Law360's Pro Say - News & Analysis on Law and the Legal Industry

A federal appeals court ruled last week that Florida can require former felons to pay all outstanding fines and fees before gaining the right to vote, overturning a judge who said the requirement was an unconstitutional “pay to vote” system that would bar nearly a million people from the ballot box. This week we’re breaking it all down, including the backstory, the ruling itself, and a scathing di...

The National Football League kicked off its season this week, but there was never an offseason for football-related litigation. On this week’s episode, we’re catching you up on all the biggest cases you might have missed — from stadium tax credits to Terrible Towel trademarks to false advertising during the Super Bowl. Also this week, we dig into a legal battle between Whole Foods and its workers...

Pandemic-weary employers are hoping that a COVID-19 vaccine will make their workplaces safer, but forcing workers to get a shot is a legal minefield. On this week’s episode, Law360 employment law guru Vin Gurrieri walks us through a range of legal and practical problems with mandatory inoculation, as well as what history can teach us. Also this week, an appeals court strikes down the massive gover...

As the COVID-19 pandemic has forced millions of working parents to care for homebound children, employers are struggling to understand new legal obligations designed to give employees more flexibility. This week, with a remote school year looming, we’re breaking down that complex legal landscape, as well as the steps taken by some law firms to support their working parents. Also this week, a 33-ye...

Today we’re talking about one of the legal world’s most fascinating professions: the courtroom sketch artist. Relying on hand-drawn pictures to digest news events may seem quaint in the information age, but so long as television access to court proceedings remains limited, sketch artists will continue to play an important role. We talked with veteran courtroom artist Art Lien, who has documented c...

President Trump has declared the popular social media platform TikTok a risk to U.S. national security, citing its ties to China. The administration is now pursuing a number of legal options to address that threat, ranging from an outright ban of the app to a forced sale to a U.S. company like Microsoft. We’ll get you caught up on all the TikTok drama with Alex and Law360’s senior M&A reporter, Be...

Rock star Neil Young filed a lawsuit this week aiming to block President Donald Trump from using his music at campaign events -- the first significant legal action taken by an artist among many who have complained about Trump’s choice of rally anthems. But as host Bill Donahue explains on this week’s episode, the complexities of music licensing makes stopping a campaign from playing particular mus...

The Pro Say team chatted this week with law school graduates around the country about how COVID-19 has impacted their bar exam experience — from months of uncertainty and delay, fears of test-site outbreaks and technological breakdowns, and lingering concern about what it means for job prospects. Also on this week’s show, how this year’s chaotic exam has called into question the test itself, and l...

Courts around the country are weighing in on the legality of public health measures aimed at combating the spread of COVID-19, from movie theater closures to gym bans to mask requirements. On this week’s show, we’re breaking down a slew of recent rulings, plus previewing what might come next. Also this week: A tragic attack on the family of a New Jersey federal judge; and a chat with three major c...

It was a year of big surprises at the Supreme Court: A pandemic forced the justices to hold telephonic arguments; conservative Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the liberal wing on abortion and immigration rights, and the conservatives battled each other in the pages of dissenting opinions. We welcome Law360 Supreme Court reporter and Term podcast host Jimmy Hoover on this week’s episode to he...

The Supreme Court ended its term with a bang by issuing a pair of decisions on whether state prosecutors and federal lawmakers can access the president’s financial records. We break down the monumental rulings on this week’s episode, as the high court rejected the administration’s claims of absolute immunity and kicked the cases back into the judicial pipeline. Also this week: Employers would be w...

The Supreme Court took a bite out of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau this week by allowing the at-will firing of its director, but the justices stopped short of dismantling the Obama-era watchdog completely. Law360 senior banking reporter Jon Hill joins the show this week to break down the decision and what it could mean for the future of other independent federal agencies. Also this week...

A landlord claims that Jenner & Block owes almost $4 million in unpaid rent on its Chicago office, but the firm responded this week that its lease was effectively broken by the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to a special provision in its contract. On this week’s episode, we’re breaking down this brewing showdown between BigLaw and BigLandlord. Also this week: an appellate court rules that federal prosec...

The U.S. Supreme Court issued two big rulings this week, first handing down a landmark opinion protecting LGBT workers’ rights and then blocking the Trump administration from rolling back protections for young immigrants. This week we’re breaking down both, including an interview with former employment watchdog Chai R. Feldblum about the long-awaited Title VII decision. Also on this week’s show: t...

Protests over police brutality and racial injustice continue across the nation, and the judiciary is beginning to take notice. On this week’s show, we discuss a Fourth Circuit decision that denied legal immunity to five police officers in the killing of an unarmed black man and invoked the George Floyd case in the process. Also this week: a suit over a coronavirus vaccine being held “hostage”; the...

George Floyd’s death at the hands of the Minneapolis police has led to charges against several officers. But prosecution of cops is rare, and rarer still are successful suits brought by the victims themselves. Why is it so hard to hold the police accountable? We're joined by University of Chicago Law School professor Will Baude to discuss how qualified immunity shields the police. Also this week,...

Over the past few weeks, federal prosecutors have launched a wave of criminal cases accusing people of trying to take advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic. On this week’s show, we’re breaking them all down, including a New Jersey car salesman who sold price-gouged masks and a New York City man who tried to get millions in relief loans. Also on this week’s show, a big environmental ruling from the Ni...

COVID-19 has forced BigLaw firms to abandon their opulent offices and transform their lawyers into remote workers, pushing many firm leaders to question the enormous price they pay for high-end real estate. Joining us this week to discuss is Law360’s Brandon Lowrey, who will break down what the post-pandemic law office might look like. Also this week: A looming eviction crisis in New York City hou...

Best-selling author Scott Turow practically invented the legal thriller, and his latest novel “The Last Trial” hit bookshelves this week. We talk with Turow about his legal career, why capturing the nuances of the law is so important to his writing, and what it means to say goodbye to one of his most beloved characters. Also this week: a big ruling on President Trump’s emoluments problem; a bizarr...

Manhattan federal judge Jed Rakoff joins the show this week to discuss the many challenges facing the court system in the era of social distancing, ranging from urgent prisoner release requests to the often unwieldy process of holding hearings over the phone. Also this week: The notoriously silent Justice Clarence Thomas keeps chiming in during high court’s teleconference arguments; the U.S. Women...

The end of social distancing will likely mean the start of unprecedented new public surveillance, putting efforts to halt new outbreaks on a collision course with basic civil liberties. Joining us this week discuss the complex legal problems that lie ahead is Law360 reporter RJ Vogt. Also on this week’s show: Accusations that a lawyer threatened to release confidential information about WilmerHale...

The 1918 flu pandemic is the closest historical precedent for our current crisis, and it produced a slew of interesting court rulings — dealing with teachers who were denied pay, botched medications, and a triple homicide that led to a groundbreaking Supreme Court ruling on police misconduct. On this week’s show, we’re taking you through all of them. Also this week: The latest high court showdown...

A judge in Florida has an urgent plea to attorneys during the coronavirus pandemic: Please put on a shirt before logging in to a court hearing via videoconference. On this week’s show, we’re talking about that attire warning and how it’s not that hard to put on a shirt. Also on this week’s show: 3M launches a legal war against mask price-gougers; employment attorneys struggle to keep up with the w...

The U.S. Supreme Court has issued its first ruling dealing with COVID-19, refusing to postpone Wisconsin’s election. On this week’s show, we’re breaking it down: The decision, the blowback, and how the court might rule on future coronavirus fights. Also this week: A brewing legal battle over how insurance applies to the businesses shuttered by the pandemic; chaos and confusion reign as immigration...

After a brief hiatus, the Pro Say podcast is back with a brand new episode. On this week’s show, we’re talking about how lawyers and courts are continuing to grapple with the coronavirus pandemic; a class action against Zoom that claims the suddenly-ubiquitous service isn’t keeping personal information safe; and the many, many lawsuits involved in Netflix’s “Tiger King.”