s Hot Take: Transparency as the Industry's
49:00 Key Takeaways & Final Thoughts
Quotes:

"For me, dignity matters no matter what age you are, no matter what your conditions are. The nursing standard of care requires them to do full body head to toe assessments and provide proper care based on those assessments. I would rather focus on the dignity of what everyone deserves as a human being, regardless of their age and whatever conditions they have."
"There's studies that show that the care under private equity is worse than you would get under state or nonprofit type of facility operations. When a facility goes from nonprofit to privately owned, you end up with people whose pay is slashed, benefits are slashed, and a lot of the older staff ends up getting forced out. You can watch from a timeline perspective what happens in a facility when you go from nonprofit to private equity."
The question should be, let's see your financial statements and let's have that corporate transparency in order to understand where the money is going. More times than not, the money is not going back to direct care, but it's going to ownership pockets."
‘For me, success is always about getting the accountability of what happened, regardless of what the actual final dollar amount is. I never want to take a case where I make a fee and my costs get paid back, but the client doesn't see anything at the end of the day.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Trust and Human Judgement Are the Legal Currency of Today ft. Bill Ryan Mar 19, 2026

Law firm operations are undergoing a massive overhaul - as they should, in the age of AI. In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Bill Ryan, Senior Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer at AT&T, to explore how enterprise legal departments can harness AI to disrupt traditional workflows and what this means for enterprise compliance.
What You’ll Learn:

How to build organizational trust as the foundation for technological change

Why dedicated teams outperform wide AI operation

Why “vision without execution is just hallucination”

How to approach outside counsel partnerships in an AI-driven market

Why human judgement becomes more critical as technology scales

The dual risk-opportunity dynamic in AI democratization

Tune in to learn the leadership principles that make technological transformation actually work.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction
01:57 From Teaching to Compliance: A Purpose-Driven Legal Career
04:19 Problem-Solving as the Foundation of Legal Excellence
06:40 Transform Change by Honoring Past Achievements
08:56 Human Judgment Becomes Critical as Technology Scales
12:04 Building Organizational Culture Before Technological Change
15:12 AT&T Legal Edge: The AI-First In-House Law Firm
20:05 Hiring for Adaptability Over Technical AI Expertise
22:27 Why Law Firms Must Evolve Their Pricing Models
26:50 Aligning Leadership to Navigate Internal Skepticism
29:46 AI Democratization Creates Dual Risk-Opportunity Dynamics
33:15 Speed, Focus and Execution: Lessons for Legal Innovation
36:45 Reimagining the Legal Industry in Five Years
38:43 The Role of Proximity to Great Leaders in Shaping Vision
40:58 What Law Students Need to Thrive in an AI-Integrated Future
44:35 Hot Take: 2026 is a Pivotal Year for Legal Industry Transformation
46:44 Key Takeaways & Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

"People love problem solvers. If you have somebody on your team or you have somebody that you're talking to that's really, really effective at solving a problem, your instinct is to give them the bigger problems. And bigger problems usually come with increased responsibility and an expanded scope and a broader team."
“As we start to navigate the world that's moving so rapidly around us, human judgment and the creation of trust of the path we're about to navigate, is what people are going to look more and more to. The people I continue to prioritize aren't just creating output, but building teams that trust their leadership, I think are gonna be the most effectively navigated."
"We need these partnerships to be successful. What we're asking for them is to acknowledge that the world's changing at the pace that we think it's changing, that we have to change our model. For those partnerships that lean in and kind of evolve and strategically navigate this, I think it's an unbelievably awesome upside."
"The wide availability, the democratization of AI, means anyone in the world can now send a letter or a file or come up with a draft lawsuit to file against a company if they go into ChatGPT. At the same time, our ability to process work and create output is growing, so the playing field is exponentially growing."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Law is About to Grow 50x and Most Lawyers Don’t Know It ft. David Cowen Mar 12, 2026

Can legal technology be a catalyst for access to justice while preserving what makes legal work meaningful in the first place? That depends on how you use it. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with David Cowen, Founder of the Solid Legal Summit and President of the Cowen Group, to explore why the legal industry stands at an unprecedented inflection point.
What You’ll Learn:

Why the dinner table remains the most powerful predictor of professional success
How to identify and invest in the radically curious 20%
The art of curation as competitive advantage
Why AI will expand, not contract, demand for legal services
How to leverage self-serving altruism to build unbreakable professional networks
Why wrestling with AI (rather than accepting it) is essential for attorneys

Tune in for expert insights on building meaningful professional connections, asking better questions and positioning yourself at the forefront of legal practice transformation.
Highlights:

00:00 Introduction
00:51 From Staffing to Legal Innovation: David’s Career Journey
03:00 The Art of Building Community Through Authentic Connection
12:47 The Dinner Table Question: Understanding Professional Character
21:54 The Strategic Advantage of Connecting the Right People
25:07 Where You Should Invest Your Mentorship
32:42 Vulnerability, AI and the Human Element in Decision-Making
37:40 Making AI Work: Critical Interrogation Over Passive Acceptance
39:56 Reckoning the Pace of Technological Change and Legal Practice
42:06 Why AI Expands Rather Than Contracts Legal Markets
46:42 David’s Hot Take: The Importance of Embracing Professional Mobility
48:35 Key Takeaways & Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

“Legal is who brought me to the dance. There's a character and an integrity in legal professionals; they say what they mean, they mean what they say and they know what they don't know. I'm respected by people that I think are way smarter than I am, and that's a great place to be as a professional.”
"I have a favorite question from my staffing and recruiting days: tell me about your dinner table when you were seven, eight, or nine years old. When you ask people this question, they just unwrap who they are. You find out if it was lonely or family, if it was tough, if they had siblings. You find more in that question than almost any other question you can ask."
"I think it's important to be an informed optimist and not an informed pessimist because we have to figure it out. When I have a conversation with ChatGPT or Claude, I get a dopamine hit because I have the answer, but that's not the same as the feeling of love you have when you connect with somebody.”
“The importance of wrestling with AI is critical. Take questions, get answers back, challenge the AI consciously, take it from ChatGPT to Claude to different platforms, wrestle it down to the ground. I think we've been really accepting of the miracle of the answer at our fingertips, but we need to learn how to challenge AI, not accept anything at face value."
“My hot take is that you couldn't be in a better place at a better time - we are at the beginning of the beginning of next. Your career is a jungle gym, not a ladder, so wherever you've been, there's an entire other side of the jungle gym to explore. Look at history: electricity, cars, railroads, mobile, ecommerce. This is the same story all over again, and the question is, who do you want to be in that story?"

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

How AI is Exposing Decades of Legal Incompetence ft. Nicole Black Mar 05, 2026

Everyone’s worried that AI will take their job. But what they should be worried about is AI exposing how bad some people have been at their jobs. In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Nicole Black, Principal Legal Insight Strategist at 8AM, for an eye-opening discussion on how AI is really shaping the ground reality of law today.
What You’ll Learn:

Why hallucinated case citations and fabricated legal propositions represent a systemic competence crisis

How to build internal AI governance policies and training frameworks that protect your firm

The strategic difference between guardrailed AI systems and open-ended legal research AI

Why not using AI may soon constitute malpractice once hallucination problems are solved

How to evaluate legal tech adoption for firms of all sizes, from solo practitioners to large firms

Why authentic access-to-justice promises often mask profit-driven corporate interests

Her insights as a legal technology authority make for essential listening.
Highlights:

00:00 Introduction
00:01 From Public Defender to Legal Tech Pioneer
00:06 The Evolution of Social Media in Legal Practice
00:10 AI Adoption and the Hallucination Crisis
00:13 Incompetence Exposed: AI's Real Impact on the Profession
00:18 Professional Obligations vs. Malpractice Standards
00:20 Guardrailed AI for Accuracy; Legal Research Remains Risky
00:21 Building AI Governance Policies Before Crisis
00:22 Scaling Tech Adoption: Solo Firms to Large Practices
00:25 Evaluating Legal Tech: What to Look For
00:27 Gen X Resilience: Learning Law Without Modern Tech
00:29 What Makes a Great Lawyer: The Public Defender Advantage
00:31 Access to Justice: Cynicism, Capitalism, and Real Impact
00:34 The Writer's Journey: Passion Meets Technology
00:36 Using AI in the Writing Process
00:40 Predicting the Future of Legal Tech
00:41 Nicole’s Hot Take: AI Exposing Legal Profession's Ugly Underbelly
00:43 Key Takeaways & Final Thoughts
Quotes:

"2017 is when you first started seeing legal tech products with AI in them, not generative AI, but AI. Once ChatGPT rolled out in November 2022, it has certainly impacted the practice of law. The rate of adoption is unlike anything I've seen before. It pretty much doubles year over year in terms of legal tech adoption."
"I don't even think it's a misdeployment. It's all the pressures the lawyers are under - they're far worse than they used to be in terms of billable hours, client demands, and competition. What's happening now is that what ChatGPT spits out looks really good. It's convincing, it sounds good, it looks good - and people are just assuming that it's accurate without verification."
With technology and AI, you have a professional obligation to understand the technology and make an educated decision about whether to use it or not use it. Right now, I think it's arguably malpractice not to understand AI and make a decision about when and when you shouldn't be using it, but we're certainly gonna get there faster than we have with previous tools."
"Generative AI and its hallucinations are just exposing the ugly underbelly of incompetence that's always existed in our profession. A lot of people have gotten away with incompetent legal work for far too long and been given the benefit of the doubt. But now when a case doesn't even exist, it's so easy to prove that they didn't read it, and this is just exposing incompetence that's been getting worse."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Kelly Firm, LLC Proves Why Small Firms Beat Big Law Feb 26, 2026

Three sisters, Lauren, Erica and Gianna Kelly, switch sides, from being defense lawyers to giving a voice to plaintiffs. The result? The creation of The Kelly Firm, LLC and a transformation of the medical malpractice space. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, the trio joins hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens to explore the full story.
What You’ll Learn:

How to leverage defense litigation experience on the plaintiff side

The optimal case vetting framework for medical malpractice litigation

Why pre-suit negotiation timelines differ between practice areas

How to scale your firm without compromising on client connection and culture

The strategic deployment of AI and legal technology in resource-constrained firms

Building firm culture around distributed trust and complementary skill sets

Why smaller firms deliver measurable value that scale cannot replicate

Tune in for an energizing and purposeful story from the world of law!
Highlights:

00:00 Introduction
02:11 The Kelly Firm’s Origin Story & Switching from Defense to Plaintiff
04:05 On Being a Women-Led Firm
06:50 How Three Attorneys Manage One Case
09:06 Family Legacy and the Evolution of Legal Practice
14:00 Why Patient Representation Matters
15:45 Gender Bias in Litigation and How to Overcome It
20:05 The Small-Firm Advantage When it Comes to Scaling
21:35 Case Vetting & Quality Over Volume in Medical Malpractice
25:37 Pre-Suit Negotiation vs. Litigation Timelines
27:46 Trial Preparation on a Skeleton Crew
30:20 Managing Burnout: Peer Accountability and Work-Life Boundaries
33:07 The Kelly Firm Guide to Strategic Technology Investment
34:46 Why Closed Systems as Non-Negotiable
35:23 Figuring Out Personality-Client Alignment
38:35 Teaching the Next Generation: Practical Skills Over Theory
41:40 Why Critical Thinking Remains Non-Negotiable
42:06 Starting Your Own Firm & Embracing Calculated Risk
43:10 The Kelly’s Hot Take: Pittsburgh's Personal Injury Market Has Room for All
47:45 Key Takeaways & Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

