Best Erica Tomas Podcasts (2025)

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Making It Easy to Give Back with Anna Chu 32:09

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1d ago32:09

32:09

We The Action has a simple premise – lawyers have the power to do good. The organization started in 2017 to help connect lawyer with pro bono causes, from immigration and domestic violence representation to non-profit governance and tax issues, from voting rights to copyright. Anna Chu, the Executive Director, describes how nimble organization star…

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Protecting and Providing Due Process with Erica Pinheiro 33:21

15d ago33:21

33:21

Erica Pinheiro serves as the Executive Director of Al Otro Lado providing holistic legal and humanitarian support to refugees, deportees, and other migrants in the US and Tijuana through a multidisciplinary, client-centered, harm reduction-based practice. The organization provides direct, free, legal services on both sides of the US-Mexico border a…

1
Reclaiming Civility with Cassandra Dahnke and Tomas Spath 32:47

29d ago32:47

32:47

Thirty years ago, Cassandra Dahnke and Tomas Spath founded the Institute for Civility with the goal to promote civility—in government, workplaces, schools—and to catalyze change. They describe their journey, how they define civility, what they have learned about reducing polarization, and why they have hope for the future. https://www.instituteforc…

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Respecting and Protecting our Seniors with Christine Winge 24:07

2M ago24:07

24:07

Meals on Wheels does more than just provide home delivery of healthy food for Seniors. President Christine Winge reminds us that maintaining human connection is a critical and essential part of physical and mental health as we grow older and risk becoming more isolated.By Legal Talk Network

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The Moral Call to Protect Children with Beth Wilbur 30:20

2M ago30:20

30:20

After a long career in the corporate world, Beth Wilbur decided she would serve children as the Executive Director of Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) of Monterey County. She discusses the incredible work that CASA volunteers do to support children in the foster care system and how they change lives through their efforts. She describes her …

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Where do You Go When the Taxman Calls? with Lisa Sperow 35:24

3M ago35:24

35:24

Lisa Sperow is the Executive Director of the Cal Poly Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. The clinic provides free representation to low-income taxpayers in disputes with the IRS. Many of the clinic’s clients have nowhere else to seek help when they receive frightening notices from the IRS. It is even more alarming for taxpayers who do not speak English an…

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Empowering Young People to Reach Their Potential with Cathy Sakimura 32:05

3M ago32:05

32:05

Cathy Sakimura has spent her entire professional life empowering young people, first as a youth organizer, then as the Deputy Director at the National Center for Lesbian Rights, and now as Executive Director of Legal Services for Children (LSC) in San Francisco. In this episode, Cathy describes why she has dedicated her life to serving children and…

1
Partnering to Protect Human Rights by Protecting Our Planet with Brad Adams 30:10

4M ago30:10

30:10

Brad Adams and Climate Rights International believe that progress on climate change cannot succeed without protecting human rights – and the fight for human rights cannot succeed without protecting our planet against climate change. Brad and CRI work in partnership with local and international groups, activists, and affected communities to demand j…

1
Pro Bono Passion Perseveres Pre- and Post-Pandemic with Fawaz Bham 30:40

4M ago30:40

30:40

Providing pro bono service to small businesses in Dallas, Texas not only persevered through the pandemic - it expanded. The innovative program developed by attorney Fawaz Bham coordinated more than 40 law firms and community organizations through a transition from in-person to remote clinics to sustain a program that has served over 25,000 clients.…

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Advocating for Native American Rights, A 50+ Year Journey Still Underway with John Echohawk 22:44

4M ago22:44

22:44

John Echohawk has served as Executive Director of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) since 1977. Under John's inspired and continuing leadership, NARF has successfully asserted and defended the most important rights of Indians and tribes in hundreds of major cases, and has achieved significant results in such critical areas as tribal sovereignt…

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Dream.org Sets the Tone for Optimism in Action with CEO Nisha Anand 31:51

