Latte With a Lawyer

Welcome back to Latte with a Lawyer—a leading podcast for attorneys exploring what it takes to build a thriving modern practice. In this episode, Samah T. Abukhodeir shares the incredible story of scaling The Florida Probate & Family Law Firm from a solo practice to a 25-person team in just four years. Samah reveals how she made the pivotal decision to step back from legal work—now spending only 5% of her time on cases—to become a full-time CEO, leveraging professional coaching to master the business of law and drive explosive growth.

Samah pulls back the curtain on the emotionally charged reality of her practice, which she calls the “Double D’s”: divorce and death. She discusses the unique challenges of representing high-net-worth and celebrity clients in sensitive family law matters, her firm's appearance on the Discovery+ show “Fight or Flight” handling domestic violence cases, and how she built a culturally diverse team with niche expertise in both Sharia-compliant estate planning and Jewish divorce proceedings. She also gives her candid take on why embracing legal tech is non-negotiable for the next generation of lawyers.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samah-t-abukhodeir-43167256/
FIRM Website: https://floridaprobateandfamilylaw.com/

Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: https://legal.emotiontrac.com/

Welcome back to Latte with a Lawyer—an indispensable podcast for lawyers seeking insights from the top of the profession. This episode features Norman Newmark, a tax and estate planning attorney who sums up his practice with a single cocktail party line: 'death and taxes.' Norman shares one of the most unforgettable stories in the show's history, a probate case involving a deceased man, his wife, and a girlfriend who stole a car. He reveals the simple, jaw-dropping mistake that proved the girlfriend forged the dead man’s signature on the title—he died in March, but 'signed' it in April—a true 'you can't make this up' moment from the courtroom.

But the conversation goes far beyond just wild case stories. Norman explains why he believes the best tax lawyers have an 'algebraic mindset,' viewing the complex tax code as a mathematical equation. He shares insights from his time teaching at Washington University Law School and discusses his personal mission to mentor the next generation of attorneys, a passion born from his own career experiences. Norman also offers a surprising family tale involving a potential brush with Jack the Ripper, and provides a sharp analysis of modern tax controversies, including the surge in state and local tax litigation following the Supreme Court's Wayfair decision on internet sales tax.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/normansnewmarkguilfoil/
FIRM Website: https://mlklaw.com/

Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: https://legal.emotiontrac.com/

Welcome back to Latte with a Lawyer—the essential podcast for attorneys who value integrity over empty slogans. In this episode, host Jonathan Brickman sits down with Mike Gertler, a veteran New Orleans personal injury lawyer who pulls no punches when it comes to the state of legal marketing. Mike delivers a fiery critique of the deceptive "one call, that's all" television commercials that promise huge payouts without mentioning the work or the reality of litigation, arguing it turns a noble profession into a "disgusting business." He contrasts this with his own firm's success, which is built on decades of hard-won referrals and landmark results, like a recent million-dollar nursing home settlement secured only after years of intense appellate battles.

Mike takes us back to the 1970s, when he was a pioneer in asbestos litigation, exposing the corporate cover-ups that hid the fatal link between asbestos and mesothelioma from workers for decades. He explains the mechanics of mass torts and how his firm continues to tackle complex product liability cases, from defective knee replacements that slip through FDA approval to other dangerous medical devices. Mike also offers a candid look at the systemic flaws in the justice system, from defense firms incentivized by the billable hour to drag out cases for years, to why his father, a former judge, was so effective by simply enforcing firm trial dates.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-gertler-5248a9197/
FIRM Website: https://www.neworleanspersonalinjury.com/

Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: https://legal.emotiontrac.com/

Welcome back to Latte with a Lawyer—the go-to podcast for attorneys navigating the world of high-stakes litigation. In this episode, Kipp Cornell of Cunningham, Meyer & Vedrine pulls back the curtain on the intense field of medical malpractice defense in Chicago. He shares the inside story of a recent month-long trial where his team faced a staggering $30 million demand and walked away with a zero-dollar verdict. Kipp reveals why having major hospital systems willing to fight is paramount and breaks down his core philosophy: the single most important factor in winning a med-mal case is preparing your physician so well that the jury sees them as someone they would trust with their own care.

