Join host Yasmin Sheikh as she interviews British lawyer, writer and broadcaster Mark Stephens for this thought-provoking episode. Mark shares his journey from representing artists in intellectual property cases to advocating for freedom of speech and human rights. He discusses his impactful work addressing global issues, such as decriminalising homosexuality and combating child marriage. They also chat about Mark’s high-profile cases, including his notable role defending WikiLeaks founder Julia...
Jun 30, 2025•56 min
Legislative efforts in the US are starting to recognize that people can face discrimination and bias in the workplace based on the size of their bodies. In this episode, host Janelle Wrigley speaks with Kara Richardson Whitely, author of ‘Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds’ and founder of The Gorgeous Agency (https://thegorgeousagency.com). They discuss the complex trauma that can arise from weight stigma, how companies and law firms can create inclusive cultures for all body types a...
Jun 16, 2025•54 min
Host Becky Annison explores the UK's court backlog crisis and its troubling ripple effects throughout the justice system. Her guest, Adrian Usher, the UK’s Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, explains how delayed trials are creating a bottleneck in prisons, with some Crown Court cases now being scheduled as far ahead as 2028, and he outlines the human cost of these systemic failures. Adrian explains why coming into his role as PPO after a long career as a police officer changed how he thinks about ...
Jun 02, 2025•46 min
In a profession that celebrates achievement and relentless work ethic, what happens to the mental and physical wellbeing of those caught in this culture? Following our previous exploration of the mental health crisis in the legal community, this episode delves deeper into practical solutions. Join host Teneé Frazier as she welcomes Kerry Lawlor, psychotherapist, and co-founder of the Workplace Collective (UK), for an illuminating conversation about recognizing the need for self-care and creating...
May 12, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Who protects women when the very systems that are supposed to protect them, like the police and the broader legal system, refuse to, or even worse, are causing the harm in the first place? This episode's guest has been fighting against the systemic challenges women face in securing justice for decades. And she has some extraordinary stories to tell. Join The Hearing host Yasmin Sheikh as she sits down with Harriet Wistrich, a human rights lawyer, founder of the Centre for Women's Justice (https:...
Apr 28, 2025•36 min
Most people would agree that lawyers and doctors should have professional licenses and oversight to protect the public from malpractice. But does the licensing system actually serve its intended purpose? In this episode, join host Janelle Wrigley for an insightful conversation with Professor Rebecca Haw Allensworth of Vanderbilt Law School, as she discusses her book, ‘The Licensing Racket: How We Decide Who Is Allowed to Work and Why It Goes Wrong’. Professor Allensworth delves into the complica...
Mar 31, 2025•51 min
Those who could benefit most from the legal system are often those least able to access it. As this episode's guest, Stephen Kinsella, notes, "There are only so many cake stalls and jumble sales you can have in a local community, in order to raise funds to pay a lawyer." So that's where his organisation, Law for Change, steps in – as a Community Interest Company that helps provide financial backing and indemnities to cover legal costs for cases with significant societal impact. Join host Becky A...
Mar 17, 2025•32 min
In this episode, Dan Nardello, the founder of top-tier investigative firm Nardello & Co., speaks with host Teneé Frazier about the evolving role of private investigations within the legal industry. They discuss the increasingly sophisticated nature of investigations, their essential role in complex litigation and dispute resolution, and the need for strict ethical adherence. Their conversation delves into the methodologies used in special investigations, from public records reviews to strate...
Mar 03, 2025•49 min
The world can feel hopelessly polarised at times, especially on topics such as racism and criminal justice. If your spirits need lifting, and if you need reassurance that respectful dialogue is possible, even if people disagree with each other, then this episode is for you. Abimbola Johnson, a barrister at London's Doughty Street Chambers, speaks with host Yasmin Sheikh about her work as chair of the Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board, which addresses racism in policing. They discuss the i...
Feb 10, 2025•59 min
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...
Jan 27, 2025•47 min
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 govern...
Jan 13, 2025•28 min
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 t...
Dec 16, 2024•55 min
"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 indus...
Dec 02, 2024•37 min
"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 dam...
Nov 18, 2024•54 min
"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 ...
Nov 04, 2024•49 min
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...
Oct 14, 2024•47 min
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 f...
Sep 30, 2024•46 min
Imagine you are a juror in a criminal trial. The evidence is overwhelming that the defendant is guilty. But you can’t shake the feeling that it would be unjust to convict. Maybe you don’t believe what the defendant did should be treated as a crime. Or maybe you simply believe the defendant deserves mercy. Can you vote to acquit, or must you vote according to the evidence? It turns out that, in the US and the UK, jurors do have the power to acquit, even if they believe a defendant committed the c...
Sep 16, 2024•42 min
In the UK you’ll find spectacular beaches and rivers, a nation of wild swimmers and water lovers… and a big pollution problem! Untreated sewage, chemicals and plastic waste are creating a worsening toxic soup. Surfers Against Sewage (https://www.sas.org.uk) has been fighting back for over 30 years – through public campaigns, education programmes and, more recently, an app that lets you check the health status of your favourite swim, surf or sail spot. In this episode, Becky Annison chats to Surf...
