In this collaborative episode from the National Conference of Bar Presidents’ Leading the Bar podcast and the Chicago Bar Association’s @theBar podcast, host Amanda Arriaga talks with Dan Cotter, Trisha Rich, and Jonathan Amarilio about the impact of bar leadership on their professional lives. The conversation explores how bar associations serve as a springboard for career development, mentorship, and service to the legal community. From initial involvement to holding top leadership positions, each guest offers insights into why giving back through bar service has been both personally and professionally meaningful.

Dan Cotter just completed his term as President of the National Conference of Bar Presidents and is a Past President of the Chicago Bar Association. 

Trisha Rich is the First Vice President of the Chicago Bar Association and served as co-host of the @theBar Podcast for many years. 

Jonathan Amarilio is Treasurer of the Chicago Bar Association and co-founded the @theBar Podcast.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is AI the technology that will finally force lawyer tech competence? With rapid advances and the ability to address numerous problems and pain points in our legal systems, AI simply can’t be ignored. Dennis & Tom welcome Bridget McCormack to discuss her perspectives on current AI trends and other exciting new tech applications in legal spaces. Bridget also talks us through her fascinating career path and current projects. 

As always, stay tuned for the parting shots, that one tip, website, or observation that you can use the second the podcast ends.

Have a technology question for Dennis and Tom? Call their Tech Question Hotline at 720-441-6820 for the answers to your most burning tech questions.

Show Notes:

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Most people facing legal problems don’t see them as legal at all—they see them as life problems with landlords, employers, or benefits agencies. That disconnect leaves millions without meaningful help, even when lawyers or courts are available. 

In this episode, Zack Glaser talks with Professor Rebecca Sandefur (Arizona State University, American Bar Foundation) and Matthew Burnett (Georgetown Law, ABF) about their research on community justice workers and why people-centered solutions may be the key to closing the justice gap. 

They explore how community justice workers operate in Alaska and beyond, why legal help doesn’t always have to come from lawyers, and how rules around unauthorized practice of law are evolving. You’ll hear evidence that trained non-lawyers can be just as effective—sometimes more so—than attorneys in resolving critical issues like housing or benefits. 

Rebecca and Matthew also discuss what “success” really means: scalable, sustainable programs that meet people where they are, in their own communities, in their own language. And they argue that broadening access to justice isn’t just about legal services—it’s about strengthening democracy itself. 

This episode is for lawyers, policymakers, and innovators who want to reimagine how legal help is delivered—and build a justice system that actually works for the people it’s meant to serve. 

Additionally, Zack and Stephanie talk about the upcoming ClioCon 2025 in Boston, MA. Check out the conference and get your tickets at cliocon.com. Use the code “LawyeristxClioCon” for a $300 discount on your ticket. 

Listen to our other episodes on Access To Justice: 

If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. 

Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. 

Chapters/Timestamps: 

00:00 – Fall & ClioCon in Boston
05:24 – Meet Rebecca Sandefur & Matthew Burnett
06:50 – A People-Centered Justice Approach
11:08 – Community Justice Workers Explained
15:55 – Legal Help Without Lawyers
20:31 – What Success Really Looks Like
25:23 – State Models & Next Steps
34:30 – Scaling Justice & Strengthening Democracy
38:49 – Final Takeaways 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Law firms get some worrying numbers from last quarter.

-----

The new D.C. folk hero who threw a sandwich at Trump's surge publicity stunt turned out to be a DOJ attorney. He's been fired because this administration will not stand for disrespecting law enforcement... unless they're trying to kill Capitol police officers on January 6. Meanwhile, the legal industry enjoyed a muted quarter. Are they preparing to batten down the hatches for a recession? Supreme Court begins moving the pieces into place to tear down Obergefell.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you just prep your client an hour before their depo, you are doing them a disservice. Tune infor our final tips on how to improve your client’s depo.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As summer winds down and school beckons, we’re looking back in our archives and assigning some back-to-school reading—grown-up style. In this episode, Judge Robert Bacharach shares insights from his book on the science of persuasive legal writing and why judges love to talk about language.

—--

There’s plenty of conventional wisdom about what makes a good legal brief or court opinion. Judge Robert E. Bacharach of the Denver-based 10th Circuit Court of Appeals says that when judges socialize, their conversations often devolve into discussions about language and pieces of writing they enjoy or revile.

