Videos

This page contains videos of some of the events and presentations that have been hosted by The [F]law.

2023 Corporate Capture Conference at HLS (January 2023)

Jon Hanson Introduction to Day 1

This video contains Professor Jon Hanson’s brief introduction to the conference on Friday morning — the why, the how, the who of the event — and to the problem motivating the conference: the corporate capture of the legal system.

Ralph Nader Keynote Speech

To kick off the 2023 Corporate Capture of the Legal System Conference at Harvard Law School, Ralph Nader describes some of the many ways that corporate actors have captured the legal system. He then implores law students to recognize and resist the corrupting influence and harmful effects of corporate interests on legal education, the legal profession, legal media, and the law more broadly.

Briahna Joy Gray: Corporate Capture of Legislative Politics

Briahna Joy Gray delineates the mechanisms of corporate influence over the political system and the legislative process. She exposes the corruptive forces of corporate capture on political campaigns, congressional policymaking, unionization, media, and more.

Corporate Capture of Legal Media Panel

In a panel moderated by Sam Rosen, guest speakers Josie Duffy Rice, Jay Willis, Maximillian Alvarez, and Sam Perri discuss the corporate capture of legal journalism. They highlight the deficiencies in media coverage of the courts, state and national justice system, and corporate power. Building off their diverse professional experiences in journalism, they outline ways for journalists to continue advocating for more comprehensive coverage.

Corporate Capture of Legal Education & Legal Profession Panel

Student panelists Logan Campbell, Rosie Kaur, Noelle Musolino, Ellie Olsen, Sam Perri, and Marty Strauss discuss the corporate capture of legal education and the legal profession, considering social pressures, financial incentives, and the impact on marginalized groups. They emphasize the need for a shift in the way legal education is framed, and the panel culminates in one critical question: how does a law student provide justice in a system that is inherently unjust?

Challenging Corporate Power Panel

Moderated by Suzanna Bobadilla, panelists Sparky Abraham, Molly Coleman, Charity Ryerson, and Bianca Tylek discuss both personal and political strategies to combat corporate power. They highlight the limitations of traditional legal education and legal speak, stressing the importance of storytelling and creating person-based narratives.

Noam Chomsky and Jon Hanson on “Deep Capture”

Moderated by Michael Lehavi and introduced by Eleftheria Papadaki, Noam Chomsky and Jon Hanson discuss the legal sources and consequences of corporate power. They dive into the parallel ideas of manufactured consent and dispositionism, exploring corporate indoctrination of various levels of society and highlighting the relationship between justice, power, and legitimacy.

Corporate Capture of the Judiciary

In this discussion, US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse delineates the corporate capture of the judiciary and legislative branches of national government. He dives into dark money, donor transparency, and corporate tactics of control, ultimately advocating for a more transparent and sustainable relationship between corporations and their political pawns.

Legal Journalism Roundtable Discussion (April 2023)​

The [F]law’s “What’s Wrong with Legal Journalism?” Panel

On April 3, 2023, The [F]law hosted a roundtable discussion with Jay Willis (Balls & Strikes), Mark Joseph Stern (Slate), and Rhiannon Hamam (5-4 Podcast). They discussed the (sorry) state of legal journalism, the reasons for it, why it matters, what can be done about it, and how law students can make a difference.

The [F]lawnch (February 2022)

The [F]lawnch Panel

During the official February 2022 launch of The [F]law, lawyer/journalist panelists Vanessa A. Bee, Alec Karakatsanis, Sam Rosen, & Jay Willis shared experiences and insights regarding the relationships between journalism, the media, law, and corporate power.

Keynote speech for The [F]lawch

Activist, author, and attorney Ralph Nader discuses the importance of law student activism, highlighting pertinent issues within the discussion of systemic justice today, describing the theory of change, and urging the unlearning of corporate influence.

The [F]lawch Interview: Briahna Joy Gray

Political commentator and lawyer Briahna Joy Gray shares her thoughts about her experiences in law school, her goals as a journalist and podcaster, her experience on the Bernie Sanders campaign, the problem of corporate power, her theory of change, and her hope for the future.

To find more of our videos and stay up to date with The [F]law and the Systemic Justice Project, please visit our YouTube channel!