Unscripted Direct

Mailbag (0:00:00). When is the last day of the year when it's appropriate to say "Happy New Year"?

Catching Up (0:03:25).  A basketball roadtrip, lying at the poker table, and staying optimistic amid terrifying world events.

The Break (0:15:37). A new national champion.

In Defense of Our Judge (0:16:27). Judge Jim Roberts was well known to the trial advocacy community. Now he's well known to the national sports community.

NTC Predictions Contest (0:22:45). Robert Little and Phil Pasquarello are back with their picks for Weekend One. At stake? Just their children's names.

Susan Poehls (0:58:38). We mourn the loss of a friend and celebrate the life of a legend.

Naughty (Witnesses), Nice (Scripties), and NTC (Case Teasers):

Introduction (0:00:00). Spencer and Justin go to Seattle. Why? Bad facts...

America's Next Top Trial Lawyer (0:04:13). Cash for closings! Students can visit the website to participate or learn more.

The Break (0:05:25). Results from National Trial League and college football.

Coach Roundtable (0:08:50). Why are more witnesses misbehaving? And what can we do about it? Cumberland's Judge Roberts, Mercer's Katie Powers, and Drexel's Phil Pasquarello join for an in-depth conversation. Also, Katie promotes bourbon, Judge proposes new tournament names, Phil says "more people need to be like me," and Justin tries to recruit Katie's infant daughter.

NTC Case Preview (0:44:56). The regionals case authors preview the 2026 regionals criminal case ... and share a pretty big hint.

The Scripties (0:59:28). First, some absurd awards: Best Use of Email, Most Unnecessarily Confrontational, and the Scripty for Most Shameless Self-Promotion for a Scripty. Then, the big ones: Best Swag, Best Trophy, Favorite Competition, Top Team, and More.

Mailbag (1:12:30). How do you handle it when students don't like the Spring team they're assigned? And what happens when Justin and Spencer receive their US News ballots while they're recording the episode? 

You can still vote for the Scripties!  Click here to vote by December 7.

Introduction (0:00:00). Spencer is not on a boondoggle. Justin thinks Thanksgiving food is overrated.

The Break (0:05:46). Results from Loyola's National Civil Trial Competition.

Promotion (0:06:42). Kate Donoghue describes the scholarship -- and alliteration -- that helped earn her tenure track position at Stetson.

US News (0:19:22). With voting opening soon, which school is most under-ranked in Trial Advocacy?

Gavel Rankings (0:27:57). Hofstra's Jared Rosenblatt shares the trends from the Fall competitions and announces the top five. He also talks about slippers, explains how his team solved a 40-year-old cold case, and gratuitously insults multiple members of the community.

Mailbag (0:45:48). How is this episode different from all others episodes?

Click here to vote in the Fall 2025 Scripty Awards!

Introduction (0:00:00). Spencer likens himself to a rockstar. Justin is humbled by a trampoline.

The Break (0:05:22). Results from five competitions -- including Georgia's national championship in the 64-team All Star Bracket Challenge!

Interview with star trial lawyer Tom Breen (0:08:46). How the Seattle trial lawyer got a big win despite some tough facts.

Begging for Scripties (0:36:10). Jen Scharf, the director-turned-lobbyist, makes a compelling case for Buffalo-Niagara's swag.

Tournament Spotlight: NCTC (0:51:40). Loyola's John Henry talks about peanut butter prison cookies, how often he hears "That's not how Professor Poehls did it," and this year's National Civil Trial Competition -- including his decision to replace their sexual harassment case.

Mailbag Question (1:17:14). How do you handle "gender responsibility issues"?

Introduction (0:00:00). "Calm down, Donna Sue."

The Break (0:12:24). Results from all five Premiere sites, Chicago Cup, Georgetown's White Collar, and Hofstra's Medical Legal. Which two schools are having historically good seasons?

Michael Cowen (0:16:15). The star trial lawyer, and host of Trial Lawyer Nation, talks about why he left Big Law to become a plaintiff's lawyer, how he's won more than a billion dollars for his clients, and the biggest lesson he's learned from his podcast guests.

All Star Nationals: A.J. Bellido de Luna (0:51:41). St. Mary's director talks about why he's in New York, his favorite musical, the plans for All Star Nationals, and his sweet sweet swag.

Kelly Competition: Adam Shlahet (0:58:39). Fordham's director describes all the perks of being NALAE past-president, reveals the existence of an Enemies List, discusses his plans for the 2026 NTC Nationals case, helps us use AI to simulate his entire tournament, and -- without prompting -- talks with great glee about cockfighting. 

