AI: Friend or Foe, A Conversation with Simon Pulman, Partner & Co-chair of Pryor Cashman's Media + Entertainment and Film, TV + Podcast Groups
Release Date: 09/25/2023
Discussing the Epstein Files
NYCLA Amicus Curiae
In this episode of NYCLA Amicus Curiae Candidly Speaking, host Daniel K. Wiig welcomes back criminal defense attorney and frequent legal commentator Vinoo Varghese for a discussion of jeffrey Epstein, Ghislaine Maxwell, the Epstein-related records, and the public debate surrounding them. Varghese, whose legal analysis has appeared across national and international news outlets, offers his views on what is established, what remains uncertain, and how media attention and politics have shaped the conversation. The discussion also touches on prosecutorial discretion and the broader challenges of...
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We the People on the Pillars of American Democracy
NYCLA Amicus Curiae
A free and independent Press, the courts and the Rule of Law, the Right to Vote and the United States Constitution are the foundational pillars of our American Democracy. In this episode of NYCLA Amicus Curiae, host Daniel K. Wiig sits down with Richard Gabriel, President of Decision Analysis inc. to discuss his latest research effort, The Rule of Law Project. The aim of the Rule of Law project is to investigate how citizens feel about the role of government, legal principles, foundational Constitutional concepts, and the state of our Democracy. The key findings of this research are...
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Who Decides When America Goes to War? A Conversation with Professor John Q. Barrett
NYCLA Amicus Curiae
Who decides when the United States goes to war? In the latest episode of Amicus Curiae: Candidly Speaking, host Daniel K. Wigg, sits down with Professor John Q. Barrett to explore the Constitution’s division of war powers between Congress and the President. Drawing on history, constitutional law, and recent events, Professor Barrett discusses the origins of the War Powers Resolution, how modern military conflicts have shaped presidential authority, and why these questions remain relevant today. The conversation also highlights the enduring influence of Supreme Court Justice Robert H....
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The Black, White, and Gray of AI: Ethics, Risks, and Regulation with Guest Cyrus R. Vance Jr.
NYCLA Amicus Curiae
In this episode of NYCLA Amicus Curiae, host Daniel K. Wiig sits down with Cyrus Vance, Jr., Global Chair of Baker McKenzie’s Cybersecurity Practice and Co-Chair of the firm’s North American Government Enforcement Practice, for a timely discussion on the evolving role of artificial intelligence in society, business, and the legal profession. As AI technologies continue to reshape how we work, communicate, and make decisions, lawyers, policymakers, and business leaders face increasingly complex questions about ethics, risk, accountability, and regulation. Vance shares his perspective on the...
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Beyond Party Lines: The Independent Voters
NYCLA Amicus Curiae
This episode of NYCLA Amicus Curiae with host Daniel K. Wiig features Chad Peace, election law attorney and legal strategist, on the role of independent voters within the current electoral framework. As Independent voters represent a growing share of the electorate, the conversation examines what motivates and inspires them, and ultimately shapes their participation. Chad addresses whether shifts in voting behavior reflect ideology or gaps in representation within a two party system. Drawing on his work with the Independent Voter Project, the discussion highlights ongoing efforts to expand...
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The Nexus of Global Business Litigation: The New York Commercial Division
NYCLA Amicus Curiae
In this special episode of NYCLA Amicus Curiae we explore the unique role of the New York Commercial Division as a leading forum for complex business disputes. Through a panel discussion with distinguished attorneys: Jonathan B. Fellows, Bond, Schoenneck & King; Elizabeth M. Sacksteder, Of Counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP; and Richard P. Swanson, NYCLA President and Fmr. Chief Legal Officer at York Capital Management; sit down with host Daniel K. Wiig to examine the court’s specialized structure, experienced judiciary, and commitment to efficient, predictable...
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Justice Antonin Scalia, A Man in Full: A Conversation with James Rosen
NYCLA Amicus Curiae
In this episode of NYCLA Amicus Curiae, whost Daniel K. Wiig sits down with journalist and author James Rosen to discuss his book . Rosen takes us inside the remarkable career of Antonin Scalia during his first fifteen years on the Supreme Court, exploring his judicial philosophy, memorable opinions, and the personal qualities that made him one of the Court’s most influential figures. Listeners will gain insight into Scalia as both a jurist and a person, and learn how his approach to the law shaped the Court and American legal thought. This conversation is essential listening for anyone...
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Justice in Practice: A Conversation with Manhattan DA Alvin L. Bragg, Jr.
NYCLA Amicus Curiae
In this episode of NYCLA Amicus Curiae with host Daniel K. Wiig, we are joined by Alvin L. Bragg, Jr., the 37th District Attorney of New York County covering Manhattan, who was reelected to a second term in November 2025. District Attorney Bragg reflects on his professional path and the experiences that shaped his approach to public service, drawing on his work as an Assistant Attorney General in New York, an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, and Chief Deputy Attorney General overseeing major criminal and civil matters. The conversation explores key moments from his...
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Justice, Politics, and Lawfare: History’s Role in Today’s Legal Battles with Dennis A. Brennan
NYCLA Amicus Curiae
The season of NYCLA Amicus Curiae with host Daniel K. Wiig opens with a conversation that looks backward to better understand the present. Attorney and author joins the podcast to discuss justice, politics, and the concept of lawfare, defined as the strategic use of legal systems to gain advantage in political or institutional conflict. Drawing on his work as a historian and his book, , Brennan reflects on how historical narratives continue to shape legal practice, public perception, and the role of attorneys in contested political moments. History remains vivid, and its influence on the...
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The Problem with Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Conversation with Legal Scholar Dr. Carol M. Swain
NYCLA Amicus Curiae
Legal scholar Dr. Carol M. Swain joins Daniel K. Wiig to explore key questions in contemporary discussions about diversity, equity, and inclusion. The conversation begins by examining the original intent of the civil rights movement and the legal and social principles that shaped efforts to remove formal barriers to equality. From there, the discussion moves to affirmative action and the evolution of DEI frameworks, considering how concepts of merit, integration, and assimilation have been understood over time. Dr. Swain and Daniel also discuss what a color blind society might look like and...
info_outlineThough Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been around for more than 70 years, the body of the law regulating its use is in its infancy. AI is the science of making machines that can think like humans. The reverberation of AI's impact can be felt on every sector of society. The widely changing technological landscape has high potential stakes and forces every field to investigate newly emerging issues that could essentially replace humans. At the time of this episodes recording, SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and the WGA (Writers Guild of America) Labor Unions were in the midst of a strike to obtain better wages, residual payments from streaming services for their work, and job protections guaranteeing that artificial intelligence would not be used to replace actual actors and writers. Our guest Simon Pulman, is a partner and co-chair of Pryor Cashman’s Media & Entertainment and Film, TV & Podcast Groups; he is also co-chair of the M+E Transactions and Financing Practice. Simon’s practice focuses on entertainment and media law, with significant experience in company-side business affairs and sophisticated rights transactions for television, film, podcasting, and interactive clients. As outside business affairs counsel for studios, networks, production companies, and rightsholders, he helps clients negotiate complex development, production, financing, and licensing deals. NYCLA Amicus Curiae Host Daniel K. Wiig sat down with Simon to elucidate on the key issues, threats, and legal implications and impact of AI on the entertainment field and its participants. This timely episode provides the listener with an insider's view from a leader in the legal media and entertainment sector. Listen now to this not to be missed episode.
