Episodes

Karen Conti, Chicago trial attorney, joins Bob Sirott to discuss the latest on the Tupac Shakur murder trial, as well as Luigi Mangione’s guilty plea to federal stalking charges. Later on, Karen clarifies whether letters can be trademarked. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8601602/8601602_2026-08-19-143402.64kmono.mp3 Recent Posts Karen Conti Karen Conti: Can a letter be trademarked? .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Back-to-school legal issues .cls-7{fill:#fff;fill-rule:evenodd} Shoul...

Education lawyer Marina Diambri of Diambri and Vicara, P.C. joins Karen Conti to highlight back to school legal issues. Marina discusses the student cellphone ban beginning in 2027 and how it will protect students who need them, AI-generated images and content used as cyberbullying, how parents can take action if there child experiences bullying, dress code enforcements, parents and schools reaching an agreement with the Individual Education Program (IEP), rights students have if accused of misc...

Dr. Shane Singh, Professor of Public and International Affairs and Co-Director of Graduate Studies, Political Science & International Affairs at the University of Georgia, joins Karen Conti to discuss his advocacy for a law that would require everyone in the U.S. to vote. Shane talks about voter turnout percentages in general and midterm elections, common reasons for why people do not vote, whether moving Election Day to the weekend would increase turnout, countries that have mandatory voting fo...

Criminal defense lawyer Damon Cheronis joins Karen Conti to discuss Luigi Mangione pleading guilty to federal charges relating to the homicide of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Damon explains the charges against Mangione in state and federal court and how they differ, what is next in the case, why Mangione’s lawyers are claiming double jeopardy, and whether the New York judge is likely to sentence Mangione to life in prison. Damon also comments on the Tupac Shakur murder trial that began ...

Dave Zehner, jury consultant and a founding partner of Zehner Trial Consulting, joins Karen Conti to talk about the jury selection for the trial of Duane Davis, the suspect in the murder of Tupac Shakur, as well as the upcoming Luigi Mangione trial. Dave discusses special considerations in jury selections, why jurors usually expect forensic evidence, the major problems with the jury selection process, what it means to deselect a jury, why younger jurors may differ from older jurors, and how to r...

Karen Conti, Chicago trial attorney, joins Wendy Snyder, filling in for Bob Sirott, to talk about the jury selection for the Tupac Shakur murder trial and a Texas law that bans the sale of halal foods and the wearing of hijabs in public schools. She also shares details about a lawsuit against Gibson’s Steakhouse in Oak Brook and more laws that Governor Pritzker signed last week. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8587991/8587991_2026-08-12-134931.64kmono.mp3 Recent Posts Karen Conti Jury selec...

Director, writer, producer, and the principal of Pyramid Productions James Buddy Day joins Karen Conti to talk about the 57th anniversary of the Charles Manson murders. Buddy discusses the nine murders committed, Manson’s history of nonviolent crimes before the murders, whether he liked or hated women, Vincent Bugliosi’s ‘Helter Skelter’ theory that Manson directed his cult to commit crimes to start a race war, and where his family members that were imprisoned are today. Buddy is the director a...

Martina Vandenberg, lawyer and founder and president of The Human Trafficking Legal Center in Washington, joins Karen Conti to discuss what constitutes human trafficking, how prevalent trafficking is worldwide and in the United States, and the percentage of women subjected to trafficking and forced labor. Martina details a recent case where a woman smuggled migrants from Mexico into Highland Park, IL and held them in debt bondage. She also explains a new federal law that allows victims to remove...

Appellate Justice and Edgar-award-winning author David Ellis joins Karen Conti to talk about his role as an appellate justice and his legal thriller novels, including his new book ‘Keep Them Close’. Justice Ellis shares which types of cases inspire his writing the most, why the main characters in his novels always have a flaw, how his wife inspired ‘Keep Them Close’, how his roles as a judge and a novelist complement each other, and why he thinks the reputation of the Supreme Cout has fallen to ...

Daniel Sheehan, Harvard law professor and founder of the New Paradigm Institute, joins Karen Conti and Scott Schneider to discuss the efforts to have the government disclose decades of information about UFOs, extraterrestrial visits, and the recent publication of long-withheld documents. Daniel talks about where the documents are located, what he believes they will contain if released, his efforts to get whistleblowers protected and address their concerns, how we deal with other countries trying...

Criminal defense lawyer Damon Cheronis joins Karen Conti and Scott Schneider to talk about the week’s trending legal news. Damon discusses Dr. Anthony Fauci taking the Fifth Amendment 111 times at a COVID-19 hearing and whether he has the right to take it, the Idaho murderer who killed four college students seeking to vacate his guilty plea, the […]

Karen Conti, Chicago trial attorney, joins Bob Sirott to talk about what homeowners insurance will cover concerning storm damage and Bryan Kohberger’s plan to pursue an ineffective lawyer appeal. She also discusses the increased penalties for Scott’s Law and if Mexico can hold the U.S. accountable over the deaths of immigrants. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8546089/8546089_2026-07-29-122529.64kmono.mp3 Recent Posts Karen Conti Karen Conti: What storm damage is covered by insurance? .cls-...

