Best Yale Program in the History of the Book Podcasts (2025)

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Barrister’s new mystery novel offers glimpse inside the Inner Temple 38:10

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11d ago38:10

38:10

Since it was seized from the Knights Templar in the 14th century, the Inner Temple in London has housed acolytes of a different sort: men (and eventually women) who serve as advocates of the law. Sally Smith spent her legal career—and now is spending her retirement—inside the 15 acres that comprise the Inner Temple, now one of the four Inns of Cour…

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How ethics reforms in Arizona led to LegalZoom's law firm 33:51

18d ago33:51

33:51

When Arizona changed its ethics rules in 2020 opening the door for alternative business structures and nonlawyer ownership for law firms, it sent shock waves throughout the legal industry. Nicole Miller, the chief legal officer of LegalZoom, speaks to the ABA Journal's Victor Li about LegalZoom’s experience in Arizona thus far, as well as general i…

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How a Florida murder and an unlikely justice created a ‘criminal procedure revolution’ 43:54

25d ago43:54

43:54

In Chambers v. Florida and the Criminal Justice Revolution, historian and former ABA Journal reporter Richard Brust lifts the veil on a case that laid the groundwork for some much more famous civil rights victories. On May 13, 1933, shopkeeper Robert Darsey was robbed and murdered in Pompano, Florida. Four Black migrant farm workers—Izell Chambers,…

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What today’s rainmakers do differently 51:14

1M ago51:14

51:14

Matthew Dixon, co-founder of DCM Insights, is a researcher who’s spent much of his career studying the shared characteristics and behaviors of successful B2B salespeople. In 2011, he released a study called “The Challenger Sale.” While giving a keynote on his findings at an annual partner retreat, an audience member stood up and challenged him. “He…

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To buy or not to buy? For Cleary Gottlieb, acquiring an AI company was a no-brainer 39:27

2M ago39:27

39:27

Law firms acquire or merge with one another all the time. But when it comes to technology companies, firms usually keep it in-house or enter into a partnership with an outside vendor. They rarely go ahead and just buy a tech company. So when Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton announced in March that it had acquired artificial intelligence products de…

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Perplexed about AI? Richard Susskind wants to help 49:44

2M ago49:44

49:44

For nearly 30 years, Richard Susskind has written books asking lawyers to envision the future of the law and the legal profession in ways that stretch the imagination. Susskind has been one of the foremost proponents of the transformative potential of technology in legal services. Now, he's asking us to imagine larger transformation still: a world …

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‘Secrets of the Killing State’ exposes realities of lethal injection 45:13

2M ago45:13

45:13

Execution by lethal injection is seen by many Americans as a less barbaric alternative than older methods like hanging, firing squads and electrocution. It is easy to assume that the process must resemble euthanasia procedures for terminally ill people or pets. The reality is very different, says Corinna Barrett Lain, a law professor and death pena…

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Generative AI can help overworked immigration lawyers navigate these tumultuous times 40:13

2M ago40:13

40:13

"May you live in interesting times." For immigration lawyers, that old proverb is now a reality. Ever since the start of the second Trump administration, immigration lawyers have been busier than ever, and they have plenty on their plates.By Legal Talk Network

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‘Patenting Life’ shares tales from a career on the cutting edge of science and the law 1:06:35

3M ago1:06:35

1:06:35

Jorge Goldstein entered the fields of science and law at a time of immense change for them both. In the 1970s, huge strides were being made in biogenetics and microbiology, and in the 1980s, the intellectual property community was being asked to answer some giant questions they raised, like: How can you describe life, legally? Can a living being be…

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How thinking like an athlete can make you a better lawyer 55:25

3M ago55:25

55:25

Peak performance in high-stress environments. It’s the goal for the basketball players taking the court during March Madness, but just as much for players on a different kind of court. Lawyers can and should learn a lot from elite athletes, says Dr. Amy Wood. In this episode of the Modern Law Library, Wood shares her insights with the ABA Journal’s…

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This year's historic ABA Techshow will be bigger than ever 33:58

4M ago33:58

33:58

For one thing, it marks the 40th annual iteration of the show. For another, it promises to be the biggest of all time—emanating for the first time from the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago. Techshow co-chair Stephen Embry talks to the ABA Journal’s Victor Li about what to expect from this year’s show.…

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This Harvard Law prof thinks constitutional theory is a terrible way to pick a judge 40:28

4M ago40:28

40:28

What if we are asking the wrong questions when selecting American judges? Mark Tushnet thinks our current criteria might be off. “We should look for judges who are likely to display good judgment in their rulings … and we shouldn’t care whether they have a good theory about how to interpret the Constitution as a whole—and maybe we should worry a bi…

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'The Licensing Racket' takes aim at professional licensing in America 47:04