“We need to fight for people who can't fight for themselves. We need to fight for the patient who had a catastrophic injury due to a medical error and can't work anymore and can't support their family." - Lauren
"We're creating our own type of law where we put the client first. We really try to connect with them and try to empathize with how they're feeling." - Gianna
"The quality of work doesn't correlate to the number of attorneys you have at a firm. When you go to a smaller firm, you know you're gonna talk to one of those attorneys, not a secretary or paralegal every time you call." - Gianna
"There's always somewhat of an uphill battle, not only when you're a woman, but when you're a young woman. We've many times been the youngest attorneys in the room or sometimes the only female attorneys in the room, and what that means is you have to be twice as prepared and twice as ready. We really pride ourselves on the fact that even if we are the youngest attorney, we will always be the most prepared." - Erica

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

What’s Going to Happen When the AI Dust Settles? Ft. Kyle Poe Feb 19, 2026

Lawyers are always going to be important. What makes them relevant, however, is another question altogether. In the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno as hosts, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens, sit down with Kyle Poe, Vice President of Legal Innovation Strategy at Legora, to explore the balance of traditional legal skills and legal services evolution in the age of AI.
What You’ll Learn:

How to build organizational AI literacy without disrupting existing revenue streams
The data moat as the new competitive advantage
How to reprice fixed-fee work intelligently using AI
Why skepticism about AI is actually a healthy signal

The strategic practice areas to target first for AI implementation

How the legal industry will structurally reshape in the next decade

Tune in for the ultimate guide on staying relevant and staying ahead!
Highlights:

00:00 Introduction
01:55 Kyle’s Journey from Litigation Partner to Legal AI Pioneer
07:45 How AI’s Disrupting Law Firm Billing Models
11:25 The New Kid in Town: Fixed-Fee Models
18:10 The Importance of Internal Champions for AI Adoption
19:45 Prioritize Muscle Memory Before Complex Workflow Automation
26:05 Strategic Practice Areas for AI Implementation
29:36 Learning from History: e-Discovery, AI’s Future Impact
37:00 Legal Tech's Sustainable Competitive Advantage
42:37 Kyle’s Hot Take: Why Traditional Skills Still Matter
44:55 Key Takeaways & Closing Thought
Quotes:

“At the top tier of the market, oftentimes, corporations are not picking the lowest cost provider - they're actually picking the highest quality provider, and so if you can use AI to deliver higher quality results, then you're not going to hurt yourself on the price side of the equation."
"There are two elements of learning that firms need to do. The first is what I would call muscle memory - creating AI literacy and fluency throughout your organization so AI is just another tool in the lawyer's toolkit. The second layer is building reusable workflows, where you take the knowledge and experience of attorneys and build that into applications that can be rerun over and over again."
“The total addressable market of legal is peanuts compared to the broader enterprise market, and legal carries specific risks. Those same institutional barriers to entry that are unique to legal have made it such that bigger players have not entered it, and I think those barriers will persist.”
One of the hottest takes would be that traditional skills aren't gonna matter anymore, but I actually think they will. When the dust settles, the world will be different, and some firms will leapfrog others by investing in AI and building out workflows. But the reasons you hire attorneys, the judgment, and the incentive structures around picking top tier firms aren't gonna change fundamentally."

LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/welcome-back-docket-now-between-briefs-newsletter-steno-inc-quxie
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Most Lawyers Are Ignoring AI’s Biggest Risk: Insights from Steve Embry Feb 12, 2026

AI has taken over legal in a way lawyers didn’t expect. But what if lawyers and AI could evolve alongside each other? In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Joe Stephens and Adrian Cea sit down with Steve Embry of embryLaw LLC, national litigator and renowned legal tech writer, to explore the collision between artificial intelligence and traditional legal practice.
What You’ll Learn:

The Verification Paradox: How the time saved using generative AI tools may be offset or entirely negated by the time required to verify outputs
Why senior lawyers must understand AI regardless of personal preference

How to train the next-generation of litigators without over-reliance on AI

The billing model crisis generative AI creates and what’s going to replace it

Why market differentiation matters when it comes to AI implications

Why the real risk isn’t technology failure; it’s creative stagnation

AI isn’t all it’s cut out to be - this episode reveals what it is.

Highlights:

00:00 Intro
02:00 Steve’s Journey: From Mass Tort Defense to Legal Tech Commentary
04:27 How to Find Your Unique Voice in Legal Technology Writing
07:34 Above the Law: Staying Focused Amid Legal Tech Overload
10:38 Steve’s Analysis of Legal AI Today
17:43 Why AI Efficiency Gains Get Consumed by Validation
25:04 Strategic Mentorship Over Tool Reliance & Training the Next Generation
31:15 Writing as the Foundation of Excellent Legal Practice
35:56 What We Lose When AI Eliminates the Struggle of Creative Work
39:29 Steve’s Hot Take: The Dangerous Conflation of AI and Generative AI in Legal Practice
42:22 Key Takeaways & Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

“I would get calls from time to time about cases in the jurisdiction where I practiced and about particular judges. I would say, 'I don't have a clue. I haven't had a case here in 20 years.’ So here I was, working remotely and, in a sense, completely disconnected from the local court environment. I was operating in a much more expansive, national context, which led me to understand the value and potential of technology.”
“I know how law firms work. I know law firm bureaucracy. I know how consensus decisions are not made in law firms. I know the tensions. I know how lawyers and litigators sweat in the middle of the night. All of those things, I think, impact the use and value of technology in very fundamental sorts of ways.”
"When I first started, I was trying to write about everything legal tech. There was just so much happening, and it was exciting. But it quickly became overwhelming. It felt like I was drinking from the proverbial fire hose, trying to keep up with every new product, every new development in the space.”
“I think the hottest take on the industry right now is sort of the rush to embrace generative AI tools. The glossing over of real issues, the failure to sort of understand the distinction between artificial intelligence generally and generative AI specifically, the notion that all AI is generative AI, so only generative AI solutions will work for what the book we need to have done.”

LinkedIn Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/welcome-back-docket-now-between-briefs-newsletter-steno-inc-quxie
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

A Trial Lawyer’s Guide to Preserving the U.S. Justice System ft. Eric Weitz Feb 05, 2026

The fabric of American law is changing - courts are in crisis, judges are under threat - and something needs to change. This episode of Between the Briefs by Steno reveals the ‘what’ as hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Eric Weitz, Founder of the Weitz Law Firm and President of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice.
What You’ll Learn:

Leveraging authenticity to build courtroom credibility, instead of performance
The critical gap between law school education and trial practice reality

Why non-economic settlements matter more than transactional case resolution

How to leverage technology for strategic advantage without losing your competitive edge

The three universal needs of every catastrophic injury client

The major shifts taking place in the plaintiff litigation space

Trial lawyers find themselves at an inflection point. This episode reminds us how to make the best of it.
Highlights:

00:00 Introduction
02:22 From Big Law to Plaintiff Advocacy: Eric Weitz's 30-Year Journey
06:00 Authenticity as Your Most Potent Trial Weapon
07:30 Why Persuasion Beats Performance in Trial Law
10:50 The Critical Gap Between Law School and Practice
13:33 Pennsylvania Association for Justice: Defending the Rule of Law
18:04 How Young Attorneys Can Impact the Justice System
20:20 Unity in the Trial Bar: Fighting for Common Causes
23:36 Building the Weitz Law Firm
27:16 Why Non-Economic Considerations are More Important for Trial Lawyers
31:48 Reframing Trial Lawyers: Community Leaders and Advocates for Change
34:08 How Catastrophic Injury Work Changes a Person
37:45 Technology's Double-Edged Sword in Medical Malpractice Litigation
40:05 Learning Without Technology: Lessons from Practice Evolution
41:22 Eric’s Hot Take: Consolidation, Funding Pressures and Rising Verdicts
45:05 Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

“Look, whether I’m on trial and something happens where an opportunity or you see something in your daily practice, I call them gifts. It’s the way I choose to label them because I really view them that way. It’s not, “how did I not know it?”
“Authenticity is the single most potent weapon that anybody has. Jurors are really good at sniffing out nonsense, and if you’re trying to sell something and you’re not being genuine as a person, it doesn’t matter what you say. It doesn’t matter how right you are.”
“Two things strike me right off the bat… I used to be convinced when I was younger that to be a trial lawyer you had to have that it factor… until I spent enough time in a courtroom to see all sorts of different styles. The drama we see today in the media is so exaggerated and so overblown. And I have just found that that doesn’t translate well into a courtroom until the client or the lawyer have earned it.”
“What are you going to law school for? You’re going to learn how to think, you’re hoping to pick up some substance to help you on the bar exam, period. Law schools very much care about their bar passage rate and since the bar is the threshold now, that’s why I think our education is so limited.”
“We are probably facing the single greatest attack on the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary that we have ever seen. Our federal legislature has kind of abdicated their power to the executive branch. The courts are all that’s left. The threats on their family, the threats on their lives, the attacks in the press, we forget judges are human beings too.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Getting People to Change is the Hardest Part About Legal Tech Adoption ft. Carolyn Humpherys Jan 29, 2026

Change is always uncomfortable. But in today’s tech-driven world, it is necessary. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Joe Stephens and Adrian Cea welcome Carolyn Humpherys, Senior Consultant at Traveling Coaches, to explore the critical gap between implementing new technology and achieving genuine organizational adoption.
What You’ll Learn:

Why change management and strategic training are the secret weapons behind successful AI adoption in law firms
How to overcome the resistance that derails most digital transformation initiatives

How to identify and remove adoption barriers within your organization

The practical strategies for implementing emerging technologies like Microsoft Copilot and generative AI tools
Understand the pivotal role of prompt engineering in maximizing AI productivity

How to build a culture of innovation in traditionally risk-averse law firms

Changing is no longer a survival tactic. It’s a competitive advantage. Tune in to understand how you can leverage it.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Carolyn Humpherys
00:41 From Skepticism to Innovation: How Top Law Firms Embrace Change
08:40 Why Adoption, Not Implementation, Is the Real Challenge
12:56 Mastering AI Prompting & The "Questions Before You Begin" Technique
16:19 Measuring Success Beyond Time
25:02 Why Leadership Must Model Technology Adoption
29:49 How to Convert Tech Skeptics
32:41 The "Woo Factor" & Why it Beats Hierarchy
34:12 The Reasons Why Legal Tech Implementation Fails
38:03 The Science of Hiring to Build High-Performing Teams
39:49 Why Proof-of-Concepts Should Empower End-Users
43:28 Carolyn’s Hottest Take: Democratizing AI Access
45:14 Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

"I would say the most common gap is to be able to execute change, to get adoption of whatever that change is. Maybe it's a workflow, maybe it's taking advantage of new technologies. Whatever that change is, firms struggle to get everybody going in the same direction and to get that adoption because adoption only happens when the majority of people within that organization choose to change and it is a choice, right?”
“If it's wrong to do it yourself, it's wrong to do it using AI. We would never put case law into a brief that we haven't shepherdedized, that we haven't looked up and validated word for word, that we got that quote right, that we know for sure that it's accurate.
“I think that the trap is they think that there's one magic prompt that's going to spit out a perfect answer and it doesn't work that way. You may need to iterate your way through it. You may need to ask some follow-up questions. A little trick that I like to use is at the end of my prompt, ask AI, "What questions do you have before you begin?”
“We need to see our leaders using technology, following the rules, following that knowledge management, all of those rules, because if they're not doing it, guess what? Their lawyers that report to them aren't going to do it either.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Retaining Top Legal Talent in 2026: The Playbook by Karen Mesmer Jan 22, 2026

Retaining top legal talent often feels like an uphill climb. Unless you have Karen Mesmer’s playbook. In this episode of Between the Briefs, Karen, Legal Services Manager at Shook, Hardy and Bacon, joins hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens to explore how premier litigation firms are evolving their operations in the face of technological disruption.
What You’ll Learn:

How to evaluate AI tools without replacing institutional knowledge
The essential soft skills that no technology can replicate

Why technical fluency in platforms like Excel and document management systems is now table stakes

The retention secret of fostering a culture of deliberate care and shared responsibility
How to structure career pathways that grow talent internally

