The Rule of Law: The Academy Speaks

Academy Fellows Leo Boyle and Larry Stewart recount the days following the September 11 terrorist attacks and how trial lawyers showed up for victims and their families. They share their roles in creating the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund and building Trial Lawyers Care into the largest pro bono legal effort in American history.
Twenty-five years later, Leo and Larry reflect on what that moment revealed about lawyers at their best, what it taught us about the Rule of Law, and what the profession is called to do when those values are under strain again.

Chief Justices O’Connor and Pariente reflect on two defining moments from their time on the bench: Ohio’s redistricting battles and the Florida recount in Bush v. Gore. Their experiences show what judicial independence looks like when the political stakes are highest, and why lawyers, civic leaders, and citizens must understand, support, and speak up for courts committed to the Rule of Law.
For more information on the Alliance of Former Chief Justices, visit ⁠⁠Keep Our Republic⁠⁠.

Judicial independence cannot survive on principle alone. Chief Justices O’Connor and Pariente discuss why courts must do more to explain their role to a public that may never have been taught how the Judicial Branch actually works. They explore how judges and court leaders can communicate clearly, credibly, and without partisanship to strengthen understanding and trust.
For more information on the Alliance of Former Chief Justices, visit ⁠Keep Our Republic⁠.

Former Chief Justices Maureen O’Connor and Barbara Pariente break down what judicial independence really means, why it matters, and how state and federal courts differ in their roles. At a time when many Americans lack a basic understanding of how the courts work, they make the case for stronger civic education, greater public trust, and a clearer understanding of why an independent judiciary is essential to the Rule of Law.
 
For more information on the Alliance of Former Chief Justices, visit Keep Our Republic.

Maria Laura Arabbo, Executive Director of VECINA, and Dicky Grigg, Academy Fellow and VECINA volunteer attorney, take listeners inside VECINA’s work on complex detention, reunification, and asylum cases, and explore how experienced trial lawyers can help deliver critical legal support to people who might otherwise go without representation.
To learn more, visit VECINA.org.

Maria Laura Arabbo, Executive Director of VECINA, a nonprofit expanding access to legal services for asylum seekers in the U.S., and Dicky Grigg, Academy Fellow and VECINA volunteer attorney, explore how VECINA is responding to a rapidly changing immigration landscape through legal consultations, reunification support, and habeas training.
To learn more, visit VECINA.org.

Can Justice Be Just if Bias Goes Unchecked?
Implicit bias does not stay outside the courtroom. It can influence who is believed, who is charged, who is struck from a jury, and who receives the benefit of the doubt. In this episode, Professor Henson examines how bias moves through the justice system — and whether the system can truly be just if we refuse to confront it.
 
Uncover implicit bias: take the ⁠Project Implicit tests⁠

Implicit bias shapes how we see people before we realize we are making a judgment. In this episode, Professor Chuck Henson helps us understand what implicit bias is, how it differs from explicit bias, and why recognizing it is essential to fairness, credibility, and the work of justice.
Uncover your on bias: Take the Project Implicit tests 
 

When does arbitration work, and when does it weaken the Rule of Law? The final episode looks at the lawyer’s duty to advise clients, efforts to protect the jury system, and why trial lawyers must defend open courts, public records, and citizen participation.

Arbitration is often sold as faster and cheaper. But who really wins when serious disputes move behind closed doors? This episode explores forced arbitration, service contracts, companies like Uber, and the public cost of private justice.