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My guest today is Diandra Debrosse Zimmermann, also known as Fu. She is the managing partner of DiCello Levitt’s Birmingham office, and Co-Chair of the firm’s Mass Tort division. Fu was born in Brooklyn to immigrant parents of Haitian and Cuban descent. She was raised with many cultural values of the West Indies: self sufficiency, integrity, and taking risks to stand up for the marginalized. Fu's father was a strict disciplinarian. The most important rule in the house: don't follow the crowd against your own convictions. It was a principle that Fu would apply to her early activism, her legal career, and eventually pass on to her own children. In this interview we'll talk about how Fu made partner at her first firm at a very young age, then start her own firm as a mother of two just a few years later. We'll discuss why she considered leaving the practice altogether, and what finally convinced her to join the DiCello Levitt powerhouse. Law Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on Audible Support the show

My guest today is Mark O’Mara, a former prosecutor best known for defending George Zimmerman, who was found not guilty of second-degree murder in the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin. Growing up on Long Island, Mark was greatly influenced by his parents’ Irish Catholic roots and his father’s rigorous work ethic. After a friend talked him out of going to community college part-time, he ended up at the University of Central Florida, where student government pushed him toward his lifelong passion of law. Mark’s early career in prosecution came to an end when he was fired for preventing a mentally disabled 16-year-old from being sent to prison for life. The incident ended up sending Mark down a path of defense work that would bring him great success – and significant controversy. In this interview we’ll discuss Mark’s journey from Marlboro-smoking paperboy to world-class defense attorney, including his delightfully unusual proposal to his wife, why he’ll often say that a guilty client is “a really good guy", and the complex turmoil surrounding the George Zimmerman trial. Law Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on Audible Support the show

My guest today is Darryl Isaacs, a personal injury attorney widely known as "The Hammer".  Darryl grew up in the Louisville, KY neighborhood of Hikes Point.  His father worked six days a week as a pharmacist, and graduated law school in his 40s.  Seeing that hard work and dedication inspired Darryl, and he would one day follow in his father's footsteps. It wasn't easy — Darryl was never the best student, in his own words. But he seemed to have an uncanny knack for making money.  Merging that talent with the work ethic he gleaned from his father, Darryl was immediately successful. In 2015, everything he had built almost came to a sudden and tragic end when he was struck by a car, breaking his neck, scalping his head, and fracturing parts of his back.  Doctors believed he may never walk again. In this episode, we discuss all of these stories, including why Darryl gives his personal cell number out to the public, and how that near-fatal accident resulted in the birth of Mastermind Marketing Groups that are sharing Darryl's wealth of legal marketing knowledge all over the country. Check out our sponsors! Hennessey Digital Milestone Foundation Trial School 7 Figure Cases Looking for other great shows? Check out the Society of Women Trial Lawyers and Trusted Legal Partners podcasts. Law Firm SEO by Jason Hennessey Get it on Amazon Download on Audible Support the show Law Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on Audible Support the show

My guest today is Paige White, trial attorney for DiCello Levitt and Of Counsel for Ben Crump Law. Before entering Temple University, Paige aspired to a glamorous life of singing, modeling, and dancing.  The childhood strain of her parents’ divorce instilled a rebellious spirit in Paige, but it was nevertheless her mother that would reveal her true path — in a rather unusual way. After serving as a congressional intern in law school, Paige began her career as a public defender in Harlem, taking on a large workload of emotionally heavy cases.  The work held lessons of compassion, but also nurtured a sense that something is fundamentally wrong with the way law is enforced.  Paige continued her public defender service in D.C., and was inspired by Ben Crump to begin work as a plaintiff's attorney.  In 2022, she was named Young Lawyer of the Year by the D.C. Bar Association. In this episode, we discuss what it feels like to free a man after years of imprisonment, why she believes the justice system is in dire need of an overhaul, and whether Paige is a future Supreme Court Justice. Check out our sponsors! Hennessey Digital Milestone Foundation Trial School 7 Figure Cases Looking for other great shows? Check out the Society of Women Trial Lawyers and Trusted Legal Partners podcasts. Law Firm SEO by Jason Hennessey Get it on Amazon Download on Audible Support the show Law Firm SEO by Jason Hennessey Law Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on Audible Support the show