The discipline of vendor evaluation & prioritizing transparency and fair value exchange

The legal industry is nothing without its people. So, it’s time we started paying attention to them.
Highlights:

00:00 Introduction & Meeting Karen Mesmer
03:00 Behind Karen’s Four Decades of Legal Innovation
04:45 Why Energy and Soft Skills Beat Credentials
06:06 Navigating the Tech Transitions of Legal
10:56 Hiring, Firing, Manners and Accountability
17:20 AI as Enhancement, Not Replacement: The Future of Legal Work
20:46 Digital Literacy as Table Stakes for Modern Operations
21:53 The Secret to Career Advancement in Law Firms
24:33 Lessons from the Paralegal Years: Presence and Boundaries
27:47 Professional Development and Internal Growth Pathways
29:30 Vendor Fatigue and Transparent Technology Evaluation
33:21 Building Cultures Where Nobody Leaves: The Shook Model
36:21 Preparing Your Successor and Planning for Transition
37:18 Karen’s Hot Take: Protecting Young People from Irreversible Decisions
38:52 Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

“Manners is another good one. You know, I think please and thank you go a long way. I sometimes have to, you know, do backspace, backspace and put in the word please because I'm shooting something off really fast. But I think those are important. I do think someone who cares about the firm and cares about the people that are on their team is really important.”
“The customer is always right, which means our clients, even if they're not right, they're right. You've got to know that because that's the way you need to treat them.”
“And when COVID happened, that took a nice chunk of business, you know, stopped it. And I can't remember if it was six months before we ever went back into the courtroom or maybe even longer, maybe it was a year, but no one got laid off. They made it work. I swear it's just a kindness that I see. And another thing is you'll see people who, you know, all of a sudden someone's got an emergency and so we'll send out some emails for help. Tons of people say, "I'll help.”
“You have to like change. I mean, there are some people that have probably never moved the furniture around in their house. And if they haven't, and they're not going to necessarily change in this environment, and this especially since COVID, this environment has really changed a bunch. And I've liked everything that has changed.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Law Firms Reject Innovation and How Ted Theodoropoulos Is Making Change Happen Jan 15, 2026

What’s it going to take for legal companies to wholeheartedly embrace legal technology? Social proof, as Ted Theodoropoulos, CEO of Infodash, puts it. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens, pick Ted’s brain about the tech reckoning the legal landscape is confronted with, today.
What You’ll Learn:

Why "Innovation Theater" still dominates big law and why that’s dangerous
Why change management is critical to successful AI adoption, not the tools
How Gen AI is forcing conversations about business models that should have happened years ago

The “social proof” strategy for legal tech vendors to sell successfully

The how and why of practical AI integration that doesn’t replace the human touch

How managed service organizations (MSOs), private capital, and emerging regulatory pathways are quietly restructuring legal service delivery

The legal landscape has essentially reached the point of no return. And, that’s a good thing.
Highlights:

00:00 Introduction & Meeting Ted Theodoropoulos
02:03 Ted’s Podcasting Story & The Legal Innovation Spotlight
04:18 Innovation Theater is a Real Thing in Legal
12:14 Why Law Firms Resist Standardization
18:00 Building Social Proof is the Only Way for Legal Tech Adoption
20:26 Why Does Anyone Need an Intranet?
22:38 Measuring Success Beyond Page Views and Usage Data
28:06 How Venture Capital Is Reshaping Legal Tech Competition
32:06 Blending Generative AI with Human Legal Expertise
35:58 The Advantage of Vertical Focus Over Horizontal Expansion
39:00 Podcasting Lessons: Adapting Communication Style for Maximum Engagement
41:18 Ted’s Hot Take: The Business Model Reckoning & Why Law Firms Must Invest 10% in Tech
46:12 The Consolidation Wave Legal Can’t Ignore
47:19 Key Takeaways: Trust, Focus, and Structural Innovation in Legal Tech
Quotes:

"There's been a lot of innovation theater in legal where innovation titles were handed out, but firms weren't fully committed to innovating, especially at a foundational level. Until you've got buy-in at the top, which is now starting to happen because AI has really forced their hand.”
"The reason that law firms are so resistant to change and tech adoption is the bespoke nature of legal work. It's historically been an artisan craft. You can take lawyers in the same firm, in the same practice, and they are going to do things completely differently, with their own precedent documents that they use as starting points. They have their own little org structure, how they leverage paralegals, their own processes, how they engage with clients."
"I always say, law firms don't buy tech - they buy social proof. You have to build that book of social proof before you'll really get at-bats with the biggest firms. Most vendors have to work their way up the ladder incrementally and eat table scraps in the beginning until they build. And you have to build that book of social proof before you'll really get at bats with the biggest firms."
"Buying the tech is the easy part. It's the change management discipline that has to come along with the tech that is going to ultimately determine whether something becomes shelfware or generates great ROI for the firm.”
"I think the number one attribute is focus. Vendors who come into this space with a horizontal focus don't do well, it's the ones who jump all in because that legal resume is so important. If you're in it long enough and become a student of the industry, you become an advisor beyond just whatever it is your technology does.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Attorney Work Styles Framework: What Kind of Lawyer Are You, Really? Jan 08, 2026

In this special episode of Between the Briefs, Adrian Cea sits down with Dylan Ruga, Carly Savar, and Joe Stephens to unpack Steno’s new Attorney Work Styles Framework - a quiz that reveals whether you’re a Research Commander, Strategic Architect, Courtroom Dynamo, or Narrative Weaver.
What You’ll Learn:

How the four attorney archetypes work and why none of them is “the best”
Why a Research Commander’s strength in precedent can become a limitation without strategy
How Strategic Architects see three to four steps ahead and keep cases moving

The real-world pressure (and burnout risk) behind being a Courtroom Dynamo
Why Narrative Weavers win hearts and how to avoid falling in love with the wrong story

Where hallway settlements actually happen and why soft skills matter in court

How lawyers evolve across archetypes as their careers change

The value of pairing opposite styles to build stronger legal teams

Why the most effective lawyers blend story, law, preparation, and adaptability

The result of the quiz is less about personality typing and more about awareness, growth, and building better legal teams.
Highlights:
00:00 – Introduction
01:15 – Breaking Down the Four Archetypes
03:22 – Carly: Why I Wanted to Be a Courtroom Dynamo
04:28 – Dylan: From Sports to Strategy in the Law
05:33 – Joe: Teaching, Trials, and 11 Ironmans
11:20 – Working With Different Styles (And Friction)
15:03 – Which Archetype Do Top Lawyers Usually Land In?
22:58 – Downsides: When Your Strength Becomes a Weakness
26:42 – Clients, Conflict, and Totally Different Perspectives
32:32 – Why Work Styles Matter When Building Legal Teams
38:29 – Avoiding Echo Chambers (And Finding Honest Feedback)
40:56 – Final Thoughts: AI, Soft Skills, and the Future of Lawyers
Quotes:

“Someone once described being in trial to me as, you know, having to make a decision, a pretty important decision every ten, fifteen, twenty seconds all day for as long as the trial goes on.” - Joe Stephens
“Being a strategic architect is great if everything works out the way that you hope it'll work out, but it never does.” - Dylan Ruga
“So, having that difference of opinion, I think can be really fruitful. And I think it's really important sometimes for lawyers to seek that out, just making sure that there is someone out there checking on you and making sure that what you're saying, and what you're thinking is coming through the way you think it is.” - Joe Stephens
“We don't lose sight of what the case law is while we're telling the stories that matter. It's who can think ahead, who can articulate what matters and go back to the fundamentals and make sure we're actually citing good law. I think that's going to rule the day…” - Carly Savar

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

AI Can’t Take a Lawyer’s Job. We’re Going to be Okay. ft. Christina Natale Jan 02, 2026

“We’re going to be okay” - sometimes that’s all we need to hear. In the latest episode of Between the Briefs, Christina Natale, Director of Legal Strategy & Solutions at HIKE2, sends this message to all lawyers living in the age of AI. Her mantra is simple - AI cannot practice law the way lawyers do. But it can change how it is practiced.
What You’ll Learn:

How to map your current workflow before selecting technology

Why niche, single-purpose tools often outperform comprehensive case management platforms

The strategic discovery phase that prevents failed implementations

How to translate complex technology concepts for non-technical legal teams

Why workflow mapping reveals opportunities for AI and automation beyond initial assumptions

The business case for junior associates learning technology literacy alongside

This episode is the playbook you need to get legal AI/ tech right in 2026.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction
01:57 From Complex Litigation to Legal Operations: Christina's Career Journey
03:37 Case Management Solutions for Every Firm Size
05:30 What’s So Special About Operations?
10:57 Map Your Workflow Before Selecting Technology
14:07 Start with Niche, Single-Purpose Solutions First
17:04 When Your Team Gets Overwhelmed, Implement Technology
23:52 Translating Complex Technology Concepts for Legal Teams
27:33 Hike2's Full-Stack Approach: Strategic Advisory Through Implementation
32:33 Vetting and Recommending the Right Tools for Your Firm
37:18 Why Junior Associates Need Technology Literacy as Core Competency
41:01 The Future of Legal Operations: Agentic AI and Human Judgment
44:38 Christina’s Hot Take: AI Cannot Replace Lawyers
46:16 Key Takeaways & Final Thoughts
Quotes:

“If I'm gonna be back in the weeds and I really love and want to litigate at a high level and service my clients, how can I do that if we're not leveraging technology in a way that makes our lives easier and takes some of the tedious or repetitive tasks that are really important?”
“There has to be a better way and understanding it from that level of depth of knowing what we mean when we say law firm operations are managing cases, what really goes into the day to day, what resources our teams need.”
“I do think that innovation is critical to our profession. I think that it makes us better at serving our clients. I think that we're going to get to a really good place where we can hopefully find that and optimize that.”
“I've mentored law students since I've graduated. And, you know, the questions are always like, I don't know what I want to do, like what type of law do I want to practice, et cetera. And like almost any lawyer you know, or anyone who's come from being a lawyer into some transition could tell you that they're not doing anything that they thought they'd be doing when they were in law school. I don't mean this in a negative way, they're probably not doing anything they learned in law school.”
“I don't think we'll ever be in a place where AI is capable of practicing law in the way that we think of. I keep seeing stuff on Reddit every day. It's like, look at all these people who are using AI to fight traffic tickets and break their leases and they're winning. But as lawyers, I do think again, and especially in more complex matters and matters that require expertise and experience, there's no substitute for that. There really just isn't.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Adam Maxwell on Why Employment Law Is About to Explode Dec 18, 2025

Employment law stands at the cusp of transformation in the age of AI, but poor hiring strategies could cost you everything. In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephen sit down with Adam Maxwell, litigation partner at Schoenberg Finkel Beederman Bell Glazer LLC, to explore why employment law compliance shouldn't stifle business growth, how to navigate non-competes across state lines and the critical softer skills that separate good lawyers from exceptional ones.
What You’ll Learn:

How to identify and close compliance gaps before they become costly liabilities:
Why credibility, not perfection, wins cases and mediations

The strategic framework for evaluating non-competes in a patchwork regulatory environment
How to screen clients early by establishing candor as a non-negotiable condition
The business development principle of selective growth over rapid expansion
Why AI efficiency gains should reduce client costs, not firm profits

If you’ve been looking for actionable insights to stay ahead of compliance gaps before they become costly litigation, this is the conversation for you.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Adam Maxwell
00:01 From Accidental Law Student to Litigation Partner
00:06 Employment Law in a Highly Aware Workforce
00:10 AI's Role in Legal Literacy and Client Preparation
00:06 Growth Exposes Compliance Gaps
00:08 Balancing Compliance Requirements With Business Innovation
00:10 Cryptocurrency Fraud, Limited Remedies and Recovery Challenges
00:14 Why Building a Book of Business is an Underappreciated Career Essential
00:16 Are Non-Competes in Flux Today?
00:21 How to Build an Employment Law Case Effectively
00:24 Why Emotional Intelligence Wins Cases
00:27 Deposition Mastery Requires Credibility Over Perfection
00:30 Selective Client Intake & Recognizing Red Flags Early
00:33 The Client Screening Process & When to Say No
00:36 The Billable Hour vs. AI Efficiency: Passing Savings to Clients
00:39 Adam’s Hot Take: Fire Fast, Hire Slow
00:40 Key Takeaways & Final Thoughts
Quotes:

