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LTL – Mark Shaiken 2.1 - Show Notes

lovethylawyer.com

A transcript of this podcast is easily available at lovethylawyer.com.

 Mark Shaiken is a retired bankruptcy attorney who spent nearly four decades practicing law across five states. After stepping away from the courtroom, he became an author and photographer, writing legal thrillers and memoir-style reflections on his life and career. He co-authored treatises used in law schools and later self-published a series of fiction books rooted in real bankruptcy concepts. His memoir It’s What Makes Me… Me compiles essays that explore the personal and professional moments that shaped him, from childhood moves to legal milestones and post-retirement reflections. In this episode, Mark talks about his writing process, why he left the law, how fiction helped him revisit past experiences, and how sudden change shaped his identity from an early age. He also shares thoughts on marketing books, leaving a legal career, and why he would like to meet Michael Connolly, the author of the Lincoln Lawyer book series. Tune in to hear what it feels like to walk away from a 38-year career, how a lawyer becomes a novelist, and what it means to reflect on a lifetime of reinvention.

Mark Shaiken
https://markshaikenauthor.com/

Louis Goodman

www.lovethylawyer.com

[email protected]

510.582.9090

Musical theme by Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui

Technical support: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland

Audiograms & Transcripts: Paul Robert

We'd love to hear from you.  Send us an email at [email protected].

Please subscribe and listen. Then tell us who you want to hear and what areas of interest you’d like us to cover.

 Louis Goodman
 www.louisgoodman.com
https://www.lovethylawyer.com/
510.582.9090
Music: Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui
Tech: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland
Audiograms: Paul Robert 

 [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

LTL – Nick Pavlidis - Show Notes

lovethylawyer.com

A transcript of this podcast is easily available at lovethylawyer.com.

Nick Pavlidis is a ghostwriter, business strategist, and entrepreneur who helps thought leaders grow their influence and income through content. He also leads Podfest, a major conference for independent podcasters, and runs several businesses, including a ghostwriting agency and software platforms for content creators. Nick started his career as a lawyer in New York, handling complex litigation and earning a reputation for his client-focused approach. He later shifted into in-house counsel work to gain more flexibility and eventually found his way into ghostwriting. Since then, he's built a successful portfolio working with authors, entrepreneurs, and executives, and teaching others how to write and scale creative businesses. In this episode, Nick shares his journey from high-powered legal work to content creation and conference leadership. He discusses the power of storytelling in law and marketing, how ghostwriting can create real business impact, and his unconventional yet strategic approach to professional transitions. Tune in to hear how Nick used his legal background and obsession with helping others to build a unique and fulfilling career. 

Nick Pavlidis
 https://www.nickpavlidis.com/

Authority Ghostwriting
 https://authorityghostwriting.com/

 Louis Goodman
 www.louisgoodman.com
https://www.lovethylawyer.com/
510.582.9090
Music: Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui
Tech: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland
Audiograms: Paul Robert 

 [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

LTL – Hon. Al Dover - Show Notes 

lovethylawyer.com

A transcript of this podcast is easily available atlovethylawyer.com.

Go tohttps://www.lovethylawyer.com/blog for transcripts.

In collaboration with theAlameda County Bar Association, Love Thy Lawyer presents an interview with:

Hon. Al Dover

Judge Al Dover is a retired superior court judge from Nevada County, California. He currently works as a mediator, handling emotionally intense legal disputes, particularly involving wills, trusts, and family conflict. Throughout his career, Judge Dover served as a public defender, ran a private law practice, and spent two decades on the bench. He handled a major murder trial early in his career, built a strong local reputation in criminal defense, and later embraced teaching judicial ethics and mediation. In this episode, he shares stories about learning the ropes in law, what makes good lawyering stand out, and why he believes helping people reduce conflict is the heart of legal work. He also critiques the adversarial legal system and makes a case for putting mediation first. Tune in to hear why Judge Dover thinks great lawyers are storytellers, what he believes young lawyers need to succeed, and why knowing how to negotiate can matter more than knowing how to argue.

ADR With Dover
https://adrwithdover.com/

Alameda County Bar Association

The Alameda County Bar Association (ACBA) is a professional membership association for lawyers and other members of the legal profession. The ACBA provides access to ongoing legal education; and promotes diversity and civil rights in the Alameda County legal community. Our mission is to promote excellence in the legal profession and to facilitate equal access to justice.

Louis Goodman

www.louisgoodman.com

[email protected]

510.582.9090

Special thanks to ACBA staff and members: Cailin Dahlin, Saeed Randle, Hadassah Hayashi, Vincent Tong and Anne Beles.(https://www.acbanet.org/)

Musical theme by Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui

Technical support: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland

Audiograms & Transcripts: Paul Robert

We'd love to hear from you.  Send us an email at [email protected].

Please subscribe and listen. Then tell us who you want to hear and what areas of interest you’d like us to cover.

Please rate us and review us on Apple Podcasts.  

 Louis Goodman
 www.louisgoodman.com
https://www.lovethylawyer.com/
510.582.9090
Music: Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui
Tech: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland
Audiograms: Paul Robert 

 [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

LTL – DA Ursula Jones Dickson - Show Notes

lovethylawyer.com

A transcript of this podcast is easily available at lovethylawyer.com.

