Category: News Feeds

Fresh
off
her
appearance
at
the
RNC,
the
former
president’s
lawyer
Alina
Habba
got
some
good(?)
news
about
her
own
legal
troubles.
Yesterday
NOTUS’s
Jose
Pagliery

reported
that
Habba
had
settled
with
Alice
Bianco,
a
former
waitress
at
Trump’s
Bedminster
Golf
Club.

The
confidential
settlement
arose
out
of
an
extremely
ugly
episode
where
the
then-21-year-old
server
was
repeatedly
coerced
into
sex
with
her
supervisor,
a
situation
she
alleges
was
known
to
the
management,
which
took
no
action.
In
November,
Bianco

sued
the
club,
alleging
that
Habba
had
first
convinced
her
to
fire
her
lawyer,
and
then
hoodwinked
her
into
accepting
a
paltry
$15,000
settlement.
The
document
included
a
non-disclosure
clause
which
was
void
as
a
matter
of
New
Jersey’s Civil
Rights
law,
particularly
a
liquidated
damages
provision
which
would
have
fined
Bianco
$1,000
ever
time
she
spoke
about
the
underlying
events.

When
she
negotiated
and
drafted
the
deal,
Habba
was
not
officially
Trump’s
lawyer.
But
almost
immediately
after,
she
was
hired
to
represent
him
in
multiple
civil
suits,
including
the
E.
Jean
Carroll
defamation
cases,
the
New
York
civil
fraud
trial,
and
the
RICO
LOLsuit
in
Florida
against
Hillary
Clinton,
James
Comey,
and
half
the
Democrats
in
DC.

If
Trump
is
pissed
about
Habba
steering
him
into
half
a
billion
in
judgments,
plus
a
million
dollars
in
sanctions
for
which
they’re
jointly
liable,
he
hasn’t
showed
it.
But
when
the
club
settled
the
complaint
in
March,
it
explicitly
did
not
release
the
lawyer
from
liability.
That
settlement
merely
voided
the
original
hush
money
agreement,
while
allowing
Bianco
to
keep
the
measly
$15,000.
She
was
free
to
pursue
claims
against
the
club
and
Habba,
with
the
organization
signaling
that
it
was
not
taking
responsibility
for
Habba’s
conduct
in
the
matter.

It’s
not
clear
where
negotiations
stand
with
the
club,
but,
according
to
NOTUS,
Bianco
and
Habba
have
come
to
a
monetary
settlement.
Whether
that
settlement
is
coming
out
of
Trump’s
PAC,
which
pays
legal
bills
for
favored
lackeys,
or
her
D&O
policy
is
unclear
and
likely
to
remain
so
—
Habba’s
firm
has
already
received

millions
in
legal
fees
from
the
PAC,
and
Trump’s
campaign
routinely

hides
expenditures
by
routing
them
through
a
third-party
processor
known
as
Red
Curve.

Nor
is
it
clear
whether
this
will
settle
the
matter
with
the
New
Jersey
Office
for
Attorney
Ethics
(OAE).
The
original
complaint
requested
that
Judge
Joseph
Rea
refer
Habba
to
the
OAE
for
“fraudulently
induc[ing]
Ms.
Bianco
to
give
up
her
rights
and
to
enter
into
a
settlement
which
is
illegal
and
unconscionable.”
In
a
handwritten
note
on
a

show
cause
order,
Judge
Rea
wrote,
“If
this
court
receives
reliable
information
indicating
a
substantial
likelihood
that
a
lawyer
has
committed
a
violation
of
the
Rules
of
Professional
Conduct
or
gains
knowledge
that
raises
a
substantial
question
as
to
the
lawyer’s
honesty,
trustworthiness,
or
fitness
as
a
lawyer
in
other
respects,
then
the
court
will
take
appropriate
action
in
accord
w/
R.
3.15(b)
of
the
Code
of
Judicial
Conduct.”

That
was
nine
months
ago,
and
ongoing
attorney
ethics
investigations
are
sealed.
But
perhaps
the
outcome
of
any
ethics
referral
is
immaterial,
since
Habba’s
“real”
job
now
is

as
a
Trump
surrogate,
flogging
lies
about
election
fraud
and
wooing
Arab
voters
in
Michigan.
Disbarment
would
make
her
a
martyr
and
free
her
up
for
even
more
Fox
hits.

When
you’re
a
star,
they
let
you
do
it!

