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
Sep 2, 2024 • 35min
EP. 158 – Giles Bristow (Surfers Against Sewage)
In the UK you’ll find spectacular beaches and rivers, a nation of wild swimmers and water lovers… and a big pollution problem! Untreated sewage, chemicals and plastic waste are creating a worsening toxic soup. Surfers Against Sewage (https://www.sas.org.uk) has been fighting back for over 30 years – through public campaigns, education programmes and, more recently, an app that lets you check the health status of your favourite swim, surf or sail spot.
In this episode, Becky Annison chats to Surfers Against Sewage CEO (and former lawyer) Giles Bristow about the environmental crisis affecting our beaches, rivers, lakes and ponds. The pair also discuss the need for accountability by polluters and water companies, the charity’s goals and how it all began.
Aug 19, 2024 • 54min
EP. 157 – Bryan Garner (Black's Law Dictionary)
Following the recent release of the 12th Edition of Black's Law Dictionary, The Hearing is privileged to welcome its Editor-in-Chief, Bryan Garner, to the show. And to be honest, we're a bit nervous to write this description of our conversation with this esteemed grammarian, lexicographer, and lawyer! You don't hear about fourth graders naming "shan't" as a contraction or teenagers amassing a large vocabulary to impress potential dates. And we don't know about you, but we were too busy staying afloat the first week of law school to begin working on a legal dictionary – and still too busy during our clerkship to see it through to publication. But none of us is Bryan Garner. Bryan chats with Jennifer about his long-time love of linguistics and the obstacles he overcame – from unsupportive professors, uninterested publishers, uncongenial colleagues, and scarce funds – to pursue his passion and strike out on his own. Bryan also pulls back the curtain on the process of editing and updating Black's – and invites you to be a part of it!
To learn more about Bryan Garner, visit https://lawprose.org/bryan-garner/.
Aug 5, 2024 • 32min
EP. 156 – Shaun Wallace (The Chase)
At 15 years old, Shaun Wallace was told that he would most likely end up in prison. Instead, he became a barrister and a TV personality famous for his knowledge mastery – first as a champion of the BBC quiz show Mastermind, and since 2009 as one of the chasers (professional quizzers) on UK television show The Chase.
In this episode, Shaun chats with Yasmin Sheikh about how his love of law, learning, and football led to a career in law and on television, and the setbacks he has overcome along the way.
Jul 22, 2024 • 37min
EP. 155 – Aika Stephenson (Just For Kids Law)
This episode explores the heart-wrenching subject of youth justice. Guest Aika Stephenson is the founder of Just For Kids Law, a UK charity that represents and advocates for children in contact with the criminal justice system. She’s also the author of In Their Defence: Fighting for Youth Justice One Child at a Time (https://www.mombooks.com/book/in-their-defence/). Join host Janelle as she chats with Aika about the extraordinary cases she’s dealt with in her career and how her own background led her to become an advocate for children. Aika provides eye-opening insight on the failures that she has witnessed in the legal system, from the police station to the courtroom, and the impact this has on children and young people.
If you’re interested to hear more about youth justice advocacy, check out episode 22 with Aika's colleague Shauneen Lambe: [https://pod.fo/e/1a42f]
Jul 1, 2024 • 42min
EP. 154 – Zaneta Sedilekova & Ryan James ((re)purpose law)
In this episode, we dive into the philosophical depths of the legal profession – exploring some of the assumptions underpinning Western legal thought and the implications of such assumptions. So nothing we can’t handle. Join host Becky Annison as she talks to Ryan James and Zaneta Sedilekova, the founders of (re)purpose law – a personal development course for lawyers. The trio discuss how legal practices could be harmonised to help tackle the multifaceted crises facing the modern world, and they unravel the mechanistic and anthropocentric mindsets that have long influenced our legal systems. Prepare to learn about the concept of "two-eyed seeing" – which marries Western and Indigenous ways of knowing to forge a path forward that is both holistic and interconnected.
As we navigate the complexities of climate and biodiversity risks, The Hearing offers a platform for innovative concepts that aim for a more socially and ecologically just future. This episode might challenge your perspectives and perhaps help guide us all towards a more equitable and sustainable legal landscape.
Jun 17, 2024 • 40min
EP. 153 – Stuart Grossman & Alex Arteaga-Gomez (Grossman Roth Yaffa Cohen)
In the US, June is no longer just June – it is also National Gun Violence Awareness Month. To that end, this episode delves into one of the most pressing issues facing the US today: school shootings.
Lauren sits down with Stuart Grossman and Alex Arteaga-Gomez, two attorneys at the forefront of US legal efforts to help curb gun violence in schools, to discuss their work on the deadliest mass shooting at a high school in US history – the Parkland shooting. Lauren also chats with Stuart and Alex about the unique aspects of their work, including the sensitivity and understanding of human psychology required, and why litigating cases stemming from tragedy isn't for every lawyer.
Jun 3, 2024 • 32min
EP. 152 – Neil Hudgell (Hudgell Solicitors)
Over decades, hundreds of Post Office employees in the UK were wrongly prosecuted for crimes such as fraud and theft due to accounting errors resulting from faulty software. Many lives were devastated by the false accusations. This week, Yasmin speaks to Neil Hudgell, the Executive Chairman of Hudgell Solicitors, a firm representing many of the claimants in the post office scandal, about the case and his experiences representing individuals who have been through tragic events.
Find out more about The Hearing and other Thomson Reuters podcasts at tr.com/thehearing
May 20, 2024 • 54min
EP. 151 – Jake Heller (CoCounsel, Thomson Reuters)
Jake Heller, CEO of a legal tech company, shares his journey from coding to founding a successful AI product for lawyers. He discusses the evolution of CoCounsel, the impact of AI on the legal field, and balancing entrepreneurship with family life.
May 6, 2024 • 48min
EP. 150 – Lord Tim Clement-Jones CBE
Governments around the world are grappling with how to regulate AI on issues ranging from copyright protections to ethical standards, competition rules and beyond. In this episode, host Becky Annison explores AI governance issues with Lord Tim Clement-Jones CBE, member of the UK House of Lords and former chair of its Artificial Intelligence Select Committee. The pair discuss the challenges of balancing enthusiasm for a new technology with the need to manage its risks. They also chat about areas where AI developers need to be more transparent regarding the construction of their models, and global efforts to set commonly accepted governance standards for AI.
Find out more about The Hearing and other Thomson Reuters podcasts at tr.com/thehearing
Apr 22, 2024 • 51min
EP. 149 – Joe Green (Gunderson Dettmer)
Joe Green, Chief Innovation Officer at Gunderson Dettmer, discusses the evolving legal world, skills lawyers need for new technologies, and his career pivot from corporate lawyer to legal tech influencer. Topics include AI integration, career transitions in law, and the intersection of law, tech, and innovation.