“The business of law in a law firm environment for associates and for partners is in developing a book of business. So it's developing your own clients and there's a variety of advantages to that. You can sort of control what matters you work on, and what the demands of your practice are."
“In my view, the moment that a judge or a jury thinks that a witness is just reciting lines, they have lost credibility and credibility wins cases and loses cases. So the strategy that I use is to focus less on memorizing answers and more on understanding the themes. What you need to know is your story.”
“It's important to be able to be selective about your cases, and that changes in the trajectory of your career, right? When you first start trying to build a book of business, you're eager to take whatever, and solve whatever problems. But in my experience, most of the time, those cases where you're reluctant to take them at the beginning are the cases that are the biggest problems."
"It's not about being perfect, it's about being credible. And what they will not forgive is a lie, and they will not forgive being deceptive."
"A lot of what I do and what lawyers do is they separate the emotion from the facts and from logic. And so, you know, a lot of it is disassociating emotions, and giving advice that is not based on emotions."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

AI’s Doesn’t Just Produce Faster Legal Work, It Produces Better Work: Insights from Daniel Schwarcz Dec 11, 2025

We’ve all heard that AI can make lawyers better at their jobs. But now there’s data-backed research to prove it. And now, there’s research to prove it. In the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Daniel Schwarcz, Professor at University of Minnesota, to discuss the groundbreaking paper, “AI-Powered Lawyering” and its empirical findings on how certain AI tools are reshaping legal practice.
What You’ll Learn:

How retrieval-augmented generation transforms legal research
Why reasoning models like O1 Preview outperform traditional language models for legal analysis
The critical distinction between efficiency gains and quality improvements
How to identify tasks where AI adds meaningful value versus areas requiring caution
Why relying on AI without domain expertise creates ethical liability

The emerging labor market realities for junior attorneys

Every lawyer needs proof - this study is all the evidence you could need about AI use in today’s legal landscape.
Highlights:

00:00 Introduction & Meeting Professor Daniel Schwarcz
02:05 AI-Powered Lawyering: Reasoning Models and Retrieval-Augmented Generation
03:27 How Significant are Productivity and Quality Gains?
08:19 Research Trade-Offs & Developing AI Use as a Skill
11:22 Retrieval-Augmented Generation & Its Role in Legal Research
13:51 How Reasoning Models Enhance Legal Analysis Rigor
15:30 Why Empirical Evidence is Crucial in the Age of AI
19:12 Critical Ethical Considerations When Deploying AI Legal Tools
22:14 Why AI Effectiveness Varies by Task: The NDA Drafting Paradox
29:55 AI in Legal: We Don’t Know What the Future Holds
34:58 Daniel’s Hot Take: The Labor Market Disruption
40:15 The Future of Legal Practice: Automation, New Business Models, and Opportunity
45:30 Key Takeaways and the Path Forward for Legal Professionals
Quotes:

“We found significant improvement in efficiency, but where we really saw differences in how human lawyers who had these tools performed was in the quality of their work. Not only were the folks who participated in our study performing and providing us with legal work really quickly relative to those without AI, but they were providing better work.”
“These tools are really powerful right now in terms of helping many younger lawyers with very common tasks and tasks that require a significant amount of intellectual rigor and analytical depth. Our participants in general reported increased personal satisfaction in completing the tasks with AI compared to not AI. They felt it was empowering.”
“What the empirical evidence does is it grounds us in where we are now and where we were a few months ago. And that’s really important because there’s a tremendous amount of hype around AI and a tremendous amount of skepticism around AI.”
“AI can give you answers that seem really good, but they may not always be really good if you are not an expert in the field. The ideal world where AI is most useful is for people who are already experts, who already understand a problem, who are using AI to help them produce an answer.”
“Do I worry that AI in five years, ten years is going to really change the practice of lawyering and maybe even make certain jobs completely automated? Yeah, I do. We are trying to see if we can get an AI system that can provide effective legal advice to small business startups. That would do everything that a lawyer would do.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

How Legal Tech and Grit Inspire $7-Figure Personal Injury Verdicts: Tyler Barnett’s Story Dec 04, 2025

What does it take to land some of the biggest personal injury verdicts in history? Tyler Barnett, an accomplished attorney at Yuhl | Carr LLP, spills the beans in the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno. Tune in as hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Tyler to explore the critical elements required to build a thriving boutique practice.
What You’ll Learn:

How to filter cases with precision and why turning down over 95% of incoming cases could be a good thing
Why establishing attorney-led client relationships from intake is non-negotiable
The psychological framework for jury connection and why storytelling plays such a big role
How to conduct investigations proactively before filing suit.
Why video deposition records matter more than transcripts and the credibility they bring
The responsible AI strategy for litigation and the importance of developing custom AI models
How trial functions as the great equalizer in litigation
The imperative to prioritize craft mastery over technology adoption

This episode is a masterclass in creating the perfect success formula to winning (for your clients and for yourself) in personal injury law.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Tyler Barnett
01:50 What Drives a Personal Injury Attorney
02:25 Why Being Selective About Clients is a Good Thing
03:20 When Red Flags Matter: Learning from High-Value Case Mistakes
06:18 From Criminal Courts to Civil Practice: Tyler's Professional Evolution
09:45 Trial Strategy: Collaborative Approaches and Jury Psychology
12:23 Why Video Depositions are More Valuable Than Transcripts
13:42 AI in Legal Practice: Responsible Integration and Custom Frameworks
16:48 The Real Consequences of Judicial Sanctions and AI Hallucinations
17:59 Technology's Impact on Human Skills and Grit
21:28 Teaching Younger Attorneys Active Listening
23:02 Why Every Case Is Not Worth Millions
24:24 Client Intake Guidance: What to Look for in Your Attorney
26:10 Pre-Filing Investigation: EDR Data, Witness Interviews and Due Diligence
28:00 AI, Contingency Fees & The Economics of Modern Litigation
30:21 Managing Expectations Between Client Consent and AI Transparency
32:07 Why Trial is the Great Equalizer
34:23 Building Investigator Relationships: Twenty Years of Trust
35:38 Humanizing Case Narratives and the Importance of Storytelling
38:28 Tyler’s Hot Take: Mastering Your Craft Above All Else
39:27 Closing Thoughts
Quotes:

“I've always hated bullies and institutional hypocrisy, and I wanted to be able to fight for victims of those two things, especially the people that couldn't fight for themselves. I like being my own boss and I like being able to pick the cases that I'm going to pursue so I can dig into the people that I believe are deserving.”
“I turn down about 95 plus percent of the cases that come in the door. Obviously what I'm looking for at first is whether or not the case has merit. The relationship that I'm going to have with the client is going to be long and involved, and I need to gauge what kind of person this client is.”
“In order to develop that relationship and that trust, the attorney needs to be hands on from the beginning. Ultimately it comes down to them trusting you, and you have to start in the beginning at earning that trust. The only way to do that is by directly communicating with the potential client before the case is taken on.”
“AI is only as good as what you feed it, and you have to know what you're feeding it so you can trust the outcome. People want AI to generate something and it's really not work product. You just have to be careful and you can't just rely. Knowledge comes from experience and not from technology.”
“The courtroom is the grand equalizer. It doesn't matter how big that defendant is. It could be General Motors or Philip Morris, but there's only one person on their behalf that can be speaking at a time in that courtroom. That is the perfect example of what can be accomplished in a courtroom.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

AI Won’t Replace You. But Lawyers Using AI Will: Game-Changing Insights from Kellam T. Parks Nov 27, 2025

Contrary to popular belief, AI won’t replace lawyers. But it’s important to remember that lawyers who use AI are a formidable opponent. In the latest episode of Between the Briefs, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Kella T. Parks, Managing Member at Parks Ziegler, to explore how AI and modern technology are reshaping law firm economics, why legacy systems are costing you more than you realize and the concrete strategies to future-proof your practice.
What You’ll Learn:

How to transition from billable hours to alternative fee arrangements using AI efficiencies
Why digital court reporting and AI-powered document review can reduce paralegal costs by 80-90% while improving accuracy
The three-step framework for law firms beginning their technology transformation
How to build a modern law firm using KPIs and business metrics across five key areas: financial, operational, marketing, employee satisfaction, and client satisfaction
The critical gap between technological fluency and business acumen in newly licensed attorneys
Why "AI will replace lawyers using AI, but not AI itself" and how to future-proof your practice

This conversation reveals all the perks of embracing technology - a reminder that it can transform your profitability, client service and quality of life tomorrow.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Kellam T. Parks

01:44 From Philosophy Major to Tech-Forward Law Firm Pioneer

03:00 The Competitive Edge: Building a Paperless Practice

04:25 Cloud-Based Systems and Digital Court Reporting Revolutionize Litigation

07:55 Hiring the Right Tech-Forward Talent

09:32 AI-Powered Document Reviews Reduce Paralegal Costs by 85-90%

13:17 Three-Step Technology Foundation for Modern Law Firms

18:09 Multi-Channel Marketing Strategy for Legal Services

20:40 Tech Skills vs. Business Acumen in New Associates

23:45 The Business of Law: Mindset, Fulfillment, and Strategic Planning

31:02 Avoiding Shiny Object Syndrome + Making Smart Tech Investments

34:37 AI Will Replace Those Who Don't Adapt

38:13 The PCRO Prompting Framework: Precision in AI-Powered Work

42:44 Kellam’s Hot Take: Lawyers Are Missing the AI Revolution

43:55 Key Takeaways: Modernizing Legal Practice for the Future
Quotes:

"I started my own firm in 2012, in large part, because I wanted to embrace modern technologies and sort of figure out a more modern way to practice law."
"We're a technologically forward company. If you're not comfortable with technology and learning new things and being willing to experiment and take the time to learn, this is not the right fit for you. We tell them right away, this is what we're about, and we actually do paid time at the firm to walk them through and see that."
"Step one is find somebody that knows what they're doing to protect yourself and educate you on the basics. Step two is be curious - I'm a YouTube junkie and I follow thought leaders in AI and technology space. Step three is join groups and get coaching, because no elite athlete is where they are without coaching."
"AI isn't gonna replace lawyers necessarily, but lawyers that use AI are gonna replace lawyers that don't. Document review, contract drafting, simple wills - there's no way AI isn't gonna completely replace lawyers doing that. Your value will shift to litigation, personal connections, and strategy rather than basic document creation."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

A U.S Magistrate Judge’s Guide to Win the Legal AI Game: Insights from Judge Allison Goddard Nov 20, 2025

Moving from receptionist to federal magistrate judge is the kind of journey we see on the silver screen. For Allison Goddard, U.S. Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of California, that’s just life. And, for us on Between the Briefs by Steno, it's proof that embracing serendipity, maintaining genuine human connection and leveraging emerging technologies can fundamentally reshape legal practice and judicial efficiency.
What You’ll Learn:

How to establish authentic relationships with litigants in settlement conferences

The role of facilitating psychological safety in in settlement cases

Why "baby rattlesnake" lawyers (mid-level associates with full venom but no regulatory control) require different mentorship strategies

The art of “balanced advocacy” that acknowledges opposing perspectives

How AI functions as a thought partner rather than a decision-maker for judges and attorneys

Why mandatory AI disclosure requirements are counterproductive

The "authenticity imperative" for legal professionals over the next AI-driven decade