My guest today is Mary Lehman, appellate attorney with a diverse range of experiences and skills..  Mary is, by definition, driven. Whatever she sets her mind to, she accomplishes from amateur boxing, to helping refugees in Greece, to being a ski patrol. Although, she never did become a pirate, even though, as a young girl, that’s what she wanted to be when she grew up.  Mary attended St. John’s college in Santa Fe where she was trained in classical humanism. Her desire to be a good writer jumpstarted her interest in becoming an appellate attorney. However, Mary didn’t go straight to law school after getting her undergrad. Instead, she spent time working with the Sante Fe Hotshots, an elite firefighting team in New Mexico. In today’s episode, Mary talks about building Spanish colonial furniture, how Einstein’s theory of relativity helped her trust her own judgment, and how boxing is a beautiful, violent dance. Check out our sponsors! Hennessey Digital Milestone Foundation Trial School 7 Figure Cases Looking for other great shows? Check out the Society of Women Trial Lawyers and Trusted Legal Partners podcasts. Law Firm SEO by Jason Hennessey Get it on Amazon Download on Audible Support the show Law Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on Audible Support the show

My guests today are Carissa Phelps and Kim Adams.  Working with the support of Levin, Papantonio and Rafferty, Carissa and Kim are leaders in the fight against human trafficking in the realms of both policy and litigation. A survivor of trafficking herself, Carissa Phelps went from being a so-called runaway teen to earning a Masters of Business Administration from UCLA Anderson and a JD from UCLA School of Law.  Since then she has become a sought after speaker on human trafficking, and has been force in the development of new policies around the issue.  She has devoted significant time to bringing knowledge and awareness to local communities and non-profits, and her memoir, Runaway Girl, is often used as an educational tool. Kim Adams has been working hand in hand with Carissa on human trafficking litigation for several years.  Her passion and focus is on demanding legal accountability for those who have profited from the abuse and exploitation of children.  To that end, she has filed lawsuits against hotel chains, technology companies, and others that she believes are culpable for looking the other way. In today's lengthy conversation, Carissa and Kim talk about how they came to work on issues of human trafficking, common misconceptions that can prevent us from fully addressing the problem, and their lawsuits that are currently making their way through the courts. Check out our sponsors! Hennessey Digital Milestone Foundation Trial School 7 Figure Cases Looking for other great shows? Check out the Society of Women Trial Lawyers and Trusted Legal Partners podcasts. Law Firm SEO by Jason Hennessey Get it on Amazon Download on Audible Support the show Law Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on Audible Support the show

My guest today is Danielle Mason.  Danielle is best known for her successful mass tort litigation over talcum powder for which she has secured nearly $1 billion in verdicts against Johnson & Johnson. She’s also known for her work in the current hair relaxer litigation as the founding and managing Partner, Bullock Ward Mason LLC. But her life has been so much more than that. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Danielle and her family attended Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, presided over by Martin Luther King, Jr.  Her grandmother was deeply involved in the civil rights issues of the 1960s, and Danielle says that she assumed those struggles were over.  But when she saw Rodney King beaten on live television and the subsequent acquittal of the officers responsible, she realized that there was still work to be done. In this two-part interview, we'll talk about her early pregnancy that was supposed to be impossible, the tradeoffs of balancing motherhood with an exceptional career, and why she's so darn good at picking juries. Check out our sponsors! Hennessey Digital Milestone Foundation Trial School 7 Figure Cases Looking for other great shows? Check out the Society of Women Trial Lawyers and Trusted Legal Partners podcasts. Law Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on Audible Support the show

