Lawyer 2 Lawyer

In a world of iPhones, social media, video games, and the latest technology, teenagers and children are captivated by the allure of media and technology. After the recent school shooting in Florida, the topic of video game violence and its impact on children and teenagers was addressed at a listening session at the White House. In searching for answers behind the shooting, President Trump suggested that violent video games be regulated. In the 2011 Supreme Court ruling of Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association, it was decided that California law restricting sales of violent video games to minors violated the right to free speech. On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, host Craig Williams and Bob Ambrogi join Cheryl Olson, internationally-known researcher on video game violence, and Professor Kevin W. Saunders, author of the book Violence as Obscenity: Limiting the Media's First Amendment Protection, to discuss regulation of video game violence, the Brown v. Entertainment Merchants Association 2011 ruling, the Supreme Court, and the impact of video games on children and teenagers. Cheryl K. Olson is an internationally known expert on using media to change behavior (promoting mental and physical health) and effects of electronic media on children. Cheryl co-founded the Center for Mental Health and Media at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School. Professor Kevin W. Saunders is the Charles Clarke Chair in Constitutional Law at Michigan State University College of Law. Professor Saunders is the author of two books, “Violence as Obscenity: Limiting the Media's First Amendment Protection and “Saving Our Children from the First Amendment.”

Last month, Jared Kushner, senior adviser and son in law to President Trump, had his security clearance downgraded. What led to Kushner’s security clearance downgrade and is it a threat to our national security to have Kushner remain a senior adviser to the President?

On February 14, 2018, a shooter opened fire at Marjory Stoneman Douglas high school in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 and wounding many. We have covered mass shootings over the years here on Lawyer 2 Lawyer. From Sandy Hook to Orlando, and most recently Las Vegas, Mass shootings seem to be becoming the new normal. Gun advocates voice their concerns over a growing problem of individuals with mental health issues, where the anti-gun movement calls for stricter regulations and legislation when it comes to the purchasing of guns. On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, hosts Bob Ambrogi and Craig Williams join attorney Stephen P. Halbrook, senior fellow at the Independent Institute, and professor John J. Donohue III from Stanford Law School, as they discuss this recent tragedy, mental health, gun legislation and gun control, and what can be done to prevent future mass shootings. Attorney Stephen P. Halbrook is senior fellow at the Independent Institute and author of the forthcoming book, Gun Control in Nazi-Occupied France. Professor John J. Donohue III is from Stanford Law School and has been one of the leading empirical researchers in the legal academy over the past 25 years. Special thanks to our sponsors, Clio and Litera.

Last week, a controversial 4 page memo created by Republican staffers and House Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes alleging abuse of surveillance authority by the Justice Department and FBI was released after being declassified by President Trump. In a nutshell, the Nunes memo alleges that the FBI may have relied on “politically motivated or questionable sources" to obtain a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant in the early phases of the FBI's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, hosts Bob Ambrogi and Craig Williams join Robert E. Anderson, Jr., managing director of Navigant and a former national security executive with the FBI, and John Malcolm, vice president of the Institute for Constitutional Government for the Heritage Foundation and former deputy assistant attorney general in the Department of Justice Criminal Division, as they discuss the release of the Nunes memo, impact, the Democrat’s response to the memo, FISA, and the legalities surrounding this release. Robert E. Anderson, Jr. is managing director of Navigant. After serving with the FBI for over 20 years, Anderson is a recognized expert in cybersecurity, incident response, cyber hacking, counterintelligence, and economic espionage. John Malcolm is vice president of the Institute for Constitutional Government for the Heritage Foundation, director of the Meese Center for Legal & Judicial Studies, and Senior Legal Fellow. Special thanks to our sponsors, Clio and Litera.

Gerrymandering is the dividing of a state, county, etc. into election districts so as to give one political party a majority in many districts while concentrating the voting strength of the other party into as few districts as possible. This strategy has been deployed by both political parties throughout history. In gerrymandering, “cracking” and “packing” are tactics of drawing peculiarly shaped districts to capture the desired results. Currently redistricting litigation remains pending in eight states and just this week, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down the state’s congressional map, saying it illegally benefits the GOP, violating the state constitution. On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, host Craig Williams joins professor Edward B. Foley, director of Election Law at Moritz College of Law, and Thomas Wolf, counsel with the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, to discuss the history of gerrymandering, redistricting litigation across the nation, and the impact of gerrymandering on elections. Professor Edward B. Foley (Ned) is director of Election Law at Moritz College of Law/Ohio State’s law school, where he also holds the Ebersold Chair in Constitutional Law. Thomas (Tom) Wolf is counsel with the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice, focusing on redistricting issues. Special thanks to our sponsors, Clio and Litera.

