SLU LAW Summations
The SLU LAW Summations podcast is a 15-30 minute dive into a diverse mix of legal topics. Each episode will explore a fresh legal matter with a member of the Saint Louis University School of Law faculty.
Host and Producer: Jessica Ciccone, Senior Director of Communications and Strategy
Assistant Producer: Edna Besic (3L)
Have an idea for a podcast topic? Email lawcommunications@slu.edu
Episode 57: Understanding the Electoral College
The Electoral College is a system unique to the Unites States democratic experience. And it has been a major topic of discussion for the last few elections with some calls to do away with it entirely. As we approach an election which could potentially be decided by just one electoral vote or even with the winning candidate losing the popular vote, the Electoral College is more consequential than ever. In this episode, to discuss the history of the Electoral College and the implications for this year’s election, we are joined by adjunct professor Greg Willard. Greg served as White House Staff Assistant and personal aide to President Gerald R. Ford. He teaches a seminar on the American presidency. He is also a frequent guest on St. Louis’ KTRS 550.
Episode 56: The Future of the Administrative State in the United States
In a session that was seemingly aimed at severely limiting long standing precedent and restraining the powers of the administrative state, there were five cases focused on administrative law. From the Chevron Doctrine to the SEC and the EPA, the high court touched on many parts of the administrative state. For this episode, we are joined by Professor Doug Williams. Professor Williams is an expert in administrative and constitutional law as well as urban and environmental law.
Episode 55: Executive Powers, Immunity, and Implications from this SCOTUS Session
In a watershed ruling regarding executive powers, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Trump v United States that presidents should be immune from prosecution for official actions they took while in office. While historically presidents have enjoyed some level of immunity, this ruling expands that greatly. To discuss this monumental ruling and the implications for the future of the presidency, we are joined by Professor Anders Walker. Professor Walker is an expert in constitutional law and American legal history.
Episode 54: The United States Supreme Court and the Post-Dobbs Decisions
Two years following the Dobbs decision, the country’s highest court is grappling with the aftereffects. This year the Supreme Court handed down two related cases regarding the use of mifepristone and the application of the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act in states where abortions are banned. To discuss these cases, the implications, and we can expect in the future we are joined by Professor Jamille Fields Allsbrook. Professor Fields Allsbrook is a member of the Center for Health Law Studies faculty and focuses her research and scholarship on advancing gender and racial health equity. She was recently named a senior fellow for health justice at the National Partnership for Women & Families as well as a senior fellow for the Center for American Progress.
Episode 53: Trademarks, Trump, and the Supreme Court
Each June delivers some high-profile decisions from the United States Supreme Court. One notable case this year is Vidal v Elster where the Court rejected an attempt to force the Patent and Trademark Office to accept the registration of “Trump too small” as a trademark for t-shirts mocking the former president. In this episode, we are joined by Professor Yvette Liebesman to discuss the case, the decision, and the implications going forward. Professor Liebesman is an expert in patent and trademark law and is the faculty advisor for the law school’s intellectual property concentration.
Episode 52: The Future of US Elections in Unprecedented Times
With an election case involving who is on the ballot headed to the United States Supreme
Court and various others bubbling to the surface, this election season promises to
be filled with excitement. Between voter access, gerrymandering cases, elected officials
pushed out of their district these are certainly unprecedented times. In this episode
we are joined by election law expert Josh Douglas. Professor Douglas spent this past
fall semester as a visiting professor here at SLU LAW. He is also currently back
at his home institution of Rosenburg College of Law at the University of Kentucky.
Professor Douglas is also the host of the new podcast, Democracy Optimist.
Episode 51: From SAG to UWA and beyond: Labor Unions and Today’s Workforce
Nearly every day we see a new headline about a labor union in the news. From the recent
Writers Guild agreement to the ongoing United Auto Workers strike and the numerous
health care walk outs; labor unions are once again changing the game in the workplace.
Why the influx in strikes in the labor movement? What does this mean for the future
of labor in the United States? In this episode we are joined, once again by Professor
Michael Duff. He is a former labor lawyer for the National Labor Relations Board and
is a faculty member in the William C. Wefel Center for Employment Law.
