The Florida Bar's LegalFuel Podcast

Last month on the podcast, we had Jordan Turk on to discuss Smokeball Bill, the Florida Bar’s newest member benefit for trust accounting software. Today we are going to dive a little further into Trust Accounting itself. In today’s episode, hosts Autumn Chadwell and Charlotte Chambliss are speaking with Christine Bilbrey to go beyond the basics and focus more on questions that we have received from attorneys regarding opening a trust account, Funding Florida Legal Aid, and what to do in specific situations.Christine Bilbrey is the Director of The Florida Bar’s Practice Resource Center, and one of the hosts of The Florida Bar’s LegalFuel podcast series. In addition to the Practice Resource Center, Christine oversees all things related to the Lawyer Referral Service and is also the staff liaison for The Florida Bar’s Special Committee on AI Tools & Resources. Christine holds a master’s degree in Business Administration and a bachelor’s degree in Legal Administration. She previously served as the principal firm administrator at area law firms in her hometown of Pensacola, Florida. Prior to joining The Florida Bar, Christine was a certified HR classroom and virtual trainer for the world’s largest credit union.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Legal Specialization and Education Department for 0.5 General CLE Credit. Course #260040REFERENCED RESOURCESLegalFuel LegalFuel Document LibraryThe Rules Regulating The Florida Bar: Chapter 5The Florida Bar Member Benefits and DiscountsSmokeBall Bill

Here at the Practice Resource Center, we have more questions about trust accounting than any other topic because our members know that mistakes can lead to serious consequences. The Florida Bar Member Benefits team has given all Florida attorneys access to two free trust accounting software programs: Nota, which we have previously discussed on the podcast; and our newest offering, Smokeball Bill.In today’s episode, host Autumn Chadwell is speaking with Jordan Turk about the benefits of using a comprehensive accounting and billing program to help our members get organized and stay compliant.Jordan is a practicing attorney in Texas, and the Director of Education and Attorney Development at Smokeball. Her family law expertise includes complex property division and contentious custody cases, as well as appeals and prenuptial agreements. In addition to her family law practice, she’s passionate about legal technology and how it can revolutionize law firms. Jordan graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Classics, History, and Religious Studies and then went on to attend the University of Arkansas School of Law to earn her J.D. After almost four years of practice with a high-asset family law firm in Houston (and after being frustrated at the lack of automation in her firm), she discovered the world of legal technology which ultimately brought her to Smokeball.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Legal Specialization and Education Department for 0.5 General CLE Credit, and 0.5 Technology Credit. Course #9954REFERENCED RESOURCESSmokeball BillSmokeballThe Florida Bar Member Benefits and DiscountsRules Regulating The Florida Bar

In Rule 4-1.1 of The Rules Regulating The Florida Bar under the section on competence, it says that a lawyer should keep abreast of changes in the law and its practice, including an understanding of the benefits and risks associated with the use of technology. Technology is constantly changing and while new technologies can be exciting and make your life easier, cyber-hacking technology is also becoming more sophisticated.In today’s episode, hosts Christine Bilbrey and Autumn Chadwell are speaking with Kehinde Stinson about what you can do to safeguard your practice, your client data, and how to establish best practices in your firm.Kehinde Stinson is a technology and data governance attorney with more than 15 years of legal experience focused on privacy, cybersecurity, and emerging technology governance. She advises organizations on data governance, privacy compliance, and cybersecurity risk management in increasingly complex digital environments and provides consulting services through her firm, Tech Me Out, LLC. Kehinde also hosts a podcast exploring the societal and legal implications of data and artificial intelligence, and frequently speaks on privacy, cybersecurity, and technology governance.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Legal Specialization and Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE Credit, and 1.0 hour of Technology credit. Course #9947REFERENCED RESOURCESTech Me OutThe Florida Information Protection Act (FIPA) (F.S. \(\S 501.171\))The Florida Bar Member Benefits

Hiring in the legal field can be complex. Cleary defining the position you need to fill, attracting qualified applicants, selecting the right candidate, and then completing a successful onboarding process, are all important steps for finding and keeping the best person for your team.In today’s episode host Autumn Chadwell welcomes Molly McGrath to discuss the finer points of attracting, selecting, onboarding, and retaining the right employees to help your law firm succeed.Molly is the founder of Hiring & Empowering Solutions, LLC. Since the late nineties, Molly has coached, consulted, and directed presidents and founders of national organizations, and over 5,000 law firms, resulting in 29 years of experience in conversation intelligence coaching, team development and leadership, employee empowerment, talent acquisition, revenue mapping, and action-based project management. Molly hosts a podcast titled Hire and Empower, and she is a 3-time number 1 best-selling author.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Legal Specialization and Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit. Course #9882REFERENCED RESOURCESHiring and Empowering SolutionsThe Employee PlaybookThe Florida Bar Career Center

Depression and The Law: Maintaining Your Mental Health and Your PracticeStudies have shown us time and time again that working in the field of law can take a toll on your wellbeing. The pressure to win cases, provide for your family, impress the partners, make sure your client is satisfied, and take some time for yourself can be overwhelming. May is Mental Health Awareness Month and with depression running rampant in the field, we’re going to do what many have trouble with: we’re going to talk about it.In today’s episode host Autumn Chadwell welcomes Dan Lukasik to discuss the stigma behind depression, the symptoms to watch out for, and how to take care of yourself and your practiceDan is a lawyer, mental health advocate, law professor, and public speaker who has delivered over 250 presentations on stress, anxiety, burnout, and depression across the United States. Dan is an instructor at the New York State Judicial Institute, as well as a member and major contributor to the New York State Bar Association’s Well-Being Task Force. He is the executive producer of three documentaries on mental health and has created two websites: Lawyers with Depression and the Buffalo Depression Project, both dedicated to mental health.This podcast has been approved by The Florida Bar Legal Specialization and Education Department for 1.0 hour of General CLE credit, including 1.0 hour of Mental Health and Wellness credit. Course #9832REFERENCED RESOURCES:The Florida Bar’s Mental Health and Wellness CenterLawyers with DepressionThe Buffalo Depression ProjectHow to Be Productive When You’re a Depressed Lawyer (article)Lawyer Mental Health: Lawyers Reaching Out to Those with Problems (article)How to Support a Loved One with Depression – The Depression ProjectNational Alliance on Mental IllnessDepression and Bipolar Support Alliance