5M ago31:51

31:51

Nisha Anand, the Chief Executive Officer of Dream.org, joins SideBar to discuss how she builds bridges across political divides to find real solutions. Nisha employs the “radical act of finding common ground” with unlikely allies while still staying true to her progressive values. She provides a hopeful message that collaboration can achieve change…

1
New Season and New Format - SideBar: Optimism in Action with Jackie Gardina and Mitch Winick 9:39

6M ago9:39

9:39

Seasons one and two of SideBar featured discussions with authors, lawyers, and academics discussing challenges to our individual constitutional and civil rights. Each of our episodes ended with our featured guests providing recommendations on how each of us can contribute to solutions for the common good. Season three of SideBar is going to flip th…

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Space Law Really is the New Frontier with Chris Hearsey 42:59

6M ago42:59

42:59

SideBar guest Chris Hearsey has spent over ten years working in international space collaborations, space exploration technologies, and other aerospace applications. His work has contributed to advancements in space law, policy, and technology. Chris is known for his visionary approach and commitment to pushing the boundaries of space capabilities,…

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A Rejection of Democrats or a Rejection of Democracy? 44:32

7M ago44:32

44:32

Was 2024 a "historic" presidential election? Constitutional historians Lawrence Goldstone and Madiba K. Dennie join Jackie Gardina and Mitch Winick to discuss the context, concerns, and questions following the recent re-election of Donald Trump. One of the questions that many of us are asking is whether the recent presidential election was a reject…

1
The Future of the Legal Profession Impacts Democracy with Ray Brescia 40:31

7M ago40:31

40:31

Since colonial days, the legal profession has been proud of its role in the founding of the republic, the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, and the defense of democracy and the rule of law. However, the profession faces an existential crisis on which the American democratic experiment hinges, says law professor Ray Brescia, author of Lawyer Nation…

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Equal Justice for All is Possible with Robert Tsai 34:37

8M ago34:37

34:37

Stephen Bright made it his life's work to unleash social change by representing unpopular clients--namely those on death row. Remarkably, he succeeded, winning all four cases he argued before the Supreme Court. Robert Tsai chronicles Stephen Bright's decades long fight to ensure equality under the law that is still being challenged at the Supreme C…

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The Return of Legal Vigilantism with David Noll and Jon Michaels 43:23

8M ago43:23

43:23

David Noll and Jon Michaels, authors of Vigilante Nation, discuss the reemergence of state-supported vigilantism. Noll and Michaels explain the vigilante methods, from anti-abortion bounties to book bans to the January 6 attack on the Capitol. They also provide a path forward, outlining what needs to be done to stop these efforts.…

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Pardon My Concerns - Should We Put Limits on Presidential Pardons? with Kim Wehle 37:49

9M ago37:49

37:49

Like all discretionary authority, the pardon power is only as virtuous as the person who controls it. Kimberly Wehle, author of the new book, Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works - and Why demonstrates that it can be a righteous tool to remedy wrongful convictions, but it also can be used to obstruct investigations, benefit political allies, a…

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Does Our Current Constitution Provide the Protections and Rights We Need? with Dean Erwin Chemerinsky 36:38

9M ago36:38

36:38

Berkeley Law Dean, author of No Democracy Lasts Forever: How the Constitution Threatens the United States asks the provocative question - is it time to consider drafting a new constitution? Is it absurd to think that a document drafted in the 18th Century can still protect democracy and individual rights in the 21st Century? Join the SideBar discus…

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The Erosion of LGBTQ+ Rights with Roberta Kaplan and Brandon Trice 47:38

10M ago47:38

47:38

In the last several years, there have been a wave of anti-LGBTQ laws passed across the country and ACLU is tracking 547 new bills in the 2024 legislative session. Robbie Kaplan and Brandon Trice describe their success challenging one of those laws, Florida’s “don’t say gay law.” In this wide-ranging conversation, we touch on the rising attacks on t…

1
Yes! The Constitution Allows Changes to the Supreme Court - and Other Surprises with Lawrence Goldstone 44:09

10M ago44:09

44:09

Award-winning author and historian Lawrence Goldstone explains why what the Constitution does not say - was intentional - so that democracy can evolve. According to Goldstone, author of "Imperfect Union: How Errors of Omission Threaten Constitutional Democracy", changing the Supreme Court, protecting voting rights, defining the Second Amendment, an…

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Judge Shopping For Me, But Not for Thee with Chris Geidner 37:11

11M ago37:11

37:11

Over the past year, the Supreme Court has taken a far more active role in reviewing cases reflecting fringe arguments supported by federal district court judges and appellate circuits. The Western and Northern Districts of Texas have become the destination of choice for "judge-shopping" to receive the benefits of far-right conservative judicial ide…

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The Radical Act of Choosing Common Ground with Nisha Anand 34:31

11M ago34:31

34:31

Nisha Anand, the Chief Executive Officer of Dream.org, joins SideBar to discuss how she builds bridges across political divides to find real solutions. Nisha employs the “radical act of finding common ground” with unlikely allies while still staying true to her progressive values. She provides a hopeful message that collaboration can achieve change…

1
Justice Bent, Not Broken with Elie Honig 39:01

12M ago39:01

39:01

Senior CNN Legal Analyst Elie Honig challenges whether the rule of law is under attack when powerful people square off against judges and juries. As author of Untouchable: How Powerful People Get Away with It and a former federal and state prosecutor, he served on air as a CNN Senior Legal Analyst throughout the first criminal trial and conviction …

1
Constitutional Equal Rights - the Time is NOW! with Katherine Spillar 42:24

1y ago42:24

42:24

Kathy Spillar, Executive Director of Feminist Majority Foundation and Executive Editor of MS Magazine joins SideBar to discuss why ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is an essential legal tool to guarantee women's rights. Ratification of the ERA would constitutionally prohibit sex discrimination, recognize systemic inequities across d…

1
How Extremists Stole the Constitution and How We the People Can Take It Back with Madiba K. Dennie 37:48

1y ago37:48

37:48

Madiba K. Dennie is an attorney, columnist, author, and professor whose work focuses on fostering an equitable multiracial democracy. Dennie is the author of The Originalism Trap: How Extremists Stole the Constitution and How We the People Can Take It Back. She currently serves as Deputy Editor and Senior Contributor at the critical legal commentar…

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Criminalizing Motherhood and Reproductive Health with Dr. Michele Goodwin 35:52

1y ago35:52

35:52

Since the Dobbs Supreme Court case was decided, we have gained a heightened awareness of the criminal laws surrounding pregnancies, including the decision to terminate one. But the criminalization of abortion isn’t a new post-Dobbs phenomenon. Women, especially women of color, have frequently faced punitive state laws regulating reproductive health…

1
How Women Influenced the Constitution with Mary Sarah Bilder 40:40

1y ago40:40

40:40

Law Professor Mary Sarah Bilder discusses the amazing story of Eliza Harriot, a rare female public lecturer who delivered a University of Pennsylvania program attended by George Washington as he met in Philadelphia with delegates to draft the US Constitution. Harriot’s performance likely inspired the gender-neutral language of the Constitution and …

1
We (Who Are Not) the People: Interpreting the Undemocratic Constitution with Milligan and Ross 45:58

1y ago45:58

45:58

Law Professors Joy Milligan and Bertrall Ross discuss how we should interpret a Constitution that was not written for or drafted by “We the People”. The original constitution excluded women and racial minorities. The drafters and the commentators of the period were exclusively white men. Many of the subsequent amendments were adopted under "undemoc…

1
Are We Living Up to Our Obligations to Protect Native American Rights and Tribal Sovereignty? with John Echohawk 34:08

1y ago34:08

34:08

Since the mid to late 1980s, an increasingly conservative federal bench has made it more difficult to defend Indian rights under existing treaties and federal law. John Echohawk is an attorney and Executive Director of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) defending Native American tribes, organizations, and individuals. He joins SideBar to discus…

