Lawful Good

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 AudibleSupport 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 AudibleSupport 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 DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesLooking 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 AudibleSupport the showLaw Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyLaw Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on AudibleSupport 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 DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesLooking 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 AudibleSupport the showLaw Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on AudibleSupport 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 DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesLooking 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 AudibleSupport the showLaw Firm SEO by Jason HennesseyGet it on AmazonDownload on AudibleSupport 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 DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesLooking 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 AudibleSupport 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 DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesLooking 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 AudibleSupport 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 DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesLooking 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 AudibleSupport 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 DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesLooking 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 AudibleSupport 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 AudibleSupport the show

Nathan Bruemmer is a Florida native who grew up the adopted child of older parents. He was assigned the female gender at birth, but as he headed into high school, he became increasingly aware that there was a big difference between his experience of the world and the expectations others had for him. After a long process of self-discovery and advocacy for others, Nathan enrolled in Stetson Law at the age of 40. He now serves the LGBTQ+ community in a wide variety of roles, including his position as the LGBTQ+ Consumer Advocate at Florida's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.In this interview, we discuss Nathan’s years teaching in the public school system, the presence and loss of the strong women in his family, and what it's like working for the government in the midst of a culture war.Check out our sponsors!Hennessey DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesLooking for other great shows? Check out the Society of Women Trial Lawyers and Trusted Legal Partners podcasts.Join our Better Together LinkedIn Group📚 Enter to win a full set of books from Lawful Good guests!Support the show

Our guest today is James Helm, founding attorney of Top Dog Law.James grew up as an only child with boundless energy. He always wanted to know what was next and he spent most of his time playing sports with the neighborhood kids. A curious mind is one of the hallmarks of James’ personality; even as a young kid, he was always asking “why,” sometimes to the chagrin of his teachers. His desire to get to the root of an issue is a characteristic that makes him a diligent attorney and businessman.James started wrestling at a young age, and he discovered he was pretty good at it. He continued wrestling throughout grade school, where he tore his rotator cuff. While recovering from his injury, a doctor prescribed Percocet. Although James didn’t abuse the opiate at the time, he would later end up taking opioids recreationally at parties as a way to “fit in.” Before he knew it, he developed a full dependency that followed him through the remainder of high school and higher education.James graduated from Penn State and later went to Rutgers for his law degree. Even with his success at school, he hit a breaking point with his addiction and entered rehab in August 2016.In today’s episode, James and I talk about the start of his opioid addiction, why he chose the name Top Dog Law, and the power of wearing your heart on your sleeve. Check out our sponsors!Hennessey DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesLooking for other great shows? Check out the Society of Women Trial Lawyers and Trusted Legal Partners podcasts.Join our Better Together LinkedIn Group📚 Enter to win a full set of books from Lawful Good guests!Support the show

Today's guest today is Randi McGinn, one of America’s leading trial attorneys. Because of her dad’s position in the military, Randi moved around a lot as a kid. Although she was often jealous of her friends who had permanent homes, her experiences cultivated a unique view of the justice system and how it’s been applied to different people. As the oldest of four siblings, Randi proudly claims her “bossiness.” Growing up, her grandmother McGinn had the biggest influence on her life. In Randi’s own words, she was a “pistol” who didn’t play by the rules. Randi had powerful female influences, including her mother, that inspired her to fearlessly take on any challenge. In today’s episode, Randi and I talk about the intensity of grief after losing your soul mate, giving birth one day before the bar exam, and how she accidentally found her perfect career. Check out our sponsors!Hennessey DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesLooking for other great shows? Check out the Society of Women Trial Lawyers and Trusted Legal Partners podcasts.Join our Better Together LinkedIn Group📚 Enter to win a full set of books from Lawful Good guests! Support the show

My guest today is Alexander Shunnarah, known as a master of marketing among many personal injury attorneys.  Alexander grew up in Alabama, where he spent his weekends at flea markets with his father.  Later, the two would buy and grow a chain of convenience stores, putting into practice the principles of sales and marketing that Alex had learned from a young age.Believing that Alex's future could hold greater things, his father encouraged him to continue his education at law school — a path that would eventually lead him one of the biggest personal injury brands in the south.In this interview, we discuss that journey, including his family's migration from Palestine, the faith that still guides Alex daily, and the joys and tribulations of parenthood.Check out our sponsors!Hennessey DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesJoin our Better Together LinkedIn Group📚 Enter to win a full set of books from Lawful Good guests! Support the show

Chris Seeger is a leader in mass tort and class action. Chris grew up on Long Island, where he practiced carpentry for years after high school. Almost on a whim, he took a few courses at a local college. A few years later, he was graduating Cardoza Law at the top of his class. For two years, Chris worked at a "white shoe" firm, where he liked the people but hated his chosen field of real estate law. For a while, he thought he might quit and focus on his side–hustle doing legal work for fighters [or boxers]. Chris did eventually decide to set out on his own and took any case he could get, mostly living off of credit cards. That's when he found personal injury and his professional calling. In this interview, Chris and I discuss the importance of boxing in his early years, the controversy surrounding his NFL concussion litigation, and how his own parenthood led to a reconnection with his estranged mother before her death.Check out our sponsors!Hennessey DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesJoin our Better Together LinkedIn Group📚 Enter to win a full set of books from Lawful Good guests! Support the show

