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Unscripted Direct is brought to you by Walk Up, Melodia, Kelly, and Schoenberger, based in San Francisco, but with cases all over the country.
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Walk-up is one of the most respected plaintiffs' personal injury and wrongful death walk.
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The attorneys of Walk-up are passionate about trying cases, and some of our cases have come from our listeners.
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If someone reaches out to you with a case, we're happy to see how we can help out.
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So normally this is an end read, but I'm gonna make it a testimonial.
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They're fabulous.
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Uh so we thank Walk Up for supporting this podcast and our trial advocacy community.
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Welcome to Uncle Federal.
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I'm Spencer Falky from Berkeley Law and Justin Bernstein, UCLA.
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This week we have results from the final All-Star Regional and some unusual case changes for All-Star Nationals.
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We have a revealing interview with McGeorge's Dominique Hinson.
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We have new gavel stats and stories and gossip from Jared Rosenblatt.
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But first, Spencer, something's been on my mind recently that part of the job that people in our community don't talk about as much, which is getting students jobs.
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Ooh, isn't that funny?
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I mean, we don't, it doesn't get talked about that much.
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But if you were to rank the things that you are really trying to accomplish for your students, you know, at a high level, how high would that be on the list?
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I'd say that it's low in terms of the amount of time I spend on compared to some of the other things that are more regular, but it's the highest priority.
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I mean that in in the sense that both sort of in a moral sense, like what I care about the most, but also when rubber meets the road and I'm have limited time, the thing that I will prioritize on my to-do list is the letter of recommendation, the phone call to an employer, the the email to a judge.
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Um, because it's just more important than everything else we're doing.
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I mean, everything we're doing is trying to give students the ability to do well in their careers, but that means they need to have a career and career options.
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What about you?
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I I completely agree.
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And what I always say to students is at the end of your career, when you look back at your you know, top 100, you know, moments in trial, I hope that none of them are in mock trial.
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I mean, this is all in service of your future.
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Uh and so we actually talk about it uh quite a bit.
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I mean, from even when students are thinking about, you know, where to go to school, that kind of thing, um, throughout.
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I'm always, I always just talk about how, you know, this is an alumni network you're becoming part of.
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You're a future, you know, alum of the program and we track this stuff assiduously.
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I've got Berkeleytrial Map.com.
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Jared doesn't own that.
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I own that.
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Uh for now I know.
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Who knows what he's gonna do with these brokers and whatever.
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But um, where we track all of our alumni where they are is that it's like a an interactive map, and and we share it with our students because we want them to think, you know, if you want to be a prosecutor in Pittsburgh or trial lawyer in Seattle, like we want to be able to connect you.
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And that's a I actually talk about it quite a bit with the students on an ongoing basis.
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So what are some things that you do specifically to try to help students get jobs?
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Apart from obviously training them, teaching them, you know, answering uh uh questions, giving advice, like when students are seeking specific jobs or or struggling to find jobs, uh, what are some things that you do?
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I, you know, I am just not afraid to ask.
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And so I, in other words, I will ask any alum in our community for, you know, for you know, to talk with a student who wants to do that thing or or in that place.
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I in fact, I just did that a couple of nights ago.
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I was emailing and connecting folks.
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But also I like to, you know, honestly play on whatever cachet I get from, you know, being at walk-up and all of our connections and, you know, just use that as an excuse for me to meet somebody new.
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If I don't know, like they want to be a trial lawyer in Miami or whatever, I don't know somebody there.
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Um, I just love, you know, just leaning on whatever connections I can generate based on that and and hooking them up, you know.
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I just feel like you do that, it's just good, you know, and it will it'll make things better for everybody is what I do.
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How about you?
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Yeah, uh this won't surprise you, but I would put it into three buckets.
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Oh, nice rule of three.
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It's great.
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Yeah, I'd say the first is trying to
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advise them because I I think a lot of students at our school are pushed in the direction of going to big firms, right?
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If you're if you're going to a fancy law school, the school sort of makes it the default that unless you opt out, unless you jump off the conveyor belt, you're gonna end up at a big firm or clerkship or both.
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And for a lot of students, that's great.
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Certainly financially, that's great.
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But for some students, that's not what they want or not where they should be, or they're not sure.
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And so I try to help students figure out what they want to do and what matches their their short and long-term goals.
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And often I think sometimes working at a firm gets short shrift because even if you don't want to stay there long term, it can be really good for skill building and networking and building a resume.
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But try to help students figure out what they want to do and how to apply.
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The second thing is advising them on how to get it once they they want it in terms of how to do the networking.
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Uh, I'll review resumes, edit resumes, uh, we'll do practice interviews, probably do about a dozen of those a year, where especially with big if they're interviewing for big firms, because that's where I worked and did hiring.
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So, you know, sitting across from them and pretending to be the partner at such and such firm or the senior associate at another firm in LA or whatever, um, and really coaching them on the answers, but the same specificity that we would for, you know, motions luminee.
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But the biggest one, and I think this is what you alluded to, is actually trying to connect them with employers or recommending them or being a reference uh or call calling.
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And I've I've done cold calling and cold emails.
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And I I wonder if you've had the same experience, but I find that the longer I I have I'm in this job, one of the benefits is I know more people and I can help them in more ways.
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And I was talking to somebody last week who's thinking about joining our community who wants to apply for a trial out job, and he's really young, he's super talented.
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But I said, I might wait a couple of years because I think you're gonna find that one benefit of being a little older is you know more folks, and that means you're gonna be able to help your students get more jobs.
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Yeah, I I agree.
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I mean, the but the community as well is its own resource.
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I mean, I have definitely leaned on so many folks out there for this kind of connection, and I
can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
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It's it's just fabulous, you know.
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But yeah, nicely broken down into three to three uh categories.
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I I will um re respond with a Venn diagram because it's funny how I think about this.
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You know, in one circle is my own students who, you know, I'm you know frequently talking to about these things.
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But the other circle, which does overlap some, but not much, is, you know, I I talk to students all across the country about, you know, plaintiff's practice and all that stuff.
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Yesterday I spoke with, I think, three different folks about, you know, um, you know, what it looks like to be on the plaintiff's side and kind of helping them understand what the path might be for them because there's a lot of variation in it, obviously.
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So I don't know.
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I'm weirdly addicted to uh helping people along in that, in that way.
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So um, that's an addiction.
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I hope you never cure.
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Oh, that's so sweet of you.
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Um, have you listened to Shane Inspector's uh How to Get a Job You Really Love uh YouTube video?
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No, I've listened to his appearances on our show and on your show, Cause of Action.
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Oh, that's so sweet of you to mention that.
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Um I did interview him about it.
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And Spencer, where can people find cause of action?
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Oh, well, anywhere they listen to podcasts.
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Just search for cause of action with Spencer Paulkey.
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You'll find it.
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Um, that's such a wonderful organic plug there, Justin.
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Thank you.
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But um uh Shannon has on YouTube this really great talk that I really honestly should consider sharing with your students, uh, folks out there, where he talks about how you get a job that you really love.
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And it's not necessarily just the job on the plaintiff's side, but he has some really insightful strategies, which you know I talked with him more about on the show.
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So that's a good resource.
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Well, I can tell you from my personal experience how I did it.
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I I was sitting at home watching TV, eating lots of food, when a friend called and said, Do you want to do a podcast together?
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And that's how I got the job I really wanted.
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Fame and fortune, baby.
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Yeah.
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So anybody who who's looking to find their their calling, just sit around and wait.
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Watch TV, eat ice cream, and wait for the phone to ring.
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That's great.
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Um, shall we turn to something we like to call?
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Oh, right.
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We have an agenda.
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Yes, go ahead.
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The agenda on which next week.
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It's time for the largest fall invitational, the All-Star Bracket Challenge.
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The remaining 16 had their regional competition.
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The finalists were Hofstra and San Diego, and these two teams are headed in nationals in San Antonio, Drexel and St.
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Thomas.
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So the full nationals field is listen up, Arizona, Cumberland, Drexel, Houston, St.
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Thomas, two UCLA teams, and Western State.
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Spencer, you did that in alphabetical order.
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That's amazing.
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And I tend to do things like that on the fly.
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Um, yeah, I also added more energy because I realized that with Sam's music in the background, we can't just be kind you got you can't be flat.
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You gotta lean into this.
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You know, 159 episodes in, I'm figuring that out.
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Great job.
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Go.
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Uh, we also have results from college football, which we cover sporadically and conveniently.
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Uh, this week, Texas lost to an unranked Oklahoma team, which is weird.
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It's weird because I thought that this year, like every year, was their year.
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Um the the loss leaves them tied for eighth in the SEC.
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They need any more salt, or you got enough over there for the wound.
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You're good?
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Okay, you're good.
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I'm double checking.
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Yes, that is correct.
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Eighth in the SEC.
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That's not eighth in the country, that's eighth in their conference.
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Maybe they don't belong in that conference.
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I don't know.
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Cal defeated Virginia Tech in what many are calling an athletic triumph that now gives Cal a better conference record than Texas.
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All right.
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Uh UCLA had to play Oregon in Oregon and suffered the loss of their starting quarterback earlier in the game, but the Bruins found a way, earning one of the
season's signature wins while improving to 5-0.
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They did.
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Finally, congrats to you, Spencer.
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As Nebraska football.
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As Nebraska football also had one of its best games in recent memory, losing narrowly in a heartbreaking fashion at home.
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We definitely did, and we should have won that game.
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Um, we outplayed them the whole time.
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They may have ended up with more points, but it was like two plays.
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Who hasn't said that before?
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I get it.
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Everybody says that.
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It's like a Nebraska football fortune cookie.
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No, no, no, no.
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We were way closer to winning than usual.
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We should have won.
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No, usually we shouldn't have.
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Or or the alternative uh Nebraska fortune cookie.
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We used to win.
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All right, let's uh recap the all-star bracket challenge a little bit here, Justin.
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Last week we talked about the unusual case design with a staged crime scene.
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What do you have in store for the nationals case?
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People are dying to know.
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Well, uh, we just announced to the final eight teams uh two big case changes.
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We're excited about them.
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Number one, we've made a witness change.
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So the witness whose statement was included before, the alibi witness, is now a live witness.
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So we're changing one of the witnesses for nationals, and they are going to be a live witness uh played by students from St.
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Mary's.
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Very cool.
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Uh anything else?
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Yes.
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So the other witness, so before the defense had two witnesses, the defendant and an expert.
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Now they're calling an alibi witness, so we they can't have three witnesses.
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So we're trying to figure out who should be the witness be.
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We thought, okay, we could pick one, pick the other, give them a choice.
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I'm like, no, actually, let's make this a little more realistic.
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In real life, the client decides whether they're gonna testify in a criminal case.
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The defendant gets to decide.
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And so we're gonna let the defendant exercise that choice independent of the lawyers.
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So before every round, there's gonna be a coin flip that is the defendant's choice.
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Uh, heads the defendant says, I'm not testifying, the expert will.
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Tails, the defendant says, I am testifying, and the expert will not.
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So teams will not, yeah, teams won't know their witness calls until 15 minutes before trial.
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Oh, I was gonna say it was an audible, but it's not.
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It's it's it's determined by coin.
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You can't like strategically make the decision.
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That's right.
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Okay, I like it.
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So you got you gotta be ready for both.
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You don't know if your client's gonna test.
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Who knows which way that coin's gonna go?
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I like it.
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Yeah.
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Well, Justin, this week you had the chance to sit down with Dominique Hinson of McGeorge School of Law.
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Yeah, and Dominique and I chatted beforehand.
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I know that there's been a lot of questions about the program and some of the recent uh job postings.
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And uh she was willing to come on and and share how she's feeling and what's going on.
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Dominique Hinson.
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We welcome back to the show, Dominique Henson.
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Dominic, how are you doing?
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I'm so good.
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How are you doing?
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I'm doing great.
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Remind everybody where you work and what you do.
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Uh I work at the University of Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, and I am a law professor and one of the trial ad directors.
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We had a chance to hang out a little bit uh last week at first here.
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It was nice to see you.
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It was so good to see you.
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Uh, your team definitely kicked my team's butt in trivia, but let's make it well.
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At least you played fair uh because you had one team with you know more people than uh were allowed according to eligibility rules.
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Well, you know, we're at that point when people start forgetting the rules.
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My team, I think we were the personality hire.
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We called ourselves team personality hire.
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And both of the advocates that I was working with advanced.
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So nice job.
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Shout out to
them.
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That's some real teaching.
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Yeah, that was Chapman and Denver.
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They were on my team.
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So you were in Orange County, you've now gotten to live in California for a few years.
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Uh, how would you compare the food in Sacramento to the food in in SoCal and San Francisco?
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Well, I'm still like not team California Mexican food, and I know that's controversial, but I have to remind you, I'm from San Antonio, Texas.
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Yeah, I wouldn't call it a controversy, I'd just say it's wrong.
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You know, I understand you're a foodie and you've got like you've got the restaurants down, you're the person everyone asks.
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It doesn't hit like Tex Mex.
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Like it's just it's not the same as real Mexican food.
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It's it's a fine, you know.
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I think there are a lot of places that are like, I call them in LA and San Diego, hype beast places, long lines, mediocre food, but you can put it on your Instagram and so people like it.
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I'm talking about the taqueras, the hole in the wall places, San Diego, even those places, even those.
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But are they that great?
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You wanted me to wait two hours for that?
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You can't.
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I remember last year at First Chair in San Diego.
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Y'all have me waiting in line for like an hour and a half for these mid-tacos, as opposed to Tex Max, where it's just beans and cheese in a microwave.
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That's that's very, very disrespectful.
00:13:20.480 --> 00:13:22.639
Uh been to Papacitos.
00:13:23.120 --> 00:13:23.919
Have you been?
00:13:24.159 --> 00:13:25.360
Which is not in San Antonio.
00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:25.679
That's me.
00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:27.200
Papacitos is very good.
00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:28.000
Yeah.
00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:31.120
Like if I miss anything from Texas, it's two things.
00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:31.679
Yeah.
00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:33.679
Bumbo, queso.
00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:35.360
Everything else, I believe it.
00:13:35.600 --> 00:13:41.759
Dominique, I want to ask you about what's happening at McGeorge because I think people on the outside have a lot of questions.
00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:43.360
I'm sure you get that sense, right?
00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:46.480
I do get that sense from my texts and emails.
00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:58.639
So speaking of emails, uh, this past summer on July 29th, 2026, there's an email sent to the trial at listserv, and the title is McGeorge School of Law Seeks Director of Trial Advocacy.
00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:03.519
And I think a lot of people, when they got that email, including me, thought, I think Dominique has that job.
00:14:03.759 --> 00:14:07.519
And the email says that the school is looking for a director of trial advocacy.
00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:12.559
It said it might be tenured or might not be tenured, might be a contract uh deal, may not be.
00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:13.840
Did you draft that email?
00:14:14.000 --> 00:14:15.440
No, I did not draft that email.
00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:16.879
Did you know it was coming out?
00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:19.440
I had no idea it was going out at all.
00:14:19.679 --> 00:14:26.000
So when did you find out that McGeorge was advertising for a director of trial advocacy position while you were already McGeorge?
00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:30.799
Uh the first time I found out about it was before that was on the listserv.
00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:37.279
Someone had texted me that it popped up on LinkedIn, but I never heard that the job posting was going out.
00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:42.080
I never knew it was going on the listserv, and I never actually received notice about the application.
00:14:42.399 --> 00:14:49.279
How does the position that's described in the email and that's been posted publicly compare to the one that you currently have already?
00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:54.240
I would imagine that the person fulfilling that role would be doing the job that I'm doing right now.
00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:59.840
So, what was your reaction when you found out that McGeorge was posting this this job?
00:15:00.159 --> 00:15:01.360
Well, curious.
00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:02.639
I was curious about it.
00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:14.080
What I really want to say is actually some of the the real TLDR is uh last year I served as this interim director, and um this year they did not renew that stipend.
00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:15.519
So I was actually curious.
00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:19.440
Like I'm not technically a I don't have a contract as an associate director right now.
00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:21.840
I don't have a contract as a director in their eyes.
00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:27.919
And so I think what happened in July when my interim stipend ended, they were like, well, we'll just let her keep doing the job.
00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:32.000
She's stupid enough to do it, and um, we'll just hire someone else.
00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:34.559
So I'm not getting paid an interim stipend this year.
00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:38.960
So I do think it's a bit of a misrepresentation for me to say it's my job.
00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:42.559
I think it's an accurate representation to say I am doing the job.
00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:43.759
I think that's what you said, right?
00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:44.879
Yeah, that is what I said.
00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:47.759
Okay, curious sounds like a muted answer.
00:15:47.840 --> 00:15:48.639
Is that fair?
00:15:48.879 --> 00:15:49.840
It is fair.
00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:51.759
It is fair.
00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:54.240
I mean, how could you not be upset when you saw that?
00:15:54.399 --> 00:15:58.000
You know, um, in general, I am focused on the work.
00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:01.200
And anybody in our community will tell you I'm good for politicking.
00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:06.000
And I know that is a stump speech, and that is a good answer, but it is the right answer and it's the true answer.
00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:07.600
You know, I have a lot of work to do.
00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:14.320
Um, we have ethics coming, we have other things going on, and um I'm really committed to the students in that program.
00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:24.639
There have been lots of changes, you know, there have been lots of different people at the top, and that might be reflective of other focuses, but mine is on the team and the students in my class.
00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:30.799
When you say change the top, you mean Jay and Carrie, then Annie, then Reza, then you, and now Simone.
00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:31.440
Yes.
00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:35.600
And that's that's all within about a what six-year period, seven-year period?
00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:36.080
Yeah.
00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:38.159
So that email was sent in July.
00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:41.120
What, if anything, can you tell us about what's happening now?
00:16:41.440 --> 00:16:44.879
Um, I have no clue in terms of um the administration.
00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:52.159
I haven't been brought into the loop in any of um the happenings, but in terms of the team, uh, a busy competition season.
00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:54.399
Can I ask, did you apply for the role?
00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:56.960
Uh no, I did not submit an application.
00:16:57.279 --> 00:16:59.919
Dominique, I don't think any of the questions are a surprise.
00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:03.840
You and I chatted before you came on, and I I'd asked you if uh if you want to come on.
00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:05.279
I thought it'd be a great idea.
00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:07.039
And you thought so too.
00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:07.680
Why?
00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:09.920
What was it that you wanted people to know?
00:17:10.400 --> 00:17:17.039
Well, like I see my own life as a reflection of the whole system of advocacy.
00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:27.680
Like, I've served in so many different roles um as a student, as a director, and all the things like so many of us have, but um as directors, we are also growing professionally.
00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:31.440
We're going from practitioners to learning how to navigate academia.
00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:34.000
And I am learning how to navigate academia.
00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:36.960
And um what I'm going through, it's already public.
00:17:37.200 --> 00:17:38.559
People already wonder.
00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:58.880
And uh if I can shed light and I can support people in navigating programs that make sense for them, roles that make sense for them, being honest about how interview processes look and um the nuance of the institution of academia that is very different than our practice, then I want to do that.
00:17:59.039 --> 00:18:08.480
You know, this summer at the same time that the job posting was put up without me knowing is when Liz Bowles reached out and asked for me to serve as her president-elect in Melee.
00:18:08.559 --> 00:18:19.759
And I thought, well, this is one of those opportunities that I can help light the path for other professionals who want to make the job of teaching advocacy um part of their profession.
00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:26.160
And so I want to fill in the gaps and I want to help people do what they love and make a profession of it.
00:18:26.240 --> 00:18:30.160
And I find myself in an interesting situation and I have to be honest about it.
00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:33.039
It's easier to shed light than to leave people wondering.
00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:40.799
So I think you you raise a good point because a lot of people who join our trial advocacy education community were practitioners.
00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:45.599
I think almost all of us were practitioners before we were full-time faculty or even part-time faculty.
00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:52.480
And the world is very different in academia than it is at law firms or DA's offices or public defenders' offices.
00:18:52.720 --> 00:18:56.079
What advice would you give to people on the administrative side?
00:18:56.319 --> 00:19:02.400
Because we often talk about teaching or coaching or running a team, but what about dealing with the administration?
00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:08.480
Can you give any concrete advice to people who are just starting out in this world about how to navigate that lesser talked about side?
00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:21.920
Well, I think the first thing to remember is that most of us as practitioners come in as coaches with some shared experience as a law student and you just you love it and you find all this purpose and all of that is real.
00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:31.839
But when you get into the job, you have to remember you are in a profession with other people who this is their career, and maybe purpose is not the only consideration.
00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:35.759
So you have to now navigate new politics, new priorities.
00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:43.039
You have to understand if your administration's priorities for experiential learning for an advocacy program match yours.
00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:45.920
Do they support coaches in the way that you want to support coaches?
00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:49.119
Do they invest in advocacy in the way that you want to?
00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:51.119
Because if not, you may find tension.
00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:55.440
Um, and I don't think that administrations always know what they're looking for from a program.
00:19:55.680 --> 00:20:05.200
Every time we go to EATS or anytime we go to TAC, anytime we're all together, we discuss that tension of uh our goals and administrative goals.
00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:08.799
And those don't always uh land at the same place.
00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:12.640
And uh so my goal is to help people
continue to navigate that.
00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:17.519
And the first thing is really understanding the institution that you're applying to.
00:20:17.680 --> 00:20:19.759
What are their goals for your job?
00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:22.319
You may have an understanding and theirs may be different.
00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:25.039
And it will help you decide: is this the program for me?
00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:26.400
Is this the school for me?
00:20:26.640 --> 00:20:32.640
Um my understanding is there's some institutions who see uh our roles as faculty roles.
00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:35.680
There are some schools who will never see our roles as faculty roles.
00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:36.640
And you gotta know that.
00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:38.720
And you have to know where your own goals are.
00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:41.839
Do you intend to continue practicing while doing this job?
00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:45.200
Do you intend on growing as a professor and doing this job?
00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:52.559
Do you want to take on and adopt this particular administration's um goals for their school and the institution?
00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:54.480
Do they align with your values?
00:20:54.799 --> 00:21:07.440
Are you, do you have the same conviction uh to withstand whatever is being thrown at you and being willing to uh represent that um, those goals, your administration's decisions?
00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:10.480
Can you stand beside those and adopt them as your own?
00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:18.240
And that's a different, you know, I was a bright-eyed former coach when I first started in academia, and I had no idea what I was in for.
00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:22.640
And I've had to make lots of decisions um with my conviction first.
00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:24.079
And that's not always easy.
00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:36.000
And I I know that I can politic or I can make things sound graceful, but the intersection of this really good purpose work we do as coaches, turn directors, um, it affects our careers too.
00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:37.279
And we gotta be wise about it.
00:21:37.359 --> 00:21:44.319
And those are some of the things I hope I can um continue to shine a light on and help those doing the good work do it really well.
00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:52.960
I think one thing that's hard about people in our profession is the lack of mobility that's available in in the job.
00:21:53.119 --> 00:22:09.680
For example, if you're working at, say, a civil law firm in a mid sized or large city and you don't love the way you're Being treated, it's really easy to go across town or across the street because there's multiple civil law firms, often lots of civil law firms, and they probably have the kind of practice that you have.
00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:17.920
But if you are somebody who wants to make a career and a life out of teaching advocacy skills at a law school, there's often not another job in town.
00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:20.720
Not every school has these full-time opportunities.
00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:23.359
And those that do, people often stay there for a while.
00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:31.680
And you might be in a situation where if you want to switch uh schools, it requires uplifting uh your your whole life, right?
00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:34.640
Moving to another city, another state, maybe across the country.
00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:38.000
I mean, you moved from Texas to Northern California.
00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:47.920
Um I think it speaks to how much people want these jobs, but also when they're there, it it can be tough to deal with challenges because you don't have a lot of leverage.
00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:48.960
It's so true.
00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:57.359
Um, and such a there's there's such a disconnect in the changing of the profession, the changing of education, uh, our industry in general.
00:22:57.519 --> 00:23:01.599
Um, and those are sacrifices that you have to consider, you know.
00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:05.359
I ask myself, you know, people were so surprised when I left Texas.
00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:13.519
And I was very um, I was very quiet about it because I was very sad to leave my students, very sad to leave my alma mater.
00:23:13.839 --> 00:23:19.440
And I couldn't, I couldn't take the uh, I couldn't take however other people would feel about it, right?
00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:22.160
So I just left very quietly, just moved across the country.
00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:24.240
And uh since then it's all been wonderful.
00:23:24.400 --> 00:23:28.319
And all of my former students, they'd see me at competitions and it's all love.
00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:30.880
Um, but it's a tough sacrifice.
00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:41.440
Um, but our roles as advocacy directors, even more so I think, than other professors, perhaps I'm biased, is we are in the wings of really helping people professionally develop.
00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:47.920
You know, I've had students who um we deal with the hard stuff, discrimination at work, discrimination by judges.
00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:51.200
Um, how do you handle a boss who's harassing you?
00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:57.759
You know, we tend to get that, we're that thread from law school to helping you navigate the career.
00:23:58.000 --> 00:24:02.559
And um, so I find my own experience mirroring where they're gonna be.
00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:06.799
You know, I look at my students and I say, I'm calling you from 15 years from now.
00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:13.039
You know, this I am your future, you know, and uh I I want to help you navigate it as best as possible.
00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:15.920
And my hope is that with Nayle, I can do the same.
00:24:16.079 --> 00:24:27.920
So, you know, I'm asking lots of questions, learning what people find interesting about it, um, or about the the the uh teaching of advocacy, what they want to see, how we can help people do it better.
00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:31.119
Um, because sometimes, you know, it's a different path.
00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:34.319
Academia
is a totally different path than the practice of law.
00:24:34.640 --> 00:24:40.079
And uh I want to make it easier for those who want to do that to get to do it and to help our students.
00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:45.680
You've only got two years, you know, you've only got so long with them before they're right out and we throw them out into the wild.
00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:48.960
So I don't like to waste that time and I don't like to squander it.
00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:55.440
And I've had to make hard choices in my life to make sure I can do my work exactly as I am intended to do it.
00:24:55.839 --> 00:24:58.559
I want to talk about uh one of your colleagues.
00:24:58.640 --> 00:25:00.960
Uh, tell everybody who joined the school this year.
00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:05.680
Oh, I have the pleasure of working with Simone Lighty, who is helping lead the program this year.
00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:06.960
And who is Simone?
00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:09.519
Simone is a graduate of McGeorge.
00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:12.799
She is a two-time Top Gun advocate.
00:25:12.960 --> 00:25:16.400
She went her 2L year and she wanted her 3L year.
00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:24.160
Um, and she just represents uh that student who you know early on is meant to help lead a program.
00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:32.480
Um, I certainly didn't have the chops that Simone did when I was in law school, but in terms of demotion, she certainly uh reminds me of parts of myself in many ways.
00:25:32.960 --> 00:25:36.559
So Simone went from coaching to a full-time role there.
00:25:36.720 --> 00:25:38.480
What is her current position at May George?
00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:42.799
She is a visiting professor and she's teaching a few classes.
00:25:42.880 --> 00:25:50.400
Um, she's helping run the mock trial team and uh host competitions and really is my right hand.
00:25:50.640 --> 00:25:54.240
I love when schools call it visiting professor because she was in Sacramento before.
00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:55.200
She's still in Sacramento.
00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:58.559
I'm not sure it's really a visit, uh, but I but I understand the title.
00:25:59.039 --> 00:26:04.480
So tell us something fun about Simone because every time I see her, she's upbeat, enthusiastic.
00:26:04.559 --> 00:26:09.039
She's got that uh the mentality of somebody who's new at this, and she's like, I just can't get enough.
00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:13.279
Uh, tell us something non-mock trial or trial ad related about Simone.
00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:15.680
Harry Potter nerd, huge Harry Potter nerd.
00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:16.799
We share that.
00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:19.759
Um and she's getting married tomorrow.
00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:23.599
So at the time of this, she's not married, but she will be married.
00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:31.680
Um, but is a huge Harry Potter nerd and um has little things all around her office, little Funko pops and stuff.
00:26:31.920 --> 00:26:33.839
When I saw her at first chair, I asked her a question.
00:26:33.920
--> 00:26:35.759
I think I knew the answer before she before she gave it.
00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:40.799
I said, Are you getting are you doing your honeymoon uh right after the wedding in the middle of semester, or are you gonna wait till the end of the semester?
00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:46.799
And of course the answer is at the end of the semester, probably, probably at the end of competition season altogether.
00:26:47.039 --> 00:26:47.279
Right.
00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:50.480
She's not gonna get uh get married in the middle of of tournament season.
00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:55.359
Um, but I understand that her her fiance, soon to be husband, has a similar competition schedule.
00:26:55.599 --> 00:27:08.880
Yes, and I think that's really probably if I had to give anyone a good marriage advice, it'd probably be find someone who has uh an equally challenging competition season schedule so that you can just take your vacations at an obscure time.
00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:10.880
I I I like that that's very specific advice.
00:27:11.039 --> 00:27:13.440
Usually people say, you know, find somebody who's a good communicator.
00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:15.839
And you said find someone who has a similar competition schedule.
00:27:16.240 --> 00:27:19.279
It's very very niche marriage advice.
00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:24.240
We were leaving first chair, and the students said, So uh do you have everything you need for your wedding?
00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:25.599
She's like, I haven't thought about that yet.
00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:27.599
I gotta get the competition.
00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:29.200
So let's talk about Nele.
00:27:29.759 --> 00:27:31.680
Um, when do you become president of Nele?
00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:33.759
One step at a time, Justin.
00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:35.039
One step at a time.
00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:46.079
Uh over the summer, uh, you know, Liz Bowles and the rest of the team asked if I would um consider joining uh the board, the executive board as president-elect this year.
00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:48.319
And so I gracefully said yes.
00:27:48.400 --> 00:27:50.799
And I'm so gracious and excited to work with them.
00:27:50.960 --> 00:27:52.480
So we're gonna take it one year at a time.
00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:52.880
Okay.
00:27:52.960 --> 00:27:54.960
Well, then let's do this this first year.
00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:57.759
Uh tell me about your your campaign for president.
00:27:57.839 --> 00:28:00.880
Uh, what what were what were your what was your campaign slogan?
00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:06.480
So I to really to answer that question, I I want to go back to Eats June.
00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:08.240
We're all in Florida.
00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:10.559
And I actually asked Liz Bowles that question.
00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:12.720
I said, how did you how did you get on the board?
00:28:12.799 --> 00:28:15.440
She said, a moment of weakness and they got me.
00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:20.079
And so I think I would say the same, a moment of weakness and they got me.
00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:25.359
Um, no, but for real, uh, when Liz reached out, I thought to myself, first answer was absolutely not.
00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:30.880
Um, but then I thought everything that I've done in our advocacy world, it's because somebody saw it in me before I saw it in myself.
00:28:31.039 --> 00:28:35.759
Going to South Texas, coming to McGeorge, uh, joining Nayle, joining Nita.
00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:39.680
And so sometimes people can see your gifts that you don't always necessarily see in yourself.
00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:48.640
And uh, so yeah, I I didn't have a campaign, but I'm excited to join and add some value to other programs and and help people do what they do better.
00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:52.160
So in the interim, are you vice president?
00:28:52.240 --> 00:29:01.279
Like, you know, if if Liz Bowles uh is is you know stuck writing uh larvae articles and unable to fulfill her job as president of Melee.
00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:02.640
Uh, do you get sworn in?
00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:03.440
How does that work?
00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:05.839
You can send all your complaints to me at that point.
00:29:05.920 --> 00:29:06.160
Yes.
00:29:06.319 --> 00:29:09.039
You can send all of your complaints to me.
00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:14.559
And if they're NTC related, I'm just going to send them straight over to Tim Adams so that everyone can beat him up.
00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:19.359
But I I would be the honorary uh punching bag if Liz Bowles was not around.
00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:19.680
Yes.
00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:20.240
Okay.
00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:24.799
I'll I'll pause the teasing on Nayle and ask you this.
00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:26.960
In less than a year, you will be president.
00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:28.480
What are your goals?
00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:31.599
Concrete, tangible things you'd like to do during your term?
00:29:31.920 --> 00:29:34.799
Well, I want to get through what Liz's goals are first.
00:29:35.039 --> 00:29:42.880
And, you know, it's to bring real value to my goal, I can tell you right now, is to bring new value to new members and new directors.
00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:47.839
Uh, at Eats this year, we had a ton of people who were first-time participants.
00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:53.119
And I think that says so much about the change of guard that's happening at a lot of schools.
00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:58.960
Um there are newer people who are getting roles as professors, new people who are getting roles as directors.
00:29:59.279 --> 00:30:06.319
And I see it like there's we all love the magical moment at competition where you get to see your students do the bright and shiny thing.
00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:08.880
Um, but it takes so much work to get there.
00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:14.960
And so, how to build a program, how to deal with coaches effectively, how to train coaches up.
00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:20.240
Um, what are some of the back end things that we can do to help people run their program well, right?
00:30:20.319 --> 00:30:31.759
Like the moment of competition is the magical moment that there were so many hours that took in the background, whether it's competition hosting as someone who's bringing the learning experience.
00:30:31.920 --> 00:30:45.440
Um, I'm concerned about having um ballots that make sense, helping those who run competitions that maybe aren't as popular, how we can help them um have best practices in their competitions.
00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:54.880
I know there are a lot of student-run competitions that people run away from or stray from because we know that if it's not a Justin Bernstein competition, it's not gonna be run as well.
00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:55.279
You know?
00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:57.279
Wow, flattery will get you everywhere.
00:30:57.599 --> 00:31:00.240
Flattery will get you so far, but it's true.
00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:09.599
Like there's a there's an honest um conundrum that you you're you're faced with as a director when you look at your limited budget and you think, where am I gonna send my students?
00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:15.920
And you want to send them to a competition that you know is run well, that the case file is balanced, that there's gonna be judges.
00:31:16.160 --> 00:31:29.200
And I hope to take my time in Nayla and on the competition side, maybe help those who don't have competitions that have as well of a you know, running machine, make those competitions better to create more access.
00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:42.640
Those who want to have their own intramural competitions, maybe your budget is more constrained and you need more opportunities, you know, um, alternatively uh creating some more social opportunities for us to just ask questions.
00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:58.960
So myself and the other vice presidents are testing right now what level of frequency we would want to have meetings where people can just log in and get advice, um, kind of have those brainstorming sessions like we have at the beginning of EATS in the mornings, where you can just kind of workshop issues.
00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:06.240
Um, there's so many people who have helped me uh through running competitions or dealing with different things that have arisen.
00:32:06.400 --> 00:32:20.559
And so creating a space where people can do that more often at the right frequency and um create better learning opportunities for their students and maybe take some ease off of new directors is something I'm really focused on.
00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:21.759
I think it just helps.
00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:24.880
In addition to Nayle, I know you're really involved with Nita.
00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:26.480
What are you doing with Nita these days?
00:32:26.799 --> 00:32:33.680
With Nita, I uh I had the pleasure of serving as faculty for so many cool programs, going to San Diego.
00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:45.200
Um just did some public service programs in Atlanta where we got to serve, I think, over 100 attorneys and offer totally free services to people across public interest.
00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:55.279
Um there's a public interest international program that I get the honor to serve as faculty for in November, and that's in South Africa, and it focuses on human rights and strategic litigation.
00:32:55.599 --> 00:33:10.000
Um and so I'm just Nita gives me the opportunity to explore where the things that we teach at the law school level, where they continue to grow, where we continue to have more need, how what we do makes sense in the grand scheme of practice.
00:33:10.160 --> 00:33:10.960
And I just love it.
00:33:11.200 --> 00:33:12.319
I'm having so much fun.
00:33:12.559 --> 00:33:24.480
One of the coolest things I think about you taking over as the next president of ETH next year, I know you don't want to get ahead of yourself, but when you're the next president, you'll be coming in with a background in moot and mock, right?
00:33:24.559 --> 00:33:33.279
You were the uh moot court appellate director at South Texas, you're now the trial director at McGeorge, and Nele covers both and ADR.
00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:38.559
I don't really know what alternative dispute resolution is, except I want the disputes because otherwise I've been on trials.
00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:42.480
But you have a really uh varied and deep background.
00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:47.279
How do you see those two groups, moot and mock, coming together under Nele?
00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:51.359
Or do you really see them as two separate things with different sets of goals?
00:33:51.599 --> 00:33:53.599
I think they share the same goals.
00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:55.440
They highlight different skills.
00:33:55.680 --> 00:34:06.960
And so where I see the value is um helping on the moot court side, doing the mock trial side is we're all developing trial, we're all developing skills that lawyers should have with their clients.
00:34:07.039 --> 00:34:10.239
The ability to answer questions, the ability to put on a case.
00:34:10.320 --> 00:34:16.079
Uh, where I see the value is in helping people create the system for someone to develop those skills.
00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:20.559
Like I don't, I'm not the most skilled and experienced lawyer in the world.
00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:22.880
And I don't think that any of us are as good coaches.
00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:27.599
But as a good coach, you are imparting skills, learning how to be a good educator.
00:34:27.760 --> 00:34:41.119
So where I see my sweet spot in having done both is recognizing the form and the job that you need in Moot Court, some of those background skills and how those look different in each, but helping people build systems.
00:34:41.280 --> 00:34:46.719
Like every practitioner is coming in with their skills of how to be responsive, how to be compelling.
00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:48.719
But do you know how to get coaches?
00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:50.639
Do you know how to ensure that they stay?
00:34:50.800 --> 00:34:55.920
Do you know how to build out a good tryout
system, not burn yourself out?
00:34:56.079 --> 00:35:00.559
If you've got a little budget, do you know how to create learning opportunities for your students?
00:35:00.719 --> 00:35:04.079
So to me, it's much more about the ecosystem of what advocacy is.
00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:09.440
There's skill development, which is one portion, then there is the program and your foundation.
00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:11.519
How do you make money for your program?
00:35:11.760 --> 00:35:13.760
How do you uh raise funds?
00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:15.280
How do you retain people?
00:35:15.440 --> 00:35:18.400
How do you get your alumni engaged and staying around?
00:35:18.559 --> 00:35:20.239
What is the identity of your school?
00:35:20.400 --> 00:35:23.360
And those are questions that I have learned to ask more, right?
00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:25.519
What is it that your goal is for your school?
00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:30.320
Um, at Eats, I got to talk about breaking into academia, but that's an important question, right?
00:35:30.400 --> 00:35:36.559
As we all transition into these different parts of our careers as educators, do you know what kind of program you're getting into?
00:35:36.719 --> 00:35:39.760
Does it align with you and can you drive those goals forward?
00:35:39.840 --> 00:35:41.840
Um, and does your school understand the difference?
00:35:42.000 --> 00:35:45.679
Does your school want just championships and want the best of the best?
00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:48.880
Or do you have impact in the community that you're in, right?
00:35:48.960 --> 00:35:51.840
Like I think about where McGeorge is strategically placed, right?
00:35:52.000 --> 00:35:54.000
Between here and LA, it's just farmland.
00:35:54.079 --> 00:35:55.679
There aren't a lot of accredited law schools.
00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:56.800
Like, what's your goal?
00:35:56.960 --> 00:35:59.920
Is it to impact and make trial-ready attorneys?
00:36:00.000 --> 00:36:02.320
Um, but then how do we create the system to do all of that?
00:36:02.400 --> 00:36:13.440
So my hope in Nayle is to help directors and help coaches have solid systems to have the magical moments of a great competition or to win a championship.
00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:15.920
I think people miss the administrative side.
00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:18.559
And I have the benefit of being raised by Haley Stenhouse.
00:36:18.639 --> 00:36:25.360
And anyone who has ever gotten an email from Haley knows that that woman is so methodical and so organized.
00:36:25.679 --> 00:36:40.480
And it's she's really opened my mind and over the years, I think trained me to understand all of that background stuff has to be done well for your students to have a really good outcome in their competitions and for your coaches to appreciate it too.
00:36:40.800 --> 00:36:42.400
I want to ask you about one more thing.
00:36:42.480 --> 00:36:51.119
Um, if folks want to hear your voice even more after they listen to this episode, I understand they're soon gonna have a new way to do that uh on FM radio.
00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:53.840
Yes, uh, I'm working on a radio show.
00:36:53.920 --> 00:36:55.440
I will send the details out later.
00:36:55.519 --> 00:36:59.360
Uh, we're still in the process of negotiating, figuring out the frequency.
00:36:59.519 --> 00:37:08.559
But I think I'm gonna have a five o'clock hour uh once a week uh here in Sacramento on FM radio, deciding and figuring out how to stream that online.
00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:12.239
But yeah, Justin, I want to, I want to talk, I want to yap.
00:37:12.400 --> 00:37:21.599
And um the same way we teach students to translate complex ideas, I do seek to motivate students and and anybody uh to hear a different perspective.
00:37:21.760 --> 00:37:28.159
You know, I like laughing, I like to cuss a little, uh, I like to have fun, and uh, I miss radio.
00:37:28.239 --> 00:37:33.199
And uh I'm super excited to get back on air and you know, talk a little shit.
00:37:33.440 --> 00:37:34.559
Uh I love it.
00:37:34.639 --> 00:37:37.440
Um that's a little vague, so I wouldn't be doing my job.
00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:40.400
Well, no, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't ask some follow-ups.
00:37:40.480 --> 00:37:41.840
We'll see if I can get some answers.
00:37:42.000 --> 00:37:45.119
Uh, what is the name of your upcoming show?
00:37:45.360 --> 00:37:46.639
Oh, I can't share that yet.
00:37:48.400 --> 00:37:50.960
You said we, who are your co-hosts?
00:37:51.199 --> 00:37:54.480
Uh, I have two co-hosts that are here in Sacramento.
00:37:54.639 --> 00:37:57.679
Um, one is an attorney, one is not.
00:37:57.920 --> 00:38:01.920
Um, so yeah, I I'll I'll let us reveal ourselves later.
00:38:02.159 --> 00:38:02.320
Okay.
00:38:02.480 --> 00:38:05.360
What would you say is the topic of your upcoming show?
00:38:05.679 --> 00:38:11.119
Oh, you know, I'm at the intersection of law, culture, politics, economics.
00:38:11.280 --> 00:38:21.679
Um, in all seriousness, uh, I think about my job, and this is not a question that you asked, but uh, this young man right here on this cover is is someone I'll be working with on the pod.
00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:25.679
But I think about my job as a professor, and I think about where I find myself now.
00:38:25.760 --> 00:38:27.519
And I'm like, wow, how did I get here?
00:38:27.679 --> 00:38:33.840
How did I, how did I end up in this role where um people can, it's so far from practicing law.
00:38:34.000 --> 00:38:42.559
And I think about the role as a professor, particularly in the realm of advocacy, as one that also needs to continue to share and translate ideas.
00:38:42.800 --> 00:38:53.280
And um, I've got lots of those really dense topics that I seek to make fun, to make interesting, and to keep people uh awake and conscious to what is going on around us.
00:38:53.519 --> 00:38:58.960
Um at the five o'clock hour, which is my challenge, just like we tell students, can you say interesting?
00:38:59.199 --> 00:39:01.679
Can you say
things in a way that people understand?
00:39:01.840 --> 00:39:04.719
And that is the translating that um I'm gonna try to do.
00:39:04.880 --> 00:39:05.760
You'll see.
00:39:06.159 --> 00:39:12.639
So when the unnamed podcast comes out, um, will there be an email on the listserv letting us all know?
00:39:14.239 --> 00:39:16.960
And this and this time, will you be the one sending it?
00:39:17.280 --> 00:39:18.480
Woo boy.
00:39:18.719 --> 00:39:20.159
Um you know what?
00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:23.039
When I start my radio show, I will drop it in the listserv.
00:39:23.199 --> 00:39:24.239
I'll be happy to do that.
00:39:24.480 --> 00:39:24.880
Awesome.
00:39:25.119 --> 00:39:26.559
Dominique, thanks for coming back on.
00:39:26.639 --> 00:39:27.199
We appreciate it.
00:39:27.280 --> 00:39:28.079
It's always good to chat.
00:39:28.480 --> 00:39:29.440
Always good to chat.
00:39:29.519 --> 00:39:30.719
Thank you for having me, Justin.
00:39:35.440 --> 00:39:41.199
We'll have to make a little surprise for you here, a guy who is uh not new to the podcast, been around a few times.
00:39:41.360 --> 00:39:42.480
Perhaps you've heard of him.
00:39:42.559 --> 00:39:44.559
Uh Jared Rosenblatt from Hopstra.
00:39:44.800 --> 00:39:46.639
Oh my gosh, it's an amazing surprise.
00:39:46.880 --> 00:39:49.440
I had no idea from the calendar invite I sent.
00:39:52.320 --> 00:39:53.199
Love him, Jared.
00:39:53.280 --> 00:39:53.599
I love him.
00:39:53.679 --> 00:39:54.559
Here's Jared.
00:40:00.000 --> 00:40:02.159
Welcome back to the show, Hopstra is Jared Rosenblatt.
00:40:02.320 --> 00:40:02.639
Welcome here.
00:40:02.800 --> 00:40:03.519
Thanks for having me.
00:40:03.760 --> 00:40:04.960
It's great to have you on, Jared.
00:40:05.039 --> 00:40:07.360
Uh, before we started, I asked if you had anything to complain about.
00:40:07.440 --> 00:40:09.679
And you said no, which disappointed me.
00:40:09.760 --> 00:40:11.840
And so I said, well, could you complain about something?
00:40:11.920 --> 00:40:13.039
And then we clicked record.
00:40:13.119 --> 00:40:14.079
So what do you got?
00:40:14.320 --> 00:40:16.880
You said, would you rec complain about something?
00:40:16.960 --> 00:40:18.000
And I said, sure.
00:40:18.639 --> 00:40:19.519
Great, let's go.
00:40:19.679 --> 00:40:20.800
So here's my complaint.
00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:23.760
I I got conned into buying these new eyeglasses.
00:40:23.840 --> 00:40:28.159
And the new eyeglasses turn, uh, they darken when you're outside.
00:40:28.239 --> 00:40:29.840
But my view is of the window.
00:40:29.920 --> 00:40:33.760
So when I stare at Zoom, it appears that I'm Stevie Wonder.
00:40:33.920 --> 00:40:38.719
So now every time I do a zoom, I have to switch my freaking glasses so I don't look like an idiot.
00:40:38.960 --> 00:40:39.440
That's pretty good.
00:40:39.519 --> 00:40:40.239
That's a good one.
00:40:40.400 --> 00:40:41.039
That is good.
00:40:41.280 --> 00:40:42.079
That's my complaint.
00:40:42.400 --> 00:40:44.000
It's not because we're getting older though, right?
00:40:44.079 --> 00:40:47.440
That it's it's just this is a separate eye thing, has nothing to do with aging, I'm assuming.
00:40:47.760 --> 00:40:48.480
No, no, no.
00:40:48.800 --> 00:40:51.840
And I and I went into the appointment not wanting these.
00:40:55.679 --> 00:40:58.800
Yes, and now that you have them, you still don't want them.
00:40:59.119 --> 00:41:00.079
No, I don't.
00:41:00.159 --> 00:41:01.920
I don't want them anymore.
00:41:03.360 --> 00:41:08.320
Well, Jared, uh condolence in the glasses, but congrats on the start of the season.
00:41:08.400 --> 00:41:09.360
You guys have been excellent.
00:41:09.440 --> 00:41:17.280
Um, and I think even stronger than it might look on paper because you guys were fifth at first chair, just missed the break, fifth at Battle of the Experts, just missed the break.
00:41:17.360 --> 00:41:22.559
And this past weekend your team was a regional finalist, you lost two to one against a previously undefeated Drexel team.
00:41:22.639 --> 00:41:24.559
Uh so congrats on a great start to the fall.
00:41:24.800 --> 00:41:25.280
Thank you.
00:41:25.440 --> 00:41:32.639
Uh it's unfortunate we're not playing horseshoes or hand grenades because we are close and uh didn't really end up with anything.
00:41:32.800 --> 00:41:38.559
But the the students have have been great and their work over the summer uh is showing in their results.
00:41:38.880 --> 00:41:43.360
Do you tell them, guys, it's not about the Gavel rankings, it's about improvement in education.
00:41:43.679 --> 00:41:45.440
Uh twice a day.
00:41:46.320 --> 00:41:51.760
Are you forced to say that according to some like personal consent decree or some therapy goal or something?
00:41:52.639 --> 00:41:57.360
Yeah, I've I've uh if you notice behind me are books on self-improvement.
00:41:57.519 --> 00:41:59.360
So um I see I see bubbles.
00:41:59.599 --> 00:42:01.039
All their heads are bobbling.
00:42:02.320 --> 00:42:03.679
They're shaking their head no.
00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:04.800
I see yeses.
00:42:04.880 --> 00:42:06.880
I think it's affirmation myself.
00:42:07.519 --> 00:42:11.840
Every time I walk by, half for shaking yes and half for shaking no.
00:42:12.239 --> 00:42:13.840
Maybe it's the glasses.
00:42:14.400 --> 00:42:15.280
They don't like it.
00:42:15.840 --> 00:42:16.159
All right.
00:42:16.239 --> 00:42:18.800
You're hosting Tournament of Champions next weekend.
00:42:18.960 --> 00:42:20.400
You volunteered to do it.
00:42:20.559 --> 00:42:21.039
Why?
00:42:21.360 --> 00:42:24.079
Well, volunteered is an interesting choice of words.
00:42:24.320 --> 00:42:33.840
I uh I was told that uh the winners were looking for alternative uh locations, and I was willing to do that.
00:42:34.079 --> 00:42:36.559
I think it's a good opportunity to showcase the school.
00:42:36.719 --> 00:42:43.519
Um, we're looking forward to have everybody on Long Island and eat some good Italian food
and and have some good trials.
00:42:43.760 --> 00:42:47.599
Uh speaking of the Italian food, I've heard from people who've been to your competitions in person.
00:42:47.679 --> 00:42:51.280
We've only been online, that you go to Borelli's, a great Italian restaurant.
00:42:51.360 --> 00:42:52.480
Uh, what should I order?
00:42:52.559 --> 00:42:54.320
Or is this sort of like a family style situation?
00:42:54.400 --> 00:42:57.679
Tell me what I need to know because I'm gonna spend most of my time preparing for that meal.
00:42:58.000 --> 00:42:59.199
The answer is yes.
00:42:59.360 --> 00:43:02.559
Um it is it is a buffet, come hungry.
00:43:02.639 --> 00:43:09.360
They'll bring you whatever you want uh in addition to the buffet as well, if you let them know that uh you're friends with Frank.
00:43:09.599 --> 00:43:13.360
And the the the food's great.
00:43:13.440 --> 00:43:17.920
Uh it's uh they put a hundred people in a room meant for 80.
00:43:18.000 --> 00:43:19.039
So it is warm.
00:43:19.199 --> 00:43:19.440
Perfect.
00:43:19.679 --> 00:43:21.599
It is sweaty, but the food is delicious.
00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:24.239
Is Frank the owner or is he just a guy you know?
00:43:24.719 --> 00:43:25.280
I know Frank.
00:43:25.360 --> 00:43:26.639
All right, I don't know questions, okay?
00:43:26.800 --> 00:43:27.440
Just know him, right?
00:43:27.840 --> 00:43:29.199
You'll have to find out.
00:43:29.920 --> 00:43:33.599
You can tell by the the facial expression of the person you tell.
00:43:34.800 --> 00:43:36.480
But we're looking forward to having everybody.
00:43:36.559 --> 00:43:37.119
It's gonna be good.
00:43:37.199 --> 00:43:41.679
We have a lot of evaluators um signed up, and I hope they all attend.
00:43:42.639 --> 00:43:43.840
I'm not gonna vote for you.
00:43:44.000 --> 00:43:46.079
Um all right, well, let's talk about Gavel rankings.
00:43:46.159 --> 00:43:48.880
Uh, what's new this year with the uh ranking system?
00:43:49.199 --> 00:43:53.840
So for the first time, we invited everybody in the community who was interested to vote.
00:43:54.079 --> 00:44:06.880
Uh we asked everyone to if they were willing to vote, um, that the only caveat is That we would share at some point the tournaments that they voted to be the ones that they prefer.
00:44:06.960 --> 00:44:19.280
Uh, I I use that language, the ones that they prefer, because this year, rather than just say what's the tour toughest tournament to win, we offered three different options uh strength of field, quality of the tournament, and prestige.
00:44:19.440 --> 00:44:29.599
And based on those rankings of all of the tournaments held throughout the country, we compiled a list for which the formula we will not disclose because it wouldn't be Gavel rankings if we told you how we made it.
00:44:29.760 --> 00:44:30.159
Of course not.
00:44:30.559 --> 00:44:32.719
And uh and we're gonna unveil that soon.
00:44:32.960 --> 00:44:38.639
So did you notice anything different about the voting now that you've said some of the scores and names are gonna be public?
00:44:38.719 --> 00:44:43.199
I guess the name has always been public, but some of the scores or ranks associated with them will not be.
00:44:43.280 --> 00:44:46.000
So did you notice anything different about the way people voted?
00:44:46.079 --> 00:44:46.719
Or who voted?
00:44:46.960 --> 00:44:53.360
So we had 32 voters this year, um, which was obviously more than anyone that that we had previously.
00:44:53.440 --> 00:44:57.519
Uh we had invited uh, I think at one point 25 different voters.
00:44:57.679 --> 00:44:59.519
Uh 32 people voted.
00:44:59.760 --> 00:45:07.039
Um, some people who previously voted chose not to, whether they ignored my email, which happens often or for some other reason.
00:45:07.119 --> 00:45:07.599
I'm not sure.
00:45:07.840 --> 00:45:09.199
Did anybody try to vote twice?
00:45:09.440 --> 00:45:10.079
Yes.
00:45:10.639 --> 00:45:12.880
Uh do you want to tell us that person's name?
00:45:13.199 --> 00:45:14.800
That assumes that it was only one.
00:45:15.199 --> 00:45:15.519
Okay.
00:45:15.920 --> 00:45:17.599
Do you want to tell us their names?
00:45:17.760 --> 00:45:18.079
No.
00:45:18.239 --> 00:45:18.400
Okay.
00:45:18.480 --> 00:45:19.360
How about off-air?
00:45:19.679 --> 00:45:19.920
Yes.
00:45:20.079 --> 00:45:20.960
Okay, excellent.
00:45:21.199 --> 00:45:22.000
I just love it.
00:45:22.159 --> 00:45:23.119
This will be public.
00:45:23.519 --> 00:45:25.519
Uh I'll vote twice.
00:45:26.079 --> 00:45:26.239
Yeah.
00:45:26.559 --> 00:45:27.599
People are very forgetful.
00:45:28.000 --> 00:45:30.719
Were there were their votes the same both both times they voted?
00:45:30.880 --> 00:45:31.920
No, they weren't.
00:45:32.239 --> 00:45:32.800
Incredible.
00:45:32.960 --> 00:45:33.440
Incredible.
00:45:33.519 --> 00:45:34.800
Uh okay, it could be forgetfulness.
00:45:34.880 --> 00:45:36.159
I'll and I'll add this.
00:45:36.320 --> 00:45:38.320
You wouldn't be surprised either.
00:45:40.239 --> 00:45:41.119
Spencer.
00:45:42.639 --> 00:45:47.679
No, I the only reason I know I wouldn't have voted twice is I would have deleted the email after I had dealt with it.
00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:50.079
So I don't think I did it twice uh myself.
00:45:50.320 --> 00:45:51.199
Did Spencer vote once?
00:45:51.360 --> 00:45:51.599
I did.
00:45:52.239 --> 00:45:52.559
Oh, nice.
00:45:52.719 --> 00:45:53.760
Oh, I definitely did.
00:45:54.000 --> 00:45:54.960
Now I'm looking at the list.
00:45:55.119 --> 00:45:55.679
Yes, you did.
00:45:55.760 --> 00:45:56.880
Yeah, you did.
00:45:57.039 --> 00:45:58.000
You were the eighth voter.
00:45:58.239 --> 00:46:00.159
I was the eighth voter and the 12th and 16th.
00:46:02.639 --> 00:46:04.239
Top 10 voter, top 10 talkie.
00:46:04.400 --> 00:46:04.719
I like it.
00:46:04.880 --> 00:46:05.280
There we go.
00:46:05.519 --> 00:46:05.760
Wow.
00:46:05.920 --> 00:46:07.119
What about the deep cut?
00:46:07.199 --> 00:46:07.440
That's good.
00:46:07.599 --> 00:46:09.199
What about the content of their votes?
00:46:09.360 --> 00:46:10.559
Did you notice anything?
00:46:10.639 --> 00:46:13.920
Uh more shenanigans, fewer shenanigans, different shenanigans?
00:46:14.000 --> 00:46:15.039
Tell me about shenanigans.
00:46:15.199 --> 00:46:15.519
Yeah.
00:46:15.679 --> 00:46:18.239
Um, yeah, there's there's always shenanigans.
00:46:18.400 --> 00:46:28.079
I mean, you know, vote vote the the tournament that is strongest in field, and some people choose like the six tournaments they compete in.
00:46:28.159 --> 00:46:28.800
But you know, whatever.
00:46:28.880 --> 00:46:32.159
It's it's gonna be public, so you can analyze it for yourself.
00:46:32.400 --> 00:46:34.159
Um, maybe people forgot.
00:46:34.239 --> 00:46:34.719
I don't know.
00:46:34.800 --> 00:46:41.760
Um, but it's it there is some putting the jokes aside, there's some interesting data that I'm happy to share.
00:46:41.920 --> 00:46:47.519
Uh, that when you vote by both strength, quality, and prestige, you see some interesting things.
00:46:47.840 --> 00:46:48.159
All right.
00:46:48.239 --> 00:46:51.840
Well, I think we're gonna get to that, or we're gonna try to pry as much of that out of you as we can.
00:46:51.920 --> 00:46:54.239
Uh, but remind me, it's been a bit since I was the eighth voter.
00:46:54.320 --> 00:46:55.760
What what were the categories you had on there?
00:46:56.000 --> 00:46:58.880
Strength of field, tournament quality, prestige.
00:46:59.119 --> 00:46:59.760
Okay, got it.
00:46:59.920 --> 00:47:00.880
Three excellent categories.
00:47:01.039 --> 00:47:08.639
Now you're you're gonna release the full data soon, you said, but um wondering if we can get some teasers about which competitions the voters like the most?
00:47:08.880 --> 00:47:09.679
Great question, Spencer.
00:47:09.760 --> 00:47:10.159
Oh, thank you.
00:47:10.239 --> 00:47:13.440
Did I get I kind of executed fair, fair, you know, so so.
00:47:13.920 --> 00:47:17.599
So uh three tournaments were top ten in all.
00:47:17.760 --> 00:47:19.440
Ooh, wait, can we can we guess?
00:47:19.599 --> 00:47:19.840
Sure.
00:47:20.000 --> 00:47:20.559
All right, Spencer.
00:47:20.960 --> 00:47:21.920
This is a great idea.
00:47:22.079 --> 00:47:24.800
Oh, can we stick our foot in our mouth?
00:47:24.880 --> 00:47:25.920
Spencer, go ahead.
00:47:26.719 --> 00:47:28.159
I was gonna say, Spencer, you go first.
00:47:28.719 --> 00:47:29.199
No, you go.
00:47:29.679 --> 00:47:30.719
What do you think the three are?
00:47:30.960 --> 00:47:33.840
Why would I why would I do this?
00:47:34.159 --> 00:47:38.320
Um, well, uh Med Legal, uh, Tournament of Champions.
00:47:38.480 --> 00:47:38.719
Uh-huh.
00:47:39.039 --> 00:47:42.880
Um I'm not playing this game, sir.
00:47:42.960 --> 00:47:43.360
What do you got?
00:47:43.440 --> 00:47:44.960
You're the one who walks into this.
00:47:45.599 --> 00:47:46.320
Okay, all right.
00:47:46.559 --> 00:47:47.440
Med legal's in there.
00:47:47.519 --> 00:47:48.320
That's where it should be.
00:47:48.400 --> 00:47:48.800
I like it.
00:47:49.039 --> 00:47:53.920
After this, why don't you suggest uh to me what do you think are the three lowest?
00:47:54.400 --> 00:47:54.880
Exactly.
00:47:55.039 --> 00:47:56.000
Justin, go ahead.
00:47:56.400 --> 00:48:00.400
Flash the pint.
00:48:02.480 --> 00:48:04.320
Man, this guy prepped today, man.
00:48:04.559 --> 00:48:04.800
Jeez.
00:48:05.199 --> 00:48:05.840
Go on, Jared.
00:48:05.920 --> 00:48:07.760
I'm sorry you were rudely interrupted.
00:48:08.079 --> 00:48:13.599
Top 10 in all three, uh, Top Gun, Battle of the Experts, and Med Legal.
00:48:13.760 --> 00:48:14.159
Congrats.
00:48:14.239 --> 00:48:14.480
Nice.
00:48:14.719 --> 00:48:15.519
Wow, no doubt.
00:48:15.599 --> 00:48:16.000
Congrats.
00:48:16.079 --> 00:48:16.719
That's awesome.
00:48:17.119 --> 00:48:28.639
Um, one interesting caveat about both the 32 voters as well as the information that I have, the highest ranked tournament for quality of the tournament is the verdict.
00:48:28.719 --> 00:48:29.119
Oh, nice.
00:48:29.360 --> 00:48:31.599
Which hasn't which hasn't happened in years.
00:48:31.840 --> 00:48:32.079
Legend.
00:48:32.480 --> 00:48:34.400
So congrats to you, Justin.
00:48:34.880 --> 00:48:36.480
Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
00:48:37.199 --> 00:48:38.159
Will it return?
00:48:38.320 --> 00:48:39.440
Well, I think now we've got to.
00:48:39.519 --> 00:48:40.960
I mean, people have spoken, you know.
00:48:41.039 --> 00:48:42.880
I appreciate the outpouring of support.
00:48:42.960 --> 00:48:44.639
Um, below, that that's really sweet.
00:48:44.800 --> 00:48:45.840
So I guess we've got to bring it back.
00:48:46.000 --> 00:48:47.119
Yeah, it's the people's champion.
00:48:47.280 --> 00:48:47.519
Thank you.
00:48:47.679 --> 00:48:48.880
All right, we want more teasers.
00:48:48.960 --> 00:48:52.239
Usually you'll join us at the end of the semester and announce the top teams of the fall.
00:48:52.480 --> 00:48:55.519
But uh, can we get a little sense of that uh now?
00:48:55.679 --> 00:48:56.719
Anything that you can share?
00:48:56.960 --> 00:48:59.519
You want some some Gavel updates as of now?
00:48:59.840 --> 00:49:01.679
Yeah, if you got anything handy.
00:49:01.920 --> 00:49:02.239
Sure.
00:49:02.480 --> 00:49:06.960
Um Gavel rankings are up to date as of the moment.
00:49:07.199 --> 00:49:09.599
Uh interesting, interesting data.
00:49:09.760 --> 00:49:12.400
75 schools have competed once already.
00:49:12.639 --> 00:49:13.119
Well, it's good.
00:49:13.199 --> 00:49:13.760
It's good fault.
00:49:14.079 --> 00:49:20.880
Which is pretty good considering there's a majority of of the one plus events is AAJ or Tyler.
00:49:20.960 --> 00:49:24.400
So it'll be interesting to see if we get over that 190 number.
00:49:24.559 --> 00:49:29.440
Um, Chapman and Texas Southern, um, sleeper years so far.
00:49:29.599 --> 00:49:37.599
Um, Drexel and
UCLA, not so sleeper years, but they're at the top of our points as of uh October 13th.
00:49:37.840 --> 00:49:38.239
Nice.
00:49:38.480 --> 00:49:39.360
We got something out of it.
00:49:39.440 --> 00:49:39.840
It's great.
00:49:40.079 --> 00:49:48.639
I will say this about the voting because we didn't talk about this, and um I know you guys always warn me to speak less, but I I wanted to point this out because I think it's interesting for a discussion.
00:49:48.960 --> 00:49:56.559
Thailand Nationals, as it relates to the 32 voters, number one in strength, top in prestige, 36th in quality.
00:49:56.719 --> 00:49:58.320
Oh, how many?
00:49:58.480 --> 00:50:00.800
There's high 30s, 40s, 52.
00:50:01.280 --> 00:50:03.920
52 voters, 52 competitions were voted.
00:50:04.159 --> 00:50:05.760
52 competitions, or 53.
00:50:06.000 --> 00:50:07.039
53 were voted.
00:50:07.280 --> 00:50:09.119
AAJ, you want to guess?
00:50:09.280 --> 00:50:09.920
Ooh, okay.
00:50:10.079 --> 00:50:11.519
Uh Spencer.
00:50:12.559 --> 00:50:14.239
Actually, I'm not so worried about if anybody.
00:50:14.400 --> 00:50:15.440
All right, I'm gonna go on a limb.
00:50:15.519 --> 00:50:21.199
I'm gonna say they were higher in prestige and strength of field than they were in quality.
00:50:21.599 --> 00:50:28.480
Uh uh third, third in strength of field, third in prestige, 37th in tournament quality.
00:50:28.719 --> 00:50:29.519
Oh man.
00:50:29.920 --> 00:50:32.800
Maybe we should have a uh a panel at eats about this, you know.
00:50:32.960 --> 00:50:33.599
Yeah, yeah.
00:50:33.760 --> 00:50:35.599
All right, Jared, what do you make of that?
00:50:35.679 --> 00:50:41.519
What what what what do you make of the uh uh the difference in the scores for Tylen AJ?
00:50:41.599 --> 00:50:46.239
So high in in prestige and quality of field and lower in quality of competition.
00:50:46.480 --> 00:50:49.840
I think the 32 voters think the quality of that tournament is poor.
00:50:50.079 --> 00:50:50.880
Analysis.
00:50:51.039 --> 00:50:52.000
I like it.
00:50:52.480 --> 00:50:58.559
Um now, maybe the most important part of Gavel is when you get to needle Adam Schlahead about his TCPR.
00:50:58.639 --> 00:51:02.480
I was gonna say TCPR rankings, but that's like ATM machine, it's just TCPR.
00:51:02.639 --> 00:51:08.000
Uh, you previously purchased Adamshlahead.com and it redirects to your Gavel website.
00:51:08.079 --> 00:51:10.800
Uh, do you have any new humiliations for Adam?
00:51:11.519 --> 00:51:16.000
Yeah, so I want I'm gonna I'm gonna let the community know on a little secret.
00:51:16.239 --> 00:51:21.039
I have I have been on GoDaddy recently.
00:51:21.840 --> 00:51:22.719
Watch yourself.
00:51:23.039 --> 00:51:26.159
Uh I have not purchased these, so they are available.
00:51:26.480 --> 00:51:27.920
Oh, he's making a market right now.
00:51:28.079 --> 00:51:28.559
Okay, good.
00:51:28.639 --> 00:51:28.880
Yeah.
00:51:29.119 --> 00:51:32.559
Uh but I have looked at the following and
I haven't purchased them.
00:51:32.719 --> 00:51:33.679
Are you interested?
00:51:34.000 --> 00:51:35.840
Very cool idea.
00:51:36.079 --> 00:51:38.239
I own adamslaw.com.
00:51:39.519 --> 00:51:40.159
Available.
00:51:40.639 --> 00:51:45.039
Is it i own adamslawhead.com or iownslaatamslawhead.com.com.
00:51:45.199 --> 00:51:46.960
No, I own adamslot.com.
00:51:47.199 --> 00:51:48.639
Because the second one is true right now.
00:51:48.719 --> 00:51:51.920
You do own adamslawhead.com, then you could have the.com.
00:51:52.400 --> 00:51:56.079
I just I didn't look that one up, but I assume that one is also available.
00:51:56.400 --> 00:51:57.360
Okay, go on.
00:51:57.519 --> 00:52:02.000
Um, I also have considered purchasing fordomrankings.com.
00:52:04.559 --> 00:52:09.519
Uh third, uh tcprsucks.com, also available.
00:52:11.280 --> 00:52:19.280
And uh the fourth one, which uh I also pondered was gavelisbetter.com, also available.
00:52:20.320 --> 00:52:24.000
Now, I I want to add this about website name purchasing.
00:52:24.159 --> 00:52:35.440
I have contacted lawyers regarding the issues that I've discussed, and there is a reason why I haven't uh played the following video.
00:52:35.920 --> 00:52:36.559
Oh no.
00:52:36.960 --> 00:52:39.039
Um gotta check our insurance here.
00:52:39.119 --> 00:52:39.519
Let's see.
00:52:39.760 --> 00:52:40.639
Yeah, hold on.
00:52:40.800 --> 00:52:43.440
There's a reason why I haven't played the following video.
00:52:43.519 --> 00:52:51.679
Let me get it back up, because if I publish this uh on adamshlot.com, my lawyers are concerned.
00:52:51.920 --> 00:52:52.800
Oh, just do it here then.
00:52:52.880 --> 00:52:53.840
Oh, you gotta get the audio going.
00:52:54.159 --> 00:52:58.639
Yeah, you gotta do redo it by uh and choose share the audio too when you screen share.
00:52:58.800 --> 00:53:02.159
Um, I will say, whatever this is, it looks like an obvious parody to me.
00:53:02.320 --> 00:53:04.719
Yes, definitely legally protected parody.
00:53:04.880 --> 00:53:07.440
Oh I didn't I didn't I didn't think for a second that was Adam.
00:53:07.679 --> 00:53:08.239
It didn't work?
00:53:08.400 --> 00:53:10.880
No, we we saw the video, but we couldn't see the audio.
00:53:11.199 --> 00:53:14.000
You didn't share the audio, I don't think you couldn't hear the audio, right?
00:53:14.159 --> 00:53:14.320
Right.
00:53:14.480 --> 00:53:16.000
It's probably better with the audio, you know.
00:53:16.159 --> 00:53:16.559
Yeah, right.
00:53:16.880 --> 00:53:18.639
The audio that definitely isn't Adam.
00:53:18.880 --> 00:53:19.440
No, obviously.
00:53:19.840 --> 00:53:23.119
No reason no reasonable viewer or listener could think that that was Adam.
00:53:23.920 --> 00:53:24.079
Exactly.
00:53:24.480 --> 00:53:25.519
Check out Gavel Rankings.
00:53:25.679 --> 00:53:26.159
Oh, here you go.
00:53:26.320 --> 00:53:26.559
Hold on.
00:53:26.800 --> 00:53:27.760
We get we okay, here we go.
00:53:28.000 --> 00:53:30.480
And where
to find the real deal with the rankings that actually make sense.
00:53:30.800 --> 00:53:31.679
Check out Gavel Rankings.
00:53:31.760 --> 00:53:34.880
Go to Gavel Rankings for the best rankings, the best deal regulator.
00:53:35.519 --> 00:53:36.880
Where to find the real deal, yeah.
00:53:37.280 --> 00:53:44.400
That that slendered bearded man from New York looks nothing like Adam, but it's uh reminiscent, so therefore I get the joke.
00:53:44.639 --> 00:53:47.440
I can see it's obviously a joke, it's just a joke.
00:53:47.840 --> 00:53:48.239
Right.
00:53:48.320 --> 00:53:51.679
So I have thought about it's fabulous making that the fabulous.
00:53:51.920 --> 00:53:57.199
I I have thought about making that the landing page of Adamshlott.com, but my lawyers are concerned.
00:53:57.360 --> 00:53:57.519
Yeah.
00:53:57.920 --> 00:53:58.800
Here's another piece of advice.
00:53:59.199 --> 00:53:59.840
Who are your lawyers?
00:54:00.079 --> 00:54:01.039
I can't disclose that.
00:54:01.119 --> 00:54:01.360
Okay.
00:54:01.519 --> 00:54:09.280
But I will say this one thing I also learned, Spencer, you you need to go to GoDaddy because Spencerpalkey.com available.
00:54:09.440 --> 00:54:11.360
And I was almost the owner of it yesterday.
00:54:11.599 --> 00:54:11.760
Yeah.
00:54:11.920 --> 00:54:15.119
So I I think we can see uh your litigation strategy here.
00:54:15.199 --> 00:54:20.400
You're like picking on the uh former public defender, turned school teacher Adam Schlawhead.
00:54:20.639 --> 00:54:20.800
Okay.
00:54:20.960 --> 00:54:24.079
Picking on the guy who works at a plaintiff's law firm, unwise.
00:54:24.320 --> 00:54:24.559
Correct.
00:54:24.719 --> 00:54:24.880
Smart.
00:54:25.039 --> 00:54:28.159
Does that mean Justin Bernstein.com is owned by Justin Bernstein?
00:54:28.320 --> 00:54:29.360
I don't know who owns it, but it's okay.
00:54:29.599 --> 00:54:30.960
I'm flattered that you checked mine first.
00:54:31.039 --> 00:54:31.519
Okay, cool.
00:54:31.760 --> 00:54:33.840
Both both buy checked both.
00:54:34.159 --> 00:54:35.199
Oh, you did check both.
00:54:35.679 --> 00:54:41.280
I can buy Justin Bernstein from a website uh agent for at a minimum$100.
00:54:41.679 --> 00:54:46.000
Okay, well, speaking of purchasing, um, you know, we we noticed, Jared, and we want your take on this.
00:54:46.079 --> 00:54:54.639
Uh, we we noticed that the law school podcast ranking site that we'd been, you know, ranked number four on moved just to unranked because they decided to become pay-to-play and we're not gonna pay to play.
00:54:54.719 --> 00:54:58.800
So on that note, can schools pay you to move up in the Gavel rankings?
00:54:58.880 --> 00:54:59.519
Are you for sale?
00:54:59.599 --> 00:55:01.119
And if so, how much do you charge?
00:55:01.280 --> 00:55:04.400
Um did you ever watch wrestling as a kid?
00:55:04.559 --> 00:55:09.039
No, little Ted DiBiasa used to say everybody's got a price.
00:55:09.360 --> 00:55:14.400
Um, so my super pack would
collect the money, um, but Jared Rosenblatt.
00:55:14.639 --> 00:55:16.400
Jared Rosenblatt would not.
00:55:17.280 --> 00:55:17.920
Got it.
00:55:18.239 --> 00:55:21.039
I'm afraid that your super pack is gonna say something about Adam Schlott.
00:55:22.079 --> 00:55:26.239
My super pack is Adam Schlott is is my lawyer.com.
00:55:28.880 --> 00:55:29.920
Uh oh.
00:55:30.400 --> 00:55:30.719
All right.
00:55:30.880 --> 00:55:35.280
Well, where where are we ranked among law school podcasts um in Gabble?
00:55:35.599 --> 00:55:36.159
Number one.
00:55:36.480 --> 00:55:37.360
Number one, baby.
00:55:37.519 --> 00:55:37.920
Number one.
00:55:38.079 --> 00:55:39.119
Congratulations, Spencer.
00:55:39.199 --> 00:55:41.679
Yeah, and number two is scripteddirect.com.
00:55:42.000 --> 00:55:43.679
That never got off the ground.
00:55:44.159 --> 00:55:45.440
Those guys suck.
00:55:47.679 --> 00:55:51.039
Uh it's like a tribute band that that is is almost beating us.
00:55:51.119 --> 00:55:51.599
That's all right.
00:55:51.840 --> 00:55:54.239
Well, Jared, I'm looking forward to seeing you in New York next week.
00:55:54.400 --> 00:55:55.599
Looking forward to seeing both of you.
00:55:55.920 --> 00:55:56.880
Great talking, Jared.
00:55:56.960 --> 00:55:57.280
Thank you.
00:56:02.320 --> 00:56:04.719
Spencer, is it just me or is Jared Mellowing?
00:56:04.960 --> 00:56:06.239
You know, actually, it's what's interesting.
00:56:06.320 --> 00:56:11.519
I would say that, you know, if you look at the arc of Jared on the podcast, because that's how I view him on the podcast.
00:56:11.679 --> 00:56:11.760
Right.
00:56:11.920 --> 00:56:14.400
Um you view him where everyone else can hear him.
00:56:14.559 --> 00:56:15.440
Yeah, yeah, right.
00:56:15.760 --> 00:56:20.159
Um, I would say like he was like an eight or a nine, you know, for a couple of years there.
00:56:20.239 --> 00:56:23.360
And then he kind of he did kind of fall to like a a little bit.
00:56:23.599 --> 00:56:24.960
An eight or a nine out of what?
00:56:25.119 --> 00:56:25.599
Out of five?
00:56:25.920 --> 00:56:26.800
Out of ten, you know.
00:56:27.039 --> 00:56:27.280
Okay.
00:56:27.840 --> 00:56:29.679
And it did, he did drop off.
00:56:29.840 --> 00:56:37.199
I don't know if you know that's you know, uh the effects of time or growing family and that kind of stuff, to like a uh, you know, five or six.
00:56:37.280 --> 00:56:39.519
But I I feel like it kind of kicked it up a little bit here, actually.
00:56:39.599 --> 00:56:42.800
I think it was like a I'll give it a seven, which maybe a good place for him to be, you know.
00:56:43.039 --> 00:56:44.159
Uh he's doing great.
00:56:44.400 --> 00:56:45.679
He's still got his fastball.
00:56:45.840 --> 00:56:48.239
He he doesn't throw it as often, but he's still got the fastball.
00:56:48.400 --> 00:56:53.599
That's the beauty of being a seven, you know, you still got that nine if you had to, but you can also roll with the five, you know?
00:56:53.760 -->
00:56:54.000
Wow.
00:56:54.079 --> 00:56:54.800
Okay, that's the headline.
00:56:54.960 --> 00:56:56.800
Spencer says Jared's a seven.
00:56:57.039 --> 00:56:58.079
I wonder what he'd say about him.
00:56:58.320 --> 00:56:59.840
Actually, well, no, given where he lived.
00:57:00.159 --> 00:57:00.800
Give him where he lives.
00:57:00.880 --> 00:57:02.239
Can we call him a New York seven?
00:57:03.119 --> 00:57:05.840
He's he's a California four and a New York seven.
00:57:06.480 --> 00:57:09.840
Okay, back when he had character, he was at least a New York eight.
00:57:12.000 --> 00:57:12.880
Love you.
00:57:13.440 --> 00:57:17.519
Uh we turned to our mailbag, which has three mailbag questions this week.
00:57:17.760 --> 00:57:18.400
Oh my god.
00:57:18.719 --> 00:57:25.440
The first is about judging assignments, and it comes from anonymous listener, AJBDL from San Antonio.
00:57:25.760 --> 00:57:31.199
AJBDL writes, suppose you're hosting a tournament with two simultaneous final rounds.
00:57:31.360 --> 00:57:33.039
I think Tyler or AJ Regionals.
00:57:33.119 --> 00:57:33.920
You have eight judges.
00:57:34.079 --> 00:57:36.559
Do you assign three to one room and five to the other?
00:57:36.719 --> 00:57:40.079
Or do you divide them four and four and have one ballot not count each room?
00:57:40.239 --> 00:57:41.440
Spencer, what do you do?
00:57:41.599 --> 00:57:42.320
What do you do?
00:57:42.480 --> 00:57:44.639
Um, have we answered this question before?
00:57:44.719 --> 00:57:45.679
Uh, I feel like we have.
00:57:45.840 --> 00:57:47.039
I don't know what I said before.
00:57:47.199 --> 00:57:53.760
Um, I think how I'm feeling right now is if I can vote again, uh, is I think I'd probably go four and four.
00:57:53.920 --> 00:57:59.679
Um, just because I don't like the feeling of just a bare three people in in an out round.
00:57:59.920 --> 00:58:05.760
Um and it, you know, that way both teams are gonna have the same number of folks um, you know, scoring.
00:58:05.920 --> 00:58:09.119
I think that's what I would say, with uh, you know, removing the least experienced person.
00:58:09.199 --> 00:58:09.599
How about you?
00:58:09.760 --> 00:58:10.400
Yeah, I don't know.
00:58:10.480 --> 00:58:12.400
There's a clear right answer, but that's a wrong answer.
00:58:12.559 --> 00:58:17.760
Um you're just you're just deciding to throw out 25% of your ballots when you could throw out zero percent of your ballots.
00:58:17.920 --> 00:58:22.880
Um I think that online I might feel a little differently because you might lose connection, right?
00:58:23.039 --> 00:58:23.920
Somebody might might leave.
00:58:24.000 --> 00:58:25.679
But in person, that basically doesn't happen.
00:58:25.760 --> 00:58:28.079
And so I'd be comfortable saying three in one room, five in the other.
00:58:28.320 --> 00:58:30.320
It's not like we're hurting the room with three, right?
00:58:30.400 --> 00:58:31.679
They were gonna have three ballots anyway.
