Common Law

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Though much divides us these days, there are still some things we all share in common. One of them is law. From the kind of health care we receive to the laws that determine what’s a ticket and what’s a court date, law is everywhere. “Common Law” gives insight into the laws around us and what’s next…

Common Law


    • Feb 7, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 30m AVG DURATION
    • 58 EPISODES

    4.8 from 141 ratings Listeners of Common Law that love the show mention: deans, kendrick, lawyers, legal, accessible, experts, brilliant, thought, looking forward, hosts, guests, interesting, excellent, great, highly, listen, love, goluboff.


    Ivy Insights

    The Common Law podcast is a highly recommended listen for anyone interested in the law, whether they are aspiring lawyers, practicing lawyers, or non-lawyers. This thought-provoking series, hosted by Deans Goluboff and Kendrick of the University of Virginia, presents legal concepts and stories that are relevant to our everyday lives. The guests are experts in their fields who explain complex legal issues in an accessible manner. The hosts bring an infectious interest and curiosity to each episode, making it engaging for listeners with any level of knowledge about the law. I have learned a great deal from this podcast across various areas and eras of law, and I can't recommend it enough for those who have an appetite to learn new things.

    One of the best aspects of The Common Law podcast is its exceptional guests and interviews. The hosts do an excellent job of bringing in knowledgeable experts who provide valuable insights into legal topics. The production quality of the podcast is also top-notch, ensuring a seamless listening experience.

    Additionally, what sets this podcast apart is its accessibility to non-lawyers. The hosts make sure to present legal concepts in a way that can be understood by people without a legal background. This makes it inclusive and appealing to a wide range of listeners.

    Furthermore, I appreciate the hosts' unique perspectives on the law. They come at it from different angles but always respect each other's viewpoints, creating an open dialogue rather than an echo chamber. I particularly enjoy the post-interview thoughts shared by the hosts, as they provide additional insights and offer their own takeaways from the discussions.

    However, there isn't much to criticize about this podcast. It consistently delivers high-quality content with engaging discussions and expert analysis. Perhaps one minor improvement could be more frequent release of episodes to satisfy eager listeners like myself.

    In conclusion, The Common Law podcast is a gem for anyone interested in learning about the law or exploring legal reform. Deans Goluboff and Kendrick are brilliant hosts who bring their knowledge, charm, and intellectual approach to each episode. The accessibility of the podcast to non-lawyers is a standout feature, making it suitable for a broad audience. I highly recommend this podcast to anyone seeking a thought-provoking and enlightening listening experience.



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    Latest episodes from Common Law

    Season 6 Preview: Free Exchange

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2024 2:32


    Season 6 features the kind of robust discussions and debates that go on behind the scenes among faculty at the University of Virginia School of Law. Dean Risa Goluboff returns to host.

    university law virginia school free exchange dean risa goluboff
    S5 E8: Why Your Face Should Be a Trade Secret

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2023 30:17


    Facial recognition technology is used for everything from unlocking your phone to locking up criminals. UVA Law professor Elizabeth Rowe makes the case that biometric data like your face and fingerprints should have trade secret-level protections.

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    S5 E7: Playing by the Rules in Our Everyday Lives

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2023 30:49


    What makes people and organizations obey — or resist — the law? Social scientist Susan S. Silbey, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, discusses her life's work on the subject.

    S5 E6: The Politics of Pipelines

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2023 32:29


    The federal process for reviewing proposed interstate natural gas pipelines was highly contentious several decades ago and is now more of a rubber stamp. UVA Law professor Alison Gocke looks at what changed.

    S5 E5: The State of the Supreme Court's Legitimacy

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2023 36:04


    Political scientist James L. Gibson discusses his survey data suggesting the U.S. Supreme Court lost some legitimacy in the eyes of the public after overturning Roe v. Wade.

    Avoiding the Separation-of-Powers Question

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 15, 2022 33:34


    Congressional conflicts with the executive branch often set off legal battles in the courts, and cases can drag on until the point is moot. UVA Law professor Payvand Ahdout digs into why this is happening and what impact it has on the balance of power.

    S5 E3: ‘Bad Habits' and Character Evidence

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 1, 2022 30:30


    The rules on character evidence are difficult to apply and riddled with exceptions and problems, according to Teneille Brown, a University of Utah law professor who argues they need to be updated.

    S5 E2: The Supreme Court Case That Could Rewrite Democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2022 32:35


    The U.S. Supreme Court case Moore v. Harper tests the independent state legislature doctrine and could radically change electoral districting maps and the states' role in federal elections, says University of Virginia law professor Bertrall Ross.

    S5 E1: Taboo Trades

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 20, 2022 30:40


    University of Virginia School of Law professor Kimberly Krawiec discusses her work on taboo transactions, such as commercial surrogacy, egg and sperm markets, organ donation and sex work. Risa Goluboff and Cathy Hwang host the episode.

    S4 E14: A Bloody Revolution and an Odious Debt

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 4, 2022 29:01


    University of Virginia law professor Mitu Gulati looks at the tragic history of Haiti's 19th-century “odious debt” to France after islanders won their freedom from slavery, and discusses whether Haiti could recoup what it lost.

    S4 E13: Fighting Racial Discrimination in Our Digital Lives

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2022 31:31


    University of Pennsylvania law professor Anita L. Allen discusses her framework for stopping surveillance, fraud and exclusion targeting Black Americans online.

    S4 E12: Predicting Violence

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 7, 2022 35:12


    UVA Law professor John Monahan discusses how predicting violence became a concern for courtrooms and mental health practices nationwide, and developed alongside his own career.

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    S4 E11: Why Privacy Matters

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2022 36:26


    Don't care about information privacy because you have nothing to hide? Neil Richards, a law professor at the Washington University in St. Louis and a UVA Law alumnus, explains the extent to which companies mine data and seek to influence you, and why you should care.

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    S4 E10: The President's Power To Hire and Fire

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 9, 2022 32:24


    George Mason University law professor Jennifer Mascott discusses past and present legal challenges to the president's power to appoint and remove executive officers.

    S4 E9: The Legal Battle Over Black Hair and Protective Hairstyles

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2022 27:01


    UVA Law graduate Doriane Nguenang '21 discusses her Virginia Law Review article on employment litigation and natural hair and protective hairstyles for Black workers.

    S4 E8: The Psychology of Eyewitness Memory

    Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2022 29:49


    Psychologist Elizabeth F. Loftus, a leading expert on memory, discusses how her research transformed the justice system.

    S4 E7: The High Cost of Pretrial Detention

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2022 28:47


    Would you rather spend a day in jail or be the victim of a burglary? UVA Law professor Megan Stevenson discusses why her research suggests almost no one should be detained pretrial.

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    S4 E6: Property Taxes and Racial Gentrification

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2022 28:29


    Under some property tax schemes, white homebuyers moving into gentrifying neighborhoods might be getting a substantial tax break, explains UVA Law professor Andrew Hayashi.

    S4 E5: The Railroad Strike Case That Made History on Federal Injunctions

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2022 32:12


    UVA Law professor Aditya Bamzai discusses In re Debs and the federal government's use of injunctions with hosts John Harrison and Risa Goluboff.

    S4 E4: Why Fair Procedures Matter in Policing

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2022 30:47


    Yale Law School professor Tom R. Tyler joins co-host and fellow psychologist Gregory Mitchell to discuss Tyler's work on procedural justice, including a training program for Chicago police officers.

    S4 E3: Calling Out Cyberattacks

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2022 31:25


    The United States and other nations have only recently begun to publicly attribute cyberattacks to other countries, such as Russia. UVA Law professor Kristen Eichensehr proposes more transparency and legal guardrails when exposing cyberattacks.

    S4 E2: Inside the President's Supreme Court Commission

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 17, 2022 32:27


    University of Alabama law professor Tara Leigh Grove, a member of the Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court of the United States, joins hosts John Harrison and Risa Goluboff to discuss options for reform and why change is so difficult.

    S4 E1: Why ESG Funds Are Shaking Up Wall Street

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2022 29:35


    Do ESG funds — those espousing environmental, social and governance values — live up to their label, and should they be regulated? UVA Law professor Quinn Curtis joins hosts Cathy Hwang and Risa Goluboff.

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    Season 4 Preview: Co-Counsel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2022 2:29


    For the fourth season of the podcast “Common Law,” launching Feb. 3, UVA Law professors John Harrison, Danielle Citron, Gregory Mitchell and Cathy Hwang will co-host with Dean Risa Goluboff. Each co-host is helping to choose guests and topics, and bringing their own expertise to the show.

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    S3 E9: Separate Schools, Separate Worlds

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2021 32:15


    Why are many K-12 schools are still struggling with racial inequity and the legacy of segregation almost 70 years after Brown v. Board of Education? University of Virginia President Jim Ryan discusses the role of the Supreme Court, public policy and higher education in addressing the issue.

    S3 E8: The Goal of Equity in Women’s Soccer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2021 30:36


    Despite dominating in international competition, the U.S. women’s soccer team is paid far less than their male counterparts. UVA Law professor Camilo Sánchez and law student Jolena Zabel explore what players’ efforts around the world to achieve equity in pay and working conditions teach us.

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    S3 E7: From Trayvon Martin to George Floyd: The Trauma of Injustice

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2021 29:05


    Black communities experience lasting “cultural trauma” from the lack of accountability for police and vigilante violence, explains Boston University School of Law Dean Angela Onwuachi-Willig.

    Policing the Police

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2021 32:57


    UVA Law professor Rachel Harmon, author of “The Law of the Police,” says it’s time for Americans to broadly rethink how we regulate the police.

    S3 E5: Regulating Private Lives

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2021 34:06


    From interracial marriage to LGBTQ rights, when the Supreme Court decriminalizes private behavior, other forms of regulation step in, says New York University School of Law professor Melissa Murray.

    S3 E4: The Wolf at the Door

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2021 30:37


    Economic insecurity is affecting Americans’ lives in profound ways, both at home and in politics. Columbia law professor and UVA Law alumnus Michael Graetz discusses his proposals for reform.

    S3 E3: Uncoupling the Benefits of Marriage

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 23, 2021 29:48


    From health care to taxes, numerous financial benefits are still tied to whether you are married — even as the marriage rate is declining. UVA Law professor Naomi Cahn discusses how uncoupling benefits from marriage can be more equitable.

    S3 E2: The Bias Baked Into Algorithms

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 9, 2021 29:13


    UVA Law professor Deborah Hellman discusses her work on how algorithms can compound injustice, and the evolution of her theory on discrimination.

    What Happened to the ‘Promised Land’?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2021 31:42


    Harvard Law School professor Randall Kennedy discusses past and present visions for a “promised land” on race, and what law can do to shape it.

    Season 3 Preview: Law and Equity

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2021 2:19


    What role can law play in making society more equitable? "Common Law" hosts Risa Goluboff and Leslie Kendrick will explore how inequities touch our lives, sometimes in unexpected ways. Tune in Jan. 26 for the first episode.

    equity common law risa goluboff leslie kendrick
    S2 E11: ‘Carbon Dioxide Warriors’ at the Supreme Court

    Play Episode Listen Later May 19, 2020 30:40


    Harvard Law School professor Richard Lazarus discusses how environmentalists made history with the U.S. Supreme Court case Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency.

    S2 E10: The President’s Expanding Powers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2020 26:48


    University of Virginia School of Law professor Saikrishna Prakash discusses his new book on how the presidency’s authority has grown and how Congress might check the executive.

