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 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. Jennifer Thibodaux – An attorney, speaker, and writer based in New Jersey. A member of the Litigation team at Practical Law, where she creates procedural and substantive content, plus professional development resources. Previously, Jennifer was a partner at Gibbons P.C. in Newark, New Jersey, focusing on commercial litigation. Lauren Sobel – An attorney, editor, and frequent presenter on trending legal topics based in New York City. At Practical Law, she uses her experience as a litigator and federal law clerk in multiple jurisdictions to help other attorneys in their practice. Before joining Thomson Reuters, Lauren was a partner at Shutts & Bowen LLP in Miami, Florida, specialising in business litigation. 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
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
Jul 27, 2020 • 48min
EP. 57 – Gina Miller
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
Jul 13, 2020 • 35min
EP. 56 – Chris Mohr (Software & Information Industry Association)
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
Jun 29, 2020 • 36min
EP. 55 – COVID-19: emerging culture and new opportunities for the legal industry
THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – We looked at the business and economic impact of COVID-19 in the first Cross-Examination episode. This week we're turning to its impact on our working culture. Becky speaks to an occupational psychologist, diversity consultant and a head of knowledge management, to find out more about how lawyer's working and personal lives are being affected by lockdown. Interestingly, she learns that many of us have become more efficient, more productive and more caring. But of course, there are exceptions. She asks how lockdown has changed the way we look at mental health concerns in the profession, whether COVID-19 could derail the diversity and inclusion agenda, and what senior colleagues can do to assist trainees and junior staff at this time. This is a fascinating discussion that touches on mental health, the disappearing veneer of corporate identities, and the pressing need to better understand all our colleagues regardless of their background or position. Contributors: - Jens Näsström, Occupational Psychologist & Researcher - Geoffrey Williams, Diversity & Inclusion Consultant - Caroline White-Robinson, Head of Knowledge Management & L&D, Shoosmiths We'd love to hear your comments and suggestions! Follow us on Twitter @HearingPodcast.
Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
Jun 15, 2020 • 46min
EP. 54 – Hashi Mohamed
With Black Lives Matter protests taking place around the world once again, this week’s episode is a great opportunity to better understand the anger, grief and action of recent days. We also have exciting news to bring you as we welcome our new host: a lawyer, disability advocate and founder of Diverse Matters, Yasmin Sheikh. Yasmin spoke to Hashi Mohamed, a barrister who first came to the UK as an unaccompanied child refugee, about his new book, ‘People Like Us’. Weaving into his story, issues around race, class and identity, Hashi speaks of the importance of understanding one’s own context in defying an upbringing beset by poverty and hardship to gain the resilience, drive and confidence needed to radically transform his life. We’d love to hear your comments and suggestions! Follow us on Twitter @HearingPodcast.
Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
Jun 1, 2020 • 26min
EP. 53 – Gail Gove (Reuters)
We’re taking you Stateside this week as our very own legal futurist Joe Raczynski is joined by Reuters General Counsel, Gail Gove. Gail takes us behind the scenes of the case that grabbed the world's attention in 2018: the incredible story of Reuters journalists, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were imprisoned in Myanmar while investigating reports of mass murder. Gail talks to Joe about the all-encompassing nature of the work and what it's like to work with one of the most famous lawyers in the world, Amal Clooney. Starting out as a civil rights lawyer, Gail speaks of the importance of looking at legal issues through a wide-angled, global lens, the minefield of media laws around the world and the importance of having robust journalism. We’d like to hear your comments and suggestions. Follow us on Twitter @HearingPodcast
If you’re interested in finding out more about how US law departments are navigating the new business landscape and adapting to the needs of 2020, download our complimentary report at tr.com/TheHearing.
May 18, 2020 • 54min
EP. 52 – Lord Neuberger
Isolation and IT problems are on the agenda this week, though, refreshingly, Lord Neuberger is talking about life in his judge's chambers rather than Corona lockdown. Former President of the Supreme Court, Lord Neuberger, speaks candidly to Kevin about his feelings of failure in his early career as he went from being a scientist, to City banker, before landing on his feet as a barrister. We hear about Lord Neuberger's rise up the judicial ranks, why he initially turned down a High Court judgeship, and the regrets he had at becoming a judge. Lord Neuberger speaks about the unique challenges associated with the Gina Miller Brexit cases, the politicisation of the judiciary, and the media scrutiny he, his family and fellow judges have had to endure. For more news, insights and best practice on important trends impacting the legal industry, visit Legal Insights Europe: https://blogs.thomsonreuters.com/legal-uk/ For more information to help support you and your business, visit the Thomson Reuters COVID-19 resource centre: https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en/resources/covid-19.html
Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
May 4, 2020 • 24min
EP. 51 – COVID-19: the economic implications for lawyers and law firms
THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – Welcome to our first "The Cross-Examination" episode of The Hearing! We're taking big issues and examining them through a legal lens. And where else to start but with COVID-19? Becky Annison, a commercial lawyer and Practical Law Senior Editor, talks to an economist, insolvency practitioner and business leader to look at how COVID-19 is impacting the legal and business landscape, and its future implications. You'd be forgiven for thinking we've transported to a pre-corona Friday night drink with friends – there's an unlikely link to non-lawyer Natalie Portman as we discuss Black Swans, a trip to the pub and good old-fashioned football chat. We hope you enjoy this episode. Please let us know your thoughts! Contributors:- Stephen Allinson, Chairman of the Board, The Insolvency Service- Lucinda Case, Head of Legal Professionals Europe, Thomson Reuters - Alexis Crow, Global Head of Geopolitical Investing Practice, PwC
For more information to help support you and your business, visit the Thomson Reuters COVID-19 resource centre: https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en/resources/covid-19.html
Apr 20, 2020 • 47min
EP. 50 – Special *Best Bits* Episode
To celebrate our 50th episode, we're taking you down memory lane as we showcase some of the best bits with some of our favourite guests on The Hearing so far. Reminisce with Dame Fiona Woolf and Cherie Blair, who talk about the incredible women in the legal profession, as well as the ongoing challenges with gender inequality. Diversity and inclusion were the order of the day when Yasmin Sheikh joined us, while Brie Stevens-Hoare QC talked about a feeling of not belonging. Highlighting the diversity of discussion that we've had on The Hearing, World Bank Vice-President Sandie Okoro talked to Joe Raczynski about the benefits of working at an organisation that embraced multiculturalism, while former Blur drummer Dave Rowntree spoke about swapping the rockstar life for a career in criminal law. Criminal barrister Jonathan Goldberg QC regaled us with many a colourful tale about some of his more infamous clients. Alastair Campbell opened up about the Hutton Inquiry and his views on the government, while Ken Clarke talked to us about his posh accent and Cambridge education. We've got plenty more great guests—and some new ideas—to bring you. But for now, enjoy our celebratory 50th episode and, of course, stay safe!
Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
