Lawyers Debate Influencer Culture, SEO Warfare & “Gravlune” | Geoff Lowe vs. Stuart Rudner

Why Community-Focused Law Firms Are Winning in 2026 | Miriam Fisher

How can small immigration law firms compete with big firms that have larger teams, bigger budgets, and more advanced systems? In this episode of Hot Docket, Andrew and Tara sit down with Miriam Fisher, Founder and CEO of Las Abogadas RVA, an immigration law firm based in Richmond, Virginia. With more than 20 years of experience in immigration law, Miriam shares how she built a thriving community-focused firm while adopting the systems and discipline often associated with larger practices. The conversation covers Miriam’s path from criminal defense to immigration law, the story behind their rebrand to Las Abogadas, and the practical strategies that help smaller firms grow sustainably. She also shares her approach to pricing consultations, improving intake, experimenting with marketing, and building a brand that clients genuinely connect with. TUNE IN TO LEARN: * Tips for building a community-first immigration law firm * How smaller law firms can outperform larger competitors * Why their consultation fee is only $200 * The importance of in-person consultations in a digital-first era * What immigration lawyers can learn from personal injury firms * How to gain community trust and build a strong legal brand * Advice and resources for lawyers starting or scaling their own firms, including Miriam’s book Important Links and Resources: * Buy “Mom’s a Lawyer: How to Start a Firm & Take Control of Your Life” by Miriam Fisher: https://www.momsalawyer.com/book [https://www.momsalawyer.com/book] * Website: https://airingtonlaw.com [https://airingtonlaw.com] * For More Resources & To Talk to Miriam: https://www.momsalawyer.com [https://www.momsalawyer.com] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawyer-like-a-mother [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawyer-like-a-mother] If you have guest ideas or questions you would like our hosts to cover, please email info@hotdocketpodcast.com [info@hotdocketpodcast.com]. Tune in to hear from more the Hot Docket podcast hosted by Bobby Steinbach and Andrew Nasrinpay on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, Audible, Radio Public and more!

Lawyers Debate Influencer Culture, SEO Warfare & “Gravlune” | Geoff Lowe vs. Stuart Rudner

Welcome back to Devil’s Advocate, the business comedy podcast where sharp legal minds are forced to defend arguments they’d normally shred in court. In this episode, Canadian employment lawyers Stuart Rudner and Geoff Lowe of Rudner Law step into the arena for a marketing-meets-ethics showdown. The Wheel of Misfortune spins up hot topics including influencer culture, AI in law, Google Ads warfare, and whether brands should take a stance on social issues or stay comfortably neutral. Naturally, things escalate. ChatGPT makes a cameo. “It depends” becomes a recurring character. And a completely fabricated word enters the legal lexicon. Equal parts insight and absurdity, this face-off proves that even seasoned employment lawyers can be pushed into beautifully uncomfortable territory. 🔥 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SHOWDOWN 📱 Influencer Marketing: Manipulation or Evolution? Is #ad culture a modern word-of-mouth revolution or precision-targeted persuasion dressed in athleisure? 🏳️ Brand Activism Debate Do companies have a responsibility to take social stands, or is corporate neutrality the safest business model? 🔎 Bidding on Competitor Names Smart marketing strategy or ethically questionable digital ambush? 🤖 AI in Law Is ChatGPT a productivity superpower or a confidence-inflating hallucination machine? 🌕 Word of the Month: “Gravlune” Stuart and Geoff take a stab at defining a completely fake word. Turns out they were disturbingly accurate. 💬 The “It Depends” Counter How many times can two employment lawyers say it in one episode? The limit does not exist… Final Verdict: Stuart admitted to consulting AI mid-debate, Geoff coined a word that shouldn’t work but somehow does, and the real winner might be whichever associate fact-checks them both tomorrow morning. The Wheel spins. The arguments flip. And once again, nobody leaves with their original opinion fully intact.   Psst! Got a devilish topic you want our guests to debate in a future episode? Comment of DM us with #DevilsAdvocate or send us a smoke signal. Or just email us like a normal person at bark@meanpug.com [bark@meanpug.com].   Subscribe to MeanPug Digital on YouTube & turn on notifications so you don’t miss a debate: https://www.youtube.com/@meanpugdigital [https://www.youtube.com/@meanpugdigital] Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/devils-advocate-lawyer-v-lawyer-game-show/id1813413142 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/devils-advocate-lawyer-v-lawyer-game-show/id1813413142] New episodes of Devil’s Advocate dropping every month! Come for the chaos, stay for the accidental insight.   Featured Guests: Stuart Rudner, Managing Partner at Rudner Law LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartrudner [https://www.linkedin.com/in/stuartrudner] Website: https://www.rudnerlaw.ca [https://www.rudnerlaw.ca]   Geoffrey Lowe, Associate Attorney at Rudner Law LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreylowe [https://www.linkedin.com/in/geoffreylowe] Website: https://www.rudnerlaw.ca [https://www.rudnerlaw.ca]