But winning isn't just about having a defensible case; it's about mastering the art of persuasion with a lay jury. Kipp details the strategic shift in the defense bar to address astronomical damages without conceding liability—a delicate balance that can make or break a verdict. He also discusses how his firm leverages technology to its advantage, from using sophisticated computer-generated demonstratives to explain complex medicine, to perfecting the use of Zoom for expert witnesses after seeing opponents fail. He explains how to make remote testimony even more effective than being in the courtroom, a crucial skill in modern legal practice.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kippbcornell/
FIRM Website: http://www.cmvlaw.com/

Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: https://legal.emotiontrac.com/

Welcome back to Latte with a Lawyer—the essential podcast for attorneys exploring the business of law. In this episode, Utah litigator Benjamin Lusty explains his firm's strategic pivot from general insurance defense to a thriving medical malpractice practice. He reveals why med-mal carriers, often owned by the doctors themselves, are far more willing to fund a vigorous defense—approving quarter-million-dollar trial budgets—than auto insurers who nickel-and-dime bills before moving work in-house. Benjamin shares how this shift allows him to feel more like he's practicing law and less like he's just managing claims.

Benjamin also dives into the rapidly escalating world of skilled nursing facility litigation, a niche where he says jurors give "no benefit of the doubt." He breaks down why these cases are becoming a hotbed for plaintiffs' attorneys, often hinging on the actions of underpaid and unlicensed staff, and leading to massive wrongful death verdicts. From there, he discusses his complex appellate work, including a thorny state supreme court case, Kingston v. Kingston, that questions whether a court can legally "gag" a parent from discussing their religion with their own children, touching on fundamental First Amendment issues.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-lusty-36a97b3/
FIRM Website: http://www.lawfirmra.com/

Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: https://legal.emotiontrac.com/

Welcome to Latte with a Lawyer—the essential podcast for attorneys looking for tactics that win complex cases. This episode features Matthew Ridley, a partner at Thomas, Thomas & Hafer, who shares the unbelievable story of how a knocked-over mailbox escalated into a full-blown shootout. Matthew details defending his homeowner client, a former Golden Gloves boxer, who ended up in a firefight with a state trooper armed with a .357 Magnum after retrieving his own assault rifle. He breaks down the challenge of building a defense when the entire incident was caught on a dash cam and his client was incarcerated.

Beyond the headline-grabbing gunfight, Matthew reveals the creative strategies he used to navigate the civil lawsuit that followed. He explains how he used the insurance policy’s intentional acts exclusion and a weak “human shield” claim against his client’s wife as leverage to force a favorable settlement in mediation. Matthew also discusses his primary practice defending healthcare providers, health systems, and hospitals in high-stakes medical malpractice actions, including his work helping rehabilitated physicians with past substance abuse issues regain their license to practice medicine.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-ridley-esq-15597619/
FIRM Website: https://www.tthlaw.com/

Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: https://legal.emotiontrac.com/

Welcome back to Latte with a Lawyer—the essential podcast for attorneys seeking a healthier, more sustainable career path. In this episode, Andrew A. Cascini of Henn Lesperance PLC delivers a candid diagnosis of why he believes most lawyers are unhappy. He argues that the profession's identity as "professional warriors" who sell their time creates a culture of burnout, and shares his personal journey of ditching coffee and rejecting the "sleep when you're dead" badge of honor for the sake of longevity and balance.

