On The Road With Legal Talk Network

There are many legal and cultural issues that need to be addressed in an employee handbook, including accommodation for certain classes of people, wages and overtime, confidentiality issues, and many more. Unfortunately, lawyers can often overlook the importance of catering their firm’s handbook to their employees. In this On the Road report from the 2016 ABA Annual Meeting, Legal Talk Network producer Laurence Colletti interviews Kate Bally, Matthew Schiff, Michael Lotito, and Sierra Spitzer, speakers from the conference’s panel “Minefield in the Modern Employee Handbook.” Together, they create awareness about the most important and often ignored laws and best practices for creating an effective employee handbook. Matthew explains the mistakes many lawyers make when taking their handbook from a previous firm. He also discusses exempt and non-exempt employees with regards to overtime laws. Michael goes into the National Labor Relations Act and why it actually does apply to lawyers, despite a belief to the con

The transition from cars with drivers to driverless cars is upon us, and it will be potentially as disruptive as horse and buggies to cars. As this switch-over occurs, lawyers and lawmakers will face issues of compliance, liability, and information governance, among others. In this On the Road report from the ABA Annual Meeting 2016, Joe Patrice interviews Bryant Walker Smith, Laura Ruettgers, and Stephen Wu about their conference presentation on driverless cars. Together, they discuss the compliance issues that arise from different levels of vehicle automation, who is liable for an accident, how the insurance carriers will adapt to the changes, and the moral questions that arise on a programming level. The presenters close by discussing how taxi and trucker employment will change and driverless cars as a supplement to public transportation. Bryant Walker Smith is an assistant professor of law and (by courtesy) engineering at the University of South Carolina School of Law. His research focuses on risk (parti

We’ve all been hearing a lot about the Zika virus in the news. Miami recently reported over 10 cases, and the virus could potentially spread throughout the United States. But why are we so intimidated by a disease that isn’t life threatening? In this report from On the Road, Thinking Like A Lawyer’s Joe Patrice interviews two Zika experts, Medical Epidemiologist Captain Ken Dominguez and Professor of Public Health Law and Ethics James Hodge. Together, they discuss why funding is the major hangup in American preparation for dealing with this virus. Captain Kenneth L. Dominguez MD, MPH (USPHS) is an epidemiologist for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Captain in the U.S. Public Health Service. He completed a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University, both a Medical degree and Masters in Public Health degree at Columbia University. He completed residency training in both Pediatrics and Preventive Medicine at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, California and at the CDC in Atlanta and

This time On the Road at the 2016 ABA Annual Meeting, hosts Sharon Nelson and John Simek speak with Electronic Frontier Foundation Executive Director Cindy Cohn, United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Federal Judge James Jones, and Chairman and Associate Professor in the Department of National Security Affairs at the Naval Postgraduate School Mohammed Hafez about the ongoing quest to prevent terrorism. Mohammad mentions that the increased visibility of global terrorist attacks has given rise to a discourse about how we should best deal with this issue, by understanding the nature of terrorism and how it has evolved over the years. Judge Jones gives a brief background on the United States Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISA Court), which was established in 1978. Each judge serves as a duty judge in the court’s secure location in Washington D.C. for a week at a time to receive applications from the Department of Justice for surveillance of individuals suspected of terrorists activities.

Fans of Special Reports know that Legal Talk Network has been traveling the country interviewing speakers and other people of interest at legal conferences and events. As Special Reports has become a show all about recording live from the biggest events in legal, we’re changing the name! Special Reports is now On the Road with Legal Talk Network. Other than a slight change in format and cool new artwork, we will keep bringing you the same great interviews with influential guests at our favorite legal events. You don’t need to do anything, change anything, or update anything. This is just a quick name change that, we think, better captures the spirit of the podcast. We’ll be kicking off this change over the next week with recordings from the ABA Annual Meeting, so be sure to tune in. It’s something you won’t want to miss. As always, if you have any feedback on this or other podcasts, please send us an email at info@legaltalknetwork.com. We’d love to hear from you, so let us know how we’re doing. Tune in n

In this Special Reports, host Laurence Colletti speaks with The Florida Bar International Law Section Chair Eduardo Palmer about his division, international arbitration, and how the state has become a world center for international law. Eduardo gives a brief history of the division, which was founded in 1981, and shares that they have slightly more than 1000 members. He explains that one of their main areas of focus is streamlining rules, regulations, and legislation in Florida to make the state a major international law center. Gordon then discusses Florida Bar rule 1-3.11, how it has spiked the arbitration work they receive by 200-300%, and how it made Miami the second premiere U.S. location for international arbitration relating to the Americas behind New York City. He closes the interview with an overview of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, the sponsored pre-Vis moot dress rehearsal held in Miami, and his top reasons why attorneys should join the ILS. Eduardo Palmer is the cha

In this Special Report, Florida Bar Public Interest Law Section incoming chair Sarah Sullivan talks with Legal Talk Network Executive Producer Laurence Colletti about her division, the joys of serving the public, and the challenges this type of law practice can bring. Sarah shares that her division is comprised mostly of legal aid practitioners who work for restricted or unrestricted legal aid programs, law professors, clinical professors, and managers of nonprofits. She also reveals that the kind of law that they practice consists mostly of housing law, family law, veteran work, disability work, nonprofit work, and that the common goal of serving the people unifies them all. Sarah provides insight into her work as a clinical professor at the Florida Coastal School of Law and presents a brief explanation of the services that her students provide through the experiential law firm run by the school. She closes the interview with a few reasons attorneys should join her division and some examples of the most rewa

In this Special Report, host Laurence Colletti talks with criminal defense attorney Denis deVlaming about his Florida Criminal Law Update at the 2016 Annual Florida Bar Convention. Denis discusses cases, such as Hurst v. Florida and Miller v. Alabama, that have had significant legislative impacts on the Florida criminal justice system. He also provides definitions for important verbiage, like aggravating factors, to help all law practitioners better understand the effects these subsequent rulings will have on practicing lawyers in Florida. Denis analyzes the impact that the recent changes to the death penalty in Florida will have on the inmates sentenced to death and the pro bono committee of lawyers that will be representing them. He closes the interview with his top tips for lawyers who have recently graduated or who are seeking to start their own law firms in Florida. Denis deVlaming is a former Florida prosecutor turned board certified criminal defense attorney. He is also an adjunct professor at Stetson

In this Special Report, Florida Bar Young Lawyers Division President Gordon Glover and Young Lawyers Division President-Elect Designate Katherine Hurst Miller speak with Laurence Colletti about their division, what young attorneys aspire to today, and what to expect in the coming year. Gordon explains that their division has 26,000 members and that young lawyers make up a quarter of all lawyers in the state. The division hosts monthly webinars, affiliate outreach conferences, and basic continuing legal education courses for their attorneys. Katherine explains their training succession plan for the president-elect designate and Gordon elaborates on the two themes of his presidency. They also analyze why more law students want to start their own practices coming out of law school and reveal that criminal, personal injury, and family law are the most common types of firms that young lawyers are establishing. Gordon and Katherine close the interview with a discussion of The Young Lawyers Division Moot Court Compe

The Dueling Dragons of Orlando Dragon Boat Team is a partnership between at risk teens and police officers from the Orlando Police Department who team up in a cooperative and competitive boat racing event. The kids come from programs like City’s Operation Positive Direction, Parramore Kidz Zone, and the City's Families, Parks and Recreation Department. Both police officers and kids participate as volunteers in the racing program. Dragon Boats have 20 seats, 41 feet of hull, and require 21 people to paddle. The premise is simple: only by working together will the racers get from point A to point B. In this Special Report, host Laurence Colletti sits down with Andrea Eliscu, founder of Dueling Dragons of Orlando, which was the subject of her presentation at the Business Law Section and International Law Section Joint Luncheon during the 2016 Annual Florida Bar Convention. Since the inception of her program, no participating kid has been arrested, lowered their GPA, or dropped out of school. In addition, no par