Episode 50: Affirmative Action: Beyond Admissions to Workplace Implications
The Supreme Court decision banning race-conscious college admissions that was handed
down over the summer has rocked higher education and has forced colleges and universities
across the country to examine their processes. But the implications of this case go
far beyond campus. The decision has unleashed a new wave of political and legal attacks
against corporate America’s anti-discrimination policies. Are our hard-fought DEI
initiatives in the workforce the next target? What does this mean for educators and
employers? In this episode we are joined by Professor Marcia McCormick, the director
of the William C. Wefel Employment Law Center, and Belinda Dantley, the assistant
dean for diversity, equity, and inclusion at the law school.
Episode 49: The New Age of Voting Rights in the United States
Earlier this year, the United States Supreme Court handed down a landmark decision
in the voting rights case of Allen v Milligan. To the surprise of voting rights advocates
across the country, the Court decided that the Alabama’s redistricting plan violates
Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. Just today, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the decision,
handing a defeat to Alabama Republicans for the second time in three months. The case
concerns the redistricting of Alabama’s seven seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.
We have Professor Anders Walker here to talk through this case with us. Professor
Walker teaches Constitutional Law and American Legal History among other courses.
For this episode, assistant producer Edna Besic, a 3L at SLU LAW, will join as a co-host.
Episode 48: The Law and Psychology of Medicine After Dobbs
As a country, we are still grappling with the impact of the Dobbs v Jackson Women's
Health decision. There is no community of professionals more impacted than the medical
professionals that treat women on a regular basis. In this episode we are joined by
Professor Molly Wilson, an expert in law and psychology who holds a Ph.D. in psychology
in addition to her J.D. She also serves the law school as the associate dean for research
and engagement.
Episode 47: The Resurgence of the Labor Union
Labor unions seem to be having a moment. That is at least according to a recent Gallup
poll that shows US approval of labor unions at the highest point since 1965. The latest
approval figure comes amid a burst of 2022 union victories across the country, with
high-profile successes at major American corporations such as Amazon and Starbucks.
The National Labor Relations Board has even reported a 57% increase in union election
petitions filed during the first six months of fiscal year 2021. To dig into the labor
law issues that this brings about, we turn to Professor Michael Duff. Professor Duff
joined the SLU LAW faculty this fall and is the co-director of the William C. Wefel
Center for Employment Law. He is an expert in labor law having had a previous career
as a labor lawyer for the National Labor Relations Board in Philadelphia and Minneapolis.
Episode 46: A Model State Law for Public Health Emergency Powers: Health Law Live
The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed critical ambiguities in state law, especially in
regard to the ownership and responsibility of public health orders. Governors often
relied on a general statutory power to take 'necessary' actions in response to COVID's
threats. Yet, some courts found this statutory authority was so vague that it violated
the separation of powers, and they set aside vital public health orders. Meanwhile,
some state legislatures attempted to terminate emergency declarations by joint resolution,
which was unconstitutional according to one state supreme court. In this episode,
we are joined by Professor Rob Gatter, the director of the Center for Health Law Studies
and an expert in public health law. Professor Gatter is also currently serving as
the Reporter on a project of the Uniform Law Commission to draft a model state law
addressing these such ambiguities.
*This episode was recorded live on October 20, 2022 as the final installment of this year's Health Law Live series.
Episode 45: Heath Equity and Long Covid: Health Law Live
According to President Biden, the COVID-19 pandemic is over. However, there are still
millions of Americans that are feeling the lasting effects of their own battle with
the virus. As the medical and legal field struggle to catch up with this ongoing issue,
there are concerns that what is known as long COVID will result in additional racial
health disparities on top of those that occurred during the pandemic. In this episode,
we are joined by visiting professor Mary Crossley. Professor Crossley is visiting from Pitt Law where she is a John E. Murray Faculty
Scholar and Director of the Health Law program and joins us for this second installment
of the Health Law Live series.
Episode 44: Juvenile Life Without Parole and the Case of Adnan Syed
In September, after spending 23 years of his life behind bars, Adnan Syed walked free.
His case was popularized by the podcast Serial in 2014. At the age of 18, 17 at the
time of the crime, Syed was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend Hae Min Lee and
sentenced to life in prison. The case has brought to light many issues with the justice
system, including deficient counsel and Brady violations. For this episode, we will
focus on his sentence and the larger issue of juvenile sentencing.We are joined by
Professor Lauren Bartlett who is the director of the law school’s Human Rights at
Home Litigation Clinic. Also featured is one of Professor Bartlett's juvenile life
without parole clients, Ike Crawford. With the help of the Human Rights at Home Litigation
Clinic, Ike was released on parole in February 2021 after being incarcerated for more
than 29 years. Ike was sentenced to life without parole for a crime committed when
he was just 17 years old.