Bobby Just LEFT? | Bobby vs. Andrew

Welcome back to Devil’s Advocate, where the only rule is that you must argue the side you definitely don’t believe. This week, chaos reaches new heights as hosts Bobby Steinbach and Andrew Nasrinpay turn the tables on themselves… going head-to-head in a no-mercy debate that jumps from a controversial book to the future of legal marketing. Armed with nothing but sarcasm and the dreaded Wheel of Misfortune, Bobby and Andrew are forced to defend positions they’d normally roast each other for. One minute they’re arguing whether Mein Kampf belongs in high school curriculums (yeah, it gets spicy fast), the next they’re sparring over SEO budgets, law firm consolidation, and whether a $15k website is a smart investment or an expensive mid-life crisis.   🔥 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SHOWDOWN 📚 Controversial Classics Should Mein Kampf ever be taught in high school or is this debate already a tripwire? 💻 SEO vs. Everything Else Is SEO the backbone of law firm marketing… or the most overrated money pit in the industry? 🏢 The Future of Law Firms Will consolidation wipe out solos, or is the AI revolution actually their secret weapon? 🎟️ Conference Chaos Are legal conferences unmatched networking gold or expensive adult field trips with business cards? 🚿 Shower Etiquette Throwdown A simple household disagreement becomes a full-on philosophical battle (yes, seriously).   Final Verdict: Bobby valiantly argued that conferences are best for networking (unless you hate people), Andrew tried to redefine “meaningful connection,” and the real winner turned out to be the legal tech subscription… because apparently, nobody can afford to network without it.   Psst! Got a devilish topic you want our guests to debate in a future episode? Comment of DM us with #DevilsAdvocate or send us a smoke signal. Or just email us like a normal person at bark@meanpug.com [bark@meanpug.com]. Subscribe to MeanPug Digital on YouTube & turn on notifications so you don’t miss a debate: https://www.youtube.com/@meanpugdigital [https://www.youtube.com/@meanpugdigital] Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/devils-advocate-lawyer-v-lawyer-game-show/id1813413142 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/devils-advocate-lawyer-v-lawyer-game-show/id1813413142] New episodes of Devil’s Advocate dropping every month! Come for the chaos, stay for the accidental insight.   Featured Guests (aka Your Hosts): Bobby Steinbach, Founder of MeanPug Digital LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steinbachr [https://www.linkedin.com/in/steinbachr]   Andrew Nasrinpay, Partner at MeanPug Digital LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-nasrinpay-a3162953 [https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-nasrinpay-a3162953]

