EP. 177 – Luke Shaefer (The Injustice of Place)

Join host Teneé Frazier as she sits down with Professor Luke Shaefer, an expert on poverty and social welfare policy, for an in-depth look at the complexities of living in poverty in the US. They discuss the realities faced by those surviving on minimal resources, and what legal professionals and global listeners can glean from these powerful narratives.

Professor Shaefer shares observations from his...

Join host Yasmin Sheikh as she interviews British lawyer, writer and broadcaster Mark Stephens for this thought-provoking episode.

Mark shares his journey from representing artists in intellectual property cases to advocating for freedom of speech and human rights. He discusses his impactful work addressing global issues, such as decriminalising homosexuality and combating child marriage. They also chat about Mark’s high...

Read more

Legislative efforts in the US are starting to recognize that people can face discrimination and bias in the workplace based on the size of their bodies. In this episode, host Janelle Wrigley speaks with Kara Richardson Whitely, author of ‘Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds’ and founder of The Gorgeous Agency (https://thegorgeousagency.com).

They discuss the complex trauma that can arise f...

Read more

Host Becky Annison explores the UK's court backlog crisis and its troubling ripple effects throughout the justice system. Her guest, Adrian Usher, the UK’s Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, explains how delayed trials are creating a bottleneck in prisons, with some Crown Court cases now being scheduled as far ahead as 2028, and he outlines the human cost of these systemic failures.

Adrian explains why coming into his rol...

Read more

In a profession that celebrates achievement and relentless work ethic, what happens to the mental and physical wellbeing of those caught in this culture? Following our previous exploration of the mental health crisis in the legal community, this episode delves deeper into practical solutions.

Join host Teneé Frazier as she welcomes Kerry Lawlor, psychotherapist, and co-founder of the Workplace Collective (UK), for an i...

Read more

Who protects women when the very systems that are supposed to protect them, like the police and the broader legal system, refuse to, or even worse, are causing the harm in the first place? This episode's guest has been fighting against the systemic challenges women face in securing justice for decades. And she has some extraordinary stories to tell.

Join The Hearing host Yasmin Sheikh as she sits down with Harriet Wistr...

Read more

Most people would agree that lawyers and doctors should have professional licenses and oversight to protect the public from malpractice. But does the licensing system actually serve its intended purpose?

In this episode, join host Janelle Wrigley for an insightful conversation with Professor Rebecca Haw Allensworth of Vanderbilt Law School, as she discusses her book, ‘The Licensing Racket: How We Decide Who Is Allowed ...

Read more

Those who could benefit most from the legal system are often those least able to access it. As this episode's guest, Stephen Kinsella, notes, "There are only so many cake stalls and jumble sales you can have in a local community, in order to raise funds to pay a lawyer." So that's where his organisation, Law for Change, steps in – as a Community Interest Company that helps provide financial backing and indemnities to co...

Read more

In this episode, Dan Nardello, the founder of top-tier investigative firm Nardello & Co., speaks with host Teneé Frazier about the evolving role of private investigations within the legal industry. They discuss the increasingly sophisticated nature of investigations, their essential role in complex litigation and dispute resolution, and the need for strict ethical adherence.

Their conversation delv...

Read more

The world can feel hopelessly polarised at times, especially on topics such as racism and criminal justice. If your spirits need lifting, and if you need reassurance that respectful dialogue is possible, even if people disagree with each other, then this episode is for you.

Abimbola Johnson, a barrister at London's Doughty Street Chambers, speaks with host Yasmin Sheikh about her work as chair of t...

Read more

In a recent survey, 79% of legal professionals said they felt the profession had negatively affected their mental health. And over 15% had even considered suicide. These are two of the worrying statistics we learned from this episode's guest, Kent Halkett. Kent is an attorney with the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services who has written articles about mental health in the legal community for a host of publications.

Ke...

Read more

We are leaving future generations to face more challenges than ever. Yet it can be incredibly difficult for governments to act for the long term when so many of their incentives encourage short-term thinking.

In this episode, host Becky Annison chats with Derek Walker, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, about how Wales is attempting to solve this problem. Derek explains why Wales passed...

Read more

Native Americans are fighting for their legal rights across many important fronts in the US. In this episode, Janelle Wrigley speaks with Matthew Campbell, Deputy Director of the Native American Rights Fund, about NARF's legal and advocacy work.

Matthew and Janelle's wide-ranging discussion covers issues such as voting rights, the protection of places that are sacred to tribal nations, and access t...

Read more

"The legal profession is going through significant transformation, and I thought that was a wonderful thing to try and grab with both hands and see what role or part I could play in making that a success," shares this week's guest, Lucie Allen.

For this episode, Lucie Allen, the managing director of the legal education platform BARBRI, sits down with host Yasmin to offer her unique insights on the evolving landscape of...

Read more

"From 1910 to 1997, Black Americans have lost 90 percent of farmland to heir property. The Department of Agriculture has deemed it the worst problem that you've never heard of." These are just two of the staggering facts we've learned about heir property from writer and author Terah Shelton Harris.

Terah chats with new host Tenee' Frazier about her recent novel, Long After We Are Gone. It's about a...

Read more

"Mind your privilege, give not away your right!" With those words, William Penn urged the jurors in his 1670 religious freedom trial to remember the power and the responsibility of their role in the English judicial system. For this episode, we return to the topic of jury nullification – the power of juries to acquit despite evidence of the defendant's guilt – with a fresh take from the UK.

Professor Richard Vogler of ...

Read more

Content warning: This episode discusses sexual violence, domestic violence, and criminalized survivorship. If you or anyone you know needs help, please safely contact one of the organizations in our show notes.

To mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Jenn sits down with Garrard Beeney to discuss his pro bono representation of Nicole "Nikki" Addimando and the issue of criminalized survivorship.

Garrard shares Nikki'...

Read more

In this episode, Yasmin Sheikh interviews Bibi Badejo – a family law barrister at Four Brick Court chambers, in London, and an advocacy coach.

Bibi recounts her journey into law and how she pursued advocacy despite an initial fear of public speaking and a hefty dose of imposter syndrome. These challenges early in her career motivated Bibi to improve her skills through extensive training in the UK, the US and Australia....

Read more

Imagine you are a juror in a criminal trial. The evidence is overwhelming that the defendant is guilty. But you can’t shake the feeling that it would be unjust to convict. Maybe you don’t believe what the defendant did should be treated as a crime. Or maybe you simply believe the defendant deserves mercy. Can you vote to acquit, or must you vote according to the evidence?

It turns out that, in the US and the UK, jurors...

Read more

In the UK you’ll find spectacular beaches and rivers, a nation of wild swimmers and water lovers… and a big pollution problem! Untreated sewage, chemicals and plastic waste are creating a worsening toxic soup. Surfers Against Sewage (https://www.sas.org.uk) has been fighting back for over 30 years – through public campaigns, education programmes and, more recently, an app that lets you check the health status of your fa...

Read more