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

September 24, 2026 Adrian Cea

Litigation does not begin when a lawsuit is filed. By then, the story has often already been written in contracts, emails, missed deadlines and the very human decision to wait because “maybe it’ll blow over.”

In this episode of Between the Briefs, Adrian Cea and Joe Stephens sit down with Kat Mateo, Counsel of Litigation at Olshan Frome Wolosky LLP, for a practical, lively conversation about what clients, founders, business owners and legal teams often misunderstand about litigation.

What You'll Learn:

Why clients should involve attorneys before disputes escalate
How litigators can spot risks in deals that transactional teams may miss
Why most cases are won or lost on papers, not dramatic courtroom moments
How emotional emails, sarcasm and jokes can become serious evidence
Why discovery now reaches work emails, personal phones, WhatsApp, Signal, Slack and social media
Why attorneys can manage bad facts, but not surprise facts
How storytelling helps juries understand complex commercial disputes

Good litigation strategy is not just about fighting well. It is about preventing problems early, documenting carefully, communicating wisely and knowing when to call the lawyer before things get expensive.

Want to watch this episode of Between the Briefs instead? Get the full video on YouTube.

About the Contributors

Adrian Cea

Adrian Cea is Steno's Social Media Manager, leading content strategy, audience engagement, and digital brand-building across platforms. He also produces and co-hosts Between the Briefs, Steno's podcast covering the intersection of legal technology, court reporting, and the future of litigation. With a background spanning content creation, field marketing, and sales at companies like Sell Better and Chili Piper, Adrian brings a multi-disciplined lens to making complex legal tech topics accessible and engaging.

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Joe Stephens

Joe Stephens, J.D., is Steno's Director of Legal Solutions as well as a Clinical Lecturer at Texas Tech University School of Law. With over 15 years of experience in criminal defense and public service, he founded and led Texas' largest rural public defender office, which serves a 12-county area. A graduate of The University of Texas School of Law (cum laude) and Vanderbilt University (B.A.), Stephens currently serves as a Board Member of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyer's Association (TCDLA) and sits on multiple State Bar of Texas committees. His expertise spans the intersection of legal practice and technological innovation in the justice system.

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