The Government Lawyer Section of The Florida Bar serves the interests of the state’s government attorneys whether they work for state, local, or federal entities. Currently, 18% of Florida Bar attorneys are considered to be government lawyers, and despite being a populous group within the ranks, many of them feel underrepresented.   In this Special Report, Government Lawyer Section Chair Michael Schmid joins host Laurence Colletti for a discussion about the projects his group is working on for the benefit of his fellow government lawyers. Issues like membership dues and public service loan forgiveness are at the forefront, but other topics like involvement in The Florida Bar are also critical for the interest of their members. Tune in to hear why Florida attorneys working both in and out of government positions should consider joining this section of The Florida Bar. Among the many reasons listed: They advise and recommend substantive changes in the law to the legislature They are the voice of the gov

With its 1,700 members, the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar focuses on issues germane to to their area of emphasis. Defined by the people they serve rather than the type of law, this practice area touches on and overlaps with the Tax Code, Social Security Code, Probate Code, guardianship, and other areas of law. In this Special Report, David Hook, the outgoing chair for the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar, joins host Laurence Colletti to talk about who Elder Law serves, including the elderly, disabled, and individuals with special needs. In addition, they discuss common issues of concern for the section including VA Planning, Medicaid, probate, and guardianship. In particular, they address certain updates in guardianship statutes with new licensing for professional guardians. The conversation concludes with ways attorneys can get involved in the practice of elder law as well as the Elder Law Section. Among the reasons to join, David cites the following: It’s free for law students to sign up They

“Our country is a democracy because of the rule of law. When we don’t have justice for everybody, we don’t have justice for anyone.” - Bruce Blackwell At the 2016 Annual Florida Bar Convention, Kimberly Sanchez, Ericka Garcia, and Bruce Blackwell discuss legal aid and pro bono representation to help elderly, poor, veteran, disabled, and other legally vulnerable people throughout Florida. Ericka and Bruce work for The Florida Bar Foundation, a leader and funder for legal aid services around the state of Florida. They talk about the growing need for lawyers to offer pro bono services and why they should. Lawyers at the end of their lives don’t remember the big corporate cases, Bruce explains, they remember helping those in need keep a house. Kimberly is the executive director of legal aid in central Florida. She talks about how her organization receives aid from The Florida Bar Foundation and provides need-based assistance in civil matters like housing, evictions, foreclosures, bankruptcies, and injunctions f

At the 2016 Annual Florida Bar Convention, Legal Talk Network producer Laurence Colletti interviews Jay Kim, business litigator and member of The Florida Bar board of governors, about the updates in business law in Florida over the past year. Jay points out the overall stability in commercial litigation despite economic climates and how Florida law is pretty friendly toward businesses overall. He goes into the proposal for settlement statute providing for the collection of attorneys' fees and how it is evolving. Laurence and Jay then shift to discuss the upcoming year. Jay explains how a recent Florida Supreme Court judgement on the way workers’ compensation attorneys’ fees are calculated will likely affect businesses, solo attorneys, and many workers across the state. Jay Kim is a business litigator and partner at Kim Vaughan Lerner in Fort Lauderdale. His boutique law firm focuses on commercial litigation, employment litigation, and insurance litigation. Jay is a former chair of The Florida Bar Grievance C

In this Special Report, host Laurence Colletti sits down with attorney Barbara Leach to discuss her presentation for the Florida Law Update 2016 at the Annual Florida Bar Convention. Barbara gives a little background on her Orlando-based law practice and explains that her emphasis for the seminar is on updates to bankruptcy law. She reveals that bankruptcy cases are trending downward and lists credit card debt, medical debt, and overwhelming loan debt as major reasons for financial hardship. Barbara also discusses observations on trends toward the dischargeability of student loan debt. She also shared her 12 month reviews on bankruptcies during her seminar to highlight changes in exemptions, dischargeability, and general information that directly impacts lawyers both as bankruptcy practitioners and debtors. The interview closes with an analysis of recent foreclosure trends and some tips for non-lawyers who want to stay knowledgeable on bankruptcy legislations that might directly affect them. Barbara J. Leach

At the 2016 Annual Florida Bar Convention, Adriana Linares and John Stewart interview ABA Past President William Hubbard about his judicial luncheon speech. Mr. Hubbard discusses addressing regulatory framework in a timely way to deal with the increasing online proliferation of legal service providers. Lawyers themselves, he says, should embrace technology to reduce costs and maintain relevancy, rather than holding on to the status quo. Linares, Stewart, and Hubbard also talk about finding the right balance of technology and human lawyers, and provide examples of companies doing so effectively. With the right cost structures, Hubbard explains, there are a whole range of new opportunities for lawyers who can be more efficient and provide services affordably. William Hubbard was president of the American Bar Association from 2014-2015 and is a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP in Columbia, South Carolina, where he practices in business litigation. He is still heavily involved with the ABA, givi

Legal Talk Network host Adriana Linares interviews Pete Sweeney, chair of the Member Benefits Committee of The Florida Bar, at the 2016 Annual Florida Bar Convention. Together they discuss the role of the committee, some of the most popular benefits, and the overall shift from travel benefits (car rental) to technology benefits (practice management software). Pete talks about the proposal, pitch, and renewal process companies go through and the role of the board of governors. Listen to the end to hear about how Florida lawyers can access these benefits on mobile devices! Peter Sweeney is a deputy city attorney for the City of Palm Bay, Florida, where he works at an in-house law firm representing the City of Palm Bay and the City Council. Sweeney is board certified in construction law by The Florida Bar and chair of The Florida Bar’s Membership Benefits Committee. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Annual Florida Bar Convention caters to hundreds of judges, lawyers, and law practitioners every year. What goes into organizing such a large event, and why should legal professionals attend such functions? In this Special Report, host Laurence Colletti speaks with the 2016 Annual Florida Bar Convention co-chairs Melanie Griffin and Renée Thompson about the triumphs and challenges of organizing a conference. Melanie and Renée address the recent tragedy in Orlando, providing options for people to help support the local community, and reflect on how The Florida Bar beefed up event security efforts all week. Renée talks about the increased attention that they put on making the event more family friendly this year and Melanie emphasizes that they wanted the convention to reflect how the bar was exceeding the goals of “Vision 2016.” They also discuss the various efforts, from raising money to choosing speakers, that the entire annual convention committee worked on to make this convention a reality. Melanie an

Legal Talk Network host Adriana Linares interviews Ben Hill, Florida Bar president from 1991-1992, Ramon (Ray) Abadin, president from 2015-2016, and incoming Bar president Bill Schifino at the 2016 Annual Florida Bar Convention. Adriana begins the podcast by having each president ask questions of the others. They discuss why it’s important to listen to their executive director, the growth and changes of the legal profession, and how to deal with the increase in online legal service providers in Florida. Although Ben, Ray, and Bill all differ in the way they approach leadership, they agree that they are all extremely committed to serving the bar members, their clients, and the public as a whole. The presidents urge young lawyers wishing to progress within the bar to get involved early and start in local positions and committees. Stay tuned to the end for the one thing each president would like to say to all bar members. Ben Hill is a founding partner and chairman of the Tampa law firm Hill Ward Henderson. As

In this Special Report, Executive Producer Laurence Colletti sits down to interview Evolve Law Co-Founder Mary Juetten and the Evolve Law Client Driven Technology Solutions panelists at the Legal Talk Network’s Denver studio. Lawbooth Project Manager Joe Burchard moderated the talks and the panel was comprised of Davis Wright Tremaine Client Engagement & Innovation Strategist Kate White, Intensity Analytics CEO John Rome, and Bryan Cave Chief Innovation Officer Kathryn DeBord. Mary starts the interview with a brief explanation of how Evolve Law began and shares that their mission is to cultivate a community focused on accelerating the adoption of technology within the legal profession. Joe explains that the event was designed to promote discussion about technology in the general legal space, the direction these advancements are headed, and how lawyers and technologists can ensure the direction is a positive one. The group then finishes the interview with an analysis of how bots can reduce monotonous work for