The U.S. Surgeon General called loneliness as deadly as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Cheri Alvarez is doing something about it—leading an international movement built on a radical idea: that a single friend can change someone's mental health.

As CEO of Compeer Buffalo and Compeer International, Cheri oversees programs in 40 communities across four countries. Compeer matches trained volunteers with people experiencing mental health challenges—creating friendships that complement clinical treatment. From six-year-olds to isolated seniors in nursing homes, Compeer serves anyone who needs connection.

The model is deceptively simple: volunteers and clients are matched based on common interests—maybe both love basketball or dinosaurs. After an initial introduction facilitated by Compeer staff, they spend about four hours a month together, doing whatever feels natural. No therapy sessions. Just friendship.

Cheri's path to this role started in foster care and adoption services, where she referred countless clients to Compeer and witnessed the transformation firsthand. When she stepped in as interim CEO during a turbulent transition, she brought 25 years of experience in Western New York nonprofits and a master's degree in Counseling Education from Canisius College.

The organization was founded over 50 years ago in Rochester by Bernice "Bunny" Skirboll after a near-fatal car crash taught her the healing power of friendship during recovery. What started with 12 volunteers now engages thousands worldwide, earning recognition from the American Psychological Association and inclusion in SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs.

Cheri serves on the steering committee of the Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection (GILC), working alongside the World Health Organization to address what's become a global epidemic. She reached out on LinkedIn, asked to be more involved, and now collaborates with leaders from 23 countries tackling loneliness through different lenses—poverty, social media, the workforce, mental health.

In 2021, Compeer received a $1.2 million federal grant from OJJDP to expand youth mentoring into 15 new communities. But growth comes with challenges: How do you scale friendship without losing what makes it authentic? Cheri's answer: rigorous standard operating procedures, peer learning between affiliates, and new programs embedded within existing nonprofits that can handle the infrastructure.

During COVID, something unexpected happened—volunteer applications surged to their highest levels ever. People working remotely, isolated at home, wanted to give back and feel connected themselves. The virtual model proved that location doesn't have to be a barrier. A college student can maintain a friendship after going home for summer. Someone in Texas can be a phone buddy to an isolated senior in New York.

Cheri's rapid-fire answers reveal someone comfortable with introversion leading an extroverted mission. Her favorite Buffalo wings spot: Elmo's. The nonprofit leader everyone should follow: Eddie Garcia from GILC. And if she could match any two people in the world? A Republican and a Democrat—to get to the human side of things.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction: Fighting Loneliness Through Friendship

0:56 - How Compeer Works: From Referral to Friendship Match

3:25 - Matching Process: Basketball, Dinosaurs, and Compatibility

7:06 - Volunteer Requirements: Background Checks and Training

8:32 - Who Needs Compeer: All Ages, All Backgrounds

10:16 - Serving Older Adults: The Loneliness of Nursing Homes

10:58 - Becoming CEO During Turbulent Times

12:27 - Compeer's Global Reach: 40 Locations, 4 Countries

13:34 - Funding Challenge: Running a Free Service

16:08 - Surgeon General's Report: Loneliness as Deadly as Smoking

17:58 - Youth and Loneliness: Social Media's Double-Edged Sword

20:45 - Rapid Fire: Buffalo Wings, Introvert or Extrovert, Republican Meets Democrat

22:42 - Joining the Global Initiative on Loneliness and Connection (GILC)

24:41 - How Loneliness Looks Different Across 23 Countries

26:11 - $1.2 Million Federal Grant: Expanding to 15 New Communities

28:20 - Where Compeer Operates: New York, Pennsylvania, and Beyond

30:20 - Getting Involved: Volunteers, Partners, and Virtual Phone Buddies

CONNECT WITH CHERI ALVAREZ:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (716) 883-3331 ext. 313

Website (Buffalo): https://compeerbuffalo.org

Website (International): https://compeer.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cherialvarez

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CompeerBuffalo

Instagram: @compeerbuffalo

YouTube: Compeer Buffalo

OFFICE LOCATION:

Compeer Buffalo / Compeer International Headquarters

1179 Kenmore Avenue

Buffalo, NY 14217

What does it take to represent families after murder, child sexual abuse, catastrophic injury, and life changing negligence?

