The Hearing – A Legal Podcast

How is sexual orientation considered in the modern workplace? How has the LGBTQ+ community been affected by COVID-19? What practical steps can people take to be an active ally beyond Pride and rainbow lanyards? This week Yasmin talks with Honorary QC, MBE, and Founder & Chair of InterLaw Diversity Forum, Daniel Winterfeldt. Yasmin and Daniel talk about how the InterLaw Diversity Forum focuses...

THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – On The Hearing, we hear from so many who have entered the legal profession with bold ambitions to change the world for the better. This week's guests may just do that. Becky talks to three determined lawyers about their involvement in a legal pro bono project to fight climate change. The Chancery Lane Project brings together legal professionals to create practical solutions...

In this week's episode, we showcase a conversation between Ron Levine, General Counsel at Herrick, Feinstein LLP, and host Joe Raczynski. Ron, a graduate of Princeton University and Harvard Law School, speaks as a thoughtful realist, proponent for good, and a practitioner of what he preaches. He bears witness as a 40-year litigator, discussing the fascinating dealings of what happens behind the cl...

In this episode Yasmin chats to renowned equality and human rights lawyer Chris Fry. His Sheffield-based firm, Fry Law, represents people who have been treated unfairly by a service provider due to their disability, age, race, gender, sexual orientation or religion. Chris talks about the landmark cases that have put him and his team of lawyers at the forefront of some profound changes, particularl...

We've all heard of the tragic Harry Dunn case, and that's because of this week's guest, Radd Seiger. He took the case on simply because he was a concerned neighbour of Harry’s grieving family. Radd talks to Becky about his motivations, and what's involved in working to get justice for a client, in this case, a family. For international legal cases, such as this, it can be easy to get mired in the...

In this episode Joe is joined by David Brown, Legal Director of the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF). TLDEF is a transgender-led organisation fighting for transgender rights through litigation and other legal avenues. Working with numerous law firms, David and his team bring lawsuits to demonstrate how statutes are unequal and discriminatory. David tells Joe how his family insp...

THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – In this episode Becky hosts a discussion on the role of lawyers as ethical leaders and their relationship with racial justice. She's joined by Abimbola Johnson, a criminal barrister, and Carlos Brown, a senior VP and GC, to examine racial issues from UK and US perspectives. Lawyers have a unique position, enjoying a status as trusted professionals who give advice and provid...

For this week's guest, threats to her life, staying away from restaurants and supermarkets and covering her face to go outside has been a reality since long before lockdown. Yasmin sat down with justice campaigner, Gina Miller for a wide-ranging chat that covered the abuse of women of colour in the media, the importance of dialogue and empathy, and the lessons in resilience she's had from her fath...

This week we’re taking you across the pond to talk privacy, piracy, and intellectual property. Before lockdown, Joe Raczynski sat down with Chris Mohr, VP for Intellectual Property and GC at Software and Information Industry Association. Working at the heart of the US federal government in Washington DC, Chris tells us about life as a lobbyist on Capitol Hill and how he navigates the challenges po...

THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – We looked at the business and economic impact of COVID-19 in the first Cross-Examination episode. This week we're turning to its impact on our working culture. Becky speaks to an occupational psychologist, diversity consultant and a head of knowledge management, to find out more about how lawyer's working and personal lives are being affected by lockdown. Interestingly, she...

With Black Lives Matter protests taking place around the world once again, this week’s episode is a great opportunity to better understand the anger, grief and action of recent days. We also have exciting news to bring you as we welcome our new host: a lawyer, disability advocate and founder of Diverse Matters, Yasmin Sheikh. Yasmin spoke to Hashi Mohamed, a barrister who first came to the UK as a...

We’re taking you Stateside this week as our very own legal futurist Joe Raczynski is joined by Reuters General Counsel, Gail Gove. Gail takes us behind the scenes of the case that grabbed the world's attention in 2018: the incredible story of Reuters journalists, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were imprisoned in Myanmar while investigating reports of mass murder. Gail talks to Joe about the all-enco...

Isolation and IT problems are on the agenda this week, though, refreshingly, Lord Neuberger is talking about life in his judge's chambers rather than Corona lockdown. Former President of the Supreme Court, Lord Neuberger, speaks candidly to Kevin about his feelings of failure in his early career as he went from being a scientist, to City banker, before landing on his feet as a barrister. We hear a...

THE CROSS-EXAMINATION – Welcome to our first "The Cross-Examination" episode of The Hearing! We're taking big issues and examining them through a legal lens. And where else to start but with COVID-19? Becky Annison, a commercial lawyer and Practical Law Senior Editor, talks to an economist, insolvency practitioner and business leader to look at how COVID-19 is impacting the legal and business land...

To celebrate our 50th episode, we're taking you down memory lane as we showcase some of the best bits with some of our favourite guests on The Hearing so far. Reminisce with Dame Fiona Woolf and Cherie Blair, who talk about the incredible women in the legal profession, as well as the ongoing challenges with gender inequality. Diversity and inclusion were the order of the day when Yasmin Sheikh joi...

Shopping trips, designer sweatshirts, dynasties and staying in shape. No, this isn't Legally Blonde the podcast; this week we're discussing the glamour and grunt work of the clerking world. Kevin gets the lowdown on life as a clerk from Old Square Chambers’ Paul Adams, also known as Cliff! They discuss the range of skills needed to be a successful clerk, how the profession is keeping up with moder...

Politics and scandal have shaped the career of this week’s guest. Cash for Honours, MP’s expenses, phone hacking, he was there for it all — on the right side of the law, of course! Kevin sits down with Gerald Shamash, whose remarkable and diverse career has led to him being described as a celebrity lawyer, Labour Party lawyer and a legal aid lawyer—but he could have been a dentist! In this brillia...

Justice, mindfulness, biscuits! You’re in for a real treat this week, as Kevin sits down with his friend and CEO of LawCare, Elizabeth Rimmer. Though Elizabeth started her career in zoology, her international upbringing combined with a sense of justice led to a career change. As a solicitor, Elizabeth could stand up for people and give them a voice. She gives her insights into being a medical negl...

It really is a career of two halves for David Winnie, the ex-professional footballer who now heads up the Sport Law department for Charles Douglas Solicitors. In this week’s episode, David talks to Kevin about his love of football—and studying—from a young age, and his desire to become a professional player. David recalls having to make a big decision when he was 16 – and then dreaded telling his...

In this week's episode, Joe Raczynski is joined by the pre-eminent thought leader in legal tech, and Chief Knowledge and Client Value Officer at Shearman & Sterling, Meredith Williams-Range. Taking us on a journey from her small-town, rural upbringing just outside of Memphis (where you'll find the absolute best bbq) to the bright lights of New York, Meredith tells how family tragedy and a deca...

It's the weekend, you're in Ibiza, you're ready to party, and a lawyer takes to the stage… Best. Night. Ever! Of course, it helps when that lawyer is superstar DJ, 'Judge' Jules O'Riordan. In this episode, Jules sits down with Kevin to talk about how he went from reading law at university, putting on illegal raves with his friends, to being one of the world's best-known DJs, and now an entertainme...

This week’s distinguished guest is Sandie Okoro, the Senior Vice President and General Counsel for the World Bank. Sitting down with Thomson Reuters futurist Joe Raczynski, Sandie talks about how, from an early age, she learned that when someone limits your ambition it can become something to fight for and drive you on to enormous success. In this inspirational episode, Sandie talks about the work...

Workers unite! Have you ever considered the crossover between sex workers and paralegals, or questioned whether Kevin is the enemy? In this eye-opening episode, the answers to those questions are just the tip of the iceberg. Kevin is joined by Zachary Whyte and Molly De Dios. A second-year trainee at Hodge Jones & Allen, Zac co-founded Legal Sector Workers United, an affiliate of United Voices...

In this episode, we talk to Labour MP, Alistair Darling, about how his Aberdeen law degree helped to shape his political career (spoiler alert: lawyers should be lawyers, not politicians). Although Alistair does admit that law is a solid discipline that enables you to ask critical questions, which are useful skills for politicians. Alistair gives us his thoughts on the deeply divisive nature of re...

From a young age, Ann Olivarius saw that men ruled the world. A mother whose potential was left unfulfilled. A male-dominated college where sexual harassment was rife. An investment bank where no amount of talent and expertise could ever make her part of the team. It was a message she received time-and-time-again. In this week’s podcast, you’ll hear how she turned that message into her motivation...