Unscripted Direct

Introduction (0:00:00). Spencer talks about bunk beds.  The Break (0:03:51).  Results from Queens DA and AAJ Regionals. Predictions Contest (0:06:03). Katie Powers and Sara Williams return to find out who won. Katie answers a mailbag question, and Sara tries to stay out of hot water.  Thoughts on AAJ Regionals (00:15:27). Case balance data,  some crazy protest stories, and three pet peeves. Main I...

The Break (0:00:00). Results from South Carolina's Trials and Tribulations and LSU's Bayou Challenge -- including a heartwarming tale of congeniality. AAJ Preview (0:03:35). AAJ's lottery system, whether this competition should still be on Zoom, the new death penalty for "reading," and the quality of this year's case.    Predictions Challenge (0:24:02).  Mercer's...

Introduction (0:00:00). Spencer returns home. Does he still qualify as a California resident? The Break (0:02:28). Results from the Shark Beach Showdown and the Online National Championship. Surprise Guest! Joe Lester.  (0:14:34). Joe Lester crashes the Zoom and talks about this first year at Nova Southeastern, does an impression of someone else with a Southern accent, explains why he has so much...

Introduction (0:00:00). Mailbag questions. The Break (0:07:05). Results from the last weekend of NTC regionals, the final stats from Robert v. Phil, and the winner of Spencer and Justin's bet.  Convene the Protest Committee! (0:15:24). Loyola's Susan Poehls, Fordham's Adam Shlahet, and South Carolina's Brett Bayne discuss how they would have handled each of five protests. Can I...

Introduction ( 0:00:00): Spencer returns from his jaunt. The Break (0:05:34): Results from Chester Bedell and Weekend Two of the National Trial Competition, and updated case balance numbers. Changes Coming to NTC ( 0:12:00): Justin puts some direct questions to NTC Co-Chairs Dave Hagan and Ryan Bauerle. Why was the first version of the case so at odds with the community case-writing memo? Why were...

Introduction (0:00:00). Spencer makes an absurd itinerary.  We discuss the first Berkeley-UCLA scrimmage. And Justin narrates as Spencer's lights keep going out while we record. The Break (0:09:28). Results from the National Trial League Finals and Weekend One of the National Trial Competition. Is Justice Jackson Guilty? (0:11:39). Justin crunches the case balance numbers from the first six r...

Introduction (0:00:00). Spencer and Justin get ready for their teams to scrimmage. NTC Survey Results (0:02:44). What did coaches say about the case? The case changes? The enlargement rule? Do people like "live" witness -- or consider them a burden? NTC Predictions Contest (0:29:31).  Baylor's Robert Little and Drexel's Phil Pasquarello make fun of each other for 30 minutes. Th...

Season six is underway! Introduction (0:00:00). Justin shares some big news. Spencer attempts a bribe.   Tribute to Nancy Schultz (0:09:24). Stetson's Liz Boals, Nova's Joe Lester, and Chapman's John Bishop talk about their friend -- and in John's case, mentor -- Chapman's Nancy Schultz. Sponsorship Update (0:36:53). Justin asked Haagen Dazs to become an official sponsor o...

Hi Everyone! Hope your holiday season has been relaxing and rejuvenating!  Just when you thought Season Five was over, we thought we'd interrupt your break with a little unscripted fun, with the second edition of our from-the-trenches reporting of the National Flash Trial Competition.  Introduction (0:00:00).  Where has Justin gone?  And who is that in his seat?  Sam Chase joins as co-host. F...

Our final episode of Season Five! Introduction (0:00:00).  TYLA announces a good rule, and the ABA contemplates a bad rule. (To send a comment to the ABA, email Fernando. Mariduena@americanbar.org and refer to Standards 304, 405, 701, and 702. ) US News (0:05:40). With  ballots coming out soon, we examine statistical trends in the US News voting. What's changed about the way people vote? Do c...

Introduction (0:00:00). Spencer and his brother Jackson explain their recent multi-million dollar verdict -- and what it was like trying a case together. The Break (0:16:34). Final results from the Fall.  Who Won? Gavel Predictions Contest (0:18:21): Hofstra's Jared Rosenblatt announces the top 10 schools of the Fall, and Quinnipiac's Sean McGuinness and Ryan O'Neill find out who wo...

Introduction (00:00). Spencer goes to trial (with his brother!), and Justin goes to a wedding. The Break (04:13). Results from five competitions. Scripties Preview (08:14). Click this link to vote for this Fall's best competitions. Suggested Plagiarism (09:32). Rick Friedman has won three $100,000,000 verdicts and written five bestselling trial books, including Rules of the Road: A Plaintiff...

