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PODCAST

Lawyers in the Attic

Bamieh & De Smeth

Weekly conversations with lawyers and law students about all things legal in the 21st century, from big criminal cases and celebrity lawsuits to the challenges of figuring out what to wear in court. Recorded in a big beautiful attic space at the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth in Ventura, California.

true crime

All Episodes

42:49

Ep 53 - A Week in the Life w Danielle De Smeth

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2025/03/13

It’s a wacky world for lawyers these days, and as one of the firm’s senior partners, Danielle De Smeth has a front seat for much of the wackiness. She joins us in the attic this week to talk about the many cases she’s currently juggling, as we contemplate a “week in the life” of a busy working attorney. From noisy neighbor lawsuits and criminal abuse cases to rapidly disintegrating federal agencies, Danielle shares her perspectives on an intense and shifting legal chessboard. Lawyers in the Attic is

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42:13

Ep 52 - The Black Mirror of AI and the Law w/...

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2025/03/06

This week we talk with attorney Jennifer Yates about two big news stories last week that highlighted the dangers of AI and digital tech in the legal industry: another lawyer in trouble for citing non-existent cases “hallucinated” by ChatGPT, and the California State Bar’s disastrous attempt to administer the exam with remote technology. What can we learn from these embarrassing missteps, and how can we find a reasonable way to practice law with these emerging tools? Lawyers in the Attic is

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47:09

Ep 51 - School for the Neurospicy, Part Two w Meghan...

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2025/02/27

Meghan Sherry is an attorney whose work focuses on equity in education. In Part Two of our conversation, we continue discussing Meghan’s personal experiences and legal perspectives on the challenge of equal access for students with autism and other intellectual disabilities. We explore the role of parents, teachers, administrators, politicians, and students themselves within a complicated legal landscape, and try to imagine new ways of approaching a set of problems that aren’t going away. Click

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46:12

Ep 50 - School for the Neurospicy w Meghan Sherry

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2025/02/20

Meghan Sherry is an attorney whose work focuses on equity in education. In Part One of a two-part conversation, she shares her personal experiences and legal perspectives on the challenge of equal access for students with disabilities. We discuss the roles of parents, teachers, administrators, politicians, and students themselves within a complicated legal landscape, and try to imagine new ways of approaching a set of problems that aren’t going away. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the

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49:20

Ep 49 - Free Luigi? w/ Ron Bamieh

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2025/02/13

This week the firm’s founding partner, Ron Bamieh, climbs the ladder to answer questions from our listeners. The number one legal case on everyone’s mind recently is the case of Luigi Mangione, who stands accused of murdering United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson in New York City in December. Ron sheds light on the idea of “jury nullification” and other issues around Luigi’s case, and answers other questions from listeners posting on our Instagram “Ask a Lawyer” thread. If you’ve got a burning

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24:57

Ep 48 - ICE Crackdown w/ Danielle De Smeth and Ruby Nava

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2025/02/06

The Trump administration is cracking down on illegal immigration, with new rules, guidelines, and policies for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents) agents conducting raids, stops, deportations, and more. These actions have deep implications for people living and working in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Senior partner Danielle De Smeth outlines some of these dramatic changes, and what they mean for undocumented people, with translation help from legal assistant Ruby Nava. Check out

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50:36

Ep 47 - How to Start a Law Firm w/ Ron Bamieh

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2025/01/30

Ron Bamieh’s life hit a crossroads in 2001, when his audacious political campaign for the office of District Attorney of Ventura County hit an unexpected bump: anti-Arab racism in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, cynically weaponized by his opponent. In the aftermath of that loss, Ron regrouped, left the DA’s office, and started his own law firm. In this conversation, he tells the story of how he grew a successful firm from the ground up, even as personal and professional tragedies

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50:34

Ep 46 - Tik Tok v America w Danielle De Smeth

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2025/01/21

It was a wild weekend for Tik Tok users, with the app shutting down on Saturday night, only to reappear on Sunday morning with a cryptic thank you note to “President Trump” for magically restoring access to America’s number one brain-rotting video platform. This week Danielle joins us for a conversation all about the legal angles at play here, from the U.S. government’s argument that Tik Tok represents a national security threat to the larger free speech issues attached to social media in general

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35:39

Ep 45 - Do Grandparents Have Rights? w/ Jennifer Yates

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2025/01/16

This week I’m joined by family law attorney Jennifer Yates, who helps answer the question: What legal rights, if any, do grandparents have over child custody and visitation when parents divorce? She offers some surprising takes on how this works in reality, and explains how grandparents and other stakeholders can navigate the challenging legal landscape of a rearranged family unit. In this episode we briefly discuss the 2008 true crime documentary Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father,

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32:20

Ep 44 - Trial Diary - The People v Christopher...

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2025/01/09

On Part Three of our Trial Diary, attorney Danielle De Smeth provides some shocking updates in the trial of Christopher Rodriguez. Rodriguez was a teacher who worked at the UCLA Early Care and Education Center for more than 25 years. He stands accused of a number of charges of sexual abuse of children at the school, and Danielle is representing several of the victims’ families in potential civil litigation regarding UCLA’s negligence and liability for Rodriguez’s alleged crimes. In this trial diary,

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49:49

Ep 43 - Murderball w/ Jennifer Yates and Meghan Sherry

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2025/01/02

It’s a whole new year for Lawyers in the Attic, and we’re starting off 2025 by diving into our sick obsession with history’s nastiest serial killers. In this conversation, attorneys Jennifer Yates and Meghan Sherry come to the attic to discuss the recent Netflix documentary This is the Zodiac Speaking, as we explore how the Zodiac murders sparked our collective interest in weird killings and the strange, often disturbingly normal people who commit them. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the

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38:39

Ep 42 - Trial Diary - The People v Christopher...

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2024/12/19

On Part Two of our Trial Diary, attorney Danielle De Smeth catches us up on developments in the trial of Christopher Rodriguez. Rodriguez was a teacher who worked at the UCLA Early Care and Education Center for more than 25 years. He stands accused of a number of charges of sexual abuse of children at the school, and Danielle is representing several of the victims’ families in potential civil litigation regarding UCLA’s negligence and liability for Rodriguez’s alleged crimes. In this trial diary,

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40:37

Ep 41 - Trial Diary - The People v Christopher...

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2024/12/12

Christopher Rodriguez was a teacher who worked at the UCLA Early Care and Education Center for nearly 25 years. He stands accused of a number of charges of sexual abuse of children at the school, and attorney Danielle De Smeth is representing several of the victims’ families in potential civil litigation regarding UCLA’s negligence and liability for Rodriguez’s alleged crimes. In this trial diary, Danielle explains the relationship between criminal and civil trials, and offers details on how abusers

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47:06

Ep 40 - The Curious Trial of Manuel Rodriguez w Ron...

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2024/12/05

Manuel Rodriguez was 19 years old when he was charged with a gang-related murder in Santa Paula, California in 2007. The resulting trial, in which founding partner Ron Bamieh served as his defense attorney, contained shocking twists and revelations that resulted in a surprising (and historic) outcome. In this conversation, Ron joins us to share the story of Manuel’s case, and offers his thoughts on the challenges of handling criminal defense when the prosecution is playing with a loaded deck

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42:19

Ep 39 - Broken Home for the Holidays w Jennifer Yates

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2024/11/27

It’s holiday time, so you know what that means: bitter divorces and custody disputes! This week we talk with family law attorney and senior partner Jennifer Yates about the special family pressure that holidays can bring, particularly for families dealing with kids and custody issues. Jennifer shares some brutal stories along with tips on how everyone can navigate this time of year with minimum drama and maximum cheer. Links to resources mentioned in this episode: Handling Holiday Hassles with a

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49:42

Ep 38 - The End of No Fault Divorce? w/ Jennifer Yates

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2024/11/14

In the wake of conservative electoral victories this month, there is renewed discussion about the end of “no fault divorce,” a key victory from the feminist political moment in the 1970s. Perhaps unsurprisingly, family law attorney and senior partner Jennifer Yates has lots to say about that, and joins us in the attic this week for a conversation all about the rapidly evolving legal landscape of marriage and divorce in the Trump era. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of

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48:47

Ep 37 - OK, Coach w Ron Bamieh

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2024/11/07

Ron Bamieh is much more than Ventura’s favorite lawyer. As a parent and coach, he’s made a significant impact on the lives of the city’s young people for more than 30 years. I know because I was one of those young people, learning the law from Ron as a high school student in the County Mock Trial competition way back in the 1990s. In this conversation, Ron reflects on his years as a coach and mentor, and offers some stories about the unexpected connections between legal work and helping kids learn

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43:26

Ep 36 - Season of the Witch w/ Jennifer Yates

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2024/10/31

It’s officially Spooky Season on Lawyers in the Attic, so this week we’re talking about the history of witch trials with attorney Jennifer Yates, who shares stories from the recent book Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials by Marion Gibson. Along the way, we reflect on how the specter of “witches” continues to haunt the American legal landscape, in surprising (and not so surprising) forms. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth:

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38:00

Ep 35 - Scar Tissue w Danielle De Smeth

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2024/10/24

Immediately upon passing the bar exam in 2009, attorney Danielle De Smeth began experiencing a persistent shortness of breath that left doctors puzzled, initiating a years-long medical mystery that ultimately changed her perspectives on health, career, and much more. In this conversation, she tells a personal story that’s as inspiring as it is harrowing, and offers a few lessons on perseverance in the face of adversity. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & DeSmeth:

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37:37

Ep 34 - Lawyers in the Age of AI w/ Danielle De Smeth

Lawyers in the Attic ·

2024/10/17

This week senior partner Danielle De Smeth joins us to report on her experiences at the CLIO Cloud Conference in Austin, Texas earlier this month. The conference focused on the future of the legal profession in light of recent developments in AI, and Danielle shares some mind-blowing, sometimes terrifying, ideas about how tech is changing the work that lawyers do, and how smaller law firms can keep up. Check out The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of

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96 results

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