MiLawyer Podcast
Business & Finance
About
Brought to you by the State Bar of Michigan, this podcast provides legal professionals in Michigan with insights and strategies to help you improve your practice and protect your well-being. Join us as hosts Molly Ranns and Savanna Polimeni talk with legal experts, innovators, and visionaries each month.
Episodes
- Ep. 2: Legal Storytelling with Michael J. Steinberg
Storytelling isn’t just for screenwriters. It’s an important skill for attorneys to have, too. Michael J. Steinberg, a civil rights attorney, law professor, storyteller with NPR’s “The Moth Radio Hour,” and this year’s GLLC keynote speaker…
- Ep. 1: Real Talk with Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh
Struggling to balance the stress of your legal career? You’re not alone. Hear how Chief Justice Megan Cavanagh built her work-life balance, including her personal wellness practices, the tools she uses to stay grounded, and how she manages…
- Ep. 0: Introduction to MiLawyer Podcast
The State Bar of Michigan understands the unique challenges Michigan attorneys face — and we’re here to help! Our all-new, monthly MiLawyer Podcast offers the chance to not only hear from colleagues who have been in your stressed-out shoes…
- Meaningful Wellbeing in Work/Life Imbalance
Pursuing perfect “balance” in our work and personal lives may not actually be a reasonable goal. There will inevitably be times when either work or home needs more of your attention, and that’s okay. Instead of striving for an elusive sens…
- Record Retention Guidance for Your Law Firm
Law firms deal with a mountain of sensitive documents and communications, so knowing how to manage them appropriately—and ethically—is a must for every attorney. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway welcome Alecia Chandler to discuss how to deve…
- Under Pressure: Confronting the Mental Health Crisis in Law
We see higher rates of mental illness, divorce, alcoholism, and more in the legal profession, but what can we do to change it? In the difficulties of the practice of law, some attorneys struggle to care for themselves in the midst of the c…
- “The Untold Secrets to Thrive as a Lawyer” with Judy Selby
Drawing from over 30 years experience in legal practice, Judy Selby’s newest book offers a wealth of knowledge for attorneys looking to move forward with confidence in their legal career. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway sit down with Judy t…
- A New Study on Lawyer Mental Health and Wellbeing
After the ABA’s 2016 study of mental health and substance use disorders among lawyers, it became well known that lawyers face particular challenges concerning addiction and wellbeing and that there were often barriers to recovery. Now, nea…
- The AI Legal Impacts All Lawyers Should Know
With the explosion of AI products, apps, software integrations, and more., many attorneys have no small amount of nervousness about whether they should trust this technology and, if so, how to use it to their advantage. To discuss AI’s cur…
- Managing Menopause for Women in Law — Reclaiming Confidence in Your Career
The stresses and demands of a legal career take their toll on all attorneys, but women lawyers face the additional challenge of navigating menopause in the midst of their professional journey. After a difficult personal experience with men…
- Previewing ABA TECHSHOW 2025
With TECHSHOW coming up on April 2-5, Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway welcome conference co-chairs Julie Bays and Stephen Embry to learn more about the offerings for 2025 attendees. TECHSHOW is unique amongst many legal tech conferences in…
- When You Can’t Afford to Have a Bad Day – Confidential LAP Support
Lawyers, amongst other “safety-sensitive” professionals like doctors, police officers, etc., aren’t allowed to have a bad day at work. If you aren’t doing your best, someone could get hurt, and the weight of that responsibility can lead to…
- How to Promote Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Legal Workplaces
Our country has become increasingly diverse, but the legal profession often does not reflect the diversity of the communities they serve. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway welcome Gregory Conyers to learn about his efforts toward increased di…
- Positive Lawyering: Cultivating Values and Compassion in the Legal Profession
Using positive psychology tailored to the unique needs of lawyers and law students, attorney Jordana Confino helps others in the profession improve their wellbeing and thrive in legal practice. JoAnn Hathaway and Molly Ranns talk with Jord…
- Succession Planning — Updates for Rule 21
What’s next for Rule 21? After a year of progress, JoAnn Hathaway and Molly Ranns welcome April Alleman back to the podcast to learn about the updates for important elements of Michigan’s succession planning requirements. Planning for the…
- Balancing Wellbeing, Professionalism, and Civility
Between forty and seventy percent of all malpractice claims and disciplinary proceedings are directly related to untreated mental health or substance abuse issues. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway discuss the intersection of wellbeing and pr…
