エピソード

  • Nick Passalacqua on the $3.2 Million Playground Case, Building a Trial Firm from Zero
    2026/04/13
    What happens when a kid from Utica who argued with every teacher in high school founds the first mock trial team at his college, trains at one of the most selective trial programs in the country, and then launches a firm from a 10-by-10 office with no secretary, no marketing budget, and no roadmap — and grows it into one of the fastest growing law firms in the nation? In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Nick Passalacqua, founder of Passalacqua & Associates in Utica, New York, about what it really took to build a criminal defense and personal injury firm from scratch, how he secured what is believed to be the largest playground liability settlement in New York state history at $3.2 million, and why doing murder trials in New York with no depositions makes civil trial work look easy by comparison. They also discuss what he learned at the Jeffrey Feiger Trial Practice Institute that law school never taught him, how he uses courtroom technology to hold a jury's hand through complex evidence, the trial development program he built to train the next generation of attorneys, and the father and son who showed up unannounced at his office after his client got out of prison — to thank him for saving his life. Nick Passalacqua is the founder of Passalacqua & Associates, a criminal defense and personal injury firm with offices in Utica and Syracuse, New York. The firm can be reached at cnytriallaw.com, 315-500-NICK or 877-TRIALLAW. Connect with Nick Passalacqua: cnytriallaw.com Phone: 315-500-NICK or 877-TRIALLAW Utica and Syracuse, New York Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Nick Passalacqua 00:55 Mock trial in high school and founding the first team at Sacred Heart University 01:46 Playing Division I football and running a mock trial team at the same time 02:08 Getting into the Jeffrey Feiger Trial Practice Institute at Michigan State 04:10 Clerking for a Supreme Court justice and leaving a Utica firm with no plan 05:17 The first two weeks of solo practice — and the phone call about rent 06:42 Growing the firm through word of mouth with no marketing budget 07:26 The most awkward part of being a solo — talking about fees 08:45 Named 36th fastest growing law firm in the nation based on revenue growth 10:11 The trial lawyer development program from undergraduate intern to courtroom 12:47 How he spends his time now — 75% management, 25% practice 13:54 Criminal and personal injury attorneys staying specialized in separate silos 15:36 The $3.2 million playground liability settlement and how it happened 17:53 How courtroom technology changed the outcome of a murder trial 20:55 Why criminal trial work is harder than civil trial work 23:01 The biggest misconception people have about what a trial attorney does 24:15 Rapid fire questions 25:50 Over 1,500 criminal defense cases — the one that stays with him most 28:38 Why father is listed first on his LinkedIn headline 29:37 His youngest daughter diagnosed with stage four cancer at seven weeks old 30:24 How to reach Passalacqua and Associates Hashtags #NickPassalacqua #PassalacquaAssociates #CriminalDefense #PersonalInjury #UticaLawyer #TrialLawyer #PlaygroundLiability #TrustcastShow #CNYTrialLaw #JeffreyFeigerInstitute
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    31 分
  • Tom Patterson on the $32 Million Malpractice Verdict, Huey Long, and Confessions of a Trial Lawyer
    2026/04/13
    What happens when a Chicago trial lawyer trained in Xerox sales techniques clerks for an Illinois Supreme Court justice, then goes on to win the biggest legal malpractice judgment in Ohio history against the self-proclaimed largest law firm in the world — and spends eleven years on the side writing a 720-page biography of Huey Long? In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Tom Patterson, founder of Patterson Law Firm in Chicago, about the Revelaze v. Dentons case, how a small family-owned tech company with a revolutionary laser denim process ended up suing a global law firm over a conflict of interest that should never have happened, and why six years of litigation and a 55-page appellate opinion still affirmed the verdict. Tom also explains what a business emergency actually looks like when a panicked client calls, why he offers a billable hour guarantee, and what the Dennis Hastert breach of promise settlement taught him about the intersection of power, secrecy, and accountability. They also discuss what Huey Long got right about inequality, why populism is more of a style than an ideology, how sales technique and trial advocacy share more DNA than most lawyers admit, and why Broderick Crawford was simply born to play Willie Stark. Tom Patterson is the founder of Patterson Law Firm in Chicago, Illinois, author of the ABA book on business emergencies, and author of the LSU Press biography of Huey Long, winner of the Landry Press Award. Connect with Tom Patterson: pattersonlawfirm.com tpatterson@pattersonlawfirm.com Chicago, Illinois Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Tom Patterson 01:13 Paying for law school selling photocopiers — what Xerox sales taught a trial lawyer 03:40 Clerking for Illinois Supreme Court Justice William G. Clark 04:36 Launching Patterson Law Firm in 2000 and the first client call 06:34 DNC on the DiSC profile — driven for results and obsessed with accuracy 08:04 The $32 million Ohio verdict and how the appellate court upheld it 09:39 Suing Dentons — a case within a case and how legal malpractice works 11:00 Why being collegial with opposing counsel actually helps you win 13:01 Six years of discovery across Washington, New York, and Ohio 13:33 What a business emergency really looks like when someone calls in a panic 15:24 How to take a case anywhere in the country using pro hac vice 16:20 The billable hour guarantee and why it almost never gets used 17:33 Three months before trial on an $8 million guarantee case — and a zero liability verdict 18:41 Revelaze and the laser denim patent that changed how blue jeans are made 21:00 The Swiss Varine structure that Dentons used and why it failed on conflicts 22:54 Rapid fire questions including Huey Long versus FDR 26:04 Why Huey Long became an eleven-year obsession 29:33 Inequality, World War II, and why Long's ideas came back into view after 2008 31:10 Carl Weiss — who shot Huey Long and why 34:35 Populism, Trump, and drawing lines from 1935 to today 38:01 Broderick Crawford, Sean Penn, and All the King's Men 38:23 Did Huey Long have a real shot at the presidency against Roosevelt 39:44 One confession from a future memoir called Confessions of a Trial Lawyer 40:11 The biggest mistake business owners make before they ever call a lawyer 41:54 Representing one of Dennis Hastert's victims in a breach of promise case 44:57 What he wants Patterson Law Firm to be known for in 20 years 45:37 How to reach Tom Patterson #TomPatterson #PattersonLawFirm #LegalMalpractice #BusinessLitigation #HueyLong #ChicagoTrialLawyer #DentonsLawsuit #TrustcastShow #BusinessEmergency #ConfessionsOfATrialLawyer
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    46 分
  • James Quigley on Divorcing Michael Jordan, Narcissistic Abuse, and the Denny's Parking Lot Adoption
    2026/04/10
    What happens when a boy adopted at four months old in Green Bay, Wisconsin grows up to become one of only a hundred divorce trial lawyers in the country selected for the American College of Family Trial Lawyers — and then represents the most famous athlete in the world? In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with James Quigley, equity partner at Beermann Law, Chicago's largest divorce-only family law firm, about his extraordinary journey from small-town Wisconsin to the Michael Jordan divorce, the founding of a sports and entertainment division built on discretion, and what thirty-five years of high-stakes family law actually looks like from the inside. James shares why he refuses to tell clients what they want to hear, how a courtroom testimony about narcissistic abuse moved him to silence, and when he will walk away from a case rather than let a train go off the rails. They also discuss what it was like meeting his biological Sicilian family in a Milwaukee restaurant, the moving visit to his birth mother Barbara wearing a Packers shirt and Chuck Taylors shortly before she passed, and the day he drove to a Denny's parking lot in the Chicago suburbs and picked up his son Giovanni rather than let him spend one more night in foster care. James Quigley is an equity partner and founder of the Sports and Entertainment Division at Beermann Law in Chicago, Illinois. He is a Fellow of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers. Connect with James Quigley: jmquigley@beermannlaw.com beermannlaw.com/team/james-m-quigley jamesmquigley.com Chicago, Illinois Chapters 00:00 Introduction to James Quigley 00:45 Born Frank Anthony Balastriari — growing up adopted in Green Bay 01:55 From journalism at Wisconsin to law school at DePaul 02:40 First legal job running the family law department for the Fraternal Order of Police 04:12 Going solo at Quigley and Associates 05:22 Joining Beermann Law in 2005 and why resources matter in high-stakes divorce 07:28 Financial pressures of running a small divorce practice versus a large firm 09:20 The Michael Jordan case and what it taught him about discretion 14:25 Practicing in other states via pro hac vice 16:01 What most people misunderstand about celebrity divorce 17:36 Managing a team of a dozen lawyers and what his role looks like now 21:07 MSNBC, Today Show, Fox News, People Magazine — does media help or hurt cases 23:05 Divorcing a narcissist — litigation against someone who won't play by the rules 26:01 How to tell that story in a courtroom so the judge really gets it 28:40 Why he prefers to settle and how he coaches clients down from the ledge 32:42 His wife Charisse's search that led him to his biological father Frank 35:50 Meeting biological mother Barbara in Las Vegas before she passed 38:21 Adopting son Giovanni from a Denny's parking lot because he wouldn't wait one more day #JamesQuigley #BeermanLaw #CelebrityDivorce #MichaelJordan #DivorceAttorney #ChicagoFamilyLaw #NarcissisticAbuse #TrustcastShow #SportsAndEntertainmentDivorce #AdoptionStory About The TrustCast Show: The TrustCast Show features in-depth conversations with top attorneys, physicians, and private practice professionals sharing insights on building thriving practices. New episodes daily. Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. Be a Guest on The TrustCast Show: https://trustcastnetwork.com/ Produced by TrustCasting | Done-For-You Video Marketing We help attorneys, plastic surgeons, physicians, and private practice professionals grow their practices through short-form video distributed across 10 platforms. Learn more: https://trustcasting.io Follow TrustCasting: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zanemyers/ Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/trustcasting/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trustcasting TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@trustcasting X: https://x.com/TrustCasting
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    42 分
  • Laurie Jubelirer on Wrongful Convictions, Police Brutality, and Why She Crossed to the Other Side
    2026/04/09
    What happens when a Philadelphia prosecutor who spent nearly a decade putting people behind bars starts to see the other side — and eventually crosses over entirely to fight for the people the system failed? In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Laurie Jubelirer, founder of Jubelirer Law, about her remarkable evolution from DA to defense attorney, the wrongful convictions she uncovered in her own past cases, and the life sentence she's been fighting to overturn for a man convicted of felony murder who never intended to kill anyone. Laurie explains why Pennsylvania's felony murder law just got struck down as unconstitutional, what police brutality cases really look like behind closed doors, and why she believes the entire American prison system has failed at its only job. They also discuss the judge who told her to settle down until she looked him in the eyes and refused, her civil rights pilgrimage to Selma and Montgomery, why criminalizing addiction and mental illness makes both worse, and how her father's three words — make a difference — have shaped everything she does. Laurie Jubelirer is the founder of Jubelirer Law, a criminal defense and civil rights firm serving the Philadelphia region. She is also the host of the Voices of the System podcast. She can be reached at jubileerlaw.com. Connect with Laurie Jubelirer: jubileerlaw.com lori@jubileerlaw.com LinkedIn: Jubelirer Law or Laurie Jubelirer Podcast: Voices of the System Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Laurie Jubelirer 00:52 Why she crossed from prosecutor to defense attorney 02:02 Did her former colleagues think she lost her mind 03:07 The hardest part of switching sides 04:01 Does she carry guilt over cases she won as a prosecutor 05:25 Starting Jubelirer Law from zero in 2013 06:48 The Tyreme Rivers case — life without parole for a purse snatching 08:49 How often does the system fail versus the client make a real mistake 10:20 What police brutality and prison civil rights cases look like day to day 12:33 Treating opioid addiction with support instead of prosecution 14:17 How her thinking has completely shifted since leaving prosecution 15:33 Over 1,000 people in Pennsylvania on life without parole who never intended to kill 17:56 What a criminal justice system that actually worked would look like 20:04 The solution — and what Norway and Scandinavia got right 21:35 Speaking at Colgate about Yahya Moore — handcuffed for three days without food 22:52 The judge who told her to settle down — and what she said back 24:09 Being called a beast in the courtroom while also caring deeply 26:01 How she handles new client intake 27:10 How she gets new clients and the podcast she launched in January 29:17 Her father's three words — make a difference 30:04 The civil rights journey to Selma and Montgomery 31:32 How to find and contact Laurie Jubelirer #LaurieJubelirer #JubelireLaw #WrongfulConvictions #CriminalJusticeReform #PoliceBrutality #FelonyMurder #PhiladelphiaLawyer #TrustcastShow #VoicesOfTheSystem #CriminalDefense
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    33 分
  • Ryan Gregerson on Building a $6M Family Law Firm, and Why Everyone Already Has a Prenup
    2026/04/09
    What happens when a family law attorney builds the largest family law department at a major Utah firm, walks away to sell LegalTech, and then decides within 10 months to come back and build something entirely his own — from zero clients to 10 attorneys, 3,000-plus clients served, and a national ABA leadership role in under three years? In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Ryan Gregerson, founding partner of RCG Law Group in South Jordan, Utah, about the philosophy, purpose, and practical systems that drive his firm's remarkable growth. Ryan explains why he believes most divorces should never go to trial, how a mediation fight over three used bar stools changed the way he prepares clients, and why he thinks every person getting married already has a prenup — they just didn't choose the terms. They also discuss the holistic divorce model that connects clients with therapists, CPAs, mortgage officers, and financial planners from day one, the tragedy of a client who took his own life that reminded him how real this work is, the time management framework that he says is the single biggest mistake solo attorneys make, and how his plans to scale RCG Law Group to $20 million and into five states by 2028 are already in motion. Ryan Gregerson is the founding partner of RCG Law Group, a family law firm with four offices in Utah and expansion plans into Arizona, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon. He also coaches law firm owners on business development and time management. Connect with Ryan Gregerson: RCG Law Group South Jordan, Utah Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Ryan Gregerson 00:54 From building a 35-attorney firm to selling LegalTech to launching his own shop 02:42 How he got his very first client at the new firm 04:10 What family law actually covers beyond divorce 05:52 How he stays positive doing work that is almost always someone's worst chapter 07:45 The Simon Sinek why that anchors the firm's entire culture 09:05 Why most divorces should never go to trial 10:38 When the friends and family of a client make things worse 11:48 Being part counselor and part attorney 12:46 Zero to 10 attorneys and 3,000 clients in three years 14:09 The holistic divorce model — therapists, planners, realtors, and loan officers 16:13 Helping a spouse who doesn't even know where the money is 18:55 Is Utah a community property state 19:31 Why he built a team instead of staying solo 21:20 The bar stools mediation that changed how he prepares clients 24:00 The client who took his own life and what it reminded him about this work 25:17 The next steps meeting after the decree is signed 27:27 High asset divorces and the tax and contingency traps most people miss 30:51 Why everybody should have a prenup 32:41 The most common mistake solo law firm owners make 34:30 How he got into coaching other law firm owners 37:09 The vivid vision — $20 million and five states by 2028 #RyanGregerson #RCGLawGroup #FamilyLaw #DivorceAttorney #UtahFamilyLaw #HolisticDivorce #LawFirmGrowth #TrustcastShow #BusinessCoaching #DivorceWithPurpose
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    39 分
  • Matt Ames on Business Divorces, Caregiving Through Cancer, and Writing the Book Nobody Else Would
    2026/04/09
