Lawyer 2 Lawyer

Attorneys Dick Semerdjian and Jayne Reardon discuss the use of overly aggressive litigation tactics and the current state of civility in the legal profession.

Over the years, the power of music has been an integral piece in energizing a crowd, whether through a specific song used at a political rally or in a campaign video on social media. However, there are legalities when it comes to the use of songs, especially when the musician doesn't want to be tied to a specific political candidate or a candidate uses a song without the musician’s permission. Back on August 29, 2024, deputy director of communications for the Trump campaign, Margo McAtee Martin, posted a short clip on X of Donald Trump boarding a plane, set to the opening riff of the widely popular song, “Seven Nation Army” by the band The White Stripes. In response to the post, guitarist and lead singer of the rock duo, Jack White, wrote on his Instagram page, “Oh….Don’t even think about using my music you fascists…“Lawsuit coming from my lawyers about this (to add to your five thousand others..)” On September 9th, Jack & his bandmate, Meg White, filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Trump & company for the “flagrant misappropriation” of their song.  In this episode, Craig is joined by Joseph Fishman, Professor of Law at Vanderbilt University School of Law and Professor at the Blair School of Music, as they discuss The White Stripes' recent lawsuit against Donald Trump for the unauthorized use of their song "Seven Nation Army". Craig & Joe will talk about copyright infringement, and the legalities behind the use of songs in campaigns. Mentioned in This Episode: Donald Trump Infringed ‘Electric Avenue’ By Using Song In Campaign Video, Judge Rules

On April 23, 2024, the Federal Trade Commission issued a final rule to “ promote competition by banning noncompete agreements nationwide, protecting the fundamental freedom of workers to change jobs, increasing innovation, and fostering new business formation.” Noncompetes are agreements that prohibit workers from leaving their employers to join a competitor or start a rival business for a specific period of time. However, the ban has been met with opposition. On August 14th, a federal judge in Florida ruled against the FTC’s proposed ban on most noncompete agreements. Back in July, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas temporarily blocked the FTC’s new rule. On August 20, 2024, U.S. District Judge Ada Brown found that the FTC lacked the statutory authority to issue the rule, set to go into effect on September 4th, 2024, blocking the rule nationwide. In this episode, Craig is joined by Sandeep Vaheesan, the legal director at the Open Markets Institute, as they discuss the Federal Trade Commission's ban of noncompete agreements. Craig & Sandeep look at the recent court rulings to block the FTC's ban, the impact of the ban, and what this new ruling by Judge Brown means. Mentioned in This Episode: Democracy in Power: A History of Electrification in the United States

Last month, President Biden announced that he would be dropping out of the 2024 presidential race, and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for the presidential nomination. The momentum shifted, creating an entirely new battlefield in the race for the presidency against former President Trump and his Vice President candidate, JD Vance.  Inflation. The economy. Women’s reproductive rights. Immigration. Education. These are just some of the policy & legal issues that we have covered over the years here on Lawyer 2Lawyer and will surely be on the minds of voters as they cast their ballot for president on November 5th, 2024. In this episode, Craig is joined by Dr. Casey Burgat, an assistant professor and the director of the Legislative Affairs program at George Washington University's Graduate School of Political Management, as they discuss the upcoming presidential election, the candidates, policy issues important to voters, and what we can expect on Election Day and beyond. Mentioned in this episode:  We Hold These “Truths” Book Mastering the Room Podcast

On July 25, 2024, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued an executive order directing state officials to start removing homeless encampments across the state. This follows last month’s SCOTUS ruling in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, where the high court ruled that they will allow cities to enforce bans on sleeping outside in public spaces. According to a 2023 homelessness assessment report to Congress from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, California has the largest homeless population in the nation with more than 180,000 people out on the streets.  In this episode, Craig is joined by returning guest Gary Blasi, Professor of Law Emeritus at the UCLA School of Law, as they discuss Governor Newsom's executive order for removal of homeless encampments in California. Craig & Gary discuss the order, the recent SCOTUS decision in City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, and the potential impact this could have on the homeless community. Mentioned in this episode: Governor Newsom’s Executive Order on Encampments   City of Grants Pass v. Johnson Scotus Ruling  The Legal Issues Surrounding Homelessness with Gary Blasi & Breanne Schuster on Lawyer2Lawyer

The separation of church and state has always been a contentious topic in political circles. Now more than ever, we are seeing religion & our government collide in our classrooms and before our Supreme Court. On June 19, 2024, Louisiana governor Jeff Landry signed into law legislation requiring a poster-sized display of the Ten Commandments in “large, easily readable font” in all public classrooms, from kindergarten to state-funded universities. In this episode, Craig is joined by Rebecca S. Markert, Vice President and Legal Director at Americans United for Separation of Church and State, as they discuss Louisiana's Ten Commandments classroom law, the separation of church and state, and what this could mean for classrooms across the country. Mentioned in this episode:  We Dissent Podcast Justice Department Press Release on DOJ v. Live Nation-Ticketmaster Lawsuit

While Craig is on vacation, we thought we’d bring back one of our favorite episodes from the Lawyer2Lawyer library so you can re-listen or be introduced for the first time if you’re a new subscriber. In this episode, Craig talks with William Dillon, a man who served 28 years of a life sentence for a murder he did not commit. William actually sings the music in one of our other shows on the Legal Talk Network called For the Innocent, where we talk to exonerees about their wrongful convictions.  Craig will be back soon with all new episodes of Lawyer2Lawyer. As we await his return, you can also get caught up on In Dispute, Craig’s new podcast, about 10 famous trials that changed history.

According to a May 23rd U.S. Department of Justice press release, “the Justice Department, along with 30 state and district attorneys general, filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Ticketmaster LLC (also known as Live Nation-Ticketmaster) for monopolization and other unlawful conduct that thwarts competition in markets across the live entertainment industry.” A high demand for tickets to Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” and a rise in ticket prices for a 2022 Bruce Springsteen concert, are just a few examples of how Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s actions angered consumers, and ultimately led the DOJ to step into action. In this episode, Craig is joined by Lee Hepner, a California-based antitrust lawyer and Senior Legal Counsel for the American Economic Liberties Project, as they spotlight the Justice Department’s lawsuit against Live Nation-Ticketmaster. Craig & Lee will talk about the lawsuit, monopolies, antitrust law, and the potential impact this could have on the ticket sales giant and future ticket sales. Mentioned in this episode:  Justice Department Press Release on DOJ v. Live Nation-Ticketmaster Lawsuit

On May 31, 2024, a New York jury found former president Donald J. Trump guilty on all 34 counts in his highly watched hush money trial. He will be sentenced on July 11th by Judge Juan Merchan. Since the verdict, the former president has lashed out at the verdict and even turned to the Supreme of the Court of the United States, asking them to throw out his conviction. This is the first-ever criminal trial of a former U.S. president, and the first criminal conviction of a former president. So will former President Trump see jail time? And how will this verdict influence voters as they place their ballot for president of the United States come November? In this episode, Craig is joined by Bennett L. Gershman, professor of law from Pace University’s Elisabeth Haub School of Law, as they discuss former President Trump's hush money conviction, sentencing, and how a felony conviction of a former president may impact the presidency.

Under the 14th Amendment, "No state shall...deprive any person of...property, without due process of law." This principle was at the heart of the matter of the 2023 Supreme Court case of Culley v. Marshall, in which two women had respectively loaned their cars to others only to have the cars seized under an Alabama civil forfeiture law following each lendee's arrest for drug offenses. The petitioners claimed that, absent a preliminary hearing, their 14th Amendment rights had been violated. Justice Kavanagh wrote for the majority stating that “In civil forfeiture cases, the Due Process Clause requires a timely forfeiture hearing, but does not require a separate preliminary hearing.” In this episode, Craig is joined by Attorney Kirby Thomas West from the Institute for Justice to discuss the recent SCOTUS decision in Culley v. Marshall. Craig & Kirby spotlight civil forfeiture and the potential impact of this ruling.

In April of 2024, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency recently announced that they are proceeding with reclassifying marijuana as a less dangerous drug. The Justice Department proposal would move marijuana from the “Schedule I” group which includes heroin, LSD, quaaludes and ecstasy to “Schedule III” which includes ketamine and some anabolic steroids. In this episode, Craig is joined by professor Robert Mikos from Vanderbilt University Law School to discuss the proposed reclassification of marijuana. Craig & Rob take a look at the history of the war on drugs, cannabis law, and what constitutional right an individual has when it comes to drug use.

One of former President Trump’s criminal cases, the hush money trial, is currently underway in a New York City courtroom. Jury selection for this case was a lengthy and controversial process which included Trump’s lawyers scrutinizing potential jurors’ social media, Judge Merchan giving Trump a warning for reacting to a potential juror in court, and the dismissal of one seated juror due to their concerns over the intense media coverage of the trial. In this episode, Craig is joined by Betty L. Dunkum, Esq., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Victory Trial Consulting, as they spotlight jury selection. Craig & Betty discuss the process, strategy, and what attorneys should look for in a juror.

In the early morning hours of March 26, 2024, Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed after a Singapore-based cargo ship named the Dali, lost power and hit the bridge's pillar. According to officials, eight people were on the bridge that morning when it fell: two were rescued, two bodies were recovered, and four are presumed dead. Crew members on the Dali were all safe. In this episode, Craig is joined by LSU law professor and LSU President Emeritus, Tom Galligan, as they spotlight the Baltimore bridge collapse. Craig & Tom explore the incident through the lens of admiralty law, liability, litigation, impact, and how to prevent future disasters involving vessels.

In a ruling on Monday, March 25th, 2024,the New York appeals court gave Trump a major victory, cutting the bond needed in his civil fraud case from $464 million to $175 million, and also affording him an extra 10 days to find the money. In this episode, Craig is joined by Will Thomas, Assistant Professor of Business Law at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, as they discuss former president Trump's current legal and financial issues. Craig & Will take a look at this recent ruling on the $464 million judgment, specifics on the inability to secure a bond, and what next steps will be taken to retrieve payment from Trump.

March is Women’s History Month where we celebrate the contributions women have made to the United States throughout American history in a variety of fields. Charlotte E. Ray. Belva Lockwood. Sandra Day O’Connor. Ruth Bader Ginsberg. These are just some of the standout women who have shaped our legal history and fought for women and girls across the nation. Unfortunately, in recent years women’s rights have come under attack. With SCOTUS’ overturning of Roe v. Wade, and many other policy issues like equal pay, Title IX, childcare, taxes, and equity in education, women continue to fight for their individual rights. In this episode, Craig is joined by Amy Royce, Senior Counsel for Income Security for the National Women’s Law Center, as they will spotlight Women's History Month by discussing the current policy issues involving women, highlighting the intersection of gender justice and tax policy. We will also take a look back at women throughout history who have paved the way, and what women across the nation can do to rise up against legislation and fight for their rights.

On November 5th, 2024, people across the nation will head to the polls and cast their vote for president of the United States. It is looking more and more like another battle between President Joe Biden & former President Donald Trump with policy and rhetoric indicating an even more divided nation than in the prior election. With policy issues like immigration, abortion, IVF, guns, employment, and the economy taking center stage in this race, this election could once again be a controversial one.  So, with a nation divided, can our democracy be saved? In this episode, Craig is joined by attorney David Pepper, as they discuss the upcoming presidential election, the state of democracy in the U.S., the current policy issues that could impact the election, and how we can save our democracy.  Mentioned in this episode:  Saving Democracy: A User’s Manual Laboratories of Autocracy: A Wake-Up Call from Behind the Lines

For the past two episodes of Lawyer2Lawyer, we have covered SCOTUS cases that have included ballot access and immunity with former President Trump at the forefront of these cases. Trump has also been charged in four criminal cases. In this episode, Craig is joined by professor Tamara R. Lave, from the University of Miami, as they spotlight these upcoming criminal cases of Trump, whether these cases will go to trial before the presidential election, and possible punishment.   Mentioned in this episode: Tracking the Trump Criminal Cases (Politico)

In our last episode, we discussed administrative law, abortion, guns, presidential immunity & ballot access— just some of the upcoming cases that will come before the High Court in 2024.  In this episode, we continue our conversation with Professor Steven D. Schwinn and spotlight some of the remaining standout SCOTUS cases on the docket. Additionally, we discuss a developing conflict at the Texas border with Mexico, where the State is openly defying a recent SCOTUS ruling.

Administrative law, abortion, guns, presidential immunity, & ballot access. These are just some of the upcoming cases that will come before the High Court in 2024. How will the justices rule? And how could their rulings change the course of our legal system for years to come? In this episode, host Craig Williams joins returning guest Steven D. Schwinn from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Law, as they spotlight the standout SCOTUS cases of 2024 and the potential impact.

The first bar examination in the United States was administered in oral form in the Delaware Colony in 1783, and in 1885, Massachusetts became the first state to employ a written version of the bar exam. Over time, the bar examination process has become more standardized, but there's no one test. One example of a standardized test is the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), created back in 2011, and first administered that year by Missouri and North Dakota. So what is NEXT in standardized tests? According to the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ website, the NextGen Bar Exam, set to debut in July 0f 2026, will “test a broad range of foundational lawyering skills, utilizing a focused set of clearly identified fundamental legal concepts and principles needed in today’s practice of law.” Will the transition from a standardized test like UBE to NextGen be an easy one? And what can law students & faculty expect? In this episode, host Craig Williams is joined by guest Dennis C. Prieto, an Associate Professor and Reference Librarian at ­Rutgers Law School, who served on the National Conference of Bar Examiners’ NextGen Content Scope Committee and is a member of the NextGen Tasks and Rubrics Advisory Committee. Craig & Dennis explore the specifics of the exam, how law students and faculty can transition to preparing for the new exam, and what students can expect from the exam in 2026. Mentioned in this episode:  NextGen Bar Exam From My Perspective: Essays on the NextGen Bar Exam and Legal Education By Dennis C. Prieto, Susan Landrum, Timothy J. McFarlin, and Wanda M. Temm Correction: In the podcast, Professor Prieto mentioned 'NCBE member Beth Kennedy,' but the correct name is Beth Donohue. We apologize for any confusion and appreciate your understanding.