Shows
The Geek In ReviewReceipts, RAG, and Reboots: Legal Tech’s 2025 Year-End Scorecard with Niki Black and Sarah GlassmeyerThe Geek in Review closes 2025 with Greg Lambert and Marlene Gebauer welcoming back Sarah Glassmeyer and Niki Black for round two of the annual scorecard, equal parts receipts, reality check, and forward look into 2026. The conversation opens with a heartfelt remembrance of Kim Stein, a beloved KM community builder whose generosity showed up in conference dinners, happy hours, and day to day support across vendors and firms. With Kim’s spirit in mind, the panel steps into the year-end ritual: name the surprises, own the misses, and offer a few grounded bets for what comes next.Last ye...
2025-12-291h 12
The Geek In ReviewThe Record, Rewired: Verbit and the Next Era of Court Reporting - JP Son and Matan BarakFor decades, “the record” has meant one thing: a text transcript built by skilled stenographers, trusted by courts, and treated as the backbone of due process. In this episode of The Geek in Review, Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert sit down with JP Son, Verbit’s Chief Legal Officer, and Matan Barak, Head of Legal Product, to talk about what happens when a labor shortage, rising demand, and better speech technology collide. Verbit has been in legal work since day one, supporting court reporting agencies behind the scenes, but their latest push aims to modernize the full arc of procee...
2025-12-2237 min
The Geek In ReviewConferences, Catch-ups, and Clio’s Big Swing at Big LawThis week on The Geek in Review, Greg Lambert and Marlene Gebauer sit down to compare notes from a busy conference season. Marlene shares her experience at the American Legal Technology Awards where The Geek in Review was honored for excellence in journalism. She recounts the surreal joy of being recognized among friends and peers in legal tech, including fellow nominees like Steve Embry, and how a spontaneous speech turned out to be one of the night’s highlights. The duo reflects on how events like this underscore the sense of community that continues to define the innovation side of...
2025-11-0340 min
The Geek In ReviewTrevor Quick on Harvey.ai as the Utility Belt for LawyersIn this week's episode of The Geek in Review, Greg Lambert flies solo while co-host Marlene Gebauer enjoys some well-deserved relaxation. Greg welcomes Trevor Quick, Strategic Business Development lead at Harvey.ai, to discuss one of the most talked-about companies in legal tech today. With a staggering $300 million Series E funding round and a $5 billion valuation, Harvey is rewriting the narrative of what legal AI can be, as well as who it is for. Trevor, a longtime listener turned guest, brings an insider’s view of the company’s evolution and its ambitions for reshaping the legal serv...
2025-07-0734 min
The Geek In Review50 Episodes of Legal Innovation and a Chat with Google NotebookLM
In this special year-end episode of The Geek in Review, Greg Lambert takes listeners on a unique journey through the past year’s 50 episodes, all with the help of Google’s NotebookLM audio overview tool. Inspired by Josh Kubicki of the Brainyiacs Newsletter, Greg experiments with this cutting-edge AI tool to synthesize and discuss the key themes, guests, and topics covered throughout 2024. The result is an innovative meta-conversation between Greg and AI-generated co-hosts, offering insights into the future of law and legal technology.
Key Themes from 2024:The episodes this year highlighted critical shifts in the...
2024-12-3043 min
The Geek In ReviewSarah Glassmeyer and Niki Black on Legal Tech in 2024 – Highlights, Hiccups, and Hopes for 2025
In this year-end episode of The Geek in Review, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert are joined by legal tech experts Niki Black, Principal Legal Insight Strategist at AffiniPay, and Sarah Glassmeyer, Director of Data Curation at Legal Technology Hub, to recap the top stories of 2024. From the evolution of generative AI in legal tech to groundbreaking acquisitions, the conversation delves into the successes and challenges that shaped the year in the legal industry.
The discussion kicks off with a look at AI's growing role in legal research and practice management. Greg recalls the controversial...
2024-12-2353 min
The Geek In ReviewCommunication, AI, and the Human Side of Law: Insights from Smokeball’s Jane OxleyThis week we welcome Jane Oxley, Chief Revenue Officer at Smokeball, to discuss the pivotal role of communication in legal organizations and how AI is transforming legal practice management. While normally in Australia, we were lucky enough to find Jane while she was working in Chicago, Jane shares her global perspective on communication challenges, bridging time zones, and the creative ways Smokeball leverages technology to streamline law firm operations. Co-host, Greg Lambert kicked off the show by introducing the concept of “Lambert’s Law,” highlighting that “all problems are communication problems,” setting the tone for an insightful discussion on organizati...
2024-12-0941 min
The Geek In ReviewCatching Up on Tech and Travels - TGIR Ep. 260In this episode of The Geek in Review, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert sit down for a one-on-one conversation to catch up on their recent vacations and discuss some of the latest developments in the legal industry. Marlene shares her experience in Hawaii, where she enjoyed beautiful beaches, a nature preserve, and delicious local cuisine with her family. Greg, on the other hand, talks about his trip to South Africa, where he spent time in Kruger National Park observing wildlife and learning about the challenges of rhino poaching.
The conversation then shifts to the recent lawsuits...
2024-07-0245 min
The Geek In ReviewThe Current and Future State of AI Policies with Neil Chilson and Travis WussowSince Greg Lambert is on vacation, we wanted to share an episode of Future Ready Business podcast, which Greg also produces. Art Cavazos and Courtney White from Jackson Walker, LLP, interview Neil Chilson, Head of AI Policy at the Abundance Institute, and Travis Wussow,
regulatory and governmental affairs lawyer Partner at JW. Neil and Travis had worked together at the Charles Koch Institute and are both heavily involved in advising governmental agencies and policy makers on the topic of AI.
Neil Chilson and Travis Wussow both emphasize the complexity of regulating AI due to its broad applications...
2024-06-2645 min
The Geek In ReviewCatching Up on AI Agents, and Agentic Processes
In this impromptu episode of The Geek in Review, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert reconnect after being on the road for a few weeks. They discuss their recent "Love and LegalTech" mini-series, which featured eight couples sharing their experiences working in the legal technology industry. The series provided insights into communication, work-life integration, and the passion for innovation shared by the guests.
The conversation then shifts to a recent webinar by Toby Brown and Ian Wilson, where they discussed the potential impact of AI tools on law firm hours and profits. While the idea o...
2024-05-2032 min
The Geek In ReviewNavigating the Future of Legal Tech with Caroline HillThis week, Greg Lambert sat down with Caroline Hill, Editor-in-Chief for Legal IT Insider to discuss the new partnership with NetLaw Media.
Hill described the new partnership between Legal IT Insider and NetLaw Media as a mutually beneficial collaboration with significant synergy between the two organizations. She emphasized the complementarity of their focuses, with Legal IT Insider's emphasis on impartial coverage and promotion of various conferences in the legal tech sector, and NetLaw Media's focus on technology and IT security. Hill noted that both organizations share common sponsors and audiences, which enhances the partnership's potential.
She also ment...
2024-01-3141 min
The Geek In ReviewColin Levy, Dorna Moini, and Ashley Carlisle on Herding Cats and Heralding Change: The Inside Scoop on the "Handbook of Legal Tech"This week on The Geek in Review podcast Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert featured guests Colin Levy, Ashley Carlisle, and Dorna Moini discussing Levy's recently published book "Handbook of Legal Tech." Levy edited the book and contributors included Moini, Carlisle's CEO, Tony Thai, and many more legal technology experts. The book provides an overview of key technologies transforming the legal industry like automation, AI, blockchain, document automation, CLM, and more.