My guest today is Danielle Mason.  Danielle is best known for her successful mass tort litigation over talcum powder for which she has secured nearly $1 billion in verdicts against Johnson & Johnson. She’s also known for her work in the current hair relaxer litigation as the founding and managing Partner, Bullock Ward Mason LLC. But her life has been so much more than that. Born in Montgomery, Alabama, Danielle and her family attended Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, presided over by Martin Luther King, Jr.  Her grandmother was deeply involved in the civil rights issues of the 1960s, and Danielle says that she assumed those struggles were over.  But when she saw Rodney King beaten on live television and the subsequent acquittal of the officers responsible, she realized that there was still work to be done. In this two-part interview, we'll talk about her early pregnancy that was supposed to be impossible, the tradeoffs of balancing motherhood with an exceptional career, and why she's so darn good at picking juries. Check out our sponsors! Hennessey Digital Milestone Foundation Trial School 7 Figure Cases Looking for other great shows? Check out the Society of Women Trial Lawyers and Trusted Legal Partners podcasts. Law Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on Audible Support the show

In my recent interview with Regina Calcaterra she explained the drastic differences between children who are adopted from the foster care system and those who simply age out of the system.  Adopted children are 50% less likely to be arrested or become homeless, and 50% more likely to graduate college, among many other emotional and practical benefits.  In that interview, Regina recommended that anyone interested in becoming foster parents or forever parents contact an organization called You Gotta Believe.  The nonprofit helps foster children find families, provides certification and licensing for foster parents, and provides a framework for helping those parents learn to care for youth dealing with trauma and abandonment. In this episode, I’m having a conversation with three people involved with You Gotta Believe — executive director Jennifer Pinder, director of the Nobody Ages Out Youth Movement Anni Keane, and advisory board member and returning Lawful Good guest, Regina Calcaterra.  Join us as we delve into the importance of the work the organization does, how it's making positive, long-term changes in the lives of foster kids, and how you can get involved. Check out our sponsors! Hennessey Digital Milestone Foundation Trial School 7 Figure Cases Looking for other great shows? Check out the Society of Women Trial Lawyers and Trusted Legal Partners podcasts. Law Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on Audible Support the show

My guest today is Regina Calcaterra, co-founder of the Calcaterra Pollack law firm and author of the bestselling memoir Etched in Sand.   Regina was one of five children, all of whom were emotionally and physically abused by their mother.  With their basic physical needs unmet, she and her siblings became each other's support system until they were taken into foster care and separated. Regina had already overcome the odds when she graduated college, but she also went on to graduate law school at night while holding down a full time job. Over the years, Regina's service to others has moved fluidly between the public and private spheres.  She lobbied for disabled veterans to help craft the Americans with Disabilities Act and eventually served as chief deputy for the same county where she grew up abused and starving. In this episode, we discuss her traumatic childhood, why diversity is so important to her law firm, and why it was so meaningful when she was asked to be a "forever mom". A note to listeners: Regina and I make reference to physical and sexual abuse in this episode. While we won't discuss graphic details, listener discretion is advised. Check out our sponsors! Hennessey Digital Milestone Foundation Trial School 7 Figure Cases Looking for other great shows? Check out the Society of Women Trial Lawyers and Trusted Legal Partners podcasts. Law Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on Audible Support the show

Today, we’re taking a break from our usual programming to hear from my friend Andre Regard and friends during a bourbon tasting. Andre is with Kentucky Senator Bourbon and is also an attorney out of Kentucky. This brand was originally distilled and bottled by Crigler and Crigler in Covington Kentucky, then by Double Springs Distillers, Inc. in Bardstown and now the revival is led by Andre Regard and Damon Thayer as they work to restore this vintage Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey to its glory days. This episode takes place at an attorneys’ conference in Las Vegas where we decide to have a fun tasting as we hang out and have delightful conversations.  Law Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on Audible Support the show

This the third episode of a 3-part series where our host, Luke, takes us behind the scenes to the inaugural Shades of Mass conference that took place in August.  Shades of Mass is about building a truly equitable mass tort justice system. Communities of color are disproportionately hurt by corporate misconduct involving product defects, device malfunctions, and environmental hazards.  Yet, very few Black and Brown lawyers are appointed to lead the key mass tort cases that directly affect millions of their own community members. It’s time to remedy this inequity. Listen in to what people were saying at the event. Support the show