Overcriminalization of HIV Disclosure

Posted onAuthorMatt Shepherd

The Pro Bono Radio team talks to professor Bill Flanagan about the overcriminalization of HIV disclosure from a public health disclosure — examining the barriers to testing, public health implications, stigma and chilling effects stemming from criminalization, and the “public health imperative” of striking an appropriate balance.

(Note: this episode was recorded during the 2018-19 school year; Bill Flanagan was Dean of Queen’s Law at the time of recording; the current dean at this posting (January 2020) is Mark Walters).

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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Indigenous Perspectives of Law School

Posted onAuthorMatt Shepherd

A display of wampum belts is appreciated, but is it enough? Indigenous law students discuss their experience at Queen's, and the challenges facing legal education and "bridging two worlds."

Indigenous law students at Queen’s Law talk about their experiences as Indigenous students at the law school — both positive and negative — including reconciliation and the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, the problematic name of the school’s building, and thoughts on how law schools in general are succeeding, and still challenged, to address the needs of Indigenous students.

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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Self-Defense with Professor Noah Weisbord

Posted onAuthorMatt Shepherd

Is Canada hewing too close to an American ‘stand your ground’ defense philosophy? Professor Noah Weisbord (Queen’s Law; author of The Crime of Aggression: The Quest for Justice in an Age of Drones, Cyberattacks, Insurgents, and Autocrats) and Pro Bono Radio’s Parnian and Luke break down Canadian self defense law, from the Lucky Moose case to Cormier and Stanley, and the shift in Canadian defense law from prioritizing preserving life, to prioritizing property.

Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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Mandatory Surcharges with Professor Lisa Kerr

Posted onAuthorMatt Shepherd

The Pro Bono Radio team talks mandatory victim surcharges with professor Lisa Kerr — why were they declared unconstitutional? How did these issues arrive before the Supreme Court, and why was it deemed “cruel and unusual punishment”? The justice system, principles of sentencing, and much more are covered in this episode of Pro Bono Radio!


Pro Bono Radio is part of the Queen’s chapter of Pro Bono Students Canada. The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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Legal Loopholes with Leo Katz (Penn Law)

Posted onAuthorMatt Shepherd

Saroosh sits down with Leo Katz of Penn Law to take a deep dive into legal loopholes!

The author of multiple books, Leo takes us through his ambitious theory of loopholes and restrictions — starting from the foundational question of what a loophole actually is and abstracting toward a general account of the creation of loopholes.

The Pro Bono Radio Queen’s team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice! It is, however, created as a project of PBSC Queen’s, itself part of Pro Bono Students Canada… and produced at Queen’s Law.

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Proportional Representation

Posted onAuthorMatt Shepherd

Justin Trudeau has famously walked back on a promise to reform the federal electoral system away from first-past-the-post — in Ontario, the Doug Ford conservative took over 60% of the seats in Parliament, but with under 40% of the vote.

The Pro Bono Radio Team look into what proportional representation works, how the law affects it, and what legal paths to reform might look like.

How can electoral reform change how our political system work?

The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice!

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Gimme the loot!

Posted onAuthorMatt Shepherd

Loot boxes! A surprisingly deep (and new) area of law — is it gambling? Is it legal? How will the gaming industry be bound by law as loot boxes and issues around them continue to evolve?

Do loot boxes lead to a better gaming experience — or addiction and disaster?

The Pro Bono team digs into the issue, and the age-old debate of paternalism in the law vs. permissiveness, the need to protect minors, and more.

Our hosts are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice!

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Consent, with Professor Don Stuart

Posted onAuthorMatt Shepherd

The Pro Bono Radio team discusses consent, in the context of the #MeToo movement and recent and emerging issues. They’re joined by Queen’s Law professor Don Stuart, a living legend in Canadian criminal law circles.

Professor Don Stuart.

Content warning: this episode discusses serious issues concerning sexual assault.

The Pro Bono Radio team are not lawyers, and this is not legal advice.

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