In this episode of In the Counsel's Chair, discover how Joshua White, CEO and founder of Laurel Employment Law, is challenging traditional law firm practices by emphasizing company culture, technological adoption, and a business-oriented mindset. This episode explores the potential for law firms to operate more like innovative startups, emphasizing fun, optimism, and data-driven strategies.

Main topics:

Transition from traditional law firms to a culture-driven, entrepreneurial approach The importance of defining company values rooted in optimism and authenticity Incorporating AI and data to optimize legal workflows and improve efficiency Building a law firm that attracts talent by fostering a positive environment Lessons from the tech industry on running a competitive, innovative business The value of cross-industry experience in transforming legal practice

Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Josh White's background and law career 01:30 - Transition from litigation to corporate strategy at Bamco 02:55 - How Bamco became a leading brand in promotional products 04:04 - Key legal challenges during rapid company growth 05:09 - Motivation for starting Laurel Employment Law 06:14 - Critique of traditional law firm models and industry issues 07:21 - Why legal departments aren't typically run like innovative companies 08:02 - The competitive advantage of running law firms like businesses 09:28 - Addressing law firm culture and lawyer happiness 10:34 - Creating an environment of fun, authenticity, and radical optimism 11:25 - Practical steps to embed a positive culture from day one 12:21 - Leading with enthusiasm and managing serious work with a light touch 13:23 - Embracing failure and learning through experimentation 14:29 - Hiring for optimism and authentic cultural fit 15:58 - The importance of personal transformation and moldability 17:02 - Reversing the cultural shame around mistakes 17:44 - Examples of fostering a serious yet fun work environment 19:20 - The role of data and AI in modern legal practice 20:34 - Building a tech-first, data-driven law firm 22:43 - The future of AI and continuous innovation 24:07 - Differences between law firms and tech companies 26:38 - The influence of successful tech industry practices on legal services 28:22 - Is a startup mentality essential for law firm success? 29:26 - The value of experience outside traditional legal environments 30:46 - Customizing law firm culture to match personal values 31:43 - Practical advice for building unique, authentic legal businesses

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Los Angeles County Superior Court announced Wednesday that a select group of its judges will begin using AI tools to help prepare and manage cases — a first for the largest trial court in the nation. We sat down with Shlomo Klapper, the founder and CEO of Learned Hand and the man behind that initiative, to find out what it means for judges, lawyers and the justice system when AI enters the courtroom.

A former clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and litigator at Quinn Emanuel, Klapper built Learned Hand around a simple argument: courts are under-resourced, backlogs are growing, and an incoming wave of AI-generated litigation is about to make things significantly worse. In this episode, he breaks down how the technology works, why tools built for lawyers don't translate to the bench, and what it will take to deliver on the promise of equal justice.

We also get into the hard questions — how Learned Hand addresses concerns about algorithmic bias, what safeguards protect the confidentiality of case materials, and what the rise of AI means for the future of lawyering itself.

Mid-size law firms are getting squeezed from both ends. Big law has the capital to invest in AI and the salaries to attract top talent. Boutiques can specialize tightly and move fast. So where does that leave everyone in the middle?

Melanie Chaney, firm-wide managing partner of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, has a front-row seat to that question. LCW has grown from 45 attorneys to 120 over the past two decades, and Chaney — just a few months into her tenure leading the firm — is candid about the challenges that come with that position in the market: recruitment, AI costs, and figuring out how junior attorneys develop their skills when the tasks they used to learn on are being automated away.

In this episode of In the Counsel's Chair, she makes the case that mid-size firms still have a real value proposition — but that a long track record is no excuse to stop innovating.

About Melanie: Melanie L. Chaney is the Firm-wide Managing Partner of Liebert Cassidy Whitmore, California’s leading education, public sector, nonprofit, and labor & employment law firm serving public agencies, educational institutions, and nonprofits. She brings decades of experience advising cities, school districts, and public safety departments on complex and high-stakes labor relations matters. Her practice includes collective bargaining under the MMBA and EERA, handling labor disputes before the California Public Employment Relations Board, and representing public entities in employment litigation in state and federal court. She also conducts workplace investigations, counsels agencies on personnel policies, and regularly provides training on labor and employment issues.