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Exciting News! Starting in 2025, two new podcasts will join Bottom Up in a rotation of podcasts produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin.

Bottom Up, co-hosted by Emil Ovbiagele and Kristen Hardy, will continue to explore topics of interest to lawyers in the early stages of their careers. They’ll be back in March 2025.

Two new podcasts – Listening to Lawyers and Practice Pulse – will expand the State Bar’s family of WisLawNOW podcasts, giving lawyers more access…
Continue Reading Bottom Up Episode 24: Listening to Lawyers and Practice Pulse Join the Podcast Mix in 2025

The current legal landscape might be comparable to an alien world in a sci-fi movie, exceedingly complex and constantly changing. Myriad statutes, regulations, rules, ordinances, case law, and other sources of law create a legal multivariate calculus problem. Due to practical necessity and ethical requirements, attorneys are required to understand applicable law in order to provide guidance to their clients.

Regardless of the preparation that law school provided, that preparation will be insufficient for legal problems that attorneys eventually…
Continue Reading Tips for Lawyers: Keeping Pace with the Law

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In this episode of the Bottom Up Podcast, produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin, co-hosts Emil Ovbiagele and Sam Huddleston Baker talk with Mike Sneathern, chief legal officer for the Milwaukee Bucks. Mike has worked 20-plus years for the 2021 NBA champs.

The conversation explores Mike’s journey from his native California to Wisconsin, his experiences in the Marquette University Sports Law Program, and the unique challenges faced by sports lawyers today, including the impact of sports betting and…
Continue Reading Bottom Up Episode 23: A Path to Sports Law with Milwaukee Bucks Chief Legal Officer Mike Sneathern

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Will AI replace lawyers? That’s one of the questions explored in the latest episode of Bottom Up, produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin. Co-hosts Emil Ovbiagele and Kristen Hardy welcome Hiriam Bradley, an attorney specializing in privacy and technology law.

The conversation explores Hiriam’s career path, the evolution of privacy law, and the intersection of artificial intelligence and privacy. They discuss the challenges legal professionals face in navigating developing laws, the importance of consumer awareness, and the regulatory…
Continue Reading Bottom Up Episode 22: Data Privacy and Artificial Intelligence (AI) with Hiriam Bradley

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When Anthony Procaccio graduated from law school in 2013, he was one of 46,776 U.S. law students to do so (the most of any year on record, and 36% more than 2023). The economy was beginning to recover from the 2007-08 financial crisis, but job seekers were still struggling.
Procaccio, now the president of the State Bar of Wisconsin’s Young Lawyers Division, was among many law school graduates who faced various economic challenges post-2008, including student loan debt. On…
Continue Reading Bottom-Up Episode 21: Finding Your Niche with YLD President Anthony Procaccio

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In this episode of the Bottom Up podcast, produced by the State Bar of Wiscondsin, co-hosts Emil Ovbiagele and Kristen Hardy discuss their experiences as young lawyers and the importance of law clerkships. They are joined by first-year associate Kate Goodhart and summer law clerk Dan Underwood, who share their perspectives.   The conversation covers what employers look for in a good clerk, the importance of mentorship, and the value of doing impactful work. The hosts and guests also share…
Continue Reading Bottom Up Episode 20: Making the Most of Summer Law Clerkships, Tips for First Year Associates

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Episode 19 of the Bottom Up Podcast, produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin, features a discussion on lawyer wellness, stress, and sleep deprivation, focusing on the unique stressors legal professionals face. Amber Ault — who manages the State Bar’s Wisconsin Lawyers Assistance Program (WisLAP) and has extensive experience in the fields of therapy, sociology, and social work — shares insights and tips for reducing stress and improving sleep habits. Communications Director Joe Forward hosts the discussion, which also…
Continue Reading Bottom Up Episode 19: Stress, Sleep Deprivation, and Lawyer Wellness with Amber Ault

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Attorney Tom Watson, the featured guest in the latest episode of the Bottom Up Podcast produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin, knows what it means to reinvent yourself.

