Between the Briefs

Steno
  • 5.0 (32)
  • Technology
  • Updated Weekly

Ready to hear the conversations shaping modern litigation? Every week, Between the Briefs dives deep into industry developments, tensions, and decisions with legal innovators who are leading the way. Go deeper into the topics that matter to your practice with Between the Briefs, brought to you by Steno.

  1. 6d ago

    The Next Era of Between the Briefs

    Between the Briefs has officially crossed 75 episodes and 1,200+ followers, so join hosts Joe Stephens and Adrian Cea as they take a moment to look back before the show steps into its next era. Recorded live at ILTACON 2026, this special episode revisits the biggest themes that have shaped the podcast so far: AI adoption, legal education, storytelling, soft skills, attorney-client privilege, changing billing models, remote firms, private equity and the human judgment that still sits at the center of legal work. And, the metaphorical hot sauce, that is our hot take special, obviously.

    The Next Era of Between the Briefs

  2. Aug 28

    Why Small Firms Can Move Faster Than Big Law ft. Nicole Brenecki

    Bigger firms do not always deliver better outcomes - for clients or the lawyers working at the firms. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Nicole Brenecki, Founding Partner at Jodré Brenecki LLP, to talk about building a boutique personal injury practice around speed, efficiency, client care and sharp litigation instincts. Nicole breaks down why her firm files suit on most cases right away, why small teams can often move faster than large firms, how multilingual advocacy helps clients understand the system and why AI should be used as a tool, not a replacement for human judgment.

    Why Small Firms Can Move Faster Than Big Law ft. Nicole Brenecki

  3. Aug 21

    Every Paralegal Needs The One-Step-Ahead Mindset ft. Christina Carter

    Paralegals keep law firms moving, but rarely get the credit, visibility or strategic support they deserve. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Christina Carter, Senior Manager of Firm-Wide Paralegal Management at Venable, to talk about what it really takes to manage, support and develop high-performing legal support teams. Christina breaks down why paralegal management is essentially people management, how law firms can prevent burnout before it becomes a crisis, why AI should be treated as an assistant and why the best paralegals are always thinking one step ahead.

    Every Paralegal Needs The One-Step-Ahead Mindset ft. Christina Carter

  4. Aug 14

    The Email That Ruined a $10M Lawsuit ft. Kat Mateo

    What lawyers don’t realize is that most litigation problems start long before anyone files a lawsuit. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Kat Mateo, Counsel of Litigation at Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP, to talk about the client decisions that make cases harder. Kat breaks down the fatal decisions clients make before entering court, why attorneys must review deals early and how an emotional email turns into Exhibit A. She also shares her story as a first-generation immigrant, explaining why cases are won on paper and how AI impacts litigation strategy.

    The Email That Ruined a $10M Lawsuit ft. Kat Mateo

  5. Aug 7

    Where Are the Legal Leaders We Need? ft. Nicole Lester Arrindell

    Being a great lawyer has less to do with knowing the law and A LOT more to do with listening, building trust, and managing people and figuring out how to move work forward without becoming the “department of no.” In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Nicole Lester Arrindell, Head of State Regulatory and Legislative Affairs and Associate General Counsel at Equitable, to talk about servant leadership, public service, career purpose and the real-world skills lawyers need but are not always taught. Nicole shares how her work across legal aid, government, in-house counsel, teaching, and bar leadership shaped her core belief: leadership is not a title; it is a daily practice.

    Where Are the Legal Leaders We Need? ft. Nicole Lester Arrindell

  6. Jul 31

    Legal Tech Doesn’t Need More “Lamborghinis” ft. Kara Peterson and Richard DiBona

    How do we close the justice gap without flooding courts with unreliable AI outputs? In this episode of Between the Briefs, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Kara Peterson and Richard DiBona, co-founders of Descrybe. They discuss why Descrybe pivoted from pro se consumers to supporting legal aid attorneys, how issue-level citation analysis prevents legal hallucinations, and why powerful legal tech shouldn't require BigLaw enterprise pricing.

    Legal Tech Doesn’t Need More “Lamborghinis” ft. Kara Peterson and Richard DiBona

  7. Jul 24

    Is Not Using AI a Malpractice Risk? ft. Shannon Boettjer

    Has AI adoption in law already reached the point of questioning: how do we use it without creating tomorrow’s litigation risk? In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Shannon Boettjer, partner at Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran LLP, to unpack what responsible AI governance actually looks like for lawyers and law firms. Shannon breaks down why AI is no longer just one tool but an entire kitchen of systems, why hallucinations should be treated like common side effects and why firms need AI fluency, not just basic literacy, if they want to use these tools defensibly.

    Is Not Using AI a Malpractice Risk? ft. Shannon Boettjer

  8. Jul 16

    Will AI Lower Legal Costs? Tim Fox Explains the Twist

    AI’s got everyone thinking legal work will become cheaper, eventually. But is that belief grounded in reality? Tim Fox is not so sure. In this episode of Between the Briefs by Steno, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Tim, Chief Data and AI Officer at Ogletree Deakins, to unpack what AI adoption actually looks like inside a major law firm. Tim breaks down why legal AI adoption is notoriously difficult, the hidden maintenance costs of building tools in-house and why the real value lies in superior work quality rather than simple cost cuts.

    Will AI Lower Legal Costs? Tim Fox Explains the Twist
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5
out of 5
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About

Ready to hear the conversations shaping modern litigation? Every week, Between the Briefs dives deep into industry developments, tensions, and decisions with legal innovators who are leading the way. Go deeper into the topics that matter to your practice with Between the Briefs, brought to you by Steno.

Information

  • Creator
    Steno
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    80
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyrights © 2024 All Rights Reserved by Steno
  • Show Website
    Between the Briefs