BOP Programming With Dr. Alix McLearen
We’ve spent a lot of time running down the BOP, and not without good cause, BUT we don’t give as much attention as we should to the positive things happening inside those walls. Lawyers need to learn about and advocate for beneficial programming placements for clients, especially those with special needs. Therefore, helping us get set…
The Why of the Where: Mitigation Geo-Narratives with Dr. Julie Urbanik
Where we are born, how many times we were forced to relocate, and the kinds of things happening, or not happening, in our communities, our schools and other institutions in those locations are all important to give context to a client’s life and choices. But how do we tell those stories at sentencing? Thankfully, there’s…
Mitigation Films: Harnessing the Power of Visual Narrative to Humanize our Clients
I can’t think of a better topic for our 100th episode of Set For Sentencing – the topic that is so near and dear to my heart – MITIGATION FILMMAKING! Mitigation films are arguably the most powerful and persuasive weapon in our advocacy arsenal. They offer an unparalleled way to humanize a client and show…
The Artificial Lawyer: A Debate About the Usefulness of A/I in the Legal Arena
Artificial intelligence is here and it’s getting more sophisticated and more ubiquitous every day. Indeed, the legal community seems to be largely embracing A/I with open arms. But the jury is still out whether this somewhat terrifying new technology is going to be our savior or our destroyer. Therefore, helping us get set for sentencing this…
Find the Hurt, Amplify the Pain, Heal the Wound: 3 Steps to a Bulletproof Legal Narrative
Telling your client’s true and powerful mitigation story is the most important part of sentencing. But we lawyers are never taught how to do it right. The bigger problem is, this leads to disastrous consequences on the big day because when a lawyer fails to control the narrative, someone else will tell your client’s story…
Immersion: Dr. Paul Zak & the Science of Narrative Persuasion, Part 2
Immersion: Dr. Paul Zak & the Science of Narrative Persuasion, Part 1
Watch this episode on YOUTUBE, on APPLE PODCASTS, or wherever you get your podcasts! We all want to be more persuasive communicators, especially when the big day of sentencing is upon us. But, many of us don’t know whether our oral, written, or visual communications are grabbing and holding our audience, and most importantly, moving them to…
The Chrisleys Did NOT Know Best: Sentencing Post-Mortem
Watch this episode on YOUTUBE, on APPLE PODCASTS, or wherever you get your podcasts! It was a long wacky December in the world of federal sentencing. I can’t remember a month with more high profile proceedings, and Mark Allenbaugh (www.sentencingstats.com) and I covered all of it in a marathon, 4-hour session. Here is part 3, dissecting the…
Fool For a Client: Michael Avenatti Sentencing Post-Mortem
Watch this episode on YOUTUBE, on APPLE PODCASTS, or wherever you get your podcasts! Let’s call this part-two of our long days journey into the night of several recent high profile federal setnencings. Continuing our conversation from last week (Sunny Bulwani), we dig in to the sentencing of the very public and tragic fall of attorney Michael…
Leading With Story: Doug’s Appearance on Lawyers Who Lead With Sigalle Barness
Rounding out an “all Doug December”, this is absolutely my favorite podcast appearance, simply because Sigalle Barness brings so much soul to this space. Our conversation was from the heart, and she asked me really hard and interesting questions that pushed me beyond my comfort zone. Once you get through some familiar territory about my…