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 Loyola as well as key historical events that led to the Guild’s founding in the late 1930s. They further explore key social movements that the Guild was a part of throughout the decades with the help of future guest, People’s Law Office attorney Brad Thompson.

Guilding Part One

Does the government owe us, American Citizens, anything? Associate Editor Alyssa Pacheco explores what the relationship between government and its people looks like, the role contract law plays in governing that relationship, and what happens when that contract is broken.  

 
Resources:

https://www.americanprogress.org/article/americas-broken-criminal-legal-system-contributes-to-wealth-inequality/ 

https://www.justice.gov/hatecrimes/hate-crime-statistics#:~:text=On%20September%2023%2C%202024%2C%20the,crime%20incidents%20involving%2013%2C829%20offenses. 

https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/07/24/key-facts-about-americans-and-guns/ 

https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/american-israel-public-affairs-cmte/recipients?id=D000046963 

 

We the People...

Associate Editor Mary Bandstra explains the SAFE-T Act, Illinois’ law eliminating cash bail, that went into effect in 2023. Associate Editor Katie Dorsey interviews Assistant Public Defender Debra Cruz to get a boots-on-the-ground perspective on the Act’s practical implications. 

Illinois SAFE-T Act Full Text: https://ilga.gov/legislation/publicacts/101/101-0652.htm 

Cook County Court – Pretrial Fairness Act Data Dashboards: https://www.cookcountycourt.org/court-reports-statistics 

Brennan center for Justice – Bail Reform and Public Safety: https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/bail-reform-and-public-safety 

Resources:   

Loyola Chicago Law School’s Center for Criminal Justice: Tracking the Pretrial Fairness Act: https://loyolaccj.org/pretrial-fairness-act  

Cook County Public Defender’s Office – Fact and Fiction on the Pretrial Fairness Act: https://www.cookcountypublicdefender.org/news/illinois-historic-pretrial-fairness-act-fact-and-fiction 

Rowe v. Raoul: https://ilcourtsaudio.blob.core.windows.net/antilles-resources/resources/79db4d0e-4bed-4cd2-bec1-88fc1ba8b904/Rowe%20v.%20Raoul,%202023%20IL%20129248.pdf 

People v. Thomas: https://law.justia.com/cases/illinois/court-of-appeals-first-appellate-district/2024/1-24-0479.html 

The SAFE-T Act One Year On with Debra Cruz

 

In this part 2 episode of the Women in the Law series, Neha Alety sits down with Kelly Greening, associate general counsel at Lurie Children’s Hospital and former DePaul University College of Law graduate. Kelly discusses her experiences as a former lobbyist, fighting for reproductive health rights, and takes us through her career. We expand on the challenges that she faced as each stage of her career as a woman in the historically male dominated legal field and how she navigated those challenges. She looks back on what she wished she had known when she was a 20-year-old navigating the legal field and how her experiences have shaped her into the lawyer she is today.  

 

Research & Sources:  

Maureen Mulligan, Continuing Our Conversations on Gender Equity, American Bar Association, April 7, 2021, https://www.americanbar.org/groups/diversity/women/publications/perspectives/2021/april/continuing-our-conversations-gender-equity/ 

Sarah Thomas, Creating Space at the Table: Succeeding as a Felae in the Still Male-Dominated Field of Law, ABA Journal, June 29, 2023, https://www.abajournal.com/voice/article/lowering-the-ladder-succeeding-as-a-female-in-the-still-male-dominated-field-of-law 

International Women’s Day: What Does the Legal Profession Look Like for Women in 2021?, Law Careers, March 8, 2021, https://www.lawcareers.net/Explore/Features/08032021-International-Womens-Day-what-does-the-legal-profession-look-like-for  

Jaline S. Fenwick, See Her; Hear Her: The Historical Evolution of Women in Law and Advocacy for the Path Ahead, American Bar Association, November 15, 2023, https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/resources/business-law-today/2023-november/see-her-hear-her-historical-evolution-women-in-law/ 

 

 

Resources: 


ABA Women in the Profession  

Includes online toolkits and literature    

Women in the Law Part 2

This week Davey and Chris sit down with Lanston Tanyi and Coach Dave McGinnis to discuss payment in college athletics and its collateral effects. Lanston Tanyi is a 4L in the Weekend JD program also works as a marketing director for a national healthcare company. While attending Appalachian State University, Lanston was a four year starter for their football program. Lanston was one of the first members of what we now know as “the transfer portal” eventually leaving as a graduate and finishing his college career at Colorado State University. Lanston played professional football in the NFL for the Washington Commanders, Denver Broncos and in the CFL for the Montreal Allouttes.  Coach Dave McGinnis is a radio analyst for the Tennessee Titans and a former coach with over four decades of experience. “Coach Mac” played college football for TCU before entering coaching. He spent a decade coaching in the college ranks before becoming the Linebackers coach of the Chicago Bears in 1986. Coach Mac went on to be the Defensive Coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans. He served as Head Coach of the Arizona Cardinals from 2000-2003. Davey and Chris were lucky to sit down with these two guests and discuss life as a college football player as well as the ramifications of payment in college sports on the NCAA’s biggest cash cow.  

