Stay current with podcasts

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Do you listen to podcasts?

Listening to a podcast feels like time well-spent while making the long drive to a courthouse in St. Mary’s or Queen Anne’s counties. As much as I’d like to spend every afternoon having coffee with colleagues to discuss the perks and challenges of practicing law, I can usually only find the time to squeeze in an hour-long podcast, and I know I’m not being rude to anyone if I only have time to listen to half of an episode.

My regular podcast rotation includes WNYC’s Radio Lab, where two very smart guys, Jad Abumrod and Robert Krulwich discussing interesting topics related to science and human nature. A few months ago, I listened to a great episode that I was able to share with clients, about how the brain works differently for men and women in an argument. It even had the real-life example of the interviewer’s wife calling to argue with him because he was late.

I also listen to Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing. These short, punchy podcasts help me more for blogging and everyday email correspondence. I’m not ashamed to admit that I can always use the brush up. Can you remember when to use i.e. vs. e.g.?

If you’re not already, you should, of course, listen to The Annapolis Podcast hosted by my fellow Generation J.D. blogger Scott MacMullan. Another podcast I always try to make time to listen to is The Law Entrepreneur podcast hosted by Maryland attorney Neil Tyra. He has a law practice in Rockville, and the premise of his hour-long podcast is to interview solo practitioners, as well as marketing and tech experts, about all aspects of starting and maintaining your own solo practice.

The Law Entrepreneur podcast launched last February, and while this was almost two years after I launched my solo practice, I have learned something from every episode. Tyra’s full rundown of highlights from the AVVO conference in Las Vegas and the Mac Track conference in Florida are especially interesting to me as I do not enjoy attending big conferences (it’s also hard to do with two small children).

Tyra is a very REAL attorney: he admits when he’s too sick to record his podcast after a busy conference, and he used the frustrating experience of having his hard drive fail to record an episode about data backup, something we can all relate to. I appreciate Tyra’s opinions, and I admire the time he must put into researching, interviewing, and editing his podcasts. I imagine it must be a growing second job.

What podcasts are you listening to? Let me know in the comments section.