To those listening in the future, the level of excitement about our brief Easter hiatus to see friends and family might seem strange. But, future listener, these are strange times indeed. We don't even have hoverboards yet. Our future podcast friends might also find it strange that we're still discussing whether lawyers actually need artificial intelligence. Joe's guest this week is Andrew Fletcher, Director at TR Labs. He points out that the trust we place in our lawyers will soon begin to assume their ability to tap into a knowledge base far wider than can ever be gleaned from books. Lawyers will need AI and legal tech to tap into this information, interpret it and then join the dots on behalf of their clients. Andrew talks to Joe about how TR Labs is taking curation of big data to the next level, how to make sure an AI can be trusted, and the kinds of innovations that are just around the corner. Spoiler: there's still no sign of robot lawyers, but we do have a Joe-Bot. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

Did you know the moon landings were faked? Or that The Beatles never existed? And do you remember when conspiracy theories were much more innocent? In this episode, Becky talks to Will Moy, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Full Fact, about the perils of misinformation in the digital age. Full Fact is a British charity that checks claims made by politicians, public institutions and journalists, and claims made by viral content circulating on social media. Will believes “bad information ruins lives” by promoting hate, damaging health and hurting democracy. He and Becky discuss how the law and lawyers have been caught up in this problem, and what we can do to help tackle it. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

Here at The Hearing HQ we've really missed travelling. So being whisked (virtually) to Buenos Aires for this week's episode was a real treat! Meet Joe's guest, Federico Ast, the CEO and founder of Kleros. He's deeply intelligent, thoughtful and one hell of an aggravator in the world of justice. Federico has a philosophy-centred approach to improving judicial systems around the world, and talks to Joe about how deliberative democracy can fast-track access to justice. Kleros is an online dispute resolution system based on blockchain, crowdsourcing and game theory. We hear how Federico has used his experience of the Argentinian economic collapse of the 90s to problem-solve dispute resolution for the internet age. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

Imagine being fired, by voicemail, after telling your boss that you're pregnant. It seems like something from a different era, or at least, akin to a bad dating story. Yet this is exactly what happened to this week's guest, Joeli Brearley, the CEO and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed. Joeli sits down with Yasmin to talk about how her high-risk pregnancy prevented her from taking legal action and how this lit the fuse for Pregnant Then Screwed. They talk about taking the government to court for discriminating against women in the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme and the (very relatable) stress dreams that came with it. Joeli is a powerhouse with a huge social media following, and this episode also looks at what it’s like dealing with trolls and how she wants to change the workplace for mothers, no matter how messy it gets or how many people it upsets. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – The rollout of COVID-19 vaccines is giving many of us hope right now. But are vaccines about become the next divisive issue to affect our professional and personal lives? Companies might well see vaccines as the golden ticket to getting staff back to a normal working environment, or indeed back to work full stop. But what happens when employees choose not to receive the vaccine, or refuse to disclose their vaccination status? In this episode, Becky talks to Joe Nicholls, from Wards Solicitors, and GoodCorporation’s Debbie Ramsay about this new wave of legal and ethical issues that businesses, and society as a whole, must grapple with. CONTRIBUTORS:- Debbie Ramsay, Director, GoodCorporation- Joe Nicholls, Partner & Head of Employment, Wards Solicitors Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

On The Hearing, we've talked to people at the top of their game about their experiences of lockdown. We've gained advice from experts on how businesses can best weather these unprecedented times. And this week Joe chats to Karim Sabbidine, an associate at Thompson Hine, about what COVID-19 means when you're at the legal coalface. Pre-pandemic, life as a New York litigator was a heady mix of high pressure and excitement – tiring yet fun. But for Karim it quickly transitioned to being cramped in a small apartment with two equally busy flatmates, while trying to navigate a virtual trial. Karim has an international and multicultural background, and has an enviable résumé of on-the-job training. He talks to Joe about the realities of being a litigator, the benefits of writing every day, and why it's important to always dress the part. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

Join Yasmin, fresh from our short Christmas hiatus, as she gets to know Lady Hale – often described as the UK’s answer to the USA’s late, great Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Former President of the Supreme Court and an advocate for diversity in the legal profession, Baroness Hale of Richmond (as she’s formally known) can leave people rather starstruck. And Yasmin is no exception. Lady Hale chats to Yasmin about the impact teachers can have on the lives their pupils, and what it's like being famous for so many firsts. The pair also discuss that headline-grabbing prorogation case, as well as some of the other landmark judgments that she is particularly proud of. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

You may have watched as Mark Zuckerberg explained the internet to Congress in a way that felt a bit unnecessary. Well, this episode is sort of the opposite of that. Joe Raczynski is joined by legal and mathematical macroeconomics genius Doug Pepe, to take us through blockchain, tokens and cryptocurrency in a way that’s genuinely enlightening. The legal industry is sometimes accused of not keeping up, but we know that’s not true. Lawyers are occupying this space now. Their clients are very active and they have a crucial role to play in the serious policy issues being debated. Doug, a partner at Joseph Hage Aaronson, started his blockchain journey by building gaming computers with his young children, and then teaching them how to mine bitcoin. Fast forward and Doug is now an expert on blockchain privacy, smart contracts and digital identity. Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing

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

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