Trump
Lawyer
Alina
Habba
Quietly
Settles
With
Ex-Bedminster
Waitress
Involved
In
Hush
Money
Deal
[NOTUS]

---

Liz
Dye lives
in
Baltimore
where
she
produces
the
Law
and
Chaos substack and podcast.

Ed.
note:
Welcome
to
our
daily
feature,

Quote
of
the
Day.

I
am
the
only
lawyer
in
American
history
to
serve
both
as
White
House
counsel
and
as
attorney
general.
So,
while
that
does
not
make
me
special,
it
does
give
me
a
rather
unique
perspective
about
presidential
decision-making
and
the
necessity
of
electing
a
president
who
respects
the
rule
of
law
to
safeguard
our
liberties
and
way
of
life.

The
American
presidency
is
the
most
powerful
position
in
the
world.
Of
course,
our
constitution
and
laws,
as
well
as
institutions
such
as
Congress
and
our
courts,
act
as
guardrails
to
that
power.
The
law
provides
the
certainty
of
accountability
and
fundamental
fairness.
Yet
it
is
the
president’s
integrity,
honesty
and
respect
for
our
institutions
that
may
be
the
most
important
and
reliable
check
on
abuses
of
power.

As
the
United
States
approaches
a
critical
election,
I
can’t
sit
quietly
as
Donald
Trump
—
perhaps
the
most
serious
threat
to
the
rule
of
law
in
a
generation
—
eyes
a
return
to
the
White
House.
For
that
reason,
though
I’m
a
Republican,
I’ve
decided
to
support
Kamala
Harris
for
president.

—

Alberto
R.
Gonzales,
who
previously
served
as
U.S.
attorney
general
and
counsel
to
the
president
in
the
George
W.
Bush
administration,
endorsing
Kamala
Harris
in
an
opinion
piece
published
by

Politico.
“It
is
telling
…
that
several
senior
officials
who
worked
for
[Trump]
in
the
White
House
now
refuse
to
support
him,
including
his
vice
president,
chief
of
staff,
defense
secretary
and
national
security
adviser,”
Gonzales
wrote.
“Their
unwillingness
to
endorse
their
former
boss
is
an
indictment
of
his
character
at
a
level
equal
to
his
many,
many
criminal
indictments.”

---

Staci
Zaretsky is
a
senior
editor
at
Above
the
Law,
where
she’s
worked
since
2011.
She’d
love
to
hear
from
you,
so
please
feel
free
to

email
her
with
any
tips,
questions,
comments,
or
critiques.
You
can
follow
her
on

X/Twitter
and

Threads
or
connect
with
her
on

LinkedIn.

There
is
a
genuine
tension
between
the
government
regulation
of
social
media
and
free
speech.
Few
things
illustrate
that
minefield
like
the
progressing
TikTok
ban
lawsuit.
But
there
are
other
cases
where
a
government’s
interest
in
regulating
misinformation
and
public
safety
thumb
the
scale
toward
media
regulation.
Case
in
point:
Twitter.
We’ve
seen

far-right
tweets
correlated
with
bomb
threats
getting
called
in
on
high
schools
and

rampant
voter
misinformation.
America
can
do
what
it
wants,
but
Australia
doesn’t
plan
on
letting
that
fly.
From

Reuters:

Australia’s
Labor
government
on
Thursday
unveiled
legislation
which
could
fine
internet
platforms
up
to
5%
of
their
global
revenue
for
enabling
misinformation,
joining
a
worldwide
push
to
rein
in
borderless
tech
giants.

The
proposed
law
would
require
tech
platforms
to
set
codes
of
conduct
to
stop
dangerous
falsehoods
spreading
and
be
approved
by
a
regulator.
The
regulator
would
set
its
own
standard
if
a
platform
failed
to
do
so
and
fine
firms
for
non-compliance.

King
Twit
responded
to
Australia’s
very
reasonable
attempts
to
limit
misinformation
by
calling
them
his
favorite
F
word:

The
Guardian
reported
Australia’s
Assistant
Treasurer
Stephen
Jones’s
framing
of
the
issue
and
—
at
least
in
my
mind
—
they
offered
a
much
more
reasonable
framing
than
Elon’s
one-word
reply:

“For
the
life
of
me,
I
can’t
see
how
Elon
Musk
or
anyone
else,
in
the
name
of
free
speech,
thinks
it
is
OK
to
have
social
media
platforms
publishing
scam
content,
which
is
robbing
Australians
of
billions
of
dollars
every
year.
Publishing
deepfake
material,
publishing
child
pornography.
Livestreaming
murder
scenes.
I
mean,
is
this
what
he
thinks
free
speech
is
all
about?”

