The recent shooting of Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Florida has sparked a national debate over "Stand Your Ground" laws, which give citizens broader leeway to use lethal force when they reasonably believe that someone intends to inflict serious bodily harm or commit homicide. On this previously recorded conference call, the speakers will attempt to cut through the heated and often misinformed rhetoric about these laws to address such questions as whether they are necessary, whether they deter crime, and proposed reforms. After providing their opening remarks, the speakers answer questions from the callers. Featuring Dr. John R. Lott Jr., Author of More Guns, Less Crime and Debacle: Obama's War on Jobs and Growth ans Prof. Gregory O'Meara of Marquette University Law School. [Listen now!]

The Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that in federal criminal cases, "no person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury." Critics argue that the grand jury system today has strayed from it's original role as the voice of the community protecting individuals from wrongful indictments and prosecutions. On this previously recorded conference call, the speakers discuss the goals of the grand jury system, whether or not those goals are being met, and various proposed reforms on both the state and federal level. After providing their opening remarks, the speakers answer questions from the callers. Featuring Mr. Gerald Lefcourt of Gerald B. Lefcourt, PC; Mr. McGregor Scott of Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP; and Mr. Thomas Sullivan of Jenner & Block LLP. [Listen now!]

The Supreme Court recently clarified the rights of defendants in criminal cases to effective assistance of counsel during plea negotiations in two closely related decisions, Lafler v. Cooper and Missouri v. Frye. In two other decisions earlier this Term, Maples v. Thomas and Martinez v. Ryan, the Supreme Court ruled on federal court review of state criminal convictions when counsel has been ineffective or abandoned a client in the post-conviction appeals process. All four cases will significantly affect criminal defendants' access to counsel at the front end of the criminal process, during plea bargaining, as well as the back end, during state collateral appeals. After discussing the Court's decisions in these cases, the speakers will take questions from the callers. Featuring Mr. George Kendall of Squire Sanders and Mr. Dean Mazzone of the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office. [Listen now!]

Passed in 1977, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) set out to achieve a laudable goal: to prevent U.S. companies and persons, when conducting business abroad, from corrupting the governments and people they meet. And who can argue with the notion that U.S. companies should not corrupt the governments of countries where they do business or worsen the prospects for citizens of countries whose governments are already corrupt? Unfortunately, that unobjectionable vision has virtually disappeared in a miasma of aggressive prosecutions by the Justice Department—with $2.95 billion in penalties collected since 2009. [Read more!]