Law Practice Management: 3 Legal Podcasts Lawyers Need To Be Listening To

The age of the podcast is here! Now is the perfect time for attorneys to start becoming regular podcast listeners, as the internet is becoming flooded with high quality law specific podcast content. Below we’ll introduce you to three legal podcasts that we love, and think you’ll find a ton of value and entertainment from as well. Whether you need something to listen to during your commute, during your time at the office, or during your workout, here are three law related podcasts that will help you get through the day.

1. Pro Say Podcast

For years, Law360 has been a go-to spot for legal news and analysis. In April of 2017, the company decided to try and reach its followers through a new format, and launched the Pro Say podcast. This weekly show features the voices of Amber McKinney, Bill Donahue and Alex Lawson, and aims to bring you inside the Law360 newsroom. Below, we talk with Pro Say producer Steven Trader.

Podcast Origins

Steven Trader: “A handful of us in the Law360 newsroom started having an earnest conversation very early in 2017 about launching a podcast, thinking that a fun, conversational and informative show about the latest legal news developments would appeal to the attorneys who subscribe to our newswires, as well as to the general public. We saw room for that type of show in the legal podcast landscape, and thought we’d be the ideal news organization to fill it given our immensely talented group of reporters who could provide listeners some unique legal insight.”

What makes the podcast unique?

Steven Trader: “I think one of the unique aspects of our podcast is that we offer a little bit of everything for every type of attorney. The hosts of the show -- Amber McKinney, Alex Lawson and Bill Donahue -- are exceptional at breaking down and explaining complex legal topics in a conversational and relatable way, I think that makes the show appealing to the general public as well. The on-air chemistry between those three is another unique aspect of the show, they compliment each other very well and I think are just easy and fun to listen to.

Finally, I’d say that the legal expertise our Law360 reporters can offer is what makes our show really stand out. Our news service covers about 50 different areas of law, and the senior reporters on those beats know them inside and out, and when they come on the show to discuss their reporting in-depth, it really gives the listener some unique legal perspectives.”

What does a typical episode sound like?

Steven Trader: “A typical episode usually starts with some light banter among the hosts, for instance a status update on the Bachelorette candidate who’s an attorney, or some other fun pop culture topic. We’ll usually transition then into a discussion about a couple of top legal news items from the past week like a big case development or court opinion.

After that top news segment, we’ll launch into a 10-15 minute interview with a guest -- usually one of our newsroom senior reporters -- to talk in-depth about some significant legal topic or trend. Then we’ll end the show with a quick “offbeat” segment in which we’ll call attention to some odd little legal news nugget and usually make a bunch of jokes. We’ve occasionally ditched this formula for “special” episodes that focus on the Supreme Court term, but that’s the general outline.”

What is Pro Say hoping to accomplish with this podcast?

Steven Trader: “The Law360 news service really provides some exceptional legal coverage in written format, but our goal has been to provide that readership, as well as the general public, with an opportunity to get their legal news in an alternate way, like for instance while they’re commuting to work or making dinner at home and are looking some something fun and informative to listen to.”

Steven’s favorite episode so far?

Steven Trader: “I think we’ve had some really exceptional episodes that I’m very proud of and have really captured the listener’s attention, like when our legal industry senior reporter came on to discuss his breaking story on the collapse of Sedgwick LLP, or when former Solicitor General Ian Gershengorn came on as a guest to preview an upcoming Supreme Court term. Perhaps my favorite though was an “Oscar” special we recorded back in March around the time of the Hollywood ceremony, in which we handed out awards to our picks for the top legal movies in categories like Best Closing Argument, or Most Disparaging Portrayal of a Lawyer. It was totally silly and different, and just extremely fun to record.”

Steven’s dream guest?

Steven Trader: “We were on a mission for several months to land former U.S. Attorney Preet Bararah as a guest on the show, but he’s got his own podcast and turned us down. One of the highest profile guest we’ve ever had on the show was former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson -- who was very insightful -- and while he was in studio we “joked” about him slipping us Barack Obama’s phone number. Let’s be honest though, our dream guest would be Michelle..."

Busy lawyers should take the time to subscribe because…

Steven Trader: “I promise they will learn something about some recent big legal development, and do so in a way that’s extremely fun, convenient and enjoyable to listen to.”

Listen to the Pro Say podcast here!

2. Law Firm Marketing Decoded Podcast

The Law Firm Marketing Decoded Podcast, comes from LawLytics, a company that aims to help attorneys market smarter and get more clients. Hosted by Victoria Blute, the show offers advice for lawyers on building dominant law firm websites without wasting time or money. Here are some thoughts from Blute.

