BigLaw attorneys teamed up with the ACLU this month to win major changes to how Maryland grants parole to prisoners serving life sentences for crimes they committed as children. We’re joined this week by Law360 reporter Justin Wise to break it all down, including the details of the case, its potential impact, and how white-shoe law firms work with non-profit activists. Also this week: A former personal lawyer to President Trump fights defamation accusations by arguing that nobody should have tak...
Mar 26, 2021•28 min
The Southern District of New York was rocked last year by a scandal involving the mishandling of crucial evidence by federal prosecutors who then repeatedly misled the court about the incident. The saga was laid bare in recently unsealed court documents, and Law360 senior reporter Jack Queen joins us this week to talk about the scandal and what it means for the nation’s premiere U.S. attorney’s office. Also this week: A former congresswoman’s “revenge porn” suit faces tough sledding in Californi...
Mar 19, 2021•45 min
Jury selection began this week in the murder trial of Derek Chauvin, a Minneapolis police officer whose videotaped killing of George Floyd sparked nationwide protests over police brutality and a broader reckoning with racism. Law360 reporter Cara Bayles, who is covering the trial, joins us this week to give us an inside peek at the key players, jury selection and the legal questions at play in the closely-watched case. Also this week: Ugly accusations of racial bias related to the NFL concussion...
Mar 12, 2021•40 min
Americans can see light at the end of the tunnel from the COVID-19 pandemic, but litigation stemming from the virus is just ramping up. On this week’s Pro Say, we talk you through the latest coronavirus court battles, from a class action filed by Walmart employees over virus screening to a dispute over courtroom access to a constitutional battle over eviction moratoriums. Also this week, a former Boies Schiller attorney gets quickly booted from his new firm, and one of the largest patent infring...
Mar 05, 2021•31 min
As hard seltzers like White Claw continue to boom in popularity, two beer giants are now duking it out in federal court over the legality of a Corona-branded seltzer. This week we’re breaking down the case, hitting on intellectual property, mergers & acquisitions, antitrust, and our love of seltzer. Also this week: We’re joined by Law360 Supreme Court reporter Jimmy Hoover to explain a flurry of activity at the high court; a former BigLaw partner avoids disbarment over the Varsity Blues scandal;...
Feb 26, 2021•35 min
In August, Citibank accidentally paid $900 million to creditors of cosmetics giant Revlon, which a federal judge called "one of the biggest blunders in banking history.” Rubbing salt in the wound, the judge also ruled this week that the bank cannot reclaim the bulk of the erroneous payment. This week, the gang breaks down Citi’s embarrassing misstep and its unsuccessful bid to undo it in federal court. Also this week: Jones Day gets hit by a sweeping data breach that has much of BigLaw on guard;...
Feb 19, 2021•36 min
Time briefly stood still this week as the Internet became transfixed by the plight of Texas attorney Rod Ponton, whose face was trapped behind an expressive and panicked cat filter during a court hearing on Zoom. Mere hours later, the light-hearted mishap turned into a parable of contemporary online celebrity as allegations of serious prosecutorial misconduct surfaced against Ponton. This week’s show breaks down the video, its weighty aftermath, and the nature of fleeting digital fame. Also this...
Feb 12, 2021•34 min
News broke this week that a former New York Mets manager had been accused of repeated sexual misconduct, marking the second time in as many weeks that the team pled ignorance about hiring an alleged harasser. On this week’s show, we’re chatting with Law360 employment beat reporter Amanda Ottaway about how companies can avoid hiring past abusers. Also this week: the latest legal and regulatory fallout from the GameStop stock debacle; an appeals court’s rebuke of a federal judge who exhibited bias...
Feb 05, 2021•40 min
The whole country is in a tizzy over GameStop — a floundering video game retailer whose stock went through the roof this week because an internet mob wanted to stick it to hedge funds. On this week’s show, we’re breaking it all down: The absurd backstory, the lawsuits that have already been filed, and the possibility of new financial regulations to come. In other news, Law360 reporter Jack Karp joins us to discuss how judges and courthouse workers have struggled to get access to vaccines. Also t...
Jan 29, 2021•43 min
Within hours of taking the oath of office on Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed a string of executive actions, ranging from the COVID-19 pandemic to climate change. On this week’s episode of Pro Say, we’re breaking them all down, before taking a deep dive into how the new administration will impact three key practice areas: environmental law, immigration law, and antitrust law. Finally, we conclude with a Pro Say history lesson on the evolution of the lawyer joke.
Jan 22, 2021•34 min
A week after a mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, we’re talking about the consequences that are rapidly unfolding. Dozens of rioters have been charged with federal crimes, BigLaw powerhouses are urging the removal of the President, and tech giants are in court over efforts to fight the misinformation that fueled the attack. Also this week: We sit down with Law360 employment law whiz Anne Cullen to chat about a little-known statute that’s suddenly at play after COVID-fueled mass layoffs; and the elect...
Jan 15, 2021•32 min
Joe Biden’s decision to select Merrick Garland as the next attorney general was quickly overshadowed by an unprecedented attack on the U.S. Capitol by Trump supporters looking to upend the election. In accepting the nomination, Garland himself pointed to the insurrection as evidence of the need for strong rule of law, and vowed to reposition the Justice Department as an apolitical entity in the wake of the Trump era. Law360’s Jimmy Hoover joins us this week to talk about the Garland nomination, ...
Jan 08, 2021•37 min
Let’s be honest: the year 2020 felt like it lasted a decade. A global pandemic turned life upside down in the spring, a battle against racial injustice broke out over the summer, and a contentious election closed out the fall. In our final episode of the year, the Pro Say podcast is going to walk you through how each of these stories affected the legal world, from courtroom closures and shirtless Zoom attorneys, to arrested BigLaw associates and calls for an end to qualified immunity, to a new S...
Dec 18, 2020•59 min
At the onset of the pandemic, the Federal Communications Commission pushed hundreds of internet providers to pledge against disconnecting or penalizing customers who struggled to pay their bills. But a Law360 investigation revealed that the pledge wasn’t as effective as the FCC has claimed. We’re joined this week by senior telecommunications reporter Kelcee Griffis, who combed through thousands of FCC records to reveal the shortcomings of the companies’ promises. Also this week, state and federa...
Dec 11, 2020•39 min
Pharma companies have developed COVID-19 vaccines at record-breaking speed, utilizing never-before-used genetic technologies. Will these companies secure patents on those new technologies? And how will that impact the distribution of a pandemic-stopping shot? Joining us to answer those questions is Dani Kass, Law360’s senior patent reporter. Also this week: A Supreme Court case over corporate liability for overseas child slavery spawns a familiar debate over the personal responsibility attorneys...
Dec 04, 2020•39 min
The Thanksgiving holiday might look a little different this year, but one thing that remains the same is our annual break for a special episode looking back at our favorite offbeat stories of the year. We revisit an attorney whose Second Circuit argument went sideways; a Kentucky state judge accused of having a threesome in the courthouse; a real-life request for trial by combat in family court; a former major league pitcher who confronted a naked man on LSD in his front yard; and a look at some...
Nov 25, 2020•49 min
Amid skyrocketing numbers of COVID-19 infections, a jury trial in Texas ended in a mistrial this week after at least 15 participants tested positive for the illness. On this week’s show, we’re breaking down the ill-fated trial in Texas, plus the slew of other courts that are shutting down during the third wave of the pandemic. Also this week: the law firm Sanford Heisler is best known for filing discrimination cases against BigLaw giants, but the firm is now facing allegations of bias from its o...
Nov 20, 2020•31 min
President Trump has filed a slew of lawsuits aimed at challenging his election loss to President-elect Joe Biden, but the cases are supported by little evidence and don’t contest enough votes to change the outcome. This week, we’re going through those questionable lawsuits one by one, as well as the public relations backlash brewing for law firms like Jones Day that represent the president. Also this week, an audio-breakdown of the hotly-anticipated Supreme Court arguments over the fate of Obama...
Nov 13, 2020•37 min
All eyes have been on the presidential vote count, but a lot more was put to voters in the 2020 election. This week, we break down some key ballot measures including a win for gig economy companies in California, the spread of cannabis legalization, and more. We’ll also discuss a ruling in New York that puts an end to Amazon workers’ calls for more COVID protections from the retail giant; a legal malpractice lawsuit against Seyfarth Shaw; and a new, not so catchy jingle from the famed injury att...
Nov 06, 2020•32 min
The confirmation of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court just days before an election has sparked calls from Democrats for serious changes to the high court. What might those reforms look like? Is it fair to call them “court packing?” On this week’s show, Law360’s Supreme Court reporter Jimmy Hoover joins us to break it all down, from the contentious backstory to a range of possible proposals. Also on this week’s show: A federal judge says government lawyers can’t represent President Trum...
Oct 30, 2020•42 min
The U.S. Department of Justice filed a sweeping antitrust lawsuit against Google this week, accusing the tech giant of maintaining an illegal monopoly over internet search and online advertising. The case came amid a broader reckoning with the power of Big Tech, and it evoked historical comparisons to the famous Microsoft case of the late 1990s. Joining us to breakdown all these issues and more is Matt Perlman, Law360’s senior reporter on the competition beat. Also this week: A slew of major rul...
Oct 23, 2020•34 min
A New York judge named Mark Grisanti is under fire after body camera footage obtained by Law360 showed him shoving a police officer and invoking his powerful connections following a shirtless brawl with neighbors. With Grisanti never charged with a crime, the video has sparked a broader conversation about whether Grisanti’s race and job led to lenient treatment. On this week’s show we’re breaking down the whole story, plus: A drugmaker racing for a COVID-19 vaccine vows not to sue for patent inf...
Oct 16, 2020•42 min
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett heads to Capitol Hill next week for confirmation hearings that figure to touch on hot-button points like abortion, healthcare and gun rights. Adding even more intrigue are the COVID-19 cluster that has ensnared two key Republican senators and the fast-tracking of Barrett’s nomination ahead of the November election. Joining us to break down the confirmation saga from every angle is Andrew Kragie, Law360’s congressional reporter. Also this week, Justice Clar...
Oct 09, 2020•46 min
A growing number of courts are sending those accused of drug offenses and nonviolent crimes to addiction treatment rather than jail, but some residents are now claiming that the only treatment being offered at those facilities is forced, unpaid labor at for-profit businesses. Joining us to discuss this little-known side of the justice system is Jack Karp, who wrote a deep-dive about the practice and the growing litigation challenging it. Also this week: A ruling blocking President Trump’s TikTok...
Oct 02, 2020•40 min
President Trump has nominated Amy Coney Barrett to fill the seat on the U.S. Supreme Court left vacant by the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, setting the stage for a contentious battle over the future of the high court. To get you up to speed, this week on the Pro Say podcast we’re catching you up on everything you need to know about Amy Coney Barrett.
Sep 26, 2020•25 min
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is among the few on the Supreme Court to have etched her name into legal history long before donning a robe. In a special episode this week, Pro Say sister podcast The Term took a look back at her legacy as a pioneering women's rights advocate with two guests who worked by her side. We’re going to share that episode with you today. A programming note: President Trump has said he’ll name Justice Ginsburg’s replacement as soon as this weekend, so we will be publishing o...
Sep 22, 2020•36 min
A federal appeals court ruled last week that Florida can require former felons to pay all outstanding fines and fees before gaining the right to vote, overturning a judge who said the requirement was an unconstitutional “pay to vote” system that would bar nearly a million people from the ballot box. This week we’re breaking it all down, including the backstory, the ruling itself, and a scathing dissent. Also this week: a Ninth Circuit ruling that could clear the way for the Trump administration ...
Sep 18, 2020•35 min
The National Football League kicked off its season this week, but there was never an offseason for football-related litigation. On this week’s episode, we’re catching you up on all the biggest cases you might have missed — from stadium tax credits to Terrible Towel trademarks to false advertising during the Super Bowl. Also this week, we dig into a legal battle between Whole Foods and its workers over Black Lives Matter face masks; a backlash over a Big Pharma opioid settlement centered on a hug...
Sep 11, 2020•39 min
Pandemic-weary employers are hoping that a COVID-19 vaccine will make their workplaces safer, but forcing workers to get a shot is a legal minefield. On this week’s episode, Law360 employment law guru Vin Gurrieri walks us through a range of legal and practical problems with mandatory inoculation, as well as what history can teach us. Also this week, an appeals court strikes down the massive government data collection system exposed by Edward Snowden; Michael Avenatti gets slapped down after acc...
Sep 04, 2020•35 min
As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced millions of working parents to care for homebound children, employers are struggling to understand new legal obligations designed to give employees more flexibility. This week, with a remote school year looming, we’re breaking down that complex legal landscape, as well as the steps taken by some law firms to support their working parents. Also this week, a 33-year-old Jones Day associate is nominated to the federal bench; Fortnite hits a snag in its app-store ...
Aug 28, 2020•38 min
