In the Counsel's Chair
Claim This Podcastby The Daily Journal
Podcast Overview
<p>Introducing In the Counsel's Chair, a new podcast from the Daily Journal. We talk to legal leaders about how they shape their world — and ours. Throughout this series, we'll sit down with leaders across the legal landscape — from private practice to the public sector and beyond — to discuss how they built their careers, the major trends and issues they're witnessing, and the leadership roles they play.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
10/21/2025
Reach the team behind In the Counsel's Chair
Verified contact details for this show aren't on file yet — sign up to get notified when they land.
Recent Episodes
July 10, 2026
ITTC: FPPC Chair Adam Silver on money, ethics and California elections
<p>In this episode of In the Counsel's Chair, host Jack Needham sits down with Adam Silver, chair of the Fair Political Practices Commission, California's campaign finance and ethics watchdog. Appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2024, Silver traces the agency's roots to Proposition 9, the post-Watergate ballot measure that created the FPPC and some of the strictest campaign finance and ethics rules in the country -- rules his office is now charged with enforcing in the age of AI.</p><p>The conversation ranges from AB 2355, the surviving bill from a package of three targeting deepfakes and AI-generated campaign ads, to how the commission is exploring technology to flag potential campaign money laundering and warn public officials of conflicts before they happen. Along the way, Silver explains why the agency's priority is transparency before an election rather than penalties after it, and why the appearance of impropriety can damage public trust as much as the real thing.</p><p>Highlights:</p><p></p><p>• The FPPC's post-Watergate origins and its role as the state's campaign finance and ethics watchdog</p><p>• AB 2355 and enforcing disclaimer rules for AI-generated or AI-modified campaign ads</p><p>• Using AI to flag patterns of possible campaign money laundering</p><p>• A tool to warn officials of potential conflicts between their financial disclosures and upcoming agenda items</p><p>• Why transparency before the election takes priority</p><p>• The legislation Silver's office sponsored to ban campaign contributions inside state buildings</p>
July 7, 2026
ITCC: Joshua Robbins on rethinking trial advocacy
<p>In this episode of In the Counsel's Chair, host Jack Needham sits down with Joshua Robbins, a partner in the Orange County office of Crowell & Moring, to talk about a different way of thinking about trial advocacy. A former federal prosecutor who began his career in international arbitration, Robbins explains how working in systems with limited discovery taught him to prepare for trial from day one, make more with less, and build cases around contemporaneous documents — witnesses that "don't forget and don't lie and don't have motives." The conversation ranges from the Tom Goldstein tax trial and what it reveals about juror skepticism toward polished performers, to the document-heavy Musk v. Altman verdict, to Robbins' experience teaching trial advocacy at UC Irvine School of Law. Along the way, he makes the case that the craft is less about courtroom theatrics than about narrative discipline: distilling business disputes into moral concepts jurors intuitively grasp, and knowing which evidence to leave out. </p><p>Highlights:</p><p> </p><ul><li>Why early exposure to international arbitration and criminal prosecution shaped an evidence-first approach to civil litigation </li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The Tom Goldstein trial: how jurors' built-in skepticism punishes testimony that reads as a performance </li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>Building cases on documents and letting witnesses narrate them — not the other way around </li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The Miles Davis quote he cites: five or six key documents matter more than hundreds of exhibits </li></ul><p> </p><ul><li>The hardest skill to teach young lawyers: listening and reacting in real time instead of clinging to the script</li></ul>
March 19, 2026
ITCC: Learned Hand founder Shlomo Klapper on AI's role in the judge's chambers
<p>Los Angeles County Superior Court announced Wednesday that a select group of its judges will begin using AI tools to help prepare and manage cases — a first for the largest trial court in the nation. We sat down with Shlomo Klapper, the founder and CEO of Learned Hand and the man behind that initiative, to find out what it means for judges, lawyers and the justice system when AI enters the courtroom.</p><p>A former clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and litigator at Quinn Emanuel, Klapper built Learned Hand around a simple argument: courts are under-resourced, backlogs are growing, and an incoming wave of AI-generated litigation is about to make things significantly worse. In this episode, he breaks down how the technology works, why tools built for lawyers don't translate to the bench, and what it will take to deliver on the promise of equal justice.</p><p>We also get into the hard questions — how Learned Hand addresses concerns about algorithmic bias, what safeguards protect the confidentiality of case materials, and what the rise of AI means for the future of lawyering itself.</p>
12 total episodes available
Deep-dive analytics for In the Counsel's Chair
Frequently asked questions
Have a different question and can't find the answer you're looking for? Reach out to our support team by sending us an email and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
- What is In the Counsel's Chair?
<p>Introducing In the Counsel's Chair, a new podcast from the Daily Journal. We talk to legal leaders about how they shape their world — and ours. Throughout this series, we'll sit down with leaders across the legal landscape — from private practice to the public sector and beyond — to discuss how they built their careers, the major trends and issues they're witnessing, and the leadership roles they play.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
Legal Disclaimer
Pod Engine is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected with any of the podcasts displayed on this platform. We operate independently as a podcast discovery and analytics service.
All podcast artwork, thumbnails, and content displayed on this page are the property of their respective owners and are protected by applicable copyright laws. This includes, but is not limited to, podcast cover art, episode artwork, show descriptions, episode titles, transcripts, audio snippets, and any other content originating from the podcast creators or their licensors.
We display this content under fair use principles and/or implied license for the purpose of podcast discovery, information, and commentary. We make no claim of ownership over any podcast content, artwork, or related materials shown on this platform. All trademarks, service marks, and trade names are the property of their respective owners.
While we strive to ensure all content usage is properly authorized, if you are a rights holder and believe your content is being used inappropriately or without proper authorization, please contact us immediately at hey@podengine.ai for prompt review and appropriate action, which may include content removal or proper attribution.
By accessing and using this platform, you acknowledge and agree to respect all applicable copyright laws and intellectual property rights of content owners. Any unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or commercial use of the content displayed on this platform is strictly prohibited.