Here at Hearing HQ, we love to hear the real life stories of the people who make up the legal industry. And it’s been a pleasure to speak to Julie Jaggin, from Howard Kennedy, about her career and experiences as a lawyer with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which wasn’t diagnosed until she was 41. Julie and Yasmin talk about the power of labels and the myriad of positives that differently wired brains can bring to a firm. They also discuss the negatives – how a lack of understanding can really damage people's self-perception, as well as their careers. Julie outlines how she has navigated her career to date. And she shares practical ways that neurotypical lawyers can be allies and champions for their neurodiverse colleagues. Related links:– The article Julie wrote for the Law Society - https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/en/topics/lawyers-with-disabilities/the-need-for-different-minds – Law Society guidance on disability inclusion - https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/lawyers-with-disabilities/reasonable-adjustments-in-organisations-best-practice-for-disability-inclusion – Legally Disabled: Career experiences of disabled people in the legal profession - http://legallydisabled.com Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

In the second instalment in our jury system mini-series, Becky Annison speaks to Audrey Cherryl Mogan, a barrister at Garden Court Chambers. The pair chat about Audrey's inspiration for her work and her recent case successfully defending one of six Christian Climate Change activists who obstructed a DLR train during an Extinction Rebellion protest in London. They look at the facts of the case and why the judge believed a trial by jury was the right approach. They also discuss how jury trials support the legislative process, the ways in which our jury system can be criticised, and the challenges facing practitioners in this area. With this mini-series receiving such positive feedback, we look forward to continuing our deep dive into the role of jury trials. As always, if you have any feedback, guest suggestions or topic ideas, please get in touch. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

This is the first instalment in our special mini-series on the jury system. Following some recent cases, we decided to examine the integral role of jury trials in our justice system, and why it’s important that defendants have the opportunity to be judged by their peers. In this episode, Yasmin talks to Liam Walker QC, who successfully defended one of the Colston Four. Liam appeared for Sage Willoughby who was tried at Bristol Crown Court, along with three others, for pulling down and damaging the statue of slaver Edward Colston during a Black Lives Matter protest in June 2020. The four defendants were acquitted by a jury, despite admitting they all played a part in the statue's removal. In part two of our series, you can hear Becky interview Audrey Cherryl Mogan. Audrey successfully defended one of six environmental activists who obstructed a DLR train in London, during an Extinction Rebellion protest in April 2019. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

February is US Black History Month and to celebrate we have a special episode featuring the Law Firm Antiracism Alliance (LFAA). Our guest host, Thomson Reuters' Chief Legal Officer, Thomas Kim sits down with the LFAA's co-founders, Brenna DeVaney and Kiisha Morrow. As you will hear, Brenna and Kiisha have had an inspirational journey. Thomas asks them what inspired them to set up the alliance and what drives them forward. They talk about the inception of the LFAA, as well as the challenges and successes they've had so far in their fight against systemic racism. The pair also explain why they believe lawyers are the key to bringing about effective change, and discuss their long-term ambitions for the LFAA. We hope you're as inspired as us by this episode and invite all our listeners to reach out to Kiisha and Brenna to get involved with the LFAA's important work. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

In this episode, Yasmin goes back to school to meet the dean of BPP University Law School, Jo-Anne Pugh. They discuss what legal education is like for students who are at the beginning of their careers, and how the learning is evolving to fit (and indeed informing) the modern legal ecosystem. The pair also chat about the concept and real life experience of 'o-shaped lawyers' – a term that’s likely to become more prevalent in industry thought leadership this year. And Jo provides an insight into the future of legal learning in a post-pandemic world. Even if your university days are well behind you now, we think you’ll appreciate hearing about the new dynamic between educators and the legal profession, and getting an insight into the kinds of changes you can expect to see coming through the ranks. Enjoy! Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

