STANFORD, CA, December 18, 2023—Stanford Law School (SLS) announced today the relaunch of Stanford Legal, a bi-weekly podcast that delves into the cases, questions, conflicts, and legal issues that are making headlines and driving debates nationally and globally. Co-hosted by SLS professors Pamela Karlan and Richard Thompson Ford, Stanford Legal airs every other Thursday and is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube, among other apps.

Stanford Legal is a continuation of SLS’s radio show of the same name that ran on Sirius XM from 2017 to 2022. Over the years, the show has covered a broad range of topics, from the 2020 presidential election to the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Recent episodes have provided insight on the indictments against former President Donald Trump with David Skanskly, the Stanley Morrison professor of law; explored the nuanced intersection of law and fashion, gender identity, and cultural expression with co-host Ford, the George E. Osborne professor of law; and tackled evolving gun laws with John Donohue, the C. Wendell and Edith M. Carlsmith professor of law.

“Our goal is to make often-complex legal and policy issues accessible and relevant to the general public, while also providing insight and sophisticated discussions of the issues,” said Karlan, the Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Professor of Public Interest Law who focuses her teaching and scholarship on constitutional law and the laws regulating voting, elections, and the political process. She is the founder and co-director of the Stanford Supreme Court Litigation Clinic. Previously she was a commissioner on the California Fair Political Practices Commission and served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, among other government and non-profit roles. 

According to Ford, “Stanford Legal’s content is informed by our belief that some of the most interesting legal discussions can be found in everyday life, where we don’t always think about the influence of the law on how we behave and what we think.” Ford is a prolific contributor to scholarly and popular media outlets and his teaching and writing focus on the relationship between law and equality, cities and urban development, popular culture, and everyday life. His latest book, Dress Codes: How the Laws of Fashion Made History, has been translated into five languages and received widespread acclaim. He shared his insights on the intersection of law, dress codes, and fashion during a recent Stanford Legal episode. 

Robert Weisberg, interim dean and Edwin E. Huddleson, Jr. Professor of Law, said, “We are delighted that Stanford Legal is back as a stand-alone podcast. The show provides an opportunity for listeners to hear from some of the world’s leading legal scholars and also a chance for our professors to engage on legal issues in a dynamic way outside the classroom.” 

For more information about Stanford Legal and to access past episodes, click here. 

About Stanford Law School

Stanford Law School is one of the nation’s leading institutions for legal scholarship and education. Its alumni are among the most influential decision makers in law, politics, business, and high technology. Faculty members argue before the Supreme Court, testify before Congress, produce outstanding legal scholarship and empirical analysis, and contribute regularly to the nation’s press as legal and policy experts. Stanford Law School has established a model for legal education that provides rigorous interdisciplinary training, hands-on experience, global perspective, and focus on public service, spearheading a movement for change.