We
just
saw
Brazil
attempt
to
regulate
the
platform.
They
started
pressuring
Elon
after
finding
out
that
Twitter
was
being
used
by
Neo-Nazis
to
incite
mass
shootings:

Elon
spun
the
clear
“maintaining
the
integrity
of
the
country”
issue
into
him
refusing
to
be
bossed
around
and

summarily
lost
a
~20-million
person
market
overnight.
And,
housing
an
estimated
six
million
regular
Twitter
users,
Australia
has
the
chance
to
do
something
really
funny.

Elon
Musk
Calls
Australian
Government
‘Fascists’
Over
Misinformation
Law
[Reuters]

Earlier:

Elon
‘Free
Speech
Absolutist’
Musk
Threatens
To
Sue
Nonprofit
For
Pointing
Out
He
Seems
To
Like
Hate
Speech

Elon
Musk
Would
Rather
Have
Twitter
Shut
Down
Than
Take
The
Smallest
Amount
Of
Responsibility

---

Chris
Williams
became
a
social
media
manager
and
assistant
editor
for
Above
the
Law
in
June
2021.
Prior
to
joining
the
staff,
he
moonlighted
as
a
minor
Memelord™
in
the
Facebook
group Law
School
Memes
for
Edgy
T14s.
 He
endured
Missouri
long
enough
to
graduate
from
Washington
University
in
St.
Louis
School
of
Law.
He
is
a
former
boatbuilder
who
cannot
swim, a
published
author
on
critical
race
theory,
philosophy,
and
humor,
and
has
a
love
for
cycling
that
occasionally
annoys
his
peers.
You
can
reach
him
by
email
at [email protected] and
by
tweet
at @WritesForRent.

“It’s
literally
impossible
to
be
a
woman…You
have
to
be
a
boss,
but
you
can’t
be
mean…
You
have
to
be
a
career
woman,
but
also
always
be
looking
out
for
other
people.”

—
Barbie,
the
movie 

According
to
a


study

conducted
by
Indeed,
73%
of
women
surveyed
expressed
fear
they
would
be
perceived
negatively
for
self-advocating,
and
43%
feared
retribution
for
self-advocacy.

Advocating
for
your
career
is
a
vital
skill,
especially
for
women
navigating
industries
that
have
historically
been
dominated
by
men.
Self-advocacy
is
critical
for
advancing
your
career
and
unlocking
new
opportunities.
This
journey
involves
mastering
your
craft
and
ensuring
that
your
contributions
are
recognized,
your
voice
is
heard,
and
your
career
progresses
as
you
envision
it.
Research
indicates
several
factors
can
create
barriers
for
women
when
they
advocate
for
themselves.

In
the
ILTACON
session,
“Women
Who
Lead:
Advocating
for
Your
Career
at
Any
Stage,”
panelists
Julia
Montgomery
(Associate
Member),
Ashley
Byrne
Smith
(Troutman
Pepper),
Martha
Gleason
Voice
(Amplify
Your
Voice),
Monique
Mavour
(Holland
&
Knight
LLP),
and
Heather
Morrow
(Loeb
&
Loeb
LLP)
shared
their
personal
experiences,
lessons
learned,
and
the
following
practical
strategies
to
help
you
find
and
use
your
voice.

