Blackletter

On this episode of Monday Minutes, Tom Dunlap tackles the first charge against someone for insider trading with NFTs. Tom breaks down how an employee of OpenSea, the largest market for NFTs, purchased NFTs, then picked those digital assets to be featured on the platform’s homepage, therefore increasing their value. This is another instance of how law is playing catch up to current technology–insider trading of NFTs does not exist yet in law. Tune in to hear Tom’s analysis of how the case will play out and its impact on the legal field.

Today on Monday Minutes, Tom Dunlap discusses the recent case of a 21-year old National Guard member who allegedly leaked classified documents onto Discord. Tom breaks down the Espionage Act and another section under the US Code: their origins, what they mean, and what their sentencing would entail. As the National Guard member put the documents online, this further complicates the matter. Tune in to find out why.

How can people market themselves to achieve more professional opportunities?

On the Blackletter podcast this week, host Tom Dunlap sits down with Jason Levin, author of "Relationships to Infinity: The Art and Science of Keeping in Touch" and founder of the firm Ready, Set, Launch. He is also the programming chair of the National Capital Local Steering Committee for the Legal Marketing Association, which supports marketing and networking between legal professionals.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jason was inspired to write his book after becoming aware of the human need for connection. He relates this to professional networking and community building and discusses the importance of connection and fostering relationships. Jason also shares his expert opinions on the social networking platform LinkedIn and how people can leverage the site to form strong business relationships and advance their goals.

Tune in to this episode of the Blackletter Podcast to hear more about Jason's thoughts on modern marketing. And check out the next installment of this three-episode interview to hear more about the challenges Jason has encountered in the legal marketing business.

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) recently ruled in a case regarding severance agreements. In the case, McLaren v. Macomb, management at a hospital offered severance agreements to furloughed employees that included a clause prohibiting them from speaking negatively about their employer and disclosing the agreement's terms.

The NLRB ruled this was unlawful, and that the ruling also applies retroactively. This means employers may be forced to leave non-disclosure clauses out of future severance agreements and reverse agreements they previously offered.

On this episode, Tom discusses why employers should be cautious when drafting severance agreements to avoid violating the provisions in the NLRA and how this could lead to more changes in the future for the NLRB.

In this special episode of the Blackletter podcast, we celebrate the trailblazing women who have spoken on the show over the years. Through their impactful stories and insights, these female leaders have demonstrated what it takes to succeed in the legal and business worlds. Tune in to hear their inspiring tales of overcoming challenges, breaking down barriers, and making a difference in their fields.

S2E8 with DeAnna Burke (0:44)

How can someone run a firm and manage people as a female business leader? 

This segment of the podcast features a clip of an interview with DeAnna Burke, an attorney for Dunlap, Bennett, and Ludwig. On Season 2, episode 8, she and Tom speak about the leadership processes involved in managing a law firm. 

DeAnna explains that when managing many people, all with different personalities – the best thing to do is to understand what people are doing, gain their trust, and build a trustworthy reputation as a leader. She also discusses how she continued learning on the job and the importance of people at all levels being involved in the work process to fully understand situations and be able to solve challenges.

S6E5 with Ingrid Vandervedlt (3:26)

How should leaders plan to gain socioeconomic impact?

On season 6, episode 6, Tom chats with Ingrid Vanderveldt, who was the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Dell before becoming the founder and current CEO of Empowering a Billion Women, an organization dedicated to creating global market impact through empowering women entrepreneurs, leaders, and advocates. 

Together Tom and Ingrid discuss her socioeconomic work and her organization’s plans to meet goals and make an impact in the financial market. Ingrid explains the steps involved in this process and how her business leverages platforms to create commerce and make a greater impact in the marketplace. She also discusses her organization’s partial debt funding for women-empowered businesses.

S6E4 with Sabrina Shafer (7:43)

What steps should leaders take to innovate and succeed in business? 

Tom sat down with Sabrina Shafer on season 6, episode 4 of Blackletter, where they spoke on digital marketing and transformation. Sabrina is the owner of Transformation Continuum, a consulting firm focused on digital transformation and enablement.

According to Sabrina, you have to be honest to make an impact and innovate to succeed in business. This means being honest about your brand, who you’re trying to target, and your demographic. She explains that from there, you can make appropriate steps to success using data and other valuable analytic tools. Additionally, they discuss the importance of having a solid team to execute business plans.

S7E14 with Christine Nichlos (11:33)

What is the answer to The Great Resignation for business leaders? 

Within season 7 episode 14 of the Blackletter podcast, Tom is joined by Christine Nichols, CEO of talent acquisition company People Science. Together they share their thoughts on the challenges businesses are facing in a post-pandemic world.

Within this segment, Christine describes how businesses can improve their workforces and survive The Great Resignation. This includes the importance of re-evaluating your business before focusing on acquisition, recruitment, or retention. She also explains how leaders can rework their recruitment practices using technology.

