Case Closed: The Contingency Fee Attorney Podcast: Recent Episodes
Matt Chancey
On this episode of Case Closed, host Michael Clanin interviews Pete Leehey. For over 30 years, Pete Leehey has been helping people injured in motorcycle and auto crashes. As a biker and motorcycle enthusiast himself, Pete understands the effects of a serious collision from both a professional and a personal perspective. Pete has been awarded the AV rating, the highest possible rating for legal ability and ethics from the Martindale- Hubbell Law Directory, based on reviews by other lawyers and judges. Pete has also been named a Top 100 Trial Lawyer (Iowa) by the American Trial Lawyers Association. Pete is a member of ABATE of Iowa (District 5) and Minnesota (Flatlanders). He currently serves as Iowa’s District 5 Coordinator and is also a regular “Share the Road” presenter. Pete serves as legal counsel for the Iowa and Minnesota Confederations of Motorcycle Clubs. He is licensed to practice law in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin currently. On the podcast, Michael and Pete discuss Pete’s passion for motorcycles and how it led him to specialize in motorcycle law. Pete shares a personal story about a close call he had while riding his motorcycle, emphasizing the importance of being alert and cautious on the road. The conversation also explores the concept of "share the road" and the efforts of organizations like Abate of Iowa Abate of Iowa to raise awareness and educate drivers about motorcycles. The challenges of representing motorcyclists, dealing with insurance companies, and the potential safety concerns of self-driven cars are also discussed. The Biker Lawyers, Pete's firm, are recognized for their presence at motorcycle rallies and their affiliation with motorcycle clubs, establishing their credibility and expertise in this area of law. Listen to this informative Case Closed: The Contingency Fee podcast episode with Pete Leehey about motorcycle law. Here is what to expect on this week’s show:
Specializing in motorcycle law
Share the road: educating motorists about motorcycles
Significant cases and challenges
Building trust in the motorcycle community
The Biker Lawyers
Connect with Pete: bikerlawyersmktg@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this episode of Case Closed, host Max Newman interviews David Zappitell. David has been practicing personal injury law for 32 years and is based in Delray Beach, Florida. He handles significant cases involving bad injuries, amputations, and other negligent acts such as truck accidents, pedestrian accidents, and medical malpractice. He has represented celebrities, athletes, and musicians in his practice, and has had an aggregate award of $22 million in a bad faith case. On the podcast, Max and David discuss the RICO play model, which arose in the amendments to the work comp statute in the early 2000s. They also discuss the new law passed on March 24, 2023, which puts some onus upon property and liability adjusters, and has caused insurance companies and the defense bar to be leery and concerned. Insurance companies are paying cases and resolving them quickly if they were filed before the deadline, but the new law may breed more delays in the future. This is hurting the accident victim and the at fault driver, as insurance companies are delaying, forcing lawyers to sue quickly and take affidavits and statements from the at fault driver. They also discuss the lack of professionalism and experience among newer lawyers and insurance adjusters. David finds this to be the most frustrating thing about practicing law today. Insurance companies are the only ones helping with the new bill, but the defense bar is getting a lawsuit earlier and are struggling to keep up. They are getting paid, but they know the bill is overreaching. Current rules combined with new laws are completely at odds. Listen to this informative Case Closed: The Contingency Fee podcast episode with David Zappitell about insurance laws in Florida. Here is what to expect on this week’s show:
The new law passed on March 24, 2023, and its effects
How insurance companies are responding to the new law
David’s 32 years of experience in personal injury law
Lack of professionalism among newer lawyers
The advantages of attorneys having relationships with physicians and facilities in legal cases
Connect with David: david@florida.law
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On this episode of Case Closed, host Max Newman interviews Rachel Guin. Rachel joined Rothberg Law Firm in July of 2020 bringing over six years of experience with her. After quick success, she was invited to become Partner in January of 2021. Rachel’s practice focuses on employment litigation, general litigation, employee benefits, civil rights litigation, and constitutional law. She provides advice to employers, human resources, and in-house counsel in managing the termination of employees, crafting policies to meet the unique needs of their business, working through leaves of absence and disability accommodations, as well as many other unforeseen issues that employers face on a day-to-day basis. Rachel also represents municipalities, government, and quasi-government agencies and non-profit organizations.
On the podcast, Max and Rachel discuss how Rachel has made a name for herself as an advocate for civil rights and employment law, most notably in her landmark case, McKinney v. Whitley County Sheriff. They also discuss the idea of “fake it til you make it” in the context of law, Rachel’s greatest frustrations, and what justice looks like in a traditionally red state. Max and Rachel talk about Rachel’s goal to impact change, and how that might look years into the future, as well as male vs. female attorneys. Listen to this informative Case Closed: The Contingency Fee podcast episode with Rachel Guin about Rachel’s search for justice in her field. Here is what to expect on this week’s show:
Rachel’s goal of transparency and honesty with her clients
Differences between male and female attorneys
Rachel’s landmark case, McKinney v. Whitley County Sherif
Discrimination in law enforcement
Rachel’s background as a teen mother and working as a paralegal before law school
Connect with Rachel: https://rothberg.com/attorneys/rachel-j.-guin
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On this episode of Case Closed, host Michael Clanin interviews Tim Semelroth. Tim is the first attorney in Iowa who was board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) in trucking accident law. He is currently on the Board of Regents for the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (ATAA), serves on the faculty for the esteemed Trial Lawyers College, and speaks often at seminars and conventions about trucking accident law. On the podcast, host Michael and guest Tim discuss the importance of finding a truck accident lawyer who specializes in the field - and who ideally is board certified. They discuss the unique approach that truck accident cases require and share stories of past clients who have achieved success through hard work and luck. Tim emphasizes the value of researching a lawyer who is knowledgeable and experienced in truck accident law to ensure the best possible outcome for your case. An eye-opening podcast that sheds light on the specialized field of truck accident law. Listen to this informative Case Closed: The Contingency Fee podcast episode with Tim Semelroth about trucking accident law. Here is what to expect on this week’s show:
Specifics of truck accident law & truck accident attorneys
Success through luck
Notable truck accident cases handled by Tim Semelroth
The importance of finding a board-certified trucking accident lawyer
How most trucking accidents occur
Differences between car accident cases and trucking accident cases
Connect with Tim: https://www.fightingforfairness.com/our-attorneys/tim-semelroth/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On this episode of Case Closed, host Seth Greene interviews David Freeman, an award-winning author and consultant who teaches lawyers how to become powerful rainmakers so they can attract great clients, multiply their income, expand their influence in their firms and achieve more satisfying careers. A former lawyer from New York, he is a two-time, all-time, best-selling author (overall, he has authored and coauthored 15 books on business development, cross-selling and leadership) and he was inducted into the National Law Journal Hall of Fame for being voted the #1 business development consultant and coach for three consecutive years in their national surveys. On the podcast, host Seth and David discuss strategies for lawyers to build relationships with potential clients, such as offering something of value, using conferences to start conversations, and using borrowed authority to gain credibility. David also highlights the importance of video to build relationships and trust, and offers a 30% discount on Lawyerbookbuilder.com. David’s program for lawyers who hate selling focuses on building colleague to colleague relationships, and his balanced scorecard system looks at an organization on four levels. He also shares case studies and techniques for lawyers to start conversations with people at conferences, as well as how to build their brand. Listen to this informative Case Closed: The Contingency Fee podcast episode with David Freeman about how to become a powerful rainmaker. Here is what to expect on this week’s show:
Lawyer brand building
Building client relationships
Lawyer business development
Lawyerbookbuilder.com
Building peer-to-peer relationships.