Ursula Jones Dickson is the District Attorney of Alameda County. Before this role, she served as a Deputy District Attorney for 14 years, handling a wide range of criminal cases, and later served as a Superior Court judge overseeing the Juvenile Dependency Division. She was appointed to the bench in 2013 and returned to the DA's office when the Alameda County Board of Supervisors selected her as District Attorney. Her career path includes work in teaching, insurance claims, and even sports and entertainment consulting before pursuing law full time. In the episode, she talks about the transition from judge to prosecutor, the balance between advocacy and impartiality, and the challenges of leading a prosecutor’s office. She also discusses the importance of victim advocacy, the shifting legal landscape, and the responsibility attorneys have to serve their communities. Tune in to hear her perspective on public safety, the evolving role of women in law, and the advice she offers to young attorneys who want to enter the field.

Louis Goodman

www.lovethylawyer.com

[email protected]

Musical theme by Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui

Technical support: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland

Audiograms & Transcripts: Paul Robert

We'd love to hear from you.  Send us an email at [email protected].

Please subscribe and listen. Then tell us who you want to hear and what areas of interest you’d like us to cover.

Please rate us and review us on Apple Podcasts.

 Louis Goodman
 www.louisgoodman.com
https://www.lovethylawyer.com/
510.582.9090
Music: Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui
Tech: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland
Audiograms: Paul Robert 

 [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

lovethylawyer.com

A transcript of this podcast is available at lovethylawyer.com.

 Bree Sullivan-Howell is a seasoned family law attorney based in South Georgia with over two decades of legal experience. She's known for her hands-on courtroom work, her dedication to helping families, and for authoring several books about navigating divorce with faith and resilience. Her career includes being named one of Georgia’s top family law attorneys and writing a best-selling guide for Christian women facing divorce. She also stands out for advocating on behalf of fathers in custody cases, often pushing against local norms. In this episode, Bree shares what drew her to family law, how personal experience deepened her empathy, and why she sees law as a way to bring peace and order to people in crisis. She also explains how running a solo practice requires balancing strong legal skills with business smarts. Tune in to hear Bree’s honest take on practicing law in a small town, the emotional side of family law, and how she helps clients move from chaos to clarity with compassion and strategy.

Sullivan Firm
https://www.sullivan-firm.com/

Louis Goodman

www.louisgoodman.com

[email protected]

510.582.9090

Musical theme by Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui

Technical support: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland

Audiograms & Transcripts: Paul Robert

We'd love to hear from you.  Send me an email at [email protected].

 Louis Goodman
 www.louisgoodman.com
https://www.lovethylawyer.com/
510.582.9090
Music: Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui
Tech: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland
Audiograms: Paul Robert 

 [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

 Brett Trembly - Show Notes

lovethylawyer.com

A transcript of this podcast is easily available at lovethylawyer.com.

Brett Trembly is a business attorney and the founder of Trembly Law Firm in Miami. He’s also the co-founder of Get Staffed Up, a company that provides virtual staff to law firms. Over the years, Brett built his firm from the ground up, shifting from litigation to business and franchise law. He scaled his team by learning how to delegate and eventually launched a second business focused on helping other lawyers do the same. His firm once grew 50–100% per year, and Get Staffed Up is now a major player in virtual legal staffing. In this episode, Brett talks about the struggles of running a law firm, the importance of hiring the right support early on, and how law school doesn’t teach lawyers how to run a business. He also opens up about the toll litigation can take and how he built a life with more freedom and balance. Listen to this episode to learn why hiring an assistant might be the smartest first step for your practice, how to protect your time, and how small staffing decisions can create big changes in your work and life.

Get Staffed Up
 https://getstaffedup.com/

The Trembly Law Firm

https://tremblylaw.com/

Louis Goodman

www.louisgoodman.com

[email protected]

510.582.9090

Musical theme by Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui

Technical support: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland

Audiograms & Transcripts: Paul Robert

We'd love to hear from you.  Send us an email at [email protected].

Please subscribe and listen. Then tell us who you want to hear and what areas of interest you’d like us to cover.

Please rate us and review us on Apple Podcasts.

 Louis Goodman
 www.louisgoodman.com
https://www.lovethylawyer.com/
510.582.9090
Music: Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui
Tech: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland
Audiograms: Paul Robert 

 [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

lovethylawyer.com

A transcript of this podcast is available at lovethylawyer.com.

 In collaboration with theAlameda County Bar Association, Love Thy Lawyer presents an interview with:

Steve Fretzin

 Steve Fretzin is a business coach who only works with lawyers, teaching them how to bring in clients and run their practices. He also hosts the “Be That Lawyer” podcast, where he shares advice from top rainmakers. After the 2008 recession, Steve narrowed his sales‑training firm to focus on the legal world and never looked back. He built the “sales‑free selling” method so attorneys can win work without feeling pushy, and he now coaches lawyers across the U.S. and in countries like Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and Canada. In this episode he explains why a clear step‑by‑step process beats a hard sell, how to spot clients who will drain your time, and why every lawyer needs their own “book of business” for long‑term security. Tune in to hear simple, real‑world tips you can use right away to attract better clients, charge what you’re worth, and feel confident about the future of your practice. You’ll leave with fresh ideas on networking, pricing, and building a career that works on your terms.

