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Stanford Legal
Stanford Law School
216 episodes
Law touches most aspects of life. Here to help make sense of it is the Stanford Legal podcast, where we look at the cases, questions, conflicts, and legal stories that affect us all every day.
More about the show
Pam Karlan studies and teaches a range of constitutional law-related courses with a special focus on what is known as the “law of democracy,”—the law that regulates voting, elections, and the political process. She served as a commissioner on the California Fair Political Practices Commission, an assistant counsel and cooperating attorney for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and (twice) as a Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. She also co-directs the Stanford Supreme Court Litigation Clinic, which represents real clients before the highest court in the country, working on important cases including representing Edith Windsor in the landmark case striking down the federal Defense of Marriage Act and Donald Zarda in a case where the Supreme Court held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBT individuals against discrimination in employment. She has argued before the Court ten times.
And Rich Ford’s teaching and writing look at the relationship between law and equality, cities and urban development, popular culture and everyday life. He teaches local government law, employment discrimination, and the often-misunderstood critical race theory. He studied with and advised governments around the world on questions of equality law, lectured at places like the Sorbonne in Paris on the relationship of law and popular culture, served as a commissioner for the San Francisco Housing Commission, and worked with cities on how to manage neighborhood change and volatile real estate markets. He writes about law and popular culture for lawyers, academics, and popular audiences. His latest book is Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History, a legal history of the rules and laws that influence what we wear.
Law matters. We hope you’ll listen to new episodes that will drop on Thursdays every two weeks. To learn more, go to https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-legal-podcast/.
Episodes page 3 of 5
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Lost, Not Stolen: The Conservative Case that Trump Lost and Biden Won the 2020 Presidential Election with Michael McConnell
While polls of Republican voters still show strong support for former president Trump, some of the most powerful testimony against him during the January 6 Congressional hearings have been by members of his…
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Money, Guns, and Lawyers: The Uniquely American Epidemic of Mass Shootings
Stanford’s John Donohue on gun laws, mass shootings, and what can be done to address them --- Nearly ten years after the massacre of 26 students and teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, the world…
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Overturning Roe and the Future of Abortion in the U.S. with Bernadette Meyler
In an unusual leak from the U.S. Supreme Court, a draft memo shows the Court has decided to overrule Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 decision Roe v. Wade, which made abortion legal throughout the U.S. What does this…
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Law Firms and Russian Profits with Robert Daines
Since Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of the world’s leading companies, from investment banks to consumer goods, have shuttered their Russian operations. But Law firms have been slower to respond. Join…
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Stanford Environmental Law Clinic’s Critical Environmental Cases with Debbie Sivas, Chris Meyer, and Sidni Frederick
Stanford’s Environmental Law Clinic issues come in all sizes and shapes, from arguing successfully before the Ninth Circuit on their Endangered Species Act/NEPA case against the Forest Service, which implicated forest…
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Environmental, Social, and Governance Funds with Paul Brest and Colleen Honigsberg
Shareholders and investors alike are pressuring companies to improve their environmental, social, and governance performance. And an increasing number of funds are designated as ESG. But how do we measure—and…
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The Legacy of Justice Stephen Breyer
The Legacy of retiring Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is discussed by Stanford Law School Dean Jenny Martinez, who clerked for Breyer. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for…
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Covid-19, mask and vaccine mandates, and Continued Challenges Facing America’s Teachers
Teacher burnout—and resignations—may be leading to a crisis in education. Join Laura Juran, Chief Counsel and Associate Executive Director of the California Teachers Association, for a discussion about the challenges…
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The Closing of the American Mind? A Discussion about Critical Race Theory, Book Banning, and More
Over 30 state legislatures across the country have introduced bills to limit the discussion of racial history in a wave prompted by the emergence of critical race theory as a subject of political fear-mongering. In…
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SF Board Supervisor Matt Haney on the Challenges of Crime and Homelessness in Big Cities
Matt Haney, San Francisco Board Supervisor, joins Stanford Legal for a discussion about the challenges of homelessness and crime in cities, particularly since the start of the Covid pandemic. Hosted by Simplecast, an…
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Pandemic Vaccine Mandates at the Supreme Court
Just as pandemic fatigue is setting in and the Omicron variant is sweeping across the nation—putting a tremendous strain on America’s healthcare infrastructure—the Supreme Court heard arguments in challenges to the…
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Evictions and How Covid Changed the Discussion about Government Support for Society's Most Vulnerable
When AG Garland put out a call to lawyers, law students, and law schools generally to suit up to deal with the "eviction tsunami" that many are predicting in the coming months, Juliet Brodie , director of the Stanford…
