Episodes

  • 37: Institutional Blindspots: Why 55.6% of CEOs Lose Their Companies - Jonathan Bloom

    37: Institutional Blindspots: Why 55.6% of CEOs Lose Their Companies - Jonathan Bloom
    Feb 1 2026

    In this episode, Oliver Lipscombe hosts Jonathan Bloom - former law firm partner who became a founder, now Business Development Director at Perkins Coie London.

    We discuss institutional blindspots, what business schools don't teach about venture capital, and how to protect yourself as a founder or advisor.

    Jonathan's new book Blindspots launches February 11th - both a protection manual and survival story documenting the systematic patterns that destroy ventures.

    Pre-order at www.oraclehousepress.com
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    48 mins
  • 36: From Silicon Valley to London: How Lawyers Help Startups Scale Globally

    36: From Silicon Valley to London: How Lawyers Help Startups Scale Globally
    Jan 6 2026

    “We’re running science experiments - some will fail, but the wins make up for everything.”

    That mindset captures the U.S. approach to startups and sets the tone for our next episode, dropping next week.

    In this episode, Anastasia hosts Daniel Glazer, founding partner of the London office of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, the Silicon Valley-headquartered law firm. Mr. Glazer advises UK and European tech and life sciences companies on raising capital in the US, UK, and Europe, and on expanding their businesses across the Atlantic.
    For LSE law students, the conversation breaks down what startup lawyers actually do, how cross-border deals work in practice, and the skills needed to succeed in high-growth environments.
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    39 mins
  • 35: Dr Ann Olivarius: female sexuality, sex discrimination and the law

    35: Dr Ann Olivarius: female sexuality, sex discrimination and the law
    Nov 10 2025
    In this episode, Madi hosts our esteemed guest Dr. Ann Olivarius as she speaks on a range of topics from female sexuality over time, to the current legal sphere of sexual discrimination, to current discrimination issues.

    Dr. Ann Olivarius studied an undergraduate BA Political Science from a feminist perspective at Yale before achieving a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford. She then completed a rigorous 5-year-joint JD/MBA in 3 years with highest honours. She then move into the corporate legal sphere and set up her own firm, McAllister Olivarius, where she has advised the likes of Margaret Thatcher to Bill Gates. In 2022, she was awarded honorary King’s Council and the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the New Year’s Honours List to recognise her services to Justice, Women and Equality.

    Ann provides various anecdotes of her work and what she has seen across her career. Ann is an extremely influential, compassionate, and dedicated woman. She works hard in
    everything she does and has dedicated her entire life to supporting and uplifting women.

    LSE students, especially those with an interest in feminism and gender discrimination in the law, have a listen to gain insights on this extremely influential figures approach to legal feminism.
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    45 mins
  • 34: The Impacts of Decriminalising Sex Work

    34: The Impacts of Decriminalising Sex Work
    Oct 1 2025
    In this episode, Pascale hosts Eric Neumayer and Madeleine Rees to discuss the possible legalisation of sex work in the UK and the impacts it would have.

    Eric Neumayer is an economist by training, he is the author, co-author or co-editor of numerous articles and publications on economics, sustainability and social issues, including a research paper on whether legalised prostitution increases human trafficking.

    Madeleine Rees is a British human rights lawyer who has brought cases to the European Court of Human Rights and the European Court in Luxembourg. Madeleine served as Head of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2014 Birthday Honours for services to human rights.

    To explore this topic of decriminalising sex work, first the economic implications are considered and then the legal and social implications that decriminalisation, legalisation and criminalisation have on the industry. Part 1 will focus on the economics and how the market for sex work overlaps with the market for human trafficking, and thus how changing legalisation and demand affects both industries. Part 2 looks at the legal implications of decriminalisation, the social message it sends, the actual consequences of stricter or more relaxed laws, and the ethics behind sex work.
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    1 hr and 7 mins
  • 33: An Interview with Lord Elliott: Let Me Never be Confounded

    33: An Interview with Lord Elliott: Let Me Never be Confounded
    Sep 7 2025
    In this episode, Anastasia hosts our esteemed guest, Lord Matthew Elliott as he speaks on the importance of perseverance in campaigning and his experience as a Member of the House of Lords. Specifically, he focuses on the idea that people in the campaigning world should not be confounded by the many problems encountered and instead persist.

