The legal profession faces alarmingly high rates of substance abuse and mental health challenges. In this conversation, Brian Cuban, attorney, author, and addiction recovery advocate, explores the systemic and cultural factors contributing to addiction among lawyers and provides actionable strategies for prevention and recovery.

Cuban shares his deeply personal journey of battling addiction and rebuilding his life, offering valuable insights into how stigma, stress, and the “work hard, play hard” culture exacerbate the problem. He discusses the role of Lawyers’ Assistance Programs (LAPs), the importance of creating supportive environments within law firms, and the ethical obligations attorneys must navigate when facing addiction.

Throughout the discussion, Cuban examines the legal structures that protect confidentiality and promote recovery, as well as innovative approaches to fostering well-being in the profession and provides tools to help lawyers recognize, address, and prevent substance abuse while maintaining competence and ethical integrity.

(Credits: 1.5hrs Competence (Prevention and Detection) | MCLE available to TalksOnLaw “Premium” or “Podcast” members. Visit www.talksonlaw.com to learn more.)

As artificial intelligence systems become increasingly expensive and resource dependant to develop, a question arises: Are we witnessing the emergence of AI as a natural monopoly? In this conversation, Berkeley Law Professor Tejas Narechania explores how the market forces driving AI consolidation create both efficiency and significant legal risks.

Professor Narechania explains the structural conditions under which a natural monopoly can form—where the high costs of developing foundational AI models and the competitive advantages of massive datasets create significant barriers to entry. He discusses how antitrust principles, network effects, and accountability risks must be considered when regulating AI market power.

Throughout the discussion, Professor Narechania draws on historical parallels in telecommunications law and explores potential legal tools, including interoperability requirements, national security concerns, and public infrastructure models to improve outcomes without stifling innovation.

(Credits: General 1hr | MCLE available to TalksOnLaw “Premium” or “Podcast” members. Visit www.talksonlaw.com to learn more.)

Autonomous lethal weapons, often sensationalized as “killer robots,” are no longer confined to science fiction—they are a rapidly advancing reality in modern warfare. In this conversation, Georgetown Law Professor Mitt Regan, an expert on the laws of war and international law, delves into the profound ethical and legal implications of AI-enabled weapon systems for both current conflicts and the future of warfare. Central to the conversation are the legal frameworks governing AI-enabled weapons under international humanitarian law. Professor Regan examines principles such as distinction, proportionality, and precaution, showing how these are tested by systems that use AI to identify and engage targets. Significant gaps in legal frameworks persist, including the absence of a unified international agreement specifically addressing autonomous weaponry.

Mitt Regan is a professor of law at Georgetown Law and an expert on both national security and international humanitarian law. 

(Credits: General 1hr | MCLE available to TalksOnLaw "Premium" or "Podcast" members. Visit www.talksonlaw.com to learn more.)

(Credits: General 1.5 | MCLE available to TalksOnLaw "Premium" or "Podcast" members. Visit www.talksonlaw.com to learn more.)

AI is changing how lawyers do their work and raising questions about how lawyers can harness artificial intelligence consistent with their professional responsibilities. Georgetown Law Professor Tanina Rostain answers questions about the transformative impact of AI on the legal profession and how the rules of professional conduct apply to the new ways that attorneys use AI to conduct research, draft documents, and interact with clients. 

(Credits: Technology 1.0 | MCLE available to TalksOnLaw "Premium" or "Podcast" members. Visit www.talksonlaw.com to learn more.)

Professor Joseph Blocher (Second Amendment scholar and co-director of the Duke Center for Firearms Law) explains two significant recent Supreme Court cases: United States v. Rahimi and Garland v. Cargill. This discussion provides an in-depth analysis of the legal reasoning behind these decisions and their broader implications for gun regulation and gun rights in the United States.

(Credits: General 1.0 | MCLE available to TalksOnLaw "Premium" or "Podcast" members. Visit www.talksonlaw.com to learn more.)

The sale and production of lab-grown meat have been criminalized in Florida and Alabama, with other states considering similar legislation. Food law expert Professor Michael Roberts from UCLA Law School explains what the new laws do as well as how they fit into the federal regulatory framework and the historical context of food law and politics in the United States.

(Credits: General 1.0 | MCLE available to TalksOnLaw "Premium" or "Podcast" members. Visit www.talksonlaw.com to learn more.)

The power of prosecutors extends far beyond the courtroom, shaping the trajectory of countless lives through their decisions. Legal experts Bruce Green and Rebecca Roiphe delve into this immense authority in an insightful interview, exploring the nuances of prosecutorial discretion and its profound impact on the justice system. Their discussion sheds light on the ethical and constitutional standards that guide prosecutorial conduct, emphasizing the balance between power and responsibility.

(Credits: Legal Ethics 1.0 | MCLE available to TalksOnLaw "Premium" or "Podcast" members. Visit www.talksonlaw.com to learn more.)

The law of self-defense permits the use of deadly force under a strict set of conditions: the threat must be both imminent and unlawful, and the response, both necessary and proportionate. But what of the murkier scenarios where multiple parties, ensnared in the throes of perceived danger, believe themselves justified in their fears? Consider the tragic case of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin—where does the law stand when fear is misplaced, and how swiftly can one lawfully escalate to lethal force? Professor Kimberly Ferzan of the University of Pennsylvania School of Law navigates these shadowy waters and others offering her insights into the delicate balance between legal theory and the stark realities of personal safety.

(Credits: General 1.0 | MCLE available to TalksOnLaw "Premium" or "Podcast" members. Visit www.talksonlaw.com to learn more.)

Forensic science, when applied rigorously, has the power to catch and convict criminals, but when mishandled, can lead to tragic miscarriages of justice. In this eye-opening interview with Prof. Brandon Garrett (Duke Law School) and Dr. Peter Stout (Houston Forensic Science Center), explore high-profile exoneration cases like those of Josiah Sutton and George Rodriguez and the systemic issues plaguing crime labs across the country.  

(Credits: General 1.0 | MCLE available to TalksOnLaw "Premium" or "Podcast" members. Visit www.talksonlaw.com to learn more.)