Sanctuary in the Jungle

Law school teaches you case analysis. Becoming a great trial lawyer comes from working hard cases with real stakes and learning on your feet. In this episode, host Aaron Nelson sits down with Vadim Glozman, a federal defense attorney based in Chicago, who came up under the mentorship of legendary Chicago attorney Ed Genson — a man whose office saw everyone from politicians and alleged mobsters to...

What happens when one attorney realizes helping veterans one case at a time isn't enough? Brock Hunter is a criminal defense attorney, U.S. veteran, founder of the Veterans Defense Project, and author of The Attorney's Guide to Defending Veterans in Criminal Court . He has spent his career reshaping how the legal system treats those who've served. In 2008, he helped pass a veterans...

This week, host Aaron Nelson is joined again by fellow criminal defense attorney Keith Belzer for a new kind of Sanctuary analysis. In this bonus episode, we’re stepping back from serious interviews for a full breakdown of My Cousin Vinny, the 1992 courtroom comedy that somehow became required law school homework.  What seems like a fun, Friday night watch becomes a surprisingly sharp masterclass...

This week, we step back from interviewing defense attorneys to hear from a different kind of decision-maker. The one who sets the tone of the courtroom, Judge Mario White. Judge White joins us to talk about what it actually takes to make a courtroom feel less like an institution and more like a place where justice is possible. We get into why diversity on the bench goes far beyond filling seats, h...

Craig Mastantuono didn't leave public defense just to be his own boss. He left because he had a vision for what a great law firm could actually look like. Today, his firm is less a practice and more a culture. It’s built around a philosophy that truly defending someone is setting them up for success both in the courtroom and out. Craig walks us through how his team uses the ACE questionnaire...

So you've learned how to be comfortable in cross examination. Now what? Jim McComas has spent decades redefining what's possible in the courtroom. Between leading the trial division at the Washington D.C. Public Defender Service to becoming a legendary homicide defense lawyer in Alaska, Jim didn't just master cross-examination. He reimagined it. Building on the fundamentals explored...

Joining us this week is an expert in cross examination, Attorney Matt Dodd. In this episode, he lays the groundwork for telling a story through facts, breaking down the how-tos and whys behind the art of asking questions. It’s a great listen for lawyers and non-lawyers alike looking to improve their communication and persuasion skills.  While cross examination, or questioning adverse witnesses, is...

Despite knowing she wanted to be a public defender from the age of ten, Colette shares that even when you know where you want to go, finding who you are on the way there is the most rewarding part.  Colette’s career has taken her through public and private defense work in DC, Massachusetts, Seattle, Denver, and more. Along with practicing, she has also served as Director of Public Defense Training...

Today’s conversation sits at the heart of what we do as defenders: story. I’m joined by my friend Keith Belzer, a master of courtroom storytelling who has spent years studying not just what makes a story persuasive, but why it moves people. If you’ve been with us since episode one, you’ll know story is a frequent topic. We’ve explored finding our clients’ stories with Michele Lavigne and using sto...

Welcome back to Sanctuary in the Jungle , a podcast for criminal defense attorneys about the importance of humanity and reason in the criminal legal system.  In this episode, host Aaron A. Nelson sits down with Texas criminal defense attorney and writer Matthew Hefti. Matt’s path to becoming a defense lawyer is deeply personal. While deployed overseas, he was involved in a tragic incident and char...

Sanctuary is back with a true Wisconsin criminal defense legend—Attorney Deja Vishny. A longtime public defender, Deja has handled more than 125 homicide cases, earning much recognition for her work. Deja is the recipient of NACDL's 2023 Champion of Justice award, two lifetime achievements from WACDL, the Wisconsin Law Journal's "Women in the Law" award, and many more.   She br...

In this episode of Sanctuary in the Jungle, host Aaron Nelson sits down with Attorney Joe Bugni for an honest conversation about the craft — and the cost — of good advocacy. Together, they explore the clearest ways to communicate with judges, why flashy arguments aren't always the best choices for a client, and what it means to give yourself fully to the people you represent. Joe also opens u...

Welcome back to Sanctuary in the Jungle. In this episode, we’re joined by Professor James E. Coleman Jr. From his first death penatly case through today, Professor Coleman endeavors to show that every human is worthy of dignity and a defense. That belief has shaped his approach to justice, from advocating for the wrongfully convicted to representing Ted Bundy as his final lawyer. In an era of sens...

Sanctuary in the Jungle launches its first episode exactly where so many Wisconsin attorneys’ passion for criminal defense begins - with emeritus law professor Michele Lavigne. Join us as Michele and Aaron discuss why they’re so passionate about defense and how communication helps them best tell their clients’ stories. At the University of Wisconsin Law School, Professor Lavigne led the UW Public...

Watch on Youtube   Subscribe to  our Substack Newsletter Our website: sanctuaryinthejungle.net   Instagram: @sanctuary_inthe_jungle TikTok:  ⁨ @SanctuaryintheJungle⁩   Facebook: Sanctuary in the Jungle

Welcome to Sanctuary in the Jungle with Aaron Nelson, a criminal defense podcast exploring the minds, stories, and resilience of attorneys who help to create sanctuary in the courtroom. Watch on Youtube   Subscribe to  our Substack Newsletter Our website: sanctuaryinthejungle.net   Instagram: @sanctuary_inthe_jungle TikTok:  ⁨ @SanctuaryintheJungle⁩   Facebook: Sanctuary in the Jungle