1. 
   Perspective-Taking.
   Spend
   time
   examining
   the
   situation
   through
   the
   eyes
   of
   the
   other
   person
   and
   frame
   up
   your
   ask
   in
   a
   way
   that
   can
   benefit
   them.
   Data
   suggests
   leveraging
   perspective-taking
   during
   self-advocacy
   increases
   the
   chances
   of
   women
   being
   perceived
   as
   assertive
   but
   likable.
2. 
   Signal
   Flexibility.
   Come
   to
   the
   table
   with
   more
   than
   one
   path
   to
   “yes”
   for
   what
   you
   want.
   Research
   shows
   giving
   people
   options
   rather
   than
   presenting
   a
   single
   ask
   with
   a
   single
   yes/no
   path
   lowers
   defenses
   and
   helps
   maintain
   likability
   while
   still
   being
   assertive.
3. 
   Ask
   for
   Advice/Help.
   Frame
   up
   your
   desired
   outcome…and
   then
   ask
   for
   advice.
   “If
   you
   were
   trying
   to
   accomplish
   X,
   how
   would
   you
   go
   about
   it?”
   This
   can
   help
   address
   the
   self-promotion
   double-bind:
   don’t
   advertise
   and
   go
   unnoticed;
   advertise
   and
   risk
   being
   perceived
   as
   unlikable. 
4. 
   Be
   Specific.
   When
   negotiating
   for
   a
   raise,
   be
   specific
   and
   highlight
   your
   accomplishments:
   “In
   my
   time
   with
   the
   company,
   I
   have
   accomplished
   X,
   which
   has
   resulted
   in
   X
   improvement.
   As
   a
   result,
   I
   think
   a
   salary
   increase
   of
   X
   is
   appropriate.” 
5. 
   Find
   Your
   “Three
   Words.”
   These
   are
   the
   words
   you
   want
   your
   colleagues
   and
   higher-ups
   to
   use
   when
   talking
   about
   you
   —
   especially
   when
   you’re
   not
   in
   the
   room. 
6. 
   Leverage
   Your
   (Clifton)
   Strengths.
   Learn
   how
   to
   use
   your
   superpowers
   to
   ignite
   your
   authentic
   leadership
   voice. 
7. 
   Focus
   on
   Your
   One
   Thing.
   What’s
   the
   one
   thing
   you
   need
   to
   do
   this
   month
   to
   move
   forward?
   What
   do
   you
   need
   to
   do?
   What
   do
   you
   need
   to
   believe?
   What
   do
   you
   need
   to
   become?
   Where
   do
   you
   need
   support?
8. 
   Adopt
   Phrases
   
   that
   allow
   you
   to
   say
   “yes”
   without
   the
   additional
   workload,
   and
   nothing
   should
   be
   “above/below
   your
   paygrade.”
9. 
   Celebrate
   Your
   Wins
   and
   Set
   Your
   Own
   Goals.
   Don’t
   rely
   on
   others
   to
   trumpet
   your
   good
   work,
   and
   don’t
   assume
   others
   know
   about
   your
   awesome
   stuff.
10. 
    Ask
    for
    What
    You
    Want.
    Be
    confident
    and
    specific
    in
    your
    request.
    Consider
    having
    alternatives
    in
    your
    back
    pocket
    to
    help
    continue
    the
    conversation
    beyond
    initial
    resistance.

Advocating
for
your
career
doesn’t
end
when
you
reach
the
top;
it
extends
to
helping
others
along
their
journey.
One
of
the
key
takeaways
from
this
session
is
that
women
should
be
allies
for
other
women.
When
a
woman
advocates
for
another
woman,
she
doesn’t
get
the
pushback
she
does
when
she
advocates
for
herself.
Pay
it
forward
by
mentoring
and
sponsoring
other
women
in
your
organization.
Share
your
experiences,
offer
guidance,
and
help
them
navigate
the
challenges
you
once
faced.

Advocating
for
others
strengthens
one’s
leadership
legacy
and
creates
a
ripple
effect
that
can
lead
to
broader
systemic
change.
When
women
support
each
other,
they
build
a
more
robust,
more
equitable
workforce
for
future
generations.

The
session
concluded
with
the
attendees
being
introduced
to


Thistle
Farms,
a
nonprofit
social
enterprise
dedicated
to
helping
women
survivors
recover
from
prostitution,
trafficking,
and
addiction.
They
do
this
by
providing
a
safe
place
to
live,
a
meaningful
job,
and
a
lifelong
sisterhood
of
support.
Thistle
Farms
offered
a
variety
of
products
made
by
the
women
in
the
program
available
for
purchase.
When
we
invest
in
women,
entire
communities
heal.

Advocating
for
your
career
is
a
continuous
process
that
evolves
as
you
progress
through
different
stages
of
your
professional
life.
From
building
confidence
and
networking
at
the
start
of
your
career
to
embracing
leadership
and
championing
diversity
later
on,
self-advocacy
is
key
to
achieving
your
goals
and
advancing
your
career.

For
women,
advocating
for
yourself
is
not
just
about
securing
promotions
or
salary
increases;
it’s
about
creating
a
career
that
aligns
with
your
values,
leverages
your
strengths,
and
contributes
to
a
more
inclusive
and
equitable
workplace.
By
mastering
the
art
of
self-advocacy,
you
empower
yourself
to
take
control
of
your
career
and
pave
the
way
for
future
generations
of
women
in
the
workforce.