In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Connecticut trial lawyer Paul Slager, partner at Slager Madry in Stamford, Connecticut. Paul shares the mindset behind taking only the most serious cases and why real justice is about more than money.

They discuss the landmark Boy Scouts abuse case that led to a $12 million jury award, the civil case involving the murder of Yale graduate student Annie Le, traumatic brain injury litigation, youth concussion awareness, wrongful death, and how lawyers carry the emotional weight of representing people on the worst day of their lives.

If you are interested in personal injury law, civil justice, brain injury advocacy, wrongful death litigation, or high stakes courtroom strategy, this conversation gives a rare look inside the work.

Contact Paul Slager:

Slager Madry LLC

750 East Main Street, Suite 810

Stamford, CT 06902

Phone: (203) 604-2446

Alt Phone: (860) 955-3633

Email: [email protected]

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Paul Slager

00:43 Why he takes the cases others avoid

01:51 From big law defense to plaintiff trial work

03:58 Working closely with clients after tragedy

06:17 Why his firm says no to many cases

07:41 The Slager Madry team in Stamford

08:58 The Boy Scouts abuse case and legal theory

13:34 Hidden files and decades of institutional knowledge

16:25 Jury verdict, appeal, and settlement

19:11 The Yale Annie Le case

21:12 Discovery, medical records, and e discovery

22:45 The pool drain drowning case

26:32 How he handles emotional trauma from cases

28:15 Making invisible brain injuries visible in court

29:39 Youth sports concussions and legislative work

31:05 Rapid fire questions

34:29 How he gets new clients

35:53 How to contact Paul Slager

#PaulSlager #TrialLawyer #PersonalInjuryLaw #BrainInjuryLaw #WrongfulDeath #MedicalMalpractice #SexualAbuseCases #ConnecticutLawyer #TrustcastShow

Ari Sliffman made history as the first student in Marquette Law School history to graduate with dual certificates in dispute resolution and sports law. His 2011 paper arguing that NFL Super Bowl clean zones violate the First Amendment was published in the Marquette Sports Law Review—and in 2023, an Arizona Superior Court cited his argument when ruling against Phoenix's clean zone ordinance for Super Bowl LVIII.

Now he's bringing that same creative thinking to mediation, achieving a 95% settlement rate in Philadelphia as founder of AJS Resolutions. His approach: emotional intelligence meets artificial intelligence. He uses AI to rapidly analyze thousands of pages of documents, freeing up time to focus on the human side—understanding personality types, building trust, and reframing emotionally charged messages.

His path to mediation was intentional. He worked both sides of the aisle—plaintiff's attorney representing injury victims, defense attorney representing major auto manufacturers—building well-rounded experience because "attorneys want mediators who understand not only their side, but the other side." He volunteers as Judge Pro Tem in Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, using it as a testing ground for new mediation techniques.

His most memorable case: his first private mediation. Parties were $300,000+ apart. He started by talking sports and pain treatment—building trust with a 62-year-old union worker who'd been injured and wanted to wait five years for back surgery to protect his pension. They broke down the numbers together, figured out what he actually needed, and settled within $25,000 of that number. "If I hadn't sat down and related to him and talked about things that frankly have nothing to do with this mediation, but really did because I needed to get him to trust me, I don't think we'd get there."

He writes a Times of Israel blog applying weekly Torah portions to mediation principles. He went full-time with AJS Resolutions on November 20, 2024—his father's birthday. He's currently completing Harvard's Program on Negotiation mediation course. And he does three networking events per week (coffees, lunches, happy hours) while maintaining an active LinkedIn presence because "the mediation is the easy part—everything else is the stressful part."

Modern mediation for modern litigation.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

1:01 - Super Bowl Clean Zones Paper Cited by Arizona Court

2:36 - The Grade on That Paper

3:05 - Building Career on Both Sides Before Becoming Mediator

4:47 - When Neither Party Is Happy: The Reality of Resolution

7:52 - Part Social Worker, Part Psychologist, Part Attorney

9:21 - Judge Pro Tem as Testing Ground

11:49 - How Mediators Get Paid

13:08 - Marketing to Attorneys: 3 Events Per Week

15:34 - Solo Shop: CEO, CMO, CTO, CFO

16:24 - The 95% Settlement Rate

21:21 - First Private Mediation: $300K Apart, Talked Sports & Pain

26:22 - Why Not Continue as Traditional Attorney?

