Nothing says Halloween like scary stories about your 1L year! Students from Loyola share stories about their 1L nightmares – the scary, crazy, embarrassing, or super stressful things they experienced during 1L that STILL haunt them to this day. From final exam blunders to real-life crime scenes, hear about some of the crazy scenarios that law stude…

In this episode, I talked to Professor Crepelle about some of the fundamentals of Federal Indian Law. We discussed the federal and state government’s relationship with tribes, jurisdictional limitations tribes face when attempting to prosecute non-Indians, restorative justice within the courts, as well as Professor Crepelle’s personal experience wh…

In this episode, I explore the investigation into the murder of Jean McConville, and the broader context of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. I begin with an exploration of origins of the Troubles, the gruesome conflict that tore Northern Ireland apart and pitted neighbor against neighbor, that ultimately led to the death of thousands. I then move …

In my first episode on the Podvocate, we took an antitrust law, an ever-growing area of the law whose primary purpose is to regulate corporate M&A activity through the use of the Clayton Act and FTC Act to protect macro-level impacts on individual consumers and consumer markets. One area of the law with a similar goal is consumer protection law; ho…

Associate Editor Mary Bandstra sits down with two members of the Saint Leonard’s Ministries leadership, Executive Director Zack Schrantz and Intake & Housing Manager David Harris, to discuss the work they do with people who have been impacted by incarceration. Zack, David, and Mary discuss collateral consequences of criminal convictions, strategies…

In this archive episode recorded last year, former editors Maris and Karan chat with Susi Guerrero and Arjan Grover, two outgoing members of the Loyola Moot Court Program’s Executive Board. They discuss what Moot Court is like at Loyola, the special community it has cultivated for its members, and the value of appellate advocacy skills in law schoo…

Congratulations! You have done all the work to get great grades and networked successfully, and now, you have accepted an offer to be a Summer Associate. I remember the feeling myself, and after the excitement wore off, I was only left with overwhelming questions. What can I do to be the best summer associate possible and receive an offer to come b…

In the follow up to Guilding pt. 1, Ben sits down with People’s Law Office Attorney Brad Thompson, to further discuss the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) and it’s work in Chicago. In doing so, we discussed the history of the guild, some of the key movements it has helped support, as well as some of the influential projects and programs it takes part i…

In an episode recorded last semester (Spring of 2024), Ben sits down with fellow Podvocate Co-Editor in Chief, Casey Callahan, to talk about the history of the National Lawyers Guild both nationally and internationally over the course of the 20th and early 21st century. In doing so, they discuss what brought them both to the guild while students at…

Casey sat down in May to talk with the Executive Director of Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Aisha Cornelius Edwards, and the Director of Legal Programs at Cabrini Green Legal Aid, Breanna Kantor about how criminal and civil law are siloed. They discuss the importance of both criminal and civil attorneys being versed in the criminal and civil consequences…

The incoming editorial board members for The Podvocate introduce themselves. We are looking forward to a great year!By The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Podvocate Associate Editor, Johannes Alvarez-Rivero, sits down to give the listeners a primer on the field of antitrust within the United States of America. First, Johannes discusses what antitrust laws are and what they are meant to protect. Johannes briefly discusses the governmental regulatory bodies that enforce antitrust laws, then turns to di…

Ben sits down with Chief Defender of the Orleans Public Defenders Office (OPD), Danny Engelberg, to discuss the founding of the office as it is today as well as the events that led to the office’s remodeling after the destruction brought on by Hurricane Katrina. In doing so, they discuss OPD’s commitment to a community-centered defense model and th…

In this episode, Maris chats with Jamie Cernek, a Legislative Aide at the Chicago City Council Committee on Ethics and Government Oversight. Jamie is an attorney and organizer with years of experience in policy and advocacy, coalition-building, and campaign management. Even before law school, Jamie knew that policy was the path for her. In this epi…

In this solo episode, Casey dives into the web of collateral consequences of a criminal conviction, and how both attorneys and judges can better inform people charged with crimes of the consequences beyond a sentence.By The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Associate Editor Karan Kaushal and Co-Editor-in-Chief Nneka Ugwu invited Professor Neil Williams for a very unique and special episode of the Pod. In this storytelling forward format, Professor Williams leads listeners on a journey from Jim Crow South to Chicago big law. Listen and learn about how his upbringing informs his views on lawyering for r…

Ben sits down with Loyola Distinguished Professor in Residence, Dean Strang to discuss his role in the seminal U.S. Supreme Court Case United States v. Booker in 2005. In Part 2 of this two-episode series, Ben and Professor Strang move away from the legal facts of the case and begin to discuss the experience of litigating in the Supreme Court. In d…