---

Vicki
LaBrosse,
director
of
global
public
relations
for


Edge
Marketing,
Inc.,
works
with
clients
to
develop
and
execute
comprehensive
PR
and
marketing
strategies
that
help
them
grow
their
businesses.

When
God
closes
an
appeal
he
opens
a
quashal.

Or
…

something?

Yesterday
was
a
mixed
bag
for
the
criminal
ex-president,
as
three
courts
in
two
states
weighed
in
on
his
multiple
pending
cases.

In
New
York,
the
Second
Circuit tossed
Trump’s
motion
for
an
emergency
stay
of
the
“remand
order”
by
Judge
Hellerstein
that

wasn’t
a
remand
at
all.
This
was
part
of
Trump’s
desperate
attempt
to
fend
off
sentencing
in
the
false
business
records
case
by
removing
the
case
to
federal
court.
Except
removing
a
case
more
than
30
days
after
arraignment
requires
leave
of
the
district
court
judge,
and
he

didn’t
get
it.
Trump
appealed
to
the
Second
Circuit,
falsely
characterizing
Judge
Alvin
Hellerstein’s
denial
of
leave
to
file
as
a
“remand,”
when
in
fact
the
case
had
never
been

in
federal
court,
and
there
was
nothing
to,
uh,

mand.

But
then
New
York
Supreme
Court
Justice
Juan
Merchan

acceded
to
Trump’s
demand
to
delay
sentencing
until
after
the
election,
which
functionally
mooted
the
need
for
emergency
relief.
So
the
Second
Circuit
denied
the
request
“in
light
of
the
state
court’s
adjournment
of
sentencing.”

Also
yesterday
the
New
York
Court
of
Appeals
swatted
away
Trump’s
attempt
to
get
rid
of
what
remains
of
the
gag
order
in
that
case.
Post-trial,
Justice
Merchan
lifted
the
ban
on
attacking
the
jury
and
witnesses.
But
Trump
howls
that
his
First
Amendment
rights
are
being
cruelly
trampled
because
he’s
not
allowed
to
send
trollstorms
after
the
line
attorneys
or
the
judge’s
family.
Red
state
AGs,
led
by
Missouri
Attorney
General
Andy
Bailey,
even

filed
a
batshit
Supreme
Court
motion
demanding
that
the
justices
swoop
in,
lift
the
protective
order,
bar
the
state
from
sentencing
Trump
pre-election,
and
save
democracy.

That
effort
failed,
and
so
did
Trump’s
appeal
to
the
First
Judicial
Department,
which

ruled
in
August
that
“the
People’s
evidentiary
submissions
in
opposition
to
his
motion
in
Supreme
Court
demonstrate
that
threats
received
by
District
Attorney
staff
after
the
jury
verdict
continued
to
pose
a
significant
and
imminent
threat.”
And
now
the
state’s
high
court
has

bounced
it
as
well,
“upon
the
ground
that
no
substantial
constitutional
question
is
directly
involved.”

But
the
day
wasn’t
a
total
loss
for
Trump,
as
three
charges
from
the
41-count
Georgia
RICO

indictment
were

quashed
by
Fulton
County
Superior
Court
Judge
Scott
McAfee
under
the
Constitution’s
Supremacy
Clause.

Trump’s
coup
lawyer
John
Eastman
and
fake
elector
Shawn
Still
moved
to
dismiss
the
entire
indictment
on
the
theory
that
it
implicated
exclusively
federal
conduct.
The
court
rejected
the
sweeping
challenge,
finding
that
there
were
numerous
violations
of
state
law.
But
he
did
dismiss
counts
14,
15,
and
27,
all
of
which
implicated
false
statements
to
a
federal
court.

Specifically,
the
electors
mailed
copies
of
the
fake
electoral
certificates
and
their
attestations
to
the
chief
judge
of
the
Northern
District
of
Georgia,
and
Trump
and
his
lawyers
made
false
claims
about
dead
voters
and
felons
voting
illegally
in
a
federal
suit
against
Governor
Brian
Kemp. Judge
McAfee
tossed
those
charges,
ruling
that
“Georgia
does
not
have
a
‘legitimate
interest’
and
jurisdiction
to
punish
such
statements.”

