Episodes

  • Episode 59: Legal Aid on the Front Line of Immigration

    Episode 59: Legal Aid on the Front Line of Immigration
    Jul 6 2026
    When it comes to immigration, the legal aid sector has pivoted its resources from affirmative relief for immigrants to defense deportation and detention center intakes. In this "Student Voices" podcast, the discussion between fellow Harvard Law School J.D. candidates Andrew Garcia and Emily Irigoyen, the latter of whom co-leads the Harvard Immigration Project, ranges from the fallout of this shift in immigration legal aid resources to the shortcomings of typical immigration proceedings and the need for family preparedness planning.
    Show More Show Less
    35 mins
  • Episode 58: Labor Innovations Bridge Access-to-Justice Gap for Immigrants

    Episode 58: Labor Innovations Bridge Access-to-Justice Gap for Immigrants
    Jun 29 2026
    Labor movements have had to get creative when it comes to labor justice for immigrant workers. That's where worker centers fill the niche not covered by traditional labor unions. In this Proof Over Precedent episode, HLS Professor Sharon Block, executive director of the Center for Labor and a Just Economy, discusses the difference between the two labor organizations, the future of the two, and the vital role collective action plays in advocating for justice.
    Show More Show Less
    25 mins
  • Episode 57: Libraries and AI—Partners for Accessible Justice?

    Episode 57: Libraries and AI—Partners for Accessible Justice?
    Jun 22 2026
    In this "Student Voices" episode, HLS student Grace Gao interviews Ari Scourtas, Product and Research Manager of the Library Innovation Lab at Harvard Law School, about making AI legal tools accessible for people facing digital barriers. The discussion covers legal AI's risks and opportunities for self representation and the expanding role libraries play in bridging the knowledge gap around AI.
    Show More Show Less
    24 mins
  • Episode 56: The Conflicting Sides of Police Procedural Protections

    Episode 56: The Conflicting Sides of Police Procedural Protections
    Jun 18 2026
    This bonus episode of Proof Over Precedent looks at the access to justice issues around the Law Enforcement Officer Bill of Rights (LEOBR) statutes and contract provisions that grant police officers enhanced procedural protections during internal misconduct investigations. At odds are the tensions between public accountability and officers’ claims of needing protection from false accusations. HLS student Strong Ma proposes a randomized controlled trial to study the effects on investigation outcomes, civil litigation, and perceived fairness.
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
  • Episode 54: Will Clearing a Criminal Record Lead to Happiness (and Housing)?

    Episode 54: Will Clearing a Criminal Record Lead to Happiness (and Housing)?
    Jun 8 2026
    "My criminal record doesn't reflect who I am anymore." This sentiment overwhelmingly topped the list of reasons why expungement study participants wanted to clear their record that it seemed plausible to predict that clearing one's criminal record would lead to higher levels of life satisfaction. Likewise, it did not seem far-fetched to assume individuals without a criminal record would fare better in obtaining housing than those with one. In both cases though, the A2J Lab and Kansas Legal Services found surprising results to refute these assumptions.
    Show More Show Less
    31 mins
  • Episode 53: Expungement Expectations vs. Reality in Employment

    Episode 53: Expungement Expectations vs. Reality in Employment
    Jun 2 2026
    The A2J Lab's randomized control trial on expungement examined the uptake and obstacles of criminal record clearing while also looking into its effect on various socio-economic outcomes. This week's Proof Over Precedent episode gathers study researchers to discuss the "surprising and depressing" findings on expungement's effect on employment. They also dive into explanations for the stark difference between individuals' optimism and reality in the experiment.
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Episode 52: Study Exposes Complex Criminal Record Clearing Process

    Episode 52: Study Exposes Complex Criminal Record Clearing Process
    May 26 2026
    Is the form-filling expungement process as easy for unrepresented individuals as some believe? In this week's Proof Over Precedent episode, host Jim Greiner welcomes the A2J Lab team involved in our long-running Kansas-based study looking at the current record-clearing process and its obstacles. The results offer clear evidence for what it takes for a successful expungement.
    Show More Show Less
    48 mins