Unscripted Direct
Conversations with the law school trial advocacy community. Hosted by Spencer Pahlke (shareholder at Walkup Melodia and trial advocacy director at UC Berkeley School of Law) and Justin Bernstein (director of trial advocacy at UCLA School of Law).
Unscripted Direct
Episode 21 - Michaelle Tobin
Controversial opinions, personal revelations, and the best competition news this community has had since 2020!
(0:00:36) We talk about a weekend full of NTC protests. Justin then borrows Spencer's soapbox and protests how some protest committees approach invention of fact. (0:11:13) Breaking News! TYLA's Ashley Hymel and Brandon Draper join us to discuss the biggest trial competition news in two years: It's official. NTC Finals will be in person. We talk about how TYLA made the decision and what nationals will look like. Justin sneaks in a question about case balance ... (0:35:54) The Break: We congratulate eight more teams who advanced to NTC Finals and see if the prosecution had any more luck on weekend #3. (0:40:31) Mailbag - Quinnipiac's Sean McGuinness asks "How do you balance a criminal case?", Spencer lays a 702 foundation, and Justin offers an opinion. (0:52:12) Motion in Limine: Guest judge Grant Rost from Liberty tells us about his teaching and blogging career, before posing the most revealing question we've gotten yet. (01:14:06) Big Interview: UMKC's Michaelle Tobin tells us how adopting a son brought her back to Kansas City and how a two-year fellowship turned into a teaching career. And she talks about three legends: what it was like working with Rafe Foreman, how she was inspired by Clarence Darrow, and what she learned from Gerry Spence (who some say was named after Spencer Pahlke).