Podcast
Unscripted Direct
Hosted by Spencer Pahlke and Justin Bernstein · EN
Conversations with the law school trial advocacy community. Hosted by Spencer Pahlke (shareholder at Walkup Melodia and trial advocacy director at UC Berkeley School of Law) and Justin Bernstein (director of trial advocacy at UCLA School of Law).
31episodes
Episodes
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Episode 152 - Celebrating Susan
4w ago00:28:53Tap to summarizeFor decades, Susan Poehls was a pillar of the trial advocacy education community.This episode celebrates her life and legacy. Created and produced by Spencer Pahlke, it includes interviews with her students, friends, coaches, and dean — as well as clips from Susan herself.If you would like to hear a full interview with Susan, check out Episode 2 .
Transcribe →Episode 151 - Daddy Issues (and the Scripty Awards!)
Apr 3001:50:12Tap to summarizeIntroduction (0:00:00). Loyola's Susan Poehls Celebration of Life.The Break (0:04:58). Results from Amicus Cup.Innovation Award (0:06:11). The Award’s founder Todd Berger and two of this year’s winners -- Megan Daic and Dave Schott -- discuss their innovations, their favorite James Bond, and how they think Shlahet is pronounced.Tournament of Champions (0:20:40). Judge Jim Roberts announces the 16 schools invited to TOC 2026. But first he discusses Cumberland’s unusual boot camp and one of this year's applicants: his daughter.Gavel Rankings (0:34:28). Hofstra’s Jared Rosenblatt announces this year’s Top Ten – and a change to next year’s ranking format.Top Gun Invitations (0:43:36). Baylor's Robert Little announces the 16 schools invited to Top Gun ... and celebrates his first few days of fatherhood!NALAE (0:58:45). Come for the discussion with outgoing president Dave Schott and incoming president Liz Boals. Stay for the trivia competition they didn't know was happening.Exonerated (1:12:41). Star trial lawyer John Raley describes how he won a reversal for a man wrongfully convicted of murder. The Scripties! (1:36:50) Our annual awards: Best Banquet, Best Case, Favorite Tournament, Director/Coach of the Year, and more!
Transcribe →Ep. 6 - When "We the People" Hire a Plaintiffs' Firm
Apr 2800:47:59Tap to summarizeHere’s something people don’t often mention: As a plaintiffs’ attorney, you can work side by side with government litigators, taking on some of the most important issues in the country. Case in point, today’s guest: June Pineda Hoidal. June is a managing partner of Zimmerman Reed. The Minneapolis-based firm collaborates with public entities, and has fought back against the opioid epidemic, major polluters, and the Trump administration, just to name a few. June unpacks what it’s like to bring government cases from within a private firm. Later, Spencer sits down with 2L Marissa Lambert for a check-in on finals and the upcoming summer.Suggestions for topics? Questions for our guests? Email the show at Spencer@CauseOfActionPodcast.com.Learn more about plaintiffs’ law from the National Plaintiffs’ Law Association. Additional details on the NPLA’s Linktree.
Transcribe →Ep. 5 - Three Law Students Walk into the Plaintiffs’ Bar
Apr 2100:42:19Tap to summarizeOn today’s episode, Boston College 2L Marissa Lambert sits down with Angie Pati and Jonathan Koehler, law students at NYU and Rutgers. Angie and Jonathan discuss the ideals that brought them to law school, and how those values are leading them to careers on the plaintiff side. They detail the networking strategies that helped them find jobs, and Jonathan shares his secret for how to study for law school while you’re asleep.Suggestions for topics? Questions for our guests? Email the show at Spencer@CauseOfActionPodcast.com.Learn more about plaintiffs’ law from the National Plaintiffs’ Law Association. Additional details on the NPLA’s Linktree.
Transcribe →Episode 150 - So Much Content, Part 2 (US News, TYLA Responds, and Chatting with the Champs!)
Apr 1601:52:01Tap to summarizeIntroduction (0:00:00). On the flight home, Justin spots a celebrity.US News Rankings (0:12:58). We've got 10 takeaways about the new rankings.NTC Breakdown, Part 2 (0:24:33). Jared, Robert, and Judge stick around to discuss Nationals case strategy.Talking with TYLA (0:48:06). NTC Co-Chairs Tim Adams and Hanna Lee discuss this year's National Finals -- including where it fell short -- and what's next for NTC.Chatting with the Champs (1:13:00). We talk to UMKC's coaches Michaelle Tobin and Alexandria Serra and advocates Kaleb Miller, Karima Burns, and Bethany Halstead. They share the secrets to their success, the beginnings of their opening statements ... and some amazing stories about each other. Is it getting a little misty in here?Mailbag (1:44:00). Two questions: one from an "anonymous" NTC case author, one about US News.
Transcribe →Episode 149 - So Much Content, Part 1 (NTC Nationals Breakdown, Predictions Recap, America's Next Top Trial Lawyer)
Apr 1501:26:52Tap to summarizeIntroduction (0:00:00). A week after Justin said he loves packing, he makes a harrowing packing mistake.The Break (0:07:46). Results from NTC Nationals and the South Texas Challenge.Predictions Recap (0:08:57). Who's buying steaks? Who's buying sides? And has Cumberland gotten too professional? We ask the tough questions.Three of Our Favorite Listeners (0:18:50). Northwestern's outstanding NTC team -- Caroline Kulits, Farah Mavrakis, and Bridget Maston -- have been listening to the show for years. Now they're on the show.NTC Breakdown, Part 1 (0:36:19). Hofstra's Jared Rosenblatt, Cumberland's Judge Roberts and Baylor's Robert Little join to discuss what went well at NTC Nationals ... and what didn't.America's Next Top Trial Lawyer (0:16:30). Sacramento DA Thien Ho announces the results. Who won their nationwide closing argument competition?Mailbag (1:24:08). Is A.J. Bellido de Luna responsible for the show's "comeback"?
Transcribe →Ep. 4 - What It’s Like to Be an Associate at a Plaintiffs’ Firm
Apr 1400:38:07Tap to summarizeSo far, we’ve been speaking with veteran attorneys—litigators who’ve spent decades taking on corporate giants. But today, we wanted to bring on someone who’s a little closer to law school. Someone who only recently went through the gauntlet of school, summer jobs, and studying for the bar – and who’s currently working as an associate at a plaintiffs’ firm. Jenna Forster is a fourth-year associate at Motley Rice. In just a short time, she’s already worked on cases taking on opioid manufacturers, vape companies, and social media platforms. Jenna joins Spencer to discuss her path into plaintiffs’ law, and what her day-to-day work is actually like. She also makes a strong pitch for joining your law school’s mock trial team.Suggestions for topics? Questions for our guests? Email the show at Spencer@CauseOfActionPodcast.com.Learn more about plaintiffs’ law from the National Plaintiffs’ Law Association. Additional details on the NPLA’s Linktree.
Transcribe →Episode 148 - "Birds Aren't Real" (NTC Nationals Predictions & Convo with Case Authors)
Apr 901:36:38Tap to summarizeIntroduction (0:00:00). Justin is in a great mood, and Spencer is still in India.Chatting with the Authors (0:08:59). Denver's Judge Madden, Stetson's Bobbie Flowers, and Fordham's Adam Shlahet talk about the first-ever NTC Nationals criminal case written by coaches. They discuss how they created the music, whether the case is too political, and why they gave the State a rebuttal witness.NTC Nationals Predictions Contest (0:39:53). Texas's Mike Golden and South Carolina's Brett Bayne predict who will win in Dallas, debate whether birds are real, and discuss whether it's unprofessional to bet on the professionalism award.Main Interview: Craig Roen (1:01:33). Minnesota's coach and director explains how he won more than a billion dollars in verdicts and settlements, how "the universe" talked him into retiring from practice, and how he got "snookered" into coaching mock trial. Mailbag Question (1:28:38). What advice do you have for an experienced trial lawyer who's teaching trial advocacy for the first time?Bonus! (1:34:30). The first public release of a prior (NSFW) version of Chris Luddock's "Get Out the Way."
Transcribe →Episode 147 - Phighting in Philly! (and: Coaches Reveal Their AAJ Strategies)
Apr 201:44:25Tap to summarizeIntroduction (0:00:00). Why is Spencer in India?The Break (0:06:34). Results from STAC Nationals and Cap City.AAJ Report Card (0:07:42). What went well? What needs to improve?AAJ Predictions Recap (0:18:02). How badly did Sara Williams defeat Judge Roberts? What excuses does he have?AAJ Strategies Revealed (0:30:34). Now that the competition is over, three top coaches -- Northwestern's Josh Jones, Mercer's Katie Powers, and Drexel's Phil Pasquarello -- share the theories, themes, and strategies that helped propel their teams to victory. (Justin shares UCLA's strategies, too.)Unfair or Fair Game? (0:53:39). Temple's Jules Epstein discusses his recent article about ethics in criminal mock trials, especially in the context of NTC's State v. Jones and Jones. Liz Boals joins to offer her perspective. We cold call the professors, asking them to answer some hypotheticals.Rebuttal (1:30:43). Zach Wynkoop's Villanova team was the unnamed subject of Jules's article. He responds.Mailbag Question (1:41:28). Whose tech failure is responsible for last week's mailbag debacle? (Spoiler: It wasn't Spencer.)
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Ep. 3 - The Defense Attorney Who Exposed the Truth About Forever Chemicals
Mar 3100:54:02Tap to summarizeYou often hear that summer jobs in law school can lay the foundation for your career. Which is kind of terrifying. It creates the impression that your decisions as a 1L can determine the entire course of your life. But here's the truth: your career is not going to be a straight line. Just ask today’s guest, Rob Bilott. Rob started as a defense attorney. But he’s gone on to bring major environmental class actions against chemical companies, and helped expose the truth about toxic "forever chemicals." Rob’s book Exposure chronicles the fight. Hollywood even made a movie about his work.Suggestions for topics? Questions for our guests? Email the show at Spencer@CauseOfActionPodcast.com.Learn more about plaintiffs’ law from the National Plaintiffs’ Law Association. Additional details on the NPLA’s Linktree.
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