4M ago47:04

47:04

Should you need a license for that? For law professor and antitrust expert Rebecca Haw Allensworth, there are huge problems with professional licensing in America—and her solutions might not make anyone completely happy. In her new book, The Licensing Racket: How We Decide Who Is Allowed to Work, and Why It Goes Wrong, Allensworth takes a deep dive…

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Should we expect new regulations on data privacy and consumer protection? 41:02

5M ago41:02

41:02

It’s a well-worn saying that the law always lags behind technology. It makes sense. We all remember the old song about how a bill becomes a law and how long the whole process can take. By the time you get to the verse about a president signing something into law, technology has either evolved into something even more cutting edge or become obsolete…

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Former Watergate prosecutor and friends reflect on life in 'Legal Briefs' 32:55

5M ago32:55

32:55

For some people, retirement is an opportunity to kick back and finally relax. But for Roger M. Witten, it was a chance to finally tackle that book he'd been thinking about writing. With a little help from longtime friends and colleagues, Legal Briefs: The Ups and Downs of Life in the Law was born. Witten's aim was to reach a general audience and gi…

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What's the forecast for generative AI in 2025? 38:13

6M ago38:13

38:13

If last year was when generative artificial intelligence went mainstream, could this year be the one when it gets even bigger? Will we see more people, law firms, companies and government agencies adopt, use or integrate it into their day-to-day activities? Will we see more rules and regulations from states or the federal government regarding its u…

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When should life sentences be overturned? Judge shares how he decides 42:29

6M ago42:29

42:29

A federal judge’s new book is giving readers a rare inside glimpse at how a judge determines which prisoners deserve to have their sentences overturned. In his memoir, Disrobed: An Inside Look at the Life and Work of a Federal Trial Judge, Judge Frederic Block introduced readers to his colorful life and career. In Crimes and Punishments: Entering t…

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Our favorite pop culture picks in 2024 36:02

6M ago36:02

36:02

It's the time of year when The Modern Law Library likes to look back on the media that we've enjoyed: our annual pop culture picks episode. This year, host Lee Rawles is joined by the ABA Journal reporters Danielle Braff and Anna Stolley Persky, and Victor Li, an assistant managing editor and host of the Legal Rebels Podcast. Naturally, their favor…

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2024 in Review: Generative AI dominated legal tech 43:33

7M ago43:33

43:33

More money is flowing into legal tech than ever before, as several gigantic deals dominated the headlines and enlarged quite a few bank accounts. And the push for regulatory reform extended to attorney admissions—between a demand for an online bar exam and an exploration of alternative pathways to licensure, one of the longtime pillars of the legal…

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Horse-loving lawyer left the law to help run a Colorado ranch 35:38

7M ago35:38

35:38

Ami Cullen grew up loving horses and competing in hunter/jumper events. But when it came to her career, she decided that law would be her calling. She graduated from law school and began work with a firm in Maryland working on medical malpractice cases. Then a visit to a Colorado dude ranch changed everything. In Running Free: An Incredible Story o…

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What went wrong–and right–with 10 famous trials 41:17

7M ago41:17

41:17

J. Craig Williams believes empathy is an important quality to be a trial lawyer. It’s served him in his profession, and it’s a tool he has also been using as an author trying to get into the minds of people from past eras. In How Would You Decide? 10 Famous Trials That Changed History, Book One, Williams examines cases and trials from history throu…

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What generative AI means for the future of predictive analytics 39:27

8M ago39:27

39:27

Lawyers, especially litigators, like to say they never ask a question that they don’t already know the answer to. But there’s plenty of unknowns out there—especially when it comes to how a case might turn out or how much it will cost. Predictive judicial and law firm analytics take some of that guesswork out of the equation.…

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'Watchdogs' author has no regrets about choosing civil service over the NBA 46:49

8M ago46:49

46:49

Glenn Fine's career-long crusade against corruption might have its roots in his college days. As a point guard for the Harvard basketball team, Fine had his personal best game on Dec. 16, 1978, the same day he interviewed for–and received–a Rhodes scholarship. He put up 19 points against Boston College, including eight steals, and the team nearly e…

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Meet the sheriffs who believe they are ‘The Highest Law in the Land’ 43:57

8M ago43:57

43:57

The first image conjured in your mind by the word “sheriff” might be the protagonist of a Wild West movie or Robin Hood’s foe, the Sheriff of Nottingham. But unless you’re a resident of Alaska, Connecticut, Hawaii and Rhode Island, there’s likely an elected law-enforcement official in your area who holds that title. In The Highest Law in the Land: …

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What Filevine's new AI tool could mean for the future of depositions 30:39

