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Lee Rawles

Lee Rawles

Host of ABA Journal: Modern Law Library

Lee Rawles joined the ABA Journal in 2010 as a web producer. She has also worked for the Winston-Salem (N.C.) Journal and Legacy.com. She holds an M.S. in New Media from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a B.S. in journalism from the University of Illinois.

Lee is the host of ABA Journal: Modern Law Library, the 2016 Lisagor Award winner for Best Podcast.

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Recent Episodes
September 27, 2023

Tales of 3 generations of Black women intertwine to form ‘Memphis’

A Tennessee lawyer shares how her lawyerly research techniques prepared her to dig into her family’s history to develop characters in her novel focused on three generations of Black women and...

September 6, 2023

Complex litigation judge has 50 ideas to simplify the courts

As both an attorney and judge, Thomas Moukawsher has spent the majority of his career dealing in complex litigation. And the Connecticut Superior Court judge would like to make the legal system—well,...

August 23, 2023

Summer reading and back-to-law-school tips

It’s time for the Modern Law Library’s summer recommendations episode, in which host Lee Rawles shares her pop culture picks with you, plus a re-airing of one of our older episodes with...

August 9, 2023

Trial lawyer’s tales include wins, losses and international intrigue

The year was 1961. Freshly minted attorney James J. Brosnahan had been on the job as a federal prosecutor in Phoenix for two days when he was handed his first trial: a...

July 26, 2023

Is family court too flawed to be fixed?

Jane M. Spinak did not set out to write a book arguing for the abolition of family court. She thought she would be making the case for a set of sensible reforms....

July 12, 2023

Didn’t get it in writing? There may still be a way, says author of ‘Litigating Constructive Trusts’

“If you don’t have it in writing, you’re out of luck.” That’s the common wisdom you’ll hear from TV judges, helpful uncles, well-meaning friends and even lawyers in your life. But while...

June 7, 2023

SCOTUS faces ‘a catastrophic loss of institutional legitimacy,’ warns author

In his new book, The Supermajority: How the Supreme Court Divided America, Michael Waldman identifies three times the U.S. Supreme Court caused a public backlash against itself—and warns the court may be well...

May 17, 2023

‘The Shadow Docket’ shines light on an increasingly uncommunicative Supreme Court

In The Shadow Docket: How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic, University of Texas law professor Stephen Vladeck argues the U.S. Supreme Court is expanding...

May 10, 2023

End of the Cold War launched new efforts to build the rule of law

As chunks of the Berlin Wall were being torn down by jubilant crowds on November 9, 1989, James Silkenat was serving his term as chair of the ABA International Law Section. But...

April 5, 2023

‘Never Far from Home’ brings readers from NYC projects to 90s hip-hop scene to Microsoft offices

Bruce Jackson grew up shuttling between Brooklyn and Manhattan public housing projects. His journey led him to Hofstra University, then Georgetown Law. He ditched a white-shoe firm job to launch a career...

March 29, 2023

Why NYT v. Sullivan mattered in 1964 and is under attack today

The 1964 decision in New York Times v. Sullivan protected the civil rights movement, established the “actual malice” standard, and is the basis for modern American libel law. But in recent years, criticism of...

March 8, 2023

In ‘Her Honor,’ trailblazing women judges take center stage

When Lauren Stiller Rikleen was approached in 2020 by the ABA Judicial Division to help compile autobiographical stories from women judges in America, a powerful motivating factor for her was to capture...

February 22, 2023

In ‘Myth America,’ historians challenge misinformation about our past

Some American patriotic myths are harmless; George Washington may have chopped down a cherry tree at some point in his life, but the popular story told to children where young George fesses...

December 21, 2022

This lawyer tackled lifelong anxiety to free herself from ‘The Box’

Since childhood, Wendy Tamis Robbins experienced debilitating anxiety and panic attacks. Her perfectionism pushed her to achieve in sports and academics, and her high level of achievement masked her mental anguish from...

December 7, 2022

Our favorite pop culture picks in 2022

In our annual Year in Review episode, Lee Rawles speaks to her ABA Journal colleagues Blair Chavis, Julianne Hill and Stephanie Francis Ward to find out how they spent their downtime in...

