Listen to our 10 favorite podcast episodes of 2021
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Looking for a new listen? We've picked our favorite 2021 episodes from each of the ABA Journal's three podcasts. And if this whets your appetite, find more than 10 years of past episodes on our podcast page. You can also check out more legal podcasts from our partners at Legal Talk Network.
Asked and Answered
Apple | Spotify | Google Play
“A year after his COVID-19 recovery, Above the Law founder David Lat makes some big changes”: In May 2020, lawyer and author David Lat was starting his recovery from a life-threatening bout with COVID-19. A little over a year later, Lat, founder of Above the Law, decided to leave his job as a legal recruiter, go back to writing full time, and leave New York City for the New Jersey suburbs with his husband and their 3-year-old son. The COVID-19 pandemic influenced those changes.
“How has practicing in the Supreme Court changed throughout the years?”: A few decades ago, there were no page limits for U.S. Supreme Court briefs, and that brought considerable headaches for the clerks who had to read them. Also, the justices rarely, if ever, asked more than 15 questions total during oral arguments. But that changed in 1986, after Antonin Scalia joined the high court.
“Following a viral video, Harvard Law School student finds ways to connect remotely”: Many Harvard Law School students knew of classmate Rehan Staton through a July 2020 video that went viral, which featured him opening a Harvard Law School acceptance email. There’s a lot more to him than the video, and Staton wanted to connect with classmates more significantly while they attended remote classes over the past year.
Legal Rebels Podcast
Apple | Spotify | Google Play
“New AI-powered legal writing tool aims to help lawyers craft winning briefs”: A gratifying legal victory sparked Jacqueline Schafer’s desire to create a legal technology product that would help other lawyers efficiently craft case-winning briefs full of compelling evidence. Clearbrief is an AI-powered legal writing tool that launched in March.
“A new evidence management tool aims to help public defenders process video and audio”: Devshi Mehrotra and her classmate Leslie Jones-Dove, who was also passionate about criminal justice reform, contacted local public defenders in the Chicago area to see how the two technologists could potentially be of help. They responded by developing a technology platform known as JusticeText, an AI-powered evidence management tool primarily geared toward public defenders.
“Experienced cloud-based law firm thrives during COVID-19, co-founder says”: When the spread of the novel coronavirus last spring prompted traditional law firms across the country to shutter their physical offices amid much economic uncertainty, the management team at cloud-based law firm FisherBroyles had very different concerns on its radar. The team wanted to make sure that the firm was ready to quickly ramp up hiring.
The Modern Law Library
Apple | Spotify | Google Play
“Discover the man behind ‘12 Angry Men’ and the real-life case that inspired him”: Whenever the ABA Journal has conducted a survey to find the best legal movies or the best legal plays, 12 Angry Men has made the list. The black-and-white 1957 film about a deadlocked jury coming to a consensus in a murder trial has become a classic, one of Henry Fonda’s most striking roles. As a play, 12 Angry Men is performed around the world, in many languages, in theaters large and small.
“How neurodiverse lawyers can thrive in the profession—and change it for the better”: There’s a business case to be made for hiring attorneys with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities and other neurological differences. Businesses have long touted out-of-the-box thinking, but cookie-cutter hiring practices don’t tend to result in diversity of thought. A legal professional who quite literally thinks differently can be an invaluable part of a team.
“Sen. Mazie Hirono discusses Kavanaugh hearings, the January insurrection and how her immigrant family’s experiences impacted her”: Democratic U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono’s newly released book, Heart of Fire: An Immigrant Daughter’s Story, is part political memoir and part love letter to her family and the state she represents.
“Why do barristers wear wigs? ‘Dress Codes’ explores fashion and the law”: Ask any attorney about the most outlandish clothing they’ve seen worn in a courtroom, and most will have a colorful story. But what determines the appropriateness of any outfit?