Andrew pulls back the curtain on his own unconventional path to the law, which began not with a lifelong dream but with a pivotal conversation with a history professor who advised him against a PhD. He explains how he fell into management-side employment law and discovered it was a perfect fit, allowing him to engage with the second most important relationship in a person's life: their job. Andrew offers his unique perspective as a "gargoyle on the building," observing countless industries and revealing what it takes to find true fulfillment in a profession designed for conflict.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewcascini/
FIRM Website: https://hennlesperance.com/

Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: https://legal.emotiontrac.com/

Welcome back to Latte with a Lawyer—the essential podcast for attorneys tracking the intersection of law, business, and technology. In this episode, Geoffrey Lottenberg, a partner at Berger Singerman, shares how he built a national intellectual property practice by embracing versatility and acting as a strategic business counselor. With a background in mechanical engineering, Geoffrey explains why the South Florida market demands a different approach than Silicon Valley, forcing IP lawyers to be entrepreneurial and well-rounded. He reveals his core philosophy: providing true value by helping clients understand *if* and *why* they need a patent, even if it means talking them out of the work and building long-term trust instead.

Geoffrey also pulls back the curtain on the world of IP litigation, from defending smaller companies against larger infringers to the strategic importance of policing a trademark. He breaks down why the primary goal in many trademark disputes isn't a massive monetary award, but rather securing injunctive relief to protect the brand's integrity—a crucial action to prevent a mark from being weakened over time. Finally, he discusses how his law firm podcast listeners can leverage technology, from forensic eDiscovery in trade secret cases to AI-powered platforms that streamline routine patent work, freeing up attorneys to focus on the high-level judgment and client counseling that AI can't replace.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreylottenberg/
Firm Website: https://www.bergersingerman.com/

Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: https://legal.emotiontrac.com/

Welcome back to Latte with a Lawyer—the dynamic podcast for attorneys who want to master the art of the trial. In this episode, Bruce A. Cranner, a partner at Talley, Anthony, Hughes & Knight, reveals why his experience in high-stakes medical malpractice defense makes him a go-to litigator for sports and fitness product manufacturers. Bruce explains that because med-mal attorneys try more jury cases than almost any other civil litigator, they develop a unique courtroom grit that clients defending everything from bows and arrows to bodybuilding supplements are desperate to hire. He shares how he built a practice on this crossover appeal, proving that true trial experience is the ultimate currency.

Bruce pulls back the curtain on his strategy for disarming juror emotion by focusing them on cold, hard facts. He details a powerful courtroom technique where he presented a single, uncontroverted anesthesia record on a screen before saying a word, framing the entire case around irrefutable evidence. He also shares the incredible story of his early career when, as a young maritime lawyer, he was hired to arrest a Russian grain ship in an attempt to secure asylum for a Ukrainian defector. From navigating catastrophic medical errors to advising young lawyers that technology is "only everything," Bruce provides a masterclass in building a versatile and intellectually stimulating litigation practice.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bcranner/
FIRM Website: https://www.talleyanthony.com/

Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: https://legal.emotiontrac.com/

Welcome to Latte with a Lawyer, the podcast for attorneys exploring the most compelling legal battles today. In this episode, Benjamin Wish of Todd & Weld unpacks one of the wildest cases of his career: representing a car dealership mogul who became an SEC whistleblower after selling his empire to individuals later indicted for a massive investor fraud Ponzi scheme with ties to the Church of Scientology. Benjamin details the complex litigation that led to a $30 million settlement for his client, showcasing the high-stakes blend of business litigation and white-collar defense that defines his practice.

But the high-stakes drama doesn't stop there. Benjamin also pulls back the curtain on his work defending physicians criminally charged for prescribing opioids—cases where the government effectively treats doctors like drug dealers. He shares his experience on the front lines of developing law, including a current case using the 'doctrine of financial impracticability' to protect a COVID-hobbled business from its lender calling a $5 million loan. Benjamin also reflects on his career pivot from defending nuclear power plants in Big Law to deliberately seeking out more courtroom experience, a move that allowed him to take on everything from the Occupy Boston movement to fractious 'business divorces' between partners.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwish/
FIRM Website: https://www.toddweld.com/

Learn more about EmotionTrac and our AI-driven Emotional Intelligence Platform: https://legal.emotiontrac.com/