In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, Holland & Knight litigation attorney Dan Small discusses the use of legalese in the courtroom. He advises attorneys to avoid using too much legal jargon when speaking to jurors in a trial because it can be confusing and distance the lawyer from the audience. Instead, he suggests using plain English as much as possible in order to effectively communicate with jurors.

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Effective Trial Language Part 2: Legalese

In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small shares how building genuine trust with a witness can make or break a case, recounting his extraordinary trip to Italy to meet Domenic D'Alessandro in the Frank Wallen corruption investigation. What began as a long-shot effort — navigating approvals from U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and and U.S. Department of State, coordinating with the IRS and overcoming internal skepticism — turned into a lesson in human connection. Over a shared meal and conversation, plus more than a few glasses of wine, Mr. Small and Mr. D'Alessandro developed mutual respect and forged a bond that led to Mr. D'Alessandro's voluntary return to the U.S., guilty plea and critical testimony. The story underscores a central tenet in trial preparation: You cannot extract the truth from strangers on a park bench; you must invest the time to create rapport and reliability with witnesses, because trust, not pressure, opens the door to honest testimony.

Trust Is Key

In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small delves into the debate on using interpreters for witnesses in the courtroom. In some instances there is no choice: A witness who cannot understand English requires an interpreter. But when it's a gray area, some lawyers argue that an interpreter diminishes the connection between the witness and the jury. Mr. Small disagrees and offers a humorous anecdote from the corruption case United States v. Wallen, which he prosecuted, to support his pro-interpreter stance. He closes by reminding the listeners that misunderstandings often hurt your case and that interpreters help minimize them for both sides.

The Benefits of Using an Interpreter

In this episode of "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small unpacks the prosecution of Ted Anzalone, a top aide to former Boston Mayor Kevin White, through two alleged money laundering schemes: a "birthday gift" check-planting operation that sowed jury confusion and led to acquittal and a clearer $100,000 cash structuring scheme using sub‑$10,000 cashier's checks to evade bank reporting. Despite a compelling trial win on the structuring count, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit reversed, holding that "the law is the law" and Congress hadn't yet criminalized that type of financial activity. Mr. Small reflects on the limits of prosecutorial creativity, a memorable bench rebuke and how the case ultimately spurred lawmakers to close the loophole – too late for Anzalone, whose conviction was vacated, but paving the way for successful prosecutions thereafter.

The Law Is the Law

En este episodio de "A Lo Legal En Par Minutos", Edwin Cortés, socio, y Tatiana Pérez, abogada de derecho penal, analizan si las conductas de Armando en "Betty la Fea" encajarían hoy en el delito de administración desleal. Tatiana explica que este tipo penal fue introducido por la Ley 1474 de 2011 (Estatuto Anticorrupción) y se configura cuando un administrador, socio, directivo, empleado o asesor, en beneficio propio o de un tercero, abusa de sus funciones y dispone fraudulentamente de los bienes sociales o contrae obligaciones en nombre de la compañía, causando perjuicio económico a los socios. Aunque en la época de la novela el delito no existía, hoy aplicaría a acciones como la manipulación de estados financieros y la creación de "Terra Moda" para mantener el control de Ecomoda. El episodio también detalla las sanciones para este conducto: prisión de cuatro a ocho años y multas de 10 hasta 1.000 salarios mínimos legales mensuales vigentes.

Betty: Armando, ¿un administrador desleal?

In this episode of "Clearly Conspicuous," consumer protection attorney Anthony DiResta provides an update on Federal Trade Commission (FTC) actions in the digital commerce space. Mr. DiResta discusses the FTC's core concerns with online transactions, including unclear or deceptive terms and conditions, insufficient privacy protections and failure to comply with the "Click to Cancel" rule. He then outlines a best practices framework for companies seeking to ensure compliance and build consumer trust. His final takeaway: Online commerce must be transparent, be fair and be consumer-centric.

The Digital Marketplace: The FTC's Focus on Fair Online Transactions

In the newest episode of his "Two Byte Conversations" podcast, Data Strategy, Security & Privacy attorney Kevin Angle is joined by privacy officer Aaron Mendelsohn to discuss the ins and outs of building a privacy program and how to work with internal stakeholders and clients to build trust and respect. They also talk about Mr. Mendelsohn's new book, "Operationalizing Data Protection and Privacy," his experience teaching cybersecurity and privacy law at Cleveland State University and their views on being an effective legal counselor and privacy officer.

Operationalizing Data Protection: Build Trust, Not Just Compliance

En este episodio de "A Lo Legal En Par Minutos", Edwin Cortés, socio, y María Paulina Rendón, abogada de recursos naturales, analizan la Ley 2533 de 2025, que reconoce el Río Aburrá en Antioquia como sujeto de derechos. Como explica la abogada, esto significa que el río tendrá representación legal y que se conformará un comité llamado el Comité de Orientación y Protección del Río Aburrá (COPRA), que ejercerá dicha representación. A partir de ahí, podrá establecer acuerdos para proteger y conservar el río. Los abogados hablan del antecedente de esta figura y de cómo Colombia compara con el resto del mundo en este ámbito.

De orilla a orilla: El Aburrá, un río con derechos

On the second episode of "The Tack Room," Partner Louis Rouleau joins Lisa Lazarus, CEO of the Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA), for a candid conversation about the push to standardize safety and integrity across U.S. thoroughbred racing. Mr. Rouleau and Ms. Lazarus talk about her prior leadership roles at the International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and National Football League (NFL) before moving on to explore HISA's racetrack safety and anti-doping programs, its partnership with the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit (HIWU), measurable progress in reducing equine fatalities and why consistent national rules matter for horse welfare, jockey safety and public trust. They also unpack the high-profile constitutional challenges facing HISA, how its Federal Trade Commission (FTC) oversight and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)-style model fit into U.S. regulatory frameworks, and what it will take to secure the sport's long-term viability so future discussions focus on excellence on the track instead of safety concerns.

One Sport, One Rulebook: A Conversation with the CEO of Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority

In this episode of his "The Trial Lawyer's Handbook" podcast series, litigation attorney Dan Small emphasizes the importance of providing the jury with all relevant facts to help them discern the truth. At times, however, court decisions can hinder a party's ability to tell the whole story. This was true in the United States v. Anzalone case, which Mr. Small prosecuted. Ted Anzalone was charged with extortion and money laundering, but because both charges involved secret cash transactions, it was difficult to present non-circumstantial evidence to the jury. To make matters worse, the defense counsel persuaded the judge to sever the two charges, making it nearly impossible to corroborate the evidence. This episode highlights the importance of always fighting to tell the full narrative.

Telling the Whole Story

In this episode of "Clearly Conspicuous," consumer protection attorney Anthony DiResta examines why board governance is under the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) microscope and what directors must do to meet agency expectations. He begins by categorizing the main themes of regulatory focus: data security, antitrust and board composition, compliance and risk governance, and the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI) and algorithmic accountability. He then offers practical steps such as building regulatory literacy, establishing measurable risk reporting, structuring effective governance committees, testing resources and programs, documenting oversight in minutes and embedding ethics into culture—along with a checklist of specific governance risks to monitor.

Effective Trial Language Part 2: Legalese

Holland & Knight Legal Podcast

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