This podcast features attorney Laura Terrell. Laura has a broad legal background to include attending the University of Virginia Law School, “big law” partnerships, and stints serving at the White House and Department of Justice. Interestingly, she has now turned her focus and work into serving as an executive coach. Oftentimes, lawyers, like all professionals, can get stuck in a rut and not be able to clearly see the next step in their career or how they want things to look for themselves professionally. Laura offers guidance in many areas that can assist both young lawyers and mid-level or older lawyers as they look to change, morph, and/or improve their legal careers. Her website, www.LauraTerrell.com, offers a lot of information on how she can help professionals improve their careers. I enjoyed getting to know Laura’s story on this episode of the podcast.
Attorney Mac Martinson is a partner with the Huntsville law firm of Martinson and Beason. I say this a lot on this episode of the podcast and here I go again…Mac and his law firm are highly respected as lawyers and as people who give back to our community. This law firm was founded by Mac’s grandfather back in 1937 and has been in existence ever since then. Mac has many accolades to his name for practicing law at a very high level, earning the admiration of his peers to include being AV rated by Martindale Hubbell as well as his recent selection as the Real Estate Lawyer of the Year by Best lawyers in America. I enjoyed getting to know Mac’s story on this episode of the podcast. You might also enjoy listening to the podcast I did with his brother and law partner, Doug Martinson, and, also, his law partner Morris Lilienthal.
As I say on the introduction of this podcast, I have never seen the arc of a career like this – from a longtime professional magician to law school to a successful law firm he founded and now a coach for lawyers and an author on how to start and grow a successful law firm. Those are quite a few accomplishments and transition packed into one career! Patrick Slaughter, as you'll hear, is very engaging. He is an expert in immigration law and family law. In fact, he runs an immigration law bootcamp and, if you're looking to get into the field of immigration law, from my perspective, this is an absolute must do. Immigration law is complicated and nuanced and Patrick makes it understandable for lawyers to quickly learn so that they can take good care of their immigration clients. He has also started a coaching practice for lawyers who want to start their own firm and have a thriving law practice. The start point, though, would be to get a copy of Patrick's new book that will be out soon: “The Law Firm Blueprint: Your Fast Track to $100K Working Only 4 Days a Week.” I have read an advance copy of this book. It is thorough and detailed and will get a lawyer to where he or she needs to be by following his blueprint. I hope you enjoy hearing Patrick’s story on this episode of the podcast.
After a long and distinguished career serving our country, DOD Administrative Judge Michael (Mike) Leonard recently retired. Mike served for the last twenty years as an Administrative Judge with the Department of Defense (DOD) Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals (DOHA) where he heard and decided hundreds of security clearance cases over his tenure. On one hand, I am glad that he retired so that I could do this podcast with him. On the other hand, security clearance applicants who have to go to a hearing regarding their clearance have lost a wise, tempered, smart and reflective judge to possibly hear their administrative case. Of course, there are still many fair and highly respected judges at DOD DOHA, but the loss of Mike will definitely be felt. I was glad to learn his history on this episode of the podcast to include his U.S Army JAG Corps experience and DOHA Department Counsel work before he became a DOHA judge. I hope you enjoy hearing his professional story followed by his bold retirement move to Germany!
Angie Robertson is a talented and highly respected consumer lawyer based out of Chicago, Illinois. Angie is a partner with the consumer law firm of Philipps and Philipps, Ltd. As an aside, Episode 4 of the Next Lawyer Up podcast features an interview with the founder of Philipps and Philipps, Ltd., attorney Dave Philipps. Angie is an exceptional legal writer and researcher and I know this from first-hand experience by working with her on a number of consumer law cases over the years. Angie also does a lot of work for the consumer law bar in our country. She is on the national board of directors for the NACA (National Association of Consumer Advocates) and she also serves as the Illinois co-chair for NACA. In recognition of her work, Angie was recently named as an Illinois Super Lawyer by Thompson Reuters. I was interested to learn about Angie’s journey from Nebraska to Chicago on this episode of the podcast. I hope you enjoy it
Attorney Michael Timberlake is a partner with the long-standing and highly regarded law firm of Timberlake and League. Michael is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell and he is also consistently selected for Best Lawyers. His law firm has very well-known and respected lawyers and they have been practicing personal injury law for many years. The law firm is also deeply embedded in the community and anyone who lives in North Alabama is familiar with the show they are on every Sunday night, LawCall, at 10:30pm on ABC WAAY Channel 31. All of the lawyers at this firm are experts in their field. You can also listen to a podcast that I did with one of Michael’s partners, Will League, at this link. I enjoyed talking to Michael on this episode of the podcast and I hope he didn’t take offense at my complaining of appearing at the late hour of 10:30pm on LawCall since I am way more of an early morning person!
Attorney Kenny Cole is a founding partner with the highly regarded personal injury law firm of Conchin, Cole, Jordan and Sherrod. There are many talented people at his firm and, in fact, you can listen to previous Next Lawyer Up podcasts with Gary Conchin and Judge (Ret.) Lynn Sherrod. Kenny has an impressive pedigree, getting both his undergraduate and law degrees from Vanderbilt. While at Vanderbilt, he also found some “free” time to play SEC college football for the Commodores. He learned and perfected his trial skills in Houston, Texas for many years before returning back to North Alabama. I enjoyed getting to know Kenny’s story on this episode of the podcast.
Carl Cole is a highly respected lawyer throughout Alabama and his office is located in Decatur, Alabama. Carl and his firm handle a variety of cases and he is a well-regarded litigator in the state of Alabama. He has handled several high-profile cases over the course of his legal career. A graduate of Troy University, Carl went to the University of Alabama and received both his law degree and a LLM degree in taxation. Carl has many accolades to his name, to include Super Lawyers, AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and a 10.0 rating from Avvo. He is involved in the community and has previously served as the president of the Morgan County Bar Association. This is the first time I have talked to Carl and it made sense to do so, especially since his office is two doors down from our own Decatur office!
teve Heninger is a very well-known trial lawyer and he handles complex litigation cases throughout the country. Steve is a founding partner of Heninger, Garrison & Davis, LLC, with offices in Alabama, Georgia and New York. Steve is also one of the preeminent plaintiffs’ medical malpractice attorneys in Alabama along with his son and law partner, Erik Heninger. Steve has many accolades to his name including being recognized as a Super Lawyer for many years. On top of that, Steve has also been named as a top 50 lawyer for Alabama for the past 8 years. Steve, as I found out, is originally from Illinois where he was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity at the University of Illinois. We talked about his history on the podcast to include the fact that he was drafted while in college and became a Brigade Legal Officer with the U.S. Army which is where his legal training began, even before he started law school. I have known Steve for years by reputation and this was my first chance to speak with him. It was good to learn about his illustrious legal career on this episode of the podcast.
Bart Siniard is a bright, talented and compassionate lawyer who has already received many accolades in his young career to include selection as a Super Lawyer Rising Star, a National Trial Lawyers Top 40 under 40 and a Top 10 Nursing Home attorney for the State of Alabama. Bart now practices with his father, Tommy Siniard, with the Siniard Law Firm. You can also listen to Tommy’s Next Lawyer Up podcast here, which was the third episode that we did together a number of years ago. As a side note, highly respected retired Madison County Circuit Judge Dennis O’Dell, also serves in an “Of Counsel” role with the Siniard Law Firm. Bart is a bright light among the young lawyers in Alabama and I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot about him and his work over the next several years