Ben sits down with Loyola Distinguished Professor in Residence, Dean Strang to discuss his role in the seminal U.S. Supreme Court Case United States v. Booker in 2005. In Part 1 of this two-episode series, Ben and Professor Strang focus on the specifics and do a deep dive into the facts, legal rules, holdings, and outcomes associated with U.S. v. B…

In this week's episode, Maris and Karan sit down with fellow Loyola student and friend, Audrey La, to reflect on their experiences at the annual National Asian Pacific American Bar Association Convention. At the conference, the three attended a variety of workshops, including panels discussing the legal histories of AAPI folks that are often invisi…

Following their discussion of historical litigation addressing affirmative action in education, Johannes and Andy continue the Greatest Hits series by discussing the landmark Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard. They discuss the facts of the case and the Court’s majority opinion, while briefly addressing the separately…

We speak with Anita Maddali, the Assistant Dean of Student Services and Weekend JD at Loyola University Chicago. We will explore her legal career and how she ended up in the Dean’s Suite. We also discuss how she plans on transforming her role and the community to meet the ever-changing needs of students.…

In this episode, Karan has a conversation with Loyola Professor Juan Perea, a Curt and Linda Rodin Professor of Law and Social Justice. Professor Perea has written extensively on topics ranging from racial inequality, the legal history of race relations in the United States, and the civil rights of Latinos. Professor Perea teaches courses about Con…

Ben sits down with Cook County Public Defender Sharone Mitchell Jr. to discuss his path to leadership within the Cook County Public Defenders’ office as well as his background and past experiences as both a public defender and a policy advocate in Chicago. During the course of their conversation, they discuss the offices’ goals and priorities, both…

In this episode, Maris sits down with Cherie Mathews, a patent holder and entrepreneur who transformed a difficult experience with breast cancer into a patented product that has helped over 150,000 cancer patients. Cherie, among a disproportionately small number of female patent holders, candidly discusses the experiences that fueled her journey to…

In this week's episode, Andy gets together with Associate Editor Johannes Alvarez-Rivero. Together, the two talk about and break down some of the landmark cases that eventually brought the Supreme Court 2023's "Student's for Fair Admissions v. Harvard"--the case that rejected affirmative action and ruled that colleges and universities can no longer…

Yasmeen Khayr, a project coordinator at Loyola University Chicago’s Center for Urban Research and Learning, sits down with Casey to talk about her work as a researcher navigating the Domestic Violence Court in Cook County and evaluation of the Family Court Enhancement Project.By The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Casey sits down with Loyola alum, and current Loyola mock trial coach, Nat Cobbett to discuss how his participation in trial advocacy programs as a law student set him up for success as a trial attorney.By The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law

In today’s episode, Andy sits down with Tim Love, the executive director of the Office of Equity and Compliance and Title IX coordinator for Loyola University Chicago. In their discussion, Tim and Andy talk about some of the more intricate and humanistic details of working in this position and how it fits into the overall world of post-JD and law s…

In this episode, Nneka Ugwu sits down with Savannah Joy West for a lawyerly lesson. Tune in for a candid conversation about her reflections from law school, advice for aspiring attorneys, and a crash course on the day-in-the-life of an Investment Funds attorney. Savannah is an associate in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP. Her practice fo…

In the final episode of her privacy series, Marisa sits down with Liz Hein, Foursquare’s VP of Compliance and Data Protection to talk about geolocation data, how she thinks about privacy, and the rapidly changing world of privacy engineering and thought. Link to Daniel Solove’s paper referenced by Liz: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstra…

In this series, Marcus explores what Academic Freedom is through interviews with Dean Sacha Coupet, Associate Dean of Mission Innovation with the Loyola Chicago School of Law, and Zach Greenberg, Senior Program Manager for the Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). In this Part, we speak with Mr. Greenberg. In Part 1, we spoke with …

In today’s episode, Andy sits down with compliance professional Vanessa Ross. In their discussion, they break down the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) of the department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) guidance on the seven elements of an effective compliance program. Vanessa not only explains what each element means, but she also outlines…

Nneka sits down with Dr. Diana Uchiyama, the Executive Director of the Illinois Lawyers’ Assistance Program. In this episode, she discusses her pathway from law school to earning her masters and doctorate in Clinical Psychology.By The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law

In today’s episode, Christy sits down with Professor Rushin to discuss what future 1Ls can expect in Criminal Law.By The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law