November 30, 2022

Can change really come from within the system? These 13 prosecutors think so

Miriam Aroni Krinsky worked as a prosecutor in Los Angeles County in the 1980s and 1990s as the War on Drugs was waged. Mandatory minimum sentences and tough-on-crime laws sent prison populations...

November 16, 2022

‘By Hands Now Known’ shines light on cold cases of lynchings and racial violence

By Hands Now Known: Jim Crow's Legal Executioners examines how the federal government enabled the subjugation of Black Americans; the relationship between racial violence and political power; and community resistance to Jim...

October 26, 2022

How do you calculate damages in injury trials?

For any plaintiff who’s been injured or any young attorney just starting out in the field of tort law, it can be daunting to calculate what monetary damages–and nonmonetary damages like pain...

September 21, 2022

Nina Totenberg’s early life, NPR legacy and friendship with the Notorious RBG

In this special two-part episode of the Modern Law Library, the ABA Journal’s Lee Rawles speaks with Lisa Napoli, author of Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding...

September 7, 2022

9th Circuit judge shines light on Justice William O. Douglas’ environmental campaigns

Justice William O. Douglas could be known for his fiery opinions, turbulent personal life and longtime presidential ambitions. But Judge M. Margaret McKeown is shining a light on his groundbreaking environmental advocacy...

August 24, 2022

Sick of meetings that go off the rails? Robert’s Rules of Order can help

It’s no secret that lawyers are asked to attend or preside over many kinds and types of meetings. From attending a professional association’s annual meeting with hundreds of fellow attorneys (as the...

August 10, 2022

Summer Pop Culture Picks and What Else We Lost When Roe was Overturned

Host Lee Rawles shares her Top Picks for Books, Movies, TV Shows and Podcasts. And a look at Roe v. Wade and its impact on the the right to privacy.

July 13, 2022

The modern US Border Patrol is a national police force with dangerous capabilities, author warns

In Nobody is Protected: How the Border Patrol Became the Most Dangerous Police Force in the United States, geographer Reece Jones argues that Supreme Court precedent, a growing workforce and mission creep...

June 29, 2022

Authors of ’50 Lessons for Happy Lawyers’ share some top tips

Even during times less tumultuous than the one we are in now, lawyers as a profession report high levels of stress. Finding the way to keep motivated and healthy on an individual...

June 8, 2022

Do you have what it takes to break into esports?

Are you a lawyer who plays League of Legends late at night? A World of Warcraft warrior who engages in courtroom combat during your daytime gig? And have you ever wished you...

May 11, 2022

Wiretapping’s origins might surprise you

On the cover of Brian Hochman’s book The Listeners: A History of Wiretapping in the United States is a martini cocktail, complete with skewered olive. Someone attempting to judge a book by...

April 20, 2022

How–and why–Kazakhstan gave up its Soviet-era nuclear weapons

During its time as a Soviet republic within the USSR, Kazakhstan was the site of massive nuclear tests, both above and below ground. The cost to the environment and health of the...

April 6, 2022

Ex-Tesla attorney leveraged her contract expertise into a book and thriving LinkedIn community

In August 2020, contract attorney Laura Frederick accepted a challenge: Post to LinkedIn once a day, every day, for a month. Frederick thought she might be able to keep up a string...

March 30, 2022

‘No Equal Justice’ shares George Crockett Jr.’s civil rights legacy

Detroit has been the site of many civil rights and labor rights battles, and many notable Black attorneys have called the city home. The first Black president of the ABA, Dennis Archer,...

February 23, 2022

Tough decision to make? Here’s how to break it down like a lawyer

Professor Kim Wehle shares a more methodical approach to avoiding kneejerk or strictly partisan decision-making.

February 9, 2022

Regulate cryptocurrencies and fintech products before it’s too late, urges author

Prof. Allen speaks about the promise and downsides of some "cutting-edge" financial products, and why innovation is not inherently good.

January 26, 2022

Need to sharpen your legal writing? 10th Circuit Court judge shares his tips

Judge Robert E Bacharach explored what the science of psycholinguistics could teach lawyers and judges about how written words persuade an audience. He shares his top takeaways and offers advice for...

January 12, 2022

Outcomes in state supreme courts aren’t as simple as Blue vs. Red

James L. Gibson and Michael J. Nelson discuss their research into the impact state supreme courts have on civil rights.

December 22, 2021

In ‘All Her Little Secrets,’ the death of an attorney’s boss could bring her secrets to light

Wanda M. Morris, author of "All Her Little Secrets", discusses her 13-year journey towards publication, tips she has for fellow lawyers who want to write books, and the motivations behind her characters'...

December 8, 2021

Our favorite pop culture picks in 2021

The ABA Journal team looks back at 2021 through the lens of what they read and watched, and looks forward to 2022.

November 24, 2021

America’s fights over medical treatment choices didn’t start with COVID-19 and Ivermectin

Lewis A. Grossman discusses the historical skepticism Americans have held towards medical authorities through the majority of the country's history and what these attitudes could mean for the country's public health.

November 10, 2021

Discover the man behind 12 Angry Men, and the real-life case that inspired him

Author and business professor Phil Rosenzweig discusses his book "Reginald Rose and the Journey of 12 Angry Men" about the man who brought 12 Angry Men to screen, first as a television...

October 20, 2021

Want to change a veteran’s life through pro bono? There’s a manual for that

Dana Montalto shares how she became involved in veterans legal services, answers some common questions lawyers have when considering pro bono work in this area, and talks about the many people and...

October 13, 2021

How SCOTUS enabled police abuses of civil rights–and what we can do about it

Dean Chemerinsky discusses why the Supreme Court did not address police powers during the first century of its existence; why the Warren Court was an aberration when it came to curtailing police...

September 22, 2021

How to market your legal services to Hispanic clients

In this episode of The Modern Law Library, author Liel Levy discusses his book Beyond Se Habla Español: How Lawyers Win the Hispanic Market.

September 8, 2021

A tale of love, loss and conservatorships in the Golden Age of Hollywood

Author Liz Brown discusses the tale of Harrison Post, a story that starts in the Gilded Age and moves through the Golden Age of Hollywood, a film noiresque tale of betrayal, and...

August 25, 2021

How LinkedIn can help lawyers develop and market their brands

Marc Halpert shares how the pandemic has made online networking more important than ever, and the most common missteps he has seen lawyers make on LinkedIn.

August 11, 2021

How neurodiverse lawyers can thrive in the profession–and change it for the better

Lee Rawles and Haley Moss discuss Moss's journey as a child who was non-verbal to an adult with a law degree, law firm job and numerous public-speaking engagements.

July 21, 2021

Can the raucous history of Chicago’s lakefront teach us how to preserve land for public use?

Joseph D. Kearney and Thomas W. Merrill discuss the shenanigans that ultimately gave the city and the state of Illinois one of its most priceless parcels of land and preserves it for...

July 7, 2021

Do we need to rethink how we handle classified leaks?

In anticipation of the 50th anniversary of the Pentagon Papers, First Amendment scholars Lee Bollinger and Geoffrey Stone discuss their book "National Security, Leaks and Freedom of the Press: The Pentagon Papers...

June 23, 2021

Summer reading and a book coming to the silver screen

Host Lee Rawles shares some of her favorite books she's read since this year, and we revisit our 2017 interview with David Grann in anticipation of the upcoming Scorsese film based on...

June 9, 2021

‘Vice Patrol’ examines how police and courts enforced anti-gay laws before Stonewall

In Vice Patrol: Cops, Courts, and the Struggle Over Urban Gay Life Before Stonewall, author Anna Lvovsky examines the way that queer communities were policed in the 1930s through the 1960s.

May 26, 2021

Little-known labor history is illuminated in union attorney’s new book

An attorney's research for a novel turned into an in-depth look at Long Island labor camps where workers lost their lives.

May 12, 2021

Are you good in a crisis? There may be a growing practice area for you

Ray Brescia and Eric K. Stern discuss their book, Crisis Lawyering: Effective Legal Advocacy in Emergency Situations, their experiences, and delve into the ethical issues the legal profession should be examining as...

April 21, 2021

Sen. Mazie Hirono speaks out in ‘Heart of Fire’

Sen. Mazie Hirono's journey to becoming an outspoken opponent to Trump and the GOP is shared in "Heart of Fire."