Research & Sources:   

National Collegiate Athletic Association v. Alston 141 S.Ct. 2141, 594 U.S. 69, 210 L.Ed.2d 314 (2021) 

O'Bannon v. National Collegiate Athletic Association 802 F.3d 1049 (2015), cert. denied, 137 S. Ct. 277 (2016) 

Johnson v. The National Collegiate Athletic Association, No. 22-1223 (3d Cir. 2024) 

 

Play for No Pay Part III: Name Image and Likeness in Revenue Sports

Fictional legal shows are just fiction. Right? Let’s dive into the world of legal dramas and analyze three stories from the shows Suits and The Good Wife and the 1996 movie, Primal Fear. Together we will apply real legal principles, like contract law and the comparative negligence standard, to the fictional cases. Please note there are spoilers for the shows and movie! 

 

Research & Sources:  

 

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/documents/073500050K2-1116.htm  

https://law.justia.com/cases/illinois/supreme-court/1981/52875-5.html  

https://casetext.com/case/poole-v-city-of-rolling-meadows-1  

https://legal.thomsonreuters.com/blog/the-principles-of-contract-law/  

https://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/oral-contract.asp  

https://lawlibrarycollections.umn.edu/classic-cases-criminal-mnaghten-rule  

 

“Break Point.” Suits. Created by Aaron Korsh, Season 2, Episode 5, Universal Cable Productions, July 19, 2012. 

 

“Painkiller.” The Good Wife. Created by Robert King and Michelle King, Season 1, Episode 12, Scott Free Productions, January 12, 2010. 

 

Hoblit, G. (1996). Primal Fear. Rysher Entertainment. 



  

Legal TV Binge: Lessons from Suits, Primal Fear, and The Good Wife

I think I’ve seen this film before, and I didn’t like the ending. In the first three months of his second term President Trump has embarked on an unprecedented campaign against the American justice system. Working through the history of the legal profession and its roots in the United States, Associate Editor Alyssa Pacheco draws parallels between the political climate of today and that of Germany during the fall of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Adolf Hitler hoping to implore listeners to act. All in the name of democracy of course.  

Research & Sources:     

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/addressing-risks-from-perkins-coie-llp/ 

Charles I. Lugosi, Reflections From Embassy Lakes, Florida: The Effective Teaching Of Criminal Law, 48 St. Louis U. L.J. 1350 (2000). 

https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/109967829299924979  

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/11/01/liz-cheney-blasts-trump-for-war-hawk-comment/75984766007/  

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/protecting-the-meaning-and-value-of-american-citizenship/  

https://www.migrationpolicy.org/content/immigrants-and-crime 

https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2024-10-31/we-fact-checked-some-of-trumps-most-common-claims-on-immigration 

https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2025/02/aba-statement-re-remarks-questioning-judicial-review/ 

https://www.actl.com/news/actl-condemns-elon-musks-call-for-an-immediate-wave-of-judicial-impeachments/ 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/11/politics/chilling-effect-trump-legal-establishment/index.html 

https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2025/02/aba-statement-re-remarks-questioning-judicial-review/ 

 

See Fascism, Say Fascism: Individual Responsibility to Resist in the Trump Era

In this episode, Associate Editor Isabella Lund explores the differences between the legal systems in Germany and the United States. Our guest Matthias Baehre works as a judge in Stade, Germany. He walks us through his career, starting with law school in Germany and finishing with the trial process in Germany. Our discussion focuses on the use of lay judges versus a jury to deliver a verdict, as well as the pros and cons of being a judge in the United States versus Germany. Ask yourself, would you rather be a defendant in Germany or the United States? Would you rather become a lawyer in the United States or Germany? 

Research & Sources: 

https://www.britannica.com/place/Germany/Justice
https://howtogermany.com/bureaucracy/german-law-and-the-german-legal-system/
https://www.ejn-crimjust.europa.eu/ejn2021/ContentDetail/EN/5/1

For a diagram of the German court system: https://www.germancivilprocedure.com/know-your-way-around-german-civil-courts/
Being a defense attorney in Germany: Crime and Guilt by Ferdinsnd Von Schirach

The American Court System vs. Das deutsche Gerichtssystem

In the fourth and likely final episode of the series on NIL, associate editors Davey and Chris discuss new issues within the NIL space since their last episode. We break down the major points and discuss the issues of the House v NCAA proposed settlement, which is set to be ruled on, on April 7th, 2025. Additionally, we give updates on two smaller legal disputes. One is Diego Pavia’s lawsuit against the NCAA on eligibility and the other is Dartmouth Men’s Basketball team seeking to unionize. Thank you all for listening to the series and be sure to check out the previous episodes!  