Podcast Origins

Victoria Blute: “The Law Firm Marketing Decoded Podcast grew out of the legal marketing webinars that we’d been presenting for a few years. Attorneys enjoyed those, and most importantly, they got a lot of value out of the information we were presenting. But, often times attorneys are on the go, and we started getting requests for a format that attorneys could enjoy and learn from no matter where they were.”

What makes the podcast unique?

Victoria Blute: “As the name of our podcast suggests, we really want to take the “mystery” out of online law firm marketing. We take an educational approach that helps attorneys get the most out of their firm’s web presence. We want attorneys to be able to take control of their online marketing so that they can market smarter, so they can get more clients, and so that they can build lasting value for their firms.”

What does a typical episode sound like?

Victoria Blute: “We take a conversational, non-intimidating approach to online law firm marketing and we break down one topic or one subject area in a step-by-step way that makes it easy for attorneys to educate themselves at whatever pace they’d like to learn.

Whether it’s content marketing, pay-per-click advertising, writing a better attorney bio, crafting compelling case results, or any other topic, we hope that our podcast feels like having a conversation with a friend you can trust.”

What is LawLytics hoping to accomplish with this podcast?

Victoria Blute: “Above all, we want to empower attorneys to understand the online marketing ecosystem and put attorneys back in the driver’s seat when it comes to their online marketing.

So many attorneys have been told that this stuff is too complicated, that they can’t do it themselves, or that it costs an arm and a leg to do online marketing well. None of those things are true. In fact, it’s very much the opposite! When attorneys take a little time to educate themselves, they quickly see that they’re capable of building a strong online presence without draining their marketing budgets in the process.”

Victoria’s favorite episode so far?

Victoria Blute: “That’s a tough question to answer! I’m quite passionate about showing attorneys how to make online marketing work for them, and it’s a huge reward when they have that “a-ha” marketing moment that helps them to improve their online visibility and helps them connect with more potential clients.

So, for me, any episode that sparks that “a-ha” moment for an attorney (or continues to build on it) gets classified as a “favorite.” But, if I had to choose one, I’d say Episode #41, “Why Law Firm SEO is a Game Attorneys Can Win.”

Search engine optimization (SEO) is a game -- and, much like poker, it’s a game of incomplete information. But it’s also a game that attorneys can win. It’s a game of probability and odds, learning how to stack those odds in your favor, and minimizing uncertainty. In that episode, we teach attorneys how to play the game to win. (We also have a series of eBooks on the topic that you can find here.)”

Victoria’s dream guest?

Victoria Blute: "I’d like to have the leaders of the ten most common law firm marketing companies on our podcast so we can have an open and honest debate about why they engage in some of the practices that they do."

Busy lawyers should take the time to subscribe because…

Victoria Blute: “A little listening can go a long way for your online marketing. Attorneys can be -- and should be -- in control of their law firm’s marketing on the web. But what many attorneys don’t realize is that this stuff is actually pretty easy to do, and it just requires a little bit of time to understand. Our podcast episodes vary in length, so whether you have a half-hour available to you or only five minutes, you can still learn something about how to improve your online marketing.”

Listen to the Law Firm Marketing Decoded Podcast Here!

3. LAWsome Podcast

The LAWsome podcast was created by two legal marketing professionals - Jake Sanders and Paul Julius - who wanted to provide an authentic, inspirational resource for lawyers and people working in law firms. As you’ll see from our below conversation with Sanders, this podcast aims to educate, while also providing a fun listen for it’s audience.

Podcast Origins

Jake Sanders: “After launching countless advertising campaigns, attending meetings and webinars that resulted in more confusion than clarity, and having candid conversations with frustrated clients that all voiced the same, exact concerns; Jake and Paul realized that there was an opportunity to serve the legal community with a content resource that could help connect legal professionals on common ground. The LAWsome Podcast is that resource.”

What makes the podcast unique?

Jake Sanders: “We are the only grass-fed podcast we know of.”

What does a typical episode sound like?

Jake Sanders: “We start with a thematic intro outlining a concept we discuss in the show. Then we visit and discuss articles, blogs, and other sites that are pertinent to the legal community. Then we dive into an interview or roundtable conversation on the theme of the show. We typically end each episode with no injuries.”

What is LAWsome hoping to accomplish with this podcast?

Jake Sanders: “By bringing humor, entertainment, and education to connect with lawyers on an authentic level, we hope to inspire lawyers and legal professionals to be a little more LAWsome in their work and lives.”

What's been your favorite episode so far?

Jake Sanders: “With every new episode it seems like we just recorded our new favorite, so I think as we develop and grow this new show with the audience, we’ll reach more milestones.”

Who's your dream guest?

Jake Sanders: “Barack Obama. You would’ve heard of this podcast if Barack Obama had been on it.”

Busy lawyers should take the time to subscribe because…

Jake Sanders: “When was the last time you were enchanted?”

Listen to the LAWsome podcast here!