On January 4th, 2018, Attorney General Jeff Sessions rescinded Obama-era policy instructing federal prosecutors not to prioritize prosecutions against violators of federal drug laws in states that had decriminalized marijuana at the state level. This announcement came days after new legalization measures took effect in California. While many states have legalized at the state level, the drug is still illegal everywhere in the United States under federal law. On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, host, Craig Williams joins Paul Armentano, deputy director of NORML and Paul Larkin, senior legal research fellow for the Heritage Foundation's Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies, to discuss Attorney General Jeff Sessions' efforts to rescind the Obama-era policies on marijuana, the impact on state’s marijuana legislation, and how this announcement will impact marijuana litigation and the marijuana business. Paul Armentano is deputy director of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws. Paul Larkin is senior legal research fellow for the Heritage Foundation's Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies.

Lawyer 2 Lawyer has covered the Mueller investigation, sexual misconduct allegations, the Take a Knee movement, DACA, censorship and hate speech, the Equifax breach, the devastation of Hurricane Irma and Maria, and many legal stories surrounding President Trump. This past year in the law has been anything but boring. On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, hosts Bob Ambrogi and Craig Williams join longtime producer, Kate Nutting, to take a look at the year in review. Bob and Craig answer audience questions from the mailbag and talk about the show, the law, and even themselves! Kate Nutting is a longtime producer for Lawyer 2 Lawyer on the Legal Talk Network. She also produces Ringler Radio and works closely with hosts and staff to schedule all of Legal Talk Network’s podcasts. Special thanks to our sponsors, Clio and Litera.

As we approach the holidays, giving is the true meaning of the season. Former U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno once said, “Being a lawyer is not merely a vocation. It is a public trust, and each of us has an obligation to give back to our communities.” And the legal community continues to make strides in assisting clients and mentoring individuals who are in need of assistance. On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, host Bob Ambrogi joins attorney Jessie Kornberg, president and CEO of Bet Tzedek, attorney Shamika T. Askew-Storay, owner and managing attorney of the Storay Advocacy Group, P.A., and attorney Ricky Patel, partner with the firm Farrell Patel Jomarron & Lopez, as we spotlight three attorneys who are giving back to their community, not only during the holiday season, but year round. Attorney Jessie Kornberg is the president and CEO of Bet Tzedek, a respected public-interest law firm out of Los Angeles, California. Attorney Shamika T. Askew-Storay is the owner and managing attorney of the Storay Advocacy Group, P.A. (SAG) located in Brandon, Florida. Attorney Ricky Patel is partner with the firm, Farrell Patel Jomarron & Lopez. Special thanks to our sponsors, Clio and Litera.

Matt Lauer, Senator Al Franken, Roy Moore, Harvey Weinstein, President Trump. From movie moguls and politicians to top media personalities, sexual misconduct and harassment allegations have flooded the news cycle. But the problem of sexual harassment not only lies in Hollywood,  Capitol Hill, and newsrooms, allegations exist in the workplace, most notably in law firms. The legal website, Above the Law, hosts a series titled “The Pink Ghetto”, which spotlights real life stories from victims of sexual harassment in law firms. In this episode of Lawyer 2 Lawyer, hosts, Bob Ambrogi and J. Craig Williams join attorney and professor Joanna L. Grossman, the inaugural Ellen K. Solender Endowed Chair in Women and the Law at SMU Dedman School of Law, and attorney Kathryn Rubino, editor for “Above the Law” and columnist for “Corporette,” to discuss sexual harassment at law firms. We will take a look at how the recent widespread allegations of sexual misconduct allegations in the news have impacted policy at law firms, the prevalence of sexual harassment in the legal profession, and what needs to change in workplace policy. Attorney and professor Joanna L. Grossman is the inaugural Ellen K. Solender Endowed Chair in Women and the Law at SMU Dedman School of Law. Attorney Kathryn Rubino is editor for Above the Law and columnist for Corporette.

On October 30, 2017, federal charges were filed against President Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and former Trump campaign official Rick Gates. Charges were filed in connection to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible collusion between the 2016 Presidential campaign and the Russian government. On October 5, 2017, President Trump’s foreign policy adviser, George Papadopoulos, plead guilty for giving false statements to the FBI. On Lawyer 2 Lawyer, guest host Laurence Colletti joins attorney Mark Zaid, a Washington, D.C. based attorney specializing in national security, and attorney Douglas W. Kmiec, professor of constitutional law and Caruso Family Chair in constitutional law at Pepperdine Law and Ambassador of the United States (Ret.,) to discuss the recent charges in Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 Presidential campaign. They will take a look at the charges, the players involved, who will be the next to be charged, potential pardons, and whether President Trump will be charged by Mueller. Attorney Mark S. Zaid is a Washington, D.C. attorney who specializes in crisis management and complex administrative and litigation matters relating to national security, international law, and the Freedom of Information/Privacy Act. Attorney Douglas W. Kmiec is a professor of constitutional law and Caruso Family Chair in constitutional law at Pepperdine University and Ambassador of the United States (Ret.). Special thanks to our sponsors, Clio and Litera.