29:23 - Israel Trip, Conflict Resolution Class

31:10 - AJS Resolutions Founded November 20, 2024

31:28 - Rapid Fire: Baltimore Orioles or Philadelphia Eagles?

32:12 - Best Negotiation Tactic from Watching Sports

33:37 - Torah Position Teaching Mediation: Joseph & His Brothers

34:42 - Modern Mediation for Modern Litigation

36:40 - Using AI for Document Analysis

CONNECT WITH ARI SLIFFMAN:

Website: https://ajsresolutions.com (book directly online)

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arisliffman/

Office: 1515 Market Street, Suite 1200, Philadelphia, PA 19102

Phone: Available via website

Times of Israel Blog: Search "Ari Sliffman Times of Israel"

#AriSliffman #Mediation #AlternativeDisputeResolution #ADR #LegalPodcast #PhiladelphiaMediator #ConflictResolution #DisputeResolution #PersonalInjuryMediation #BusinessMediation #AIInLaw #EmotionalIntelligence #Negotiation #LegalInnovation #TrustcastShow

What happens when an Emmy nominated investigative reporter becomes a catastrophic injury trial lawyer?

In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Amy Bradley, a principal at Blankingship and Keith, about her journey from newsroom storytelling to high stakes personal injury litigation. Amy shares how her background as a TV investigative reporter shaped the way she tells client stories in court, why trucking cases are different, how insurance companies undervalue serious claims, and what really helps juries connect with a case.

They also discuss wrongful death litigation, traumatic brain injury cases, day in the life storytelling, pro bono representation for domestic violence survivors, and the courtroom moment that led to Amy receiving a shelf full of rubber ducks from a client.

Amy Bradley is a Principal at Blankingship & Keith in Fairfax, Virginia. Her practice includes personal injury, automobile and trucking accidents, brain injury, product liability, sex abuse victims, and wrongful death. She previously worked as in house counsel for a major insurance company and is licensed in Virginia, Maryland, and DC.

Connect with Amy Bradley:

Blankingship & Keith, P.C.

4020 University Drive, Suite 300

Fairfax, Virginia 22030

Office: 703 691 1235

Direct line mentioned in episode: 703 293 7222

Email: [email protected]

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Amy Bradley

00:45 Covering the Hugo Selenski case and choosing law

02:39 From Wyoming to journalism to the courtroom

03:39 What Amy learned working for insurance companies

07:50 How claims get undervalued without a lawyer

09:55 The 5.4 million wrongful death case

12:42 Why trucking cases are different

15:09 Storytelling and day in the life style evidence

17:16 Why journalism helps in trial work

19:00 Rapid fire questions

21:00 The rubber ducks courtroom story

23:21 Jury relationships and trial results

27:13 Pro bono work for domestic violence victims

31:19 Why she joined Blankingship and Keith

33:32 What to do before hiring an injury lawyer

35:01 How to contact Amy Bradley

#AmyBradley #PersonalInjuryLaw #TrialLawyer #WrongfulDeath #TruckAccidentLawyer #BrainInjuryLaw #VirginiaLawyer #FairfaxLawyer #InsuranceClaims #TrustcastShow

What happens when a special education teacher follows her instincts all the way through school counseling, higher education leadership, custody evaluation, and finally a thriving private practice that has been serving people for 25 years?

In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Ellen Zimmerman, licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of Comprehensive Counseling in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, about her extraordinary career arc and what it really means to sit with people in their hardest moments. Ellen shares what drew her from teaching kids with special needs toward understanding the inner lives of all people, what it felt like to make custody recommendations that judges sometimes ignored, and why she believes family court is broken.

They also discuss the college textbook she co-wrote to transform first year experience courses, why anxiety is the number one presenting issue she sees across every age group from 13 to 85, how cognitive behavioral therapy and polyvagal theory work together in the room, and why the one tip she gives every client is simply to breathe.

Ellen Zimmerman is a licensed clinical professional counselor and founder of Comprehensive Counseling in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. She is also a clinical supervisor for the Masters in Counseling program at the University of Illinois and a former certified custody evaluator in the Cook County Family Court system. She can be found on Psychology Today and Headway, or by searching Ellen Zimmerman LCPC.

