unSILOed with Greg LaBlanc

572. The Court of Public Opinion: Cancel Culture and Legal Education feat. Ilya L. Shapiro

Aug 4, 2025
Ilya Shapiro, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and author of 'Lawless,' discusses the shifting landscape of legal education and the deepening politicization of judicial appointments. He highlights the influence of cancel culture, emphasizing the challenges of fostering free speech in law schools. Ilya critiques the ideological biases permeating legal academia and proposes reforms for a more balanced educational system. Their engaging conversation touches on the implications of these trends for the legal profession and the broader society.
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INSIGHT

Politics and Judicial Appointments History

  • Politics have always influenced judicial appointments since the founding of the U.S.
  • Modern conflicts reflect diverging constitutional philosophies mapped onto polarized parties.
INSIGHT

Law as Countermajoritarian Check

  • Law serves as a check on majoritarian impulses protecting individual rights.
  • Judges must interpret law independently, not just reflect popular or political views.
INSIGHT

Federal Power Amplifies Judicial Politics

  • The federal government's vast power intensifies conflict over judicial philosophies.
  • Court decisions often resolve political controversies because Congress and bureaucracies have ceded that power.
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