Introduction (0:00:00) . Sam puts on a wedding ring, Spencer puts on a costume, and Justin puts on a tournament.  A new national competition (0:06:20) . Find out the details! The Break (0:09:04) . Results from four competitions! Where are they now? (0:11:36) Akron's Imokhai Okolo leaves a big firm and hangs his own shingle. Main Interview (0:21:31) . McGeorge's Reza Rezvani tells us how...

Introduction (00:00). Spencer celebrates a birthday. Justin shares some big career news. The Break (07:16). Results from four competitions! Main Interview with Paige Boorman (09:01). Georgia State's director breaks into song, introduces "Sad Lunch" into mock trial lexicon, exaggerates her abilities as a markswoman, and humors Justin by playing a game called, "Georgia or Georgia...

Introduction (0:00:00). Spencer looks for his name in the footnotes. We preview the Tournament of Champions. The Break (0:10:10). Results from Syracuse! Main Interview with Stetson's Kate Donoghue (0:11:00).  Kate talks about surviving a bear attack that wasn't a bear attack, explains how Stetson got back to #1 in US News, shares some strong opinions about potato chips, and offers excuse...

The Break (0:03:29). Results from Stetson Pretrial, Davis MLK, and Buffalo. Plus, Spencer shows some geographical ignorance... TYLA Responds, Part II (0:05:30). TYLA announces announces the site for Nationals 2024! Are they adding a fourth preliminary round at Nats?  What will that do the schedule?  Will TYLA consider providing witnesses at Nationals to defray the costs for schools? And has TYLA r...

Listener Mailbag (0:00:00) . Spencer is wrong about the law. Jeff Brooks wants credit for a bad idea. Justin's mother goes rogue. The Break (0:12:40) . Results from Hofstra's Medical Legal Competition and UCLA's Verdict. TYLA Responds (0:13:47) . In the first half of a two-part interview, members of the NTC committee join us to respond to the community letter -- signed by 100 coache...

Introduction (0:00:00) . Spencer thinks he's the victim of a robbery. Justin prepares for the Verdict. Projector-Gate (0:06:31) . Adam Shlahet joins the show to take credit (blame) for starting an email discourse about projectors. We discuss the future of technology in trial competitions. And Adam makes an alarming discovery. The Break (0:30:14) . Results from Best in Texas and Denver's...

Introduction (0:00:00). Spencer returns to the classroom. Justin takes tournament meals to a new level. And we preview the innovative new Summit Cup rules. The Break (0:10:48). Results from Battle of the Experts. Suggested Plagiarism (0:13:54).  Superstar trial lawyer Ashok Ramani talks about the Rule of Three and how he uses it in the some the country's most complex cases. Where Are They Now...

Introduction (0:00:00) . Spencer introduces a new map, Justin publishes a new book, and they discuss the "new" Fordham Rankings.  Main Interview with Phil Pasquarello (0:10:23).   Drexel's trial competition director talks about what it was like being coached by Jared Rosenblatt (and Justin), getting caught during a vulnerable moment at Top Gun, how he feels about turning into his fa...

Introduction (0:00:00). Spencer is in London. Justin is in America. The Break (0:06:31). Results from Berkeley's Flash Trial Competition, and a gaffe from one of Justin's students. Main Interview (0:11:51). Texas's Mike Golden gets grilled about being named one of Austin's most eligible bachelors (we have his dating video!). He tries to sidestep a question about UT's bigge...

(0:00:00) Introduction . On the eve of Berkeley's National Flash Trial Competition, Spencer  bemoans how exhausted he is from all that work done by others. (0:05:27) Fall Prediction Contest . Quinnipiac's Sean McGuiness and Ryan O'Neill each pick the schools they expect to have the best fall competition season. Ryan brags about his lips. Sean puts his marriage at risk. (0:25:24) Hap...

We're back! On the kickoff to this new season, Spencer and Justin: (00:00) Catch up on their summers. (05:17) Devise a horrible plan for improving the show's arbitrary Internet ranking. (12:07) Preview the 6 major storylines for the upcoming season. (25:43) Highlight community news -- new jobs, new titles, and new accolades -- and speculate about who will work for every US law school fir...

We thought Season 4 was over, but then ... Breaking news! The 2024 US News Rankings are out. And we've got instant analysis, hot off the presses. (0:00:00) Intro. Spencer and Justin wonder: Does this  count as actual journalism? Is this the episode that gets them a Pulitzer? (0:03:09) Dean Erwin Chemerinsky joins to talk about whether the new US News methodology is an actual improvement, why...

(0:00:00) Spencer plays golf and Justin announces a new competition. (00:07:07) Where Art Thou, US News? We discuss the delayed, further delayed, and now indefinitely delayed rankings. (0:15:06) Sara Peters. We get to know Spencer's colleague, who shares her winning trial strategies -- and an embarrassing story about Spencer. (0:35:01) Who's Going to Top Gun? Baylor's Rob Little ann...