    What happens when a business litigation attorney who runs an improv theater wakes up one morning and gets the phone call that changes everything — and then spends the next several years fighting for his wife, his family, and eventually himself, in ways law school never prepared him for? In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Matt Ames, partner at Balch & Bingham in Atlanta and author of Through the Impossible, about the July morning in 2019 when his wife Liz was diagnosed with a rare aggressive cancer and how journaling in the early morning hours became a memoir he never intended to publish. Matt shares what it means to be a male caregiver when most of the literature is written for someone else, why rage is one of the emotions caregivers never admit to, and what it felt like to keep expressing gratitude every Friday night even on the darkest weeks. They also discuss what a business divorce actually looks like in the real world, how he got an injunction after a former employee hacked a client's network to steal trade secrets, the improv workshop for lawyers he created nearly 20 years ago, and why he believes what trial attorneys do in a courtroom and what improvisers do on a stage are closer than most people think. Matt Ames is a partner at Balch & Bingham in Atlanta, Georgia, specializing in business litigation and business divorces. He is the author of Through the Impossible and a former president of Dad's Garage Theater. Liz Ames is five-plus years cancer free. Connect with Matt Ames: balch.com Book: Through the Impossible on Amazon LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram: Matthew Ames Atlanta, Georgia Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Matt Ames 00:49 July 2, 2019 — the phone call that changed everything 02:10 When Liz said she wouldn't want to be in his shoes 03:55 How journaling turned into a Facebook group and then a memoir 06:43 Why there is almost nothing written for male caregivers 07:05 Five-plus years cancer free and what that imprint leaves behind 08:47 What it means that Balch and Bingham supported him through all of it 09:43 How he decided which personal moments to share and which to keep private 12:11 The patient-caregiver book he and Liz have talked about writing together 12:55 Business divorces explained in plain terms 15:47 How to handle a party who wants the business to fail out of anger 19:17 Getting an injunction after a former employee hacked a client network 23:46 Representing arts organizations versus tech companies 25:00 The overlap between improv theater and trial advocacy 26:20 Rapid fire questions 29:30 What improv teaches an attorney that law school never could 30:51 My Cousin Vinny and being light on your feet in the courtroom 31:06 The Friday night gratitude ritual through the worst weeks 32:31 Why he got involved with Jewish Family and Career Services 34:48 What he wants the legacy of Through the Impossible to be 36:32 How to find the book and connect with Matt Ames #MattAmes #ThroughTheImpossible #BusinessLitigation #CancerCaregiver #CaregiverSupport #BusinessDivorce #ImprovForLawyers #AtlantaLawyer #TrustcastShow #DadsGarageTheater
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    38 分
  • Gabriel Perez on Arguing at the Supreme Court, Border Patrol Defense,
    2026/04/09
    What happens when a first-generation college student from a military family grows up to argue a case before the United States Supreme Court — twice — and then builds his own firm on the Texas-New Mexico border handling everything from federal criminal defense to cycling accident cases he knows personally? In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Gabriel Perez, founder of Gabriel S. Perez Law in El Paso, Texas, about his journey from collegiate cross country runner to Supreme Court advocate in the landmark Hernandez v. Mesa border shooting case. Gabriel explains what it's like to defend a federal agent in a politically charged cross-border shooting, why federal criminal cases require preparation from day one of indictment, and why he keeps criminal defense in his practice even as he focuses more on injury work — because jury trials are like athletics, and if you don't do them regularly, you get rusty. They also discuss what it means to practice across two state bar licenses on the Texas-New Mexico border, how being hit by a car while cycling gave him a personal connection to his injury clients, his seven years teaching criminal law at the college level, and why he believes education is the great equalizer. Gabriel Perez is the founder of Gabriel S. Perez Law in El Paso, Texas, licensed in both Texas and New Mexico. His practice covers federal criminal defense, personal injury, civil rights litigation, and civil litigation across the border region. Connect with Gabriel Perez: gabrielsperelaw.com Phone: 915-444-5351 El Paso, Texas Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Gabriel Perez 00:43 Arguing Hernandez v. Mesa at the US Supreme Court 02:30 Why the case went up twice and what Abbasi changed 04:23 What it took to get the Supreme Court to hear the case at all 05:34 From