Episodes

  • EP. 167 – Kent Halkett (Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services)

    EP. 167 – Kent Halkett (Tennessee Alliance for Legal Services)
    Jan 27 2025
    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 improving mental health within the legal profession. Kent shares the story of his own mental health challenges, which culminated with him attempting suicide. He explains how publishing his story catapulted him, and this often-taboo subject, into the spotlight.

    During their conversation, Kent describes some of the warning signs of mental health issues, stresses the importance of a work-life balance, and outlines the support available for those in need. Kent also shares insights on how the problem could be addressed, such as by increasing awareness through better education – both in law schools and as part of continuous professional development.

    You can find out more about the ALM and Law.com Compass mental health survey of the legal profession here: https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/2024/05/17/mental-health-by-the-numbers-the-2024-survey-infographic/?slreturn=20250123165408

    You can read one of Kent's articles, Mental Health in the Legal Profession: A Crisis, a Case Study and a Call to Action, here: https://www.tba.org/?pg=Articles&blAction=showEntry&blogEntry=59057
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    47 mins
  • EP. 107 – Introducing… Lauren Sobel & Jennifer Thibodaux

    EP. 107 – Introducing… Lauren Sobel & Jennifer Thibodaux
    Oct 24 2022
    As you’ll know, if you want that dream job, you’ve got to nail the interview. And that’s just what Lauren Sobel and Jennifer Thibodaux had to do before taking up their posts as our new US hosts of The Hearing.

    Join Yasmin as she gets to know our new pod-mates – finding out Lauren and Jennifer’s career journeys, their roles as Senior Legal Editors at Practical Law, and what makes them tick. It gets deep.

    As Lauren and Jennifer both got the job(!) we can’t wait to join them for future episodes, as they introduce us to their own guests and topics. If you have any suggestions for who or what we should feature, please do get in touch.

    Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
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    33 mins
  • EP. 77 – The impact of AI and algorithms on the fairness of our justice systems

    EP. 77 – The impact of AI and algorithms on the fairness of our justice systems
    May 17 2021
    THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – We, along with the rest of the legal industry, have talked at length about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on our profession. But this time we concern ourselves not with the efficiencies of machine learning and automation, but instead with potential injustice and the need for vigilance in the face of seismic developments.

    AI is already being used extensively in areas like recruitment, policing and the courts – as it's often assumed that machines, unlike humans, are objective and neutral. But, as this episode discusses, computer algorithms can easily perpetuate and amplify human biases.

    Becky Annison and our three guests – who are each working to understand and fight against algorithmic injustice – discuss the causes as well as the cumulative and damaging effects of coded bias. The computer scientist and digital activist Joy Buolamwini describes this phenomenon as the "exclusion overhead" – the cost of systems that exclude and discriminate against those with experiential differences who are outside the code writing room.

    CONTRIBUTORS:
    - Sandra Wachter, Associate Professor & Senior Research Fellow, Oxford Internet Institute, University of Oxford
    - Kristian Lum, Research Assistant Professor, Dept. of Computer & Information Science, University of Pennsylvania
    - Ivana Bartoletti, Technical Director - Privacy, Deloitte; Visiting Policy Fellow, University of Oxford

    Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
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    36 mins
  • EP. 152 – Neil Hudgell (Hudgell Solicitors)

    EP. 152 – Neil Hudgell (Hudgell Solicitors)
    Jun 3 2024
    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 about The Hearing and other Thomson Reuters podcasts at tr.com/thehearing
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    32 mins
  • EP. 142 – Mirna Santiago (Girls Rule the Law)

    EP. 142 – Mirna Santiago (Girls Rule the Law)
    Jan 8 2024
    "Show up. Speak up. Woman up." This is the motto of Mirna Santiago, a lawyer, DEI expert, and nonprofit founder and CEO. Through the many roles Mirna has held during her career, which has also included law firm partner and chair of the New York State Bar Association's Committee on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Mirna epitomizes someone who walks her talk.

    In this episode, Jenn and Lauren chat with Mirna about her commitment to busting bias as a Black Hispanic woman who was born in another country and now exists in places where, as she puts it, you don’t typically find women in her skin. Mirna, a phenomenal storyteller and engaging presenter, also explains how her dad influenced her decision to go to law school and how she came up with her motto after watching her mom never say yes. They also chat about Mirna's pipeline nonprofit organization, Girls Rule the Law (girlsrulethelaw.org), which introduces underrepresented middle and high school girls to the legal field.

    If you enjoy listening to The Hearing, please follow the podcast and leave a 5-star review. This helps like-minded people find the podcast, and helps us ensure we can continue to bring you interesting guests and content.
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    38 mins
  • EP. 118 – Rossana Arteaga-Gomez (American Civil Liberties Union)

    EP. 118 – Rossana Arteaga-Gomez (American Civil Liberties Union)
    Mar 27 2023
    On this week's episode, our host Lauren Sobel sits down with Rossana Arteaga-Gomez – a partner at AXS Law Group in Miami, Florida, and President of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida.

    Rossana and Lauren chat about Rossana's unique legal career in both civil litigation and criminal defense work, as well as how Rossana cracked the code on marrying her passions with her career. They dive into some formative experiences that Rossana had – including being a witness in her own cases, and having clients tell her that they preferred to hire a white man as their attorney. The pair also discuss Rossana's passion for civil rights and her mission to improve the criminal justice system through her work with the ACLU.

    We'd love to hear from you! So drop us a line at thehearing@tr.com to say hello, or to share your ideas for future guests and topics.

    Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
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    35 mins
  • EP. 111 – Jack Courtney (Trainee Solicitor)

    EP. 111 – Jack Courtney (Trainee Solicitor)
    Dec 19 2022
    MY LEGAL JOB & ME – This episode will be of particular interest to any aspiring solicitors. Jack Courtney is in the first seat of his training contract – at Biscoes Solicitors in Portsmouth, UK.

    Jack, who is in the firm's corporate team, describes his experiences and offers advice for other students who are at the beginning of their careers.

    If there is a specific legal job type that you would like to know more about, please email your suggestion to thehearing@tr.com.

    Find out more at tr.com/TheHearing
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    8 mins
  • EP. 82 – Julia Cooper (Breastfeed in Peace)

    EP. 82 – Julia Cooper (Breastfeed in Peace)
    Aug 9 2021
    Breastfeeding is legal. Breastfeeding in public is legal. But did you know that taking intimate photos of a woman breastfeeding in public without her consent is also legal?

    In this episode Yasmin talks to new mother, designer and now women's and mother's rights campaigner, Julia Cooper. She's another woman warrior using political process to change the way the law treats women. Julia speaks about the shock of being photographed by a stranger whilst breastfeeding her child outside, their confrontation and the steps she's taken since to help protect other mums.

    Both Yasmin and Julia are new mums and care passionately about giving other mothers the confidence to breastfeed in public. The pair talk about Julia’s campaigning journey, the frustrations and early successes, and what it's like getting to grips with the legislative process.

    You can find out more about Julia’s petition here: www.change.org/breastfeedinpeace
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    30 mins