Connect with Ellen Zimmerman:

Search: Ellen Zimmerman LCPC

Psychology Today, Therapist Finder, or Headway

Champaign-Urbana, Illinois

Chapters00:00 Introduction to Ellen Zimmerman

00:38 What it means to be a wise soul

01:07 From special education teacher to school counselor

02:01 Getting a master's degree when she never saw herself as academic

02:49 How teenagers carry pain differently than adults

04:05 Building mental health services as Dean of Counseling

05:10 Co-writing a college textbook that actually worked

06:59 Seeing the impact of the first year experience curriculum

08:10 The weight of being a certified custody evaluator

09:18 Working in the Cook County family court system

10:21 What kids hear that parents think they don't

11:26 Making recommendations in court and testifying

12:01 When the judge goes the other way

13:08 The subpoena she tried to avoid and what she found

14:01 Why 50% of custody recommendations get ignored

15:39 Why she stepped away from custody evaluation work

17:12 What the first session at Comprehensive Counseling looks like

19:28 Who her clients are and what they're dealing with

20:58 The one tip for anxiety that everyone can use right now

23:26 How CBT and polyvagal theory work together in practice

26:11 The client success that means the most to her

27:29 Positive thinking, affirmations, and changing mindset

28:52 Why college and grad students are her favorite population

30:30 Are Gen Z really that different or just human?

32:09 Rapid fire questions

33:40 Running a private practice and staying booked

35:49 How shoe leather marketing keeps her practice full

36:34 How to find and contact Ellen Zimmerman

#EllenZimmerman #Counseling #MentalHealth #Anxiety #CBT #CustodyEvaluation #FamilyCourt #TherapyWorks #TrustcastShow #LicensedCounselor

What happens when a Navy veteran who flew combat missions in the Persian Gulf, served at Guantanamo, and led Marines in Iraq decides his next mission is protecting growth-stage companies from legal disaster?

In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Aaron Pease, founding principal of Highbridge Law and partner at Renegade Capital Partners, about his extraordinary journey from enlisted sailor at 18 to outside general counsel for companies that don't yet know they need one. Aaron shares what it was like to fly more combat hours during the tanker wars than any other unit — a record that still stands — and how that small-team mentality shaped the way he practices law today.

They also discuss how Aaron helped guide a company from $5 million to $130 million in revenue in under three years, why most lawyers are on the sales prevention team, how to manage risk without just saying no, and why 60% of businesses fail because they ignore governance until it's too late. Aaron also introduces Bridge OS, an AI-powered operating system for small and mid-sized businesses built through Renegade Capital Partners.

Aaron Pease is the founding principal of Highbridge Law, serving as outside general counsel to growth-stage companies across the country. He is also a partner at Renegade Capital Partners and the author of LLC and the Corporate Legal Survival Guide. He is a veteran of the United States Navy with 14 years of active duty service.

Connect with Aaron Pease:

Highbridge Law

hybridglaw.com

LinkedIn: Aaron Pease

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Aaron Pease

00:50 Flying combat missions in the Persian Gulf at age 18

02:37 Becoming a door gunner instead of an avionics tech

04:43 Small unit cohesion and what naval aviation taught him about teams

06:14 What that deployment changed about how he sees the world

09:25 From Florida State to VCU to law school — the long road there

10:06 Why he got out of the Navy in 1989 and the Commodore who tried to stop him

13:10 Going back in as a commissioned officer after 9/11

14:08 Guantanamo Bay and how 9/11 changed everything

15:50 Getting assigned to the Marines at Camp Pendleton and deploying to Iraq

17:12 Why he left the Navy after 14 years and chose law school

20:27 Founding Highbridge Law and crossing to the other side of the street

21:26 Why growth-stage companies need outside general counsel

22:10 How to say yes to risk instead of just saying no

24:22 The journey from $5 million to $130 million in three years

27:11 Managing a cap table buyback across dozens of scattered investors

29:22 Why he limits himself to 12 to 15 clients at a time

30:01 The family practice doctor model for outside general counsel

32:21 Renegade Capital Partners and Bridge OS explained

34:57 What kinds of companies Bridge OS is built for

36:21 How Bridge OS differs from other AI business tools

37:42 How to reach Aaron Pease and find out more

#AaronPease #HighbridgeLaw #OutsideGeneralCounsel #BusinessLaw #StartupLaw #NavyVeteran #TrustcastShow #BridgeOS #RenegadeCapital #CorporateGovernance

In 1968, Frederick McCurdy was working his dream job for the US Forest Service in California's Klamath National Forest—fishing for trout at breakfast and counting trees for a living. Then President Johnson conscripted him to fight in Vietnam. That draft changed everything.

Assigned to a German army hospital lab, two doctors—a pediatrician and a surgeon—wouldn't leave him alone. Night after night during on-call shifts, they insisted he should go to medical school. He kept saying no. Then medical students literally cornered him in a kitchen, plied him with beer, and convinced him medicine was his path. "I didn't choose medicine," he says. "Medicine chose me."

Now 81 years old, Dr. McCurdy gets up at 5 AM, rides his exercise bike, and is sitting in his office chair by 6:45 AM. He still sees patients four days a week at Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi, where he's been fighting insurance companies for years—like the two-year battle to get Iptocopan approved for a girl with C3 glomerulopathy, or going toe-to-toe with North Side Independent School District to get services for kids with kidney disease and learning disabilities.

In 1979, he co-founded CAMP (Children's Association for Maximum Potential) when a patient named Matt with Eagle Barrett syndrome couldn't get into Lions Camp because he couldn't put on his own ankle braces. That organization now owns a 55-acre facility and serves over 1,000 children annually with year-round programs.

He's a retired Air Force Colonel, pediatric nephrologist, medical school professor, healthcare consultant, and advocate for children with special healthcare needs—the fastest-growing population in pediatric medicine. His defining moment came watching a Jerry Lewis telethon in the 1970s. A kid with cerebral palsy lit a fire inside him that's still burning at 81. "Medicine is not a shift," he tells medical students. "It's a profession, a way of life, an unforgiving mistress."

His 50th medical school reunion is this September.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

0:25 - Drafted by President Johnson in 1968

1:37 - Dream Job in Klamath National Forest

2:53 - How Military Service Led to Medicine

6:34 - Medical Students Cornered Him in a Kitchen

7:15 - "Medicine Chose Me"

7:32 - The Thread: Public Service & Teaching

10:50 - Writing a Residency Curriculum

13:31 - Becoming a Medical Expert Witness

14:14 - Co-Founding CAMP in 1979

16:26 - Advocating for Kids with Chronic Conditions

18:01 - Fighting Insurance Companies for Two Years

20:02 - Becoming Persona Non Grata with School Districts

21:40 - Children with Special Healthcare Needs: Fastest Growing Population

24:01 - Still Working at 81 Years Old

25:11 - A Typical Day: 5 AM to 6:30 PM

27:19 - Keeping Energy Up After 50 Years

28:21 - Eagle Scout, Two Eagle Scout Sons

30:00 - "This Is a Partnership"

30:57 - What Would You Change About Medicine?

32:31 - "Medicine Is Not a Shift"

33:23 - The Jerry Lewis Telethon Moment

34:13 - The Fire That's Still Burning

CONNECT WITH DR. FREDRICK McCURDY:

Hospital: Driscoll Children's Hospital, Kidney Center

Address: 3533 South Alameda Street, Corpus Christi, TX 78411

Phone: 361-694-4438 (direct) | 361-694-5000 (main hospital)

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fredrickmccurdymd/

Company: Training Doctor LLC (Owner)

Brian Serna started working at LifeLink in Santa Fe while putting himself through college—a six-year journey marked by his own raging substance abuse issue, an aggravated DWI arrest, and losing a close friend to suicide. Just eight months from his last bender, he began answering calls from families desperate to help loved ones with addiction. These women were different versions of his own mother, and their stories confronted him with the pain he'd caused his family.

That experience set him on a path to become one of the nation's leading addiction treatment experts, specializing in CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training)—the only evidence-based practice available to help families with a loved one struggling with addiction. Research shows CRAFT gets two-thirds of treatment-refusing individuals to actually walk through the door, yet most therapists have never heard of it.