00:58:31.760 --> 00:58:36.480
And you can make sure it's the same three ballots, but we're using less of the data and using less of people's actual time.
00:58:36.559 --> 00:58:37.760
Um so I would go three and five.
00:58:37.840 --> 00:58:39.840
I I I tease when I said I think it's clear cut.
00:58:39.920 --> 00:58:46.559
I understand the argument for for four because that gives you insurance in case somebody has something happens or that you know uh there's some sort of conflict.
00:58:46.639 --> 00:58:47.760
Uh, but I go three and five.
00:58:47.840 --> 00:58:50.880
I just don't like the optics of you get three and you get five.
00:58:51.039 --> 00:58:55.840
Um, but uh I hope that I hope that the non-answer is helpful for AJ B D L.
00:58:56.159 --> 00:58:57.760
Yes, whoever he or she is.
00:58:58.000 --> 00:58:59.519
Yeah, or the whatever, you know, whatever we got.
00:58:59.760 --> 00:58:59.920
Yeah.
00:59:00.079 --> 00:59:03.679
I mean, AJ B D L, we we could just that's that's a long anonymous name.
00:59:03.760 --> 00:59:04.880
Let's just shorten it to AJ.
00:59:05.280 --> 00:59:05.760
Yeah, yeah.
00:59:05.840 --> 00:59:06.800
That's a that's way easier.
00:59:06.960 --> 00:59:07.199
Yeah.
00:59:07.360 --> 00:59:07.599
Okay.
00:59:08.239 --> 00:59:11.039
Our second mailbag question comes from anonymous listener LL.
00:59:11.280 --> 00:59:15.360
LL asks, how many of your mailbag questions come from actual listeners?
00:59:15.760 --> 00:59:17.599
That's a ridiculous question, all of them.
00:59:18.000 --> 00:59:18.719
Yeah, it's offensive.
00:59:18.800 --> 00:59:19.039
All of them.
00:59:19.440 --> 00:59:21.519
Yeah, LL must be a longtime listener or something.
00:59:21.840 --> 00:59:22.159
Exactly.
00:59:22.400 --> 00:59:22.719
Ridiculous.
00:59:23.199 --> 00:59:23.360
Yeah.
00:59:23.599 --> 00:59:26.639
Our final mailbag question comes from anonymous listener, Judge CW.
00:59:27.679 --> 00:59:28.239
It could be anybody.
00:59:28.320 --> 00:59:30.079
Uh Judge CW is in Houston.
00:59:30.400 --> 00:59:31.679
Um is it at Houston?
00:59:32.079 --> 00:59:32.400
Unclear.
00:59:32.880 --> 00:59:36.719
What tournament, Judge CW asks, serves the best food, Spencer.
00:59:37.599 --> 00:59:38.159
Think about this.
00:59:42.800 --> 00:59:43.039
Right.
00:59:43.280 --> 00:59:47.519
It's it's hard for you because you don't go to tournaments, and when you do, you don't care about the food.
00:59:49.440 --> 00:59:50.480
That's both arms, right?
00:59:53.840 --> 00:59:56.079
Other than that, you other than that, you're a qualified witness.
00:59:56.320 --> 00:59:57.840
Kind of bobbing for apples at that point.
00:59:57.920 --> 01:00:01.280
Um you have you neither have the facts nor data nor expertise.
01:00:01.519 --> 01:00:02.639
But I should I'm ready though.
01:00:02.880 --> 01:00:03.280
Go on.
01:00:05.199 --> 01:00:10.000
Um, I'm gonna just go with Top Gun uh because I always get barbecue down there.
01:00:10.159 --> 01:00:13.440
Um now, is that you know oftentimes it is served at the tournament.
01:00:13.519 --> 01:00:19.280
Um I might be, you know, I might have left by that point, but um I I often get barbecue with friends down there.
01:00:19.360 --> 01:00:20.400
So that's what I'm going with.
01:00:20.639 --> 01:00:22.400
Justin, what is your answer to the question?
01:00:22.639 --> 01:00:24.400
So I'm gonna give an obnoxious long answer.
01:00:24.480 --> 01:00:26.719
I think it's hard because we don't go to most tournaments, right?
01:00:26.800 --> 01:00:28.719
Most most people don't go to most tournaments.
01:00:28.800 --> 01:00:35.039
So of the ones I've been to, uh I'm I'm I can't count med legal or Jared's competition because I haven't yet had Borelli's.
01:00:35.119 --> 01:00:35.920
I'm super excited about it.
01:00:36.079 --> 01:00:36.800
Hey, do you know Frank?
01:00:37.280 --> 01:00:38.400
Uh I'm about to, yeah.
01:00:38.559 --> 01:00:38.960
Yeah, okay.
01:00:39.039 --> 01:00:43.039
Well, I hope you don't you might not want to know him, know him, but like you know him, you know what I mean?
01:00:43.199 --> 01:00:45.119
Yeah, uh yeah, we'll get to know each other.
01:00:45.280 --> 01:00:46.800
Uh over some chicken parm.
01:00:47.039 --> 01:00:55.679
I think the best meal consistently at tournaments, and I I realize this is self-serving, but I think the coach's dinner at Amicus at Stakeout is pretty, pretty tough to beat.
01:00:55.840 --> 01:00:56.400
Strong, strong.
01:00:56.639 --> 01:00:58.239
Pretty tough to beat, but that's individual meal.
01:00:58.400 --> 01:01:02.880
So of like full tournaments, uh, I'm gonna name four tournaments I think consistently have great food.
01:01:03.199 --> 01:01:05.039
Did you think about this at all ahead of the time by chance?
01:01:06.239 --> 01:01:07.039
It's all I thought about.
01:01:07.280 --> 01:01:07.920
Okay, okay, okay.
01:01:08.079 --> 01:01:08.960
It's all I thought about.
01:01:09.679 --> 01:01:10.800
I'm just curious, only curious.
01:01:10.880 --> 01:01:13.119
Yeah, uh NCTC, great food.
01:01:13.280 --> 01:01:17.679
Uh, they have a nice opening banquet with some charcuterie, uh, solid box lunches.
01:01:17.760 --> 01:01:23.519
Uh, if you go to the judge's room after the round starts, they always have leftover snacks, and the judges' food is great.
01:01:23.599 --> 01:01:28.239
They get good donuts or bagels or coffee, and then they've got really good sandwiches for lunch.
01:01:28.400 --> 01:01:30.079
I'm told by people who snuck in there.
01:01:30.239 --> 01:01:32.159
I mean, uh, they have a nice banquet.
01:01:32.320 --> 01:01:35.360
But I'll tell you my sneaky favorite at NCTC.
01:01:35.519 --> 01:01:41.119
Um, after the break from the semis to the finals, uh they serve Mendocino Farms and they have way more food than they need.
01:01:41.280 --> 01:01:43.119
They're always like, Oh, this is only for the finalists.
01:01:43.280 --> 01:01:47.519
They could serve every tournament's finalist from across the country, and and they'd still have leftovers.
01:01:47.760 --> 01:01:50.239
And they always get the couscous and just a vat of it.
01:01:50.320 --> 01:01:51.679
And I have so much of it.
01:01:51.840 --> 01:01:52.880
I just keep sneaking back.
01:01:53.039 --> 01:01:58.480
And the sandwiches, I mean it when we get we get eliminated in the semis, my kids think, oh, he's crying because we lost.
01:01:58.559 --> 01:01:59.840
No, I'm crying because I don't get the food.
01:02:00.559 --> 01:02:02.400
Uh I'm not disappointed in you.
01:02:02.480 --> 01:02:03.119
I'm just hungry.
01:02:03.440 --> 01:02:04.239
Hungry, exactly.
01:02:04.480 --> 01:02:06.639
Uh Top Gun, great food.
01:02:06.800 --> 01:02:10.559
Uh, they they they feed you at every opportunity, so you got a nice welcome dinner.
01:02:10.639 --> 01:02:13.360
Uh, they've got open bar and pizza at the end.
01:02:13.519 --> 01:02:15.039
They got a barbecue on Friday night.
01:02:15.199 --> 01:02:16.079
Always enjoy the barbecue.
01:02:16.159 --> 01:02:17.679
I think the sausage is really good.
01:02:17.760 --> 01:02:21.119
And and I have, you know, I always say I'm not gonna have the pie, but then I have two.
01:02:21.519 --> 01:02:22.960
Um that's delicious.
01:02:23.199 --> 01:02:25.119
And they're just always feeding me through at the tournament.
01:02:25.199 --> 01:02:27.119
I think their best food is probably their breakfasts.
01:02:27.280 --> 01:02:30.480
They have really nice uh warm breakfasts um during the tournament.
01:02:30.559 --> 01:02:32.960
Uh that's I'm a big fan, and flash.
01:02:33.199 --> 01:02:33.519
Uh-huh.
01:02:33.679 --> 01:02:37.920
Uh, you guys have the opening banquet at the restaurant, another closing banquet at a restaurant.
01:02:38.000 --> 01:02:38.960
Those are both yummy.
01:02:39.039 --> 01:02:43.519
Uh, you hold it at Jams where you bring in catered lunches, they're really good.
01:02:43.679 --> 01:02:51.119
And the the sneaky best part is Jams has all the snacks, the high-end snacks for the lawyers who are paying the same prices to be at Jams.
01:02:51.440 --> 01:02:57.760
And it's like free snacks, free kombucha, beer, sparkling water, like all that stuff in the lobby, and it's unlimited.
01:02:57.920 --> 01:02:58.320
Oh, yeah.
01:02:58.480 --> 01:03:00.159
Yeah, apply, apply in the spring, folks.
01:03:00.480 --> 01:03:00.880
That's right.
01:03:01.679 --> 01:03:04.960
You can apply right after you listen to you can actually apply anytime if you want to.
01:03:05.119 --> 01:03:06.480
I was trying to plug cause of action.
01:03:06.800 --> 01:03:07.679
Maybe try it again.
01:03:07.840 --> 01:03:08.159
Yeah.
01:03:08.480 --> 01:03:11.199
Spencer, don't interrupt me when I'm trying to plug cause of action.
01:03:11.440 --> 01:03:12.159
Nailed it.
01:03:12.320 --> 01:03:12.719
Yeah.
01:03:12.880 --> 01:03:16.639
So all those uh tournaments have great food, but prove me wrong, folks.
01:03:16.800 --> 01:03:18.239
Give us even better food at your competition.
01:03:18.559 --> 01:03:18.960
Oh, yeah.
01:03:19.760 --> 01:03:21.280
A challenge to the to the audience.
01:03:21.360 --> 01:03:22.000
That's a great idea.
01:03:22.159 --> 01:03:25.840
What what is the likelihood I'm gonna get a call from Phil being like, how could you not name battle?
01:03:26.000 --> 01:03:26.800
Very high, very high.
01:03:27.679 --> 01:03:28.239
Yeah, yeah.
01:03:28.480 --> 01:03:29.840
Maybe lower now that you said that.
01:03:29.920 --> 01:03:30.400
Yeah.
01:03:30.639 --> 01:03:31.599
Uh all right.
01:03:31.840 --> 01:03:33.280
Um, I have nothing else to say.
01:03:33.519 --> 01:03:33.760
Do you?
01:03:33.920 --> 01:03:37.280
Uh good luck to everybody competing this week, including at Gold Cup in Sacramento.
01:03:37.519 --> 01:03:38.320
Good luck, folks.
01:03:39.840 --> 01:03:42.639
Unscripted Direct is a production of Justin and Spencer.
01:03:42.800 --> 01:03:44.800
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01:03:44.960 --> 01:03:51.760
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01:03:52.239 --> 01:03:56.559
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01:04:00.000 --> 01:04:12.800
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