 

Research & Sources:  

Proposed House Settlement 

NCAA appealing Pavia injunction 

The Dartmouth men’s basketball team ends its attempt to unionize 

Resources: 

Check out the prior NIL episodes in the series and by previous editors 

Schooled: The Price of College Sports 

Exploring NIL Part IV: A Discussion of the House v NCAA Proposed Settlement

This episode explores the evolving landscape of U.S. tariffs and their wide-reaching legal effects. It starts with a refresher on tariffs, who imposes them, and how maritime law—particularly the Jones Act—intersects with trade policy. Then we examine recent tariff developments and how these moves are impacting global trade, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical relations. It delves into the legal foundations of tariff authority, related litigation trends, and the business risks that come with shifting tariff policies. Finally, it looks ahead at possible future developments, emphasizing the continuing role of maritime law in shaping trade enforcement and dispute resolution. 

 

Jones Act (Merchant Marine Act of 1920) – 46 U.S. Code § 55102 

 

WhiteHouse.gov, Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Imposes Tariffs on Imports from Canada, Mexico and China, The White House, February 1, 2025, https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/02/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-imposes-tariffs-on-imports-from-canada-mexico-and-china/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.  

 

​Exec. Order No. 14,257, 90 Fed. Reg. [page number TBD] (Apr. 2, 2025). 

Senate Session – Remarks by Sen. Tim Kaine and Sen. Rand Paul regarding the vote to end the national emergency declaration, C-SPAN (Apr. 10, 2025), https://www.c-span.org/video/?Ma1yZjk1. 

Benoit et al., Trade Protection – What Impact on Jobs and Wages? Council on Economic Policies, December 23, 2022, <url: https://www.cepweb.org/trade-protection-what-impact-on-jobs-and-wages/>.  

Grennes, Thomas, An Economic Analysis of the Jones Act, Mercatus Research, Mercatus Center George Mason University, 2017, 48 pages. <url: https://​www​.mer​ca​tus​.org/​s​y​s​t​e​m​/​f​i​l​e​s​/​m​e​r​c​a​t​u​s​-​g​r​e​n​n​e​s​-​j​o​n​e​s​-​a​c​t​-​v​2.pdf>.  

Hahn, Tariffs 101: What are they and how do they work? Oxford Economics, March 19, 2025, <url: https://www.oxfordeconomics.com/resource/tariffs-101-what-are-they-and-how-do-they-work/>.  

Hamm, A., Trump’s steel tariffs, UNC affirmative action, and Maine’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate, SCOTUSblog, December 3, 2021, 3:06p.m., <url: https://www.scotusblog.com/2021/12/trumps-steel-tariffs-unc-affirmative-action-and-maines-covid-19-vaccine-mandate/>.  

Siripurapu, A. et al., What are Tariffs? Council on Foreign Relations, last updated April 1, 2025, 5:36 p.m. EST, <url: https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/what-are-tariffs>.  

 

Smith, M, The Impact of Trump’s Tariffs: A Comprehensive Analysis, CLA, March 11, 2025, https://www.claconnect.com/en/resources/articles/25/the-impact-of-trumps-tariffs-a-comprehensive-analysis/  

 

Smith, A. et al., Immediate Impacts, Risks, and Uncertain Future of President Trump’s Unprecedented Worldwide Tariffs, Gibson Dunn Client Alert, April 8, 2025, <url: https://www.gibsondunn.com/immediate-impacts-risks-and-uncertain-future-of-president-trumps-unprecedented-worldwide-tariffs/> 

 

Thomas, M. et al., USTR Seeks Public Comment on Proposed Action in Section 301 Investigation of China’s Targeting of the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors, Safe Passage – News and Views from Blank Rome Maritime and Mainbrace, Blank Rome LLP, March 7, 2025, 4 pages, <url: https://www.blankrome.com/publications/ustr-seeks-public-comment-proposed-action-section-301-investigation-chinas-targeting>.  

York, E., The Impact of Trade and Tariffs on the United States, Tax Foundation, June 27, 2018, <url: https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/impact-of-tariffs-free-trade/>.  

York, E., Trump Tariffs: The Economic Impact of the Trump Trade War, Tax Foundation, April 4, 2025, <url: https://taxfoundation.org/research/all/federal/trump-tariffs-trade-war/>.  

 

Maritime Law Part 2: Rough Waters Ahead

Law students at Loyola University Chicago School of Law explore legal topics and engage in the intentional infliction of emotional discourse.

Guilding Part One

The Podvocate

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