9M ago30:39

30:39

The generative artificial intelligence tool is not just designed to transcribe depositions. It looks for inconsistencies. It suggests questions to ask. It analyzes the transcript in real time to see whether there are issues that have to be cleared up or areas of weakness to address. In other words, it's like having another attorney in the room—only…

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'Company' is the perfect short story collection for spooky season 44:40

9M ago44:40

44:40

Most—though not all—of the 13 short stories in Company deal with members of the Collins family. Three generations of narrators bear witness to the changing fortunes of the family, and as with any witness statement, everyone has a different perspective on what actually happened. Also, there are ghosts—and at least one witch. The matriarch and patria…

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The Supreme Court is a liberal body–when it comes to legal writing 40:47

9M ago40:47

40:47

Jill Barton spent the first decade of her career working as a journalist, with the Associated Press Stylebook always at hand to determine word usage and punctuation choices. But when she became an attorney, she says, she realized that there was no single equivalent style guide when it came to legal writing—and she had to adjust to using the Oxford …

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What does the future hold for licensed paraprofessionals? 41:20

9M ago41:20

41:20

Much has been made of the gigantic access-to-justice gap in this country. One possible way to help bridge the gap is to expand the pool of people eligible to practice law. Of course, that raises age-old concerns about unauthorized practice of law.By Legal Talk Network

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Legal thriller author David Ellis's day job? Appellate court justice 49:18

10M ago49:18

49:18

Justice David W. Ellis has served on the Illinois Appellate Court for the 1st District for nearly 10 years. But readers may know him better as author David Ellis, writer of more than a dozen legal thrillers. Ellis had enjoyed creative writing as a youth, he tells the ABA Journal’s Lee Rawles in this episode of The Modern Law Library. But during his…

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Tests into and out of law schools—what's changing and why 38:25

11M ago38:25

38:25

The LSAT is facing competition from the JD-Next exam, and many states are reconsidering their licensing methods as the bar exam as we’ve known it sunsets in 2028. Kellye Testy, the executive director and CEO of the Association of American Law Schools, talks with the ABA Journal’s Julianne Hill about why those changes are happening now and what it m…

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'Shaping the Bar' author says bar exam protects legal profession, not public 51:45

11M ago51:45

51:45

The goal of the bar exam is to be a gatekeeper for the legal profession and protect the public. But the current system, dominated by the Uniform Bar Examination, gets a failing grade from Joan Howarth, an academic, an attorney and the author of Shaping the Bar: The Future of Attorney Licensing.By Legal Talk Network

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How generative AI can help you market your legal practice 33:25

12M ago33:25

33:25

There has been a lot of talk and concern about generative AI tools and how they are changing the legal industry. A major worry for many lawyers is that these tools could replace them or make them redundant. But what about the potential of generative AI to help lawyers generate business, market themselves more effectively, and make more money? On th…

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Summer reading picks and why a YMCA-funded crusade against obscenity matters today 58:31

12M ago58:31

58:31

Do you need some distractions during vacation travel or while lying directly under your A/C unit and sweating? It’s time for The Modern Law Library’s summer recommendations episode, in which host Lee Rawles shares her pop culture picks with you, plus a re-airing of one of our older episodes with current relevance. As states navigate a post-Dobbs wo…

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'The Lawyer Millionaire’ author shares the 7 biggest money mistakes lawyers can make 43:33

1y ago43:33

43:33

Finances are a fraught area for many attorneys. Despite a high earning potential, new lawyers often start out with a financial disadvantage due to the opportunity cost of the years devoted to school and bar prep, coupled with high student loans. People who chose to get JDs instead of MBAs often find themselves having to operate as entrepreneurs to …

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Can generative AI tools make it easier for lawyers to offer pro bono services? 53:06

1y ago53:06

53:06

A commonly cited solution to helping bridge the access-to-justice canyon is for lawyers to provide more pro bono work. In that regard, have generative artificial intelligence tools made it easier for lawyers to provide pro bono services?By Legal Talk Network

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‘The Originalism Trap’ author wants to see originalism dead, dead, dead 47:11

1y ago47:11

47:11

Originalism is the ascendant legal theory espoused by conservative legal thinkers, including the majority of U.S. Supreme Court justices. But far from being an objective framework for constitutional interpretation, says author and attorney Madiba Dennie, its true purpose is to achieve conservative political aims regardless of the historical record.…

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How to strike up conversations that build your book of business 48:03

1y ago48:03

48:03

Networking is something that comes naturally to some people. But if the idea of talking to strangers makes you break out into a cold sweat, there’s help and hope, says Deb Feder, author of the book After Hello: How to Build a Book of Business, One Conversation at a Time. “You have picked a profession that is never finished meeting people,” Feder wr…

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Will generative AI (finally) spell the end of the billable hour? 26:22

1y ago26:22

26:22

It seems like every time that there’s a major disruption or event that threatens to upend the legal industry, it spells doom for the billable hour. But that could be more out of hope than anything else. The billable hour survived the Great Recession and the COVID-19 pandemic, despite many people thinking—or maybe wishing—that it wouldn’t.…

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When states’ rights and healthcare access clash 49:51

1y ago49:51

49:51

From COVID-19 response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade, the results of 50 states having individual approaches to public health, medical outcomes and healthcare access raise troubling questions. A husband-and-wife team of University of Utah professors dig into the ethics of the American healthcare system in States of Health: The Ethics and Consequ…

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'In the Shadow of Liberty' shines light on American immigration history 53:40

1y ago53:40

53:40

When the Trump administration's policy of separating families at the country's borders was announced, opposition from the public and the legal community was swift. The outcry and judicial decisions led to a reversal of the administration's stated policy. But detention and family separation have a long history in this country, history professor Ana …

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The future of DEI programs in the legal industry 35:06

1y ago35:06

35:06

The lack of diversity when it comes to race, gender, sexuality, disability and social class within the legal profession is nothing new. However, the last decade has marked a gradual increase in diversity across all fields.By Legal Talk Network

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Users keepers: Pirates, zombies and adverse possession 32:33

1y ago32:33

32:33

“Trespassing plus time equals adverse possession,” Paul Golden writes in his new book, Litigating Adverse Possession Cases: Pirates v. Zombies. When someone has occupied or used a piece of property as though they own it for long enough, a court could determine that they are the rightful owner—regardless of what the paperwork says. It’s a concept mo…

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James Patterson dishes on his new legal thriller, ‘The #1 Lawyer’ 37:19

1+ y ago37:19

37:19

James Patterson has written bestsellers in many genres. But as he tells the ABA Journal's Lee Rawles in this episode of The Modern Law Library, he has always been fascinated by legal thrillers, courtroom dramas and crime novels. He even considered becoming a lawyer, before his literary career took off. In his newest release, The #1 Lawyer, James Pa…

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Could automated transcription tools replace human court reporters? 37:47

1+ y ago37:47

37:47

Transcription technology has existed for a while now, but its accuracy has never been that high. Now, artificial intelligence could make automated transcription even more accurate. As the tech becomes better and better, is it possible that it could eventually replace human court reporters?By Legal Talk Network

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'When Rape Goes Viral' looks at why cases like Steubenville happen 1:05:30

1+ y ago1:05:30

1:05:30

Three high-profile cases of sexual assault in 2012 followed a basic pattern: A teenage girl was sexually assaulted at a house party by one or more teenage boys while she was incapacitated by alcohol. The attacks were recorded and the photos, videos and stories were shared on social media or via texts. The photos and videos were used to ridicule the…

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NY law prof is calling on ‘Lawyer Nation’ to reform 52:07

1+ y ago52:07

52:07

Ray Brescia, a law professor at Albany Law School, has taken a hard look at the country’s legal system in his new book, Lawyer Nation: The Past, Present and Future of the American Legal Profession. In this episode of The Modern Law Library, Brescia tells the ABA Journal’s Lee Rawles about the efforts in the late 19th and early 20th century to exclu…

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'Police & the Empire City' explores race and the origins of the NYPD 47:57

1+ y ago47:57

47:57

In Police & the Empire City: Race & the Origins of Modern Policing, Matthew Guariglia looks at the New York City police from their founding in 1845 through the 1930s as “police transitioned from a more informal collection of pugilists clad in wool coats to what we can recognize today as a modern professionalized police department.” From the beginni…

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Fall in love with legal technology at this year's ABA Techshow 36:04

1+ y ago36:04

36:04

What better way to spend Valentine’s Day than with your favorite lawyers, legal professionals, technologists and thought leaders who will be on hand to teach lucky conference goers about all the latest trends and developments in the field of legal technology?By Legal Talk Network

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Yale Law's Owen Fiss talks about threats to democracy and 'Why We Vote' 40:31

1+ y ago40:31

40:31

After 50 years as a professor at Yale Law School, Owen Fiss says his students are still idealistic and passionate about the rights won in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. As a young lawyer in the late 1960s, Fiss worked with the Department of Justice to implement those laws. A classroom discussion in the spring of 2020 pr…

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Want to clear a criminal record? This lawyer has an app for that 35:57

1+ y ago35:57

35:57

The impact for people clearing their criminal records can be life-changing, leading to long-term employment and financial security. And research shows that it also helps prevent recidivism. But the path to expungement is not always easy, requiring people with criminal records to navigate an unfamiliar, costly and drawn-out process. That’s where law…

Yale Program In The History Of The Book Podcasts