Unscripted Direct

(00:56) Spencer names a tournament after himself, and Justin has some questions. (07:47) Frankie DiGiacco from University of San Diego takes the bench as our guest judge for Motions in Limine. Our main interview is with Temple's Sara Jacobson. (26:04) Sara talks about her career arc (she originally planned to be a prosecutor!), holding practice during storms and parades, her aggression behind...

We kick off Season 2!  (00:51) We make some predictions for the new year. (10:43) We introduce a new segment, Motions in Limine, with judge-of-the-week Professor Ramona Albin from Cumberland. (28:13) And, for our main interview, Spencer speaks to Judge David Erickson from Chicago Kent.  Judge Erickson talks about getting hit by nuns, his baseball career, his career as a lawyer (did you know he los...

To help you get through exam-grading, endless gift shopping, and general trial ad withdrawal, we've got a special episode of Unscripted Direct to bridge the gap to Season Two (which debuts in January). We're calling this the Little Holiday Special because we were joined by the incomparable Robert Little. Robert tells us which monikers he prefers (spoiler: don't call him "Rob&qu...

Our last episode of Season 1!  (0:00:33) Introduction: Spencer and Justin talk about how making a podcast differed from their expectations.    (0:05:32) Interview with Mike Kelly, name partner at our flagship sponsor, Walkup Melodia Kelly & Schoenberger.    (0:18:08) The Break: Results from Georgetown's White Collar competition.    (0:19:20) Spotlight: Fordham's Kelly Competition, wi...

In our penultimate episode of the season: We spotlight three competitions: Tournament of Champions (Gina Gerardi, Loyola), the 64-school All Star Bracket Challenge Finals (A.J. Bellido de Luna, St. Mary's), and All Star National (Rob McFarland, Faulkner) We announce the three winners of the Mock Madness prediction contest Spencer and Justin talk about their teams facing in an important final...

This week on Unscripted Direct: We spotlight three competitions: Golden Gate's In Vino Veritas, Quinnipiac's ABA criminal competition, and Davis's MLK Civil Rights tournament. We share who made The Break at the Best in Texas mock trial competition We discuss the live v. virtual poll results from Professor Epstein Justin gets a cheering section for Question of the Week, but is it eno...

This week's episode is loaded: Spencer interviews Brett Bayne, the director South Carolina's program. Brett talks about why he often keeps teams together for multiple semesters, the gaudiest thing in his office, how he feels the AAJ competition, and whether he thinks his program is underrated. We spotlight the Buffalo Niagara competition. Jennifer Scharf and Stephen Soos tell us about a...

This week on Unscripted Direct: Our main interview: I spoke to Sara Williams, a trial attorney and adjunct professor at Cumberland. She's funny, poignant, and always real. Sara describes how she found advocacy, how Judge Roberts ruined her street cred, how much she loves her two French bulldogs. Todd Berger joins us for our most candid Tournament Spotlight, where he talks about what went well...

 This week on Unscripted Direct: Spencer interviews Dean Zelda Harris of Loyola-Chicago. Dean Harris talks about her career as an advocate for domestic violence victims, how she became dean (during a pandemic!), how she diversified their advocacy program, how Loyola integrates 1Ls into the program, and -- most controversially -- why baseball is better for kids than soccer. A loyal listener submits...

The first busy weekend of the competition season means our most action-packed episode yet!:  Justin and I admit a big oops Recaps from Stetson’s National Pretrial Competition (Liz Boals), Denver’s Summit Cup (Kevin Keyes), and the first weekend of All Star Regionals (Loyola Chicago’s Gina Gerardi and San Diego’s Frankie Digiacco) Question of the Week: Could my streak finally be at an end? Justin a...

In these week's episode: Justin interviews Cary Bricker and Jay Leach from Pacific McGeorge. They talk about how they built such a stellar program. Jay gets a little flirtatious. And Cary reveals what she really thinks of Jay's bowties. Spoiler: they are adorable. We have our first Tournament Spotlight, as Drexel's Phil Pasquarello recaps Battle of the Experts. Plus, Spencer is bad...

(0:00:33) Introduction: Spencer and Justin each pick three major storylines for the new competition season.   (0:11:25) Question of the Week!   (0:17:28) Our guest this week is Judge David Mason of Washington University in St. Louis.  Judge Mason tells us why he is so deeply devoted to Wash U, what it’s like to compete at TYLA NTC nationals (and win) after the airline loses your luggage (including...

Our guest this week is Adam Shlahet, director of Fordham's trial advocacy center. Adam gives us a sneak peek(!) of the 2020-21 trial competition performance rankings (which he plans to release in the next week). He discusses the virtues and challenges of having what might be the largest trial advocacy program in the country. And he gushes about his first mock trial idol.

This week, Justin and Spencer talk to Dan Tilly, professor and assistant dean at Campbell.  Dan opens up about his fight against cancer.  He talks about being coached by Gerry Powell.  And he answers the tough questions: Who was a better law school advocate--Dan or his Baylor classmate Rob Little?

Coach, professor, director, trial lawyer, trial consultant, and mother of 4.  Any one of these roles would exhaust the normal human being, but Liz Lippy is no normal human being.  Liz joins Justin to talk about her journey in law and life. 

Shark instinct?  Baby stepping out the direct examination?  Susan Poehls, the director of the renowned trial advocacy program at Loyola Law School, shares a few of her teaching and coaching secrets, as well as tells us the story of building one of the nation’s preeminent trial advocacy programs. 

It may seem like Liz was pre-ordained to build a first-class program at American, then take over the renowned Stetson program. But the reality is more complicated, and a much better story!