Brian trained under Dr. Robert J. Meyers, a Vietnam veteran who created the CRAFT method at the University of New Mexico after watching his own mother struggle to help his father. Now Brian has trained behavioral health programs in over 20 states, five countries, and 16 tribal communities. He sits on Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham's Council on Racial Justice, Senator Ben Ray Lujan's Mental Health Consortium, and co-authored a book chapter with Dr. Meyers himself.

The approach works by disrupting patterns—not through interventions, guilt, or shame, but by teaching families to identify what addiction does for their loved one and creating competing behaviors. Like the teenager smoking weed after school who started MMA training instead—developing new friends, new purpose, and reducing his use in half overnight.

Brian founded Serna Solutions in 2013, which now operates four locations across New Mexico, treating addiction, trauma, OCD, and more using evidence-based practices. His work challenges everything most people think they know about addiction treatment.

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Introduction

1:01 - What is CRAFT and Why Most Therapists Don't Use It

3:15 - Why Traditional Interventions Don't Work

3:54 - Meeting Dr. Robert Myers at LifeLink Santa Fe

5:14 - The Stories That Changed Everything

6:26 - Eight Months from His Last Bender

7:41 - From Learning to Being Consumed

8:52 - The Woman with Rage: Early Client Story

10:27 - Stop Yelling, Stop Taking It Personally

11:38 - How CRAFT Works: Disrupting Addiction Patterns

14:17 - The MMA Story: Creating Competing Behaviors

17:14 - Marijuana Legalization: Net Positive or Making Things Worse?

18:31 - Working with Tribal Communities: Breaking Stereotypes

22:08 - Founding Serna Solutions in 2013

23:33 - Global Perspective: Ireland vs. Russia vs. Native Communities

25:29 - Rapid Fire: Motivational Interviewing in One Sentence

25:48 - Biggest Misconception About Addiction

26:29 - Scotland Training: The English They Spoke

26:46 - What Every Parent Should Know About Teen Substance Abuse

27:14 - Talking to Your Teen: Establish Credibility, Don't Freak Out

30:04 - The Fear of Being Too Lax

32:28 - Consequences Must Have a Way Back

33:46 - The Next Chapter: Online Learning Platform

CONNECT WITH BRIAN SERNA:

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://sernasolutionsllc.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianserna/

Phone: (505) 333-0436

Main Office: 4001 Office Court Dr, Suite 201, Santa Fe, NM 87507

In this episode of the Trustcast Show, host Zane Myers talks with Paul K. Schrieffer, founding partner of P.K. Schrieffer LLP and the trial lawyer Lloyd's of London calls when massive concert cancellations or celebrity lawsuits explode. Paul shares inside details from the Michael Jackson "This Is It" tour insurance case, negotiating multi-million dollar ransom situations, deposing Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and why his father's Nobel Prize-winning photographic memory runs in the family. He explains the reptile theory in litigation, why AI is changing insurance policy wording, and his philosophy on maintaining friendships with opposing counsel while destroying them in the courtroom.

What You'll Learn:

Michael Jackson's $17.5M insurance claim after death weeks before London residency

How he ordered the autopsy of Michael Jackson within 3 days

Settling for $2M after demand started over $100M - the "grandpa" negotiation

Judge later revealed: "I would have ruled in your favor completely"

Deposing Kim Kardashian and Kanye West's photographic memory

Ransom and kidnapping negotiations - how to bargain with captors

Serial kidnappers in the US and their psychological motivations

Nancy Guthrie case - current $1M ransom demand situation

Representing Universal Studios, NBC, Taylor Swift, Madonna, Foo Fighters

San Diego Padres stadium cancellation case

Cyber tech insurance and AI-related liability claims

Drafting AI exclusion clauses for London insurance policies

The reptile theory - how plaintiff's attorneys manipulate juries

Why he flips off opposing counsel Brian Panish in court (judge approved)

Bubble gum tactic - using emotions against opposing counsel

His father: John Robert Schrieffer, 1972 Nobel Prize in Physics

Courtroom vs arbitration - why he prefers juries

Opening offices in Orlando and Texas

"Chat under the bridge" strategy with opposing counsel

Why insurance defense lawyers aren't boring

Connect with Paul K. Schrieffer:

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.pksllp.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-schrieffer-27427339/

Firm: P.K. Schrieffer LLP

Main Office: 2640 E Garvey Ave S, Suite 201, West Covina, CA 91791

Phone: 626-373-2444

California Bar #: 151358

Location: West Covina, California (Los Angeles area)