    The BBC described Matthew Elliott as "...one of the most successful political campaigners in Westminster today." He was also the founder or leader of 7 different groups and most notably chief executive of Vote Leave, the official organisation advocating for a leave in the 2016 referendum. Another notable position includes being the Co-Founder and Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, which is one the UK’s most high profile campaign groups. Additionally, Elliott is an LSE alumni who graduated in the year 2000.

    LSE students have a listen to gain insights from a successful LSE alumnus about how to pursue your initiative and advocate for your ideas!

    You can find the episode at the link in our bio now ⬆️
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    47 mins
  • 32: Exploring the state of UK environmental protections in law, advocacy and policymaking post-Brexit (with Ruth Chambers)

    32: Exploring the state of UK environmental protections in law, advocacy and policymaking post-Brexit (with Ruth Chambers)
    Aug 1 2025
    In this episode, Michele speaks with guest speaker Ruth Chambers on the topic of UK environmental legislation. In particular, they discuss not only Ruth’s professional career as a fellow at the Green Alliance, where she plays a leading role in the maintenance of environmental regulatory frameworks, but also the changing standards of climate change protection and sustainability in a post-Brexit context. Specific points of discussion include the UK’s gradual departure from EU legal practices in its loosening of environmental restrictions as well as recent environmental case law developments to keep a lookout for.
    In addition to her Green Alliance role, Ruth is also an honorary professor of practice at the UCL Centre for law and the environment, and an adviser to River Action UK. She has also played a vital role in the Greener UK coalition movement, an organisation that helped preserve environmental protections domestically via campaigning for the passage of the Environment Act 2021.
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    30 mins
  • 31: Modern Slavery: Understanding the Problem, and How to Regulate It

    31: Modern Slavery: Understanding the Problem, and How to Regulate It
    Jun 16 2025
    In this episode, guest speaker Colleen Theron speaks to Noa on the issue of unpacking the issue of modern slavery. Modern forms of slavery, such as human trafficking and forced labour, undermine peoples’ fundamental dignity and liberty. Our goal in this episode is to understand how modern slavery manifests itself in today’s society and the stakeholders involved in perpetuating this cycle of enslavement. The episode also focuses on the private sector and the growing emphasis on Corporate Social Responsibility - especially considering the recent CSR Directive.

    Colleen is a tri-qualified solicitor with over 25 years’ legal and commercial experience of working with businesses and NGOs across sectors at both a strategic and operational level. Colleen founded Ardea in 2010 (back then CLT-Envirolaw) with the vision to harness her niche legal expertise in order to help companies understand how to meet their legal obligations for sustainability and business and human rights and create progressive voluntary best practice standards. Tackling modern slavery in supply chains and communities is a key passion of hers.
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    31 mins
  • 30: Brick By Brick: Building your knowledge on Property Law with Brooke Lyne

    30: Brick By Brick: Building your knowledge on Property Law with Brooke Lyne
    Apr 22 2025
    In this episode, guest speaker Brooke Lyne speaks to Saima about breaking into the world of law from a non-traditional background, and her journey finding her specialism in property litigation. Brooke offers her thoughts on the future of property law, discussing key issues such as the balance of power between landlords and tenants, the challenges posed by cuts to legal aid, and the potential of housing reforms to improve the justice system.

    Hearing from people from similar backgrounds can be one of the ways to push yourself in the right direction. It can be comforting to remind ourselves that such inspirational people also once or still may feel the same nerves or confusion at times as we do. They too undertook the daunting experience of university, so their advice is priceless!

    Brooke Lyne is a junior barrister at Landmark Chambers, who was called to the bar in 2016. A first-generation university student, she read English at Cambridge. She specialises in all areas of property work including residential and commercial landlord and tenant cases, and real property disputes.

    In 2023 Brooke appeared (being led) for the successful landlord in the Supreme Court in Aviva Investors Ground Rent GP Limited v Williams & ors [2023] UKSC 6; a case concerning the scope of the tribunal’s jurisdiction in leasehold service charge disputes.
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    21 mins