Legal writing and literary writing share a common goal—telling stories in a way that engages the reader. But too often, legal briefs get bogged down in detail and technical language. This causes the brief to lose both the story and the reader. In this episode, Todd Smith and Jody Sanders talk with appellate attorney Jason
For years, appellate attorneys and judges have stayed on top of the latest appellate news with the How Appealing blog. Howard Bashman, the attorney behind the blog, joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to share his journey into appellate law and starting his blog. Howard’s career has seen the full spectrum, starting as a
When representing clients, attorneys often think of constitutional rights only in terms of the federal constitution. But this narrow focus leaves out the 50 state constitutions, which can offer different and more protective rights than their federal counterpart. From his experience as Ohio Solicitor General through his time on the 6th Circuit, Judge Jeffrey Sutton
Mental health is an important topic that often goes unaddressed in the legal profession. Yet, one study revealed that nearly half the lawyers surveyed had struggled at some point with depression. Now more than ever, in this time of the pandemic, we need to bring awareness to mental-health issues and promote lawyer well-being. In this
Technology has changed the practice of law in recent years, but the COVID-19 pandemic completely upended it. Remote court proceedings became the norm overnight. For many attorneys, this change required rethinking the way we practice. Few people have spent as much time examining and critiquing these new proceedings as SMU Law Professor Elizabeth Thornburg and
Judge Dustin Howell of Travis County’s 200th District Court took a different path to the trial bench than most. Starting as a Spanish major, he entered the corporate world before going to law school. After law school, he took an appellate path, with a Texas Supreme Court clerkship, private practice, and time at the Texas
Attorneys—in particular appellate attorneys—spend much of their time thinking about and engaging in legal writing. And, as jury trials and hearings become less frequent, legal writing takes on an increasingly outsized role in deciding legal disputes. So often, though, those attorneys had to learn many of their legal writing skills on the job. But, legal
In most appellate cases, the record and the arguments drive the decisions. But at the US Supreme Court and state supreme courts, amicus support often highlights other important considerations and potential impacts beyond the parties to the dispute. In this episode, Carl Cecere, owner of Cecere PC, joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to
Supersedeas bonds are a familiar concept among lawyers who try cases, but the nuts and bolts of obtaining a bond are often a mystery. In this episode, Court Surety Bond Agency’s Daniel Huckabay joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders to explain how judgment debtors may apply for a bond, the basic premium structure, and
Before his recent appointment to the Fifth Court of Appeals in Dallas, Justice John Browning had a long career as an appellate practitioner and earned a reputation as a prolific author and speaker on topics relating to social media, technology, and Texas legal history. In this episode, Justice Browning joins Todd Smith and Jody Sanders