Lawyer 2 Lawyer

This year, we have created a new Environmental Law series on Lawyer 2 Lawyer, where we will cover cradle to grave treatment of chemicals and our laws on environmental biology. In this episode, host Craig Williams joins LeRoy (Lee) C. Paddock, former associate dean for environmental law studies at George Washington University Law School, as they discuss the Pollution Prevention Act, the Clean Water Act, & the Clean Air Act, their intended impact on our environment, and a look ahead to future legislation.

Rule 8.4 of the Model Rules of Professional Conduct, dealing with Misconduct, is subtitled with the phrase “Maintaining the Integrity of the Profession”. When attorneys engage in unethical behavior, it is believed that their actions harm the industry. As such, disciplinary procedures are a key feature to maintaining the legitimacy of not only the profession, but the legal system as a whole. Usually, attorney disciplinary matters don’t enter the broader public discourse, but, in the wake of the 2020 presidential election, we have seen an increase in high-profile attorney disciplinary matters. Attorneys like Rudy Giuliani and John Charles Eastman, and the disciplinary charges brought against them in DC and California respectively, have been featured prominently in the news of late, and so it’s time we turn our attention to the issue of attorney misconduct and discipline. In this episode, host Craig Williams joins guest Leslie C. Levin, professor of law at University of Connecticut School of Law to take an overall look at prominent attorneys who have come under fire for their violation of the rule of law, measures taken to regulate attorney's actions, and the consequences that could stem from their actions.

This year, we have created a new Environmental Law series on Lawyer 2 Lawyer, where we will cover cradle to grave treatment of chemicals and our laws on environmental biology.  In our first episode, we will spotlight the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) which addresses the manufacturing, processing, distribution, use, and disposal of commercial and industrial chemicals. Host Craig Williams is joined by Managing Partner of Bergeson & Campbell, P.C, Lynn L. Bergeson who will give us an overview of the Toxic Substances Control Act, its history, impact, and the forecast for U.S. federal and international chemical regulatory policy.

As part of his bid to secure the position of Speaker of the House, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has made a series of proposals in an effort to garner party support. One notable proposal calls for the gutting of the Office of Congressional Ethics, an independent, non-partisan entity created in 2008 and tasked with reviewing allegations of misconduct against members, officers, and staff of the US House of Representatives. In light of recent pressure to investigate some House Republicans in regards to January 6th, as well as recent high-profile allegations against incoming congressman George Santos, ethics has taken center stage. In this episode, host Craig Williams joins guest Richard W. Painter, former Chief White House ethics lawyer and the S. Walter Richey Professor of Corporate Law at University of Minnesota Law School, as they spotlight ethics and its role within Congress, SCOTUS, and the Executive branch.

Originalism is a type of judicial interpretation of a constitution (especially the U.S. Constitution) that aims to follow how it would have been understood or was intended to be understood at the time it was written. With the addition of Justice Amy Coney Barrett to the High Court, there are now 4 avowed originalists on the Supreme Court including: Justices Thomas, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh. Originalism has been cited in recent landmark decisions including Dobbs & Bruen, but are these justices abiding by the true definition of the word? Are they truly originalists? Or are they picking and choosing their history based on their ideology? In this episode, host Craig Williams joins guest David H. Gans, Director of the Human Rights, Civil Rights & Citizenship Program at the Constitutional Accountability Center to discuss SCOTUS' move toward originalism, the impact, and the conflict between Justice Thomas' and Justice Jackson's views.

On the last episode of our The Life of a Lawyer Start to Finish series, we discussed Retirement with Ida Abbott. In this episode, we move on to the final rung of the ladder: The Aging Lawyer: Exiting Gracefully.   Host Craig Williams is joined by Tish Vincent, LMSW, Esq., Chair of the ABA Commission on Lawyers Assistance Programs, as they spotlight the aging lawyer. Craig & Tish discuss senior lawyers, possible warning signs of cognitive decline to look out for if a co-worker is suffering, how to approach, and where to go for help if you or a colleague are experiencing warning signs.

On the last episode of our The Life of a Lawyer Start to Finish series, we discussed Money Management for Lawyers with L.J. Jones. In this episode, we move on to the next rung of the ladder: Retirement.  Host Craig Williams is joined byIda O. Abbot, founder of Ida Abbott Consulting, as they tackle retirement. Ida & Craig take a look at when to start thinking about retiring as a lawyer, steps attorneys can take to prepare for retirement, and ultimately life post-retirement. Mentioned in This Episode: Retirement by Design: A Guided Workbook for Creating a Happy and Purposeful Future by Ida Abbott

Water is our most precious resource, but water, statewide and worldwide, is becoming scarce. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 55 million people globally are affected by droughts every year, and water shortages are the most serious hazard to livestock and crops in nearly every part of the world. By 2025, two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages, and by 2030, as many as 700 million people are expected to be at-risk of being displaced. In this episode, host Craig Williams joins guest Rhett Larson, the Richard Morrison Professor of Water Law at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, as we spotlight water law. We discuss droughts, erratic climate events, and what is being done to eradicate these water centric issues through laws and policy.

On the last episode of our The Life of a Lawyer Start to Finish series, we discussed Lifelong Learning with attorney Kelli Proia. In this episode, we move on to the next rung of the ladder: Money Management. Host Craig Williams is joined by L.J. Jones, CPA, founder of Developing Financial to discuss money management for lawyers. Craig & L.J. explore common money management problems, and how lawyers can take steps to manage their money inside and outside of the law firm.

Last month at a judicial conference in Colorado Springs, two judges from the Denver-based 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals interviewed Chief Justice John Roberts on all things SCOTUS, in which he decried attacks on the court’s legitimacy following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health ruling. Roberts said "If the court doesn't retain its legitimate function of interpreting the constitution, I'm not sure who would take up that mantle. You don't want the political branches telling you what the law is, and you don't want public opinion to be the guide about what the appropriate decision is…” In a later response to Roberts comments, Justice Elena Kagan declared “Judges create legitimacy problems for themselves when they don’t act like courts” and “when they instead stray into places that look like politics.” So does the Supreme Court of the United States have a legitimacy problem? In this episode, host Craig Williams joins guest Douglas Keith, counsel in the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program, as they spotlight the legitimacy of the Supreme Court. Craig and Doug take a look at the public's reaction to recent SCOTUS decisions, the justices reaction to a legitimacy problem in the High Court, and what the new term will bring.