- How to Enhance Your Legal Services with Microsoft Copilot
Is AI coming for your job as an attorney? Ben Schorr of Microsoft has the short answer—no! But, AI can come alongside you to help you do your work even better. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Ben about ways lawyers can implement M…
- Mental Health Resources with Joe Ankus
Due to his lived experience with stress and anxiety in the practice of law, Joe Ankus was inspired to get involved in mental health education in the legal profession. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Joe about his passion for comin…
- How to Dissect and Understand Your Cyber Insurance Policy
Cyber threats abound in our modern world, and lawyers and law firms are prime targets due to the sensitive nature of the information they hold in trust for clients. As such, cyber insurance is becoming a necessity for attorneys, but many f…
- A Better Perspective: How Mindset Shifts Can Enrich Life and Legal Practice
Legal practice can be stressful, and it is all too common to go through difficult seasons which, in turn, lead to negative impacts on our overall wellbeing. But, there are ways to equip lawyers with the skills to mindfully combat this tend…
- How Lawyers Can Enhance Legal Services and Stay Ahead in the Industry with AI
Leveraging AI in your practice can help you create better client experiences and become a more efficient lawyer. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Mitch Jackson about ways to integrate AI into your practice to speed up legal service…
- Managing the Transition to Life After Legal Practice
It is important to attorneys to build a rich career, but just as important is the time they put into life outside of legal practice. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Kevin McGoff about his recently published book, Find Your Landing…
- Unraveling the Legal Tech Ecosystem: How People, Processes, and Tech Work Together
Technology can help you solve problems in your law firm, connect with clients, save time and money, and so much more. But, how do you know what tech will work best for your practice? Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Colin Levy abou…
- Addiction Recovery and Lawyer Wellbeing
The legal profession as a whole now has a heightened awareness of the fact that wellbeing is a critical piece in the life of a lawyer, but rates of addiction, depression, anxiety, and other mental health struggles are still high. How can w…
- Insights on Clio’s 2023 Legal Trends Report with Joshua Lenon
Clio’s Legal Trends Report has given us a whole new perspective on many aspects of the profession since its inception in 2016, and the latest report has new insights in store. JoAnn Hathaway and Molly Ranns talk with Joshua Lenon about the…
- Recommendations from the Task Force on Well-Being in the Law
In August of this year, the Michigan Task Force on Well-Being in the Law released a comprehensive report outlining current recommendations for supporting law student, lawyer, and judicial wellness. JoAnn Hathaway talks with co-chairs of th…
- Tech Foundations and Recommendations for a Successful Law Firm
Whether you’re setting up a new law firm or trying to get your current firm up to modern standards, technology absolutely must be a foundational element. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Adriana Linares about what software and tool…
- Bringing Transparency to Judicial Clerkships
The legal profession places an enormous premium on getting judicial clerkships, which usually offer both valuable learning experiences and a major boost to a young lawyer’s future prospects. But, are there potential downsides to clerkships…
- How To Do More in Less Time with Dan Siegel & Allison Johs
Productivity practices are essential—even life-changing—in legal practice. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, that your time is not your own, hopelessly behind on technology, or that you just can’t seem to balance work and life, learning produ…
- The Mindfulness in Law Movement with Dr. Nehal Patel
Mindfulness refers to our ability to maintain our present-moment awareness without drifting unhelpfully to the past or future. That might sound like a heady concept, but a focused, steady mind truly is helpful in life, and its applications…
- Lawyer Well-Being in Biglaw
In Biglaw, there is a natural inclination amongst attorneys to build a reputation for being the best, but too often this comes at the expense of mental health and overall wellness. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Anthony Sallah an…
- Rule 21: Law Practice Succession Planning
New rules effective in September 2023 will require Michigan attorneys to name a person with knowledge of their practice as well as an interim administrator in their succession plan. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway welcome April Alleman and…
- AI and ChatGPT’s Impacts on the Legal Profession
Rapid new developments in AI and ChatGPT, especially, have given rise to many questions across the legal industry about how to use this technology both effectively and ethically. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway turn to Nicole Black for insi…
