ABA Law Student Podcast

Law school is essential to becoming a successful lawyer but it doesn’t come cheap. Public Service Loan Forgiveness was a program put in place to entice young lawyers to take public service positions which have historically paid less than private sector positions. After ten years of making on-time, full payments while in a public service role, the loan would be forgiven. Recently, though, the Department of Education was sued by the ABA for not keeping its promises. Even after declaring those involved in the program to be fully qualified for loan forgiveness, it was later decided later that they were not qualified. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, host Chris Morgan discusses these events with the president of the ABA, Linda Klein. They dive into the original goals of the program, why the program is necessary, and actions the ABA is currently taking to ensure those relying on the program are compensated. Linda concludes by saying that the Department of Education’s decision will also affect the ability of the ABA to provide legal services to those that need it most. Linda Klein is the senior managing shareholder at Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz and president of the American Bar Association. Klein’s practice, based in Atlanta, includes most types of business dispute resolution, including contract law, employment law and professional liability, working extensively with clients in the construction, higher education and pharmaceutical industries.

Young lawyers are needed to fill public service roles but often law school debt funnels them into higher paying positions. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program was aimed to help this issue by forgiving student debt after ten years of qualifying employment at the local, state, or federal level. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, host Chris Morgan talks to ABA President Linda Klein about the PSLF program, how it has fallen short, and the resulting suit that the ABA filed against the Department of Education. She also discusses the future of the trial and how to raise awareness as it continues. Linda Klein is the current President of the American Bar Association. In her practice life, she is managing shareholder for the Georgia offices of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, LLP.

The O. J. Simpson trial is still heavy on people’s minds, especially with the release of shows like “O. J. Simpson: Made in America” and FX's “American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson.” In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, host Chris Morgan talks to F. Lee Bailey, defense lawyer in the O.J. Simpson case, about his most notable cases and the definition of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Bailey also discusses his view on how the media represented the O.J. trial and shares advice for young lawyers and law students aspiring to become trial lawyers. Francis Lee Bailey is an American former attorney. During his career he worked several high-profile trials and was one of the lawyers for the defense in the O. J. Simpson murder case.

It’s a question that has haunted the nation: did Steven Avery kill Teresa Halbach? The Netflix series Making A Murderer has brought the Steven Avery case to the forefront of everyone’s minds and, in doing so, has also brought attention to the lawyers involved. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, host Chris Morgan talks to Dean Strang, one of Steven Avery’s defense lawyers, about the case from a lawyer’s perspective, including his take on notable scenes, the burden of proof, and the presence of reasonable doubt. He also talks about whether cameras should be used in court and shares advice for young lawyers aspiring to practice criminal defense. “Keep track of your own humanity and restore and replenish it by recognizing the humanity in every client you represent and every victim you encounter, and every citizen or witness you have to examine.” - Dean Strang Dean Strang practices in Madison, Wisconsin, as a shareholder in Strang Bradley, LLC. He was Wisconsin’s first Federal Defender and has argued in the United States Supreme Court, five federal circuits, and the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

Labeled the “trial of the century” by many, the O.J. Simpson case brought forth issues of race, celebrity, and police dishonesty. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, host Chris Morgan talks to Carl Douglas, one of the defense attorneys in the O.J. Simpson murder case, about the case itself and the circumstances that ultimately lead to the controversial verdict. Their discussion includes the importance of context to the case, the complicated process of choosing jurors, and the origin of the phrase “If the glove doesn’t fit, we must acquit.” They also talk about what Carl has been up to since the case and his advice for young law students and lawyers. Carl Douglas is a lawyer specializing in police misconduct cases. He is best known for being one of the defense attorneys in the O.J. Simpson murder case.

Research may not be the most exciting part of law school, but there are ways to make it easier, more interesting, and (perhaps most importantly) free. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, hosts Sandy Gallant-Jones and Chris Morgan talk to Sheila Hollis and Barbara Bavis about the Law Library of Congress. While most law students know the Library of Congress exists, few know just how many resources it offers, like online access and a knowledgeable staff that’s ready to help. In their discussion, they also talk about legislative, judicial, and executive resources that law students can get online for free. Barbara Bavis joined the staff of the Law Library of Congress in 2012 as a Legal Reference Librarian. She provides legal research services to patrons, both at the reference desk in the Law Library Reading Room and via the Law Library’s Ask a Librarian service. Sheila Slocum Hollis is chair of the Washington, D.C. office of Duane Morris LLP. She just completed 12 years of service on the firm’s executive committee and partners’ board.

Law school is essential to becoming a successful lawyer but it doesn’t come cheap. Public Service Loan Forgiveness was a program put in place to entice young lawyers to take public service positions which have historically paid less than private sector positions. After ten years of making on-time, full payments while in a public service role, the loan would be forgiven. Recently, though, the Department of Education was sued by the ABA for not keeping its promises. Even after declaring those involved in the program to be fully qualified for loan forgiveness, the ABA decided later that they were not qualified. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, host Chris Morgan discusses these events with the president of the ABA, Linda Klein. They dive into the original goals of the program, why the program is necessary, and actions the ABA is currently taking to ensure those relying on the program are compensated. Linda concludes by saying that the Department of Education’s decision will also affect the ability of the ABA to provide legal services to those that need it most. Linda Klein is the senior managing shareholder at Baker Donelson Bearman Caldwell & Berkowitz and president of the American Bar Association. Klein’s practice, based in Atlanta, includes most types of business dispute resolution, including contract law, employment law and professional liability, working extensively with clients in the construction, higher education and pharmaceutical industries. Mentioned in the episode: ABA sues Department of Education over retroactive denials to lawyers under Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Law school provides many young attorneys with the critical thinking and analysis skills necessary to be a successful lawyer in today’s legal marketplace. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, hosts Chris Morgan and Sandy Gallant-Jones speak with Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB) Executive Director Kelly Lake about the disruptive effects of legal technology and why continued learning and development is essential for legal professionals. Prior to joining CEB, Ms. Lake held key positions with Thomson Reuters in the UK and Asia, working to deliver a variety of legal workflow solutions and practice tools as well as with Westlaw in the UK, China, and India.

The process of trying criminal cases can be complex. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, hosts Chris Morgan and Sandy Gallant-Jones speak with Washington state trial attorney Mark Vovos about his journey toward trying death penalty cases and the difficulties and challenges these cases can present. Mark Vovos has practiced law in the State of Washington for 44 years and his practice focuses on complex federal litigation in all aspects of criminal defense.

Many young lawyers turn to the Law Student Division of the ABA for invaluable resources, benefits, and leadership opportunities. However, it can be challenging for students who are interested in a deeper level of engagement in the ABA to continue their involvement as they enter the legal market. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, which originally aired on March 24th 2016, host Fabiani Duarte chats with guest Bryan Rogers about the Young Lawyers Division and the Emerging Leaders Program that is helping law graduates seek significant leadership roles within the ABA. Bryan Rogers is an associate attorney with the law firm Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP and has held many positions within the ABA Law Student Division and the ABA Young Lawyers Division.