Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/j_ArBxK8Gfk Pamela Metzger, Director of the Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center at SMU, shares her transformative journey as a dedicated public defender who navigated the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, advocating for thousands of detainees in New Orleans. Discover how this life-changing experience led to systemic reforms in criminal justice, focusing on the right to counsel and prosecutorial practices. Learn about the innovative approaches being implemented to ensure justice and empathy in the legal system. Chapters: 0:00 - Clip 0:56 - Intro 1:32 - What Motivates You? 4:50 - Law School 6:54 - Upbringing 12:14 - Women's Resources 17:24 - Steps After Law School 20:33 - Running University Clinics 22:25 - Katrina 37:20 - When You Were Recruited 42:47 - AI 52:02 - Randomized Control 58:01 - Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center 59:37 - To Those Who Think Everyone in CJ System is Bad 1:06:44 - Reaching Across the Aisle 1:12:42 - Passions Outside of Criminal Justice 1:16:43 - Most Grateful for 1:18:53 - Snap Your Fingers 1:20:37 - How to Support Pamela Metzger: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamela-metzger-07b90715a/ Deason Criminal Justice Reform Center: https://www.linkedin.com/company/deasoncenter/ https://www.smu.edu/law/centers-and-initiatives/deason-center https://www.instagram.com/smulawdeason/ Host: Jeffrey M. Zucker Producer: Kait Grey Editor: Nick Case Recording date: 1/30/25