- Law Student Well-Being: Advocating for Student Mental Health
There are still significant issues surrounding law student mental health, and the pandemic added even more layers to these wellness concerns. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway welcome David Jaffe and Janet Stearns to discuss their research an…
- How Women Can Speak Up and Stand Out with Confidence
Some of the unique challenges women face in their careers may actually stem from differences in the ways men and women communicate in the workplace. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with bestselling author and executive coach Dr. Lois F…
- Mindfulness and Emotional Intelligence with Katie Stanley
Pursuing wellbeing through mindfulness helps legal professionals thrive in practice, and part of that focus should be kindness, not just to others, but to ourselves. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Katie Stanley about how caring f…
- Backups For Your Law Firm - Recovering from Human Error, Disasters, Hackers, and More
Lawyers spend a lot of time gathering data and creating content in the course of legal practice, and losing that data could prove disastrous or even catastrophic to their firm and clients. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with John Sime…
- Empowering Working Parents
As a mother and a professional, Lori Mihalich-Levin experienced the many challenges of working parents firsthand and discovered that there is all too often very little support for parents transitioning back to the workplace after the birth…
- Untangling Fear in Lawyering with Heidi K. Brown
Addressing fear and anxiety with societal mantras like “fake it ‘til you make it” or “face your fears” isn’t all that helpful, and might even be harmful to many of us. Tune in as Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Heidi K. Brown abou…
- What You Need to Know About Trauma-Informed Lawyering
Understanding the impact of trauma helps lawyers to better connect with and care for clients. Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Aylysh Gallagher and Alexander Rusek about their recent article, An Introduction to Trauma-Informed Lawy…
- Top IOLTA Trust Account Questions
To help attorneys understand the particulars on IOLTA accounts, Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway welcome Robinjit Eagleson to answer IOLTA inquiries commonly received by the State Bar of Michigan Ethics Helpline. Robinjit outlines the financ…
- The Creation of Sustainable, Healthy, and Inclusive Workspaces
Healthier indoor spaces are good for both you and the environment! On Balance hosts JoAnn Hathaway and Molly Ranns get a unique perspective on sustainable, inclusive, and more climate-friendly workspaces from Nicole DeNamur. Indoor spaces…
- Mental Health Challenges Facing the Legal Profession Today
Unique stressors that frequently accompany the life of a legal professional can still be major triggers for depression and other mental health issues. What work still needs to be done to address legal industry health and wellness? On Balan…
- The Delta Model: Lawyer Readiness and Competency Post-Covid
The pandemic made many things change at a rapid pace, but even with this evolution, the same competency areas are still needed to thrive in the practice of law. On Balance hosts Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway welcome Cat Moon to discuss th…
- Succession Planning for Your Law Firm
Succession planning is critical for ensuring the protection of lawyers, clients, and the public; but does every lawyer need a plan? Molly Ranns and JoAnn Hathaway talk with Alecia Chandler about how to figure out what type of plan you need…
- Meditation and Mindfulness Practices for Legal Professionals
Negative perspectives on the legal profession can sometimes affect lawyers more than they realize, as unrealistic expectations, pressure for perfection, and even tacky lawyer jokes work against their mental health. In this On Balance podca…
- Ethical Wellness in Your Law Firm
Legal professionals tend to focus on rules, policies, oaths, etc., but this isn’t enough when it comes to ethical decision-making. JoAnn Hathaway and Molly Ranns welcome Victoria Vuletich to explain the components of ethical wellness and a…
- Suicide Prevention in the Legal Community
Suicide has been a pervasive issue in the legal profession for many years, but the more we understand and talk about this issue, the more help we can give to those at risk. JoAnn Hathaway and Molly Ranns talk with Erica Grigg about her per…
- Collaboration Tools, Technology, and Tips
Collaboration tools, technologies that people use in order to work with each other, are useful for law firms of all sizes, and they don’t need to break the bank! Helping attorneys to communicate, meet, create and work on documents, share f…
- Gray-Area Drinking in the Legal Profession
How does someone know if they have an alcohol problem? In the legal profession, alcohol consumption has long been the norm, but, for some, healthy limits become blurred and unhealthy patterns emerge. On Balance hosts Molly Ranns and JoAnn…