Across The Bar Podcast

Peter and Laura are recording on the last day of June — drinks in hand, holiday weekend approaching — and the Supreme Court just had one of its biggest weeks in years. They break down what the rulings actually mean for you, your company, and the stability of the business environment Americans have long taken for granted. From the gutting of Humphrey's Executor to birthright citizenship to Citizens...

The World Cup is taking over America — and it's actually a masterclass in everything that makes a great employee. This week, Peter and Laura are joined by Ed Foster-Simeon, President & CEO of the US Soccer Foundation, to talk about what youth sports really build in young people, why coaches are some of the most underrated leaders in our culture, and what this historic tournament could mean for...

The New York Knicks just ended a 53-year drought — and we're breaking down what their championship run means for New York. Then we shift to the workplace: summer office fashion do's and don'ts, why Costco's model of paying workers more and its CEO less is actually a masterclass in business strategy, and why remote work keeps beating the odds despite every "return to office" headline. Plus — CEOs a...

The workplace is full of surprises this week — and we've got all of it covered. Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein dig into six stories at the intersection of work, law, and culture, from prediction markets to newsroom meltdowns to what your out-of-office message says about you. Prediction platform Kalshi just announced it will require users to disclose their employer before placing bets in markets...

This week on the Across the Bar Podcast, employment attorney Peter Rahbar and journalist Laura Brounstein break down a packed week in workplace news — from corporate transparency failures to what a Senate candidate's controversies teach us about background checks, to the AI spending reckoning hitting companies everywhere. Microsoft is facing backlash after employee's questions the integrity of a r...

It's a (sort of) America 250 edition of Across the Bar! 🇺🇸 Employment attorney Peter Rahbar and journalist Laura Brounstein break down a packed week of workplace stories — from a CIA gold heist to a $642 deli platter that cost JPMorgan millions. ⚖️ The Union Comeback Is Real — Unionized workers just hit 16.5 million, a jump of 463,000 in a year and the highest level in 16 years — even as employers...

This week on Across the Bar, employment attorney Peter Rahbar and journalist Laura Brounstein pour one and dig into a week that had the workplace world buzzing. First up: Bolt CEO Ryan Breslow made headlines by defending his decision to fire the company's entire HR department — arguing the team was inventing problems that didn't exist — as part of a broader restructuring that also cut roughly 30%...

Fifty episodes in, and the workplace just keeps getting weirder. To mark the milestone, Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein dig into four stories that show exactly where work, law, and technology are colliding right now. The OpenAI Trial & Your Digital Footprint: The Musk vs. Altman trial isn't just a billionaire grudge match — it's a masterclass in what happens when your texts, emails, and yes,...

It's internship season — and whether you're the one trying to land a spot or the manager running the program, this episode has something for you. Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein are joined by career coach and magazine industry veteran Eliot Kaplan — former VP of Talent Acquisition at Hearst, former Editor-in-Chief of Philadelphia Magazine, and former Executive Editor of GQ — for a full breakdown...

Employment attorney Peter Rahbar and journalist Laura Brounstein break down this week's biggest stories at the intersection of news, work, and the law — plus a big announcement: next week is Intern Palooza! 🍹This week we cover: 📱 Can you sue your boss for their social media posts? — a listener question Peter and Laura dig into; when a manager's online activity can actually create legal liability...

Employment attorney Peter Rahbar and journalist Laura Brounstein break down this week's biggest stories at the intersection of news, work, and the law — straight from a beautiful spring day in New York City. 🍹 This week we cover: 🎬 Toxic workplace allegations at Mr. Beast & Unwell — what these high-profile cases reveal about the real dangers of hiring family members to run your company, and...

Employment attorney Peter Rahbar and journalist Laura Brounstein break down this week's biggest stories at the intersection of news, work, and the law. This week we cover: 🏛️ Swalwell & Gonzales resignations — two congressmen out amid serious sexual misconduct allegations; why known harassers go unreported, why colleagues look the other way, and what managers are legally obligated to do when t...

The world doesn't stop when you clock in — and this week, neither do we. Employment attorney Peter Rahbar and journalist Laura Brounstein tackle four topics that are impossible to ignore right now. In this episode: ⚔️ Balancing Work & War — When the headlines feel like too much, your employees feel it too. Peter and Laura discuss how managers can check in on their teams, what mental health res...

Employment attorney Peter Rahbar and journalist Laura Brounstein break down this week's biggest stories at the intersection of news, work, and the law — including breaking news regarding Pam Bondi. This week we cover: 🔥 Pam Bondi firing — the AG is out; what it means and why Peter thinks the Supreme Court might have something to do with it ✈️ Air Canada CEO resigns — how one massive communication...

Employment attorney Peter Rahbar and journalist Laura Brounstein break down this week's biggest stories at the intersection of news, work and the law. This week we cover: 🏛️ White collar crime prosecutions are at a 40-year low under the Trump administration — what that means for corporate accountability and why companies should still be watching their backs 📱 Meta's rough week — a landmark court...

The Bachelorette has been canceled just days before its premiere—an unprecedented move in reality TV history. On this episode of Across the Bar, Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein are joined by media veteran Dan Wakeford to break down the Taylor Frankie Paul scandal and what it means for the future of the franchise, and Disney's new CEO. We also dive into the week's biggest workplace headlines: The...

This week on The Across the Bar Podcast, Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein discuss the continuing battle between Anthropic and the Pentagon, the regulatory battle over AI, companies moving to Texas, finance bros doing fashion shoots without permission and more trouble at Noma.  In this episode: Anthropic v. Hegseth: Is Claude banned from the government? 🌍🛡️ The Texas Exodus: Why giants in tech an...

Is your office ready for the geopolitical shifts of 2026? This week on The Across the Bar Podcast, Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein dive into the escalating conflict with Iran and what it means for international law, global operations, and workplace discourse. Plus, we look at the fallout between Anthropic and the Department of War and why the government is suddenly playing nice - or wait, not ni...

This week on the Across the Bar Podcast, Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein talk about the latest stories impacting the workplace, including the workplace implications of the State of the Union address, the President’s latest power play—a move to influence corporate boardrooms—and a deep dive into how and why AI is negatively affecting women. Inside the Episode: SOTU 2026 Breakdown: We analyze the...

This week on The Across the Bar Podcast, Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein dive into a series of landmark decisions and scandals that are reshaping corporate America and professional sports in 2026. Inside the Episode: The SCOTUS Tariff Decision: We break down the Supreme Court’s latest ruling on tariffs and what it means for global supply chains and your wallet. 🏛️📈 Goldman Sachs & The DEI R...

Is the 2026 "AI Job Panic" justified? This week on Across the Bar, employment attorney Peter Rahbar and media veteran Laura Brounstein break down the headlines that are reshaping the modern workplace. In this episode: The AI Panic: With mass layoffs hitting tech and media, and AI engineers spreading fear about replacing jobs, AI panic is setting in. Is this a genuine shift in the economy? We discu...

In this episode of The Across the Bar Podcast, Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein tackle the messy intersection of corporate ethics, compensation strategy, and the latest legal firestorms hitting major brands like Nike and Pinterest. 🏛️ Inside this week's episode: The Epstein List & The C-Suite 💼: As names continue to surface, we discuss the legal and reputational fallout for corporate leaders...

In this episode of Across the Bar, Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein break down the high-stakes legal and corporate shifts dominating the workplace in 2026. From the surprising new focus of the EEOC to the "Great AI Adaptation," we’re looking at who is winning—and who is losing—in the modern workplace. Inside the Episode: Corporate vs. ICE 🛡️: Corporate leaders are increasingly vocal against ICE a...

In this episode of Across the Bar, Laura Brounstein and Peter Rahbar dive into the legal firestorms kicking off 2026! ⚖️ From the C-suite to the sidelines, the "rules of engagement" are changing fast. 🔥 Inside this episode: The Goldman Sachs Dilemma 🏦: We break down the latest drama surrounding GC Kathryn Ruemmler and the reported scrutiny over her ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Is this a PR crisis or...

Can you be suspended for your political views? ⚖️🇺🇸 In this week's episode of The Across the Bar Podcast, co-hosts Peter Rahbar and Laura Brounstein break down today's hottest workplace issues, including the legal and professional issues related to a UAW worker suspended for yelling at Donald Trump during his visit to a Ford factory, the shocking news regarding the raid of the home of a Washington...