During the last week of May 2021, significant gains were made in the battle against climate change. In this episode, Becky Annison talks to Mark van Baal, the founder of the international pressure group Follow This, about what happened. Was this the beginning of a sea-change that could save the world? What some commentators bill as the start of the end of fossil fuel was driven in part by activist shareholders, as well as through the courts. The big oil companies are now being asked in very real terms by customers and shareholders to treat the Paris Climate Agreement seriously. Becky and Mark discuss the intricate ways that company law is being leveraged to drive this peaceful rebellion. We sometimes hear from lawyers that they can feel disheartened that their work isn't always a force for good. Mark, a relatively unknown journalist before the advent of Follow This, talks to us about how we can all make a difference, and his belief that the legal industry in particular holds the key to a brighter future. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

We could try to make a witty or poignant comment about this year, but we respect you all too much for that. We all know what 2021 was – and it wasn't the antidote to 2020 we'd hoped for (oops, there's the comment). We know what is was, however – it was another smashing year for The Hearing. We introduced two wonderful new hosts – Yasmin Sheikh and Becky Annison – to join Joe Raczynski. Each bringing their own perspectives and specialist legal backgrounds. In this bumper episode, we're revisiting our favourite interviews. It's been another varied year and there was never a dull moment. But whether we were speaking to celebrity judges, lawtech innovators or examining current affairs through a legal lens, you’ll notice a common theme – fact and truth. Less common, but just as welcome, was the singing. As always, please do get in touch with any comments or questions. And please rate and subscribe if you like what we do. If any of these highlights whet your appetite for more, here’s where you’ll find the full conversations: – Ep.69, Lady Hale – Ep.71, COVID-19 vaccines: will they unite or divide us? – Ep.73, Federico Ast (Kleros) – Ep.74, Will Moy (Full Fact) – Ep.76, Laura Bates (Everyday Sexism Project) – Ep.77, The impact of AI and algorithms on the fairness of our justice systems – Ep.78, Stevie Ghiassi (Legaler) – Ep.79, Freddy McConnell – Ep.84, Andy Wishart (Agiloft) Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

This is an episode that may resonate with many of you. Yasmin speaks to Trevor Sterling about the chance turn of events that led him to pursuing a career in law. And, in spite of Trevor’s unconventional route into the profession, in July 2021 he made history by becoming the first black senior partner at a top 100 UK law firm. Trevor, a personal injury and clinical negligence practitioner, has been involved in lots of high profile and landmark cases – including acting on behalf of 60 Jimmy Savile abuse victims and families of those killed in the 2016 Croydon tram crash. Yasmin also chats to Trevor about his rise to the top and, more importantly, his determination to bring others from disadvantaged backgrounds with him. As you will hear, Trevor is a lawyer who cares passionately about improving diversity and social equality. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

Yasmin's guest for this episode is something of an inspiration. I. Stephanie Boyce is the 177th president of the Law Society of England and Wales. But she’s the society’s first black office holder, and only the sixth woman to hold the presidency. And, as you will hear, she had to overcome lots of barriers to get there. Yasmin and Stephanie talk about her route to becoming president and her mission to make the Law Society more inclusive and diverse. Growing up, she faced a unique set of challenges, but kept fighting and kept a revolutionary mindset that informs her work today. Stephanie also discusses the campaigning she is doing on behalf of female legal professionals in Afghanistan and the efforts of the global legal community to help ensure the safety of our Afghan colleagues. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

Bitcoin: bringing FOMO since 2013. What would your scream sound like if you had dismissed Bitcoin as a joke in your law class in 2013 at $100 dollars – when it sits at $60,000 today? Joe's guest this week is Houman Shadab, the Director of the Innovation Center for Law and Technology at New York Law School. He's here to tell us how lawyers can navigate, benefit from and translate today’s new wave of rapid technological advances. Houman talks us through the greenroom snacks at the US Capitol before he testified – what we really wanted to know. And, in a throwback to Mark Zuckerberg's uncomfortable testimony before congress ("Sir, we run ads"), he tells Joe about his experience of sitting in front of the US government explaining the implications of various securities laws on hedge funds. We're a curious bunch at The Hearing, so we asked Houman to tell us what lawyers and legal students can do to better enable themselves for success. The answer seems to lie in no-code. Houman explains what the heck this is and why it matters to the legal ecosystem. So, get your notepad and digital wallet ready and press play! Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing