Law And Culture

In today's episode, we meet an American combat veteran who had to learn to walk again after her convoy was bombed in Iraq. This special forces veteran goes simply by the name "Jennifer." Jennifer's story embodies dedication, bravery, strength, and determination.

A few years ago, I attended an African Labour Law Society conference in Mauritius. While there, I had the opportunity to speak with professor and attorney Yvette Basson, who is a senior lecturer at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa. I am always intrigued by the similarities and differences in accommodation laws between the United States and other countries. Listen in as Professor...

In this episode, I study bravery through the courageous actions and words of three very different people. When have you had to be brave? What did you tap into to take action, even when the potential consequences of your courageous actions were real and often scary?

In June 1708, a Spanish galleon, the San José, was sunk by the British navy off the coast of Colombia. Almost 600 crew and passengers perished, and the treasure—estimated at billions of dollars today—was lost. Today, a 40-year debate rages over what country or people are entitled to the treasure (if it can be recovered). If recovery can occur, is it ethical to raise the remains of the ship, which...

In this episode, I speak candidly with Cleveland-based criminal defense attorney Clarissa A. Smith, who also manages her criminal defense firm. Smith discusses how she approaches representing each client and the need to recognize their individual humanity. She also shares her thoughts about the importance of accountability in the justice system.

In this episode, the U.S. Supreme Court addresses an Ohio case that could have broad implications for businesses facing backlash from employees who allege they are the victims of reverse discrimination.

In today's episode, I ask whether you note the similarities between Gisèle Pelicot (a modern day French grandmother and survivor of sexual assault), and Mamie Till-Mobley ( now deceased Afrivsn-American mother of Emmit Till who was lynched in 1955 because of his race).    These women's heroism occurred in what appears to be a different time and space from each other. Yet in each case, the women us...

In today's episode, I address questions I often get about being born in Germany, being an American citizen, and then becoming a citizen of Barbados during the pandemic. I also share why I chose to become a citizen of Barbados. I hope this episode will help you explore your own citizenship questions.

Today we delve into two cases that involve alleged harassment against employees who didn't "keep quiet" about who they are. They exercised their freedom of expression and it cost them their jobs. In one case, the employee showed tattoos at work and was reprimanded though other similarly situated employees also had tattoos but were not reprimanded. In the second case, the employee shared the result...

Welcome back to the podcast! In this enlightening episode, we sit down with Professor Fisher, a leading expert in environmental sciences and the author of " Saving Ourselves: From Climate Shocks to Climate Action ." With a background as a respected professor at American University and a world-renowned speaker, Professor Fisher shares her insights on practical steps everyday Americans can take to c...

In today's episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing Dennis Roberts, the director of Real Estate Development for the Cuyahoga Land Reutilization Corporation (Cuyahoga Land Bank). Roberts, who is also an attorney and realtor, is leading the Land Bank's efforts to transform the Circle East District, less than a mile from the world-renowned University Circle - a center of innovation in health care...

In 1997, Ohio launched its first school voucher program in Cleveland, which supporters claimed would allow students to escape the perils of attending schools in the underfunded Cleveland public school district. Since that time, the voucher system has been called unconstitutional as it cripples district schools by further limiting their finances. In today's episode, we hear from two Ohio educators...

On June 28, 2024, the United States Supreme Court ruled that courts may rely on their own interpretation of ambiguous environmental laws pertaining to clean water and air. Courts no longer have to defer to agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency to provide science- and evidence-based guidelines when interpreting these laws. The decision will likely have far-reaching impacts on policy...

The Affordable Care Act of 2010 provided employers and employees opportunities to reduce health insurance costs if employees participated in voluntary workplace wellness programs. However, voluntary participation came with a heavy and sometimes punitive reality for those who did not want to participate. So in 2022, AARP brought a lawsuit against Yale University alleging that Yale's workplace welln...

In this episode, we continue our discussion with attorney and legal scholar Dr. Cecile De Villiers (Ep. 7) on the topic of religious freedom in the workplace in the US and South Africa.

South African attorney and legal scholar Dr. Cecile De Villiers and I explore the changing landscape of religious accommodations for employees in the workplace. As an employer, should it matter whether the religion "requires" certain behavior? What is "undue burden on the business"? Join us for what promises to be an informative and entertaining discussion.

Today's podcast will feature five new and different human resources legal questions and how I might answer them. If you have a quirky, funny, or otherwise interesting HR/legal question you want to ask, please submit it to christel@christelbesttraining.com .

Whether I am at the grocery store, the gym, or even a backyard barbecue, the conversation typically begins, "So you're an attorney? Well, I have a question for you, if you don't mind me my asking." At other times, I will be working with a client and they will start asking probing questions about their personal situation. Today, I want to share five questions that I thought you might find interesti...

Now that the United States Supreme Court has rejected affirmative action programs in higher education, how will the chilling effect of this decision impact your DEI programs? In this episode, we look at the Supreme Court decision and the ensuing fallout. We also provide some best practices for framing your DEI programs."

As we wrap up our discussion of the East Cleveland, Ohio, Million-Dollar Dump, we end on a positive note. We look at ways other communities in the Midwest have repurposed and reimagined blighted areas. We consider ways your community can work with would-be developers and contractors to produce the best result for all involved. We also look at one Detroit, Michigan, community that recently turned b...

Welcome to Part Two of my series "From Trash to Treasure" which describes how one man swindled two Ohio cities out of millions of dollars as they tried to revitalize their Cleveland and East Cleveland communities.  For this episode, I invited former Richmond Heights, Ohio, Mayor Miesha Headen to join me. Before being elected mayor, Headen served on the Richmond Heights City Council for nearly a de...

Do you work in municipal government? Perhaps you work in community or economic development with the goal of resolving blight and spurring growth and development. If so, this podcast will be eye-opening for you. I am going to take you on a journey as I review how one George Michael Riley, a man claiming to be a recycler of building materials, was able to steal almost $4,000,000 from the City of Cle...

Hi everyone! My name is Christel Best, and I am a licensed attorney in Ohio. I am excited to introduce my new podcast, Law And Culture: A Social Expedition . In this podcast, we will be talking about the law not just from a boring textbook point of view, but also looking at interesting cases about the environment, social justice, and issues related to harassment and discrimination. We are going to...