Is That Legal?: Navigating Tech, VC, and Collective Action Interview with James Ahearn, JD LPC, PhDc

Sivie Suckerman, MA, LMHC, ACS, and James Ahearn, JD, LPC, PhDc, explore the complex intersection of law, ethics, and mental health care. They unpack the relationships between clients, providers, and insurance companies; examine the growing influence of big tech and venture capital; and discuss how collective power can drive systemic change. Their conversation also highlights creative alternatives to traditional collective bargaining, the legal implications of the Corporate Practice of Medicine (CPOM) and Managed Services Organizations (MSOs), and practical ways clinicians can navigate a healthcare system shaped by intentional scarcity and structural complexity.

James P. Ahearn, JD LPC, PhDc is a founding partner at Ahearn Kershman, LLC in Clayton who earned his law degree from St. Louis University School of Law while simultaneously completing his Master of Arts in Spanish. In addition to being an attorney, James is a Licensed Professional Counselor and is in the home stretch of earning his Ph.D. in Counseling. James recognizes that legal action gives rise to numerous emotional experiences and integrates his legal and counseling skills to guide and advocate for his clients. He offers perspectives from the mind of a lawyer with the heart of a counselor. James practices in various areas in addition to family law to include immigration matters, landlord-tenant matters, property disputes, and business services to fellow mental health professionals, among others. Additionally, James is also a member of the CFLA - Collaborative Family Law Association of St. Louis. James works as an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, particularly addressing name changes and gender marker changes for trans and nonbinary individuals. He is a member of WPATH - World Professional Association for Transgender Health. James is a founder and Co-Chair of Philotimo, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to removing barriers to mental health treatment for LGBTQ+ individuals. Beyond the realm of law, James is the Clinical Director of Sonder Counseling, LLC, an adjunct professor at Webster University, and a Board member of Psychotherapy Saint Louis.

This episode was produced and edited by Mckenna Paddock, MA, LMHCA, ATR-P.