In this episode of In the Public Interest, host Felicia Ellsworth interviews Brendan McGuire, who recently rejoined WilmerHale after serving as chief counsel to New York City Mayor Eric Adams and City Hall. McGuire discusses his experience in the Adams Administration, including the challenges emerging from COVID, the New York City Legal Fellows Program and the asylum seeker crisis. He also reflects on his prior experience as chief of the Public Corruption Unit at the US Attorney’s Office for the SDNY and how it influenced his decision to join the Adams Administration. McGuire discusses his return to WilmerHale and how his experience in the mayor’s office will contribute to his private practice.

Senior International Counsel Ambassador Robert Kimmitt joins In the Public Interest host Felicia Ellsworth to talk about his storied career in public service. Through his service as the first General Counsel of the National Security Council, the first American Ambassador to a united Germany in over 50 years, General Counsel and Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Treasury, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, and more, Ambassador Kimmitt has played a leading role in some of the most high-profile international events in recent history, and he shares that perspective with listeners.Ellsworth and Kimmitt also discuss his private practice at WilmerHale, including how he and the firm have become go-to resources for journalists and others who have been taken hostage in difficult countries around the world. He shares the role he played in bringing home The Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian, among others.

We’re pleased to announce that the firm’s podcast, In the Public Interest, will return for a third season! Tune in to hear a preview of what to expect this season from our hosts, WilmerHale Partners John Walsh and Felicia Ellsworth. Season Three will kick off with an episode featuring Elizabeth Chan, a full-time Christmas songwriter who recently prevailed in a trademark battle over Mariah Carey. Partner Louis Tompros will join Chan to speak with Ellsworth about the case and Tompros’s experience representing Chan before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board. Later this season, join Walsh and Ellsworth as they catch up with several high-profile WilmerHale alumni. They’ll also hear from other notable figures involved in some of the most important issues of the day, from the state of reproductive rights following the US Supreme Court’s ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to the regulatory landscape of cannabis legalization.

In 2021, Mariah Carey’s company Lotion LLC applied to register the trademark “Queen of Christmas” for future use on a vast range of products, including music, perfume, sunglasses and coconut milk. Elizabeth Chan, a singer and songwriter who exclusively writes and sings holiday music, filed an opposition to block Carey’s registration in August 2022. Chan herself had been dubbed the “Queen of Christmas” by the media in 2014 and has embraced and used the title ever since, including publishing a “Queen of Christmas” album.In this episode, co-host and Partner Felicia Ellsworth is joined by Chan, along with fellow Partner Louis Tompros and former Associate Hailey Cherepon to discuss their experience working with Chan on her successful opposition to Carey’s attempted trademark registration. Tompros is an intellectual property litigator who has handled some of the most challenging patent, trademark and copyright matters for high-profile clients in technology, manufacturing and entertainment. Along with Tompros and Cherepon, the WilmerHale team who represented Chan included Partners Kevin Prussia and John Hobgood.Chan shares the story of her journey to becoming a full-time Christmas songwriter and singer. Later in the episode, Tompros breaks down the intricacies of opposing a trademark registration and how WilmerHale helped Chan clear the path for herself—but more importantly, for others—to freely use the title “Queen of Christmas.”

In June 2022, the US Supreme Court issued a landmark decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, reversing Roe v. Wade and holding that the US constitution no longer includes a right to abortion. The Court’s decision left states with full authority to regulate – or eliminate -- abortion access. In Season Two of In the Public Interest, WilmerHale Partner Kim Parker spoke with Helene Krasnoff, Vice President of Public Policy, Litigation and Law at Planned Parenthood, to preview the potential outcomes in Dobbs and their potential impact on reproductive rights in the United States. Parker is vice chair of the firm’s Litigation and Controversy Department and has represented Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health providers in a number of legal challenges. She also serves as co-chair of WilmerHale’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee.In this follow-up episode, In the Public Interest welcomes back Parker and Krasnoff, along with Dr. Kristina Tocce from Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, to revisit the status of reproductive rights in the US, post-Dobbs. Parker, Krasnoff and Dr. Tocce discuss the legislation and litigation across the US that has resulted from the Court’s decision in Dobbs, including so-called “trigger bans” in place in a number of states. Krasnoff and Dr. Tocce share their perspectives on the burdens placed on patients seeking abortion care in states where abortion is now banned and how these burdens also impact other patients who live in states where abortion access is protected. And they discuss how a federal abortion ban, if enacted, would impact abortion access in the US.

In late February of 1965, Malcolm X was murdered at the Audubon Ballroom in Harlem, New York. In the days after the famous civil rights leader’s assassination, three men were arrested and charged with his murder. All three men were later convicted on those charges, despite testimony that two of those men, Muhammad Abdul Aziz and Khalil Islam, were innocent. In the years since, Aziz and Islam steadfastly maintained their innocence, and in 2020, The Innocence Project took up their case. Nearly five decades later, Aziz and Islam were exonerated in November 2021, after The Innocence Project successfully urged Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. to reinvestigate the case.In this episode, In the Public Interest co-host John Walsh invites WilmerHale Partner April Williams to share the story of her involvement in The Innocence Project’s efforts to exonerate Aziz and Islam. Williams focuses her practice on complex civil and criminal litigation and maintains an active pro bono practice, including her work with a team of WilmerHale lawyers supporting The Innocence Project on this case. Vanessa Potkin, director of special litigation at The Innocence Project, joins Walsh and Williams for an in-depth discussion of The Innocence Project’s work to exonerate the two men. Walsh, Williams and Potkin revisit the political tensions swirling around the time of Malcolm X’s murder and the specific events leading up to his assassination on the afternoon of February 21, 1965. They discuss the thorny legal issues involved in seeking to overturn a decades-old conviction and how a newly discovered evidence law in New York formed the legal grounds that ultimately led to Aziz and Islam’s official exoneration. The episode wraps up with Potkin sharing how racial disparities in the criminal justice system are also borne out in wrongful convictions, with Black individuals making up nearly half of known exonerations.

In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in the early months of 2022, a spate of countries, including the United States, have imposed several packages of sanctions on Russia and Russian officials. These sanctions ranged from bans on the provision of various types of professional services in Russia to prohibitions on oil imports and trading of petroleum products from Russia. In this episode, In the Public Interest co-host Felicia Ellsworth is joined by Counsel Georgia Tzifa and Mariia Shulha, a Ukraine-trained lawyer at WilmerHale, who both focus their practices primarily on international trade matters. Shulha had lived and worked in Kiev for five years until she was forced to leave her home and resettle in Brussels after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.Ellsworth, Tzifa and Shulha discuss WilmerHale’s work advising clients on sanctions compliance. They talk through the scope of the sanctions imposed by Western countries following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the differences between these recent sanctions and previous sanctions levied in response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014. Shulha also shares about her background as a lawyer who cut her teeth in international trade law through government service and how her experience living through Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has informed her private practice at WilmerHale.

In the Public Interest is pleased to welcome Preet Bharara, former US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and current partner at WilmerHale. Bharara, who joined the firm in June 2022, is also a legal analyst for CNN and host of his own podcast, “Stay Tuned with Preet.” Since joining WilmerHale, Bharara has focused his practice on investigations and criminal litigation matters. In this episode, Bharara sits down with In the Public Interest co-host John Walsh to talk about his journey to becoming a leader in the legal profession and the experiences that shaped his unique and storied career. Bharara discusses the incident that vaulted him to the national stage and what drove his headline-making refusal to return a phone call from a newly inaugurated President Trump. Walsh and Bharara share their views on the role of lawyers in supporting our constitutional system and what it means to “do justice,” which Bharara describes as “doing the right thing, in the right way, for the right reasons.” The episode wraps up with Bharara reminiscing on the cases that most heavily influenced his enduring commitment to the pursuit of justice.

Reports of climate-related disaster have made headlines across the country, from flooding in California to record-breaking heatwaves in the Pacific Northwest and all manner of extreme weather in between. These phenomena seem to be happening more frequently and more intensely as climate change continues to advance. In ways large and small, we’re all being forced to adapt to a new normal—and this episode’s guest on In the Public Interest is more familiar with these changes than most. In this episode, co-host John Walsh welcomes Michael Connor, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works and former partner in WilmerHale’s Denver office. During his time at WilmerHale, Connor’s practice focused on natural resources, energy development and Native American law. Before joining WilmerHale, Connor held an array of high-level positions in the Obama Administration. Connor talks through the Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works program’s efforts navigating and maintaining our waterways and engaging in flood risk reduction. He shares about the program’s important role on the front lines of the federal government’s response to climate change. Walsh and Connor also discuss how we can prepare the country’s infrastructure for our uncertain climate future and how the Army Corps of Engineers’ Civil Works program is working to build “climate resilience” into the next generation of American infrastructure.

