Episodes
Published 03/15/24
March is Women’s History Month where we celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States throughout American history in a variety of fields. Charlotte E. Ray. Belva Lockwood. Sandra Day O’Connor. Ruth Bader Ginsberg. These are just some of the standout women who have shaped our legal history and fought for women and girls across the nation. Unfortunately, in recent years women’s rights have come under attack. With SCOTUS’ overturning of Roe v. Wade, and many other policy...
Published 03/15/24
On November 5th, 2024, people across the nation will head to the polls and cast their vote for president of the United States. It is looking more and more like another battle between President Joe Biden & former President Donald Trump with policy and rhetoric indicating an even more divided nation than in the prior election. With policy issues like immigration, abortion, IVF, guns, employment, and the economy taking center stage in this race, this election could once again be a...
Published 03/01/24
For the past two episodes of Lawyer2Lawyer, we have covered SCOTUS cases that have included ballot access and immunity with former President Trump at the forefront of these cases. Trump has also been charged in four criminal cases. In this episode, Craig is joined by professor Tamara R. Lave, from the University of Miami, as they spotlight these upcoming criminal cases of Trump, whether these cases will go to trial before the presidential election, and possible punishment.   Mentioned in this...
Published 02/16/24
In our last episode, we discussed administrative law, abortion, guns, presidential immunity & ballot access— just some of the upcoming cases that will come before the High Court in 2024.  In this episode, we continue our conversation with Professor Steven D. Schwinn and spotlight some of the remaining standout SCOTUS cases on the docket. Additionally, we discuss a developing conflict at the Texas border with Mexico, where the State is openly defying a recent SCOTUS ruling.
Published 02/02/24
Administrative law, abortion, guns, presidential immunity, & ballot access. These are just some of the upcoming cases that will come before the High Court in 2024. How will the justices rule? And how could their rulings change the course of our legal system for years to come? In this episode, host Craig Williams joins returning guest Steven D. Schwinn from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, as they spotlight the standout SCOTUS cases of 2024 and the potential impact.
Published 01/19/24
The first bar examination in the United States was administered in oral form in the Delaware Colony in 1783, and in 1885, Massachusetts became the first state to employ a written version of the bar exam. Over time, the bar examination process has become more standardized, but there's no one test. One example of a standardized test is the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), created back in 2011, and first administered that year by Missouri and North Dakota. So what is NEXT in standardized tests?...
Published 01/05/24
Did former President Trump’s rhetoric lead to an insurrection on January 6th, 2021? A court in Colorado has said it did. So, what constitutes rhetoric? And how powerful are words? In this episode, host Craig Williams is joined by guest Dr. Pete Simi, Professor of Sociology at Chapman University, to discuss the impact of rhetoric. Craig & Pete take a look at former President Trump's history of violent rhetoric, free speech and hate speech, and how extreme rhetoric can lead to political...
Published 12/22/23
Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), released a report on U.S. life expectancy. Keren Landman, senior reporter from Vox, wrote an excellent piece on this report, detailing the takeaways including the impact of COVID 19, the rise of infant mortality, and how the States compared to other countries on life expectancy.  In this episode, host Craig Williams is joined by guest Michael Ulrich, Assistant Professor of Health Law, Ethics, & Human Rights at Boston...
Published 12/08/23
As we near the end of our environmental law series, we turn to our beloved oceans. The Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972 also known as MPRSA, is one of several key environmental laws passed by the US Congress in 1972. The Act regulates the disposition of any material into ocean waters, unless expressly excluded under the MPRSA.  In this episode of our Environmental Law series, host Craig Williams is joined by Professor Robin Craig, the Robert C. Packard Trustee Chair in...
Published 11/24/23
According to the Georgetown Law Library, Art Law can be defined as “the body of law, involving numerous disciplines, that protects, regulates and facilitates the creation, use and marketing of art. Those involved in the practice of art law look to a variety of disciplines, such as intellectual property, contract, constitutional, tort, tax, commercial and international law to protect the interests of their clients.” In this episode, host Craig Williams is joined by guests, attorneys Gabrielle...
Published 11/10/23
In this episode of our Environmental Law series, host Craig Williams is joined by Professor Jody Freeman, the Archibald Cox Professor at Harvard Law School and a leading expert on administrative law and environmental law. Jody & Craig spotlight SCOTUS' Sackett v. EPA ruling, and its impact on the EPA's powers, Clean Water Act protections, and the regulation of wetlands. Mentioned in this Episode: CleanLaw Podcast
Published 10/27/23
In a recent incident in Columbus, Ohio, an 11 year old girl was manipulated into sending explicit photos to an adult. After law enforcement was called by the girl’s father, a police officer told the father his daughter could face child porn charges for her actions. So how do we protect our children who are victims of these kinds of crimes? And what needs to change within our laws? In this episode, host Craig Williams is joined by guest attorney Riya Saha Shah, Senior Managing Director of...
Published 10/13/23
In this episode of our Environmental Law series, host Craig Williams is once again joined by Alisha M. Winterswyk, an attorney from Best Best & Krieger, LLP, as they continue their discussion on NEPA & CEQA. The conversation moves into the specifics of how courts deal with decisions by city councils that dealing with environmental consequences, and on the other side, how citizens deal with this whole process by filing lawsuits.
Published 09/29/23
With primaries set to start in spring of 2024, an upcoming presidential election, and a number of federal & state indictments against former President Trump, including the January 6th indictment, section 3 of the 14th amendment has taken center stage. It reads "no person who has taken an oath as an officer of the United States can hold office if they “have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof”. So, will Section 3 of the 14th...
Published 09/01/23
While Craig is away on a well-deserved vacation, we wanted to do things a little bit differently, and share with you one of our favorite episodes from the Chicago Bar Association’s @the Bar podcast. This episode is Defending Against Domestic Violent Extremism: A Discussion with Brian Michael Jenkins. We hope you enjoy it! ----- In this episode, host Jonathan Amarilio speaks with one of the world’s leading authorities on terrorism and the man famously known for predicting 9/11, Brian Michael...
Published 08/18/23
In this episode of our Environmental Law series, host Craig Williams is joined by Alisha M. Winterswyk, an attorney from Best Best & Krieger, LLP, as they spotlight NEPA and CEQA, their impact, and purpose.
Published 08/04/23
As SCOTUS wrapped in leadup to its annual summer recess, three controversial rulings, all with a 6-3 vote, created quite the stir: Biden v. Nebraska, Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College, and 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis. So what sort of impact will these rulings have on society? In this episode, host Craig Williams is joined by guest Professor Steven D. Schwinn from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, as they spotlight the recent SCOTUS...
Published 07/21/23
The Clean Air Act also known as (CAA) is a comprehensive Federal law that regulates all sources of air emissions. The 1970 CAA authorized the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) to protect public health and the environment. In this episode of our Environmental Law series, host Craig Williams is joined by Trish McCubbin, a retired Professor of Environmental Law at the Southern Illinois University School of Law, as they...
Published 07/07/23
On September 30, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 2 (SB 2), also known as the Kenneth Ross, Jr. Police Decertification Act of 2021, establishing a statewide system to decertify or suspend officers who have committed serious misconduct. So what constitutes police misconduct? And how is SB 2 shaping police departments? In this episode, host Craig Williams is joined by guest Marshal Arnwine, Jr., an Advocate for the Criminal Justice Program at the ACLU of Northern...
Published 06/23/23
The Endangered Species Act of 1973 (ESA) provided a framework to conserve and protect endangered and threatened species and their habitats both domestically and abroad. According to the Center for Progressive Reform, at an April 2023 hearing of the Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee of the House Natural Resources Committee, the conservative majority pushed no less than three Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolutions aimed at blocking ESA protections. In this episode of our...
Published 06/09/23
According to the League of Women Voters, “Voting is a fundamental principle, and all Americans deserve the equal opportunity to make their voices heard in our democracy.” Yet over the years, various states have suppressed voters from reaching the ballot box through various methods like strict ID laws, purging voter rolls, and cutting early voting.  Gerrymandering, defined as “to manipulate the boundaries of (an electoral constituency) so as to favor one party or class” has taken center stage...
Published 05/26/23
According to the EPA, “The Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980 -- otherwise known as CERCLA or Superfund -- provides a Federal "Superfund" to clean up uncontrolled or abandoned hazardous-waste sites as well as accidents, spills, and other emergency releases of pollutants and contaminants into the environment. Through CERCLA, the EPA was given power to seek out those parties responsible for any release and assure their cooperation in the cleanup.” In...
Published 05/12/23
On April 6th, 2023, ProPublica released a report titled, Clarence Thomas and the Billionaire, detailing Justice Clarence Thomas’ failure to report years of lavish trips paid for by Republican billionaire Harlan Crow. Justice Thomas’ actions led U.S. Senate Majority Whip and Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Dick Durbin and other Senate Judiciary Committee Democratic members to send a letter to Chief Justice Roberts inviting him to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify...
Published 04/28/23
Back on Oct. 21, 1976, President Gerald Ford signed the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) into law, highlighting that this law “provides sound state and local programs to deal with ever increasing amounts of municipal solid wastes generated in this country.” In this episode of our Environmental Law series, we spotlight the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act better known as RCRA. We discuss regulations, goals, importance, impact, and how far we have come.
Published 04/14/23