On December 9th, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the banning of two chemicals found in products used primarily in the automobile, dry-cleaning, and manufacturing industries, but also found in some household products like cleaning wipes, paint removers, glues, and wig adhesives. The two solvents, Trichloroethylene, also known as TCE, and Perchloroethylene, also known as PCE or Perc, have been linked to cancer and other severe health issues.

With the banning of TCE & PCE, the future of the EPA will be under Trump rule come January 20th, 2025. So what will be the impact of the TCE & PCE ban? And will there be a major overhaul of the EPA and an undoing of Biden’s regulations under Trump? In this episode, Craig is joined by Professor Wendy Wagner from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law. Craig & Wendy discuss the recent banning of TCE & PCE by the EPA, and the future of the EPA under a second Trump presidency.

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Want better documents and better use of your time? You only need to master what you already own, that includes your Microsoft tools. The solution you didn’t even know you were searching for is right there in front of you (you just didn’t know it). 

Let’s fix that. Guest Barron K. Henley is a self-proclaimed “nerdy lawyer” who helped found the Affinity Consulting Group, a team of “recovering lawyers” dedicated to helping attorneys maximize productivity through technology.

Hear how Henley and his team teach lawyers about Microsoft “styles,” voice to text solutions, formatting, and importing and synchronizing Excel data and tables. 

Save time, minimize errors, and stop feeling frustrated. You won’t come across these solutions by accident, but you can invest a little time in learning. It’ll pay you back in the long run. 

Questions or ideas about solo and small practices? Drop us a line at [email protected]  

Topics:

Mentioned in This Episode:

Previously on Legal Talk Network, The Lawyerist Podcast, “How Lawyers Can Maximize Word, With Barron Henley” 

ABA TECHSHOW 2025

Microsoft Voice to Text

Microsoft 365

WordPerfect

Hotdocs

Copilot by Microsoft

“Customize or Create New Styles” by Microsoft

“How to Merge Word Documents” by Microsoft

“Get Started With Voice Access” by Microsoft

Netdocuments (Netdocs)

Excel Templates by Microsoft

Dragon Legal

Clio Cloud Conference 2025

Clio Legal Trends Report

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Legal experts share the impactful tech projects they have contributed to, and the struggles and successes of getting volunteer lawyers to engage with tech tools on Talk Justice. Oswald’s project at Legal Aid Society uses automation and AI to handle record expungements more efficiently. Seely has seen great success from a project that allows people with medical debt from Chattanooga’s Erlanger Hospital to engage in alternative dispute resolution fully online.

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Stressed out at work? In this episode, Lawyerist Lab mindset coach Supriya Venkatesan will help you understand how your body holds onto stress—and simple, science-backed ways to shake it off.  

From quick anxiety-relief techniques you can use in the courtroom to posture tweaks and tapping methods, these tools are helping lawyers nationwide stay calm and confident. Learn how movement and somatic regulation can transform the way you handle pressure, whether it’s tough opposing counsel or pre-trial nerves.  

Links from the episode:   

Join Lawyerist Lab Today! 

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Expert Service Provider Richard Rosenblum, CFE, CFCS discusses why real estate brokers are vulnerable to fraudsters and recommendations to reduce risk.

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It's the time of year when The Modern Law Library likes to look back on the media that we've enjoyed: our annual pop culture picks episode. This year, host Lee Rawles is joined by the ABA Journal reporters Danielle Braff and Anna Stolley Persky, and Victor Li, an assistant managing editor and host of the Legal Rebels Podcast.

Naturally, their favorite books are discussed. But they also have movies, TV shows, podcasts and even Broadway musicals to recommend. From presidential histories to wicked witches, listeners will find ways to occupy the holiday season and the new year.

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Bringing new meaning to the court's order.

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Can lunch save professional civility? Almost assuredly not, but one judge is going to try. Partnership isn't what it used to be. Instead of long careers with equity ownership, partners are making lateral jumps with more frequency than ever. More out of the murder of a Kentucky judge earlier this year... "running a brothel out of that courtroom" sounds ominous.

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Feeling anxious? Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is a thing and most of us have probably experienced it. Tune in for our coping techniques before holiday anxiety kicks in!

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Today we’re taking a closer look at a pivotal Supreme Court case that redefined workplace discrimination standards with distinguished attorneys Toni Jackson and Carolyn Wheeler. Together, they’re breaking down the impact of Muldrow v. City of St. Louis, a recent ruling that sets a new precedent in Title VII employment discrimination law, clarifying what level of harm an employee must demonstrate to challenge a transfer.

Toni and Carolyn, representing employer and employee perspectives respectively, offer nuanced insights into how this decision impacts employers, managers, and employees alike. They discuss what the "some harm" standard means in practice, the effect on performance management and employee transfers, and why this ruling could open doors for new types of workplace discrimination claims. From shifts in workplace dynamics to the potential impact on DEI initiatives, this episode explores what business leaders, HR professionals, and employees need to know to navigate these new legal waters.

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Bullying is a real problem in the legal profession impacting recruitment, retention, and even driving lawyers out of the field. Guests Stephanie Scharf and Bobbi Liebenberg, through The Red Bee Group consulting firm, co-authored a report commissioned by the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism titled “Bullying in the Legal Profession: A Study of Illinois Lawyers’ Experiences and Recommendations for Change.”

We’ve heard anecdotes about bullying in the legal profession, but while anecdotes get some attention or raise eyebrows, they don’t drive change. That takes data. The study produced by Liebenberg and Scharf produced a mountain of compelling data through a survey of more than 6,000 Illinois attorneys. The shocking result: One in four lawyers surveyed reporting bullying. Numbers don’t lie, bullying in the legal profession happens. A lot.

Bullying is more than incivility and rudeness. It involves power imbalances, intimidation, humiliation, and control. Sometimes it’s even physical.

The study delivers a deep dive into a problem that has received little to no formal examination. Bullying impacts every field and lawyer in the profession, but it’s especially problematic for younger lawyers, women, people with disabilities, and people of color. It’s not “just hazing” and it can no longer be tolerated. This episode will have people talking.

Resources:

Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism

“Bullying in the Legal Profession: A Study of Illinois Lawyers’ Experiences and Recommendations for Change” by Bobbi Liebenberg and Stephanie Scharf

“Her Story: Lessons in Success From Lawyers Who Live It” by Teresa M Beck, Shayna Michele Steinfeld, and Jacqueline Mecchella Bushwack

“Her Story: The Resilient Woman Lawyer's Guide to Conquering Obstacles, Book 2,” edited by Teresa M Beck, Alicia M Menendez, and Shayna Michele Steinfeld

Previously on the Legal Talk Network, Bobbi Liebenberg and Stephanie Scharf on Lawyer 2 Lawyer, “A Study Into Women Leaving the Law”

American Bar Association

American Bar Association Litigation Section

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