@theBar Podcast

MORE EPISODES - SEASON 4
@theBar from the Mailbag - March 20, 2022
Listen to the first-ever mailbag episode of CBA’s @theBar! Host Jonathan Amarilio is joined by co-hosts Trisha Rich, Maggie Mendenhall Casey and Jennifer Byrne for a conversation that is even more unscripted than usual.

The Jussie Smollett Case: An Interview with Special Prosecutor Dan Webb - February 17, 2022
Dan Webb discusses his successful prosecution of actor Jussie Smollett.

An Interview with Amanda Knox: Beyond Did She or Didn’t She - January 12, 2022
Amanda Knox sheds light on the issues of wrongful conviction and criminal justice reform.

SEASON 3
The Chicago Mafia Edition: Former Federal Prosecutor Markus Funk discusses the trial that put a hit on the Chicago Outfit - December 15, 2021
Markus Funk joins to discuss the US government's 2005 indictment of the Chicago mafia.

The ‘Dr. Death’ Edition: A Conversation with Dallas D.A. Michelle Shughart about the crimes and prosecution of Christopher Duntsch - October 21, 2021
Take a look behind-the-scenes look at the criminal prosecution of the man known as "Dr. Death", Christopher Duntsch.

The Law School Deans Roundtable Edition - September 23, 2021
Dean Hari Osofsky of Northwestern Pritzker School of Law and Dean Jennifer Rosato Perea of DePaul University College of Law join for a roundtable discussion about the current state of legal education.

The Flint Water Crisis Edition: A Conversation with Lead Plaintiffs' Attorney Corey Stern - August 25, 2021
Corey Stern, lead counsel for the plaintiffs injured in the Flint, Michigan water crisis discusses the origins of the water crisis, the role citizen advocates played in seeking government accountability, and how he became involved in the case.

The #FreeBritney Edition - July 29, 2021
California probate attorney Justin Gold to discusses the conservatorship of Britney Spears.

The Art Shameless Self-Promotion Edition - June 30, 2021
In this edition, guest host Trisha Rich and co-host Jennifer Byrne are joined by public relations and legal marketing expert Debra Pickett of Page 2 Communications for a discussion about how lawyers can shift their mindset from lawyer to entrepreneur and embrace the art of shameless self-promotion to build their book of business.

The Dark Waters Edition: A Discussion with Environmental Attorney Rob Bilott - May 26, 2021
Rob Bilott sits down with host Jonathan Amarilio to discuss his struggle on behalf of tens of thousands of poisoned Ohio and West Virginia residents and his ongoing efforts to stop the use of toxins that have contaminated nearly all of humanity.

The Speaking of Speakers Edition: A Discussion with Illinois’ New House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch - April 15, 2021
New Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel "Chris" Welch became the first Black lawmaker to hold the position. He joins the show to talk about his story, goals and plans for the State of Illinois.

The Trial of the Chicago 7 Edition: A 3-Part Series - March 18, 2021
Insights into The Trial of the Chicago 7 featuring rare interviews with the Assistant U.S. Attorney, Dick Schultz, who prosecuted the case, and John Froines, one of the the last living members of The Chicago 7.

The Smartmatic v. Fox News Edition - February 18, 2021
Erik Connolly discusses his $2.7 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News, Rudy Giuliani, Sydney Powell and others, on behalf of his client, Smartmatic.

The Voting Rights Edition - October 23, 2020
John Cusick, Litigation Fellow at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), joins the show to discuss the current state of voting rights.

The George Floyd Edition - September 2, 2020
Benjamin Crump and Antonio Romanucci, the attorneys representing Floyd’s estate, speak about the civil rights lawsuit brought against the City of Minneapolis and the police officers accused of wrongfully taking Floyd’s life.

SEASON 2
The Justice in Policing Act of 2020: A Discussion with Dick Durbin - August 11, 2020
Senator Durbin discusses the Act, its core goals, and how the Act seeks to achieve meaningful policing reform.

The Constitutionality of the COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders Edition - May 20, 2020
Constitutional law professor Ann Lousin discusses the protesting of Illinois’ stay-at-home order and whether they have a case.

The Criminal Courts Adapt to COVID-19 Edition: How the Pandemic is Impacting the Rights of the Accused - April 24, 2020
Public Defender of Cook County, Amy Campanelli, talks about the constitutional issues and the impact on the rights of the accused as criminal courts adapt to the logistical challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Overcoming Loneliness Edition - April 8, 2020
J.W. Freiberg talks about loneliness as a problem in our society and how we can overcome this isolation, social distancing and quarantine during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Represent Edition: Kate Black Explains How Women Can Run for Office and Change the World - March 4, 2020
Kate Black discusses why it's important to eliminate barriers that may stop women from running for office by demystifying the process and how her book provides an accessible step-by-step guide that any person can follow.

The Revolution Edition: A Live-Audience Conversation with Josh Deth, Founder of Revolution Brewing - January 29, 2020
Josh Deth talks about his journey from brewing beer in his garage to founding one of the most successful independent breweries in the United States.

The Murder of Innocence Edition: A Look Back on the Laurie Dann School Shooting with Eric Zorn - December 5, 2019
Eric Zorn discusses the Laurie Dann School shooting, what’s changed, what hasn’t changed, and what we can learn from the case that could help us stop the violence and restore peace in our schools.

The Angel of Death Row Edition - November 6, 2019
Andrea Lyon talks about the politics, sociology and personal stories behind the death penalty in America.

The Keep Calm and Lawyer On Edition: A Candid Discussion about Mental Health and Addiction in the Legal Profession
Dr. Diana Uchiyama and Jonathan Beitner discuss lawyer mental health and addiction, as well as ways the legal profession can have a greater sense of wellness so that all lawyers can be happy and successful.

The Scarlet A Edition - September 5, 2019
Katie Watson talks about what ordinary abortion is and how it impacts millions of Americans, as well as why understanding the term can help us unpack many other social issues.

The Future of the Profession Crossfire Edition - August 7, 2019
Bob Glaves and Jessica Bednarz from The Chicago Bar Foundation talks about the future of the legal profession and attorney regulation.

The Chocolate Covered Edition - July 3, 2019
Valerie Beck talks about the world of craft, artisan chocolate and Valerie’s Chocolate Freedom Project, which is committed to ending child slave labor in the chocolate industry.

The Best Speech in Life is Free Edition - June 6, 2019
Geoffrey Stone talks about the current challenges surrounding the First Amendment and free speech.

The Chief Justice Edition - May 8, 2019
Dan Cotter, lawyer, historian, and author, discusses the history of the handful of jurists who have lead the Supreme Court.

The Mastering the Game Edition: Career Tips from Diversity Expert Sharon Jones - April 10, 2019
Sharon Jones gives listeners an update on the current state of gender diversity in the legal profession. 

The Tech Evangelist Preaches Edition: A Conversation with Legal Tech Journalist Niki Black - March 6, 2019 
Nicole “Niki” Black talks about the legal profession’s reluctance to embrace technology and why lawyers must become more tech proficient.

The Killer Clown Edition: The Prosecution of John Wayne Gacy - February 6, 2019
William “Bill” Kunkle, the lead prosecutor, gives our listeners a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the crimes and prosecution of the man dubbed the “The Killer Clown”.

SEASON 1

Benching Judicial Independence: The Poland Edition - January 2, 2019
Mikołaj Pietrzak talks about the political and social conditions that led to this assault on Poland’s judiciary, the impact it’s had on the Polish people and legal system, and what can be done to defend the rule of law.

The Civility in Uncivil Times Edition - December 5, 2018
Jayne Reardon and Clare McWilliams talk about current societal trends, best practices for appearing before the bench and how to shift the legal profession’s culture to one of greater respect and civility.

The Illinois Attorney General Election Edition, Part I: Kwame Raoul & Part II: Erika Harold - October 29, 2018
2018 Democratic and Republican candidates in the race for Illinois Attorney General, Kwame Raoul and Erika Harold, discuss their respective backgrounds, and their views on the Office of Attorney General in an increasingly partisan age.

The Amanda Knox Again Edition: An Interview with the Defense Team - October 3, 2018
Amanda Knox’s lead Italian defense lawyer, Carlo Dalla Vedova, and her media consultant, Alex Guittieres, give a behind-the-scenes look at the trial that gripped the world.

The Brexit Brouhaha Edition - September 5, 2018
Andrew Walker explains the practice of law across the pond, how the legal community is impacted by Brexit, and much more.

The Financing the Fight Edition - August 1, 2018
Guests Ajit Singh and Travis Lenkner discuss how litigation financing is changing the face of modern litigation.

The AI Edition: Resistance is Futile - July 2, 2018
Should lawyers be fearful that AI is coming for their jobs? We talk about the ever-evolving, hot-button topic of artificial intelligence and how its impacting the practice of law.

The Peaking Beneath the Blindfold Edition - June 6, 2018
Joel Cohen discusses what motivates judges to make the decisions they make and how injustices in our legal system can come to define our society.

The Chicago Gun Violence Edition - May 8, 2018
Guests Amy Thompson and Max Kapustin discuss the severity and root causes of Chicago’s gun violence problem, whether recent discourse in the national media and by President Trump accurately characterizes the problem, and how we can find workable solutions to make a difference.

The Love and Divorce Edition - April 4, 2018
Miles Beermann and Kimberly Cook talk about the state of marriage and divorce in the U.S., and their experiences on the front lines representing clients in the contentious area of divorce and family law.

The Fear and Loathing in the Law Edition - March 7, 2018
Attorney Brian Cuban, discusses his latest book, The Addicted Lawyer, Tales of The Bar, Booze, Blow, & Redemption, which details his struggles with substance abuse and recovery.

The Illinois Budget Crisis Edition: How the @#$^! Did This Happen? - March 7, 2018
Illinois State Representative Greg Harris talks about the Illinois budget crisis that spiraled out of control and dominated headlines for Illinoisans throughout much of 2017.

The I'll be Dreaming About Donkeys Edition - March 7, 2018 
In this edition, hosts Jon Amarilio and Carl Newman interview Retired Judge Richard Posner of the Seventh Circuit United States Court of Appeals – one of the preeminent legal minds of 20th century.  Posner opens up about his unexpected recent retirement from the bench, his views about the treatment of unrepresented litigants in the legal system and his plans for the future. Also, if you’re eager to learn why Judge Posner left our recording session convinced he would be dreaming about donkeys, this edition is a must listen.

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Our host:

Jon Amarilio is a partner at Taft Stettinius & Hollister in Chicago specializing in civil appellate litigation and critical motion practice. In addition to hosting @theBar, Jon is a frequent author and speaker on a range of appellate topics. Jon is a former Chair of the YLS, has been recognized by Chicago Lawyer Magazine and Chicago Daily Law Bulletin as a "40 Under Forty" Illinois attorney to watch, and is regularly rated as a Super Lawyer and Leading Lawyer by those publications. 

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