In this series, Marcus explores what Academic Freedom is through interviews with Dean Sacha Coupet, Associate Dean of Mission Innovation with the Loyola Chicago School of Law, and Zach Greenberg, Senior Program Manager for the Foundation of Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE). In Part 1, we speak with Dean Coupet. In Part 2, we speak with Mr. G…

T Edward Bak is a cartoonist and illustrator exploring the crossroads of culture and the natural environment.We talked about art, service industry work, Alaska, graphic novels, Buddhism, Shunryu Suzuki, energy, ecology Saint Nagarjuna, Thomas Merton, Jack Kerouac and more . . .Follow on Instagram @t.edward.bakCheck out T Edward Bak's Website T Edwa…

Illustrator Nicholas Friesen lives in Winnipeg, Canada with his wife and dog. He likes drawing sad robots, people wearing headphones, and robots wearing headphones.He creeated Olivia Sea. Who lives in music and comics.Follow all the links at https://linktr.ee/nicholastronautOlivia Sea "I Choo Choo Choose You" videoNicholas Friesen on Instagram @Nic…

“Move at the speed of trust” - Adrienne Maree Brown. In this episode, Nneka sits down with Bridget Snow, Civil Rights Investigator, who works in the Civil Rights Division of the Orleans Parish District Attorney's Office.By The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Thick layers of oil paint encrust the canvases of Cape Cod-based painter Susan Carr, which reach out into the third dimension like small sculptural objects. Looking back toward artists like Phillip Guston, Willem De Kooning, and Robert Ryman, Carr works by applying paint to the canvas with a brush or trowel, working quickly (wet on wet) and determi…

This week Marisa dives into intentional privacy and privacy in the medical device space with Maggie Hanjani, Medtronic’s Data and Privacy Global Senior Advisor, Sr. Principal Legal Counsel and Privacy by Design Lead.By The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law

B.L. BLANCHARDHer novel The Peacekeeper: "Against the backdrop of a never-colonized North America, a broken Ojibwe detective embarks on an emotional and twisting journey toward solving two murders, rediscovering family, and finding himself.North America was never colonized. The United States and Canada don’t exist. The Great Lakes are surrounded by…

In today’s episode, Andy sits down with Francisco Borrayo where they first discuss his work as president of Loyola University Chicago School of Law’s Latinx Law Student Association and they jump into the history of Citizens United v. The Federal Election Commission.By The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law

Organically gripping and raw, Hayley Lynn’s sultry timbres extend through the various depths of her vocal range as she is soft-spoken but packs a punch when her lyrical motifs drop.Lynn's first body of work “Bring on the Flames,” co-created with producer Kyle Devine, was performed to several sold out shows across the Northwest as well as placement …

Casey is joined by Jack Saletta, a Loyola Chicago School of Law alum and current Equal Justice Works Fellow, to discuss the role of the Restorative Justice Community Courts within Cook County.By The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law

"We're all living in a haunted house, and we're all being haunted by it."Breanna Cee Martins paints the mirage of an America that never existed, for people like her and entire swaths of the population of this country. The artist’s watercolor paintings fall away from the viewer like a half-remembered dream; images of ghostly and phantom children, co…

faetooth is a four-piece doom metal band based in Los Angeles, California. They officially formed in 2019, with Ashla Chavez Razzano (she/her) on guitar & vox, Jenna Garcia (she/they) on bass & vox, Ari May (they/them) on guitar & vox, and Rah Kanan (they/them) on drums. The quartet had already been friends for several years before the band's incep…

The bar exam has existed in one form or another since 1763. Since then, millions of people have taken the bar, yet each year the process challenges a new group of students. Marcus speaks with Dean Ellen Douglas, Assistant Dean of Academic Success and Bar Preparation, to get some answers to questions many people have.…

In today’s episode, Andy sits down with compliance manager Ryan Stillion. Andy and Ryan explore how a JD can be used in a field outside of court rooms and general counsel positions. In their discussion, they walk through Ryan’s journey into law, some law experience, how he ended up in healthcare, and ways in which he still uses law skills he learne…

How to be an Ethical Slut is the award-winning solo by Brooke McCarthy. Experience the ride of your life as an unethical slut penetrates lies, STDs, triads, orgies, and love in her musical journey to becoming an Ethical Slut. Lead performer and solo daredevil - Brooke McCarthy is an actor, singer, dancer, content creator (YouTube: Bartender Brookie…

Nneka sits down with Dr. Marisela Martinez-Cola, a sociology professor at Morehouse College, to discuss her pathway from law school to earning her PhD in sociology. The two reflect on her law school experience at Loyola, explore her pivot to academia, and engage in discussion about Dr. Martinez-Cola’s book, The Brick Before Brown. In this book, she…