And
Trump’s
lawyers
must
be
delighted
with
a
footnote
in
a
separate

ruling
denying
a
motion
to
dismiss
count
one,
the
big
RICO
charge.
The
court
wrote:

The
United
States
Supreme
Court’s
decision
in
Trump
v.
United
States,
144
S.
Ct.
2312
(2024)
will
likely
affect
the
allegations
of
Count
One,
particularly
the
overt
acts
contained
within.
However,
unlike
the
many
other
challenges
raised
by
the
Defendants,
the
impact
of
Presidential
immunity
has
not
been
fully
briefed
or
argued
by
the
parties,
and
this
order
does
not
reach
that
issue.
Similarly,
this
Order
does
not
address
Defendants’
arguments
brought
under
the
Supremacy
Clause
or
a
theory
of
federal
officer
immunity.

The
Supreme
Court’s
presidential
immunity
opinion,
particularly
its
ban
on
use
of
evidence
of
official
acts
to
prove
non-official
crimes,
was
clearly
going
to
pose
a
problem
for
the
indictment.
But
Judge
McAfee’s
acknowledgment
that
it
may
doom
the
entire
indictment
makes
the
District
Attorney’s
decision
to
charge
this
case
as
a
massive,
interconnected
conspiracy
look
even
more
suspect.

Of
course,
thanks
to
her
other
suspect
decisions,
the
entire
enterprise
is
on
hold
for
the
foreseeable
future.
So,
there’s
that
bit
of
good
news
for
President
Crimetime
as
well.

---

Liz
Dye lives
in
Baltimore
where
she
produces
the
Law
and
Chaos substack and podcast.

Law
firms
pitching
for
corporate
legal
work
are
starting
to
notice
that
the
use
of
technology
has
become
a
priority
in
their
requests
for
proposals
(RFPs).
This
spotlight
on
legal
tech,
combined
with
in-house
belt-tightening,
means
firms
need
to
do
more
than
just
“check
the
box”
when
making
their
pitch
to
win
or
retain
work. 

This
year,
48
percent
of
corporate
legal
departments
plan
to
move
work,
according
to
Thomson
Reuters’


State
of
the
Corporate
Law
Department
report.
And
a
majority
of
respondents
say
they
will
evaluate
the
“use
of
appropriate
technologies”
as
part
of
their
selection
process
for
the
right
law
firm: 

• 
  One
  in
  five
  (20
  percent)
  say
  it’s
  a
  
  
  mandatory
  
  requirement
  that
  firms
  illustrate
  their
  use
  of
  legal
  tech 
• 
  Half
  (52
  percent)
  
  
  consider
  
  it
  as
  part
  of
  their
  process  

Law
firms
are
also
becoming
more
aware
of
the
importance
of
legal
tech
as
firms
seek
more
insights
into
how
their
lawyers
are
using
software
to
serve
clients.
A
2023


Wolters
Kluwer
survey

shows
nearly
half
of
law
firms
(46
percent)
say
legal
tech
is
one
of
their
top
needs
to
meet
client
demands
for
improved
productivity
and
efficiency. 

So,
what’s
the
best
way
for
law
firms
to
showcase
how
their
use
of
legal
tech
benefits
clients
in
pitches
and
proposals?
Let’s
look
at
some
common
challenges
facing
clients
that
legal
tech
can
alleviate
and
strategies
to
differentiate
your
technology
from
competitors. 

Zero
In
on
Budgets
and
Savings 

Clients
aren’t
interested
in
lawyers
using
legal
tech
for
vanity
—
they
expect
technology
to
result
in
cost
savings.
Is
your
firm
tracking
the
number
of
hours
saved
on
tasks
through
technology
compared
to
legacy
methods?
A
side-by-side
comparison
of
billable
hours
spent
on
matters
relevant
to
the
client,
when
using
your
technology
versus
less
effective
approaches,
could
be
a
powerful
and
persuasive
illustration
of
savings.  

If
your
firm
is
pitching
for
litigation
work,
data
extracted
from
modern legal
case
management
software
can
offer
clients
cost
certainty
and
information
to
make
informed
decisions,
adding
value.
Software
can
track
the
number
of
hours
worked
by
different
timekeepers
across
the
stages
of
the
litigation
lifecycle.
If
your
firm
uses
analytics,
you
can
identify
matters
that
are
likely
to
reach
trial
and
go
to
a
jury
verdict
and
others
that
could
settle
early.
Your
pitch
should
include
the
types
of
data
your
firm
tracks,
or
has
access
to,
and
analyzes.
Then,
highlight
why
this
information
is
valuable
to
the
client’s
situation. 

Highlight
Added
Value 

Law
firms
should
remember
they
aren’t
just
competing
against
other
firms.
Alternative
legal
service
providers
can
offer
clients
cost-effective
services,
including
discovery
and
contract
drafting.
Understanding
the
playing
field,
firms
should
tailor
their
pitch
to
illustrate
how
their
use
of
legal
tech
can
give
the
client
a
greater
overall
value.

For
example,
because
your
firm
is
able
to
eliminate
hours
of
tedious,
manual,
and
repetitive
work
through
automation,
your
budget
provides
the
client
more
time
to
discuss
matters
and
ask
questions
with
senior
attorneys.
That
scenario
is
more
valuable
to
the
client
than
just
saving
money
on
a
portion
of
their
litigation
timeline. 

Technology
can
also
give
the
client
greater
value
through
streamlined
communication,
keeping
the
number
of
tools
you
ask
them
to
interact
with
to
a
minimum.
In
your
pitch,
show
a
brief
overview
of
how
easy
it
is
for
the
client
to
communicate,
share
information,
and
get
status
updates
using
your
legal
technology.

For
example,
in
a
single
case
management
solution,
clients
and
the
law
firm
can
centralize
collaboration
and
integrate
with
other
tools
while
portals
give
the
client
on-demand
access
to
status
updates,
deadlines,
and
budget
information.
A
quick
walkthrough
of
your
system
can
give
the
client
a
big-picture
view
and
give
them
confidence
that
the
information
they
need
will
be
at
their
fingertips. 

Be
Upfront
About
AI 

About
one
in
seven
in-house
teams
(14
percent)
said
“transparency
in
AI
use”
was
mandatory
in
their
law
firm
selection
process,
according
to
the
Thomson
Reuters
survey.
And
a
recent


LexisNexis
survey

found
80
percent
of
corporate
legal
executives
expected
outside
counsel
bills
to
be
reduced
as
a
result
of
the
use
of
AI. 

If
your
prospective
client
is
comfortable
with
the
use
of
AI,
you’ll
want
to
be
clear
about
how
your
firm
uses
it
to
achieve
efficiencies
and
what
steps
you’re
taking
to
keep
data
secure
and
prevent
infamous
“hallucinations”
such
as
made-up
case
citations. 

Additionally,
don’t
forget
to
highlight
how
AI
is
integrated
into
the
legal
tech
your
firm
already
uses
for
even
greater
efficiency.
For
example,
when
AI
is
added
to
case
management
software,
it
can
generate
analysis
and
identify
connections
between
characters,
documents,
and
transcripts
in
seconds.
And
in
discovery,
AI
can
efficiently
organize,
categorize,
and
analyze
hundreds
of
gigabytes
of
data,
suggesting
relevant
documents
for
lawyers.

Again,
this
type
of
automation
can
eliminate
hours
of
repetitive
manual
work,
not
only
leading
to
client
cost
savings,
but
greater
value
to
the
client
as
these
hours
can
be
devoted
to
higher-level
analysis
by
senior
attorneys. 

Secure
the
Win 

Wrap
up
your
proposal
by
reinforcing
your
data
privacy
standards
and
your
firm’s
policies
for
using
AI
and
other
legal
technology
ethically,
including
steps
you
take
to
ensure
accuracy,
auditability,
and
security.
Share
your
past
legal
tech
successes
and
client
testimonials.
And
above
all,
drive
home
the
specifics
on
how
your
firm’s
use
of
specific
technologies
leads
to
cost
savings
throughout
the
lifecycle
of
the
client’s
matter,
eliminates
communication
pain
points,
and
gives
the
client
overall
budget
transparency. 

---

Jill
Goldstein

is
a
senior
account
executive
at


Opus
2,
a
leading
legal
software
and
services
provider.
Before
joining
Opus
2
in
2021,
she
served
a
number
of
technology
clients
where
she
provided
technology
solutions
to
Fortune
1000
companies,
law
firms,
accounting
firms
and
consulting
firms.

Ed.
note:
This
is
the
first
article
in
a
series
providing
a
comprehensive
guide
to
networking
at
conferences. 

Ever
felt
like
a
conference
was
a
throwback
to
your
high
school
dance,
minus
the
bad
music
and
questionable
fashion
choices?

You’re
not
alone.
It’s
a
world
where
everyone’s
trying
to
be
the
cool
kid.

