The Hearing – A Legal Podcast
Thomson Reuters
The Hearing is a legal podcast from Thomson Reuters. Listen to insightful discussions with lawyers, legal experts, and other interesting people connected to the legal industry. We delve into anything and everything – trailblazers in the law, the latest insights on legal innovation and trends, and how the profession is evolving. With hosts based in the UK and the US, we cover issues around the globe. Our current hosts: Becky Annison – Trained at a London law firm before moving in-house. Spent 12 years as a senior solicitor in a large international company, before joining Practical Law's In-house practice area team. Now, as Head of Engagement for The Chancery Lane Project, Becky uses her knowledge of contracting and law to help tackle the climate crisis. Janelle Wrigley – An attorney based in California. As head of the Antitrust & Competition team at Practical Law, leads a team of lawyers producing practical guidance for competition lawyers worldwide. Previously, Janelle was a litigator at the US Federal Trade Commission and at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York. Teneé Frazier – An attorney, editor, and speaker based in Alabama. As a member of the State and Local Government team at Practical Law, she uses her expertise in municipal law to produce substantive content for local government attorneys. Previously, Teneé was Assistant General Counsel at the Alabama League of Municipalities. Yasmin Sheikh – Executive coach, trainer, consultant, and speaker, with a background as a lawyer – practising for 12 years in a large international law firm. Founder of Diverse Matters – which helps promote equality, diversity, and inclusivity within organisations. Yasmin is also a former vice chair of the Disabled Solicitors Network at the Law Society of England and Wales. Find out more about The Hearing and other Thomson Reuters podcasts at tr.com/thehearing.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 4, 2020 • 35min
EP. 67 – Brexit in the time of Covid
THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – Although we're being playful with the title, there are some comparisons to be drawn between this episode and Gabriel García Márquez's classic novel Love in a Time of Cholera. We're covering issues of epic proportions, and it does feel like Brexit and Covid have both spanned several lifetimes. Our host Becky Annison isn't one to romanticise, but she does look at the positives and opportunities for legal teams with her guest experts, Moni Mannings and David Thorneloe. At the time of recording, we're a few short weeks away from the final Brexit deadline. There's been good news globally about potential COVID-19 vaccines and many are looking forward to the end of the year that was 2020. This episode aims to help businesses bring the year safely into the Brexit harbour in the face of depleted resources and unknown challenges. Contributors: - Moni Mannings, FTSE100 Independent Non-Executive Director - David Thorneloe, Legal Director, Pinsent Masons
Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
Nov 23, 2020 • 44min
EP. 66 – Christina Blacklaws
Star Trek gave us prototype mobile phones. In Back To The Future, Doc Brown and Marty McFly predicted voice recognition technology. And, as this episode discusses, it was Minority Report in 2002 that foresaw predictive policing. This week, Yasmin chats to Christina Blacklaws – a strategic consultant and the 174th president of the Law Society. Christina is also an expert on legal technology and chair of the MoJ's LawTech Delivery Panel. She describes the transformation happening in the legal sector and how computer algorithms are already being used in profound ways that impact our justice system. Legal tech aside, Christina and Yasmin discuss how a majority of women entering the profession becomes a minority of leaders, and the work being done to address this. They also examine how COVID-19's impact has made technology, flexible working and mental wellness even better companions.
Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
Nov 6, 2020 • 45min
EP. 65 – Special *US Election* Episode
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
Nov 2, 2020 • 43min
EP. 64 – Daniel Winterfeldt (InterLaw Diversity Forum)
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
Oct 19, 2020 • 36min
EP. 63 – Climate change and The Chancery Lane Project
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
Oct 5, 2020 • 38min
EP. 62 – Ron Levine (Herrick, Feinstein LLP)
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
Sep 21, 2020 • 39min
EP. 61 – Chris Fry (Fry Law)
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
Sep 7, 2020 • 49min
EP. 60 – Radd Seiger (Confluence Crisis Management Services)
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
Aug 24, 2020 • 36min
EP. 59 – David Brown (TLDEF)
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
Aug 10, 2020 • 48min
EP. 58 – Ethical leadership in the law and racial justice
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
