Episodes

Judge Mark McCannon was an Alameda County Deputy District Attorney trying misdemeanor and felony cases for over 16 years before taking the bench as an Alameda County Superior Court Judge in 2013. Appointed by governor Jerry Brown, he currently handles felony and misdemeanor jury trials as well as preliminary hearings. Before his public service days he worked at an entertainment law firm and was even a substitute teacher before passing the bar. Listen to the interview as Judge McCannon’s talks about the disparity in the judicial system and why the judiciary should reflect the diversity of the population, why dealing with mental health issues in the judicial system is a problem that needs to be addressed properly through education and awareness, as well as why judges, DAs and defense attorneys are also social workers in a way. Alameda County Bar Association The Alameda County Bar Association (ACBA) is a professional membership association for lawyers and other members of the leg…

Carl Ficks has been a lawyer since 1988. He started out at a small firm, and later went on to do civil litigation for big law and has done plenty of philanthropy as well. Now he runs No Surrender, a company specializing in helping busy professionals be more productive, less stressed and thrive through fitness and wellness. As a sought-after coach and trainer for professional associations and corporations, he believes that fitness is one of the cornerstones of success. In this interview Carl talks about how hiring a coach can help you stay on track with your goals and hold you accountable for the progress you make as well as the importance of rest days to avoid burnout. Plus, listen to his opinion as to why we should all have more civility in the practice of law and the need to have less divisiveness in the country, as well as why “Litigation is the art of imitation.” Carl Ficks www.carlficks.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlrficksjr/ carl@carlficks.com 860-944-3021 …

Jesse Adams has been practicing law since 2003. He worked for a few private firms before starting his own practice focusing on criminal defense in 2009. Jesse also worked at the San Diego Alternate Public Defender dealing with Dependency Court cases and fighting to reunite children with parents that had them removed from their custody. He is also part of the Alameda County Bar Association’s Criminal Court Appointed Attorneys’ defense panel and has a mix of private clients and court-appointed clients. Listen to this episode to get some tips on running your own practice, including how to price your cases and knowing how much is too much when paying for advertising. Jesse Adams www.adamsdefense.com (510) 217-8600 jadams@adamsdefense.com

Despite only having practiced as an attorney for almost two years, Marshall Hammons has plenty of experience under his belt. He was an intern at the San Francisco Department of Police Accountability helping mediate lower level conflicts between citizens and police officers under a restorative justice model. As an intern at the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office he worked on murder sentencing and police misconduct and helped implement different ways of bringing police accountability to light. Marshall even helped co-write and research the habeas petition for California's longest serving death row inmate while helping his pro bono representation team. Now working at the Silver Law Firm, he has been successful in dismissing cases, suppressing evidence and even argued a motion to dismiss on a life case, and has since become the firm’s lead “post-conviction” attorney helping end probations early, reducing felonies to misdemeanors and expunging records. Listen to the episode to learn ab…

Steve Fretzin has worked with hundreds of lawyers throughout the years, helping them grow their businesses through coaching, training and special programs. He’s a business advisor, author of four books, coach, and the host of the Be That Lawyer podcast. In this interview Steve talks about the importance of proper networking, branding and specializing your practice in order to gain recognition as an expert in your niche. He explains how to become your own rainmaker as well as how to make sales without being so salesy. Listen to the episode to learn from his expertise and some of the steps to grow your book of business. Steve’s Website https://fretzin.com/ Be That Lawyer Podcast https://fretzin.com/podcast/ Steve’s LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefretzin/ Steve’s Twitter https://twitter.com/stevefretzin Steve’s Facebook https://www.facebook.com/salesresults/ Steve’s YouTube https://www.youtube.com/user/SalesResultsInc Steve’s Books: Legal Business…

Hon. Pelayo Llamas Prior to becoming an Alameda County Superior Court Commissioner, Pelayo Llamas worked at the Oakland City Attorney’s Office for 18 years handling cases and helping eliminate drug trafficking, human trafficking, prostitution and other issues such as zoning violations and property blight. He also spent seven years at a private law firm specializing in civil litigation involving negligence, personal injury, and construction defect. Pelayo was recently elected Superior Court Judge and will be taking the bench in January of 2023. Listen to the episode to learn about how his understanding of motorcycles and working as a mechanic helps him apply problem solving and analysis to court cases as well as get some tips on how lawyers can better present their arguments before a judge. Alameda County Bar Association The Alameda County Bar Association (ACBA) is a professional membership association for lawyers and other members of the legal profession. The ACBA provide…

Roseann Torres used to be a Deputy Counsel and a Deputy District Attorney at San Joaquin County, but left her job as a prosecutor to start her own law firm in 2004. She is a current or former member of several community organizations such as the Alameda County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Centro Legal de La Raza, Youth Movement Radio, National Women’s Political Caucus, and the East Bay La Raza Lawyers Association. Roseann talks about some of the challenges of running a law practice and managing its employees as well as how being a Buddhist has affected her views on law and life in general. She also shares about how she is an avid fan of powerboating and enjoys taking to the water to enjoy life and get away from the stress of work.

Zoi Jones is a personal injury attorney who treats her clients like family. She and her father run Gonzales & Jones, a personal injury and criminal defense practice. Zoi has represented over five thousand clients in ten years as an attorney. In this episode she describes her experience growing up around a family-owned law firm and helping out in the office ever since she was a kid as well balancing her work and family schedules being a mother of three. Plus, she shares some tips on what types of insurance you shouldn’t be without. https://gonzalezjoneslaw.com/

Yesenia Sanchez started out at an entry-level position at the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office 25 years ago at only 19 years old and has risen through the ranks to become Division Commander and the highest-ranking woman in the agency. Throughout her career at the ACSO she’s had various duties such as patrol investigations, jail operations, and administration and has gotten an overall look at the law enforcement workings of the entire county. She is currently running for Sheriff and has plans to increase staffing to improve the conditions at the Santa Rita Jail and to create a safe and equitable quality of life for everyone. Listen to the interview to learn more about her plans for the Sheriff’s Office and the county as well as the resistance she’s been facing inside the department for running against the incumbent Sheriff.

Greg Ahern has lived in Alameda County his entire life and has served at the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office since 1980. In 2006 he was elected Sheriff and is currently up for re-election. He was actively involved in the development and implementation of several programs to benefit the community and to provide tactical training to thousands of law enforcement personnel and first responders. His impressive career history and achievements as a Sheriff include efforts to increase public safety, reduce criminality and prevent recidivism among rehabilitated inmates. Greg has served in several boards and commissions and received numerous awards for his accomplishments on duty. Listen to the interview to learn more about his views on key public safety issues and interesting insights from his experience in law enforcement.

This special roundtable discussion episode has the participation of criminal defense attorneys Nabiel Ahmed and Matt Fregi. They talk about a variety of topics including memorable cases where some of their clients would have been much better off taking the deal instead of being sentenced in court, issues with stubborn and difficult clients, some key traits of most domestic violence and DUI cases as well as what the odds for going to trial or getting a deal for each, and even share some of their opinions on the death penalty and the rise of progressive-thinking DAs as well as the consequences they might bring for public safety and the justice system. Listen to this episode to get some useful insights from experienced lawyers and maybe even a laugh of two.

Michael Meehan has been a criminal defense attorney for 15 years at the Kavinoky Law Firm, also known as No Cuffs. He is admitted in California, Kentucky and Tennessee. Prior to being an attorney, he used to run a hair salon business in Kentucky and was also a deputy district attorney for Los Angeles County. Find out how a challenging situation from when he was a reserve deputy sheriff made him want to go to law school and how his perspective from three different angles of the law has shaped his views today.

Seth Steward’s interesting career involves being a rescue helicopter pilot for the United States Air Force, being the chief of staff for a member of the Oakland City Council, and serving in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office under Kamala Harris and George Gascón. Listen to the episode to learn how his career and life experiences influenced his views on government, civil duty and his current campaign running for District Attorney of Alameda County.

In collaboration with the Alameda County Bar Association, Love Thy Lawyer presents an interview with: Hon. Tamiza Hockenhull, Alameda County Superior Court Before being a Commissioner for the Alameda County Superior Court, where she is also currently a candidate for judge, Tamiza Hockenhull has been a San Francisco Deputy City Attorney, an adjunct professor at the Hastings College of Law, and Vice-Chair of the Fair Employment And Housing Commission. Tamiza was also an Administrative Law Judge for the Board of Parole Hearings and she ran her own practice specializing in asset protection, estate planning and family law. Listen to the episode to learn about her interest in nonprofits, how she wanted to be a lawyer since she was 11 years old and how Thurgood Marshall influenced her decision to become a judge. Alameda County Bar Association The Alameda County Bar Association (ACBA) is a professional membership association for lawyers and other members of the legal profession. …

For over 8 years Courtney Burris has been an Assistant District Attorney for the city and county of San Francisco. During that time, she has worked in the sexual assault unit and the domestic violence unit before being promoted to the homicide division. Courtney is a board member of the Bay Area Black Prosecutors Association and the Charles Houston Bar Association. Listen to the interview as she describes how watching legal TV shows, being raised in a household involved in the fight for civil rights and having mentors in the judicial system influenced her decision to become a prosecutor.

