Episodes

  • EP. 167 – Kent Halkett (Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services)

    EP. 167 – Kent Halkett (Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services)
    Jan 27 2025
    In a recent survey, 79% of legal professionals said they felt the profession had negatively affected their mental health. And over 15% had even considered suicide. These are two of the worrying statistics we learned from this episode's guest, Kent Halkett. Kent is an attorney with the Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services who has written articles about mental health in the legal community for a host of publications.

    Kent chats with host Teneé Frazier about his journey to becoming an advocate for improving mental health within the legal profession. Kent shares the story of his own mental health challenges, which culminated with him attempting suicide. He explains how publishing his story catapulted him, and this often-taboo subject, into the spotlight.

    During their conversation, Kent describes some of the warning signs of mental health issues, stresses the importance of a work-life balance, and outlines the support available for those in need. Kent also shares insights on how the problem could be addressed, such as by increasing awareness through better education – both in law schools and as part of continuous professional development.

    You can find out more about the ALM and Law.com Compass mental health survey of the legal profession here: https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2024/05/17/mental-health-by-the-numbers-the-2024-survey-infographic/?slreturn=20250123165408

    You can read one of Kent's articles, Mental Health in the Legal Profession: A Crisis, a Case Study and a Call to Action, here: https://www.tba.org/?pg=Articles&blAction=showEntry&blogEntry=59057
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    47 mins
  • EP. 166 – Derek Walker (Future Generations Commissioner)

    EP. 166 – Derek Walker (Future Generations Commissioner)
    Jan 13 2025
    We are leaving future generations to face more challenges than ever. Yet it can be incredibly difficult for governments to act for the long term when so many of their incentives encourage short-term thinking.

    In this episode, host Becky Annison chats with Derek Walker, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, about how Wales is attempting to solve this problem. Derek explains why Wales passed the Well-being of Future Generations Act, how this pioneering legislation obliges the Welsh government to act for the long term, and whether other nations can follow this example.
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    28 mins
  • EP. 165 – Matthew Campbell (Native American Rights Fund)

    EP. 165 – Matthew Campbell (Native American Rights Fund)
    Dec 16 2024
    Native Americans are fighting for their legal rights across many important fronts in the US. In this episode, Janelle Wrigley speaks with Matthew Campbell, Deputy Director of the Native American Rights Fund, about NARF's legal and advocacy work.

    Matthew and Janelle's wide-ranging discussion covers issues such as voting rights, the protection of places that are sacred to tribal nations, and access to natural resources. They also discuss the sovereignty of tribal nations, their relationship with the US government, and the challenges of ensuring access to voting.
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    55 mins
  • EP. 164 – Lucie Allen (BARBRI)

    EP. 164 – Lucie Allen (BARBRI)
    Dec 2 2024
    "The legal profession is going through significant transformation, and I thought that was a wonderful thing to try and grab with both hands and see what role or part I could play in making that a success," shares this week's guest, Lucie Allen.

    For this episode, Lucie Allen, the managing director of the legal education platform BARBRI, sits down with host Yasmin to offer her unique insights on the evolving landscape of legal career development and her experiences on becoming a voice in the industry.

    They discuss challenges posed by the new legal qualification standards (the SQE), vulnerable conversations started by sharing on social media, and the growing need for legal professionals to cultivate skills like resilience, adaptability, and effective communication to thrive in a rapidly changing industry. They also discuss Lucie’s unplanned venture into the role of menopause warrior.

    Listen to Yasmin's conversation with Lucie for more on this topic and on the evolution of the legal professional's development path and her personal journey.
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    37 mins
  • EP. 163 – Terah Shelton Harris (heir property)

    EP. 163 – Terah Shelton Harris (heir property)
    Nov 18 2024
    "From 1910 to 1997, Black Americans have lost 90 percent of farmland to heir property. The Department of Agriculture has deemed it the worst problem that you've never heard of." These are just two of the staggering facts we've learned about heir property from writer and author Terah Shelton Harris.

    Terah chats with new host Tenee' Frazier about her recent novel, Long After We Are Gone. It's about a family trying to save their ancestral land from being taken from them – shining a light on the damaging effects of heir property. She explains what heir property is, the detrimental effects it has on property ownership in African American communities, and the steps heirs should take to avoid land loss. Terah also shares her journey to becoming an author and the life events that helped shape her writing style.
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    54 mins
  • EP. 162 – Jury nullification in the UK (Richard Vogler, University of Sussex)

    EP. 162 – Jury nullification in the UK (Richard Vogler, University of Sussex)
    Nov 4 2024
    "Mind your privilege, give not away your right!" With those words, William Penn urged the jurors in his 1670 religious freedom trial to remember the power and the responsibility of their role in the English judicial system. For this episode, we return to the topic of jury nullification – the power of juries to acquit despite evidence of the defendant's guilt – with a fresh take from the UK.

    Professor Richard Vogler of the University of Sussex chats with host Becky Annison about the role of jury nullification, going all the way back to William Penn's trial in the 17th century up to its relevance in climate change cases of today. They discuss why legal institutions began viewing juries with more suspicion from the 1970s, and why it’s more important than ever to defend the jury's place within our legal system – including its power to nullify convictions.

    For more on this topic, listen to Janelle Wrigley’s conversation with Glenn Reynolds, from the University of Tennessee, about jury nullification in the US (ep.159) – https://pod.fo/e/269d1a.
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    49 mins
  • EP. 161 – Garrard Beeney (Sullivan & Cromwell)

    EP. 161 – Garrard Beeney (Sullivan & Cromwell)
    Oct 14 2024
    Content warning: This episode discusses sexual violence, domestic violence, and criminalized survivorship. If you or anyone you know needs help, please safely contact one of the organizations in our show notes.

    To mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Jenn sits down with Garrard Beeney to discuss his pro bono representation of Nicole "Nikki" Addimando and the issue of criminalized survivorship.

    Garrard shares Nikki's story, which includes enduring years of repeated physical and sexual abuse by her domestic partner, Christopher Grover, who was also the father of her two young children. Events led to her fatally shooting him. But, as Garrard explains, "the abuse that Nikki suffered at the hands of Grover was then repeated in the criminal justice system."

    Garrard reveals how and why he and his firm got involved with Nikki's appeal. You'll hear about the legal arguments and uphill battle to free Nikki, culminating in the appellate court's rejection of the trial court's "antiquated impressions of how domestic violence survivors should behave."

    SHOW NOTES:

    US National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 or www.thehotline.org

    UK National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 or www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk

    Sanctuary for Families: www.sanctuaryforfamilies.org

    We Stand With Nikki: www.westandwithnikki.com
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    47 mins
  • EP. 160 – Bibi Badejo (The Advocacy Coach)

    EP. 160 – Bibi Badejo (The Advocacy Coach)
    Sep 30 2024
    In this episode, Yasmin Sheikh interviews Bibi Badejo – a family law barrister at Four Brick Court chambers, in London, and an advocacy coach.

    Bibi recounts her journey into law and how she pursued advocacy despite an initial fear of public speaking and a hefty dose of imposter syndrome. These challenges early in her career motivated Bibi to improve her skills through extensive training in the UK, the US and Australia. And she is now an accomplished advocacy coach in her own right, as well the founder and host of The Advocacy Podcast.

    This episode is rich with insights and practical tips for anyone interested improving their public speaking. Yasmin and Bibi also discuss the value of mentors and coaches, the emotional challenges of family law, and the evolving legal landscape – especially in addressing domestic abuse.

    You can listen to The Advocacy Podcast here: https://podfollow.com/1547600021
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    46 mins