Wherever you are this summer (whether you’re on your internship commute, at the barbeque, taking a break from bar study, or excitedly gearing up for 1L) podcasts are a fun, digestible way to stay motivated, informed, and connected to your law school experience and professional goals. Today, we are highlighting two podcast series from the Practising Law Institute (“PLI”) that are particularly relevant for law students.
PLI is a nonprofit learning organization dedicated to keeping attorneys and other legal professionals at the forefront of knowledge and expertise. A great resource for current and future practicing attorneys alike, PLI offers accredited CLE programs and publishes a number of treatises, course handbooks, forms, and more. The “and more” also includes podcasts, which you can enjoy on-the-go, anywhere you enjoy podcasts!
How to Navigate Law School
PLI’s newest podcast, How to Navigate Law School, offers perspectives on unlocking the hidden knowledge and practical skills essential for law school success. Hosted by Anastasia Boyka, a legal futurist and former Assistant Dean for Leadership Programs at Yale Law School, this series connects students with experienced professionals who help decode law school’s unwritten rules and provide a supportive, empowering perspective for building your future in law.
The first four episodes are available now:
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Episode 1: Tips for Summer Associates
Featuring Lauren Hakala, Senior Director of Global Learning & Development at Reed Smith LLP. -
Episode 2: Navigating Your Legal Career
Featuring Marta Ricardo, Assistant Dean of Professionalism & Director of Lawyering Skills at Fordham Law. -
Episode 3: From Law School to Law Firm: Bridging the Research Gap
Featuring the Jackson Walker LLP team of Greg Lambert (Chief Knowledge Services Officer), Kelly Beam (Research Attorney), and Caren Luckie (Research Attorney). -
Episode 4: Building Your Path: Grit, Self-Discovery, and Success in Law School
Featuring Heidi Brown, Associate Dean for Upper-Level Writing at New York Law School.
…with more episodes on the way!
Pursuing Justice: The Pro Bono Files
If you’re passionate about social justice, make sure to check out Pursuing Justice: The Pro Bono Files. This podcast showcases the hard work and heartening stories of the pro bono and public interest community. With many episodes in this limited release available, we will just highlight “Pro Bono Transitions: From Law Student to Big Law Associate,” a two-part episode featuring Lexi Wung, a recent University of Michigan Law graduate and first-generation lawyer now working at Kirkland & Ellis:
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In Part One, Lexi shares her aspirations, questions, and fears as an up-and-coming first-generation lawyer with a passion for social justice at the very start of her career.
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In Part Two, the podcast checks back in with Lexi after completing her first year as an associate at Kirkland & Ellis to see how (or if) she maintained her passion for pro bono work. You can hear about her experience with “interesting, difficult, but meaningful” pro bono cases, all while simultaneously juggling billable client work.
These PLI podcasts offer valuable guidance, real-world insights, and inspiration for students looking to keep learning and growing over the summer. Even better, they are available wherever you listen to your podcasts, like Apple or Spotify. Make sure to check them out, along with the rest of PLI’s offerings.