PODCAST · education
The Podvocate
by The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law
Law students at Loyola University Chicago School of Law explore legal topics and engage in the intentional infliction of emotional discourse.
Episodes
-
Ready, Set, Wait: Inside America's Immigration Backlog
This week, Associate Editor Maya Kalsi explores the current state of the U.S. immigration system and the growing backlogs affecting millions of immigrants. She breaks down how delays arise across USCIS, immigration courts, and the visa system, why there is no single “immigration backlog,” and how...
-
Expanding Your Expertise in a Public Interest Career
This episode features attorney Molly Bryant, who recently made a career change from direct legal aid to affordable housing development. Molly now works as Senior Counsel at the Illinois Housing Development Association (IHDA). Molly talks about how she built her legal career, starting with a...
-
Accommodations 101
This week, Associate Editor Sara London sits down with Dr. Carolyn Corbran, Director of the Student Accessibility Center at Loyola University Chicago and Gina Gerardi, Assistant Dean for Student Services and Weekend JD at Loyola University Chicago School of Law to discuss accommodations in law...
-
Meet The Team! 2026-2027 Podvocate Editorial Board
The incoming editorial board members for The Podvocate introduce themselves. We look forward to a great year of producing!
-
We the People – Modern Constitutional Challenges and the Practice of Law
Associate editor Jay Fort is stepping back a bit to focus on the current moment and status in Constitutional law more broadly, taking a bird's-eye, high-level overview of some of the most pressing issues re-shaping modern trends in constitutional law and jurisprudence. We’ll discuss the power and...
-
Talking Peace: Restorative Justice in the Classroom Part II
This is second half of a two-part episode on the Peacemakers and restorative justice. In this portion, we discuss the impact of restorative justice in schools and the surrounding communities, touching on the ability of the Peacemakers to bring community together during Project Midway Blitz....
-
Jurassic Park on Trial: Duty, Breach, and Dinosaurs
In this episode Associate Editor Delaney Ferrer and Co-Editor-in-Chief Isabella Lund sit down with Loyola Law Professors Paradise, Rushin, Waller, and Weinmeyer to discuss the legal issues spotted in the fan favorite movie Jurassic Park. From devastating negligence and corporate espionage to...
-
Talking Peace: Restorative Justice in the Classroom Part I
This is part one of a two-part episode. In this first episode, Co-Editor in Chief Isabella Lund talks to Emily and Mauricio Pineda about their work with the Peacemakers at Reilly Elementary School, a local Chicago public school. The Peacemakers is a restorative justice program involving students...
-
Inside Cook County’s Circuit Court: Clerk Mariyana Spyropoulos on Transparency, Access, and Year One (an interview with the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County)
On March 12, 2026, Senior Editor Rachel Still sat down with Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Mariyana Spyropoulos. In this episode of The Podvocate, we sit down with Clerk Spyropoulos to discuss her first year leading one of the largest court systems in the country. She breaks down the...
-
Prairieland 19: What is the future of the right to protest in America?
In this week's episode, associate editor Rachel Urbash examines the Prairieland 19 case from the ground up, discussing the contested facts, the unprecedented use of domestic terrorism organization classifications, and the trial. The episode discusses the Prairieland 19 case through the lens of…
more -
Work Related: AI Regulation in the Employment Law Context
In today’s episode, associate editor Jay Fort considers the rapid development and implementation of Artificial Intelligence and automation technology across industry. By the end of 2025, an AI Arms Race was in full swing. An explosion in Artificial Intelligence (AI) development and automation is...
-
Pop Culture, Faith, and Environmental Justice
In this episode, associate editor Delaney Ferrer discusses the intersection between faith, pop culture, and environmental justice. Lately environmental justice has been framed as a new or controversial topic--especially when it intersects with race. But in this episode, Delaney challenges that...
-
Due Process on Trial: The Execution of Mary Surratt
This week, associate editor Nicole Polisar revisits the 1865 military trial of Mary E. Surratt, the first woman executed by the United States government. Set in the immediate aftermath of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, the episode reconstructs the courtroom’s drama surrounding a civilian...
-
A Law Student's Experience Studying Abroad in London
In this week's episode, associate editor Addison Fouts takes listeners on an overview of Loyola’s comparative advocacy program in London. This includes what you can expect taking the class as well as Addison's experience studying abroad as a first generation college and law student. "This was my...
-
Double Feature: Future of Law School AND Underground By Design
This week the Podvocate and associate editor Caleb Stokes present a Double Feature Episode! The first half of this episode is a summary and exploration of an upcoming survey in development to be given out to law students at Loyola Chicago, while the second half of the episode is a comparative...
-
Redistricting at the Breaking Point - Louisiana v. Callais
in this week's episode, associate editor Carter Pasternak, examines Louisiana v. Callais, a pending Supreme Court case placing the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause on a direct collision course. It explores the history and mechanics of gerrymandering and how Section 2 of the…
more -
Hollywood on Trial
This week, associate editor Nicole Polisar revisits the 1936 Mary Astor custody trial, the Hollywood courtroom spectacle that turned a private diary into a national obsession. Set in Los Angeles at the height of the studio era, the episode reconstructs the drama of a movie star fighting her...
-
When Life Takes Your Lemon, Make a Fuss: How Important is a Free Press?
How serious were the January 2026 arrests of independent journalists, Don Lemon and Georgia Fort? In this episode Senior Editor Alyssa Pacheco reflects on the power of the press and historical attacks on its First Amendment protections to answer that question.
-
Mommy? Mamacita: Maternal Health Policy in The United States
In this episode, senior editor Neha Alety provides a brief history of maternal health policy in the United States. She discusses how these policies have disproportionately affected low-income, vulnerable populations, and people of color. She ends the episode with a discussion on how we can…
more -
Loyola University Chicago Rule of Law Institute Presents: The Rule of Law, Peace and National Security
“The Rule of Law and the American Experiment” was presented by the Seventh Circuit Bar Association and Loyola University Chicago Rule of Law institute on October 24, 2025, covering a litany of issues related to law in Trump’s America; this episode is a recording of “The Rule of Law, Peace, and...
-
Welfare Recipients’ Rights Under Digital Surveillance (PART I)
In this episode, Associate Editor Ashvini Kartik-Narayan explores history of digital surveillance in public benefits programs and how it has set the stage for data grabs under the Trump administration. Millions of Americans receiving SNAP and Social Security will have their personally…
more -
Lex Americana: “With Liberty and Justice For All” – An American Civil Code
In this week's episode, associate editor Adam Reed dives into the issues of the common law system. He discusses the main issues facing the average citizen when facing the common law legal system: complexity, accessibility, affordability, variability, and arbitrarity. He discusses the cases he...
-
What the H*LL is Law and Political Economy (LPE)?
In this episode, Julian kicks off a new series on Law and Political Economy (LPE) by examining foundational assumptions of how we see the law. Using David Foster Wallace’s “This is Water” as a frame to examine legal consciousness, Julian walks through what LPE scholars call the "Twentieth-Century...
-
When the Law Washes Away- The Collapse of Justice After Hurricane Katrina
In this episode, Associate Editor Delaney Ferrer examines what happens when natural disasters destroy, not just a city, but the legal systems meant to protect its people. Focusing on post-Katrina New Orleans, Delaney explores how failures in planning, infrastructure, and civil rights protections...
-
Deprivation as Rehabilitation: The Impact of Beard v. Banks on Inmate Free Speech Claims
In this week's episode, associate editor Rachel Urbash begins with a brief discussion of theories underlying incarceration in the US. Next, this episode tracks the evolution of the test created by the Supreme Court in 1987 to assess the validity of prison regulations violating the constitutional...
-
Dupes, Designs, and the Law
In this episode, associate editor Addison Fouts dives into the world of “dupes” and their legality. Dupes are “inspired by” designs and have been highly promoted on social media in recent years. Joined by Attorney Daliah Saper, we unpack the recent Lululemon v. Costco lawsuit and what it reveals...
-
Evolution on Trial: The Scopes Monkey Case
This week, Nicole Polisar revisits the 1925 Scopes “Monkey” Trial, the first U.S. court case ever broadcast live on radio. Nicole reconstructs the drama between defense attorney Clarence Darrow and prosecutor William Jennings Bryan, examining how the case reflected early 20th-century tensions...
-
Everything, Everywhere, All At Once- the 4th Amendment, Data Privacy, and Executive Overreach
Historically, U.S. courts and lawmakers have wrestled with, and debated, how far the government can- and should- reach into our private lives and under what circumstances. From the mid-century to today, we have witnessed numerous examples of federal overreach and abuse of power. From J. Edgar...
-
Without Permission: Presidential Power and Federalized Troops
In this week's episode, associate editor Carter Pasternak explores President Donald Trump’s 2025 efforts to federalize state National Guard units and deploy active-duty military forces in U.S. cities, beginning in California, extending to Washington, D.C., and now Chicago. It examines how these...
-
The Future of Law School: Part I
This is the introductory episode for a series on “Future of Law School”. This episode establishes that there are real issues facing legal education and begins to unpack some of them. Future episodes will delve deeper into the issues as well as possible solutions.
-
Excited Delirium
In this week's episode Senior Editor Rachel Still unpacks the legal system’s embrace of “excited delirium,” a discredited medical theory used to explain deaths in police custody. We trace its origins in the flimsy case reports of Miami medical examiner Charles Wetli, its spread through small,...
-
Live from the Activities Fair
The Podvocate went live from the activities fair to ask attendees the question: "What has been the most surprising thing about law school so far?"
-
Meet The Team! 2025-2026 Podvocate Editorial Board
The incoming editorial board members for the Podvocate introduce themselves. We look forward to a great year of producing!
-
The Podvocate Live! Resistance: A Panel on Practice-Based Activism
Please enjoy a recording of The Podvocate's first-ever live event held on April 22, 2025, titled "Resistance: A Panel on Practice-Based Activism." The panel was moderated by editors-in-chief Casey Callahan and Ben Recht and featured guests Rachel Cohen, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, and...
-
The Worth of Law School
This podcast episode explores the question “Is law school worth it?” from a personal perspective as a part-time student balancing work, tuition costs, and home responsibilities. The host shares their experience funding school through their salary and scholarships, while acknowledging the…
more -
Sovereign Citizens- An introduction to Pseudolaw
Sovereign Citizens are a group without a central authoritative ideology; but a throughline that holds that US law does not apply to them. The most common idea ius that the passage of the 14th Amendment after the Civil War created a second class of citizen, and that only by reading up on your…
more -
Paving the Way for Privacy
Please enjoy this episode from the archive with former Editor-in-Chief, Marisa Polowitz. This episode features a portion of the 2022 Symposium presented by Loyola's Journal of Regulatory Compliance, "Demystifying Data Privacy," specifically the panel conversation, "Paving the Way for Privacy."
-
Distinguishing Data Privacy and Cybersecurity with Charlotte Tschider and Jay Edelson
Please enjoy this episode from the archive with former Editor-in-Chief, Marisa Polowitz. This episode features a portion of the 2022 Symposium presented by Loyola's Journal of Regulatory Compliance, "Demystifying Data Privacy."
-
Developments in Healthcare Data Regulation
Please enjoy this episode from the archive with former Editor-in-Chief, Marisa Polowitz. This episode features a portion of the 2022 Symposium presented by Loyola's Journal of Regulatory Compliance, specifically the panel entitled "Developments in Healthcare Data Regulation," moderated by Marisa...
-
The Trifecta of Violence and Trans Death
This episode confronts the “Trifecta of Violence” as it relates to escalating violence against transgender people, particularly Black transwomen, and the systemic forces enabling it. From Orwellian laws targeting trans existence to unchecked citizen brutality, the legal system and societal apathy...
-
From Law Books to Ink Looks
In this episode, we talk with a former lawyer, Greyson “Grey” Fitzgerald, who made the leap from Big Law to tattooing. They share what pushed them to leave the legal world, the challenges of starting fresh in a creative industry, and how their background in law still plays a role in their new...
-
The Angel of Death Row: An Interview with Andrea Lyon
Andrea Lyon is a criminal defense lawyer, author, speaker, professor and former law school dean. Dubbed “The Angel of Death Row” by the Chicago Tribune, she was the first woman to serve as lead attorney in a death penalty case, and she holds an unparalleled 19 wins in 19 capital cases. Andrea’s...
-
The Hidden Curriculum of Law School - Navigating Mental Health, Burnout, and Well-Being
This episode of the Podvocate will explore the often overlooked and underdiscussed pressures of law school, focusing on what shapes students’ mental health and well-being. From the pervasive culture of perfectionism and the relentless grind mentality to the emotional toll of legal education, we...
-
Dragons in Dungeons- Prisoners Rights and the First Amendment
In this episode, I sit down with Samantha Reed, Esq., of the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois to discuss the case of Kevin T. Singer, a convicted murderer who used Dungeons and Dragons to escape the gloom inherent to life in prison. Ms. Reed and I discuss the history of prisoner’s…
more -
Maritime Law Part 2: Rough Waters Ahead
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...
-
Exploring NIL Part IV: A Discussion of the House v NCAA Proposed Settlement
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…
more -
The American Court System vs. Das deutsche Gerichtssystem
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…
more -
See Fascism, Say Fascism: Individual Responsibility to Resist in the Trump Era
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,...
-
Legal TV Binge: Lessons from Suits, Primal Fear, and The Good Wife
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…
more -
Play for No Pay Part III: Name Image and Likeness in Revenue Sports
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...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Law students at Loyola University Chicago School of Law explore legal topics and engage in the intentional infliction of emotional discourse.
HOSTED BY
The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Podvocate have?
The Podvocate currently has 223 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Podvocate about?
Law students at Loyola University Chicago School of Law explore legal topics and engage in the intentional infliction of emotional discourse.
How often does The Podvocate release new episodes?
The Podvocate publishes regularly with 223 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to The Podvocate?
You can listen to The Podvocate on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Podvocate?
The Podvocate is created and hosted by The Podvocate by Loyola University Chicago School of Law.
URL copied to clipboard!