Ep. 55: Steven M Levin — Revolutionizing Nursing Home Litigation, Niche Marketing, And Mentorship | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Stephen Levin discusses his transition from criminal law to civil law, specifically focusing on nursing home litigation, and shares insights about mentorship and the importance of family.

Key Insights

• 💖 Stephen Levin's early exposure to legal matters through his family's involvement in the bookmaking business sparked his interest in law.
• 👮 Transitioning from criminal law to civil law allowed Levin to focus on cases he felt more passionate about and rewarded based on success.
• 👮 Levin found a niche in nursing home litigation by utilizing a little-known law and emphasizing the importance of quality of life in elderly residents.
• 💼 Mentorship is a significant aspect of Levin's approach to developing young lawyers, using a combination of informal shadowing, discussions, and case analysis.

Transcript

stephen i'd like to find out a little bit of the early years before you got in the law you know i read an article where you mentioned that you had family members that were in the bookmaking business you know what was it that made it made you decide to go into law and specifically criminal law initially well when i grew up we were sort of on the wro... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What motivated Stephen Levin to pursue a career in law, particularly in criminal law?

Levin was influenced by his family's involvement in the bookmaking business and the role of lawyers in their lives. He had an interest in law and a passion for trial work.

Q: Why did Levin decide to shift his focus from criminal cases to civil cases?

After representing a woman charged with murder, who later committed suicide, Levin found the emotional toll of defending criminals too depressing. He discovered the appeal of contingency work in civil cases, which offered a combination of trial work and reward based on client success.

Q: How did Stephen Levin enter the field of nursing home litigation?

Levin took on a case involving the death of a developmentally disabled man in a nursing home. He discovered a little-known law that incentivized personal injury lawyers to file lawsuits on behalf of nursing home residents, leading to his specialization in this area.

Q: What are the significant differences between pursuing personal injury cases and cases against long-term care facilities?

Pursuing cases against long-term care facilities, particularly nursing homes, involves understanding specific laws, standards of care, and expert witnesses. It is more about institutional neglect and requires an understanding of issues unique to the operation of such facilities.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Stephen Levin discusses his early years and family background in the bookmaking business, which sparked his interest in law.

• He shares his experience in criminal law and the emotional toll it took on him, prompting him to transition to civil cases.

• Levin explains how he got involved in nursing home litigation and the challenges he faced in establishing it as a niche area of practice.