Lawyers DEBATE Divorce, S*X Work & Going VEGAN?! | Russell Knight vs. Rahul Iyer

Welcome to Devil’s Advocate — the only legal show where lawyers are forced to argue AGAINST what they actually believe… and the results are completely unhinged. This week, Chicago divorce attorneys Russell Knight and Rahul Iyer battle it out over: 💔 Joint custody laws and mental health in divorce 💃 Sex work and marketing transparency 🌱 Whether EVERYONE should go plant-based to save the planet And if that’s not wild enough — we spin the Wheel of Misfortune 🎡 One spin = one hot topic = one very bad take they have to defend. It’s courtroom chaos meets comedy cage match, with a surprise argument over the word “floopery.” ⚖️ Part legal masterclass. Part roast battle. 100% chaos.   🔥 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SHOWDOWN ⚖️ Divorce Court Dilemmas Should joint custody be the default—or does “one-size-fits-all” just make things messier? 🧠 Mental Health & Marriage Should mental health influence custody or settlements? Both say yes… just not for the same reasons. 🌱 The Great Plant-Based Debate Does going vegan make you virtuous—or just unbearably smug? 💼 Marketing Mayhem Do lawyers need full transparency from their marketing teams—or should they just trust the process? 💋 Sex Work & Freedom of Choice Should it be legal? Cue the fireworks. 💬 Word of the Month: “Floopery” Chaotic clumsiness? Shapeless nonsense? However you define it, this episode has plenty.   Final Verdict: Russell dropped the ultimate mic with “This is America,” Rahul made “floopery” the trending word no one knew we needed, and Bobby & Andrew just hoped someone might actually stick to the rules of the game for once.   Psst! Got a devilish topic you want our guests to debate in a future episode? Comment of DM us with #DevilsAdvocate or send us a smoke signal. Or just email us like a normal person at bark@meanpug.com [bark@meanpug.com]. Subscribe to MeanPug Digital on YouTube & turn on notifications so you don’t miss a debate: https://www.youtube.com/@meanpugdigital [https://www.youtube.com/@meanpugdigital] Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/devils-advocate-lawyer-v-lawyer-game-show/id1813413142 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/devils-advocate-lawyer-v-lawyer-game-show/id1813413142] New episodes of Devil’s Advocate dropping every month! Come for the chaos, stay for the accidental insight.   Featured Guests: Russell Knight, Divorce and Family Law Attorney at Law Office of Russell D Knight * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-d-knight [https://www.linkedin.com/in/russell-d-knight] * Website: https://rdklegal.com [https://rdklegal.com]   Rahul Iyer, Divorce and Family Law Attorney at STG Divorce Law * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulaiyer [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rahulaiyer] * Website: https://www.stglawfirm.com [https://www.stglawfirm.com]

Lawyers Debate Kanye, Taylor Swift, Movies, and NURSING HOMES? Rob Schenk vs. Will Smith

This week on Devil’s Advocate, chaos meets courtroom logic as Will Smith (no, not that one) and Rob Schenk spin the Wheel of Misfortune and go head-to-head on some of the legal world’s quirkiest and thorniest questions. From strict liability in nursing homes to whether $15,000 is actually a fair price for a law firm website, no topic is safe. Along the way, they debate AI’s place in pre-litigation, the ethics of running Google Ads on competitors’ names, and whether Taylor Swift or Kanye West deserves the cultural crown (plus one very embarrassing gas station story). Oh, and don’t miss the debut of a brand-new legal term: “dravicular” — trust us, you’ll never look at a frantic drive home the same way again.   🔥 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE SHOWDOWN 🐅Liability Gone Wild What do nursing homes and exotic animals have in common? Our debaters make the case in ways you’ll never forget. 🤖 AI on Trial Can robots really take over pre-litigation—or are we trusting the untrustworthy? 🤑 The $15,000 Website One lawyer calls it smart investment, the other calls it madness. Who’s right? 🎤 Pop Culture Meltdown: Tay vs. Ye Does Rob actually know anything about either of them?? 🎬 Will vs. Will “Independence Day” or “I Am Legend”—which blockbuster takes the crown? 💩 A New Word Is Born Don’t worry, you’ll laugh—and maybe cringe—when you hear their definitions of “dravicular”.   Final Verdict: This one’s too close to call—Will scored Swiftie points, Rob owned the tiger analogies, and “dravicular” might just make it into Black’s Law Dictionary. Let’s call it a hung jury… and let the listeners decide who really won.   Psst! Got a devilish topic you want our guests to debate in a future episode? Comment of DM us with #DevilsAdvocate or send us a smoke signal. Or just email us like a normal person at bark@meanpug.com [bark@meanpug.com]. Subscribe to MeanPug Digital on YouTube & turn on notifications so you don’t miss a debate: https://www.youtube.com/@meanpugdigital [https://www.youtube.com/@meanpugdigital] Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/devils-advocate-lawyer-v-lawyer-game-show/id1813413142 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/devils-advocate-lawyer-v-lawyer-game-show/id1813413142] New episodes of Devil’s Advocate dropping every month! Come for the chaos, stay for the accidental insight.   Featured Guests: Rob Schenk, Attorney at Schenk Nursing Home Abuse Law * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertlschenk [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertlschenk] * Website: https://www.schenkfirm.com [https://www.schenkfirm.com] Will Smith, Senior Legal Counsel at Berry Law * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-smith-a9379aa [https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-smith-a9379aa] * Website: https://jsberrylaw.com [https://jsberrylaw.com]