How transparency and approachability in judicial opinions strengthen public confidence in the judiciary

From candid insights on building credibility with litigants to the critical importance of maintaining human-centered legal practice as technology transforms the profession, this episode uncovers it all.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Meeting Judge Allison Goddard

02:44 From Receptionist to Federal Judge: An Unconventional Path

04:36 Understanding the Magistrate Judge Role and Settlement Strategy

10:50 Private vs. Public Law: The Ebbs and Flows

17:24 Building Authentic Relationships to Facilitate Settlement

20:23 Recognizing the "Baby Rattlesnake" Phase in Legal Practice

24:08 AI as a Thought Partner: Practical Applications for Litigation

27:16 Why Mandatory AI Disclosure Requirements Backfire

32:33 Preventing Complacency: Maintaining Human Oversight of AI Tools

36:32 The Future of Legal Practice: Authenticity as Competitive Advantage

40:31 The Judiciary's Role in American Society and Public Trust

41:19 Judge Allison’s Hot Take: Authenticity Will Reign Supreme

44:15 Key Takeaways & Final Thoughts
Quotes:

“When I first got on the bench, people would say, how is your stress level? It must be so stressful to be a judge. And I would say it's like kindergarten because I don't have the stress of being on the receiving end of nasty emails about a discovery dispute.”
“I call the mid-level associate the baby rattlesnake phase because, I don't even know if this is true, but it's the myth here that baby rattlesnakes have all the venom, but none of the ability to regulate it. And that's kind of like that band of lawyers - where you haven't had enough experience to recognize what's important and what’s not.”
“I think if you're going into deposition these days and you've got a client that you're defending and you haven't at least done that, it's going to become kind of malpractice not to be prepared that way.”
“I think that the most important quality that successful people are going to have over the next 10 to 20 years is authenticity. And I think we're going to have to find a way to be our real selves. Which also means that we have to work on being better selves.”
“Well, I'm from a big family in Tennessee and there were no lawyers in my family but I always had a strong sense of right and wrong and justice. And I, also think all of my siblings will tell you, I was always pushing against power. So that was something that I always did from a young age.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Building a Law Practice Makes You a Better Lawyer: Eye-Opening Perspectives from Scott C. Pappas Nov 13, 2025

In the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Scott C. Pappas, Managing Partner at Omnus Law to unpack the ins and outs of building an innovative firm that is revolutionizing the legal industry through their metaverse-based workplace, transparent billing structure, and commitment to attorney well-being.
What You’ll Learn:

How to build a successful remote-first law firm using metaverse technology for lawyer collaboration
Why the traditional billable hour model is being challenged by client demands for transparency and value-based billing
How ‘grace’ and ‘kindness’ are key to building a sustainable law firm culture in a virtual environment
How to leverage AI responsibly in legal practice while maintaining high-quality client service
Why law firm innovation requires both technological advancement and cultural transformation
The importance of work-life balance in attorney retention and how to structure a firm that prioritizes well-being
How to transition from traditional practice models to more flexible, technology-driven approaches without sacrificing quality
The future of legal practice management and why big law firms may need to adapt or risk shrinking

If you’re interested in being a lawyer of the future, this episode offers a compelling vision of how technology and human-centered practices are reshaping the future of law.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction & Omnus Law's Innovation

02:00 From Financial Motivation to Finding Purpose in Legal Practice

05:48 Founding Autism Behavioral Wellness: Legal Impact Beyond Practice

10:25 Why Lawyers Should Dedicate Themselves to Their Purpose

14:20 Revolutionizing Remote Work Through the Metaverse Platform

19:50 Building a Culture of Grace and Kindness in Virtual Law Practice

22:35 Transforming Legal Billing & Solving the $3000/Hour Problem

26:26 Practical Steps for Law Firms to Embrace Innovation

31:02 Prioritizing Attorney Wellbeing in Modern Legal Practice

34:12 Future Growth and International Expansion Plans

39:30 Scott’s Hot Take: The Future of Big Law and Client Expectations
Quotes:

"If you live like a lawyer when you're a student, you're going to live like a student when you're a lawyer. I will tell you, the novelty of the money wears off when you're miserable at your desk."
"I'm not positioning lawyers for success at Omnus. I'm positioning them for fulfillment in the practice of law. So what does that mean? It's practicing great law, but being able to enjoy a great life outside of the law."
"A lot of people feel that in order to be a great lawyer, it has to involve great personal sacrifice. And you could be committed to the practice, but at what point did it require us to give up everything else around us to thrive as a lawyer?"
"Law firms traditionally don't bill well - they may bill a lot, but we've institutionalized practices that allow us to communicate in real time any changes in scope of the engagement, any changes in budget, any changes in personnel handling the matter. The billable hour incentivizes the wrong behavior. Our process is really designed to minimize the friction between attorneys and clients."
"A lot of law firms talk about change, but are really reluctant. When we think about innovation, innovation isn't an act - innovation is a mindset. I would encourage those law firms to start their own innovation lab, looking at every operational process that's manual in their law firm and seeing what can be automated."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Mindfulness and Juvenile Justice with Judge Frank Szymanski Nov 06, 2025

In this episode of Between the Briefs, Adrian Cea speaks with Judge Frank Szymanski, a longtime juvenile court judge in Detroit. Frank shares how trauma shapes behaviour, why courts must ask “what was done to them?”, and how mindfulness-based interventions in schools and courts cut costs while improving outcomes. From yoga to evidence-backed meditation programmes, his focus is simple: deliver peace first, and better decisions follow.
With decades of experience in law and education, Judge Frank Szymanski has become a leading voice in conscious justice and youth rehabilitation. As a juvenile court judge, author of Identity Design: Design the Identity You Need to Get the Life You Want, and a motivational speaker, he blends legal insight with human development. Beyond the courtroom, Frank works with schools, community programmes, and mindfulness organisations to build systems that prioritise prevention over punishment. His ongoing mission: bring peace to chaotic lives and teach both citizens and professionals to train the mind daily, because, as he says, “our minds deserve the same care as our teeth.”
Highlights:
[00:00] Intro
[00:53] From teacher and hockey coach to lawyer and judge
[05:00] Discovering the real goal: bringing peace to chaotic lives
[07:00] Writing Identity Design and the power of ownership and service
[10:00] Why yoga became his bridge between anger and calm
[13:00] Visiting the Enlightened Sentencing Project in St. Louis and witnessing transformation
[16:00] Teaching meditation to juvenile offenders and seeing real results
[18:00] Presenting mindfulness to skeptics: the toothbrush analogy
[21:00] The science behind 80% negative thoughts and emotional regulation as a superpower
[23:00] Case study: how a Florida school turned an F into an A through daily mindfulness
[25:00] Preventing incarceration by building peace early in schools and communities
[29:00] The biggest misconception about juvenile court: “what was done to them”
[33:00] Why empathy, listening, and service make better lawyers than knowing the law alone
[37:00] Judge Frank’s “7–60 Mad Minute” mental training plan
[39:00] Closing thoughts and how to connect with Judge Frank
Quotes:

“When a kid comes into juvenile court, the question is not just what have they done, you gotta ask, well, what was done to them.”
“These people that are in this courtroom, they need to experience some peace because their lives are so chaotic and so traumatic. My whole drive ever since I became a juvenile court judge has been to find ways to deliver some sort of sense of peace.”
“I tell people, when you get control of your emotions, that’s like a superpower. That is amazing. And this is what meditation can do for us.”
“We brush our teeth every day. Why don’t we do something every day for our mind? Isn’t our mind a lot more important than our molars and our bicuspids?”
“We spend thousands of dollars on these kids that nobody paid attention to helping until they were already carjacking somebody or they murdered somebody… I wanna put juvenile judges and courts outta business because if all the schools start doing these things, they won’t want to go out and carjack somebody.”
“You gotta know the law, but the main thing you need to know if you’re gonna be a lawyer, it’s a people business. And to be a great lawyer, you have to be a great listener.”
“There’s an old saying that if you’re too busy to take 10 minutes to meditate, then you should take 20.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

A Paralegal’s Journey Into the Multi-Million Dollar Cannabis Industry with Samantha Misch Oct 30, 2025

Every single organization in the world needs a regulatory body that monitors compliance and ethics. Even cannabis companies. In this riveting episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Samantha Misch, Senior Paralegal at Green Thumb Industries, for an insightful discussion on navigating the evolving intersection of law and cannabis compliance.
What You’ll Learn:

The unique skills it takes to make it as a paralegal in today’s tech-driven world
Why the role of a paralegal is crucial to the business of cannabis today

How to walk the line between traditional legal work and emerging technologies

How to approach and keep up with regulatory changes in the cannabis industry
The valuable strategies for career advancement in legal operations
Using technology to drive your growth as a paralegal, regardless of where you are in your career

Why the human element is a non-negotiable for paralegals today

Tune in to explore the fascinating intersection of law and the cannabis industry, and the equally fascinating role of paralegals in it all.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction to Between the Briefs

00:44 From Night School to Senior Paralegal: Sam’s Career Journey

02:07 The Power of Transparency in Professional Growth

03:14 The Multifaceted Role of Modern Paralegals

05:39 Leading the Illinois Paralegal Association

07:30 Technology's Impact on the Paralegal Profession

08:45 Inside Green Thumb Industries: Cannabis Compliance

13:58 Day-to-Day Operations of a Legal Operations Paralegal

17:10 Essential Documentation Strategies for Success

19:01 Strategic Career Entry Points for New Paralegals

20:54 AI's Role in the Future of Paralegal Work

26:11 The State of Paralegal Associations Post-2020

29:20 Leadership Journey in Professional Organizations

32:59 Final Thoughts: Staying Ahead in Legal Tech

Quotes:

"I think it's important for paralegals to be able to know a little bit of everything. I don't think you need to be a master of all things, but you need to have familiarity with a broad range of topics to be successful."
"AI cannot replace a paralegal. It could definitely streamline some processes and maybe help with creating a more efficient workload, but it can't replace the person that has to pick up the phone and talk to a client."
"The paralegals are the backbone or the silent helper in the room, and oftentimes, I feel like they have more of the small detailed knowledge that maybe the attorneys don't get a chance to see."
"I always tell people that I wouldn't jump to just a paralegal role. There's so many other roles that you can have, like a legal assistant or even a legal secretary. It's a really good way to get your foot in the door, get the experience, and understand how processes work."

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

How AI Is Re-Engineering Knowledge Management in Law Firms with Evan Shenkman Oct 23, 2025

In this episode of Between the Briefs, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens talk with Evan Shenkman, Chief Knowledge and Innovation Officer at Fisher Phillips. Evan shares how disciplined knowledge management, clean data, and responsible AI are transforming legal operations, from enterprise search and expert-finding to the next frontier of “ambient AI” that anticipates lawyer needs in real time.
With a decade of experience as a practising labour and employment attorney, Evan Shenkman has become one of the leading voices in legal innovation. As Chief Knowledge & Innovation Officer at Fisher Phillips, he has built and scaled the firm’s knowledge management, data analytics, and AI infrastructure, most notably leading the first firm-wide deployment of Casetext’s CoCounsel, a GPT-4-powered legal assistant. Recognised as ILTA’s Innovative Leader of the Year and among the Lawdragon 100 AI & Legal Tech Advisors, Evan’s work has redefined how large law firms capture institutional knowledge, enhance efficiency, and deliver client value through responsible AI adoption.
Highlights:

[00:00] Intro

[00:53] Evan’s path from litigator to innovation leader

[06:44] What knowledge management really means in legal practice

[08:04] Collaborating with attorneys to prioritise firm knowledge

[10:03] Enterprise search & expert-finding at Fisher Phillips

[12:53] Why good time entries create better data and better experts

[14:27] Cleaning and connecting data across firm systems

[20:21] KM as the foundation for responsible AI

[22:34] How AI reshapes productivity and revenue

[26:54] Driving adoption through training and AI policy

[31:07] Developing, updating, and enforcing responsible AI use

[35:27] Balancing innovation speed with stability

[37:15] Evan’s hottest take: the rise of ambient and agentic AI

Quotes:

“KM is the foundation, the AI and the innovation is the application of that, right? You can't do a fancy AI-powered chatbot unless it's trained on really good information under the hood.”
“The innovation portion, which is just trying to have our attorneys do better stuff, different stuff, be more efficient, do things in a better, smarter, faster way going forward, figuring out what's around the corner, all of that works so much better with a foundation of good KM. And there so many people that say, hey, I would love to now create a chat out of all my firm's information. Great, where is your firm's information? Is it all up to date? Is it all accurate? Or is it all just in a big mush of some stuff is out of date, some stuff is accurate, some stuff is good, some stuff is not… If you're trying to point AI or gen AI at that, it'll do a horrible job.”
“Ambient AI right now that's able to say, know what Evan probably needs because I just heard Adrian say something, Evan needs to know this and here it is Evan, right? … that makes me smarter in real time, right? And I didn't need to prompt, I didn't need to ask, I didn't need to go into a tool… And when you add agentic flows into this, where it can actually make judgment calls… I think is the next big thing.”
“This is the most exhilarating and exhausting time to be in legal innovation…everything is moving so quickly.”

