The Welcome Table with Max Gaston

Max Gaston
  • 4.4 (7)
  • EDUCATION

Inspired by the old Negro spiritual that became an anthem of faith-driven activism and a call for justice and belonging during the civil rights movement, The Welcome Table symbolizes an inviting space where all voices are heard, valued, and engaged in meaningful dialogue. This podcast brings together inspiring individuals to explore the critical issues shaping law, justice, and belonging in our communities today. Through thought-provoking conversations, host Max Gaston, Director of Dignity, Solidarity, and Subsidiarity at Notre Dame Law School, fosters understanding, challenges assumptions, and illuminates the intersections of fairness, dignity, and solidarity in our workplaces, institutions, legal system, and daily lives. Rooted in a deep respect for identity and experience, The Welcome Table is more than just a podcast—it’s an open invitation. A call to pull up a chair, listen, and take part in conversations that shape our shared humanity.

  1. The Future of Law School Admissions: Insights from LSAC’s 2024 Knowledge Report

    03/03/2025

    The Future of Law School Admissions: Insights from LSAC’s 2024 Knowledge Report

    In this episode of The Welcome Table, Max Gaston sits down with Liz Bodamer, Senior Director of Research at the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), to explore the evolving landscape of law school admissions and the challenges facing DEI in legal education. As law schools adapt to major shifts in admissions policies, including the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on affirmative action, Max and Liz discuss how these changes impact access, opportunity, and equity. Drawing on insights from LSAC’s 2024 Knowledge Report, they examine the barriers prospective law students face, from financial hurdles to the hidden curriculum, and what institutions can do to uphold their commitments to diversity. Whether you’re a future law student, legal educator, or advocate for inclusion, this conversation provides a critical look at the intersection of law, policy, and equity in higher education—and what comes next.

    58 min
  2. Beyond Black: Exploring Diversity Within the Black Experience

    02/11/2025

    Beyond Black: Exploring Diversity Within the Black Experience

    In this episode of The DEI Podcast, we explore the rich and multifaceted nature of Black identity. Max is joined by three Notre Dame Law students, each offering a unique perspective shaped by their cultural backgrounds, lived experiences, and legal aspirations. Together, they challenge the monolithic perception of Blackness, discussing cultural assumptions, belonging in Black spaces, and the impact of identity on their law school journeys. The conversation also highlights the importance of cultural representation and how their backgrounds influence their approach to law and justice. Whether you're a law student, a DEI advocate, or simply interested in the intersection of culture, identity, and the legal profession, this episode provides a thoughtful and engaging exploration of the diversity within Black identity.

    59 min
  3. Protecting Law Clerks from Harassment

    12/02/2024

    Protecting Law Clerks from Harassment

    Judicial clerkships are typically characterized as an unadulterated good—lifelong mentor-mentee relationships between judges and law clerks that confer professional benefits. But little information exists to help law students identify positive work environments and avoid judges who mistreat their clerks. At the Legal Accountability Project, Aliza Shatzman works to ensure that law clerks have positive clerkship experiences, and to provide resources to those who do not. In this conversation, Aliza describes her personal experiences with gender discrimination, harassment, and retaliation by a former DC Judge. Aliza also explains how Title VII of the Civil Rights Act does not extend to federal judicial employees, the need for greater diversity within judicial chambers, and the work LAP is doing to support greater judicial accountability. Topics covered with timestamps: · 3:01 – Discussing what clerkships are, how they are messaged, and how students go about getting clerkships. · 8:23 – Aliza discusses her experience with harassment and mistreatment during her judicial clerkship and the reputational harm inflicted on her by her former judge following her clerkship. · 13:11 – Discussing the power disparity between judges and law clerks and how that disparity and the threat of retribution and reputational harm makes it difficult for law clerks to speak out in the face of mistreatment. · 17:17 – Discussing the mental health consequences for judicial law clerks who are mistreated by judges. · 19:32 – Aliza explains how she went on to found the Legal Accountability Project following her negative clerkship experience. · 22:22 – Discussing the problem of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act not extending to federal judicial employees and the role Law Schools can play in protecting students who will go on to be law clerks. · 30:55 – Discussing the importance of judicial ethics and the state of the judiciary overall regarding ethics and accountability. · 34:04 – Aliza discusses the centralized clerkships database being developed by the Legal Accountability Project—tech that democratizes information about judges so law students have more information about judges before making decisions on where to clerk. · 37:39 – Discussing the lack of diversity in judicial chambers and the hiring practices of judges as reported in the recent publication, Law Clerk Selection and Diversity: Insights From Fifty Sitting Judges of the Federal Courts of Appeals. · 43:27 – Aliza discusses the benefits of diversity in judicial chambers to support fair and equitable legal problem solving. · 46:24 – Discussing the role of judges in judicial reform and the work of the Legal Accountability Project.

    53 min
  4. JUST ACTION: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law

    11/14/2024

    JUST ACTION: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law

    In his best-selling book, The Color of Law, Richard Rothstein demolished the de facto segregation myth that Black and White Americans live separately by choice, providing the most forceful argument ever published on how federal, state, and local governments gave rise to and reinforced neighborhood segregation. Aware that twenty-first-century segregation continues to promote entrenched inequality and underlie our most serious social problems, Richard has partnered with housing policy expert Leah Rothstein to write JUST ACTION: How to Challenge Racial Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law. JUST ACTION provides bona fide solutions, based on decades of study and experience, that activists and their supporters can undertake in their own communities to address historical inequities, and shows how community groups can press those in government and the private sector that imposed segregation to finally take responsibility for reversing the harm, creating victories that might finally challenge residential segregation and help remedy America’s profoundly unconstitutional past.

    1h 18m
  5. Defending Diversity: Analyzing the Legal Battle Over DEI Programs After Students for Fair Admissions

    10/17/2024

    Defending Diversity: Analyzing the Legal Battle Over DEI Programs After Students for Fair Admissions

    In this episode of the DEI Podcast, Max sits down with civil rights attorney and Senior Advisor at Democracy Forward, Sunu Chandy, to explore the shifting legal landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs over a year after the Supreme Court’s historic decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions. Last June marked the one-year anniversary of this landmark ruling. In its wake, anti-equity organizations have sought to weaponize the courts against a range of DEI programs, creating legal challenges that have generated significant media attention and deterred law firms, executives, and administrators who fear litigation could stifle efforts to create fair and equitable workplaces. But aside from the headlines, just how much have those suits actually accomplished? Have they had any real impact in the courts, or are they merely expensive distractions, with their earned media providing louder bark than legal bite? Sunu recently led a new report that highlights key analyses following Democracy Forward’s review of over seventy cases brought by anti-equity actors against DEI-related programs across various contexts. The findings challenge the conventional wisdom surrounding these cases and suggest that SFFA has not fundamentally altered the legal frameworks in the vast majority of public and private sector contexts. Read the full report from Democracy Forward here: https://democracyforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/DF-DEI-Report_Final-Proof_070224.pdf

    1h 1m
  6. Answering Your Questions: The Notre Dame Law School Experience

    10/03/2024

    Answering Your Questions: The Notre Dame Law School Experience

    On this episode of the DEI Podcast, Max is joined in the studio by Marisa Simon, the Director of Admissions at Notre Dame Law School. Together, they answer questions submitted online by prospective students about the law school and the admissions process. From considerations for GPA and LSAT splitters to crafting a compelling personal statement, Marisa and Max cover it all. They also delve into the vibrant culture of inclusion and belonging at Notre Dame Law, highlighting the unique charm that sets the institution apart. Whether you’re dreaming of a legal career or simply intrigued by the world of admissions, this episode is both enlightening and engaging. Tune in and discover what makes Notre Dame Law School a place like no other!

    51 min
  7. The Spirit of Justice

    09/17/2024

    The Spirit of Justice

    In this episode of the DEI Podcast, Max talks with Jemar Tisby, New York Times bestselling author and Notre Dame alum, about his latest book, The Spirit of Justice: True Stories of Faith, Race, and Resistance. Jemar’s book illuminates the often-overlooked heroes of the racial justice movement and explores how faith has deeply influenced the struggle for racial equality across both historical and contemporary contexts. Max and Jemar delve into the crucial role of faith in civil rights and racial justice, the emergence of the Black church as a powerful space of resistance, and the evolving nature of racial injustice. They also discuss the contributions of White allies, the vital role of Black women during the civil rights era, and common misinterpretations of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. Throughout their conversation, Jemar highlights the enduring power of resilience, the importance of Black representation, and how these elements continue to inspire and shape contemporary movements for justice.

    58 min
  8. The Power of Sports to Drive Social Change

    09/03/2024

    The Power of Sports to Drive Social Change

    In this episode of the DEI Podcast, Max Gaston sits down with Diahann Billings, attorney, and CEO of the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE), to explore the transformative power of sports in driving social change. They dive into how sports can influence individual behavior, unite diverse communities, and challenge social inequities. Diahann shares insights on key RISE programs, including their work with athletes to bridge racial and economic divides and their initiatives to promote diversity in sports leadership. The conversation also touches on the current political climate, the push for fair pay in women's sports, and the challenges of addressing racism within fanbases. Listen in to learn how RISE is leveraging the unifying nature of sports to create more inclusive environments and how you can support their mission to advance equality and justice both on and off the field.

    1h 1m
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Ratings & Reviews

4.4
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Inspired by the old Negro spiritual that became an anthem of faith-driven activism and a call for justice and belonging during the civil rights movement, The Welcome Table symbolizes an inviting space where all voices are heard, valued, and engaged in meaningful dialogue. This podcast brings together inspiring individuals to explore the critical issues shaping law, justice, and belonging in our communities today. Through thought-provoking conversations, host Max Gaston, Director of Dignity, Solidarity, and Subsidiarity at Notre Dame Law School, fosters understanding, challenges assumptions, and illuminates the intersections of fairness, dignity, and solidarity in our workplaces, institutions, legal system, and daily lives. Rooted in a deep respect for identity and experience, The Welcome Table is more than just a podcast—it’s an open invitation. A call to pull up a chair, listen, and take part in conversations that shape our shared humanity.

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