337: Pro Bono Pros

337: Pro Bono Pros

Author: Politicon September 9, 2026 Duration: 19:16

Barb McQuaid and Jill Wine-Banks answer listener questions on everything from ICE accountability to vacated convictions, and more. They discuss why courts cannot independently prosecute federal agents who overstep the law, immunity barriers in civil suits, where to find pro bono immigration help, how probate works when there is no will, the green card process in marriages, the legal line between credentialed election monitors and intimidation, and how vacating a conviction differs from a pardon or expungement in clearing the public record without automatically restoring all rights.

Freshen up your spring wardrobe!  Get the ReSIStance T-Shirt, Mini Tote, and other #SistersInLaw gear at politicon.com/merch! 

Additional #SistersInLaw Projects

#SistersInLaw Main Show

Jill’s Politicon YouTube Show: Just The Facts

Kim’s Newsletter: The Gavel

Joyce’s new book, Giving Up Is Unforgivable, is now available, and for a limited time, you have the exclusive opportunity to order a signed copy here. 

Order Barb’s new book, The Fix, or her first book, Attack From Within, now in paperback. 

Add the #Sisters & your other favorite Politicon podcast hosts on Bluesky

Get your #SistersInLaw MERCH at politicon.com/merch

WEBSITE & TRANSCRIPT

Email: SISTERSINLAW@POLITICON.COM or Thread to @sistersInLaw.podcast

Get text updates from #SistersInLaw and Politicon. 

Mentioned By The #Sisters

Order Barb’s new book, The Fix, and get tickets for her book tour!

Pro Bono Links:
https://www.immigrationlawhelp.org/

https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/

https://www.justice.gov/eoir/list-pro-bono-legal-service-providers

https://www.justia.com/lawyers/immigration-law/illinois/chicago/legal-aid-and-pro-bono-services

Support This Week’s Sponsor:

Boll & Branch
Get 15% off your first order of cold and comfortable high-quality 100% organic cotton sheets, plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/sisters with code SISTERS

Get More From The #SistersInLaw

Joyce Vance: Bluesky | Twitter | University of Alabama Law | Civil Discourse Substack | MSNBC | Author of “Giving Up Is Unforgiveable”

Jill Wine-Banks: Bluesky | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Author of The Watergate Girl: My Fight For Truth & Justice Against A Criminal President | Just The Facts YouTube

Kimberly Atkins Stohr: Bluesky | Twitter | Boston Globe | WBUR | The Gavel Newsletter | Justice By Design Podcast

Barb McQuade: barbaramcquade.com | Bluesky | Twitter | University of Michigan Law | Just Security | MSNBC | Attack From Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America


Four women who have been at the very center of American legal and political power come together for frank, insightful, and often surprising conversations. #SistersInLaw, from Politicon, features Joyce Vance, Barbara McQuade, Kimberly Atkins Stohr, and Jill Wine-Banks-each a former federal prosecutor or top legal analyst-as they dissect the week’s most pressing news. This podcast goes beyond the headlines, offering a unique blend of legal expertise, historical context, and sharp commentary that only insiders with their depth of experience can provide. Listeners hear these sisters in law break down complex court rulings, political maneuvers, and constitutional questions with clarity and a shared sense of purpose. Their dynamic discussions cut through the noise, revealing the underlying mechanisms of justice and governance. It’s a masterclass in understanding how the law truly intersects with politics and daily life, delivered with the candor and rapport of trusted colleagues. For anyone seeking to comprehend the real stakes behind today’s stories, this is an essential listen.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

#SistersInLaw
Podcast Episodes
308: Trump’s Revenge [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:33
Kimberly Atkins Stohr hosts #SistersInLaw to discuss the Trump administration's revenge prosecution of E. Jean Carroll, examining the motivations behind the investigation, the allegations against her, and the role of fin…
307: The Return Of The Power Broker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 26:13
In this episode of Sisters Sidebar, Barb McQuade and Kimberly Atkins Stohr answer your questions on everything from nationwide injunctions and the mifepristone ruling to the case against Luigi Mangione, and more. They di…
306: Trump Slush Fund: Are You Kidding Me‽ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:40
Barb McQuade hosts #SistersinLaw to discuss the DOJ “anti-weaponization” slush fund that uses $1.8 billion in taxpayer money to pay Trump, his allies, and J6 rioters for alleged government “weaponization,” along with a l…
305: Golden Idol [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:08
In this episode of Sisters Sidebar, Barb McQuade and Jill Wine-Banks answer your questions on everything from impeaching Trump, Vance, and the cabinet all at once to AI-generated political ads, and more. They discuss whe…
304: Inspiring Women [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:30
Jill Wine-Banks hosts #SistersInLaw to explain the D.C. Circuit arguments over Trump’s 2025 executive order punishing elite law firms for representing clients and causes he dislikes, the firms’ lower court wins, the gove…
303: Fire In The Hole [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:00
In this episode of Sisters Sidebar, Jill Wine-Banks and Kimberly Atkins-Stor answer your questions on everything from the Secretary of Defense’s firing powers to conservatorships, and more. They discuss Pete Hegseth’s re…
302: The Gerrymandering Wars [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:37
Joyce Vance hosts #SistersInLaw to discuss Chief Justice Roberts’ defense of the SCOTUS against partisanship accusations, the controversy over its Louisiana v. Callais ruling and the immediate implementation of the decis…
301: CSI: Seashells Division [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:34
In this episode of #SistersInLaw Sidebar, Joyce Vance and Barb McQuade answer your questions on everything from the powers of the judicial branch to pursuing a case in small claims court, and more. They discuss whether t…
300: SCOTUS 86s Voting Rights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:13
Kimberly Atkins Stohr hosts #SistersInLaw to discuss the SCOTUS ruling in Louisiana v. Callais, looking at the history of district allocation, how it undermines the Voting Rights Act, the significance of Justice Kagan’s…
299: DOJ In Jeopardy: Live In Denver [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:10
In this special live episode of #SistersInLaw Sidebar, the #Sisters answer your questions in Denver on everything from the intersection of religion to reviving the reputation of the DOJ, and more. They discuss Maureen Co…