I Am The Law

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Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law

A Closer Look at Insurance Defense Litigation Jun 21, 2015

Show notes

Meghann Joyce is an insurance defense litigator. While she's hired and paid by insurance companies, her clients are the insured defending, among other claims, professional liability and employment suits. Despite being a litigator, she's almost never in the court room. Instead, her work can be categorized as largely pre-trial practice. Her job responsibilities and expectations have evolved since she started, but the unpredictability of her days continues. A lawyer's duty of loyalty is to the client, but Meghann exemplifies how business realities produce complex ethical dilemmas. Meghann is a graduate of the University of South Dakota School of Law.

This episode is hosted by Kimber Russell.

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Prosecuting Federal Drug Laws Jun 08, 2015

Show notes

Mike Hunter is an Assistant U.S. Attorney. In this episode, he details his role in the criminal justice system. From Fourth Amendment advice for federal agents making a bust to deciding which cases to take, when to seek indictments, and who to make plea agreements with, Mike tells us how he makes choices in pursuit of justice. Mike is a graduate of Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

This episode is hosted by Debby Merritt.

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Excelling at a Large Corporate Healthcare Firm Jun 01, 2015

Show notes

Holly Carnell, a graduate of Loyola University Chicago, describes her challenge of getting a biglaw job after graduating from a regional law school. She spends a lot of time helping healthcare providers draft contracts, properly engage employees, and remain in compliance with the many applicable laws. While the job may have been difficult to get, excelling at it has more to do with doing quality work, managing junior associates, and exercising good judgment than where she went to school.

This episode is hosted by Derek Tokaz.

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Criminal Pleas, Fees, and Justice May 18, 2015

Show notes

Jessica Burke details her role in the criminal justice system as a criminal defense lawyer. From her approach to plea bargaining to her philosophy on fee arrangements, her choices underscore the importance of letting clients make informed choices about their future. Jessica also shares how expanding the geography she covers, rather than the scope of practice, allowed her firm to grow in a saturated legal market. Jessica is a graduate of Washington & Lee College of Law.

This episode is hosted by Aaron Taylor.

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Consumer Protection: Suing Debt Collectors May 11, 2015

Show notes

Pete Barry is a consumer rights lawyer who sues debt collectors who harass or discriminate against consumers. Pete describes important criteria for taking a client, what's at the core of every lawsuit, and the federal laws that help him market to those who do not realize they’ve been legally harmed. Pete is a graduate of William Mitchell College of Law.

This episode is hosted by Debby Merritt.

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Making Injured Sea Workers Whole Mar 23, 2015

Show notes

Marissa Olsson is a maritime lawyer who helps fishermen, ferry workers, and others injured on the job sue their employers. when they've been injured at work. Marissa's maritime practice is similar to other personal injury work: she must assess the value of potential cases to decide whether to invest her time and resources because her compensation is tied to recovery. Although her confidence and skills have grown noticeably, she often faces opposing counsel who treat her differently because she's a woman. Marissa uses her frustrations as motivation to maximize client recovery and to make positive changes in the legal profession. Marissa is a graduate of the University of Washington School of Law.

This episode is hosted by Keith Lee.

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Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law

Learn more about Oklahoma City University School of Law

Health Policy and Medical Professional Prosecutions Mar 16, 2015

Show notes

Johanna Barde is a lawyer for the Tennessee Department of Health. In her capacity as assistant general counsel, Johanna creates public health policy—researching and writing rules of conduct—and prosecutes medical professionals during administrative hearings before state health boards. For a medical professional, her property right (a license) is at stake during these hearings. When the government tries to take that right away, she's afforded due process. At the hearing, just like at a trial, Johanna must litigate the facts and the law to persuade the decision-maker of her case. She subpoenas and interviews witnesses, makes opening and closing statements, argues rules of evidence and procedure, and ultimately wins or loses. The work can be repetitive, Johanna admits, but her colleagues and her desire to protect public health keep her motivated. Johanna is a graduate of Vanderbilt Law School.

This episode is hosted by Debby Merritt.

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Representing Medical Malpractice Plaintiffs Mar 09, 2015

Show notes

Greg Aycock shares how he transitioned from representing defendants to representing plaintiffs. He left his insurance defense practice on a leap of faith and discusses the struggles of being your own boss and getting a firm off the ground. Until Greg gets his medical malpractice practice off the ground, he pays the rent with divorces and child custody work. For either practice, Greg spends considerable time explaining the legal process and law to clients, while keeping them under control so that he can present their best case possible. Greg is a graduate of Washington University School of Law.

This episode is hosted by Mike Spivey.

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