Levy shared how he ended up editing the book, describing it as "herding cats" to get busy experts to contribute chapters. He wanted the book to serve...
2023-10-2434 min
The Geek In ReviewUnleashing the Legal Monster Behind the Door - LexFusion's Christina Wojcik (TGIR Ep. 221)In this episode of The Geek in Review, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert have an illuminating discussion with Christina Wojcik, the new Managing Director of Corporate for LexFusion. Christina has over 20 years of experience pioneering innovation in the legal services and technology space.
The conversation covers Christina's diverse background and journey into legal tech, including formative experiences at companies like Pangea3, IBM, Seal Software, and Citi. She shares key lessons learned about the importance of visionary leadership, solving real client problems, and embracing a fearless, entrepreneurial spirit.
Christina provides insights into top pain points for legal departments today...
2023-09-1737 min
The Geek In ReviewLINKS, Citizen Coders & Auditing Shelfware: Insights from Harbor’s Kris MartinOn this episode of The Geek in Review podcast, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert interview Kris Martin, Executive Vice President at Harbor, to discuss innovation, AI, and the future of technology in the legal industry.
They open the show by talking about Harbor's upcoming LINKS conference and its keynote focused on exploring human potential in the age of AI. Kris provides background on how the conference originated from an annual survey Harbor conducts to take the pulse of the legal community. He explains Harbor's goal is to support legal organizations through insights, research, and events like...
2023-09-0934 min
The Geek In ReviewFast, Smart, and Empathetic: How DISCO's Culture Drives Legal Tech Innovation (TGIR Ep. 217)This week on The Geek in Review, hosts Greg Lambert and Marlene Gebauer spoke with Katie DeBord and Kristin Zmrhal, two vice presidents from legal tech company DISCO. Greg kicked off the episode by discussing his recent work with a Houston nonprofit called Project Remix Ventures that helps at-risk youth. He took their leader on a visit to innovation hub The Ion to showcase reinventing old spaces for new purposes, like DISCO has done with legal tech. The hosts then welcomed Katie DeBord, who moved from being Chief Innovation Officer at law firm Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner to DISCO...
2023-08-2941 min
The Geek In ReviewDeploying Cutting-Edge Legal AI: Travers Smith's Cautious, But Open-source Approach. (TGIR Ep. 216)In this episode of The Geek in Review, hosts Greg Lambert and Marlene Gebauer interview three guests from UK law firm Travers Smith about their work on AI: Chief Technology Officer Oliver Bethel, Director of Legal Technology Sean Curran, and AI Manager Sam Lansley. They discuss Travers Smith's approach to testing and applying AI tools like generative models.
A key focus is finding ways to safely leverage AI while mitigating risks like copyright issues and hallucination. Travers Smith built an internal chatbot called YCNbot to experiment with generative AI through secure enterprise APIs. They are being cautious...
2023-08-221h 05
The Geek In ReviewLaura Leopard on Law Firms' Current Succession Planning: Step One - Do NothingIn this episode of The Geek in Review, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert interview Laura Leopard, founder and CEO of Leopard Solutions, about succession planning challenges facing law firms. Leopard explains that many firms have partners nearing retirement age but no concrete plans for transitioning clients and leadership. This lack of succession planning threatens law firms' futures.
Laura mentions that to make matters worse, the path to equity partnership is getting longer, making it harder to retain promising senior associates and counsel. Firms have added non-equity partner roles, keeping equity partner numbers small to inflate profits...
2023-08-1549 min
The Geek In ReviewTrellis' Nicole Clark on Leveraging State Court Data for Competitive Advantage (TGIR Ep. 214)The Geek in Review podcast hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert interviewed Nicole Clark, CEO of Trellis, about their new Law Firm Intelligence tool (LFI). This tool allows law firms to analyze aggregated and normalized state trial court data to gain competitive intelligence across cases, practice areas, and performance. Collecting this unstructured data from county courts is very challenging, but provides valuable business insights.
The Law Firm Intelligence tool enables firms to identify growth opportunities, benchmark themselves, and drill down into the data to find strategic insights. Firms can slice and dice the data by region, practice...
2023-08-0739 min
The Geek In ReviewCybersecurity in the Remote Work Era: AI, Employees and an Integrated Defense - With SessionGuardian's Jordan Ellington and Oren Leib, and Katten's Trisha SircarIn this episode of The Geek in Review podcast, host Marlene Gebauer and co-host Greg Lambert discuss cybersecurity challenges with guests Jordan Ellington, founder of SessionGuardian, Oren Leib, Vice President of Growth and Partnership at SessionGuardian, and Trisha Sircar, partner and chief privacy officer at Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP.
Ellington explains that the impetus for creating SessionGuardian came from working with a law firm to secure their work with eDiscovery vendors and contract attorney staffing agencies. The goal was to standardize security practices across vendors. Ellington realized the technology could provide secure access to sensitive information from...
2023-07-1146 min
The Geek In ReviewCurt Meltzer on Why Legal Tech Companies Should Give Back: The Business Case for Pro Bono, A2J, and Community OutreachThis week on The Geek in Review, Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert talk with Curt Meltzer, principal of Meltzer Consulting, LLC. Meltzer has over 40 years of experience in the legal and legal tech industry. He discusses his interest in pro bono and community outreach programs in law firms and legal tech companies. He notes that while 95% of AmLaw 200 law firms highlight pro bono work on their websites, many legal tech companies do not prioritize these efforts.
Meltzer emphasizes that pro bono and community work is good for business. It enhances company culture, helps with recruiting and retaining...
2023-06-1337 min
The Geek In ReviewRichard Tromans on the Future of Legal Innovation and The Legal Innovators California Conference (TGIR Ep. 201)In this episode of The Geek in Review Podcast, hosts Greg Lambert and Marlene Gebauer interview Richard Tromans, founder of Tromans Consulting and artificiallawyer.com. Tromans shares his insights on the future of legal innovation and the upcoming Legal Innovators California conference, scheduled to take place on June 7-8 in San Francisco.
Tromans begins the conversation by highlighting the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal industry. He emphasizes the importance of not only adopting AI but also using it to its full potential to deliver better legal services. He also discusses the potential impact of...
2023-05-0946 min
The Geek In ReviewRevolutionizing Legal Practice: The Impact of CaseText's CoCounsel on Law and Technology with Pablo Arredondo, Evan Shenkman, and Darth Vaughn (TGIR Ep. 199)In this episode of "The Geek in Review," hosts Greg Lambert and Marlene Gebauer engage in a fascinating conversation with legal technology experts Pablo Arredondo, Evan Shenkman, and Darth Vaughn. They discuss their proactive approach to incorporating AI technology, specifically CaseText's CoCounsel, into their legal practice and business operations.
Pablo shares, "I think the law is such a fascinating space for this kind of AI because it really brings together two things that are really deep in the human experience, which is language and rules." The guests discuss their experiences in using CoCounsel and its features, such...
