I’m the first lawyer in my family. I entered law school barely knowing what litigation was, let alone all the possibilities that the legal profession holds. While trying to learn rules and briefing cases, I also had to figure out where I fit into this larger legal landscape. 

This is where How I Lawyer comes in. A podcast hosted by Georgetown Law Professor Jonah Perlin, listeners can learn from attorneys with a wealth of experience and knowledge about practically every domain of law you can think of — even ones you would’ve never imagined. For example, Paul Sarker sheds light on the glamorous (and not-so glamorous) aspects of entertainment law, drawing from his prior work as in-house counsel for Marvel and Disney. Mark Fava is an aviation lawyer, something I knew next to nothing about, who previously defended Delta in passenger litigation and all Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) actions before moving to Boeing. Whether you’re passionate about criminal defense or fashion, How I Lawyer truly has something for everyone. 

What I love about How I Lawyer is that it is made with law students in mind. The interviews provide practical advice — guests share their personal experiences navigating law school and a legal career, and answer questions you might be afraid to ask, like big law vs. in house or public law vs. private law. The podcast also holds live and panel opinion sessions with professional development in mind. A recent episode advised 3Ls on getting a judicial clerkship. Another was more philosophical, tackling “positive lawyering” and the role of personal wellness in building better lawyers. How I Lawyer helps distill the “information dump” that often comes with legal career development. 

I’m still not entirely sure what I want to do in my career. And even a short-term plan does not inform my longer-term goals. But coming in “blind,” I was open to any advice I could get. Anything that could help narrow down my options or learn about what’s out there. Listening to How I Lawyer has made that process a little easier.

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Sangeeta Kishore is a first-year student at BC Law and vice president of the Impact blog. Contact her at kishorsa@bc.edu.