In January, communities in Los Angeles were devastated by wildfires, permanently displacing thousands and destroying property and lives. Prior to the fires, thousands of L.A. residents in fire-prone areas were dropped from their insurance, leaving them with no protection or safety net. After losing their homes, their businesses, and their schools, they were left with the harsh reality of picking up the pieces.

In this episode, Craig is joined by Hannah Perls, Senior Staff Attorney with the Harvard Environmental & Energy Law Program (EELP), as they take a look at the aftermath of the L.A. fires. Craig and Hannah discuss disaster preparedness and response, insurance recovery after big disasters like the fires, and next steps for those impacted by the fires.

Listen to our previous episodes about other California wildfires:

2018 Episode with Dan Wade, Tiela Chalmers and Michael Hart

2007 Episode with Mark C. Zebrowski, Katherine L. Parker and Dan Hull

Mentioned in This Episode:

It’s Always Fire Season Now -Harvard Law Today

Neighborhood Legal Services of L.A. County (NLSLA)

Is California Becoming Uninsurable?

With a stroke of a pen, President Trump signed a record number of executive orders attempting to change the fabric of our nation, attempting to undo years of legislation, and challenge the Constitution of the United States. From birthright citizenship to the elimination of DEI programs, to a freeze on federal aid, these orders stand to impact millions.

In this episode, Craig is joined by Qasim Rashid, human rights lawyer, author, and a former Congressional candidate, as they spotlight Trump's recent executive orders including: birthright citizenship, the elimination of DEI programs, and the freeze on federal aid. Craig & Qasim discuss reaction, the legality of these orders, the executive branch v. Congress, litigation, and the potential impact these orders could have on the people of our nation.

Four years ago, on January 6th, 2021, our U.S. Capitol was under siege by supporters of Donald Trump who tried to stop a joint session of Congress from certifying the electoral votes of the 2020 presidential election. Fast forward to 2025, Donald J. Trump is about to take office as President and the fate of those convicted of January 6th crimes lies in his hands.

In this episode, Craig is joined by Kimberly Wehle, professor of law at the University of Baltimore School of Law and author of the book, Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works—and Why. Craig & Kim take a look back at January 6th, the possibility of Trump pardoning those convicted of federal crimes stemming from January 6th, and the implications this could have on our society and our legal system.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Los Angeles Times: Hundreds of Capitol Riot Prosecutions in Limbo as D.C. Court Awaits Trump’s White House Return By Alanna Durkin Richer and Michael Kunzelman 

 Pardon Power: How the Pardon System Works—and Why by Kimberly Wehle

Whether you’re a legal history buff, a bookwork, or someone who just loves a great courtroom story, you’ll want to listen to this special episode, originally recorded for ABA Journal’s Modern Law Library with Lee Rawles. In this episode, What Went Wrong–and Right–with 10 Famous Trials, Lee sat down with Craig to discuss his book, How Would You Decide? 10 Famous Trials That Changed History, Book One. In this discussion, Craig talks about his research, what went into the selection of historic cases and trials for the book, and looks ahead to Book Two. 

Craig will be back soon with all new episodes of Lawyer 2 Lawyer. As we await his return, you can also get caught up on  In Dispute. Enjoy! 

ABA Journal’s Modern Law Library invites top legal authors to discuss legal theories and historic events twice a month here on Legal Talk Network.

On December 9th, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the banning of two chemicals found in products used primarily in the automobile, dry-cleaning, and manufacturing industries, but also found in some household products like cleaning wipes, paint removers, glues, and wig adhesives. The two solvents, Trichloroethylene, also known as TCE, and Perchloroethylene, also known as PCE or Perc, have been linked to cancer and other severe health issues.

With the banning of TCE & PCE, the future of the EPA will be under Trump rule come January 20th, 2025. So what will be the impact of the TCE & PCE ban? And will there be a major overhaul of the EPA and an undoing of Biden’s regulations under Trump? In this episode, Craig is joined by Professor Wendy Wagner from The University of Texas at Austin School of Law. Craig & Wendy discuss the recent banning of TCE & PCE by the EPA, and the future of the EPA under a second Trump presidency.

Back in 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned 50 years of precedent, overruling Roe v. Wade. Leading up to the presidential election, abortion was a hot button issue and appeared on ballots across the states. 

Since the election, former President Trump has publicly denied that he would support a national abortion ban, and has said that he believes abortion should be left to the states. So what happens now? In this episode, Craig is joined by Kimberly Mutcherson, Professor of Law and former Co-Dean at Rutgers Law School and currently the Phyllis W. Beck Chair in Law at Temple University Beasley School of Law. Craig & Kim reflect on what has transpired after the Roe v. Wade decision, and discuss abortion rights and the challenges ahead.

Mentioned in This Episode:

SB 8, Its Impact, and the Future of Roe v. Wade

With former President Trump slated to take office on January 20th, 2025, he has not wasted any time in his quest to deport millions of undocumented immigrants. Trump recently appointed Former Acting U.S. ICE Director Tom Homan, as "border czar,” and confirmed his plan to declare a national emergency once in office, using the military for mass deportations.

In this episode, Craig is joined by Professor Ediberto Román, Director of Immigration and Citizenship Initiatives at the Florida International University College of Law. Craig & Ediberto discuss mass deportations under a second Trump presidency, the legal issues, and the potential impact on immigrants, industries, and our nation.

Baseball. America’s favorite pastime. A wonderful game, with its share of controversy. On October 30th, 2024, the World Series wrapped with the LA Dodgers beating the NY Yankees 4-1 in the series. In the third game of the series, at Yankee Stadium, there was a controversial play involving LA Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts and two New York Yankees fans, who tried to rip the ball out of the glove of Betts during a play- a prime example of fan interference. According to the Yankees, the fans were ejected from the game due to their “egregious and unacceptable physical contact."

In this episode, Craig is joined by Dr. Paul Finkelman, a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Law to spotlight baseball, the law, and regulation. Craig & Paul take a look at everything from fan interference to who owns a ball. We will also discuss baseball and how it all relates to the Constitution, and the American legal system.

Mentioned in this episode: 

Baseball and the American Legal Mind by by Spencer W. Waller, Neil B. Cohen, and Paul Finkelman

In Dispute on Legal Talk Network-The Chicago Black Sox Trial: How 8 Players Went From the Dugout to the Courtroom

For almost fifty years, coal dominated the Navajo economy. In April of 2017, the Public Service Company of New Mexico announced they planned to close the San Juan Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant in New Mexico, and replace it with other energy sources, including wind and solar. In 2022, the San Juan Generating Station in New Mexico closed, and on August 24, 2024, the station was demolished with a cleanup expected in 2025.

The demolition of the station received mixed reviews from the Navajo Nation. While some supported the demolition, others were tied to the history of the industry and how it provided for their families.

In this episode, Craig is joined by Dr. Andrew Curley, Assistant Professor at the School of Geography, Development & Environment at the University of Arizona. Craig and Andrew discuss coal, its history and use, the impact it has had on the Navajo Nation, the labor force, and the environment, and what the future holds.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Carbon Sovereignty: Coal, Development, and Energy Transition in the Navajo Nation

The role of the Vice President of the United States is an important one, but what actual power does it hold? Recently, vice president candidate JD Vance spoke publicly about the power of the vice presidency, the role of presiding over the electoral count as President of the Senate, and what he would have done if he was in former Vice President Mike Pence’s shoes on January 6th 2021.

In this episode, Craig is joined by Matthew Seligman, a fellow at the Stanford Constitutional Law Center, as they discuss the power of the vice presidency, the presiding role over the electoral count, and clarify the role of the vice presidency.

Mentioned in This Episode:

How to Steal a Presidential Election (co-authored with Harvard Law Professor Lawrence Lessig), Yale University Press (2024)

"How JD Vance Disqualified Himself” by Matthew Seligman (The New York Times)

The Ramifications of NSA Monitoring on Attorney-Client Privilege and the Bill of Rights featuring John Eastman & Erwin Chemerinsky (2014)