In the Public Interest is excited to present a miniseries examining notable decisions recently issued by the United States Supreme Court. The first episode in the miniseries welcomes WilmerHale Partner Thomas Saunders, who focuses his practice on appellate and government litigation with a particular emphasis on intellectual property. In the episode, Saunders joins co-host Felicia Ellsworth to discuss the Court's decision in Jack Daniel's Properties, Inc. v. VIP Products LLC, a hotly debated case involving trademark law and freedom of expression centered around two items seldom appearing in the same sentence: dog toys and whiskey. Saunders and Ellsworth review the basic facts of the case and trace the case’s journey from the lower courts up to the nation’s highest court. Saunders elaborates on WilmerHale’s involvement in the case, which included an amicus brief filed on behalf of the liqueur company Campari America LLC. They also explore the core legal issues the Court ultimately addressed in its unanimous decision and provide insight on the decision’s potential impact on the limits of artistic expression, humorous parodies and freedom of speech in the future.

In the Public Interest is pleased to continue our miniseries examining notable decisions recently issued by the United States Supreme Court. Our second episode welcomes WilmerHale Partner Daniel Volchok, who focuses his practice on appellate litigation and has an extensive Native American law practice. In this episode, Volchok joins co-host Felicia Ellsworth to discuss the Court’s decision in Haaland v. Brackeen, a case concerning preferences for tribal families in the adoption of Native American children. They discuss the history of the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) and the core issues relating to the ICWA presented to the Court in this case. Volchok shares about the amicus brief WilmerHale filed on behalf of 87 members of Congress defending in full the constitutionality of the ICWA. Ellsworth and Volchok also talk about the current landscape of legal questions involving tribal rights that may work their way up to the Court in the future.

In the Public Interest is pleased to continue our miniseries examining landmark decisions recently issued by the United States Supreme Court. Our third episode focuses on the Court’s decision in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, a case concerning whether a Christian website designer has a First Amendment right to refuse to design wedding websites for same-sex couples. In this episode, co-host John Walsh explores the 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis decision with Eric Olson, former Solicitor General of the state of Colorado, who argued the case in front of the Court. Olson and Walsh delve into the history of other Supreme Court cases where Colorado businesses have claimed a First Amendment right to refuse services to same-sex couples. Olson shares his unique, first-hand perspective on the scope of the core legal questions the Court addressed in its majority opinion. They also analyze notable points in the dissenting opinion issued by Justice Sonia Sotomayor and what the Court’s decision in this case may mean for the fight for LGBTQ+ rights in the United States.

In the Public Interest is excited to continue our miniseries examining landmark decisions recently issued by the United States Supreme Court. The fourth episode examines the Court’s decision in Groff v. DeJoy, a case centered around a postal worker who sought a religious accommodation from his employer to not work on Sundays in observance of the Sabbath.In the episode, co-host Felicia Ellsworth is joined by WilmerHale Partner Matthew Martens, who focuses his practice on high-stakes criminal and civil investigations, securities litigation and appellate matters. Ellsworth and Martens provide an overview of the legal issues raised by the facts of the case and highlight the parties’ different positions. Martens talks about his role on a team of WilmerHale lawyers who filed an amicus brief on behalf of the American Hindu Coalition. They also discuss the implications of the Court’s decision in Groff on employers’ requirement to accommodate individual employees’ religious exercise.

In the Public Interest is excited to present the final episode in our miniseries examining landmark decisions recently issued by the United States Supreme Court. The final episode explores the Court’s decision in Moore v. Harper, a case involving control over electoral redistricting by state legislatures.In the episode, co-host Felicia Ellsworth is joined by Partner Seth Waxman, a former United States Solicitor General who focuses his practice at WilmerHale on appellate and Supreme Court litigation. Ellsworth and Waxman discuss the legal theory known as “independent state legislature theory” at the core of the case and provide an overview of previous cases in which the Court considered similar legal questions. Waxman describes WilmerHale’s role filing an amicus brief representing the Democratic leadership of both the North Carolina House of Representatives and the North Carolina Senate. They also attempt to preview the implications of the Court’s decision on electoral maps beyond the state of North Carolina. The episode concludes with Ellsworth and Waxman highlighting notable points from the oral argument and dissenting opinions in Moore.