Mailbag (1:18:12). What do you do when students go rogue?

Introduction (0:00:00). Halloween costumes, community service, and the return of the Online National Championship (click here to apply).

National Criminal Trial Competition (0:12:15). John Bishop talks about the tournament they're building at Chapman.

Tournament Spotlight: The Premiere (0:24:08). UT's Mike Golden and Nova's Joe Lester join us in their Halloween costumes! They discuss their ongoing couple's counseling, imagine a potential gambling scandal in mock trial, and deliver the closing argument for why their Premiere site is the best Premiere site.

Main Interview: Lance Caughfield (0:44:59). Southern Methodist's new advocacy director talks about growing up running cattle while also running around a college campus, his career as an appellate practitioner who has helped try 40 cases, and tells us about SMU’s “remuda” and how many mustangs it has.

Mailbag (1:19:07). Why are they called mock trial and moot court? Why not moot trial? Or mock court? 

Introduction (0:00:00). Invincibility.

The Break (0:03:49). Results from TOC, Davis MLK, and Buffalo-Niagara -- and special congrats to TSU's Tim Adams.

Report from Tournament of Champions (0:07:20). Our correspondent (okay, it's just Justin) talks about the best things he saw, the worst things, the food, and the end of UCLA's streak. Most importantly, did Judge Roberts win the case balance wager? Or did he gamble away his seat on the TOC board?

Main Interview: Marian Braccia (0:15:47). Professor Braccia talks about Temple's LLM Program and gender bias in the courtroom. And we have some fun: her wedding planning business, the time when Eddie Ohlbaum wouldn't speak to her, the top 10 Ohlbaum-isms!, meeting her husband in law school, the "hall pass" he doesn't know about, her remarkable GPA -- and her impression of Jules Epstein.

Mailbag (1:19:10). Two questions! One about rankings, one about AI cheating.

Introduction  (0:00:00). Spencer teaches with his siblings, and Justin brags about his sibling.

The Break (0:05:40). Results from Gold Cup, Syracuse, and St. John's.

Tournament Spotlight: Tournament of Champions  (0:07:28). Board member Judge Roberts and this year's host Robert Little talk about this year's TOC. Robert laughs at Judge talking about "paramours" and "getting squeezed," while Judge (arguably) decides to gamble his TOC board position in a predictions contest.

Tournament Spotlight: Buffalo-Niagara (0:31:32). Jen Scharf and Lisa Bauer explain why the tournament has "Niagara" in the title, lobby for a Scripty, and utter a phrase we've never heard: "my dog had a psychic appointment."

Main Interview: Stetson's Carson Sadro (0:47:54). Fake crying, going full time, Mentor Trivia, "living at Home Goods," the weirdly matching pets, and jump rope struggles.

Mailbag Questions (1:19:48). Spencer is on the hot seat. Which law school trial programs are dopplegangers for certain college football teams? And how can Spencer answer the question without offending anyone (everyone)?

We also considered an another episode title: "That's a lot of licking."

Introduction (0:00:00). Justin shares a possible life change. 

The Break (0:08:05). Winners from All Star Weekend Two -- the nationals field is set!

NALAE Debate (0:09:00). After the NALAE Zoom call, we invited some community leaders -- Adam Shlahet, Katie Powers, Judge Jim Roberts, Robert Little, and Jared  Rosenblatt -- to share their thoughts: Should NALAE host its own national competition? Is now the right time? How would a new national event affect TYLA's NTC and AAJ's STAC?

Main Interview:  Dominique Hinson (0:44:52). McGeorge's interim advocacy director talks about her journey as a lawyer and professor, how she's handled moving from Texas to California, the Dominique for whom she was named, her own podcast, and her affection for turtles.

The Mailbag (1:20:14). Who's the best dressed coach in the community?

Introduction (0:00:00). A murder trial without due process.

The Break (0:04:46). Results from All Star Weekend One and Stetson's National Pretrial. 

Suggested Plagiarism with Sean Claggett (0:09:18). Nevada's Trial Lawyer of the Year gives an unusual -- and powerful -- reason to ask an open-ended question on cross.

Main Interview: Rene Shekmer (0:43:20). Campbell's advocacy director talks about her 32 years as an AUSA, her work for the IRS, and her three published novels about the CIA.

Mailbag (1:08:09). How many people listen to this podcast?

If law students want to sign the amicus brief, they can click here.