Bribery is the corruption we prosecute. But according to Lawrence Lessig, it's institutional corruption that poses the most danger to American democracy. Hosts Katy Glenn Bass and Madhav Khosla speak with the Harvard Law professor who makes a pointed distinction: the corruption hollowing out American institutions isn’t about bribes, it’s structural—the capture of courts, law firms, corporations, and Congress by economic dependencies pull each away from its founding purpose and leave them vulnerable to political pressure. Yet Lessig finds hope in the lawyers who have refused to bend, in universities that eventually drew a line, and in preparing law students to make professional decisions that align with their values.

"Lawyering Without Law" is brought to you by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Please subscribe and leave a review. We’d love to know what you think.

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What does authoritarianism look like when it operates through law? In the first episode of “Lawyer Without Law,” hosts Katy Glenn Bass and Madhav Khosla speak with Princeton University Professor Kim Lane Scheppele. They explore historic examples of the legal profession’s role in democratic backsliding around the world and in the United States. They examine how legal systems can consolidate power while maintaining the appearance of legitimacy—and what that means for lawyers and legal institutions as democratic norms come under strain.

"Lawyering Without Law" is brought to you by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Please subscribe and leave a review. We’d love to know what you think.

To learn more about the Knight Institute, visit our website, knightcolumbia.org, and follow us on social media.

What happens when law becomes a tool of democratic decline?

Authoritarianism is often framed as lawless. But many of the most effective assaults on democracy operate through law itself.

“Lawyering Without Law” is a biweekly podcast examining the role lawyers play in defending democracy or facilitating the slide into authoritarianism.

Across six episodes, the series brings together scholars, litigators, and practitioners to explore how legal systems are used, bent, and contested as democratic backsliding unfolds in the United States and around the world.

"Lawyering Without Law" is brought to you by the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University. Please subscribe and leave a review. We’d love to know what you think.

To learn more about the Knight Institute, visit our website, knightcolumbia.org, and follow us on social media.