S3E9 with Royce Warrick (15:12)

How do successful organizations approach infringements? 

This segment of the podcast features an excerpt from season 3, episode 9, where Tom interviews Royce Warrick about protecting intellectual property. Royce Warrick is senior vice president, general counsel, and corporate secretary for Solenis and is responsible for managing the company’s legal and governance matters.

Royce describes how Solenis defends its patents and trademarks and the procedures that they follow when they have to escalate a situation. This involves evaluating several factors involved in the situation, like the legal costs, the cost to the organization’s reputation, and the external and internal business value to determine if there is a financial benefit to conducting litigation to protect intellectual property.

S6E6 with Kristina Bouweiri (18:17)

What is the key to making a business thrive even through difficult economic times? 

This segment features a part of an interview with Kristina Bouweiri, owner of Reston Limousine. Together on Season 6, episode 6 of Blackletter, she and Tom spoke about her business transformation and success during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In starting and growing a company, Kristina has had a lot of experience in taking the initiative to fuel her business development. She discusses how fate and smart choices worked in her favor to help her win contracts and launch her business success. She speaks on the power of board-level networking and integrating herself into more communities to help her business grow.

S4E4 with Cherylyn Harley LeBon (24:13)

Under what circumstances would a company not want to apply for loan forgiveness?

Here the podcast circles back to a season 4 episode 4 interview with Cherylyn Harley LeBon, a lawyer with experience covering corporate, government contracting, and nonprofit organizations. Together Tom and Cherylyn discuss the CARES act and how it aids businesses in receiving loans.

In this audio clip, Cherylyn discusses the SBA’s business loan forgiveness guidelines. She stresses the importance of keeping proper records so that you can apply for forgiveness. Additionally, she advises small businesses to use their loan funds as intended, keep documentation to back up their actions, and follow business loan guidance.

S6E2 with Sharon Virts (27:26)

How can business leaders find ways to support their companies through tough times?

This episode's final segment features a conversation from season 6, episode 3, with Sharon Virts. Throughout the interview, Sharon shares her journey in starting her consulting company that helps government contractors find work in the federal government.

Sharon shares the business challenges she faced in 2001 when Mergers and Acquisitions almost killed her business. She describes how through market analysis and research, she discovered new ways for her company to stay afloat. Through thorough research on immigration vetting and fee-for-service work, she found a way to support her company’s success.

The Copyright Office has launched an initiative to examine the copyright law and policy issues raised by artificial intelligence (AI), including works generated using AI tools. These technologies raise questions about whether the material they produce is protected by copyright, whether works consisting of both human-authored and AI-generated material may be registered, and what information should be provided to the Office by applicants seeking to register them. Tune in to this week's episode to hear Tom's thoughts on where we might end up in 2023 and how it will impact the use of AI tools.

What leadership advice can support the success of any organizational team?

On the Blackletter podcast this week, host Tom Dunlap concludes his three-episode interview with the President and CEO of Veterans Moving Forward, Gordon Sumner. As the leader of a nonprofit organization and a former army officer, Gordon is no stranger to the demands that come with leadership positions. In this episode, he provides pieces of sage wisdom and advice that he gathered from his past and present roles. Gordon also discusses the importance of teamwork and cooperation for leadership success and how he incorporated lessons from his army training days into the nonprofit business world.

Listen to this episode of the Blackletter Podcast to hear all about the important advice Gordan learned throughout his experiences. And catch-up on previous episodes available on the Blackletter website!

The U.S. Supreme Court was recently asked to decide if AI can be a patent 'inventor'. Stephen Thaler petitioned the high court to review an appeals court's decision that patents can only be issued to human inventors and that his AI system cannot be the legal creator of inventions it generated. This week Tom dives into this patent rabbit-hole and discusses from legal perspectives as well as patent owner perspectives.

A promoter's lawsuit against FIFA and the U.S. Soccer Federation can proceed toward trial after a lower-court judge had thrown it out, a federal appeals court ruled recently. In its refusal, the USSF had cited a 2018 FIFA policy that its ruling council "emphasized the sporting principle that official league matches must be played within the territory of the respective member association."

Today Tom Dunlap provide's details about U.S. Soccer and FIFA's pending Anti-Trust lawsuit. He discusses why it is needed, how it will effect FIFA soccer leagues, and the difference between European and American soccer leagues.

What business challenges can one expect when running a non-profit organization?

While non-profits can differ from for-profit businesses, these organizations still have their fair share of challenges. On this episode, Gordon shares the significant challenges he faced running Veterans Moving Forward during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and how the organization rearranged its plans to overcome obstacles and continue moving forward. He also explains the ongoing challenges of raising funds to train and care for service dogs and his goals for funding the travel costs of matching the dogs with veterans.

Check out this episode to learn more about the challenges and hurdles Gordon faced in running a non-profit. And remember to tune back into the next Blackletter episode, where he will discuss his top leadership advice.