Tom started his career in broadcast radio. He interviewed big names like Bill Clinton, Jesse Jackson, entertainer Red Skelton, and others. At age 37, Tom enrolled in law school. He’s now the CEO and president of Wisconsin Lawyers Mutual Insurance Company (WILMIC).

From radio to public relations, from family law…
Continue Reading Episode 18: The Parade of Horribles in Legal Malpractice Claims with WILMIC CEO Tom Watson

I’m a little busy.

Most of our clients know my name from receiving invoices, but with 20 years of banking experience, I do a lot of complementary financial activity behind the scenes as well. I document passthrough expenses, reconcile our financial activity internally to make it easier for our accountants, and ensure that the attorney’s time entries are proofread so they appear in an organized, consistent format for the clients on their invoices. I also handle the accounts receivable,…
Continue Reading I’m Juggling More Tasks than a Circus Clown on a Unicycle!

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Ever heard of imposter syndrome? In this episode of the Bottom Up podcast, produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin, co-host Emil Ovbiagele and guest host Joe Forward interview Samantha Huddleston Baker, a partner at OVB Law and Consulting S.C. in Milwaukee. They discuss impostor syndrome and carving out paths in the early years of a legal career.

Samantha shares her background and journey to law school, as well as her experience joining the law firm and overcoming impostor…
Continue Reading Bottom Up Episode 17: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome with Samantha Huddleston Baker

I feel gratitude commemorating two enriching years at Ogden Glazer + Schafer (“OG+S”) as a Paralegal in the Intellectual Property practice. As I reflect on this milestone, I am struck by the journey, the career shift and finding myself in an environment that fosters growth, champions values of DEI, continual learning, and collaboration. Influential author Brené Brown reminds us, “vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change” and this change left me feeling unsure yet eager to delve…
Continue Reading Celebrating Two Years as an IP Paralegal: A Journey of Change and Growth

The immeasurable benefits of a healthy work-life balance are well known. Engaging with outside organizations, taking time for personal interests and hobbies, spending time with family and friends, exercising, gardening, caring for pets, traveling – all of these are ways in which we can help our bodies, minds, and souls stay fresh for our law practices and our clients. Additionally, we can learn a lot from our out-of-office activities that help us as attorneys.

In my working life, I…
Continue Reading March Madness: How Basketball Can Help You Be a Better Attorney

In the vast landscape of legal practice, solo and small law firms stand out as models of accessibility and personalized service.

Smaller firms often provide a level of attention and care that larger firms may struggle to match. However, operating on a smaller scale also presents unique challenges, particularly when it comes to generating a consistent flow of clients.

In this dynamic environment, referral sources emerge as invaluable assets, playing a pivotal role in sustaining and expanding the reach…
Continue Reading Nurturing Growth: The Crucial Role of Referral Sources for Lawyers in Solo and Small Firms

Watching the lawyers involved in numerous high-profile trials, from the various Trump cases to the Michigan mother of the school shooter, causes me to wonder: just how much do these lawyers actually believe what they’re advocating?

The practice of law can be highly disingenuous. As a friend of mine once put it: “Sometimes I feel like a prostitute where I’m assuming a position in exchange for a fee.”

Being a lawyer brings innumerable variations on this theme, some more…
Continue Reading Law as a Career

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This is a personal rant. I’ll admit it right off. This is Erin Ogden’s opinion, and I am oddly overly vehement about it. The topic? Flow state.

What?! Yeah. Flow state. Read or listen to any productivity how-to and it will tell you about the magical state of “flow.” You must reach it. It is a wondrous place where every light is green, every library book is available for check out, and every size is in stock. If you…
Continue Reading Fight Against The Flow

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Simply defined, human trafficking is the exploitation of human beings for someone else’s gain, according to Erika Petty, executive director at Milwaukee-based Lotus Legal Clinic, a nonprofit that provides free legal services exclusively to victims of human trafficking.

As you’ll discover in Episode 16 of the Bottom Up podcast, produced by the State Bar of Wisconsin, while human trafficking can be simply defined, the complexity of the issue spans the nation and the globe, and hits home right here…
Continue Reading Bottom Up Episode 16: Helping Victims of Human Trafficking, a Hidden Crime, with Erika Petty