Donald Verrilli reflects on his time as U.S. Solicitor General under Barack Obama, revisiting salient victories for marriage equality and healthcare, and a defeat on voter protections. He also shares thoughts on Merrick Garland's neglected nomination, present political hostility, the future of healthcare, and his new role as founding partner of Munger, Tolles & Olson's Washington, D.C., office.

Original airdate: Jan. 27, 2017

Professor Arthur Hellman (Univ. of Pittsburgh Law) and Benjamin Shatz (Manatt, Phelps & Phillips) assess the new administration and Republican Congress' likely impacts on the 9th Circuit, where four vacancies await Trump nominees. Professor Hellman and Mr. Shatz ponder a potential circuit schism, and just how much GOP appointees will influence a court often thought to lean left.

California Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye offers insight on effective appellate advocacy; Michael Risher (ACLU) describes why the state high court should rule that PRA requests can reach info on private devices of public employees.

Don Willenburg (Gordon & Rees) on tort liability of raw materials suppliers in light of Webb v. Special Electric, and Rex Heinke (Akin Gump) speaks on whether anti-SLAPP protects city council votes. Brian also relays developments in other appellate cases, including Vergara v. California and People v. Franklin

Justice Nora Manella (2nd App. Dist.) advises on effective appellate advocacy; Mark Haddad (Sidley Austin) offers insight on surmounting the particular challenges of SCOTUS appeals

Mark Haddad (Sidley Austin) on the exacting demands, particular strategies, and gratifying reward of SCOTUS appeals; Peter Altman (Akin Gump) chats "friends and family" insider trading liability after Salman v. U.S.

Justice Nora Manella chats life, law, and best appellate practices; Lisa Von Eschen (Lamb and Kawakami) on why the permissibility of class action statistical sampling needs clarity after Lubin v. Wackenhut

Wen Fa (Pacific Legal Foundation) contends carve outs in a California labor statute violate the U.S. Constitution's bill of attainder clause by targeting agriculture giants Gerawan and Fowler Packing; Myron Moskovitz (Moskovitz Appellate Team) on the benefits of taking a generalist's approach in specialized appeals

Kirk Jenkins (Sedgwick LLP) chats about his firm's new blog quantitatively analyzing 16 years of state appellate rulings; Prof. Scott Dodson (UC Hastings) discusses his recent book The Legacy of Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Mitchell Keiter (Keiter Appellate Law) on why Prop 57's passage threatens public safety and 'fundamental notions of democracy and justice;' Royal Oakes (Hinshaw & Culbertson) describes how Nickerson v. Stonebridge foretells higher punitives in insurance bad faith actions