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Fake it Until You Make It? The Fall of Theranos and the Trial of Elizabeth Holmes
It was the stuff of Silicon Valley dreams. Elizabeth Holmes dropped out of Stanford University to launch the blood testing disruptor Theranos and built it to a $9 billion valuation. But the tech adage “fake it until…
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The Future of Afghanistan and the Rule of Law
In 2007, Erik Jensen, helped launch the Afghanistan Legal Education Project, a collaboration with with Stanford Law School and the American University in Afghanistan to build a high quality legal program for Afghan law…
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California Burning: Fire, Drought, and Climate Change
Western states are once again in severe drought with water in short supply. And California’s fire season is starting earlier and causing more devastation, with the Dixie fire, the second largest in the state’s history,…
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Conservatorships, Britney Spears, and the Law
Legal issues surrounding the elderly and mentally incapacitated have been making headlines lately, particularly the conservatorship for popstar Britney Spears. But why are these legal tools used? What are the…
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Taxes, Wealth, and Poverty with Joe Bankman
We complain about paying taxes, but appreciate the roads, bridges, safety net, and more that they pay for. But is the U.S. tax system fair? Should the rich pay more, and the poor pay less? Hosted by Simplecast, an…
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Democracy in Crisis?: The Aftermath of Election 2020, Trump, Facebook’s Oversight Board, and the Rollback of Election Laws
The 2020 Election continues to have an unprecedented impact on the country, the “big lie” about fraud spread by some media outlets and used by at least 14 states as justification to undo key election laws. Yet since…
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Exploring Alternatives to Policing
While calls to "defund the police" have made headlines, a new Stanford Law report "Safety Beyond Policing: Promoting Care Over Criminalization" explores alternatives to the use of police in sensitive situations such as…
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Three Strikes and You’re Out: Revisiting Laws that Lock Up Nonviolent Offenders w/ Michael Romano
Imagine serving a life sentence in prison for stealing a floor jack from a tow truck? Many of the clients our guest today, Michael Romano, has represented were drug addicts or homeless when they got caught up in…
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Classifying Crimes as Violent and What it Means for Justice
In this episode David Sklansky, a criminal law expert and former federal prosecutor, discusses his new book A Pattern of Violence: How the Law Classifies Crime and What It Means for Justice, which traces central…
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What How We Dress Matters and Why
Modern day fashion says a lot about who we are and the image we project. Join Stanford Law Professor Richard Thompson Ford for this episode for a discussion about his new book, Dress Codes, and the history of fashion…
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Vaccines, Testing, and President Biden's Plan to Tackle COVID-19
As deaths from COVID-19 surge to the half million mark, health law expert and Stanford Professor Michelle Mello joins Pam and Joe to discuss the many challenges facing the new Biden administration in getting control of…
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National Security Law and Homegrown Terrorism in the Wake of the Siege of the U.S. Capitol Building with Shirin Sinnar
After the siege of the Capitol building on January 6, Americans have been left stunned by the breach of security and concerned about new threats from hate groups and the angry mob. National security law expert Shirin…
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Election 2020: False Allegations of Fraud and Incitement to Insurrection with Nate Persily
President Trump lost the November, 2020 election but has refused to concede, instead stoking the flames of anger in his supporters by spreading false claims of a stolen election. In this episode, voting law expert Nate…
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Election 2020: Issues During and After Votes are Cast and Counted with Pam Karlan
President Trump has repeatedly refused to state clearly that he will accept the results of the November election. In so doing, he raises critical questions for American democracy—particularly if the election is close.…
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President Trump's Taxes with Joe Bankman
Revelations about President Trump’s tax returns, and news about how much or how little he has paid to the federal government, have made headlines in recent weeks. In this episode, Stanford Legal co-host Joe Bankman,…
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What is the Electoral College and is it Fair? with guest Jack Rakove
The Electoral College is a uniquely American system, with electors in each state choosing our president rather than the popular vote. After two recent presidents lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College…
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The Legacy of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the legal icon known as the architect of the legal fight for women’s rights in the 1970s, is remembered in this episode of Stanford Legal by her former SCOTUS clerk Lisa Beattie…
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Laws of War: The Nuclear Threat 75 Years After Hiroshima with Allen Weiner
In the heat of war, the legality of the U.S. bombing of Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagsaki in August, 1945 wasn’t questioned. But the devastation of those nuclear bombs, with hundreds of thousands of mostly…
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Voting During the Pandemic: Is Mail-in Voting the Answer? with guests Nate Persily and Chelsey Davidson
With Covid-19 still spreading in the U.S., and November fast approaching, more Americans are looking to mail-in voting. How can the presidential election be held safely? Voting law expert Nate Persily and law student…
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Religious Liberty at the Supreme Court: Education Aid, Medical Coverage, and Employment Discrimination Protections
The Supreme Court recently decided several important First Amendment cases—ones that asked big questions about the rights of religious intuitions to receive federal aid for education, to be held to federal employment…
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SCOTUS Native American Jurisdiction Decision and the Blurred Lines of Authority
Some residents of Tulsa, Oklahoma may be surprised to discover that they live on Native American land. What does that mean legally—for tribal people and others? Join Professor Greg Ablavsky, an expert on American legal…
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At the Breaking Point: Criminal Justice During Covid-19 with Robert Weisberg
As Covid-19 resurges across the country, it is hitting prisons hard and courts are more backed up than ever. Is the American criminal justice system, already stressed, now at a breaking point? Join Stanford criminal…
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Guns, Suicide, and Covid-19 with David Studdert
Join health law expert Professor David Studdert for a discussion of his extensive study of handgun ownership and suicides in California. David will also weigh in on the politicization of the Center for Disease Control…
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Arguing at the Supreme Court: Pam Karlan Discusses the LGBTQ+ Employment Win
Landmark Supreme Court ruling protects gay and transgender workers by federal law from employment discrimination. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our…
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The Challenges of Cases Against the Police with Attorney David Owens
The recent killings of unarmed black men in police custody, including George Floyd in Minnesota, have once again sparked outrage and protests across the country and world. In this episode, David Owens, an attorney who…
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Race and Policing with guest Professor David Sklansky
Stanford Law Professor David Sklansky, the Faculty Co-Director of the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, is a former federal prosecutor who served as special counsel to the independent review panel appointed to…
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Local Government during the COVID-19 Crisis: A Conversation with San Francisco Supervisor Matt Haney
As one of the first municipalities in the nation to declare a shelter in place order, San Francisco has been on the frontline as a public policy leader during the COVID-19 crisis. Join us for a discussion with Board…
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Can Bankruptcy Help Companies Weather the COVID Crisis?
On May 4, J.Crew became the first major American retailer to file for bankruptcy, with Neiman Marcus and Gold’s Gym quickly following. With unemployment at record levels and a wave of bankruptcies expected, the…
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A Path Back to Normal? Previewing the New Google-Apple COVID-19 Contact TracingTools
Early in May, tech competitors Google and Apple shared sample code for their new contact tracing technology. Hopes are high that apps developed with partnership's technology will help to slow the spread of COVID-19 by…
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Regulating in a Pandemic: COVID-19 Legal Issues with guest Michelle Mello
As the number of COVID-19 cases across the U.S. continues to rise, with shelter in place orders in place throughout most of the country, America’s preparedness for a pandemic has been thrown into question. What went…
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Covid-19 Mental Health and Supreme Court Issues
Stanford Legal co-hosts Pam Karlan and Joe Bankman discuss the ramifications of the the COVID-19 pandemic, both on mental health issues and procedural issues faced by the Supreme Court during this time. Originally…
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Democracy During a Pandemic: Securing the 2020 Presidential Election with guest Nate Persily
With a vaccine and effective treatment still months away, it is increasingly likely that the COVID-19 pandemic will fundamentally change the 2020 presidential election. After the Wisconsin primary in April reportedly…
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Racial Justice: Key NAACP Legal Defense Fund Cases with guest Sherrilyn Ifill
From the groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education case to voting rights and education, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund (LDF) has been the nation’s premier civil rights law organization fighting for racial justice and…
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Key Civil Liberties Issues with guest David Cole
The ACLU has been the nation’s premier defender of civil liberties since its founding 100 years ago. David Cole, the ACLU’s national legal director who oversees its entire legal docket, will discuss key civil liberties…
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Virtual Briefing at the Supreme Court with guest Jeffrey Fisher
The open secret of Supreme Court advocacy in a digital era is that there is a new way to argue to the Justices. In this episode of Stanford Legal, Pam Karlan and Joe Bankman sit down with co-director of the Stanford…
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How We Elect the President with guest Michael McConnell
In the wake of the first wave of primary voting, former judge and Constitutional Law Professor Michael McConnell will discuss how we elect the President in a live taping of the Stanford Legal podcast. What are the…
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Mandating Diversity on Company Boards
Equality for women in the U.S. is still an uphill battle, the wage and leadership gap a challenge 100 years after passage of the19th Amendment. But can gender equality be regulated with law and quotas? California is…
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The Trump Impeachment with guest David Sklansky
In December, the U.S. House of Representatives passed articles of impeachment against the president focusing on abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Only three U.S. presidents have been formally impeached by the…
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