This episode features Tim Reuben, a Harvard Law graduate and managing principal of Reuben Raucher & Blum, who has spent over 40 years in the trenches of high-stakes civil litigation. Tim shares his journey from being a versatile "litigator's litigator," handling everything from antitrust to securities, to his new chapter as a mediator and founder of Reuben Mediation. He offers a critical look at the evolution of the legal profession, lamenting the shift from mentorship to a focus on billable hours. Tim also dives into the impact of technology, comparing the rise of AI to past game-changers like email and LexisNexis, and explains why he believes AI is a powerful but dangerous tool that requires careful human oversight. Finally, he reveals his unique philosophy on mediation as an active, persuasive process and shares his controversial take on why trial lawyers often make better mediators than retired judges. Plus, he tells us how he found the time to write his debut thriller novel, Tequila, by replacing cocktails with chapter writing.

Show Notes:

(0:00) Introduction: Tim Reuben’s 40-year career in complex civil litigation.

(1:28) The Litigator's Path: A demanding journey of constant conflict and the transition to peacemaking through mediation.

(3:29) The Generalist Advantage: Why a skilled litigator can handle any type of case, from copyright to construction.

(6:16) The Business of Law: How the profession's focus has shifted from mentorship and skill development to billable hours.

(9:04) AI's Double-Edged Sword: Why firms must educate their lawyers on AI, a tool both powerful and dangerous if used improperly.

(11:23) Will AI Replace Young Lawyers? How associates' roles will evolve to oversee and verify AI-generated work.

(14:29) Technological Game-Changers: Comparing AI's impact to the revolution brought by LexisNexis and email.

(15:19) Digital Evidence Overload: How emails and texts have created an explosion in litigation costs and complexity.

(22:06) The Danger of Speed: Why the modern expectation of immediate responses is detrimental to thoughtful legal strategy.

(25:32) The Impetus for Mediation: Solving the crisis of an overwhelmed court system where justice delayed is justice denied.

(27:42) The Mediator's Philosophy: An interactive, forward-looking approach focused on risk analysis and problem-solving.

(32:12) The Two Stages of Mediation: The balance between letting parties air their grievances and shifting focus toward a future resolution.

(37:04) The Controversial Take: Why the advocacy skills of a career litigator can be more effective in mediation than the judgment of a retired judge.

(43:06) The Cocktail Hour Novelist: How Tim wrote his thriller, "Tequila," by writing one short chapter an hour after work.

(46:58) The Writer's Journey: Fulfilling a lifelong plan to write a book after career and family demands subsided.

(51:22) Litigation as Storytelling: Crafting clear "good guy vs. bad guy" narratives in both legal briefs and fiction.

(54:15) The Power of Simplicity and Humor: The importance of plain speaking, relatable stories, and levity in effective advocacy.

Find Tim at https://www.reubenmediation.com/, @timreubenauthor on Instagram, https://www.timreuben.com/

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Music: lofi type beat "flower market" by snoozy beats.