Since 1960, Congress has raised, revised or extended the statutory debt ceiling 79 times. The United States reached its debt ceiling in January 2023, prompting a congressional showdown and sparking fears of extreme market volatility and a global recession if the US were to default on its legal obligations. The 2023 debt ceiling crisis ended in June, when President Biden signed legislation that suspended the debt ceiling in exchange for budget cuts. In an interview recorded shortly after Congress reached a deal to suspend the debt ceiling, co-host John Walsh speaks with Senior Counsel Eric Lesser about the circumstances and details of the debt ceiling standoff. Lesser was a White House Aide from 2009 to 2011 and witnessed the buildup to the 2011 debt ceiling crisis firsthand. He also served four terms in the Massachusetts State Senate and was a consultant for seven seasons of the hit HBO comedy Veep. As a Senior Counsel at WilmerHale, Lesser advises clients on a wide range of complex, government-facing matters. Walsh and Lesser discuss the history of the debt ceiling and the run-up to the debt ceiling fight in 2011. They talk about the individual players at the center of the most recent debt ceiling standoff and what these episodes can teach us about the state of American politics today. Lesser also reflects on his role in Veep and his perspective on the political brinksmanship displayed in the debt ceiling negotiations.

Season three of the firm’s podcast, In the Public Interest, covered real-time historic moments in American politics and jurisprudence and shared remarkable individual stories at the center of significant legal cases WilmerHale has handled. In each episode, co-hosts John Walsh and Felicia Ellsworth invited guests to share their unique perspectives on the most pressing legal and policy challenges capturing the public interest.As season three comes to an end, join co-hosts Felicia Ellsworth and John Walsh as they chat about this season’s episodes and look back on notable moments from season three. They discuss the season three Supreme Court miniseries focused on the most consequential and interesting decisions recently issued by the United States Supreme Court. Ellsworth and Walsh also talk about what listeners can look forward to when In the Public Interest returns for a fourth season. Season Three Episodes: A Very Merry Trademark BattleReproductive Rights in the Post-Dobbs EraJustice Overdue: Reinvestigating the Murder of Malcolm XA Ukrainian Perspective on Russia-Related SanctionsLeaders in Law: Preet BhararaClimate-Proofing Our Infrastructure: Building Climate Resilience with the Army Corps of Engineers     Supreme Court Miniseries: Zero Spoof WhiskeySupreme Court Miniseries: Tribal Rights in the 21st CenturySupreme Court Miniseries: The 303 Creative Case and First Amendment Challenges to Civil Rights LawsSupreme Court Miniseries: Religious Accommodation at Work Supreme Court Miniseries: Drawing the Line on the Independent State Legislature Theory

Announcing Season 2 of In the Public Interest, a podcast from WilmerHale! Tune in for an update on our hosts and a preview of what to expect this season.From international human rights and reproductive rights to cryptocurrency, the environment and beyond, this podcast explores the legal and policy challenges capturing the public interest. WilmerHale law firm Partners John Walsh, former Colorado United States Attorney, and Felicia Ellsworth, Vice Chair of the firm's Litigation Department, provide a front-row seat to the events making headlines. In each episode, they pass the mic to those with unique perspectives on the most challenging issues of the day.

In this episode, In the Public Interest welcomes WilmerHale Partner Alyssa DaCunha, who speaks with Walmart’s Executive Vice President of Global Governance, Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary Rachel Brand. In her role, Brand oversees hundreds of employees in the company's legal, compliance, ethics, corporate security, corporate governance, digital citizenship, aviation and investigative functions. Before Walmart, Brand spent more than a decade in government, working for three different administrations and serving most recently as the United States Associate Attorney General. She also previously spent time in the private sector, including a stint at WilmerHale.DaCunha’s practice focuses on government and internal investigations and crisis management assistance. She has represented major corporations and individuals in congressional, white collar and civil matters, and has extensive experience representing companies facing parallel proceedings, including cross-border investigations, civil and criminal litigation, and state attorney general inquiries. DaCunha speaks with Brand about her unique and impressive legal career, working at Walmart, and how her years of experience in government and in the private sector have shaped her as a leader today.

