

Advisory Opinions
The Dispatch
Advisory Opinions is a legal podcast by The Dispatch. Hosts David French and Sarah Isgur meet twice a week to talk about the law, the courts, their collision with politics, and why it all matters.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Sep 20, 2022 • 1h 8min
The Supreme Court Sides With Process
Back in the saddle, Sarah and David explain the Supreme Court’s decision on Yeshiva University v. Youth Pride Alliance (spoiler: this isn’t over yet). Plus: Who gets to censor who in the battle between Texas and tech platforms?Show Notes:-Yeshiva University v. Youth Pride Alliance-NetChoice v. Ken Paxton-Donald Trump v. the United States-Ilya Somin Reason Magazine piece on Texas’ social media law-Andrew Sullivan on monarchy and pre-Enlightenment institutions
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Sep 13, 2022 • 55min
Getting Your Legal Career Started
While David is still away on his well-earned vacation, it’s time for some career advice! Megan L. Brown – partner at Wiley Rein LLP – joins Sarah to talk about choosing (and getting hired by) the right law firm. How to get your best self across in interviews? How to judge a firm’s work culture? Is it wise to inquire about a firm’s work-life balance? And, most importantly, should you take career pointers from Netflix’s Partner Track? All shall be answered.Oh, and by the way, the views expressed in this episode are Megan’s and Sarah’s, they do not represent necessarily the views of Wiley Rein, its partners or clients.Editor's Note: Views expressed are not necessarily the views of Wiley Rein, its partners or clients
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Sep 8, 2022 • 1h 20min
Special Master to Review Mar-a-Lago Documents
A federal judge ordered the appointment of a special master to review the sensitive documents seized at Mar-a-Lago. Orin Kerr, law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, joins Sarah to break down the ruling. Then, Sarah is joined by Thomas Lee, former associate chief justice of the Utah Supreme Court, for another discussion of corpus linguistics. Show Notes:-A Corpus Linguistic Analysis of 'Foreign Tribunal'-Corpus Juris Advisors-Judging Ordinary Meaning-Data-Driven Originalism
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Sep 2, 2022 • 1h 18min
Trump vs. DOJ in Courtroom Battle
David and Sarah are here to make sense of the latest back and forth between the Justice Department and Trump’s legal team over classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. Plus: a closer look at the legal merits of the student loan forgiveness plan and two religious liberty cases. Show Notes:-DOJ response to Trump's special master request-OLC opinion on student loan forgiveness plan-Fellowship of Christian Athletes v. San Jose Unified School District Board of Education-Yeshiva University v. YU Pride Alliance
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Aug 30, 2022 • 1h 9min
Will Baude Responds to Common Good Constitutionalism
David and Sarah are joined by Will Baude, professor of law at the University of Chicago Law School, to discuss his review of Adrian Vermeule's new book Common Good Constitutionalism. What is “common good constitutionalism” and can David and Will convince Sarah that it’s a thing? Is international law real? And does anyone have standing in any upcoming legal challenges to President Biden’s student loan debt relief plan? Show Notes:-The American Prospect: What Common Good?-Reason: The "Common-Good" Manifesto-Ius & Iustitium: The Bourbons of Jurisprudence-Reason: The "Common-Good" Manifesto: Vermeule Responds
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Aug 25, 2022 • 48min
Future of Cultivated Meat
David and Sarah are joined by Bruce Friedrich, founder and CEO of the Good Food Institute, to discuss cultivated meat and the next agricultural revolution. What’s the difference between plant-based meat and cultivated meat? What’s the environmental impact of reimagining meat production? If it’s August, it’s our meat episode. Show Notes:-Bruce Friedrich’s TED Talk-Good Food Institute
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Aug 23, 2022 • 1h 4min
50 Ways of No
David and Sarah discuss two Florida free speech cases and a very strange North Carolina one too about whether a court can strike down legislation if some of the legislators were elected from gerrymandered districts. And there's a very special guest at the end with a song to share.
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Aug 18, 2022 • 1h 2min
Bret Devereaux Talks Orc Battle Tactics
Bret Devereaux is an ancient and military historian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and is here to discuss military tactics of some of fiction's biggest battles from The Lord of the Rings to Game of Thrones. Can David contain his excitement? Does Sarah understand anything being said? Show Notes:-A Collection of Unmitigated Pedantry
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Aug 16, 2022 • 1h 19min
Mar-a-Lago Search Part of Espionage Act Investigation
Ed O'Callaghan, partner at WilmerHale and former principal associate deputy attorney general, joins David and Sarah to discuss the news that the FBI’s search of former President Donald Trump’s home is part of an investigation into possible violations of the Espionage Act. What does that mean? How does this all work? Show Notes:-French Press: Apply the Hillary Clinton Rule to Donald Trump
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Aug 11, 2022 • 57min
Kevin Stroud Talks the History of English
Kevin Stroud, creator and voice of the History of English podcast, joins David and Sarah for an exciting deep dive into the history of the English language and the roots of legalese. Stroud traces the complex history of Old English, Old Norse, French, and Latin words within the American legal system, and details the story behind the first written Old English code of law. Plus: What roles do poetry and alliteration play in the court? And why does language evolve so much over time? Show Notes:-History of English podcast-Law of Æthelberht
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