1
Surprise! You Do Not Have the Right to Vote with Rick Hasen 42:29

1y ago42:29

42:29

The federal constitution neither explicitly nor implicitly includes the right to vote. Instead, the framers allowed the States to determine the “Time, Places, and Manner of holding Elections.” Rick Hasen, author of A Real Right to Vote: How a Constitutional Amendment Can Safeguard American Democracy, believes that needs to change. He asserts that a…

1
Who Can Hold Judges Accountable? with Aliza Shatzman 37:56

1+ y ago37:56

37:56

Federal judges have lifetime tenure with little to no oversight. Despite employing thousands of new law school graduates as law clerks, they aren’t subject to anti-discrimination or other workplace laws. How is it possible that federal courts do not have to follow the same federal labor laws they enforce? In this episode, Aliza Shatzman, founder of…

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Maintaining Democracy Requires Meaningful Access to Justice with Renee Knake Jefferson 42:54

1+ y ago42:54

42:54

Access to an ethically based justice system not only protects free and fair elections, but also impacts the rights that affect our everyday lives. In this episode of SideBar, Professor and Author Renee Knake Jefferson calls for lawyers and judges, including the US Supreme Court, to further commit to ethical access to justice.…

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How Important is the Diversity of Our Appellate Courts in Defining Justice? with Juvaria Khan 35:06

1+ y ago35:06

35:06

Appellate courts decide what our laws mean and how they affect all aspects of our personal lives: our ability to vote, how we are policed, our religious freedom, the quality of our education, our workplaces, healthcare, immigration protections, and much more. Yet people of color remain greatly underrepresented as both appellate attorneys and judges…

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SideBar 2023 Highlights: Defending Democracy, Challenging the Supreme Court, and Pursuing a Pluralistic Society Free from Bias with Jackie Gardina and Mitch Winick 58:26

1+ y ago58:26

58:26

SideBar cohosts and law deans Jackie Gardina and Mitch Winick look back over the 29 episodes and 25 guests featured in SideBar's incredibly successful first season. If you have been a listener, this episode will highlight key moments from our discussions with expert guests, authors, lawyers, and judges on critical issues facing democracy, the legal…

1
Jupiter Ascending (2015) 57:32

1+ y ago57:32

57:32

Did you know bees don't lie? If not, the Tomas sisters are here to educate you through the Wachowski Sisters' masterpiece in cinema: Jupiter Ascending! Featuring Channing Tatum, Sean Bean, and Eddie Redmayne in the peak performance of his career. This beautifully fantastical and indulgent film is like a young adult book brought to life, which may b…

1
If You Think Democracy is Guaranteed, Think Again! with David Pepper 37:25

1+ y ago37:25

37:25

David Pepper, author of Saving Democracy: A User’s Manual for Every American, returns to SideBar to sound the alarm that democracy remains under attack. Although there were shocking lowlights in 2023, David reminds us that there are also signs of hope. Our final SideBar episode of Season One is a reminder that we all have a critical role to play in…

1
Can We Protect Democracy from AI and Deepfakes? with Drew Liebert and Jonathan Mehta Stein 44:30

1+ y ago44:30

44:30

Disinformation and deepfakes, accelerated by AI, pose an existential threat to our democracy and elections, and as a country, we are simply not ready says The California Institute for Technology and Democracy (CITED). Drew Liebert and Jonathan Mehta Stein believe that what is needed is an impartial source for policymakers, the press, and the public…

1
How Did the Police Become Untouchable? With Joanna Schwartz 38:06

1+ y ago38:06

38:06

Before killing George Floyd, Officer Devin Chauvin had at least 18 misconduct complaints lodged against him. Despite this history, Chauvin was elevated to training new officers. How could this happen? UCLA Law Professor Joanna Schwartz, author of Shielded: How the Police Became Untouchable, explains how courts have constructed multiple legal barrie…

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When Religious Ideology and Public Health Collide - We All Lose! with Wendy Parmet 39:25

1+ y ago39:25

39:25

The COVID pandemic exposed weaknesses in our public health system and exposed the lack of trust in science and government. The change in the Supreme Court’s interpretation of public health law has been equally startling . . . overturning 100+ years of public protection by granting religious ideology priority over science. Northeastern University La…

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Are Lies and Liars Protected by the First Amendment? with Jeff Kosseff 38:35

1+ y ago38:35

38:35

Professor Jeff Kosseff, author of "Liar in a Crowded Theater: Freedom of Speech in a World of Misinformation" examines and defends constitutional protection for false speech. "It's the listener and the reader who gets to choose, not the Government!" says Jeff. His warning is that "Once we give away our freedom of speech, we are unlikely to get it b…

1
Alien Resurrection (1997) 1:04:48

1+ y ago1:04:48

1:04:48

In this episode, the Tomas sisters offer redemption to the 1997 classic Alien Resurrection. Featuring Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, and Brad Dourif, this underrated film met more derision from fans than from the critics and had been declared as "the killer" of the franchise. But Erica and Alien-superfan Sarah are here to set the record straight a…

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Why Does the US Criminalize Legal Immigration? with Cesar García Hernández 40:32

1+ y ago40:32

40:32

Nationally recognized immigration law expert, Professor Cesar García Hernández of The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law talks about the intersection of criminal and immigration law, including the rights of migrants in the criminal justice system, immigration imprisonment, and race-based immigration policing.…

1
The Best Beloved Thing is Justice! with Lisa Kloppenberg 33:16

1+ y ago33:16

33:16

Professor and Dean Emerita Lisa Kloppenberg, author of The Best Beloved Thing is Justice: The Life of Dorothy Wright Nelson, discusses her mentor, colleague, and friend. Judge Nelson was a true trailblazer for women in the legal profession. She was one of only two women in her class at the UCLA School of Law and one of the first 14 female tenure-tr…

1
Has this Supreme Court Lost Its Balance? with NPR Legal Correspondent Nina Totenberg 50:28

1+ y ago50:28

50:28

Supreme Court Correspondent Nina Totenberg discusses her fifty-year career as a reporter covering some of the most important Supreme Court decisions of our time. As a front-row witness to history, with unique access to Supreme Court Justices and Washington D.C. policymakers, Nina joins SideBar cohosts Jackie Gardina and Mitch Winick to discuss the …

1
Judge Dredd (1995) 52:43

2y ago52:43

52:43

In this inaugural episode, we discuss what drove us to this mission of redeeming cinema sins, and kick off with the delightful 1995 film Judge Dredd. Filled with incredible set designs and practical effects, criminally underrated acting from Sylvester Stallone, and what makes a good comic book movie. Once we've finished gushing over all the highlig…

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Is the Supreme Court Amassing Unconstitutional Power? with Stephen Vladeck 31:58

2y ago31:58

31:58

Professor Stephen Vladeck author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic, discusses how the Supreme Court has dramatically expanded the use of the little-known - and poorly understood - "Shadow Docket" to approve unconstitutional voting processes…

1
Why Do We (Still) Fail to Respect Women Under the Constitution? with Julie Suk 40:15

2y ago40:15

40:15

Professor Julie Suk, author of After Misogyny: How the Law Fails Women and What to Do About It, discusses the legal and economic framework in the United States that fails to fairly recognize and value women's work. Unfortunately, the U.S. remains a leader in unequal pay, no pay, inadequate support for childcare, healthcare, and social services, and…

1
Has America Abandoned the Promise of a Multi-Racial Democracy? with Dr. Peniel Joseph 39:51

2y ago39:51

39:51

After 200 years of racial and ethnic struggle, including the Civil War, Reconstruction, the Civil Rights Era, and Black Lives Matter, where are we now in the effort to achieve the promise of a multi-racial democracy? Dr. Peniel Joseph helps us to understand this struggle and describes our current political environment in a historical context. He ho…

1
Was the Constitution Ever Really Color-Blind? with Damon Hewitt 35:34

2y ago35:34

35:34

Damon T. Hewitt, President and Executive Director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under the Law, discusses Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. University of North Carolina and the Supreme Court’s direction on affirmative action. Hewitt explains what Brown v. Board of Education got wrong, exposes the logical fallacy behind the idea that…