In the Public Interest welcomes Partner Kim Parker, who speaks with Helene Krasnoff, the Vice President of Public Policy Litigation & Law at Planned Parenthood, and Dr. Amna Dermish from Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas. Planned Parenthood is a nonprofit organization that provides reproductive healthcare services in the United States and around the world. The organization has also been a key player in challenging laws that restrict abortion rights and access in the United States.Their discussion focuses on two recent US Supreme Court cases with major implications for reproductive rights: Whole Woman’s Health v. Jackson, a case that challenges a Texas law that bans abortion once cardiac activity is detectable in the pregnancy, typically at 6 weeks, and Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case that involves a Mississippi law that bans abortions after 15 weeks, with Mississippi also asking the Court to overturn longstanding precedents like Roe vs. Wade, which would then potentially allow states to ban all abortions.Parker is the vice chair of WilmerHale’s Litigation/Controversy Department and co-chair of the firm’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee. Parker has represented Planned Parenthood and other reproductive health providers in numerous legal challenges over the past 20 years. In the Jackson Women’s Health Organization case, Parker and a team of WilmerHale lawyers helped several leading medical organizations file a brief in support of Jackson Women’s Health, arguing that access to abortion is a critical part of reproductive healthcare.At Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), Krasnoff leads a team of attorneys who challenge attempts to restrict access to reproductive health care, advise Planned Parenthood affiliates around the country about the legal issues raised by such attempts, and assist with PPFA’s efforts to influence state and federal legislation in order to improve access to reproductive health services. She has been with PPFA since 2000 and has been in a lead counsel, co-counsel, or supervisory position in dozens of challenges at every level of the state and federal courts to laws and policies that limit the availability of reproductive health care services. She has also worked with members and staff on Capitol Hill on many pieces of legislation, including the Affordable Care Act.Dr. Dermish is a board certified OB/GYN with fellowship training in Complex Family Planning. She received her medical degree from the University of Colorado, followed by residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia and fellowship training at the University of Utah, where she also completed a master's degree in Clinical Investigation. Dr. Dermish is currently the Regional Medical Director for Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas where she also provides abortion care and oversees their transgender healthcare services, including gender affirming hormone therapy. Her clinical and research interests are in addressing barriers to accessing reproductive and sexual healthcare.Related Resources: Brief amici curiae of Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas Surgical Health Services, et al. What you need to know about Texas’ new abortion ban effective Sept. 1, 2021 (SB 8) (Planned Parenthood)SCOTUSblog: Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s...

In the Public Interest welcomes renowned environmental activist and former Argentine Secretary of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Romina Picolotti, who speaks with WilmerHale Senior Associate Kelsey Quigley and Counsel Jessica Lutkenhaus. This episode focuses on the important intersection of climate justice and human rights, and highlights the work of environmental defenders around the world—and the threats that they sometimes face. Picolotti has filed a claim before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, challenging Argentina’s criminal prosecution of her for a crime that she did not commit, and which she alleges is politically motivated and filed in retaliation for her groundbreaking environmental justice efforts. The case has been stagnating in Argentine courts for nearly 15 years, and is just one example of how judicial and criminal processes around the world have sometimes been used to threaten and intimidate environmental defenders—at a time when their work fighting the climate crisis is ever more important. Quigley and Lutkenhaus are two of the lawyers on Picolotti’s WilmerHale legal team, which also includes Partner David Bowker and Associate Courtney Murray, who both deserve special thanks for their work on this case.Quigley focuses her practice on representing individuals and corporations involved in investigations, enhancing regulatory compliance, and complex litigation/controversies. She is part of the firm’s globally renowned litigation team, and is active in pro bono matters involving human rights and critical issues related to Latin America. Lutkenhaus represents corporations and individuals in criminal defense and civil and government regulatory litigation matters, and has substantial experience in government and internal investigations. Lutkenhaus was selected as WilmerHale’s 2019 Pickering fellow and spent six months at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). She also represents pro bono clients in various matters, including one alleging numerous violations of the American Convention for Human Rights.Related Resources:Report on the Misuse of Criminal Justice Systems to Retaliate Against Environmental DefendersInforme sobre el uso indebido de sistemas de justicia penal para tomar represalias contra los defensoras y defensores del ambientePetition Alleging Violations of the Human Rights of Environmental Defender Romina Picolotti by the Republic of ArgentinaPetición...