2023-04-2646 min
The Geek In ReviewThe Future of Fashion and the Law (TGIR Ep. 194)In a special episode of The Geek in Review podcast, we wanted to play a recent episode of the Future Ready Business (FRB) Podcast. FRB is a podcast that Greg Lambert produces and is hosted by Jackson Walker attorneys Art Cavazos and Erin Camp and is focused on how new ideas, regulations, laws, and overall societal changes affect the way businesses operate.
In this episode, Art Cavazos and Erin Camp host Courtney White and William Nilson, attorneys from Jackson Walker's Houston and Austin offices, and discuss the future of the fashion industry. The conversation touches on how...
2023-03-2047 min
The Geek In ReviewBreaking Barriers: The Portia Project's MC Sungaila on the Unique Paths to Success for Women Lawyers and Judges (TGIR Ep. 192)In this episode of The Geek in Review, hosts Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert interview M.C. Sungaila, an appellate attorney and the host of The Portia Project podcast. The podcast is geared towards highlighting women in traditional and non-traditional legal careers and is set to celebrate its 100th episode during Women's History Month in March. M.C. Sungaila initially intended to highlight women appellate judges and justices in a book, but quickly realized that a podcast would be the best medium to capture the stories of these women. The podcast now includes women leaders across the industry and...
2023-03-0638 min
The Geek In ReviewIntentional Leadership is about Owning Your Purpose - HBR's Axelle FlemmingThis week's guest, HBR Consulting's Axelle Flemming, stresses that "Intentional Leadership" creates leaders who "own their purpose." And a purpose is separate from a business "goal." Axelle's experience showed her that when a leader truly knew what their purpose was, the purpose they were trying to achieve, they went to that level of execution. In addition to being an Intentional Leader, that must be balanced with the wellness of the organization and its people. In today's work environment, we are in 24/7 fight or flight mode and intentional leaders understands that challenge. Leaders also see beyond their own goals and...
2022-09-1348 min
The Geek In ReviewHow Mid-Level Associates Can Thrive at Law Firms - with Jennifer BluesteinWe conclude our discussion with Jennifer Bluestein, author of the book Stepping It Up: A Guide for Mid-Level Law Firm Associates, and talk about how associates mature into their roles as lawyers with law firms. As these second to sixth-year associates begin to take on more substantial legal roles, as well as leadership, mentorship, and allyship among their fellow lawyers, the stress of the job can become overwhelming. Bluestein talks through a number of examples of how mid-level associates can handle the increased workload, improve communications with partners at the firm, and realistically plan for their future. During the...
2021-01-1435 min
In SeclusionThree Lessons We've Learned During the Pandemic - David LatWhen David Lat, Managing Partner of Lateral Link, contracted COVID-19 back in March, he made the pandemic real and personal for many of us in the legal industry. Three months later, I have him as my last guest on In Seclusion and ask him what lessons we've learned through it all. He gave me three.
We've learned to work successfully on a remote basis. This is no small deal for the legal industry who stressed the need to be in the office.
Lawyers and legal professionals have learned how to use more technology tools in a more effective...
2020-06-2614 minIn SeclusionBeing a Tech-Savvy Law Office Is No Longer Optional - Victoria HudginsVictoria Hudgins, Reporter at LegalTechNews, reports on the legal tech sector and noticed that some of the first cuts that major law firms made during the pandemic were related to their technology innovation teams. Lawyers and tech staff were subjected to layoffs, furloughs, and pay cuts almost immediately as firms feared a reduction in revenue and work. She wonders what that means for these legal innovation teams. Will firms take their foot off the gas on innovation? How long will law firms continue to invest in these teams? Will the resulting actions be that law firms will have to...
2020-06-2511 minIn SeclusionPrioritize the Things that Matter… Stop Doing the Things that Don't Matter - Jason BarnwellJason Barnwell, Assistant General Counsel of Modern Legal at Microsoft, does not like it when his outside legal counsel comes to him with traditional offerings during a crisis. If there is ever a time to package legal services in a way that helps in-house attorneys manage their limited resources, that time is now. Don't ask the client to define what services you can provide them, come to the client with the knowledge you've learned from all your other clients' needs, and provide insights, and options on how to address current and potential issues. Bring options to the client. The...
2020-06-2420 minIn SeclusionCrisis is the Father of Innovation - Patrick DiDomenicoPatrick DiDomenico, the Chief Innovation Officer at Jackson Lewis, says that while Necessity may be the Mother of Invention, Crisis may be the Father of Innovation. And this year is definitely filled with crisis events. While the remote nature of work is a challenge, it has also been a bit of a blessing in disguise. The need to be responsive also enables us to be proactive, and that has helped pull teams together to be innovative and do some really great things. Sometimes the need to respond to a crisis can break the paralysis that plagues some law firms...
2020-06-2314 minIn SeclusionShould We Even Reopen at this Time? - Joshua Lenon, CLIOJoshua Lenon, Lawyer in Residence at CLIO, works in a cloud-based environment where the idea is to operate consistently, regardless of physical location. And that’s exactly what they have done over the past three-plus months. For others in the legal field to follow this lead, he says that we need to invest more in technology for our staff, as well as shift more operations away from the physical office and more toward cloud systems. Having successful operations like that makes it a lot easier to continue remaining safe and productive remotely until it is safer for all of us...
2020-06-2215 minIn SeclusionAre These Changes Permanent, Or Just to Get Us Through the Moment? - Colin LevyColin Levy, Legal Technology, and Legal Innovation Thought Leader says that there are a lot of people in the legal industry who are truly trying to innovate, but that innovation does not equal technology, and technology does not equal innovation. There’s a holistic approach that needs to be taken, especially in the middle of a crisis like we have now, and the processes as well as the technology need to be evaluated in order to truly create an innovative environment that is built to last.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we’re in this...
2020-06-1912 minIn SeclusionVirtual Tactics By Design vs. Virtual Tactics By Necessity - Craig LevinsonCraig Levinson is President & Chief Client Developer at Levity Partners and the author of the recent articles “Top 20 Virtual Client Development Tactics Lawyers Can Begin Implementing Immediately,” and “What All Attorneys Can Learn From Female Rainmakers: Panel Recap.” The practice of establishing virtual tactics around client and business development should not be a brand new idea to rainmakers in the legal industry just because we’re in a pandemic. Craig discusses the great rainmakers who have already established virtual tactics around the business by design, and those who are finding themselves establishing virtual tactics by necessity.
Remember, we may all...
2020-06-1817 minIn SeclusionThe Expanding Role of IT Security in the New Hybrid Work Environment - Joel LytleAs many of us were rushing to work from home at the beginning of the pandemic, law firm security teams were scrambling to ensure that the networks and hardware were protected from possible attacks. Joel Lytle, Director of Information Security at Jackson Walker in Dallas, joins me to talk about the process he went through during the initial phase of remote work, how he handled the challenges of so many remote workers, and what the goals are for how we adjust to a hybrid of office and remote work going forward. Maintaining security protocols and updating software and hardware...
2020-06-1712 minIn SeclusionWe Need Better Shared Situational Awareness Between Law Firms and Clients Going Forward - David KamienDavid Kamien, CEO, and co-founder of Mind Alliance discusses how when COVID-19 began shutting down the economy, law firms opened up a firehose of thought leadership for their clients. While the clients’ inboxes were overflowing with information, and firms were establishing COVID-19 resource pages, the ability for the client to easily search and filter that information was very limited. David thinks that firms are honestly trying to help their clients through the distribution of relevant information, but the way the information is distributed, accessed and indexed is creating barriers for the client that needs to be corrected. The information ha...
2020-06-1617 minIn SeclusionWhat Do We Do After Summer Ends? - Danny NorrisDanny Norris, Attorney at Law and Trustee at the Harris County Texas Department of Education, discusses his experiences over the past few months of changing jobs, being busy with a full-time Intellectual Property law practice, and elected official. While businesses in Texas are reopening, it is the school system that has continued to find ways of helping students by continuing programs, including providing meals. Danny thinks that as we get closer to August, we will need to determine how we protect the most vulnerable in our society. Whether that is the students as we assess the risk in which...
2020-06-1516 minIn SeclusionGive People the Space to Step Back - Casandra LaskowskiCasandra Laskowski Technology & Research Services Librarian at Duke Law School has the responsibility of assisting law school students, staff, and faculty through some of the teaching and technology challenges of a remote classroom. In addition, she also chairs the Diversity and Inclusion Committee of the American Association of Law Libraries. With the murder of George Floyd and the civil unrest to protest Police brutality and systemic racism, Cas says that people need the space to step back, access their personal situation, and to have time to think, speak, and hopefully heal.
Remember, we may all be In...
2020-06-1213 minIn SeclusionWill We Be The Same People When We Go Back? - Mike WhelanMike Whelan, author of “Lawyer Forward: Finding Your Place in the Future of Law” is a lawyer, author, legal innovator, and recently an Above the Law podcast host. As we begin to make our way back to our respective office or identify our more permanent workplaces, will we go back to the old habits and schedules, or will we take what we’ve learned over the past few months and apply it to create a new model of working going forward?
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
Host: Greg Lamber...
2020-06-1115 minIn SeclusionWe Need to Acknowledge What's Going On And Be Present - Alycia SutorAlycia Sutor, Managing Director at GrowthPlay, coaches lawyers, law firms, and other legal organizations on the need to get out of their comfort zones, and quickly embrace the changes as a new way of being. Those are just not skills that many in the legal industry are used to using. But those who find ways of quickly deploying these skills will be the ones who recover the fastest. For your colleagues who are struggling right now, especially with the issues of racial discrimination, she notes that it is important for you to acknowledge what is going on, be present...
2020-06-1012 minIn SeclusionAnd We Haven't Missed a Beat - Cornell WinstonFor Cornell H. Winston, Law Librarian at United States Attorney's Office in Southern California, there have been a number of small and large changes affecting his law library and records departments. While he is generally an optimist, he knows that change will happen. People who were never allowed to work from home will not accept that limitation any longer. Workers who once made hours-long commutes to and from work haven’t missed a beat while working from home. They will not be coming back to work the way they did pre-COVID. And while Cornell may have not experienced a gl...
2020-06-0914 minIn SeclusionWe Have to Learn and Do at the Same Time - Celeste SmithCeleste Smith, the Director of Education for the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL), works on finding educational opportunities for those of us who consider ourselves life-long learners. While we are in an industry of very intelligent people, the current situation has taught us that we can not be tied to what we think we know based on our own history and experiences. She notes that just as we did when our physical workspaces closed, we do not have the luxury of taking our time to craft long-term strategies before we need to take action. We have to learn...
2020-06-0814 minIn SeclusionAccess to Justice in Puerto Rico in the Time of COVID-19 - Diego AlcalaDiego Alcala is an attorney and Legal Tech Founder based in Puerto Rico. The current COVID-19 and remote working conditions are just two more issues stacked upon existing challenges ranging from cuts in governmental programs, hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural and man-made problems. Perhaps now is the time to challenge the legal tech community to find ways to assist with Access to Justice and Criminal Justice Reform.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
Host: Greg Lambert (@glambert)
Producer: Janice Anderson
Artwork: Dean Lambert
Music: Jerry David DeCicca
Twitter: @InSeclusionPod
2020-06-0517 minIn SeclusionThere Are Different Expectations When It Comes To Training And Learning - Ian NelsonIan Nelson of Hotshot Legal believes that as we come out of the pandemic, there will be completely different expectations when it comes to how legal professionals want to train and learn. No more hour-long lectures with little to no interaction. Instead, we'll have shorter lessons with flipped classroom styles where the information is processed beforehand, and the classroom is used to discuss and relate to the information. While Hotshot developed many of these ideas over the past few years, there hasn't necessarily been the impetus within the legal industry to look at these types of short, just-in-time training...
2020-06-0411 minIn SeclusionWill COVID-19 Be the Great Equalizer for the Legal Industry? – Vivia ChenVivia Chen is Senior Columnist at ALM, and Chief Blogger for The Careerist. She talks with me about how the pandemic may finally be the impetus to break large law firms from their vanity. With the cultural and societal changes that will most likely come out of the pandemic, there will be no need for lavish law offices or high-end client events to impress those who no longer want to come to your offices or attend your events. There may be a balancing of the scales between competing law firms based more on the substance of the firms’ quality of...
2020-06-0314 minIn SeclusionThose Who Kept Our Offices Running - Clare Hart, CEO Williams LeaThis is episode 50. For something I called a miniseries, 50 episodes seem like a lot. Thanks to all who have come on the show to share their stories of preparedness, adjustment, and vision for the future. As we continue indefinitely, I hope that we all remain healthy and safe. This week has been especially hard for many of us and for many of our friends and colleagues. As we move to a slow return to work, let's make it a better environment than the one we left behind. We may be in seclusion at the moment, but we'll eventually come...
2020-06-0215 minIn SeclusionNow’s the Perfect Time To Experiment - Maya MarkovichMaya Markovich, Chief Growth Officer at Nextlaw Labs, thinks that the current environment within the legal industry is the perfect time to rethink the old ways of doing things. The time is ripe to try new processes as well as experiment in ways that we might not normally try because we have somewhat of a safety net to try and fail with less judgment. For those with an entrepreneurial mindset, this might be the opportunity you’ve been waiting for to put your ideas into action.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this to...
2020-06-0109 minIn SeclusionDon’t Lose Sight of the People Part of the Law - Heather MorseHeather Morse, the Chief Business Development Officer at McGlinchey Stafford in New Orleans reminds us of the saying that “one size fits one” and that there isn’t a single way to approach how to manage the current situation. One of the key aspects of legal marketing and business development is that we are in the people business, and especially at this time, we need to understand how to personalize our responses to our staff, our attorneys, and our clients.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
Host: Greg Lambert (@glambe...
2020-05-2915 minIn SeclusionIt’s Time to Put Our Energy Into New Engagement Models - Roy SextonClark Hill's Director of Marketing, Roy Sexton talks with me about how law firm marketing teams have really stepped up over the past couple of months to help their attorneys find appropriate ways to engage with their clients, and with each other. As we begin the slow process of moving away from the needs of the crisis and into the long-term redevelopment of marketing strategies, Sexton thinks that we will have to completely rethink how we engage with people, because of their needs and willingness to do events and interactions changed. We’re going to have to find ways to...
2020-05-2816 minIn SeclusionIt Turns Out That Law Firms ARE Pretty Adaptable - Tim CorcoranTim Corcoran advises law firms on how to improve the business delivery side of things. One of the positive aspects of the pandemic has been the ability for firms to actually look at the processes of their business, and not just focusing on the tools. As we begin to develop a hybrid office where some people will be working in the office, and some will continue to work remotely, it will test how good our management skills really are. Maybe now we'll give some real management training.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in...
2020-05-2714 minIn SeclusionWe’re Getting Used to This New, Ambiguous, Different, and Uncomfortable Work-Life - Marcie Borgal ShunkMarcie Borgal Shunk of The Tilt Institute, Inc. is used to working closely with attorneys and law firm leadership. Traditionally, this meant gathering large groups of lawyers into a room for hours, or days at a time, and walking through scenarios together. With the current situation, it means having to adjust to fit the online nature of education and training. For many lawyers, this is new, it’s ambiguous, it’s different, it’s uncomfortable… and they’re actually getting used to it.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
Host: Greg...
2020-05-2611 minIn SeclusionWe’ll Be Two Meters Apart, But Still Face to Face - Justin North, Janders DeanJanders Dean founder, Justin North, has seen many downturns in the economy and legal industry before but he thinks that the ability for us to keep our stories alive on how we handled downturns before, has helped many navigate this particular situation. And through a bit of planning, and a little bit of luck, he finds his company accidentally ready for this pandemic. When we make our way back to the office, we'll be two meters apart, but we'll find ways to essentially be face to face.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in...
2020-05-2214 minIn SeclusionContinuing our Connectedness… Just in a Different Way - Sherry Kapple, LiteraSherry Kappel from Litera, flew back to the US just in time to avoid the travel ban on March 11th, and then immediately began preparation and action to move employees across the world to work from home. In the more than two months since this time, she has focused on interacting with her fellow workers, customers, and the legal community through virtual conferences and even daily tv-style presentations. She sees a future that continues to stress our ability to connect to one another… it's just going to happen in a different way.
Remember, we may all be In...
2020-05-2114 minIn SeclusionExpanding Community, Creativity, and Clients during a Crisis - Aurelia Spivey, Digitory LegalWhile we may be in the middle of a crisis, there are certain processes and relationships we need to maintain in order to make sure we have those as we make our way out of the crisis. Aurelia Spivey from Digitory Legal and the host of the Pricing Matters Podcast discusses the need to maintain our community, be creative, and focus on the needs of our clients. These three C's will be determining factors on how well we perform both during and after the pandemic and economic troubles.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're...
2020-05-2012 minIn SeclusionThe Distance has Kept Us Together - Colin Lechance, VLexOne of the themes I’ve picked up on with the now 41 episodes of this series, is that the transition to remote working environments caused by the pandemic was helped immensely by the increase in cloud and communications technology, as well as our need to work between multiple offices across vast distances. Colin Lachance from vLex solidifies that theme and tells how his recent international merger didn’t seem to slow the transition at all, in fact, it may have helped make that transition even more efficient.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this...
2020-05-1913 minIn SeclusionNavigating So Many Rules as We Start to Reopen - Mary Jenkins, AccufileMary Jenkins, Director of Research Solutions and Senior Law Librarian at Accufile, contracts with multiple law firms and corporations ranging from smaller firms companies all the way up to some of the largest national, and international law firms. Trying to navigate the individual rules of the businesses, the buildings, and the local, state, and federal governments can be quite complicated, but it gives her some insights on what is working, and where she thinks we are heading as we look to reopen offices, and how this pandemic is going to affect us long term.
Remember, we may...
2020-05-1815 minIn SeclusionMissing the Natural Serendipitous Exploration of Ideas - Kristin HodginsOne of the things that many of us struggle with, but may not admit to others, is that we actually really miss the office environment. Whether it is the ability to duck into another worker’s office for advice, or bouncing ideas off others in breakrooms, there is definitely processes of an office setting that are very difficult to replicate. I talk with Kristin Hodgins and ask her about how she is adjusting to a remote working environment that is missing many of the things that she really enjoyed about her job, and working in an office.
Re...
2020-05-1511 minIn SeclusionLegal Marketing Association's Mission During the Pandemic - Jill Huse (President) and Kelly MacKinnon (President-Elect)During a crisis, professional associations become a touchstone for many in the profession in order to stay in touch with our peers and to continue professional development and even potential employment opportunities. I talk with the current Legal Marketing Association (LMA) President Jill Huse and LMA Vice-President Kelly MacKinnon to see how they are reacting to the needs of their members during this crisis.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
Host: Greg Lambert (@glambert)
Producer: Janice Anderson
Artwork: Dean Lambert
Music: Jerry David DeCicca
Twitter: @I...
2020-05-1416 minIn SeclusionProviding Legal Information Services in America's Last Frontier - Susan Falk, Alaska State Law LibrarianYesterday I went virtually to Hawaii to see how the pandemic has affected one of the United States’ remote locations. Today I get to go to another paradise, albeit a little bit further north, and a lot cooler, to talk with Susan Falk, the State Law Librarian at Alaska Court System. While Alaska may have missed the brunt of the pandemic, it was not immune to the changes that a work from home environment has created.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
Host: Greg Lambert (@glambert)
Producer: Janice An...
2020-05-1316 minIn SeclusionProviding Access to Justice in Paradise - Jenny Silbiger, State Law Librarian/Access to Justice Coordinator, Hawaii State JudiciaryThe pandemic is sparing no one, even in the tropical paradise of Hawaii. I talk with the Hawaiian State Law Librarian, Jenny Silbiger about how she lead her staff through the transition to remote work and service to the courts, the bar, and to the citizens across the multiple islands of Hawaii. As many law librarians do, she reached out to others across the country and sought best practices guidance from librarians, museum curators, and government agencies like the CDC. It shows that even those who are thousands of miles away are still not alone.
Remember, we m...
2020-05-1217 minIn SeclusionYoung Lawyers Working and Living Through the Pandemic - Victor Flores, City of Plano and President of the Texas Young Lawyers AssociationThe pandemic and the changes in our overall work structure can be challenging to even the most experienced of us in the legal industry. For younger lawyers, those just starting off, or those who are having to take care of younger children at home while balancing work, this can be overwhelming. I talk with Victor Flores, Assistant City Attorney at the City of Plano, who is managing all of these challenges and is leading some 27,000 of his peers through his work as the current President of the Texas Young Lawyers Association.
Remember, we may all be In...
2020-05-1112 minIn SeclusionNYLI's Seven Guidelines to Return to Business - Lucy Curci-Gonzalez and Emily Moog, New York Law InstituteLucy Curci-Gonzalez is the Executive Director, and Emily Moog is Research Librarian for the New York Law Institute (NYLI). Late last year, NYLI updated its business continuity plans to include the possibility of a pandemic shutting down access to the physical location. This helped the staff and leadership navigate through the effects of the pandemic which hit New York City especially hard. Now they have created seven guidelines to help lead them back into the eventual reopening of services for the institute's members.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
Ho...
2020-05-0816 minIn SeclusionWhat Does Reopening Georgia Mean for One County Law Library? - Sarah Mauldin, DeKalb County Law LibraryThe State of Georgia was one of the last states to restrict movement and one of the first states to announce plans for reopening for business. I talk with DeKalb County Law Librarian, Sarah Mauldin, about her experiences over the past two months as her county went into lockdown, and is now looking to gradually reopen.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
Host: Greg Lambert (@glambert)
Producer: Janice Anderson
Artwork: Dean Lambert
Music: Jerry David DeCicca
Twitter: @InSeclusionPod
2020-05-0715 minIn SeclusionCreatively Diversifying a Print-Centric Library - Holly Riccio, California Judiciary Court LibraryHolly Riccio and I have a lot in common. We are both former Presidents of the American Association of Law Libraries, and we have worked in a variety of different types of law libraries over our careers. At the beginning of 2020, Holly became the Director at the California Judicial Center Library. In her five months there, half of her time has been spent working remotely. We discuss how the courts she supports have changed how they conduct their business, and how that has changed how her library changed their support for the courts.
Remember, we may all...
2020-05-0610 minIn SeclusionHow Do We Continue to Serve People Who Are Far Away? - Amy Small, Texas State Law LibraryOne of the bright spots of this pandemic, when it comes to the legal industry, is that many of us are realizing that the important thing we provide is tied to our services rather than our physical location. Law Librarians have been saying this for well over a decade, and now other parts of the industry are realizing that we are much more than an office in a tall building. Today I talk with Amy Small, Assistant Director of the Texas State Law Library, who is coordinating efforts across the state to provide services to a public who is...
2020-05-0514 minIn SeclusionServing the Public's Legal Information Needs During a Pandemic - Joe Lawson, Harris County Law LibraryMay 1st began phase one of the reopening efforts for the State of Texas. Governor Abbott's order specifically lists libraries as one of the businesses which can open at a 25% capacity rate (and social distancing), but not all libraries are ready to open right away. I talk with Joe Lawson, Deputy Director of the Harris County Law Library about how he and the staff in Texas' largest metropolitan area are preparing to open later this month, and how they are providing vital services to the courts, the bar, and the general public.
Remember, we may all be...
2020-05-0417 minIn SeclusionDuring an Emergency, KM Professionals Really Show Their Value - Jennifer Mendez, Fisher PhillipsSometimes it takes an emergency situation for resources to really show their value. Many of us are seeing this when it comes to the Knowledge Management tools and process improvement methods that KM professionals like today's guest have been promoting for years. Add to this, she's only been at her current position for less than two months.
Jennifer Mendez is the Director of KM Innovation at Fisher Phillips, and while she is new at the firm, she brings years of experience in addressing the current needs of her new firm. As the saying goes, "never let an...
2020-05-0113 minIn SeclusionChanging Jobs Mid-Pandemic - Maribel Nash, Cooley, LLPOn April 6, 2020, most of us were just hitting our third week of working remotely. For Maribel Nash, she was starting a new job at Cooley, LLP. While the timing may have complicated things like getting computer equipment from the new employer and orientation, Nash actually found that there were actually many opportunities in transitioning at this time. Whether it was getting more "face" time with her fellow employees, or getting to know others at the firm on a more personal level, it wasn't as much of a challenge as many of us might think. While this type of change...
2020-04-3009 minIn SeclusionWhat's It Like to be a New Fall Associate in 2020? - Tori Coates, Baylor Law School and Daniel Maldonado, St. Mary's Law SchoolThis week I am focusing on the employment opportunities for lawyers during this pandemic crisis. I hit up my alma mater yesterday, and today I go even closer to home by interviewing two incoming Fall Associates at my law firm, Jackson Walker. Tori Coates is graduating from Baylor Law School in Waco and will join us in our Austin office. Daniel Maldonado is about to graduate from St. Mary's Law School in San Antonio. He will start in that same city's office this fall. Obviously a lot has happened between the time they left as Summer Associates last July...
2020-04-2913 minIn SeclusionConnecting Law Students to Employers During a Pandemic - Alicia Currin-Moore, University of Oklahoma College of LawLast week I talked with a number of law students about their adjustments during the pandemic for school, graduation, the bar, and employment. This week I wanted to focus more on getting, and keeping these students employed. I reached out to my alma mater and talked with the Director of Career Development, Alicia Currin-Moore, to see how the University of Oklahoma College of Law is keeping the pipeline of students to employers flowing.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
Host: Greg Lambert (@glambert)
Producer: Janice Anderson
Artwork...
2020-04-2814 minIn SeclusionLateral Recruiting in the Age of COVID-19 - Richard Hsu, Major, Lindsey, and AfricaWhile most of us haven't been in a physical office for more than a month, that doesn't mean that people aren't changing jobs. The legal industry's lateral movement was white-hot before the pandemic, and there while things have definitely slowed down according to today's guest, Richard Hsu, it hasn't stopped. Richard is a former BigLaw Partner and is currently the Managing Director for Major, Lindsey, & Africa in San Francisco. In addition to his day job, Richard also runs a fantastic podcast called, Hsu Untied, where he talks with legal and other business leaders (including people like Steve Wozniak, Mark...
2020-04-2709 minIn SeclusionHow Are Law Students Learning In Seclusion? - Pt. 5 - Michael Anderson, Emory University School of LawIn the final installment on how law students are coping with the changes in remote learning, I talk with Michael Anderson, 3L from Emory University School of Law. Michael discusses how he finished his semester at his family's home in Maryland rather than returning to Atlanta, and how he is planning to study and take the Georgia Bar Exam and plan for the start of his legal career.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
Host: Greg Lambert (@glambert)
Producer: Janice Anderson
Artwork: Dean Lambert
Music: Jerry...
2020-04-2414 minIn SeclusionHow Are Law Students Learning In Seclusion? - Pt. 4 - Kanza Khan, Michigan State University Law SchoolIn part four of our week-long series on how law students are coping with the changes in remote learning, I talk with second-year law student Kanza Khan. Kanza's story is a bit different than the previous episodes in that MSU's grading is not entirely pass/fail, and her classes continued to follow a fairly strict schedule to mimic the normal class lecture process. In addition, there's been a twist to her plans for her summer work. It just proves that this pandemic effects law students in many different ways.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but...
2020-04-2312 minIn SeclusionHow Are Law Students Learning In Seclusion? - Pt. 3 - Rachel Sodee, Vanderbilt Law SchoolIn part three of our week-long series on how law students are coping with the changes in remote learning, I talk with third-year law student Rachel Sodee. Rachel discusses her experience with Vanderbilt's transition to online courses and her preparation for finals. We also discuss how the state of Tennessee is still planning for a July Bar Exam with an October option as well. And finally, we discuss how she is communicating with her Nashville law firm she is scheduled to begin working at in September. There are a lot of issues that 3Ls have to think about in...
2020-04-2210 minIn SeclusionHow Are Law Students Learning In Seclusion? - Pt. 2 - Morgan McGreevy, University of Texas Law SchoolIn part two of our week-long series on how law students are coping with the changes in remote learning, I talk with second-year law student Morgan McGreevy of the University of Texas. Morgan started law school after working the past decade as an insurance underwriter. He walks me through how his classes transitioned to online teaching. How the University of Texas made clear, decisive decisions for how the Spring Semester would continue. And, the status of his summer associate position at an AmLaw 100 firm in Houston. There are a lot of moving parts going on for all of these...
2020-04-2110 minIn SeclusionHow Are Law Students Learning In Seclusion? - Pt. 1 - Stephanie Nweke, University of Houston Law CenterThis week, I interview 2L and 3L law students about how they are adapting to their online classes, pass/fail grades, the upcoming finals, and what, if any, changes are occurring with their Summer or Fall Associate positions.
My first guest is Stephanie Nweke from the University of Houston Law Center. Stephanie is a 2L who is scheduled to go to California to work for a large law firm as a Summer Associate. She is also the co-founder of Blademy, an online learning tool for black millennials.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we...
2020-04-2010 minIn SeclusionWorking Remotely, Together - Christine Sellers Sullivan and Jeremy Sullivan#HOMEsweetHOME
Today's guests bring home this podcast's catchphrase that "we're in this together." Christine Sellers Sullivan and Jeremy Sullivan are both legal information professionals, and a married couple working at home. While there are many married couples who planned their lives around working together, the pandemic has tossed many married couples into a togetherness that no one really expected. For some, this would be tough, but for the Sullivans, they seem to know each other's strengths, weaknesses, as well as good and bad habits. Throw in moving houses, and bringing their adorable Scottish Fold cat, Fred, and...
2020-04-1714 minIn SeclusionWill WFH Finally Drag the Legal Industry Into the 21st Century? - Kristin Tyler - LAWCLERK#houseandHOME
While the legal industry is adjusting to its new work from home reality (the running joke is "we are all in-house attorneys now"), today's guest manages a stable of some 2,800 lawyers who all work remotely. Kristin Tyler is the co-founder of LAWCLERK, a company that connects freelance lawyers with on-demand project-based work. She talks with me about how the legal industry may finally have a reason to move into the 21st Century and look at different technologies, and work structures that better fit today's lifestyles and work needs.
Remember, we may all be In...
2020-04-1610 minIn SeclusionManaging Our Expectations of Ourselves, and of Others - Steve Matthews - TRG Screen#HOMEfieldadvantage
Today's guest, Steve Matthews, CEO of TRG Screen (owner of Research Monitor), talks with me about how our decade long journey to the cloud has helped him seamlessly migrate his staff to a completely online work environment. This migration also makes the use of products like Research Monitor and Quest easily manageable within a remote work environment. Steve also discusses as our shelter-in-place situation extends, we need to understand our limits, as well as the needs and limits of those we manage.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
2020-04-1511 minIn SeclusionTransforming the Business - Steve Roses - William S. Hein & Co., Inc.#inHOMEservice
Steve Roses is a road warrior. As the Director, Sales William S. Hein & Co., Inc, and HeinOnline, he is at conferences and tradeshows constantly. While that may be put on pause for this pandemic, the need to help the customer continues as strongly as ever. Whether it is opening access to the academic community, or providing special PDF outputs for the courts, Steve Roses communicates and listens to the customers to make sure they have the resources and training they need to get through this tough time.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, b...
2020-04-1410 minIn SeclusionCatching Our Breath… And Focusing On It - Heather Simmons (UGA) and Kyle Courtney (Harvard)#HOMEbreath
We are all busy and extremely stressed out at the moment. Heather Simmons of the University of Georgia School of Law and Kyle Courtney of Harvard University discuss how we need to make time for ourselves and take some time to think about mindfulness. Five minutes of sitting quietly and focusing on our breathing may not sound like a lot, but right now, it is. Simmons and Courtney penned an article a few years ago for AALL, that is a good place to start if you need more information.
In a time where we m...
2020-04-1311 minIn SeclusionReporting Legal News During a Pandemic - Amber McKinney - Law360#HOMEcloset
Amber McKinney is the Managing Editor for Law360 and is the host of one of my favorite legal podcasts, Law360's Pro Say. I got to see Amber's new recording studio, which also doubles as the closet of her apartment. There are a number of issues that Amber had to address as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down courthouses across the country, and began having a major effect on the legal industry as a whole. How should Law360 pivot to cover these issues, and still cover the bread-and-butter topic of all the other legal news?
R...
2020-04-0912 minIn SeclusionSimultaneously Preparing for the Best and the Worst - Joy Heath Rush - ILTA#HOMEtech
When you run a large legal technology association, you know your members are one of the biggest reasons that most of us can work from home. It also means that there is a lot of pressure on those members to make sure everything is running correctly and that you understand tools that you may never have used before. In other words, your members are a little stressed out right now. Today's guest, Joy Heath Rush, CEO of ILTA, is using the resources of her organization to make sure that members are sharing ideas and experiences, and...
2020-04-0813 minIn SeclusionDean Sonderegger - Adapting to Customers Living in a Virtual World - Wolters Kluwer#HOMEawayfromHOME
As the coronavirus spread along the global distribution chain, it became apparent that eventually, all global markets were going to be affected. For Dean Sonderegger, Senior Vice-President and General Manager at Wolters Kluwer Legal and Regulatory US, the signs started in January, and by mid-March, the company was essentially an all-remote workforce. The new reality was that information needed to be fluid. Customers and non-customers were in need of reliable information. Students needed access to casebooks and study guides. Lawyers and Judges needed access to materials they only had in print. A global company needed some...
2020-04-0714 minIn SeclusionThe Era of Asynchronous Collaboration - Matt Homann - The Filament#HOMEturf
Matt Homann is the founder of The Filament in St. Louis. If your business is facilitating in-person meetings, like Matt's is, you might think that this time of quarantine and isolation would be disastrous for you. While that is what Matt's traditional business model is, he’s using that experience to usher in new ways of thinking about asynchronous collaboration. That's not letting an emergency go to waste.
Remember, we may all be in seclusion, but we're in this together.
Host: Greg Lambert (@glambert)
Producer: Janice Anderson
Artwork: Dean Lambert...
2020-04-0614 minIn SeclusionLearning as We Go - Nicole Morris - Emory University School of Law#HOMEfires
Nicole Morris is the Director of the TI:GER Program and Professor in Practice at Emory School of Law. She shared with me a number of stories, both personal and professional about transitioning to teaching online courses. While things are happening at a rapid pace, she's trying to remain dynamic in how she approaches her teaching, and she makes sure that she shares her experiences with other professors, and listens to them for their own experiences and suggestions. It's important to remain flexible and be cognizant of the issues going on in the students' lives. And...
2020-04-0320 minIn SeclusionTossed into the Deep End - Andrea Markstrom - Taft Stettinius & Hollister#HOMEscreen
The speed at which the COVID-19 crisis hit the legal industry made it especially difficult for our technology staff and leadership. Now imagine that you’re the CIO and have been at your firm for less than 90 days and had to lead them through this unprecedented remote work structure. That’s exactly what today’s guest found herself doing. Andrea Markstrom, CIO at Taft, Stettinius, and Hollister's Minneapolis office joins us to share her story of finding herself leading the charge for an entirely remote law firm working environment.
Andrea is also heading up a camp...
2020-04-0213 minIn SeclusionManaging to a Clock is a Bit Lazy - Kris Martin - HBR#HOMEflipping
We’ve talked a lot about managing remote people on the series so far. For Kris Martin, management consultant for HBR, that scenario was his daily life, except for one twist. He was the remote worker, and his employees were the ones in the office every day. Now, he has to adjust to the new situation where everyone is now remote. Oh… and add to that the fact that he lives in El Salvador and most of his staff is in New York City and Chicago. Remote workers will magnify how good, or bad a manager is...
