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
Jul 4, 2022 • 44min
EP. 99 – Troy Atkin (The Weightlifting Lawyer)
Yasmin is doing the heavy lifting for this latest episode: interviewing The Weight Lifting Lawyer, Troy Atkin – a trainee solicitor at Biscoes in Portsmouth. The pair talk about Troy’s social media brand, his first career in hospitality and the incident that led him to the law. Troy's route to success is a testament to a profession that increasingly values other industry experience in its lawyers. Troy says his hospitality background is what fuels his unmistakable passion for client care. Troy explains how he juggles a busy caseload with his training as a power lifter. He also shares his tips around mental health resilience and how he deals with any setbacks or lows . The pair also discuss ways that law firms can support those earlier in their careers, by providing an open forum and having managers that firmly steer juniors towards a healthy work/life balance.
Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
Jun 20, 2022 • 38min
EP. 98 – Trust and scepticism for lawyers: getting the balance right
THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – This episode is a panel discussion where Becky and three guests – Dr. Larry Richard, Ann Rainhart and Michael Callier – examine the meaning of trust and how it relates to the perception of lawyers in their work. As a lawyer, you rely heavily on interpersonal trust, but you also need to be sceptical. And is this scepticism – an essential lawyering skill – hindering your professional relationships? Together, the group delve into the complex layers of these opposing necessities of trust and scepticism. They discuss the personality traits that can help lawyers succeed on behalf of their clients without compromising integrity, and they reveal a need for vulnerability that may surprise you! Guests: – Dr. Larry Richard, Founder & Principal Consultant, LawyerBrain – Ann Rainhart, Chief Strategy Officer, Taft – Michael Callier, Vice President & Global Head of Consulting, Factor
Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
May 30, 2022 • 44min
EP. 97 – Dr Charlotte Proudman (Goldsmith Chambers)
In this episode Yasmin catches up with a previous guest – Charlotte Proudman: feminist, family barrister and agent for change.Charlotte talks about her work fighting for the survivors of sexual violence and what the problems are with our current justice system. The pair also discuss the introduction of no-fault divorces in the UK and why this change is long overdue.This episode won’t disappoint if you’re a fan of straight-talking advocates. Do you agree with Charlotte – do we need a feminist revolution?
Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
May 9, 2022 • 45min
EP. 96 – The Model Contract Clauses for Human Rights Project
Devoted listeners to The Hearing will be familiar with the work of The Chancery Lane Project – which helps lawyers use contracts to fight climate change. This episode is about using a similar concept to tackle modern slavery and other human rights abuses. Becky speaks to Olivia Windham Stewart and Sarah Dadush about their work with the American Bar Association to help improve the human rights performance of contracts and supply chains. They talk about how supply contracts often inadvertently increase human rights and environmental risk, by being too onerous. This episode shows how you can be an ally to this cause, and make a meaningful difference, simply by reviewing the supply contracts used by your firm. Guests: – Olivia Windham Stewart, Business & Human Rights Specialist – Sarah Dadush, Professor of Law at Rutgers Law School
Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
Apr 18, 2022 • 44min
EP. 95 – Julie Jaggin (Howard Kennedy)
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
Apr 4, 2022 • 47min
EP. 94 – Jury trials pt.2 (Audrey Cherryl Mogan, Garden Court Chambers)
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
Mar 14, 2022 • 55min
EP. 93 – Jury trials pt.1 (Liam Walker QC, Doughty Street Chambers)
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
Feb 21, 2022 • 40min
EP. 92 – Law Firm Antiracism Alliance
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
Feb 7, 2022 • 31min
EP. 91 – Jo-Anne Pugh (BPP University Law School)
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
Jan 24, 2022 • 37min
EP. 90 – Mark van Baal (Follow This)
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