Sep 02, 2024•35 min
Following the recent release of the 12th Edition of Black's Law Dictionary, The Hearing is privileged to welcome its Editor-in-Chief, Bryan Garner, to the show. And to be honest, we're a bit nervous to write this description of our conversation with this esteemed grammarian, lexicographer, and lawyer! You don't hear about fourth graders naming "shan't" as a contraction or teenagers amassing a large vocabulary to impress potential dates. And we don't know about you, but we were too busy staying a...
Aug 19, 2024•54 min
At 15 years old, Shaun Wallace was told that he would most likely end up in prison. Instead, he became a barrister and a TV personality famous for his knowledge mastery – first as a champion of the BBC quiz show Mastermind, and since 2009 as one of the chasers (professional quizzers) on UK television show The Chase. In this episode, Shaun chats with Yasmin Sheikh about how his love of law, learning, and football led to a career in law and on television, and the setbacks he has overcome along the...
Aug 05, 2024•32 min
This episode explores the heart-wrenching subject of youth justice. Guest Aika Stephenson is the founder of Just For Kids Law, a UK charity that represents and advocates for children in contact with the criminal justice system. She’s also the author of In Their Defence: Fighting for Youth Justice One Child at a Time (https://www.mombooks.com/book/in-their-defence/). Join host Janelle as she chats with Aika about the extraordinary cases she’s dealt with in her career and how her own background le...
Jul 22, 2024•37 min
In this episode, we dive into the philosophical depths of the legal profession – exploring some of the assumptions underpinning Western legal thought and the implications of such assumptions. So nothing we can’t handle. Join host Becky Annison as she talks to Ryan James and Zaneta Sedilekova, the founders of (re)purpose law – a personal development course for lawyers. The trio discuss how legal practices could be harmonised to help tackle the multifaceted crises facing the modern world, and they...
Jul 01, 2024•42 min
In the US, June is no longer just June – it is also National Gun Violence Awareness Month. To that end, this episode delves into one of the most pressing issues facing the US today: school shootings. Lauren sits down with Stuart Grossman and Alex Arteaga-Gomez, two attorneys at the forefront of US legal efforts to help curb gun violence in schools, to discuss their work on the deadliest mass shooting at a high school in US history – the Parkland shooting. Lauren also chats with Stuart and Alex a...
Jun 17, 2024•40 min
Over decades, hundreds of Post Office employees in the UK were wrongly prosecuted for crimes such as fraud and theft due to accounting errors resulting from faulty software. Many lives were devastated by the false accusations. This week, Yasmin speaks to Neil Hudgell, the Executive Chairman of Hudgell Solicitors, a firm representing many of the claimants in the post office scandal, about the case and his experiences representing individuals who have been through tragic events. Find out more abou...
Jun 03, 2024•32 min
Picture this: a young boy enters a computer programming project in his school science fair. It's so sophisticated that his teacher mistakenly assumes a parent must have helped – and awards him last place. The boy then grows up to become CEO of a legal technology company worth $650 million. That story belongs to Jake Heller, Head of CoCounsel – a revolutionary generative AI product for lawyers. In this episode, Jenn and Lauren sit down with their colleague Jake to chat about his journey from codi...
May 20, 2024•54 min
Governments around the world are grappling with how to regulate AI on issues ranging from copyright protections to ethical standards, competition rules and beyond. In this episode, host Becky Annison explores AI governance issues with Lord Tim Clement-Jones CBE, member of the UK House of Lords and former chair of its Artificial Intelligence Select Committee. The pair discuss the challenges of balancing enthusiasm for a new technology with the need to manage its risks. They also chat about areas ...
May 06, 2024•48 min
Salt and pepper. Fish and chips. The sun and the moon. Law and innovation? Ok, maybe those last two haven’t traditionally been a natural pair. But the legal world is changing like never before. What skills should lawyers develop to excel with new technologies? How can lawyers interested in tech get more involved in that field? This episode’s guest, Joe Green, Chief Innovation Officer at Gunderson Dettmer, speaks to host Janelle Wrigley about these questions, how he pivoted his career from corpor...
Apr 22, 2024•51 min
For lawyers who are disabled or neurodivergent, finding role models and support in the legal profession is a huge challenge. After becoming disabled eight years ago – and grappling with how to navigate her health and her work as a lawyer – Reena Parmar set out to address that problem. Now Chair of the Disabled Solicitors Network (DSN) at the Law Society of England and Wales, Reena chats with host Yasmin Sheikh about the initiatives underway at the DSN to promote disability inclusion and to suppo...
Apr 08, 2024•42 min
In this episode, Lauren sits down with Alan Barinholtz, lawyer and star of the hit TV series Jury Duty. Though Alan spent most of his life as a litigator and arbitrator, he dreamed of being an actor. After 40+ years as a lawyer (and, as he puts it, being patient and rehearsing for close to 50 years), Alan's dream came true when he landed the role of Judge Alan Rosen on Jury Duty. The Amazon show went on to earn an Emmy nomination and won the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Award for Best Ensemble C...
Mar 18, 2024•36 min