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Evolution of Legal Marketing: Why Being ‘The Best’ Isn’t Enough Anymore with Michael Mellor Oct 16, 2025

In the rapidly evolving legal landscape, a firm’s attention to legal marketing vs. the lack of it could be the difference between its success and its failure. On the latest episode of Between the Briefs, host Adrian Cea sits down with Michael Mellor, Founder of 742 Advisors, and a legal marketing expert to talk about transforming law firm marketing and business development strategies for small and mid-sized firms.
What You’ll Learn:

How to differentiate your legal practice in an oversaturated market through a unique selling proposition
Why traditional law firm marketing approaches are becoming obsolete in today's digital-first buyer journey
How to leverage AI and technology for efficient client relationship management without overwhelming attorneys
Why firm-wide accountability and leadership buy-in are crucial for successful marketing initiatives
The critical balance between maintaining legal expertise and developing business acumen in modern law practice
Why data-driven decision making is essential for convincing attorneys to adopt new marketing approaches

Tune in for insights on implementing effective marketing systems and changing traditional mindsets about legal business development.
Highlights:
00:00 Introduction01:34 From Finance to Law: A Strategic Communications Journey07:08 Walking Into a Room of Millionaires and Telling Them They're Wrong15:30 The Ikigai Framework: Finding Your Firm's True Identity21:13 The "Best Litigator in New York" Myth27:34 The Ferrari in First Gear: Why Expensive Tech Fails37:30 The Art of Disqualifying Clients42:25 Michael's Hot Take: Know Where the Puck's Going or You're Going Down45:19 Next Episode Preview
Quotes:

"I don't think that any consultant is coming up with anything extraordinarily innovative - it's really about how do you implement it in my firm. I think that's really what separates good consultants from great consultants because you can look at something from 10,000 feet away and say, well, this is easy."

2. "You can't be a generalist. You can't know everything, you can't wait for your phone to ring, you can't be the best litigator in New York. You gotta put together a plan, you gotta focus on things, you've gotta shut out the noise, and you gotta be consistent."
3."I talk to litigators, and I say, what do you wanna be? I wanna be the best litigator in New York - I say, okay, that's built on zero proof. You are having difficulty differentiating yourself on this floor of litigators, and there's six law firms in my elevator bank, so we've already got 400 litigators."
4."Leadership is so mission critical in leading by example and not the old school of “do as I say, not as I do.” If you're not inputting your stuff, if you're not sending us your closed matters, if you're not doing this stuff and you're yelling at everyone else too, that word gets out. You just watch it crumble."Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

How AI Is Transforming Employment Law and What You Need to Know to Ride the Wave with Michael Sigall Oct 09, 2025

Employment law is evolving rapidly with technology, but are attorneys and employers keeping up? In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Michael Sigall, an associate at Seyfarth Shaw LLP, to explore the evolving landscape of employment law and workplace litigation. Michael shares invaluable insights on proactive legal strategies for employers, the impact of remote work on workplace disputes, and how AI is transforming legal practice. From documenting workplace interactions to navigating complex class action suits, this episode offers practical guidance for legal professionals and business owners alike.
Tune in to discover why proper employment documentation matters, how to effectively handle depositions in the digital age, and what the future holds for employment law in an AI-driven world.Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

No-Nonsense Perspectives on Building a 236-Partner Virtual Law Firm with Joel M. Ferdinand Oct 02, 2025

What does it take to be a rockstar modem trial lawyer in today’s day and age? A love for law, tech-forward curiosity and agile strategy - according to Joel M. Ferdinand, distinguished business trial lawyer and co-chairman at Pierson Ferdinand LLP. In this illuminating episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Joel to explore the evolution of modern litigation practices. Joel shares invaluable insights on handling sophisticated business disputes, leveraging AI in legal practice, and building a revolutionary partner-only law firm model.
Tune in to discover why the human element remains irreplaceable in litigation while learning how to effectively embrace technological advancement in today's legal landscape.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Data Beats AI in the Legal Tech Revolution with Ashley Gibbs Sep 25, 2025

So you’ve got the latest AI tools in your law firm’s arsenal. Now what? If you’re hoping AI reaches its potential without quality data, you’ve got another thing coming and Ashley Gibbs, Senior Director of Product Value, Engineers and Solution Sales Executives at Litera makes no bones about it on this episode of Between the Briefs. Tune in as she joins hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens to explore the critical intersection of legal technology and data management. Tune in to discover how law firms of any size can leverage AI-powered solutions to streamline workflows, enhance data accessibility, and improve client service delivery. Through the course of this conversation, Ashley shares invaluable insights from her extensive experience in both law firm operations and legal tech implementation, offering practical strategies for overcoming adoption challenges and maximizing technology investments in the legal sector.
AI can take you into the future only if it’s backed by great data. Listen in and get started!
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Law Firms Need COOs to Survive: The $1B Mid-Market Revolution with Amanda Koplos Sep 18, 2025

There’s a new C-Suite executive running the law firm game. Law firm operations are evolving beyond traditional management, with COOs emerging as crucial leaders in driving profitability and innovation in the legal industry. And, we’re exploring this phenomenon in the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno. Join hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens as they sit down with Amanda Koplos, COO at Shuffield, Lowman and Wilson, PA, for an illuminating discussion on law firm operations and innovation. Backed by two decades of experience, Amanda shares invaluable insights on the future of billable hours, AI integration, and why mid-sized firms need strong operational leadership to survive.
This episode offers practical wisdom and unique insights on transforming law firms into profitable enterprises while maintaining quality client service.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

How AI Is Forcing Lawyers to Confront Law’s Biggest Hidden Crisis with Marla Crawford Sep 11, 2025

“There’s no stopping AI” - says Marla Crawford, General Counsel at Cimplifi in the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno. And like every good lawyer, she’s got the evidence to back up her statement. Drawing from her 35-year legal career spanning roles at Goldman Sachs and Jones Day, Marla shares invaluable insights on AI adoption in legal practice, the evolution of eDiscovery, and the future of legal operations. Tune in for practical wisdom on embracing AI while maintaining professional judgment, to understand why we're at a pivotal moment in legal technology and how professionals can successfully navigate this transformation.
This episode offers a thought-provoking perspective: the progress of AI and legal tech doesn’t mean the end of progress for lawyers and their practice.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Break the Spine of Legal Tech: Why Innovation Means Destroying Old Ways of Work with Katie DeBord Sep 04, 2025

What do the CIA and the legal tech revolution have in common? Katie DeBord. In the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome former CIA analyst, and current Vice President at DISCO, Katie DeBord for a candid and critical conversation on the state of legal tech today and its future. Together, they explore the intersection of law, technology, and innovation as Katie shares invaluable insights on leveraging AI in litigation, the evolution of legal technology, and the future of law firm structures. Tune in for an honest discussion about overcoming technological hesitancy, implementing AI solutions in practice, and her bold take on the potential deregulation of law firm ownership in the US.
Innovation is reshaping legal practice, and alongside, our approach to it.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Is This the End of Junior Associates? How AI is Disrupting Legal Career Paths: Insights from JP Son Aug 28, 2025

While tech experts took their time to build world-class AI systems, what were lawyers doing? The accelerated excellence of legal technology has uncovered the lack of legal craft and skill and it’s time for a major rethink. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome JP Son, Chief Legal Officer at Verbit, to explore how AI is transforming legal services, the evolution of legal tech, and the challenges of balancing innovation with traditional legal practice. From revolutionizing legal transcription services to navigating complex IP challenges in the AI era, JP shares invaluable insights on how artificial intelligence is reshaping the legal profession.
Tune in to discover why traditional legal training may need to evolve, how firms can embrace AI without stifling innovation, and what the future holds for legal professionals in an AI-driven world.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

How Gen AI Will Transform the Legal Industry Faster Than You Think: Insights from David Cohen Aug 21, 2025

The legal industry stands at a technological crossroads, with AI reshaping everything from document review to client service delivery. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with David Cohen, Senior Counsel at Reed Smith, to explore the evolution of legal technology over four decades, focusing on how AI is transforming E-Discovery and litigation practices.
It’s all about balancing innovation with client value, security considerations, and the evolving landscape of legal technology - tricky but possible!
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why 85% of Law Firms Fail at AI Adoption And How to Join the Elite 15%: The Playbook by Todd Itami Aug 14, 2025

There’s a lot of hype around AI in every industry, and legal is no exception. But a common phenomenon that accompanies said hype is the lack of real value from AI. How do lawyers and legal professionals ensure that legal tech is a useful addition in the workplace rather than a tool they’ll never spend on again? This episode of Between the Briefs by Steno unpacks that and more! Tune in as hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Todd Itami, Director of AI and eDiscovery Solutions at Covington and Burling, for an insightful discussion on how artificial intelligence is transforming legal practice, particularly in eDiscovery and information governance. Todd shares invaluable insights on fostering AI adoption, navigating cultural resistance, and maximizing eDiscovery efficiency through emerging technologies.
It’s all about balancing innovation with client value, security considerations, and the evolving landscape of legal technology - tricky but possible!
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Breaking Culture Barriers in Corporate Law & Driving Impact with Asari Aniagolu Aug 08, 2025

The intersection of international law, corporate leadership, and cultural impact may seem like a tricky and complex one to thrive in. But with the right tools in your kit, it can be THE place to thrive! In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Asari Aniagolu, an accomplished corporate attorney with extensive experience in international business operations and compliance, for an exploration into her journey from litigation to corporate law. Through this conversation, she shares valuable perspectives on balancing traditional legal practice with emerging AI technologies, maintaining client relationships across jurisdictions, and the evolving role of corporate counsel in an increasingly complex global landscape.
Tune in for actionable strategies to leverage deep legal expertise and cultural intelligence to drive impact in business while maintaining a commitment to community advocacy.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Leveraging AI’s Potential to Optimize Legal Research with Sean Fitzpatrick Jul 31, 2025

The delicate intersection between legal research and technology calls for legal professionals who are not only skilled but also can leverage technology to achieve their desired results and LexisNexis is at the cutting-edge of integrating AI into legal research to globally advance the justice system.
Tune into this latest episode of Between the Briefs, as hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit with Sean Fitzpatrick, CEO of LexisNexis North America, UK, and Ireland to dive into the company’s AI innovation journey, its security priorities, and commitment to make legal services more accessible and inclusive. If you’ve been looking for how to effectively and efficiently use technology for your legal research, this is the episode for you!
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Diffusing the Ticking Time Bomb of Data Protection: Actionable Insights from Patrick Austin Jul 24, 2025

Data runs our entire world, today. But the rules on how to preserve it and more importantly, protect it, aren’t nearly as water-tight as they should be. So, what can lawyers do about it? Tune into the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno as hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens set up the perfect deep dive into the intersection between technology and law, courtesy Patrick Austin, cybersecurity and data privacy counsel at Woods Rogers. From navigating state privacy laws to implementing effective cybersecurity protocols, Patrick shares invaluable insights on how law firms can proactively protect sensitive data while embracing technological innovation.
If you’re seeking to understand the intersection of AI and legal ethics, this episode offers practical strategies for balancing innovation with privacy compliance in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Providing High Value Representation, While Keeping It Personalized with Daniel Forouzan Jul 17, 2025

At the very heart of any case, lies the need to protect one’s client. But external variables and shifting priorities often tend to take over, leading to a lack of authenticity in representation. In the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Daniel Forouzan, Founder and Managing Partner of Forouzan Law APC, to discuss his approach to civil litigation, consumer law, and advocacy work in elder and child abuse cases. Daniel shares insights from his experience building a boutique practice focused on high-value, personalized representation.
Civil litigation excellence demands authenticity, thorough preparation, and genuine client advocacy - moving beyond cookie-cutter approaches to deliver meaningful legal representation. And, this conversation offers all the strategies to make that a reality.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Traditional Fee Models Are Dying and What AI Can Do About It: The Playbook by Kaweh Resasade Jul 10, 2025

In the legal industry today, one simply cannot afford to be afraid of AI anymore. Because it isn’t only changing the way law firms work and bill for their services, it’s changing the way lawyers bring their work to life. In the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens invite Kaweh Resasade, a dual-qualified competition lawyer and digital transformation expert, for an illuminating discussion on AI and blockchain's impact on the legal industry. From exploring how AI could revolutionize document review and email management to examining blockchain's potential for ensuring data integrity, this episode offers crucial insights into legal tech's future.
Listen in for the critical reminder on why law firms need to adapt their traditional billable hour model, how emerging technologies are reshaping client expectations, and what the next frontier of legal innovation might look like.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

How Prohibition Still Shapes Alcohol Laws Today with Jaci Flug Jul 03, 2025

Between The Briefs and hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens are back with a new guest - Jaci Flug, Partner at Greenspoon Marder LLP and one of the foremost legal minds in alcohol regulation and compliance. With a career that spans from prosecuting violent crime to advising startups on regulatory strategy, Jaci brings unmatched clarity to the complex world of alcohol law. Adrian, Joe, and Jaci dive into how post-Prohibition laws still shape everything from delivery policies to advertising rules, and why launching an alcohol tech company is far harder than it looks. From the three-tier system to hemp-derived beverages and on-premises tech, this episode is a must-listen for anyone curious about regulation, innovation, and how the legal landscape is adapting to new consumer behaviors.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Diverse Legal Teams Are An Advantage, Not a Checklist Item: Insights from Diana-Marie Laventure Jun 26, 2025

While the DEI priority comes into serious question, inside and outside the workplace, the numbers tell a different story. In this illuminating episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Diana-Marie Laventure, a senior associate at Kaufman Bergiste and Ryan LLP, to unpack the evolving landscape of employment law and DEI initiatives. From her journey as a prosecutor to becoming an employment litigation specialist, Diana-Marie shares invaluable insights on trial advocacy, the importance of diversity in legal practice, and the strategic integration of AI in law firms. This episode offers practical wisdom on building successful client relationships, maintaining professional poise, and embracing technological innovation while staying true to legal fundamentals.
If you think about it, diversity is in everything we do - from the people we work with to the range of technology we use. It’s the name of the game, today. So, why pretend otherwise?
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Lawyers Need to Chase Value Creation, Not AI: Strategic Insights from Neel Chatterjee Jun 19, 2025

Change is the only constant and being a good lawyer means being able to anticipate it, recognize it and find your place in it. In the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Neel Chatterjee, Partner at Goodwin Procter, to explore his remarkable journey from struggling law student to representing tech giants like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Nvidia. Neel shares invaluable insights on adapting to technological changes in legal practice, the art of storytelling in patent litigation, and the real challenges of working with major tech companies. From discussing the impact of AI on legal practice to addressing diversity in the profession, this conversation offers a candid look at how modern litigation is transforming while core legal principles remain constant.
Tune in for a masterclass on embracing change so you’re not left grappling with it.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

From Legal Technology to Prohibition Law: A Between the Briefs Retrospective with Adrian Cea & Joe Stephens Jun 12, 2025

If there’s one thing Between the Briefs delivers on, it’s offering thought-provoking perspectives to everyone in the legal industry. In this special mid-season recap, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens take a candid look back at their favorite moments and most impactful conversations, sharing surprising insights from their diverse guest lineup, blockchain's role in law firms, and fascinating historical perspectives on alcohol regulation.
In many ways, Between the Briefs acts as a mirror and crystal ball for the legal landscape - reflecting where it stands and pointing the way for where it needs to go.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Lawyers Need to Use AI to Get Their Marketing Right: Strategic Insights from Diana Khan Jun 05, 2025

As it stands, the industry today demands being comfortable with the uncomfortable, pushing every lawyer to be their own entrepreneur and their own marketer. In the latest episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Diana Khan, Owner & Attorney at Law, DK Law Group MD, for a mind-blowing conversation on the growth possibilities for lawyers today, and the strategies that make it possible. The trailblazing attorney and entrepreneur shares how she transformed her law practice by rejecting traditional approaches. From leveraging AI in every aspect of the business to building a thriving practice with non-traditional staff, Diana proves that there is power (and hidden profit) in challenging the status quo.
Tune in for a masterclass on transformation, embracing the good with the bad and identifying opportunities where they’re hard to find.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Human-First Approach to Trial Excellence with Jesse-Justin Cuevas May 29, 2025

There are many variables that determine the level of excellence a lawyer can reach. A big one is getting the right experience at the right time. In the latest episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens, welcome Jesse-Justin Cuevas, a Top 100 California trial lawyer and partner at Sussman Godfrey - a lawyer who proves the undeniable value of attorney development done right. Together, they unpack the evolution of trial practice, firm culture, and the importance of maintaining human connections in an increasingly digital legal landscape.
Backed by a stellar track-record, Jesse-Justin offers unique, counter-intuitive insights for lawyers across industries, driving home the fact that good lawyering goes hand in hand with good living.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Mastering the Human Dynamics of Construction Law: Insights from James Bremen May 15, 2025

What does it take to make it big and get it right in construction law? Knowledge and skill are only one small part; understanding human dynamics is the other big part. In this informative episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with one of construction law’s elite lawyers - James Bremen, Presiding Partner, Joseph Hage Aaronson & Bremen LLP, for a deep dive into the world of construction law. Together, they explore the intricate balance of legal expertise, strategic thinking, and deep understanding of human behavior - skills that are vital in solving international construction disputes
This episode goes far beyond construction law. It’s a masterclass for all lawyers looking to build trust with global clients, manage large legal teams, and maintain integrity while handling billion-dollar disputes.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Soft Skills of a Pioneering Lawyer: Empathy, Storytelling and Persuasion with Shahrad Milanfar May 01, 2025

Life is in the balance; and successful law lies in the balance of human connection and modern technology. In this episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome seasoned trial attorney Shahrad Milanfar to explore the intersection of courtroom storytelling, AI integration, and authentic client advocacy. From pioneering iPad use in trials to securing a $32 million verdict, Shahrad shares invaluable insights on building an empathetic law practice, managing imposter syndrome, and leveraging technology without losing the human touch. Legality today - from the way it is taught to the way it is practiced - leaves a lot to be desired. But the good news is that opportunities to be a good lawyer present themselves every day; Shahrad shares how you can identify them!
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Youth-Led Activism is What America Needs with Sarah Medina-Camiscoli Apr 17, 2025

Every industry is shaped by the generation that leads it. But in today’s legal landscape, how much space do the youth actually hold? In this thought-provoking episode of Between the Briefs, hosts Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens welcome Sarah Medina-Camiscoli, Assistant Professor at Rutgers Law School and founder of the Peer Defense Project, to explore the critical intersection of youth empowerment, legal education, and technological innovation. Backed by her rich experience, Sarah shares insights on making legal resources accessible to young advocates, developing youth-led movements for social change, and creating innovative tech solutions that bridge the justice gap. Tune in for eye-opening insights on an often overlooked kind of gatekeeping and the ways the doors can and should be opened for progressive law!
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Why Experience Is the Best Teacher: The Power of Application with David Fish Apr 03, 2025

No matter what era you’re born in, experience will always be the best teacher. And, the insights on this episode of Between the Briefs, prove that. Tune in as hosts, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens, welcome David Fish, Chair of Litigation at Romano Law PLLC, for an insider's perspective on sports law, legal education, and the evolving role of AI in litigation. Together, they discuss the realities of representing athletes, the importance of preventative law, and how emerging technologies are reshaping legal education. Drawing from his 27 years of experience, David shares candid insights about the ways in which legal education needs to be rethought, and the importance of hands-on experience in every aspect of learning, for aspiring legal professionals. This conversation is your gateway to proactive law!
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

How AI Is Reshaping Law Firms with Alex Shahrestani Mar 20, 2025

In this captivating episode of Between the Briefs, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Alex Shahrestani, Managing Partner at Promise Legal, to dive into the intersection of law and technology. Alex shares insights on implementing legal tech solutions, addressing privacy concerns, and creating a non-traditional law firm culture that embraces innovation.
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Power of Courtroom Storytelling: Insights from Andrew Finkelstein Mar 06, 2025

What if you could master the art of legal storytelling while embracing cutting-edge AI technology? In this captivating episode of Between the Briefs, our host Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with one of the country’s top trial lawyers, Andrew Finkelstein, managing partner of Finkelstein and Partners LLP, to explore the evolving landscape of law - from both the individual and collective perspective. From crafting compelling courtroom narratives to leveraging AI tools for enhanced productivity, Andrew shares invaluable insights from his own experience. If you’ve been looking for ways to use technology in truly valuable ways, and set aside your fears about being replaced by it, this is the conversation for you!
Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Leading the Legal Tech Revolution: The Steno Story with Dylan Ruga, Co-Founder of Steno Dec 19, 2024

In this festive special of Between the Briefs, our host Adrian Cea dives into conversation with Dylan Ruga, Co-Founder of Steno and Founder, Stalwart Law Group, exploring the exhilarating journey of creating ‘Steno’ - a revolutionary court reporting solution designed “by lawyers, for lawyers” and how their innovative products are shaping the legal industry. They delve into how Steno’s revolutionary tech empowers lawyers as well as the origins of StenoConnect and Transcript Genius. Dylan further provides insights into the potential applications of AI and technology in reshaping the legal landscape and answers the question - is everything really as it seems?
They go on to explore the ways in which an organisation and its leadership can foster a culture of continuous innovation, while empowering their workforce to thrive with resilience and agility. And, just how those values came into play as they navigated the Silicon Valley Bank crisis.
If you’re thinking about what goes into creating revolutionary legal support services through technology and building a company that’s leading the change, this is the podcast for you.
Dylan Ruga is the Co-Founder of Steno and Founder, Stalwart Law Group and has extensive experience in civil litigation. His experience as a lawyer and entrepreneur have been instrumental in revolutionising the world of court reporting and legal processes.
Highlights:
[00:00] Intro[00:00] Becoming a lawyer and the origins of Steno [00:00] How Steno’s tech changed legal processes forever [00:00] Team Steno - how Dylan, Greg and Dan came together[00:00] The Birth of Transcript Genius, Innovating with AI [00:00] The Culture at Steno[00:00] Getting through the Silicon Valley Bank Crisis[00:00] Big Hairy Audacious Goals and motivating a remote workforce[00:00] The Noise Around AI in the Legal Space Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

How AI is Transforming Workflow in Legal Tech with Kassi Burns Dec 05, 2024

Between The Briefs and Adrian Cea are back with a new guest – Kassi Burns, a renowned figure in the realms of e-discovery and legal tech. Kassi is a Senior Attorney at King and Spalding and is a searingly insightful voice on the evolving role of artificial intelligence in the legal industry.
Adrian and Kassi’s conversation navigates the big questions around AI tools, specifically those involving machine learning and generative AI. It’s clear that these advancements are transforming traditional e-discovery practices, but what challenges come along with them, and where must the legal industry display temperance in their implementation?
Kassi shines a spotlight on the advantages that come from using AI to streamline document review – this practice can seriously cut down the time and labor involved in sifting through massive amounts of data. And it’s a particularly important shift to recognise and grapple with too, as legal teams are being confronted with larger and larger volumes of information in litigation.
For a comprehensive look at the future of AI in the legal industry, you can’t do better than this, so tune in and keep yourself ahead of the curve.
Highlights:
00:00 - Intro01:35 - AI in E-Discovery06:02 - AI for Non-Experts07:41 - Tools for Today’s Law Firms09:26 - Determining the Need for AI14:23 - Multimodal AI and the Future of E-Discovery17:56 - Who Should Lead AI Integration?20:58 - Educating Lawyers on AI21:33 - Learning AI through Play25:08 - Prompt Engineering: The Secret to Better Results27:28 - Reducing the Human Lift: AI's Role in Legal Communication29:10 - Selling AI to Your Firm35:13 - Building AI Compliance: The Role of NIST Frameworks39:46 - Access to Justice: The AI Disruption We Need41:07 - OutroBetween The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Whistleblower Law: Behind the Scenes of Corporate Accountability with Jason T. Brown Nov 21, 2024

This was a riveting episode of Between The Briefs with Steno – this time Adrian Cea chatted with Jason T. Brown, a particularly prominent whistleblower attorney, former FBI Special Agent and Managing Partner at Brown LLC.
Jason is no stranger to the intricacies of whistleblower law, and in the course of this discussion, he explains how statutes like the False Claims Act protect individuals while enabling them to expose heinous fraud across Medicare, tax, and securities.
There can often be a ‘David v Goliath’ feel to many of the whistleblower cases, and navigating that dynamic is a fascinating aspect of whistleblower law. Facing down powerful corporations and strategically managing the case to an outcome that actually makes an impact is a delicate thing and people interested in working in this area could pick up a lot from Jason’s stories.
We also get a look at the multifarious ethical and professional roadblocks that whistleblowers have put in front of them and explore the beginnings of a roadmap to protecting their rights and creating a culture of accountability in corporate America.
Tune in now if you’re a legal professional or just interested in the intersection of law, ethics, and justice.
Highlights:
00:00 - Intro01:01 - Whistleblower Law02:31 - Challenges Facing Whistleblowers04:11 - From FBI Agent to Whistleblower Advocate06:30 - Secrets from an FBI Veteran on Mastering Depositions08:27 - Technology’s Role in Depositions10:03 - David vs. Goliath: Taking on Corporate Giants12:26 - How Building Connections Builds Strong Whistleblower Cases15:41 - Inside a Case17:54 - Managing Client Fears and Uncertainties19:26 - Corporate Transformations Through Litigation21:34 - Premeditation in Corporate Misconduct23:22 - Has Encouraging Whistleblowers Made a Difference26:23 - Jason’s Spiciest Take27:10 - OutroBetween The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Legal Foundations: The Power of Documents and Social Impact with Chris Stock Nov 07, 2024

In this episode of Between The Briefs with Steno, Adrian Cea engages with Chris Stock, an innovative leader in legal technology and social impact. Chris shares his expertise on the vital role that legal documents play as the foundation of our society, discussing their significance from royal decrees to everyday agreements like divorce papers.
He emphasizes the necessity for law firms to adopt modern document management practices to enhance efficiency and compliance in a digital world. Chris also highlights his transformative work with SecondU, an organization dedicated to empowering individuals returning from incarceration. Through this initiative, he illustrates how creating pathways to stable employment not only assists those reintegrating into society but also breaks cycles of recidivism, fostering generational wealth.
With practical insights on the importance of having a "change champion" within law firms to advocate for technology transitions, this conversation is essential for legal professionals looking to navigate the intersection of law, technology, and social justice.
Tune in now!
Highlights:
00:00 - Intro01:01 - Innovating with Clio Duo02:06 - The Backbone of Law: Key Documents04:21 - Streamlining Document Management06:04 - Jurisdictional Challenges in Legal Forms08:29 - One Source of Truth11:24 - Empowering Support Staff14:50 - The Role of Change Champions17:01 - The Future of Legal AI19:37 - Moving to Fixed Fee Models22:18 - Ending the Billable Hour Mentality24:32 - AI in Document Review27:37 - Founding LEAP: A Personal Journey30:51 - A Second Chance: The Work of SecondU33:49 - The Ripple Effect of Justice35:16 - Final Thoughts: Embracing ChangeBetween The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Navigating Personal Injury Law – Bob Simon’s Journey Oct 24, 2024

This time, on Between the Briefs, Adrian Cea welcomes Bob Simon, a seasoned attorney with nearly 20 years of experience in personal injury law. As the co-founder of Justice HQ and the host of the popular podcasts Bourbon of Proof and Justice Team, Bob brings a unique blend of legal expertise and innovative thinking to the conversation. Where is the intersection between whiskey and law? Well, the answer is Bob Simon, and across the episode, the pair explore Bob’s inspiring journey from a working-class background in Pittsburgh to becoming a passionate advocate for underserved communities. Bob shares personal anecdotes, including the pivotal moment that motivated him to pursue law after witnessing his uncle's struggle for justice following a life-altering accident.
Bob emphasizes the importance of mentorship and collaboration, offering valuable advice for new attorneys looking to navigate the early years of their practice. He highlights the transformative role of technology in the legal industry, detailing how various tools and platforms have optimized his workflow and enhanced client representation. With an eye towards the future, Bob encourages legal professionals to embrace innovation while staying grounded in their commitment to justice.
Tune in if you’re in need of some inspiration from a successful legal career built on dedication and compassion.
Highlights:
00:00 - Intro02:47 - From Justice to Whiskey04:04 - The Personal Connection to Law05:16 - Championing the Underserved06:06 - The Challenges of Personal Injury Law07:17 - Advice for Aspiring Attorneys08:02 - Finding the Right Partnerships09:30 - Leveraging Technology in Law11:33 - Automating Legal Tasks12:52 - Overcoming Resistance to Tech Adoption15:09 - Innovations in Legal Tech17:49 - The Importance of Personal Branding19:55 - Identifying Your Brand Pillars21:03 - The Impact of Private EquityBetween The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

The Hidden Chains: Unveiling the Truth Behind Non-Compete Agreements with Matthew Leffler Oct 10, 2024

In this episode of Between The Briefs with Steno, Adrian Cea sits down with Matthew Leffler, a distinguished legal expert and host of the Fleeting Conversations podcast. Matthew offers a deep dive into the world of post-employment restrictive covenants, including non-compete, non-solicitation, and non-disclosure agreements. He unpacks how these agreements impact workers and employers, shedding light on the growing trend of regulatory changes and the challenges workers face in navigating these complex contracts.
Matthew also explores the consequences of restrictive covenants on job mobility, the role of remote work in their enforcement, and the evolving legal landscape with proposed federal and state reforms. With practical insights on how to protect oneself from overly restrictive clauses and the importance of understanding what you’re signing, this conversation is crucial for anyone looking to grasp the implications of these legal agreements and their potential impact on future employment opportunities.
Tune in for a comprehensive discussion on how restrictive covenants shape the modern workforce and what you can do to stay informed and prepared.
Highlights:
00:00 - Intro01:30 - What Are Post-Employment Restrictive Covenants?02:44 - The Trap of Non-Compete Agreements04:34 - Standing Up to Restrictive Contracts06:50 - Why Employers Love Non-Competes08:16 - Remote Work: Changing the Game?09:40 - Social Media in the Courtroom11:30 - Non-Solicitation versus Non Disclosure13:10 - Identifying Red Flags15:20 - The Future of Non-Competes: A Legal Shift18:23 - Educating the Workforce20:07 - Non-Competes in Healthcare: A Crisis in the Making21:55 - How Can an Employer Have a ‘Good’ Non-Compete23:40 - A Personal Battle: How Non-Competes Changed Matthew’s Life25:31 - Tech Tools and Legal Advice in the Age of AI28:15 - The Irony of Non-Competes in the Legal Profession32:04 - Final Advice: Don’t Sign That Non-Compete!Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Resilience and Reinvention: How AI is Transforming Legal Practice with Jonathan Cohen Sep 26, 2024

In this episode of Between The Briefs, Adrian Cea interviews Jonathan Cohen, an Associate General Counsel and Business Strategist at PNY Technologies. Cohen brings a wealth of experience, having worked in both the courtroom as an SVU prosecutor and now in the corporate world. He emphasizes the importance of cultivating a resilient mindset through self-awareness, continuous learning, and embracing failure. Cohen discusses how his background in the military and high-pressure legal environments shaped his ability to stay focused and effective, even under stress.
Cohen also delves into the role of AI in modern legal practices, advocating for its integration to optimize processes and free up time for more strategic tasks. He encourages legal professionals to adopt a growth mindset and continuously seek out opportunities to improve and innovate, particularly in the evolving landscape of AI. By observing, listening, and identifying areas where technology can streamline operations, attorneys can add significant value to their firms.
Over the course of the episode, Cohen shares insights on his transition from courtroom to boardroom, highlighting the different challenges and rewards of each environment. He recounts how he established an internship program at PNY, drawing on his diverse experiences to create a meaningful and successful initiative. This story underscores the importance of being proactive, listening to the needs of the organization, and implementing solutions that can make a lasting impact.
Highlights:
00:00 - Introduction to Jonathan: From Courtroom to Corporate01:40 - Building a Bulletproof Mindset06:18 - Trial By Fire13:36 - Finding an AI Champion in Law16:31 - Lessons from Courtroom to Corporate: Constant Personal Growth19:42 - The Birth of a Successful Internship Program26:02 - Mindset, Heartset, and SoulsetBetween The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Beyond the Billable Hour: How AI is Redefining Legal Work with Kaitlyn Story Sep 12, 2024

In this brand new episode of Between The Briefs with Steno, Adrian Cea sits down with Kaitlyn Story, a seasoned senior litigation paralegal and litigation support trainer at Covalent Legal Services. Kaitlyn sheds light on the evolving role of paralegals in managing complex litigation and the challenges they face, including the balancing act between billable hours and workload. They delve into the integration of technology and AI tools like Motion, which Kaitlyn highlights as essential for optimizing task management and efficiency.
Kaitlyn also discusses the impact of e-Discovery and Electronic Stored Information (ESI) on case management and how paralegals can advocate for technological advancements within their firms. Looking ahead, she envisions a future where paralegals play a more pivotal role in managing not just cases, but also technological innovations, driving efficiency in the legal industry.
This far-reaching conversation will help anyone trying hard to stay up to date with how technology is revolutionizing the litigation process.
Highlights:
00:00 - Introduction to the World of Litigation Support01:02 - The Paralegal’s Balancing Act02:54 - Bridging the Billable Hours Gap04:19 - Maximizing Efficiency with Technology06:10 - Harnessing AI for Time Management09:36 - The Role of ESI in Modern Litigation12:35 - Selling Technology to Your Firm15:20 - The Future of Showmanship in Courtrooms17:33 - The Evolution of Paralegal Work23:47 - Anticipating Changes in Legal Tech26:23 - Tackling Overwhelm and Setting Boundaries27:20 - Closing Thoughts and Future OutlookBetween The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Between the Briefs Trailer Sep 11, 2024

Between The Briefs is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected