Advertise on podcast: The Hearing – A Legal Podcast

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The Hearing is a legal podcast from Thomson Reuters. Listen to insightful discussions with lawyers, legal experts, and other interesting people connected to the legal industry. We delve into anything and everything – trailblazers in the law, the latest insights on legal innovation and trends, and how the profession is evolving. With hosts based in the UK and the US, we cover issues around the globe. Our current hosts: Becky Annison – Trained at a London law firm before moving in-house. Spent 12 years as a senior solicitor in a large international company, before joining Practical Law's In-house practice area team. Now, as Head of Engagement for The Chancery Lane Project, Becky uses her knowledge of contracting and law to help tackle the climate crisis. Janelle Wrigley – An attorney based in California. As head of the Antitrust & Competition team at Practical Law, leads a team of lawyers producing practical guidance for competition lawyers worldwide. Previously, Janelle was a litigator at the US Federal Trade Commission and at Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP in New York. Teneé Frazier – An attorney, editor, and speaker based in Alabama. As a member of the State and Local Government team at Practical Law, she uses her expertise in municipal law to produce substantive content for local government attorneys. Previously, Teneé was Assistant General Counsel at the Alabama League of Municipalities. Yasmin Sheikh – Executive coach, trainer, consultant, and speaker, with a background as a lawyer – practising for 12 years in a large international law firm. Founder of Diverse Matters – which helps promote equality, diversity, and inclusivity within organisations. Yasmin is also a former vice chair of the Disabled Solicitors Network at the Law Society of England and Wales. Find out more about The Hearing and other Thomson Reuters podcasts at tr.com/thehearing.

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Check latest episodes from The Hearing – A Legal Podcast podcast

EP. 188 – Book banning in the US: a legal perspective on a cultural divide (Roger Horner, Practical Law)

2026/01/26

In this episode, host Teneé Frazier and Roger Horner, a municipal law expert at Practical Law, discuss the contentious topic of book banning. Roger outlines the background and current landscape for book bans in the US, including their rise in frequency and intensity. He sheds light on the constitutional challenges, divergent state laws, and the critical role of government speech in recent rulings. Roger also shares practical advice for government attorneys dealing with book selection policies, and he highlights the forthcoming developments and decisions to watch out for.

EP. 187 – Lawyer's duty of care in a changing climate (Navraj Singh Ghaleigh, Edinburgh Law School)

2026/01/12

Is your duty of care climate‑ready? Extreme weather, shifting regulations and liability exposure are no longer environmental side notes – they're core to competent legal advice across a range of practice areas. In this episode, Navraj Singh Ghaleigh, Senior Lecturer in Climate Law at the University of Edinburgh, joins host Becky Annison to translate climate risk into concrete legal duties and everyday practice decisions. Navraj and Becky's conversation delves into the multifaceted impacts of climate risk on corporations – exploring the financial implications, the role of legal professionals and the evolving landscape of climate law. Their discussion highlights the necessity for companies to understand and quantify climate risks, the legal obligations that arise from these risks, and the importance of integrating climate considerations into legal practice.

EP. 186 – Finding purpose beyond law (Jodi Ettenberg, Legal Nomads)

2025/12/22

This episode features a conversation with Jodi Ettenberg, a former lawyer who left her corporate practice in 2008 to travel the world and become a successful travel writer and entrepreneur. Host Janelle Wrigley explores Jodi's unconventional journey from billing 3,000 hours as a first-year attorney in New York to building Legal Nomads, a pioneering travel blog that evolved into a thriving business serving a global community. Janelle and Jodi discuss the challenges of leaving a legal career and practical approaches for lawyers considering major life changes. The conversation takes a profound turn as Jodi shares how a routine medical procedure in 2017 left her with a chronic spinal CSF leak, a debilitating condition that ended her ability to travel and led to a new role as a health advocate. Throughout the episode, Jodi offers candid insights on navigating grief, adapting to change, and the power of community support. Her story highlights the value of intellectual curiosity and the importance of building a life aligned with your values rather than external expectations. This conversation will resonate with anyone facing uncertainty, whether contemplating a career change or managing unexpected life challenges. Alternative careers for lawyers: https://www.legalnomads.com/alternative-careers-lawyers/ To learn more about spinal CSF leak: https://spinalcsfleak.org/

EP. 185 – Navigating the return-to-office landscape (Kate Dodd, Pinsent Masons)

2025/12/08

This episode examines the post-Covid trend among many employers to increase the number of days staff are expected to attend their place of work. Host Yasmin Sheikh sits down with UK employment law expert Kate Dodd to discuss the evolving landscape of workplace culture and the legal considerations surrounding hybrid work. Kate is a partner at Pinsent Masons and heads up Brook Graham – their equality, diversity and inclusion consultancy. Yasmin and Kate explore the implications of the UK Equality Act, generational differences in workplace expectations, and the critical role of leadership in shaping policies that promote inclusivity and flexibility. Their conversation highlights the importance of understanding and addressing employee motivations, as well as the need for clear communication, when implementing return-to-office strategies.

EP. 184 – What your headshot says about your practice (Chris Gillett, lawyer turned photographer)

2025/11/17

In this episode, Teneé Frazier sits down with Chris Gillett, owner of Chris Gillett Photography and a former trial attorney, to explore how lawyers can strategically use headshots to communicate their professional brand. Discover why your headshot is more than just a photo – it’s your first impression, a confidence booster, and a tool for shaping how clients and colleagues perceive you. Chris shares practical tips on projecting confidence, avoiding common mistakes, and choosing attire that enhances your image. Whether you’re updating your firm’s website or refreshing your LinkedIn profile, this conversation will change the way you think about professional portraits – and might just help you become the best version of yourself, both in front of the camera and in the courtroom.

EP. 183 – Reforming health laws for better outcomes (Mandeep Dhaliwal, United Nations Development Programme)

2025/11/03

Mandeep Dhaliwal, Director of the HIV and Health Group at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) joins host Janelle Wrigley to discuss how legal frameworks and governance shape health outcomes worldwide. Drawing on more than 25 years at the intersection of health policy and human rights, Mandeep explains the UNDP's mission and her experiences showing that leadership and participation from affected communities must be at the center of effective public health policy. Mandeep and Janelle explore how punitive laws around HIV drive-up infections, deaths, and costs. They discuss how countries can engage in reform, such as Zimbabwe's repeal of HIV criminalization after a UNDP‑supported legal environment assessment, and they examine access‑to‑medicines barriers tied to patents and trade agreements. Mandeep suggests practical ways communities and legal professionals can advance change in this critical area.

EP. 182 – Lucy Letby: the role of expert testimony in criminal trials

2025/10/13

This episode delves into the infamous case of Lucy Letby – a neonatal nurse convicted of multiple murders and attempted murders of babies at a UK hospital. Our guest is Dr Sarah Bennett – a lecturer at Liverpool John Moores University's School of Law and Justice Studies. Sarah's conversation with host Becky Annison explores the complexities of expert evidence in criminal trials, the challenges posed by our adversarial legal system, and the implications for legal practice. They also discuss the systemic issues within healthcare that may have contributed to the tragic events surrounding Letby's case, emphasising the need for reforms to ensure patient safety and prevent future tragedies.

EP. 181 – Judith Resnik (Impermissible Punishments)

2025/09/22

Professor Judith Resnik and host Teneé Frazier discuss Judith's book 'Impermissible Punishments: How Prison Became a Problem for Democracy' – which explores the complex relationship between punishment, democracy, and social justice. Judith, a Professor of Law at Yale Law School, delves into the historical evolution of prisons in the UK, US, and Europe, as well as the role of constitutional law in shaping prisoners' treatment. Their conversation highlights the financial and social costs associated with incarceration, with Judith calling for reform of our penal systems to prevent lasting harm to individuals and communities.

EP. 180 – Vicki Nash (Oxford Internet Institute)

2025/09/08

In this episode we continue exploring children's online safety and cross the Atlantic to unpack the UK's Online Safety Act (OSA). Vicki Nash, Director of the Oxford Internet Institute, joins host Yasmin Sheikh to discuss the rationale of OSA and how it aims to protect children from illegal and harmful content online. Vicki talks about the difficulty of producing rigorous empirical studies of online harms and benefits to inform policymaking, the debates around free speech, age verification, and privacy, and the differences in approaches to these issues between the UK, EU, and US. Finally, they discuss whether lawyers can do their part by improving their own literacy around digital issues, and the need to continually evolve our policy approach to online governance.

EP. 179 – Jenna Leventoff (American Civil Liberties Union)

2025/08/25

Societies are grappling with how to help keep children safe while navigating online spaces, including through legislation such as the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA) in the US. In this episode, Jenna Leventoff, Senior Policy Counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), joins host Janelle Wrigley to talk about KOSA and America’s First Amendment. Jenna and Janelle explore why free speech principles are so important in the "new town square" of the internet, and discuss the benefits and risks that young people face online. Jenna explains the ACLU's concerns with KOSA's duty of care and potential over-censorship, and advocates for alternatives centered on privacy, user controls, and digital literacy.

EP. 178 – Paul Powlesland (Lawyers for Nature)

2025/08/04

What if rivers, forests, and even individual trees had their own legal rights? In this thought-provoking episode, host Becky Annison speaks with Paul Powlesland – barrister, founder of Lawyers for Nature, and leading advocate for the legal rights of nature – about a revolutionary movement transforming our relationship with the natural world. Paul explains how the "rights of nature" movement goes beyond passing new laws, aiming to fundamentally reshape how we view and protect the environment. Drawing on global examples and his own front-line experiences, Paul shows how granting legal rights to nature is already making a real difference. He also shares how lawyers from any field, not just environmental specialists, can become "guardians of nature", and why rights on paper must be matched by real enforcement. Paul makes the case for legal personhood for rivers, forests, and landscapes to empower communities and hold polluters accountable. If you have ever wondered how legal innovation could help solve environmental crises – or how ordinary people can help protect nature – this episode is for you. Discover how every saved tree and every legal victory is building a movement to redefine the 21st century. Tune in for a fascinating conversation that will inspire you to see both law and nature in a new light.

EP. 177 – Luke Shaefer (The Injustice of Place)

2025/07/14

Join host Teneé Frazier as she sits down with Professor Luke Shaefer, an expert on poverty and social welfare policy, for an in-depth look at the complexities of living in poverty in the US. They discuss the realities faced by those surviving on minimal resources, and what legal professionals and global listeners can glean from these powerful narratives. Professor Shaefer shares observations from his extensive research on the realities of poverty, and shares insights from the books he co-authored, “$2 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America” and “The Injustice of Place”. Whether you're a legal practitioner, policymaker, or simply interested in the intersection of law, social justice, and real-world impact, this episode offers valuable perspectives on the challenges of tackling poverty within a legal framework. Tune in to hear Teneé and Luke unpack the human stories behind the statistics and consider what justice truly means for those most in need.

EP. 176 – Mark Stephens (Howard Kennedy)

2025/06/30

Join host Yasmin Sheikh as she interviews British lawyer, writer and broadcaster Mark Stephens for this thought-provoking episode. Mark shares his journey from representing artists in intellectual property cases to advocating for freedom of speech and human rights. He discusses his impactful work addressing global issues, such as decriminalising homosexuality and combating child marriage. They also chat about Mark’s high-profile cases, including his notable role defending WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Tune in for an inspiring conversation which highlights how the law can drive meaningful social change.

EP. 175 – Kara Richardson Whitely (The Gorgeous Agency)

2025/06/16

Legislative efforts in the US are starting to recognize that people can face discrimination and bias in the workplace based on the size of their bodies. In this episode, host Janelle Wrigley speaks with Kara Richardson Whitely, author of ‘Gorge: My Journey Up Kilimanjaro at 300 Pounds’ and founder of The Gorgeous Agency (https://thegorgeousagency.com). They discuss the complex trauma that can arise from weight stigma, how companies and law firms can create inclusive cultures for all body types and sizes, and Kara's path to becoming an outdoor adventurer and champion for body diversity.

EP. 174 – Adrian Usher (Prisons & Probation Ombudsman)

2025/06/02

Host Becky Annison explores the UK's court backlog crisis and its troubling ripple effects throughout the justice system. Her guest, Adrian Usher, the UK’s Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, explains how delayed trials are creating a bottleneck in prisons, with some Crown Court cases now being scheduled as far ahead as 2028, and he outlines the human cost of these systemic failures. Adrian explains why coming into his role as PPO after a long career as a police officer changed how he thinks about prison sentences, and he discusses with Becky the many difficulties inmates face under current prison conditions. This thought-provoking episode challenges legal professionals of all specialties to consider their duty to an increasingly strained justice system.