2020-04-0111 minIn SeclusionGetting the Legal Information to the Legal Professional - Neil Sternthal - Thomson Reuters#driveitHOME
What role does the Legal Information Publisher play in this new work from home model for the legal industry? Neil Sternthal from Thomson Reuter talks with me to explain how they are supporting the industry in creative ways.
Remember, we may all be In Seclusion, but we're in this together.
Host: Greg Lambert (@glambert)
Producer: Janice Anderson
Artwork: Dean Lambert
Music: Jerry David DeCicca
Twitter: @InSeclusionPod
2020-03-3113 minIn SeclusionThe New 'New Normal' - Michelle Cosby - Temple Law School, AALL President#HOMEloans
The New Normal was coined to define the changes after the Lehman Brothers collapse. There is another New Normal that is already happening around the legal industry. Today's guest, Michelle Cosby, has double-duty as the Director of the Law Library at Temple University, and as the President of the American Association of Law Libraries. She has to help her law students, student workers, law professors, and association members handle this remote work environment.
There's a need for leaders to be transparent and make sure that those who rely upon them, know what is going on...
2020-03-3012 minIn SeclusionThe Need for Next-Gen Roles in Law Firms - Toby Brown - Perkins Coie#HOMEeconomics
While law firms have been relatively well prepared for this transition to work from home, the future will have a number of challenges for legal professionals. Toby Brown is always looking at trends in the industry and understands that there are waves of challenges coming. Law firms are doing a good job of responding to needs, but they struggle with handling what comes next. Clients are going to start looking at their future needs, and firms need to do the same.
He lays out some of the issues that hit the industry in the...
2020-03-2715 minIn SeclusionZoom'ing Right Along - Cat Moon - Vanderbilt Law School#HOMEschooled
While the remote work and teaching environment might be new to most law professors, Vanderbilt Law School's Cat Moon has lots of experience. That's not to say she hasn't had her own frustrations, but she's coping better than most. She talks with me about the issues that law professors and law students are going through as all US law schools find themselves to be online schools.
In a survey she gave Vanderbilt students, they pointed out a number of simple issues that are happening as professors teach remotely. Things like not using a microphone...
2020-03-2615 minIn SeclusionPlanning for the Unexpected - Vani Ungapen - Executive Director of AALLVani Ungapen prides herself on being a planner. So how does one plan for a future that is uncertain? By being nimble, flexible, go with the flow, and most importantly, don't panic. As the Executive Director of the American Association of Law Libraries, she is having to apply all those skills. With an annual conference scheduled in less than four months, there's a lot of uncertainty leading up to the New Orleans event.
The Association upgraded the staff's laptops, network, document, and phone systems over the past couple of years, and those upgrades are making it a l...
2020-03-2510 minIn SeclusionRemote Work is About the Process - Andrea Cannavina - CEO LegalTypist#HOMEbase
Andrea Cannavina understands the process of remote legal work. She's been at it for nearly 20 years as the CEO of LegalTypist. Andrea gives us a checklist of tasks that those new to the remote work environment needs to be successful, and stay sane. From the physical aspects of setting up a work area in your home, to the equipment needed, to the routine you'll fall into as you become more aware of the requirements of remote work. You're not just taking your normal work routine from the office and reapplying it to an in-home situation. It's...
2020-03-2413 minIn SeclusionThis is a Marathon, Not A Sprint - Jim Calloway - Oklahoma Bar Association#oklaHOMEa
In the inaugural episode of In Seclusion, we talk with Jim Calloway, the Director of the Oklahoma Bar Association's Management Assistance Program (MAP). Calloway and I go back to my early legal days with the Oklahoma Supreme Court Network. He discusses the issues facing the state bar, the courts, and the members of the bar as everyone faces the reality of working from home over an extended time period.
Jim reminds us that this is going to be a marathon and not a sprint. Take care of your practice's number one asset... yourself. The pr...
2020-03-2312 min
In SeclusionIn Seclusion Podcast Miniseries - Starts March 23, 2020#mobileHOMEtrailer
Welcome to the In Seclusion Podcast miniseries, with Greg Lambert.
Over the next few weeks, we'll push out daily podcast where Greg talks with colleagues across the spectrum of the legal community about the new work at home model for legal professionals.
In Seclusion episodes cover our struggles, how we adapt, and tips and warnings for working In Seclusion.
Just remember, while we may be In Seclusion… we’re in this together.
The first episode drops Monday, March 23rd on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or where ever you listen.
...
2020-03-2200 min
The Geek In ReviewEpisode 25: Ivy Grey on Curiosity and Creativity's Role in Business
On our 25th episode of The Geek In Review, Marlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert sit down and talk with Ivy Grey, Director of Business Strategy for WordRake. Ivy's recent Above the Law article, “Curiosity Is The Foundation For Innovation” discusses the disconnect between employers who think they promote creativity in their employees, versus employees who think that their bosses actually stifle creativity in the workplace. Ivy breaks down the nuances between creativity and innovation. Ivy points to law firms like Reed Smith, who are actually giving their attorneys and others (approved) time to come up with creative processe...
2019-01-2539 min
The Geek In ReviewEpisode 5 - AALL Conference, Vendors, Privacy, & John WatersMarlene Gebauer (@gebauerm) and Greg Lambert (@glambert) review the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) Conference in Baltimore, along with a review of products launched at the conference, privacy concerns surrounding mega-information vendors and the government, and the wonderful filthiness of keynote speaker, John Waters.
2018-07-2626 min
The Geek In ReviewEpisode 3 - Let’s Discuss Impact-Conscious DesignGreg Lambert and Marlene Gebauer talk with Duke Law School's Cas Laskowski about software and applications designers moving away from simple User-Centered Design, and think more about Impact-Conscious Design models. This is a follow up to Cas' 3 Geeks' blog post back in April.
Marlene also discusses new games for the summer, and flexible space utilization in libraries. Her dog, Georgie, also makes a guest appearance.
Greg went to Alabama over the weekend and got a lesson in leadership from his brother-in-law on being a leader and letting the experts be the experts. He is also finishing up his AALL presidency...
2018-07-0526 min
The Geek In ReviewEpisode 2 - Being a Legal Information StartupMarlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert interview Casetext's Chief Legal Research Officer and co-founder, Pablo Arredondo. Pablo describes his beginnings as a Kirkland & Ellis attorney who thought his research tools should do much more than they did... and then he went out and created those tools.
Greg and Marlene discuss their busy weeks and a few things that caught their attention. For Greg, it was mainly serving on a jury, and drinking a beer (or two) with LexBlog's Kevin O'Keefe. Not at the same time, of course. Marlene made her way into Brooklyn and caught up with the NYC law librarian...
2018-06-2629 min
The Geek In ReviewEpisode 1 - Living the "Non" Life in Law FirmsMarlene Gebauer and Greg Lambert launch The Geek in Review with a discussion of legal information publisher's push to kill print and make a de facto operating system where you have to go to get your legal information. Marlene also discusses her attendance at a legal management conference. Plus, Greg celebrates his 10th anniversary on Twitter.
Zena Applebaum also joins in and discusses her recent article about "My Non Life." Life working inside of law firms as a "non-lawyer" and how it is actually good to be a "non" and the diversity and experience that comes along with it.
Zena's...
2018-06-2024 min