In this special US election instalment of The Hearing, Sanaz Asgharzadeh talks politics with Joe Raczynski. Sanaz used to be an attorney at a major firm and now heads her own practice, Atlas Law Firm. With the caveat that at the time of recording a victor had not yet been chosen, and with the votes continuing to be counted in several swing states, Joe and Sanaz describe the current mood of the US as it waits to find out who will emerge victorious. Sanaz talks about her background as an Iranian immigrant in the US, and how that shaped her interests in the law and political process. She takes us on a deep dive of the US electoral college system and discusses the potential for post-election litigation and the impact it could have on the outcome. Sanaz also takes us through hypothetical scenarios involving the incumbent that might once have seemed unlikely, but in these unprecedented times are worthy of consideration. Finally, she discusses the importance of counting all of the ballots and the need for transparency in the process. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

How is sexual orientation considered in the modern workplace? How has the LGBTQ+ community been affected by COVID-19? What practical steps can people take to be an active ally beyond Pride and rainbow lanyards?This week Yasmin talks with Honorary QC, MBE, and Founder & Chair of InterLaw Diversity Forum, Daniel Winterfeldt.Yasmin and Daniel talk about how the InterLaw Diversity Forum focuses on cultural change in the workplace to foster inclusion for diverse talent in the legal sector and promote meritocracy across all sectors.They also discuss the need for law firms and businesses to follow through on their commitments to cultural change in the legal workplace and how this can lead to wider systemic change for all. Find out more at TR.com/TheHearing

THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – On The Hearing, we hear from so many who have entered the legal profession with bold ambitions to change the world for the better. This week's guests may just do that. Becky talks to three determined lawyers about their involvement in a legal pro bono project to fight climate change. The Chancery Lane Project brings together legal professionals to create practical solutions to help reverse climate change. Their vision is a world in which every contract and law enables and encourages businesses to have a positive impact on the environment. They talk through perhaps one of the biggest issues when confronting the climate crisis: its scale. The effects of climate change are incredibly complex and somewhat abstract. Translating that into tangible solutions is a huge challenge that The Chancery Lane Project is addressing through legal hackathons and collaborative problem-solving. Contributors:- Matthew Gingell, General Counsel, Oxygen House Group- Yasmin Waljee OBE, International Pro Bono Director, Hogan Lovells- Dan Summers, Commercial Lawyer, Environment Agency Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

In this week's episode, we showcase a conversation between Ron Levine, General Counsel at Herrick, Feinstein LLP, and host Joe Raczynski. Ron, a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, speaks as a thoughtful realist, proponent for good, and a practitioner of what he preaches. He bears witness as a 40-year litigator, discussing the fascinating dealings of what happens behind the class action suit scenes, describing a lack of transparency, and what he would do to improve the system. Ron dives into the importance of technology, as a crusader for others in the field. Specifically, in the eDiscovery space he stresses the importance of tools, AI, and being smart about (of all things) the use of email. He also discusses what the future of litigation might look like with prediction modelling and big data. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

In this episode Yasmin chats to renowned equality and human rights lawyer Chris Fry. His Sheffield-based firm, Fry Law, represents people who have been treated unfairly by a service provider due to their disability, age, race, gender, sexual orientation or religion. Chris talks about the landmark cases that have put him and his team of lawyers at the forefront of some profound changes, particularly for people with disabilities. He also outlines the huge impact the knock-on consequences of COVID-19 have had on certain groups; for example, by restricting their access to basic necessities like food. Chris opens up about the work he and his fellow campaigners are doing to empower those people, and he reveals the fuel behind his unrelenting drive for justice. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

We've all heard of the tragic Harry Dunn case, and that's because of this week's guest, Radd Seiger. He took the case on simply because he was a concerned neighbour of Harry’s grieving family. Radd talks to Becky about his motivations, and what's involved in working to get justice for a client, in this case, a family. For international legal cases, such as this, it can be easy to get mired in the complexity of the politics, diplomacy and international relations and forget that for the client, all they want is some form of justice and to find the best way to move forward. A lot of lawyers enter the profession because they have a passion for justice, doing right and making the world better. Becky and Radd touch on how to reconcile that mission with the day-to-day tasks of being a lawyer and the impact it can have on mental health. They talk about the capacity and skills that lawyers have to open doors for their clients and to bring them on a journey. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

In this episode Joe is joined by David Brown, Legal Director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF). TLDEF is a transgender-led organisation fighting for transgender rights through litigation and other legal avenues. Working with numerous law firms, David and his team bring lawsuits to demonstrate how statutes are unequal and discriminatory. David tells Joe how his family inspired him to want to fight injustice. And he explains how TLDEF strategically selects cases with the ultimate aim of moving the law and the equality agenda forward, while also ensuring they authentically represent transgender people's lives. David talks about the importance of finding commonalities when discussing transgender people and the discrimination they face. Like anyone, transgender people want a nice place to live, a steady job and access to healthcare. But in many parts of the world, such fundamentals of life are often denied. David and Joe also discuss intersectionality, and how transgender people of colour are even more likely to face discrimination due to greater distrust and fear. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – In this episode Becky hosts a discussion on the role of lawyers as ethical leaders and their relationship with racial justice. She's joined by Abimbola Johnson, a criminal barrister, and Carlos Brown, a senior VP and GC, to examine racial issues from UK and US perspectives. Lawyers have a unique position, enjoying a status as trusted professionals who give advice and provide solutions to an array of issues, yet they're not generally thought of as ethical leaders. And while lawyers frequently deal with various systems of justice, the connection between this work and justice can often be obscured by the detail of day-to-day tasks. Carlos, Abimbola and Becky speak about the current relationship between the legal profession and racial justice, the fundamental nature of justice in society, how it differs from due process, and why the law is always running a few steps behind justice and ethics. Contributors:- Carlos M. Brown, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, Dominion Energy- Abimbola Johnson, Barrister, 25 Bedford Row Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

For this week's guest, threats to her life, staying away from restaurants and supermarkets and covering her face to go outside has been a reality since long before lockdown. Yasmin sat down with justice campaigner, Gina Miller for a wide-ranging chat that covered the abuse of women of colour in the media, the importance of dialogue and empathy, and the lessons in resilience she's had from her father and daughter. Since she entered the spotlight following landmark legal rulings over Brexit, Gina has faced incredible scrutiny and has become, as one newspaper put it, “an easy target” for abuse. However, she talks about how she has been able to use her position to speak to many of her critics and hopefully help to transform their opinions and prejudices. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

This week we’re taking you across the pond to talk privacy, piracy, and intellectual property. Before lockdown, Joe Raczynski sat down with Chris Mohr, VP for Intellectual Property and GC at Software and Information Industry Association. Working at the heart of the US federal government in Washington DC, Chris tells us about life as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill and how he navigates the challenges posed by different global approaches to intellectual property. He also talks about the intersection between IP and privacy law and the Constitution, as most data is effectively speech for Constitutional purposes, there are fundamental conflicts when people’s privacy rights are at stake. Ever the futurist, Joe and Chris talk about where AI might be taking us and what IP implications there may be, as they ponder whether machines are legally allowed to be inventors. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing