Foxcast Legal Listening

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Aug 2026

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Fox Rothschild LLP is a national law firm with over 1000 attorneys coast to coast. Our lawyers provide a full range of legal services to public and private companies – from family-run businesses to multinational corporations. We also represent charitable, medical and educational institutions both in the United States and in more than 50 countries worldwide. In our podcasts, the attorneys of Fox share their insight and knowledge on some of today’s most pertinent legal issues impacting individuals and businesses.

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August 26, 202640 min

Presumption of Innocence - Episode 92

Episode 92 Presumption of Innocence - Episode 92 Hosted by Matt Adams and John C. Coffee Jr. “Government agencies say on balance this is right, but they don't tell you what they're balancing and who it affects. We're going to try to tell you what should've been balanced, what wasn't balanced, and what the outcome looks like.” For 50 years, he's studied the people who watch the markets. Now that the watchers have stopped showing their work, he's assembled the nation's top securities scholars to do it for them as the Shadow SEC. On this episode, host Matt Adams sits down with Columbia Law Professor John C. Coffee Jr . to discuss the work of the Shadow SEC, a self-funded, no-industry-money coalition monitoring the Securities and Exchange Commission in real time. The conversation sheds light on what's actually happening inside the SEC: the elimination of 50 years of quarterly reporting requirements, a disclosure threshold shift that drops 85% of public issuers from the highest reporting tier, a proposed wholesale repeal of a decade's worth of climate change rules and a looming push to let companies force shareholders into private arbitration instead of securities class actions. This deregulatory blitz isn't happening in a vacuum. Matt and Professor Coffee examine the larger crisis underneath it, which is the subject of his book, Corporate Crime and Punishment: The Crisis of Underenforcement. Professor Coffee discusses why enforcement resources have been redirected away from white-collar crime and why billion-dollar corporate penalties still don't deter. He also shares his provocative proposal to penalize corporations in their own stock so the hit lands on shareholders instead of wiping out workers and entire communities. This episode is essential listening for anyone who touches the securities markets: defense attorneys, prosecutors, compliance officers, in-house counsel and investors alike. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and should not be considered the views of Fox Rothschild LLP or its attorneys. This podcast is for informational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

August 11, 202651 min

Presumption of Innocence - Episode 91

Episode 91 Broadview Six Scandal, Part 2: Covering the Collapse Hosted by Matt Adams “In my experience, it's unusual in Chicago to see the US Attorney step up to a judge. I've seen it happen a few times … but it doesn't happen very often. I think this was the first time I had seen Andrew Boutros step up before a judge. And he began to explain how none of his prosecutors meant to mislead the judge, right? That was one of our first hints.” When a federal prosecution unravels in open court, it takes an experienced courthouse reporter to recognize what's happening and explain why it matters. Host Matt Adams sits down with Jon Seidel, a veteran federal courts reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times who has covered Chicago's federal courthouse for more than a decade, including the trials of former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and former Chicago Alderman Edward Burke. This episode picks up where Part 1 left off, moving from inside the courtroom to the press gallery. Jon recounts the extraordinary day he watched U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros personally acknowledge vouching and other prosecutorial misconduct in the Broadview Six case before a federal judge, only to then continue defending the case even as he dismissed the charges with prejudice. He describes the Sun-Times' legal fight to unseal the proceedings, the moment the full scope of grand jury misconduct came to light, and what the fallout has meant for the broader credibility of the U.S. Attorney's office in Chicago. The conversation includes a candid discussion of journalism as an accountability mechanism, including why dedicated beat reporting matters, how reporters guard against becoming a vehicle for either side's narrative, and what comes next as Judge Perry weighs sanctions. Revisit Part 1 of our series, when Matt speaks with former prosecutors Nancy DePodesta and Chris Parente, defense attorneys who represented two of the Broadway Six. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and should not be considered the views of Fox Rothschild LLP or its attorneys. This podcast is for informational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

August 4, 202657 min

Presumption of Innocence - Episode 90

Episode 90 Broadview Six Scandal, Part I: Inside the Grand Jury Room Hosted by Matt Adams “This U.S. attorney, within four hours of dismissing this indictment and hearing from a federal judge how bad the conduct was by his prosecutors, sends an all-office email to all 100-plus young federal prosecutors calling the behavior of these line prosecutors courageous and strong ... You're sending the message to your team, 'Hey, go out there, bury stuff, commit wrongdoing. I've got your back. In fact, I'm going to praise you when it's done. I don't care what this federal judge tells me.'" What happens when the very safeguards built into our justice system are tested from within? Can the institution entrusted to uphold them be trusted to hold itself accountable? Host Matt Adams sits down with defense attorneys Nancy DePodesta and Chris Parente, both former federal prosecutors who represented two of the “Broadview Six” defendants indicted by a grand jury following a protest outside the Broadview Processing Center, a federal immigration processing facility located in a suburb of Chicago This episode pulls back the curtain on what actually happened inside that grand jury room — including a prosecutor accused of improper contact with jurors outside the proceedings and redacted transcripts that a federal judge had to fight to see in full. It builds toward a dramatic turn: the U.S. Attorney personally appearing in court to dismiss all remaining charges with prejudice. Nancy and Chris share how they first sensed something was wrong, the extraordinary lengths it took to get the full transcripts released, and what accountability could look like going forward, including a pending motion for an independent prosecutor. The conversation closes with hard-won lessons for defense lawyers, prosecutors, and judges navigating high-profile, emotionally charged cases. Look for Part Two of this podcast episode, featuring a Chicago Sun-Times reporter who covered the Broadview Six case, coming soon. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and should not be considered the views of Fox Rothschild LLP or its attorneys. This podcast is for informational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

July 21, 20261 hr 10 min

Presumption of Innocence - Episode 89

Episode 89 Diary of a Healthcare Fraud Investigator: Inside the FBI's War on Fraud Hosted by Matt Adams “One of the things that surprised me about that case is when we would approach some of these doctors and say … ‘Why, why'd you do it? You know, so you're getting $100 a patient for each patient's blood that you were referring to this lab’…. Their answers were, ‘It was easy, and, and I didn't think anybody was looking, and I don't think anybody would notice.’" Over the course of 26 years and five presidential administrations, she handled cases worth hundreds of millions of dollars and formed the DOJ’s top healthcare fraud unit. In this episode, host Matt Adams sits down with Laurie Allen, a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent, corporate lawyer and Air Force veteran with a degree in math. Now a principal at Withum, Laurie reveals how her unconventional background shaped a methodical, step-by-step investigative style that has defined her career. The conversation goes behind the headlines: from a kickback scheme involving over 50 healthcare providers and $100 million in restitution, to an "evil genius" stock-hacking scheme and the cell-structured "Operation Brace Yourself" telemarketing fraud that kept conspirators insulated from one another. Laurie also breaks down how modern investigations actually originate — qui tam whistleblower suits, tips from scorned exes, and increasingly, AI-driven data analytics — and why data alone will never replace a human "storyteller" willing to talk to agents. Whether you're a healthcare executive, compliance officer or defense attorney, this episode offers rare insider perspectives from both sides of the federal enforcement equation. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and should not be considered the views of Fox Rothschild LLP or its attorneys. This podcast is for informational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

July 15, 202618 min

Labor Law Lineup Ep22 - Where Tax Meets the Workplace, What HR Needs to Know

Episode 22 Labor Law Lineup Ep22 - Where Tax Meets the Workplace, What HR Needs to Know Hosted by Mark G. Eskenazi , Doug Charnas and Meeren Amin . This podcast explores the intersection of tax law and labor law, covering topics like independent contractor classification, new tax deductions for tips and overtime, IRS enforcement on employment taxes, and the Employee Retention Credit — with a focus on what HR professionals and employers need to know to stay compliant. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and should not be considered the views of Fox Rothschild LLP or its attorneys. This podcast is for informational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

July 7, 20261 hr 13 min

Presumption of Innocence - Episode 88

Episode 88 Bargained Away: Inside America's Plea Machine Hosted by Matt Adams “One of the most haunting questions I've asked on social media is for prosecutors to identify any lever that the law permits them to apply in order to try to elicit a guilty plea that they would not apply because they personally think that it would be immoral, unethical or otherwise unjust to apply that much leverage. I've never had a single prosecutor in any setting identify any lever that is lawfully available to them to exert leverage to get a plea that they wouldn't apply, and … that horrifies me.” The Bill of Rights devotes more space to jury trials than any other topic. Yet today, over 90% of criminal convictions are obtained through plea bargains. How did we get here? In this provocative episode, host Matt Adams sits down with Clark Neily, Senior Vice President for Legal Studies at the Cato Institute, who calls America’s criminal justice system a “raging dumpster fire of injustice” driven by prosecutors who prioritize efficiency over justice. Matt and Clark explore how trial penalty, charge stacking, mandatory minimums, pretrial detention and even threats against family members are used as tools to pressure defendants — including innocent defendants — into pleading guilty. Clark traces the historical rise of mass plea bargaining and discusses bold reforms like plea integrity units and trial lotteries that could help restore the Constitution’s promise of trial by jury. From real-world courtroom stories of prosecutorial overreach to shocking historical parallels with medieval torture, this episode is a bracing look at how America’s criminal justice system became dominated by coercive plea bargaining. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and should not be considered the views of Fox Rothschild LLP or its attorneys. This podcast is for informational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

July 1, 20263 min

Labor Law Lineup Ep21 - The Power of Appellate and Amicus Briefs in NLRA Practice

Episode 21 Labor Law Lineup Ep21 - The Power of Appellate and Amicus Briefs in NLRA Practice Hosted by Mark G. Eskenazi . The NLRB considers amicus briefs, particularly when it's considering whether to change or clarify a legal standard. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and should not be considered the views of Fox Rothschild LLP or its attorneys. This podcast is for informational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

June 23, 202653 min

Presumption of Innocence - Episode 87

Episode 87 Public Defense Reimagined: A New Jersey Blueprint Hosted by Matt Adams “Most people don't want to commit crime. There are very few people who go out of their house in the morning and say, 'I'm going to commit crime.' ... Most people are dealing with experiences in their lives, be that addiction, be that mental health issues, be that an inability to get a job or housing, that are maybe not the direct cause of crime, but certainly part of a constellation of things that keep people trapped in a cycle." In this episode of The Presumption of Innocence , host Matt Adams sits down with Jennifer Sellitti, who leads New Jersey’s Office of the Public Defender, to discuss her office’s holistic defense pilot in Atlantic, Hudson and Monmouth Counties. The program pairs attorneys with client service specialists, many who have firsthand experience with the justice system, to connect clients with a range of services that address the broader needs driving criminal justice involvement. The pilot has shown promising results for participants: a 98% arrest-free rate among a parole-related subset, prison sentences that are 65% shorter than the national average, and an average reduction of 2.2 years in state prison exposure. At an estimated $75,000 per year to incarcerate one person in state prison, Sellitti explains the program could generate substantial taxpayer savings while helping clients rebuild their lives. Legislation is pending to expand the program across New Jersey. Sellitti also discusses the core role of public defenders in protecting constitutional rights, including her office’s recent representation of protesters arrested outside Newark’s Delaney Hall ICE detention facility. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and should not be considered the views of Fox Rothschild LLP or its attorneys. This podcast is for informational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

June 17, 20263 min

Labor Law Lineup Ep20 - The Grievance Game Plan

Episode 20 Labor Law Lineup Ep20 - The Grievance Game Plan Hosted by Mark G. Eskenazi and Katie Cohodes . HR leaders should understand their collective bargaining agreement grievance procedure. We walk through how the process can work. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and should not be considered the views of Fox Rothschild LLP or its attorneys. This podcast is for informational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.

June 9, 202656 min

Presumption of Innocence - Episode 86

Episode 86 Weaponization of DOJ Isn't New: The Untold Story of Stephen Keller Hosted by Matt Adams and Stephen Keller “My heart dropped to my feet. And the life just left me, and I knew that at that time we were done. I knew whatever this was, it's not good... After that, the whole demeanor of the judge changed. Anything my attorneys asked for, they were not granted... There was absolutely no due process from that meeting on for me." Weaponization of the criminal justice system was happening long before it had a name. That's what Stephen Keller posits in his book, Pay to Play: Political Corruption, Corporate Greed, and the Cost of the American Dream . In the late 1990s, Stephen was living every entrepreneur's dream. In his late twenties, he entered the viatical settlement market and went on to essentially create the life settlement industry, which today moves $30 billion annually. But as Stephen's company became the largest player — and disruptor — in the sector, he found himself walking around with a target on his back. A specific, well-resourced insurance company, threatened by his business model, allegedly orchestrated a coordinated effort with federal authorities to bring him down. In this powerful episode of "The Presumption of Innocence," host Matt Adams sits down with Stephen to discuss the alleged takedown, the pay-to-play political system he encountered while seeking relief, the life-altering moment when the U.S. Attorney General inexplicably arrived at his federal trial to meet privately with the judge, and his ceaseless attempts to clear his name during the nine years he spent in prison. This is an episode you won't want to miss. The views expressed in this podcast are those of the participants and should not be considered the views of Fox Rothschild LLP or its attorneys. This podcast is for informational purposes only, is not legal advice, and does not create an attorney-client relationship.