Justice Victor Rodriguez has almost two decades of experience in the courts, having served under four different California Supreme Court justices and a U.S. District Court judge before taking the bench at the Alameda County Superior Court, and later being appointed justice at the First District Court Of Appeal. He is a focused man whose passion for debate, law and public policy gave way to an impressive career in the California judicial system early on in his life. Listen to the interview to learn about some of his unique experiences and mentorships as well as some useful advice for attorneys presenting arguments in court. Louis Goodman www.louisgoodman.com louisgoodman2010@gmail.com 510.582.9090 Musical theme by Joel Katz, Seaside Recording, Maui Technical support: Bryan Matheson, Skyline Studios, Oakland Audiograms & Transcripts: Paul Robert

Love Thy Lawyer – Kelly Bagla - Show Notes lovethylawyer.com A transcript of this podcast is available at lovethylawyer.com. Kelly Bagla is a British lawyer who runs her own practice, Bagla Law Firm, focused on business and corporate law. She’s had notorious appearances in television and media and her four books help people develop entrepreneurship skills, become more successful and do business in the United States. Kelly is the host of the Go Legal Yourself Podcast and she’s an avid dog lover who believes in giving back to the community. Listen to the interview to hear about her unique view about the legal system and the hardships and benefits of running your own practice as a business. Kelly Bagla Bagla Law Firm https://baglalaw.com admin@baglalaw.com 760-579-6789 Kelly’s books: Go Legal Yourself!: Know Your Business Legal Lifecycle, 2nd Edition https://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-1119745543,descCd-buy.html Go Own Yourself: Unleash your Great…

lovethylawyer.com A transcript of this podcast is available at lovethylawyer.com. In collaboration with the Alameda County Bar Association, Love Thy Lawyer presents an interview with: Hon. Stuart Hing. Judge Stuart Hing was appointed to the Superior Court of California, County of Alameda, in July 2008 by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Before his appointment, he was a Deputy District Attorney in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office for 23 years and a Senior Marketing Representativ...

Tim Burr was a prosecutor at the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office for six years before joining Lyft to work as a Government Relations Manager dealing with local and state efforts regarding public policies and regulations in California. He currently leads Strategies360’s office in Northern California and helps clients navigate the intersection of emerging technology, law and public policy. Before going to law school, he worked as a staffer in Washington, DC as a staffer for Senator Dianne Feinstein as well as Senator Debbie Stabenow. Tim Burr Jr. Timothyb@strategies360.com Louis Goodman www.louisgoodman.com louisgoodman2010@gmail.com 510.582.9090

Mark Shaiken had an outstanding career in bankruptcy law, practicing in 5 states over the course of 38 years. He has been a partner at a large bankruptcy firm before becoming an author and writing two books with a third one on the way. Other than law and writing, Mark is also a photographer who is an editor and founder of an internet magazine that offers periodic photography and insight articles. His photos have been used on several publications such as Forbes, The Pulse and many collegiate athletic websites.

Judge Delbert Gee has a legal career that spans over 40 years, 19 of which he served as a judge. He tells the story of how his parents met and came to the United States, how he went straight to college from high school, and straight to law school from college, majoring in Political Science from Davis and graduating from Santa Clara University School Of Law. After being a Deputy District Attorney for Ventura County, Judge Gee spent years working as a civil attorney focusing on litigation for San Francisco law firms before being appointed to the bench. He gives the listeners some tips on how to increase your chances of being appointed as a judge, as well as shares some opinions and critiques on the judicial system.

Tom takes us through his life playing sports, sporting his acting skills in plays, and always fighting for justice at a criminal defense attorney.

Don Nobles has an impressive athletic record both in high school and college. Before going into law school at USF, he was a stock broker, a loan officer, and even worked for a beer company. He was an Alameda County Deputy District Attorney for 12 years. Throughout his career, he has tried numerous felony and misdemeanor cases to jury verdict and handled juvenile proceedings and preliminary hearings. Donald Nobles Call Donald at 925.974.3641 http://www.donaldnobleslaw.com/attorney-profile/ donaldnobleslaw@gmail.com

On this 100th episode special, Louis goes solo to thank the listeners, some past guests and contributors of the show as well as to let us know about some of the upcoming guests. He also explains a little about how the podcast is produced, showcasing some of the equipment, software and platforms used to make the show. We learn about Louis’ motivation for starting the podcast, which stems partly from being passionate about podcasts and partly due to the circumstances of the COVID pandemic. Still, podcasting is a fantastic way of getting to meet and have interesting conversations with people from around the world who you would never have met otherwise. Louis goes on to describe how most lawyers already know early on that they want to be lawyers, and how money plays very little in motivating them. Plus, hear about Louis’ plan to create an archive of lawyers so that one day people might find it interesting to look back at the interviews. Listen to the episode to join in on Louis’ celebrati…