Our guest today is Je Yon Jung, senior counsel at May Lightfoot. Je Yon has more than two decades of legal experience, including work in consumer protection, civil rights, discrimination, and financial services. What all of this diverse work has in common is a dedication to serving communities that have been left out or abused by the legal and justice systems.Je Yon emigrated to the United States with her family as a small child. From her earliest memories, she was certain that she wanted to be a lawyer. Though the patriarchal tradition of Korean culture left her with little support for this ambition, Je Yon's determination landed her in the Department of Justice only one year out of law school. Her work has now branched into the mass tort space with the complex and ongoing Zantac litigation.In this interview, we'll discuss how Rodney King changed the trajectory of Je Yon's career, the value of friendships, and how she came to know so much about soccer.Check out our sponsors!Hennessey DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesJoin our Better Together LinkedIn Group📚 Enter to win a full set of books from Lawful Good guests! Support the show

Our guest today is Cordell Carter II, a self-proclaimed “dreamer” and vivacious entrepreneur.Growing up, Cordell couldn’t wait to leave his hometown in Virginia. It wasn’t because he didn’t love where he grew up; he simply had an innate hunger for adventure and exploration. His passion for travel was first ignited in 1985 when his uncle gave him a globe. He’d spin the globe and stop it with one finger, vowing to visit the place his finger landed on.Cordell found his voice his freshman year of high school after joining a Morman musical enclave. Since then, Cordell has been using his voice to bring people together. He’s been the fuel behind the Festival of the Diaspora, a diverse and inclusive group focused on identifying and solving the most pressing issues that impact our global society. In this interview, we discuss how Cordell found his voice through music, why the western world needs a revival, and the time he talked himself out of a presidential appointment at 24 years old.Check out our sponsors!Hennessey DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesJoin our Better Together LinkedIn Group📚 Enter to win a full set of books from Lawful Good guests! Support the show

Our guest today is Paul Bland, the executive director of Public Justice.Unlike many of his peers, Paul didn’t go to law school to practice as an attorney. Instead, he wanted to run for Congress one day.In the 80s, after getting his Juris Doctorate from Harvard, Paul was working for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee. From there, he found himself at a law firm where he was introduced to consumer class actions, which seems to be where his life trajectory shifted.Working on toxic torts and forced arbitration, Paul became an advocate for the rights of consumers, and that eventually led him to Public Justice. In today’s episode, we discuss the twists and turns of Paul’s career, taking a case and arguing it before the US Supreme Court, and the joy of being a father.Check out our sponsors!Hennessey DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesJoin our Better Together LinkedIn Group📚 Enter to win a full set of books from Lawful Good guests! Support the show

Today's guest is Michael Morse, founder of one of the nation's leading personal injury law firms. Michael grew up in a Detroit suburb, where his offices still reside today. Though his early life was disrupted by the divorce of his parents and bullying in school, Michael discovered a childhood knack for marketing and entrepreneurship before he was even a teenager,. The money he earned helped build a sense of independence and security in a world that felt uncertain.The death of his father, who had inspired him to be a lawyer, changed everything.  In his journey/quest to rise above the death of his father and the subsequent loss of multiple jobs, Michael developed an attitude and a system to learn and improve himself. Today, that’s what he calls becoming "Fireproof".  Michael now teaches the Fireproof method to lawyers all over the nation.In this interview, we discuss the principles of Fireproof, but perhaps more importantly, the immense power of gratefulness, exercise, and delegation in overcoming life's personal and professional challenges.  Check out our sponsors!Hennessey DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesJoin our Better Together LinkedIn Group📚 Enter to win a full set of books from Lawful Good guests! Support the show

Prya Murad is a Miami-based attorney who is passionate about criminal and juvenile defense. Prya immigrated to the U.S. from Pakistan when she was just three years old. Growing up in Hazard, Kentucky, Prya recalls her desire to fit in, particularly in a school where she’d hear comments about what culture is supposedly like in Pakistan. When 9/11 happened, Prya and her family experienced prejudice rooted to fear and ignorance.Prya didn’t grow up in a religious household. She stopped believing in God around middle school, and her father was proud of her for that. In today’s episode, Luke and Prya talk about her passion for being a public defender, why the media sensationalizes trials, and how her grandmother was interrogated by the Pakistani military at 80 years old. Check out our sponsors!Hennessey DigitalMilestone FoundationTrial School7 Figure CasesJoin our Better Together LinkedIn Group📚 Enter to win a full set of books from Lawful Good guests! Support the show