Connect with David: https://www.lawyerbookbuilder.com/
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On this episode of Case Closed, host Max Newman interviews Mike Hancock, a personal injury attorney in Tampa, Florida with a 30-year career. When it comes to personal injury attorneys, Mike Hancock is a name you should know. In 1996, after representing insurance companies for eight years, and having gained an insider knowledge of the insurance industry, Mr. Hancock left a successful insurance defense firm and founded Hancock Injury Attorneys. Using his knowledge of defense side of the insurance industry, he has been devoted exclusively to representing the injured in personal injury and wrongful death cases for over 30 years now. On the podcast, Max Newman and Mike Hancock discuss Mike’s history and how his firm has perfected the client experience, as well as his AV rating and being peer reviewed by Best Lawyers and Best Law Firms. He discusses his own career as a personal injury attorney, his biggest cases and settlements, and the types of cases he handles. Mike is known for treating clients well and has systems in place to ensure clients know who their lawyer and case manager are, which has resulted in positive reviews on Google from clients who appreciate his responsiveness. Listen to this informative Case Closed: The Contingency Fee podcast episode with Mike Hancock about Mike’s experience as a veteran personal injury attorney. Here is what to expect on this week’s show:
Motor vehicle accidents
Premises liability
Advice from mentors
Dealing with insurance adjusters
Mike’s biggest cases and settlements
Connect with Mike: https://www.lawhancock.com/
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In this episode of Case Closed, host Max Newman interviews Bobbi Madonna, an attorney that uses her litigation skills and knowledge to zealously represent individuals injured as result of other’s negligence in her personal injury department. Her personal injury team consists of not only her, but also two seasoned staff members with over 50 years of combined personal injury experience. As a natural team player, she also continues to use her obtained legal skills to support the criminal defense department. She joined the law firm in 2019. She became the managing partner in 2021 when former-owner Chip Mander entrusted her to guide the firm into the future. The firm’s name changed from Mander Law Group to Madonna Law Group officially in 2022 upon Mr. Mander’s formal retirement. Prior to working at the Madonna Law Group, Bobbi worked as in-house counsel for Allstate Insurance Company where she defended Allstate itself as well as their insureds in all phases of litigation. Prior to that, she became her law school’s first former Innocence Project fellow to obtain employment as a staff attorney for the Innocence Project of Florida. During her time at the Innocence Project of Florida, she worked to free wrongfully incarcerated individuals from prison based on DNA evidence. Following her tenure at the Innocence Project of Florida, she worked as a public defender in both Hillsborough and Pinellas County and as a private criminal defense attorney at the prestigious Tampa-based Todd Foster Law Group. On today’s episode, Max Newman and Bobbi Madonna discuss Bobbi’s history and her experiences of working as a personal injury attorney, in-house counsel for Allstate, and in criminal defense for the Innocence Project and other firms. Host Max Newman gets into an engaging conversation with Bobbi about her best advice to focus on running her own race and not comparing herself to others. We learn about her frustrations of being a personal injury attorney and coping with inadequate insurance coverage or low damages beyond her control. The podcast also delves into the experiences of both the guests and the host working at the public defender's office and as a prosecutor. The discussion further explores insurance law and multiple instances where insurance companies tried to manipulate a case. Bobbi also sheds light on the challenges in obtaining treatment for uninsured plaintiffs as the new law passed by Governor DeSantis has eliminated the use of letters of protection. They also discuss the idea of a financing program for plaintiffs in personal injury cases and delve into the potential of charging interest rates for such loans. Listen to this informative Case Closed: The Contingency Fee podcast episode with Bobbi Madonna about the ins and outs of personal injury law. Here is what to expect on this week’s show:
Bobbi Madonna’s history and background.
Bobbi’s experience working for the Innocence Project.
Bobbi’s experience working for Allstate and her work on the other side representing plaintiffs.
The use of letters of protection, and new laws passed by Governor DeSantis which has eliminated their use.
The challenges of obtaining treatment for uninsured plaintiffs.
The best advice Bobbi has received.
Financing for plaintiffs in personal injury cases.
Connect with Bobbi: bmadonna@manderlawgroup.com
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In this episode of Case Closed: The Contingency Fee Attorney Podcast, host Max Newman interviews Ryan Byers, an Illinois-based lawyer. Ryan D. Byers joined the law firm of Rammelkamp Bradney in 2008 and concentrates his practice in civil litigation. Ryan received a bachelor’s degree in political science with high departmental distinction from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and graduated magna cum laude from the Michigan State University College of Law. In his litigation practice, Ryan advocates for both individuals and institutional clients in situations such as personal injury cases, contract disputes, insurance coverage issues, and construction disputes. In addition to being licensed to practice in state court throughout Illinois, Ryan is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois and is a member of both the general and trial bars of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. On today’s episode, Max Newman and Ryan Byers discuss Byers’ educational background and a particularly interesting case that he had representing a small liberal arts college against former students who claimed to have received a poor education. Ryan also shares his frustration with the work-life balance in the legal sector. In this episode, you will find out how word-of-mouth advertising plays a critical role in expanding a lawyer's clientele and how a personal touch can set one lawyer apart from others. Discover how AI technology is revolutionizing the legal profession and the fascinating insights Ryan shares regarding summarizing medical records. Max Newman highly recommends Ryan Byers for his ethical duties and responsiveness towards clients. Join us as we explore the legal world and uncover its mysteries! Listen to this informative Case Closed: The Contingency Fee podcast episode with Ryan Byers about educational malpractice. Here is what to expect on this week’s show:
Educational malpractice
Achieving work-life balance
The importance of good legal work and word-of-mouth recommendations
AI in the legal industry
Client satisfaction
Connect with Ryan: rbyers@rblawyers.net
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