Lawyers in the Attic

As Danielle De Smeth anxiously waits for news of a verdict in the re-trial of Christopher Rodriguez, a teacher at UCLA’s Early Care and Education Center accused of sexual abuse of children, we talk about the new information and approaches revealed by this second trial. And then, just as we’re wrapping up our recording, Danielle gets a dramatic phone call… Read more about the verdict in the Rodriguez trial here Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth: https://www.bamiehdesmeth.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyersintheattic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawyersintheattic  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyersintheattic  

Since the Trump administration took power in January, more than 260,000 federal workers have been fired by DOGE, the agency headed by Elon Musk and tasked with increasing “government efficiency.” This week we talk with family law attorney Jennifer Yates about the impact of job losses on divorce agreements – particularly when it comes to spousal and child support. What happens when a breadwinner no longer wins bread?  Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth: https://www.bamiehdesmeth.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyersintheattic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawyersintheattic  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyersintheattic  

This week we talk with senior partner Danielle De Smeth about her role in the trial of Jane Laut, who was accused of murder in the killing of her husband Dave Laut in 2009. The case brought up the painful reality of domestic violence, psychological control, and justice for women who defend themselves and their children from their abusers. Danielle shares the emotional toll the case brought upon Jane, her family, and the lawyers who defended her at trial, and offers ideas about the larger issues faced by abused women in the American legal system. Check out the previous episodes in this series: Part One Part Two Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth: https://www.bamiehdesmeth.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyersintheattic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawyersintheattic  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyersintheattic  

Jane Laut was charged with murder in the 2009 killing of her husband, Dave Laut, an Olympic athlete and local sports hero. Jane’s story of relentless abuse at the hands of her husband made for a shocking and contentious trial that still haunts many of the major players, including Ron Bamieh, who served as her defense attorney. In Part Two of our series, Ron tells the story of Jane’s trial, which holds a number of shocking developments, from prosecutorial misconduct to an outcome that remains incredibly disturbing. Stay tuned for Part 3, with Danielle De Smeth’s story of her own role in the case, along with perspectives on domestic violence and women in the justice system, coming soon.  Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth: https://www.bamiehdesmeth.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyersintheattic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawyersintheattic  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyersintheattic  

Jane Laut was charged with murder in the 2009 killing of her husband, Dave Laut, an Olympic athlete and local sports hero. Jane’s story of relentless abuse at the hands of her husband made for a shocking and contentious trial that still haunts many of the major players, including Ron Bamieh, who served as her defense attorney. In the first episode of a two-part series, Ron describes how he became involved in Jane’s defense, how his expertise in the field of domestic violence shaped his attitude and legal strategy, and how prosecutorial malfeasance contributed to a hostile atmosphere as the case progressed. Stay tuned for Part 2, coming soon. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth: https://www.bamiehdesmeth.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyersintheattic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawyersintheattic  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyersintheattic  

Jennifer Yates is a senior partner at the firm whose work focuses on family law, but she’s also a dedicated true crime fanatic with a deep interest in the dark side of human behavior. In this episode we talk about the Netflix documentary CHAOS: The Manson Murders, which presents an alternative version of Charles Manson’s violent hippie cult, one that involves the CIA, LSD, and weaponized mind control experiments. How far down the Manson rabbit hole go? And why are we still obsessed with Manson’s murderous project? Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth: https://www.bamiehdesmeth.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyersintheattic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawyersintheattic  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyersintheattic  

What’s it like to work on “both sides of the law”? For the firm’s founding partner, Ron Bamieh, who worked as a prosecutor before starting a private criminal defense firm, the experience has given him deep perspectives on the intersection of justice, business, and the art of serving clients. In this conversation he shares some of the lessons he’s drawn from years of trial experience, and of course offers his uncensored takes on what it takes to be an effective criminal attorney. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth: https://www.bamiehdesmeth.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyersintheattic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawyersintheattic  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyersintheattic  

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 brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth: https://www.bamiehdesmeth.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyersintheattic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawyersintheattic  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyersintheattic  

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 brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth: https://www.bamiehdesmeth.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyersintheattic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawyersintheattic  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyersintheattic  

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 here to listen to Part One of this conversation. Lawyers in the Attic is brought to you by the law offices of Bamieh & De Smeth: https://www.bamiehdesmeth.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawyersintheattic/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@lawyersintheattic  Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lawyersintheattic