Accountability In An Age Of Unaccountability

Accountability In An Age Of Unaccountability

Author: Legal Talk Network February 4, 2026 Duration: 27:17
Between Epstein files and ethical breaches, a reckoning seems so close yet so far. ----- A flurry of stories hit the legal world all at once last week, with the government responding to another ICE killing in Minnesota by... arresting journalists and dumping Epstein files. And while the Epstein files don't represent the entire universe -- or, perhaps, even the most relevant -- files about Epstein's dealings, they have set off downstream shockwaves in the legal industry. Meanwhile, another judge learns that we frown upon judges arbitrarily handcuffing lawyers. Finally, it's time for the profession to come together behind helping our self-regulators hold Trump administration lawyers accountable. The ethical breaches keep adding up and while there's never going to be the warranted criminal law reckoning, we can at least make sure our profession is protected by disbarring all these administration lawyers getting caught affirmatively lying to courts... and worse.

Ever wonder how a lawyer's mind dissects the everyday world? That's the territory explored in Above the Law-Thinking Like a Lawyer, hosted by Joe Patrice, Kathryn Rubino, and Chris Williams from the legal news site. This isn't a dry analysis of case law, but a lively conversation where the hosts take common experiences-from pop culture phenomena and business trends to workplace dilemmas and current events-and run them through a distinctly legal filter. You'll hear them untangle the underlying principles, ethical knots, and surprising precedents hidden within topics everyone discusses. The result is often illuminating, sometimes dizzying, but always engaging as they debate whether that framework reveals clarity or complexity. Produced by the Legal Talk Network, the podcast sits at a unique crossroads of news, business, and career insights, offering a pragmatic yet entertaining look at how legal thinking shapes our understanding of everything. It’s for anyone curious about the mechanics of argument, the structure of rules, or just a smarter take on the week’s headlines. Tune in for a regular dose of perspective that is as thought-provoking as it is accessible, proving that a legal lens can be applied to far more than just a courtroom.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Above the Law - Thinking Like a Lawyer
Podcast Episodes
If The DOJ Fails Another Time, They Win A Free Sandwich [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:28
And Kirkland tries a little tenderness. FedSoc does not. ----- The news that Kirkland had to teach its lawyers how to stop being mean to the private equity industry is incredibly funny. We're not saying Kirkland is getti…
A Riot By Any Other Name... [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:30
DOJ punishing lawyers, the future of the billable hour, and dark times for public interest work. ----- We talk about the DOJ lawyers suspended by the White House for calling January 6 a riot in a sentencing memo. and the…
Dispatches From The Collapse Of The Rule Of Law [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:27
And a Biglaw firm seeks help while an in-house attorney blows up her career. ----- Catching up with the slice of the conservative legal movement who have stared into the moral abyss of the Trump administration and recoil…
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Duration: 38:08
Just in time for the AI slop to take over. ----- Some law firms are handing out recruiting entertainment budgets to law students. While we don't fault law students some sweet walking around money, placing that power in t…
Is This The Beginning Of The End For The Bar Exam? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:19
One can only hope. ----- For a long time, the bar exam seemed like the nasty habit that the legal profession just couldn't quit. But there's finally some progress on that front, with Utah unveiling a new alternative path…
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Duration: 31:18
Law firm fires lawyer over Kirk comments and law school announces new scholarships. ----- Perkins Coie cut ties with an attorney over Charlie Kirk comments on social media. The remarks were measured and reasonable, but t…
A Tale Of Two Supreme Court Book Tours [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:20
Compare and contrast as ACB and Sotomayor ride (media) circuit. ----- Amy Coney Barrett and Sonia Sotomayor are both hitting the talk shows and it's highlighting how awkward the nation's relationship with the Supreme Cou…
The Fundamental Dishonesty Of The Supreme Court [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 36:30
Law school is more expensive than it used to be... but barely more expensive! ----- Federal judges have had to deal with more and more threats from conservatives whipped into up by the Trump administration rhetoric blast…