Steve Fretzin
https://fretzin.com/

Alameda County Bar Association

The Alameda County Bar Association (ACBA) is a professional membership association for lawyers and other members of the legal profession. The ACBA provides access to ongoing legal education; and promotes diversity and civil rights in the Alameda County legal community. Our mission is to promote excellence in the legal profession and to facilitate equal access to justice.

Please subscribe and listen. Then tell us who you want to hear and what areas of interest you’d like us to cover.
 

 Louis Goodman
 www.louisgoodman.com
https://www.lovethylawyer.com/
510.582.9090
Music: Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui
Tech: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland
Audiograms: Paul Robert 

 [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

lovethylawyer.com

A transcript of this podcast is available at lovethylawyer.com.

Jennifer Gardner is an attorney who focuses on resolving conflicts in areas like business and entertainment. She also helps people develop strong communication and persuasion skills. She has successfully managed her own law practice for many years, leading cases that blend legal strategy with emotional insight. She works with remote team members to handle complex matters and has expanded her career by teaching others how to be more influential and effective. In addition, she created programs that delve into understanding the human brain and how it affects decision-making in legal settings. In this episode, she shares stories about turning difficult cases into opportunities for growth and explains why emotional intelligence is a powerful tool in any negotiation. She also touches on how real-life experiences can make lawyers more compassionate and persuasive in the courtroom. Tune in to learn how empathy, clear communication, and a willingness to learn can transform both legal practice and everyday relationships. 

Jennifer Gardner
https://jgardnerassociates.com/

Please subscribe and listen. Then tell us who you want to hear and what areas of interest you’d like us to cover.
 

 Louis Goodman
 www.louisgoodman.com
https://www.lovethylawyer.com/
510.582.9090
Music: Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui
Tech: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland
Audiograms: Paul Robert 

 [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

A transcript of this podcast is easily available at lovethylawyer.com.

Go to https://www.lovethylawyer.com/blog for transcripts.

In collaboration with theAlameda County Bar Association, Love Thy Lawyer presents an interview with:

Phil Schnayerson

Phil Schnayerson is a longtime criminal defense attorney with decades of experience practicing law in Alameda County. He started his career as a public defender in the late 1960s and later moved into private practice, where he has represented a wide range of clients, including high-profile cases. One of his most notable cases was defending the punk rock band Dead Kennedys in the 1980s, a trial that has now been turned into a play. Over the years, he has handled cases involving everything from prison crimes to major appeals and has built a reputation as a dedicated and respected advocate in the courtroom. In this episode, Phil shares fascinating stories from his career, discusses the changes he has seen in the legal field, and talks about the unique dynamics of criminal law. He also reflects on what keeps him motivated after so many years in the profession. Tune in to hear about Phil’s journey, his take on the justice system, and what he believes young lawyers should keep in mind when entering the field.

Phil Schnayerson
 https://www.philcrimlaw.com/ 

Alameda County Bar Association

The Alameda County Bar Association (ACBA) is a professional membership association for lawyers and other members of the legal profession. The ACBA provides access to ongoing legal education; and promotes diversity and civil rights in the Alameda County legal community. Our mission is to promote excellence in the legal profession and to facilitate equal access to justice.

Louis Goodman

www.louisgoodman.com

[email protected]

510.582.9090

 Louis Goodman
 www.louisgoodman.com
https://www.lovethylawyer.com/
510.582.9090
Music: Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui
Tech: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland
Audiograms: Paul Robert 

 [email protected]

Send us Fan Mail

lovethylawyer.com

A transcript of this podcast is easily available at lovethylawyer.com.

Alban Brooke is the head of marketing at Buzzsprout, a prominent podcast hosting company with over 120,000 active podcasts. Before joining Buzzsprout, Alban began his professional journey in law, working as an associate attorney and paralegal. He also has unique experiences like teaching in Haiti and starting at a small construction law firm before transitioning to the podcasting industry. One of his career highlights includes transforming his passion for podcasts into a successful role at Buzzsprout, where he contributed to innovative projects, including guides and tools for new podcasters. His leadership has helped Buzzsprout become a key player in the podcasting world. In this episode, Alban shares insights into his shift from law to software, the evolution of podcasting, and the future of the industry. He also reflects on personal experiences like running a 50k race and his aspirations for sustainable impact.

Tune in to discover how Alban combines creativity, strategy, and a love for podcasts in his work. Whether you're a seasoned podcaster or just starting, you'll gain practical tips and inspiration from his journey.

Join Buzzsprout
 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=

Alban Brooke on X
 https://x.com/albanbrooke

Louis Goodman

www.lovethylawyer.com

[email protected]

510.582.9090

 Louis Goodman
 www.louisgoodman.com
https://www.lovethylawyer.com/
510.582.9090
Music: Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui
Tech: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland
Audiograms: Paul Robert 

 [email protected]