Karen Conti, Partner at Conti & Dolan, LLC, joins Lisa Dent to the charges against ex-Olympian, David Hearn, who allegedly damaged the Lincoln Memorial’s Reflecting Pool back in June. She brings up Hearn’s lawyer who has hinted at potential misconduct on the part of the grand jury handling the proceedings. Later she provides an update […]

Karen Conti, Chicago trial attorney, joins Bob Sirott to talk about proposed laws that could ban prediction markets and the White House employee who placed a bet on President Donald Trump’ recent speech. She also explains why the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger is paused and the Minnesota law that allows alcohol to be served at assisted living facilities during organized events. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8532445/8532445_2026-07-22-133345.64kmono.mp3 Recent Posts Karen Conti Karen Conti:...

William Kovacic, professor at George Washington University Law School and former chair of the FTC, joins Karen Conti to discuss the lawsuit attempting to block the merger between Paramount and Warner Brothers. William talks about how the merger would work, how antitrust laws affect the merger, and why the issue remains before another court even if the federal government approves the merger. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8528663/William_Kovacic_7-20-26_2026-07-20-232303.64kmono.mp3

Brandon Grodsky, CEO and founder of B and T Security Solutions, joins Karen Conti to talk about how his firm strengthens security for businesses, schools, and other organizations through planning and training. Brandon discusses how his company helps prevent mass shootings, what to do if there is an active shooter in your workplace, assessing security risks at new locations, when a risk should be taken seriously, the run-hide-fight concept, and two upcoming apps for home and workplace safety. ht...

Ryan Walz, owner and partner of Cobblestone Exteriors, joins Karen Conti to talk about how to avoid contractor scams and how to protect yourself when hiring a contractor. Ryan explains what should be included in the contract to ensure you are protected, whether you should pay in full upfront, six points to follow for a successful remodeling project, the importance of permits and insurance, red flags to watch out for, and what is the concern of having a mechanic’s lien against your property. htt...

Karen Conti, Chicago trial attorney, joins Bob Sirott to talk about why a federal appeals court upheld the ban on semiautomatic weapons and if President Trump can appeal a federal judge’s decision concerning a ten billion dollar lawsuit. She also discusses why states are suing to block the merger of Warner Bros. and Paramount and the new laws that Governor Pritzker signed. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8515569/8515569_2026-07-15-122809.64kmono.mp3 Recent Posts Karen Conti Karen Conti: Cou...

Author Dennis Breo joins Karen Conti to talk about the 60th anniversary of the Richard Speck murders in Chicago, where eight student nurses were killed. Dennis discusses Speck’s family upbringing and relationships, his complicated personality, the crime scene, how one victim, Corazon Amurao, survived, Speck’s defense at trial, how he spent his time in prison, and his jailhouse confession. To dive deeper into the case and Speck, check out Dennis’ book, ‘The Crime of the Century: Richard Speck an...

Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart joins Karen Conti to discuss the Gun Violence Prevention Initiative and how it has helped drastically reduced gun violence since the 2022 Highland Park parade shooting. Eric also talks about Firearm Restraining Orders, what he has done to solve domestic violence issues in Lake County, and law enforcement’s close connection with the community. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8505370/Eric_Rinehart_7-12-26_2026-07-13-095410.64kmono.mp3

Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs joins Karen Conti to discuss the role of Illinois’ Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) program and its impact on people with disabilities. Michael also talks about Illinois’ state-facilitated retirement savings program, the importance of college savings accounts, Operation Purple Heart, and accessing unclaimed funds. https://serve.castfire.com/audio/8505369/Michael_Frerichs_7-12-26_2026-07-13-093009.64kmono.mp3

Charles Bosworth, author of ‘Who Killed JonBenet Ramsey?’, joins Karen Conti to talk about the JonBenet Ramsey murder that took place nearly thirty years ago. Charles discusses whether JonBenet’s father, John, was involved in the case, the family’s behavior after her death, who may have sexually abused JonBenet, the questionable ransom note left in the home, why an outside-intruder theory doesn’t seem to work in this case, why her brother, Burke, is not a viable suspect, how bad the crime scene ...

Carolyn Shapiro, a constitutional law professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law, joins Karen Conti to talk about this week’s Supreme Court rulings on birthright citizenship and mail-in voting. Carolyn explains birthright citizenship, the arguments made by President Trump’s administration in support of the executive order to end it, and what would need to happen to get rid of it. Then, she discusses states being allowed to count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day. She also comments on ...

Lester Munson, a retired lawyer and Sports Illustrated and ESPN author, joins Karen Conti to talk about the latest NBA betting scandal involving former player Malik Beasley. Lester comments on how much blame we should direct toward athletes for placing bets, the consequences of sports betting for athletes, and how to prevent athletes from taking part in it. Lester also discusses the Supreme Court’s ruling on transgender athletes and why it upheld state bans on transgender girls and women partic...