Education & Credentials:

J.D., Southwestern University School of Law (1990)

B.A., University of California at Santa Barbara

Member, American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)

AV Rated Preeminent 5.0/5 by Martindale Hubble

California Super Lawyer (2014-2020+)

Admitted to Bar of Supreme Court of the United States

Notable Cases:

Michael Jackson "This Is It" tour insurance (Lloyd's of London)

Taylor Swift, Madonna, Foo Fighters, Kings of Leon tour cancellations

Kim Kardashian, Kanye West depositions

NBC Universal, Universal Studios Hollywood

San Diego Padres Baseball Club

Airbnb, Postmates litigation

Multiple ransom/kidnapping negotiations

Family:

Father: John Robert Schrieffer (1931-2019), 1972 Nobel Prize in Physics for BCS theory of superconductivity

Charity Work:

Shoes That Fit, Serenity Infant Care Homes

Chapters:

00:02 - Introduction & Michael Jackson Case

01:10 - First 48 Hours After MJ's Death

02:37 - The Insurance Claim Strategy

06:08 - Autopsy and Exclusions

09:19 - Negotiating with "Grandpa"

11:39 - Judge's Revelation - Would Have Won

14:14 - Training Young Lawyers to Control Emotions

16:26 - The Bubble Gum Tactic

18:39 - Maintaining Friendships with Opposing Counsel

19:07 - Ransom Cases and Negotiations

20:33 - Nancy Guthrie $1M Ransom Situation

23:38 - How Ransom Negotiations Work

25:51 - Serial Kidnappers in the US

27:00 - Insurance vs Plaintiff Work Balance

28:11 - Cyber Tech and AI Insurance Claims

30:20 - AI Liability and Policy Drafting

32:19 - The Reptile Theory Explained

36:10 - Courtroom vs Arbitration Preference

37:01 - Kim Kardashian Deposition

43:48 - London vs LA for Trials

44:46 - Shoes That Fit Charity

45:35 - San Diego Padres Case

46:14 - Kanye West and Photographic Memory

48:20 - Expanding to Florida and Texas

49:07 - Finding and Training Associates

51:27 - Best Way to Contact

#PaulSchrieffer #MichaelJackson #LloydsOfLondon #InsuranceDefense #TrialLawyer #WestCovina #EntertainmentLaw #CyberInsurance #AILitigation #RansomNegotiation #KimKardashian #KanyeWest #TrustcastShow #ZaneMyers #NobelPrize #CaliforniaLawyer

and CEO of Dr. Contact Lens — a tech platform helping eye doctors keep more of their contact lens business and compete with online retailers.

Dr. Rhue shares how she built an Inc. 5000 company after losing $100,000 to failed developers, how her platform helps practices improve capture rates from 65% to over 90%, and why every professional is in sales whether they realize it or not.

They also discuss practice growth, entrepreneurship, women in tech, conference strategy, and building a business that can run without you.

Connect with Dr. Brianna Rhue:

Email: [email protected]

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/briannarhue

Company: https://drcontactlens.com

Instagram: @drcontactlens

Chapters: 00:03 - Introduction & The $200K Problem 03:00 - How Dr. Contact Lens Works 06:13 - The Industry Capture Rate Problem 09:09 - Checkout Easier Than Amazon 11:28 - Meeting Business Partner Jen Tabiza 13:46 - Building the App - First Attempts 15:01 - Why She Didn't Give Up 15:48 - Doug the Developer Patient 18:06 - Success Stories & Inc 5000 20:47 - $6,000 in Two Hours Story 23:06 - Competition & Copycats 25:45 - Running Two Businesses 28:14 - The Cow That Was a Sheep 30:11 - Everyone Is in Sales 31:55 - Vendor Booth Strategy

#DrBriannaRhue #DrContactLens #OptometryBusiness #EyeDoctor #ContactLenses #Inc5000 #FortLauderdale #WomenInTech #StartupStory #MedicalTechnology #PracticeGrowth #OnlineRetailers #TechPlatform #BicoastalBusiness #JenTabiza #OptometristEntrepreneur #TrustcastShow #ZaneMyers #SmallBusiness #SalesMindset