But Bacharach decided he wanted to dive deeper, to see what the science of psycholinguistics could teach lawyers and judges about how written words persuade an audience. The result was his new book, Legal Writing: A Judge’s Perspective on the Science and Rhetoric of the Written Word, published by the ABA.

Legal Writing is a slim volume, but it’s packed with tips. It considers details as microscopic as a serif on a letter and as macroscopic as how to create an outline for an argument. In this episode of the Modern Law Library podcast, Bacharach chats about his own writing process; shares his top takeaways from the psycholinguists he consulted; and offers his advice for young litigators looking to hone their skills.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode of Leading the Bar, we celebrate 75 years of the National Conference of Bar Presidents with outgoing president Dan Cotter and incoming president Patrick Palace. Host Amanda Arriaga leads a conversation about the evolving role of bar associations and the enduring mission of NCBP to empower, connect, and inspire legal leaders. They explore the evolving challenges and opportunities facing bar leaders today—from defending the rule of law amid growing politicization to bridging generational divides and embracing innovation. Dan and Patrick share candid insights on leadership, community-building, and how bar associations can remain vital in our rapidly changing legal landscape. 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Learn how to overcome busyness, start meaningful conversations, and build lasting adult friendships that enrich both your personal and professional life. In this episode, Stephanie Everett talks with Kat Vellos, author of We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships, about practical ways to form new connections, deepen existing relationships, and create a sense of community. You’ll discover strategies for moving beyond small talk, making the most of your time, and using Kat’s four “seeds of connection” framework to help relationships thrive. 

Kat shares research-backed insights on why friendships matter for well-being, how to integrate connection into your daily life without adding more to your to-do list, and ways to authentically connect with neighbors, colleagues, and acquaintances. Whether you’re looking to expand your circle, reconnect with old friends, or foster deeper ties in your professional network, this conversation offers actionable ideas you can start using today. 

Listen to our other episodes on Careers & Professional Development. 

Episode #572 – Practical Courage Skills Every Lawyer Needs, with Jim Detert (leadership and professional growth) Apple | Spotify | LTN 

Episode #567 – From Quiet to Confident: Redefining Success as an Introverted Lawyer, with Heidi Brown (confidence-building for career success) Apple | Spotify | LTN 

Episode #564 – The Gift in the Struggle: Leveraging Emotional Intelligence for Growth Apple | Spotify | LTN 

Episode #520 – The Truth About Lawyer Self‑Care: Prioritize or Suffer (personal well-being integral to professional longevity) Apple | Spotify | LTN 

If today's podcast resonates with you and you haven't read The Small Firm Roadmap Revisited yet, get the first chapter right now for free! Looking for help beyond the book? See if our coaching community is right for you. 

Access more resources from Lawyerist at lawyerist.com. 

Links from the episode:  

 Learn More about LabCon 

We Should Get Together: The Secret to Cultivating Better Friendships 

Chapters: 

00:56 – Lab Con: Hands-On Business Building for Lawyers 

04:43 – Meet Kat Vellos: Author & Friendship Expert 

08:47 – Why Adults Have Fewer Close Friends Today 

13:44 – Finding Time for Friends & the “Seeds of Connection” 

16:20 – How to Meet Neighbors and Build Local Ties 

18:53 – Moving Beyond Small Talk with Meaningful Questions 

22:49 – Using Conversation Prompts to Connect at Work 

26:30 – Committing to Local Friendships & Staying Connected 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When is the right time to rebrand your legal practice and how do you actually pull it off? In this episode of New Solo’s First Flight series, Adriana Linares talks with Kristen Rizzo, a former employment litigator who built a thriving solo practice before making a bold, calculated shift to mediation and impartial workplace investigations.

Kristen shares how she planned her transition from Rizzo Law to Rizzo Resolution, the value of becoming a subject-matter expert, and how she used branding, visibility, and pro bono work to launch a neutral practice with intention. Adriana is later joined by ALPS Insurance’s Rio Laine to explore how preparation, professional boundaries, and proper coverage help lawyers lower risk during big career pivots.

Hear the original episode with Kristin Rizzo 

Learn more about ALPS Insurance. 

Receive email notifications every time we release a new episode.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades, the Uniform Bar Examination has been old school, with bar candidates using paper-and-pencil exam books. But starting with the first administration of the NextGen UBE next year, the test will be entirely conducted on the examinees’ personal computers. The ABA Journal’s Julianne Hill talks with Kara Smith, the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ chief product officer.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices