Episodes

  • Positive Lawyering: Cultivating Values and Compassion in the Legal Profession

    Positive Lawyering: Cultivating Values and Compassion in the Legal Profession
    Nov 11 2024
    Using positive psychology tailored to the unique needs of lawyers and law students, attorney Jordana Confino helps others in the profession improve their wellbeing and thrive in legal practice. JoAnn Hathaway and Molly Ranns talk with Jordana about her methods for cultivating a healthy self-care mindset amidst the pressures and stresses of legal work. They discuss the practice of identifying and prioritizing your core values, reining in perfectionism, and practicing self-compassion. Mentioned in this Episode: Chronicles of a Recovering Type A+ Perfectionist Blog — Jordana Confino Jordana Confino is an attorney, professional coach, and founder of JC Coaching & Consulting.
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    39 mins
  • Succession Planning — Updates for Rule 21

    Succession Planning — Updates for Rule 21
    Oct 14 2024
    What’s next for Rule 21? After a year of progress, JoAnn Hathaway and Molly Ranns welcome April Alleman back to the podcast to learn about the updates for important elements of Michigan’s succession planning requirements. Planning for the future of your legal practice is essential for all attorneys. April gives an overview of the processes pertaining to Rule 21 and the Interim Administrator Program and what attorneys should do to ensure compliance. For more detailed information on Rule 21, listen to previous SBM podcast episode: Rule 21: Law Practice Succession Planning on Legal Talk Network. April Alleman is Succession Planning Program Counsel at the State Bar of Michigan.
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    31 mins
  • Balancing Wellbeing, Professionalism, and Civility

    Balancing Wellbeing, Professionalism, and Civility
    Sep 9 2024
    Between forty and seventy percent of all malpractice claims and disciplinary proceedings are directly related to untreated mental health or substance abuse issues. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway discuss the intersection of wellbeing and professionalism/civility rules with Joan Vestrand and Tim Lessing. Wellness is necessary to a lawyer’s ability to conduct themselves professionally, but things may break down if wellness is compromised. They discuss the inherently adversarial system lawyers work within and outline strategies for mindset shifts that allow attorneys to live and practice law in ways that positively support mental health and wellbeing. Joan Vestrand is Dean of Students and Professor of Law at Thomas M. Cooley Law School. Tim Lessing is principle at Lessing Law, PLLC, where he specializes almost exclusively in trial/litigation practice in both civil and criminal law.
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    29 mins
  • How to Enhance Your Legal Services with Microsoft Copilot

    How to Enhance Your Legal Services with Microsoft Copilot
    Aug 12 2024
    Is AI coming for your job as an attorney? Ben Schorr of Microsoft has the short answer—no! But, AI can come alongside you to help you do your work even better. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Ben about ways lawyers can implement Microsoft Copilot in legal practice. From first drafts of documents, to brainstorming, to research help, and more, Copilot has much to offer in the daily lives of legal professionals. Ben also outlines common mistakes lawyers make when employing AI tools and explains how to effectively and ethically integrate Copilot into your practice. Ben M. Schorr is a Senior Content Developer at Microsoft. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    21 mins
  • Mental Health Resources with Joe Ankus

    Mental Health Resources with Joe Ankus
    Jul 8 2024
    Due to his lived experience with stress and anxiety in the practice of law, Joe Ankus was inspired to get involved in mental health education in the legal profession. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Joe about his passion for coming alongside attorneys experiencing mental health challenges and increasing support in all areas of legal. Joe emphasizes the importance of openness in struggles with wellness or substance abuse and offers advice for lawyers on helping colleagues or seeking help for themselves. Resources: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline NAMI ABA Institute for Wellness in Law National Institute of Health Alcoholics Anonymous AlAnon Family Groups www.ankusconsulting.com Joe Ankus is president of both Attorney Mental Health Education, Inc., and Ankus Consulting, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    40 mins
  • How to Dissect and Understand Your Cyber Insurance Policy

    How to Dissect and Understand Your Cyber Insurance Policy
    Jun 10 2024
    Cyber threats abound in our modern world, and lawyers and law firms are prime targets due to the sensitive nature of the information they hold in trust for clients. As such, cyber insurance is becoming a necessity for attorneys, but many feel overwhelmed by the numerous options available to them and how policies change as cyber risks evolve. To help lawyers comprehend the spectrum of cyber insurance services, Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Judy Selby to hear her expertise on this complicated topic. Judy explains what to look for in a policy, different types of coverage and limitations, and how to ensure that a policy will meet the unique needs of your law firm. Judy Selby is a partner at Kennedys and has over 30 years of experience in insurance coverage.
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    33 mins
  • A Better Perspective: How Mindset Shifts Can Enrich Life and Legal Practice

    A Better Perspective: How Mindset Shifts Can Enrich Life and Legal Practice
    May 13 2024
    Legal practice can be stressful, and it is all too common to go through difficult seasons which, in turn, lead to negative impacts on our overall wellbeing. But, there are ways to equip lawyers with the skills to mindfully combat this tendency. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Laura Kelly about strategies for managing your mindset and finding joy and balance in your life. Laura shares stories from her own life and her experiences as a coach to help attorneys implement healthy practices that promote wellbeing both at work and at home. Laura F. Kelley is the founder of LFK Immigration PA, a comprehensive immigration firm based in Doral, FL. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    33 mins
  • How Lawyers Can Enhance Legal Services and Stay Ahead in the Industry with AI

    How Lawyers Can Enhance Legal Services and Stay Ahead in the Industry with AI
    Apr 8 2024
    Leveraging AI in your practice can help you create better client experiences and become a more efficient lawyer. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Mitch Jackson about ways to integrate AI into your practice to speed up legal service delivery. Mitch talks through current ethics of AI use and offers many examples of ways to use AI in your day-to-day tasks, including research, document analysis, templates, chatbots, and so much more. Mitch Jackson is the CEO of Jackson and Wilson, a California litigation law firm, and founder of Maneuver Mediation.
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    39 mins