    S2 E9: Learning From Pandemics of the Past

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2020 33:56


    As the world battles the novel coronavirus, University of Virginia history professor Christian McMillen discusses what lessons we can learn — and improve upon — from past pandemics.

    S2 E8: Native American Costumes and the Unwritten Constitution

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2020 33:30


    Why did colonists wear Native American costumes at the Boston Tea Party? Professor Farah Peterson investigates the history of mob protests for economic rights on the path to America’s unwritten constitution.

    S2 E7: Teaching the Law of Sexual Assault

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 3, 2020 27:40


    As women began to enter law school, educators worried about whether the curriculum was fit for female ears, UVA Law professor Anne Coughlin explains. These same issues manifest today in debates over whether professors can teach the law of sexual assault in an era of trigger warnings.

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    S2 E6: A Prosecutor’s Path to Criminal Justice Reform

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2020 24:54


    Former U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance ’85 discusses a revolution in how prosecutors are thinking about and pursuing justice.

    S2 E5: The Lowdown on Libel

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 4, 2020 26:50


    The Supreme Court took on New York Times Co. v. Sullivan in 1964, in part, to protect the civil rights movement. But did justices go too far in making libel hard to prove? UVA Law professor Frederick Schauer explains new concerns.

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    S2 E4: When School Financing Hit the Courts

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 12, 2019 27:31


    The Supreme Court said the Constitution didn’t guarantee a right to education in the 1973 case San Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez, but litigation aiming for equity continues, as UVA Law professor Kimberly Robinson explains.

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    S2 E3: The Road Not Taken After the Civil War

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 29, 2019 25:00


    A Union effort to redistribute land to former slaves during the Civil War unraveled because of the efforts of Southern lawyers, UVA Law professor Cynthia Nicoletti explains.

    S2 E2: Rethinking Rights After World War II

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 15, 2019 28:42


    As World War II made clear, the United States needed to step up on civil liberties and civil rights to take on the Soviet Union, UVA Law professor G. Edward White explains.

    S2 E1: The Nonsmoker Revolution

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 1, 2019 34:58


    After the U.S. surgeon general released a landmark report on the dangers of smoking, lawyers and activists helped curb a public health epidemic, UVA historian Sarah Milov explains.

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    Season 2 Preview: When Law Changed the World

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2019 1:48


    The second season of “Common Law” explores pivotal moments when law — and lawyers — changed the world. Hosts Risa Goluboff and Leslie Kendrick look back at turning points that shed light on the world today and how we got here. Tune in Oct. 1 for the first episode.

    Episode 10: Science and the Gavel

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 18, 2019 33:12


    With scientific evidence an intrinsic and complex part of today’s court cases, can judges keep up? Senior U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff of the Southern District of New York discusses challenges and opportunities for jurists.

    Episode 9: A Change of Faith at the Supreme Court

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 11, 2019 41:26


    UVA Law professors Richard Schragger and Micah Schwartzman join Cornell’s Nelson Tebbe to discuss the evolution of the Supreme Court's jurisprudence on religion.

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    Episode 8: Killer Robots and the Algorithms of War

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2019 44:08


    As tech transforms traditional warfare, UVA Law professor Ashley Deeks explains how national security is changing and discusses whether the law can keep up.

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    Episode 7: The Lawyer in Your Computer

    Play Episode Listen Later May 21, 2019 39:15


    From courtroom apps to analyzing law texts, UVA Law professor Michael Livermore explains how technology is reshaping legal processes and yielding new insights.

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    Episode 6: A Future With Autonomous Vehicles

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2019 58:22


    UVA Law professor and insurance and torts expert Kenneth Abraham and alum Mike Raschid ’86, chief legal officer and vice president of operations at Perrone Robotics, discuss what a future with autonomous vehicles will mean for liability and beyond.

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