Coronado, California to practicing law on the Texas-Mexico border 06:32 His father's Navy career and a childhood that included Sicily 07:43 Cross country at UTEP and the path from MBA to law school 09:00 Representing border patrol agents in politically charged cases 10:17 Threats at the office and what it means to do this work 12:29 Going from name partner to solo practice in 2021 13:39 How he keeps overhead low with contract associates 15:23 A typical day — three hearings before lunch and a jury trial next week 16:17 What two state bar licenses gives clients that one state can't 17:09 Where he wants the firm to go from here 19:28 How being hit by a car while cycling shaped his injury practice 20:28 Rapid fire questions 24:18 What separates a case that goes to trial from one that settles 25:44 Preparing for a federal case versus a state case 27:32 How he decides which cases to take and when to say no 29:11 Seven years teaching criminal law and why education is the great equalizer 31:40 The biggest challenge facing attorneys in border communities today 33:12 How to reach Gabriel Perez #GabrielPerez #ElPasoLawyer #FederalCriminalDefense #HernandezVMesa #SupremeCourt #BorderPatrolDefense #PersonalInjury #TexasNewMexicoLaw #TrustcastShow #BorderLaw
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    34 分
  • Sharla Frost on 60 Jury Trials, Writing Children's Books, and Retooling Life in Frogville
    2026/04/09
    What happens when a small-town Oklahoma girl whose principal told her she'd have a secretary one day becomes one of the country's top litigators — and then retires to her cattle ranch to write fantasy adventure books for kids? In this episode of the Trustcast Show, Zane Myers speaks with Sharla Frost, former managing partner of Powers & Frost and first chair trial counsel in over 60 jury trials, including a billion-dollar product liability case and a successful J&J talcum powder mesothelioma defense. Sharla shares what it took to build a litigation boutique from scratch as a woman in the 1980s, how she used her 89-year-old ranch tenant as a trial consultant, and why she believes the biggest mistake lawyers make is drinking their own Kool-Aid. They also discuss her Amazon bestseller Power at the Table, how she pivoted from the courtroom to writing the Frogville Quest children's book series, why her protagonist Lily Lotus Dilweed is neither a victim nor an advocate, the nonprofit she runs to revitalize historic Fort Towson, Oklahoma, and why she calls it retooled — not retired. Sharla Frost is a former managing partner of Powers & Frost, a sought-after trial consultant and expert witness, keynote speaker, Amazon bestselling author, and creator of the Frogville Quest children's book series. She is based in Frogville, Oklahoma. Connect with Sharla Frost: sharlafrost.com sharlajfrostspeaker.com Books available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Sharla Frost 00:43 The principal who redirected her entire life in one conversation 02:59 Five generations in Frogville and growing up on a cattle ranch 04:41 What her parents thought when she said she was going to law school 05:42 Building Powers and Frost as a woman in the 1980s 07:15 Her sister Gwyn — the consigliere and firm manager 08:27 Writing Power at the Table and why women lawyers needed it 10:00 Finding a publisher and expanding to three editions 11:59 Keynoting Rockstar Impact with Even Cowgirls Get the Clients 13:27 Rapid fire questions including cattle breeds and courtroom habits 17:10 Preparing for a billion-dollar product liability trial 18:02 Defending J&J in a talcum powder mesothelioma case 18:41 How much of trial law is storytelling 19:52 Biggest mistakes lawyers make when preparing for trial 21:05 Why she started writing children's books after retiring 23:06 The Frogville Quest series — age range and structure 25:08 Lily Lotus Dilweed, Peter Pan, and weaving classic literature in 27:32 How the books are selling and what's coming in book eight 28:11 Writing solo versus writing with a team 30:28 ReCreate Fort Towson and revitalizing a poverty-area community 32:11 The ranch name Frogsay and why Versailles inspired it 33:31 Pro bono legal work for Choctaw County's poorest municipality 34:45 Serving on the NAWL Supreme Court Nominee Evaluation Committee 35:55 One piece of advice to the little girl in Frogville 36:40 Where to find the books and book Sharla to speak #SharlaFrost #FrogvilleQuest #TrialLawyer #WomenInLaw #PowerAtTheTable #ChildrensBooks #OklahomaLawyer #TrustcastShow #CowgirlGetsTheClients #LilyLotusDilweed
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    41 分