Imagine
stepping
into
the
bustling
conference
hotel,
a
hive
of
activity,
where
clusters
of
lawyers
resemble
old
school
cliques
and
not
knowing
where
to
begin
or
what
to
say.

What
do
you
do?

Navigating
this
social
labyrinth
requires
a
strategy,
especially
when
it
comes
to
engaging
with
individuals.
It’s
about
finding
that
perfect
opening
line,
akin
to
choosing
the
right
song
for
a
dance.

Just
like
in
those
teenage
years,
there’s
a
bit
of
nervous
excitement
mixed
with
the
hope
of
making
a
connection.
You’re
not
just
reaching
out
to
exchange
pleasantries;
you’re
looking
to
strike
a
chord,
to
find
that
common
ground
that
turns
a
brief
encounter
into
a
meaningful
conversation
and
maybe
even
a
business
relationship.

In
the
sea
of
conference
networking,
one-on-one
conversations
can
be
incredibly
powerful.
They
offer
a
unique
opportunity
to
dive
deeper
into
someone’s
world
without
the
distractions
of
a
group
setting.
Personally,
I
find
these
interactions
more
rewarding.

For
instance,
I
always
look
for
a
personal
connection
point
during
these
conversations.
It
could
be
their
alma
mater,
hometown,
or
even
a
shared
interest.

If
someone
mentions
they
went
to
the
University
of
Chicago,
I
instantly
share
a
snippet
of
my
childhood
in
Chicago
until
third
grade.
This
often
leads
to
more
personal
questions,
like
“Where
did
you
live
after
Chicago?”

Just
like
that,
we’re
no
longer
just
exchanging
formalities;
we’re
sharing
stories,
breaking
the
ice,
and
yes,
metaphorically
dancing!

Solo
Moves
at
the
Networking
Dance

Making
the
first
move
in
networking,
much
like
in
dancing,
requires
a
mix
of
confidence
and
tact.

Each
approach
is
a
dance
step,
an
opportunity
to
initiate
a
rhythm
of
conversation.

Whether
you’re
a
networking
novice
or
a
seasoned
socializer,
these
one-on-one
encounters
are
where
individual
connections
begin.

Here
are
a
few
opening
lines
to
consider,
each
one
an
invitation
to
start
a
new
dialogue,
a
solo
dance
of
sorts,
in
the
bustling
ballroom
of
the
conference.

1. 
   “Hi,
   I’m
   [Your
   Name].
   Is
   this
   your
   first
   time
   at
   this
   conference,
   or
   are
   you
   a
   seasoned
   attendee?”
2. 
   “Good
   [morning/afternoon/evening],
   I’m
   [Your
   Name].
   I’m
   on
   a
   mission
   to
   meet
   new
   people
   today.
   How’s
   the
   conference
   treating
   you?”
3. 
   “Excuse
   me,
   I
   couldn’t
   help
   but
   notice
   your
   [something
   you
   noticed
   about
   them].
   Hi,
   I’m
   [your
   name].  
4. 
   “Hi,
   I’m
   [Your
   Name].
   I’m
   trying
   to
   make
   new
   connections
   here.
   What’s
   been
   the
   highlight
   of
   the
   conference
   for
   you?”
5. 
   “Hi,
   I’m
   [Your
   Name].
   I
   saw
   that
   you
   were
   in
   the
   last
   presentation. 
   What’d
   you
   think?  

As
we’ve
seen,
engaging
in
one-on-one
conversations
at
conferences
is
an
art
that
combines
professionalism
with
a
personal
touch.
In
the
next
article
of
our
series,
we’ll
delve
into
the
delicate
dance
of
handling
rejection
and
the
dynamics
of
group
networking.

Stay
tuned
for
more
insights
on
how
to
gracefully
waltz
through
these
common
networking
challenges.

The
Solo
Networking
Dance:
A
Recap 

✔️
Approach
with
confidence:
Use
ice-breaker
lines
to
initiate
one-on-one
conversations.

✔️
Find
personal
connection
points:
Share
stories
or
experiences
that
relate
to
the
other
person’s
background
or
interests.

---

Sejal Patel is
the

Founder
of
Sage
Ivy,
a
New
York-based
consultancy
specializing
in
empowering
attorneys with
innovative
practice
development
strategies.
With
over
20
years
of
experience, Sejal applies
her
expertise
in
assisting
clients
convert
their
relationships
into
revenue
by
applying
individualized
strategies
to
their
networks
and
leveraging
their
unique
styles
authentically.