The Legal Impact

In an era of instant information, where Artificial Intelligence will not just answer your question but write the essay for you - what is the role of the law library?  Or even…books? We find out, on the latest episode of “The Legal Impact.” Our guests are two longtime law librarians at UNH-Franklin Pierce School of Law: Susan Drisko Zago, Professor and Law Library Director, and Kathy Fletcher, reference and public service librarian. Listen in, as they reflect on the massive shifts they’ve seen in legal research and library practice, and how all these changes may affect the next generation of lawyers.  

On this episode of The Legal Impact, Professor Stanley Kowalski recalls President John F. Kennedy's South American initiative called the "Alliance for Progress," unveiled sixty years ago. Kowalski says it's time to revive this effort, but updated for our times: promoting a stable, prosperous Latin America through technology transfer and intellectual property.   

This month on The Legal Impact, we remember former U.S. Supreme Court Justice David Souter, who died in May. We'll hear about Souter's impressive legal career in NH, long before he went to Washington...also, why his appointment to the High Court didn't turn out to be the  "slam-dunk" for conservatives...that was predicted.

The Daniel Webster Scholar Honors program: UNH-Franklin Pierce School of Law's unique approach toward training lawyers who are ready to practice on day one after graduation. Over the 20 years since its launch, the DWS program has drawn national attention and praise. In this episode of The Legal Impact, we talk with Courtney Brooks, the Associate Dean for Faculty, a professor of law, and Director of the Daniel Webster Scholar Honors program.  

Mediation: Its huge role in our legal system. Our guest is Melinda Gehris of Prism Conflict Solutions. She's also an adjunct professor at UNH-Franklin Pierce School of Law, where she teaches dispute resolution.   

On this episode of "The Legal Impact," we talk with UNH-Franklin Pierce Law Professor Seth Oranburg about how colleges and universities are reacting to the Trump Administration's threat to withdraw federal funding from schools that engage in speech that runs counter to its agenda on diversity, gender, inclusivity and anti-semitism. We explore the legal principles and political realities at stake. 

Alumni are in the spotlight, on the latest episode of The Legal Impact! Our guest is Patrick Muffo, an intellectual property attorney at the Polsinelli Law Firm in Chicago. He graduated in 2007 from what was then called Franklin Pierce Law School. His experience deeply shaped his life, so much so that last year, he started a podcast called “Frankly Speaking,” where he checks in with fellow alums, to learn what directions their lives have taken since leaving “the cozy embrace of Concord, N.H. Enjoy Patrick's Podcast, "Frankly Speaking." Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora! 

In the new year, congress will look again at laws around sports betting, which has exploded since a twenty-eighteen U.S. Supreme Court decision allowing states to legalize wagering on sports.  Today, on The Legal Impact, one of the country’s leading experts on this topic, Michael McCann. He's founding director of the Sports and Entertainment Law Institute at UNH-Franklin Pierce School of Law and is a visiting professor at Harvard. Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora! 

In the four years between the last two presidential campaigns, hundreds of new election laws have been passed in states around the country, including New Hampshire. With a major election just behind us, The Legal Impact looks at the ever-shifting legal landscape around voting, with Professor Kelsey Klementowicz. She’s an attorney, and an academic visiting professor at UNH-Franklin Pierce School of Law, with a specialty in civil rights and election policy.  She has advised many groups nationwide about these issues. 

On the latest episode of The Legal Impact, UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law Professor Lucy Hodder explains why care is so expensive in this country. Listen to this fascinating overview by one of our state’s leading experts.   Produced by The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and hosted by The Rudman Center's Laura Knoy. Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora! 

On the latest episode of The Legal Impact, we explore First Amendment rights of free speech and free assembly in light of anti-war demonstrations last spring on college campuses around the country. Our guest is Seth Oranburg, professor at UNH-Franklin Pierce School of Law. He describes common misconceptions around what these rights really mean, and gives examples of universities he believes got it right–and wrong.  Produced by The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and hosted by The Rudman Center's Laura Knoy. Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora! 

A special two-part series on The Legal Impact! There were so many key decisions decided by the high court this year, we decided to present them in two episodes. Part Two covers a  half-dozen other important decisions, ranging from government regulation, environmental protection, local homelessness policies, and those perennial Supreme Court issues: guns and abortion. In Part One, we discussed the so-called "Trump Docket." Produced by The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and hosted by The Rudman Center's Laura Knoy. Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora! 

A special two-part series on The Legal Impact! There were so many key decisions decided by the high court this year, we decided to present them in two episodes. Part One covers the so-called “Trump Docket” - those rulings concerning the former President, including the immunity case. Part Two will focus on other key high court decisions. Produced by The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and hosted by The Rudman Center's Laura Knoy. Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora! 

More than fifty years after President Nixon’s famous “War on Drugs'' speech, the problem has not abated. Over the decades, states and cities have adopted a wide array of laws, trying to find balance between public safety and helping those who struggle with addiction.  In the latest episode of The Legal Impact, UNH-Franklin Pierce Law professor and former Public Defender Melissa Davis explains the ever-shifting legal landscape around this issue, and why most of these approaches haven’t worked.  Produced by The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and hosted by The Rudman Center's Laura Knoy. Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora! 

On the latest episode of The Legal Impact, we learn more about this new bar exam and what will change. Our guest is UNH-Franklin Pierce School of Law's Kevin Frost, an assistant professor of Law and Director of Academic Success. He says the NextGen Bar "has the promise to be significantly better" than the current exam, and should better reflect the reality of lawyering.  Produced by The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and hosted by The Rudman Center's Laura Knoy. Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora! 

On the latest episode of The Legal Impact, we talk with UNH-Franklin-Pierce Law Professor Albert “Buzz” Scherr. Professor Scherr is a nationally-recognized expert on DNA in our criminal justice system. Listen in, as he describes how DNA can be used…and mis-used.    Produced by The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and hosted by The Rudman Center's Laura Knoy. Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora! 

On the latest episode of The Legal Impact, UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law Assistant Professor Daniel Pi walks us through the key legal actions pending against the former president. There’s a lot to unravel, but Professor Pi is an excellent guide.  Produced by The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and hosted by The Rudman Center's Laura Knoy. Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora! 

On this month’s episode of The Legal Impact, we meet Nigerian law student Praise Mabeokwu. She offers fascinating and funny reflections on her experience coming to New Hampshire and UNH Franklin Pierce: from key differences in legal education to bland American food to the first time she saw snow.   Praise is at UNH Franklin Pierce School of Law pursuing an LLM, or Master of Laws, degree.  Produced by The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and hosted by The Rudman Center's Laura Knoy. Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora!    Want more information?  Watch the virtual chat with Hitarth Parikh, a recent LLM alum from UNH Franklin Pierce: https://law.unh.edu/blog/2024/02/unh-franklin-pierce-llm-was-instrumental-my-professional-growth-ip-attorney-hitarth-parikh?utm_source=students&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=law-fy24  Register for a webinar on Mar 7, 2024 07:00 PM about the LLM program: https://unh.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcqdeCqrTksGtEhXEzRv-STMFbWH2JuahgD#/registration

In this episode, Professor Mailyn Fidler discusses 4th Amendment Law, unraveling the intricacies of interpreting and defining reasonable expectations of privacy. Listen as she dives into the evolving landscape of privacy in relation to government actions, examining the pivotal role of statutes and the third-party doctrine in our digital age.  Produced by The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and hosted by The Rudman Center's Laura Knoy. Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora! 

In this episode, 3L Emily Bensadoun shares her unique journey from a business and hospitality major at Florida State University to a legal intern at the Boston Red Sox. Listen as she deep dives into her previous job experience, applying to law school, building legal connections, and the intersection of sports and law!   Produced by The Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communication and hosted by The Rudman Center's Laura Knoy.   Get an email when the latest episode releases and never miss our monthly episodes by subscribing on Apple, Spotify, Google, Amazon, and Pandora!