To mark this D.C. Law Day on May 1, Brief Encounters, the podcast of the D.C. Bar Communities Office, features a conversation between Tamara Kraljic, Counsel at Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP and incoming Treasurer of the Women’s Bar Association of D.C., and Dr. Annette Weerth, Consul General and Legal Adviser at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Washington, D.C.

In this episode, they explore what diplomacy looks like beyond treaties and formal channels—from fostering transatlantic legal dialogue and engaging with lawyers, courts, and civil society, to convening candid, small circle discussions on accountability, judicial independence, and the rule of law. Dr. Weerth also reflects on the importance of sub national and informal diplomacy in times when traditional diplomatic pathways might be tested, and on the essential role lawyers and law play in supporting democratic institutions, peace and stability both domestically and across borders.

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

In this Season 3 episode, co-hosts Valerie Mirko, Partner at Armstrong Teasdale LLP and leader of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Litigation Practice, and William Nelson, Director of Public Policy and Associate General Counsel at the Investment Adviser Association, break down a timely set of regulatory and legislative developments shaping today’s securities landscape.

Valerie and William discuss the recent appointment of David Woodcock as the SEC’s Director of Enforcement and how he is expected to continue Chairman Atkins’s focus on investor harm. Valerie also notes that, despite a recent lull in rulemaking and few open meetings, there could be an “Atkins avalanche” of regulatory activity, with as many as two dozen rules proposed during his tenure.

They further explore Chairman Atkins’s recent speeches, in which he has suggested the SEC may codify certain existing no-action guidance through formal rulemaking.

William also previews next month’s episode, which will cover the Department of Labor’s recent rule that could allow retirement plans to invest more heavily in alternative assets such as private equity and digital assets.

This episode is a must-listen for securities lawyers, compliance professionals, regulators, and anyone navigating today’s rapidly evolving regulatory landscape.

Recent Past Episodes of this Series:

Congress Puts the SROs Under the Microscope: SEC Oversight, Transparency, and Reform (3/18/2026)

⁠Congress Puts the SEC Under the Microscope: Accountability, Due Process, and Reform⁠ (2/11/2026)

⁠⁠A Study in Contrasts: Innovation and Crypto versus the Crypto Fraud Landscape⁠⁠ (1/21/2026)

⁠⁠⁠A Year of Change, Challenges, and What Comes Next⁠⁠⁠ (12/17/2025)

⁠⁠⁠⁠When Washington Stops: What the 2025 Shutdown Means for the SEC and Congress Going Forward⁠⁠⁠⁠ (11/19/2025)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The SEC’s New Direction: Enforcement and Governance in Focus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (10/22/25)

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠From Memecoins to Custody: What Firms Need to Know About Crypto⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (9/24/25)

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.

In this episode of Brief Encounters, host Joyce Williams is joined by former Appellate Immigration Judge Andrea Sáenz and former Immigration Judge Anam Rahman Petit for a timely conversation on U.S. immigration law at the intersection of policy and the rule of law. Together, they unpack judicial independence, detention and adjudication, and the shifting boundaries of asylum—offering an insider’s view of how these legal frameworks shape due process, access to protection, and the future of the immigration system.

Please note, the positions and opinions expressed by the speakers are strictly their own, and do not necessarily represent the views of their employers, nor those of the D.C. Bar, its Board of Governors or co-sponsoring Communities and organizations.