Until recently, podcasts for young lawyers were few and far between. Most of the accessible programmes are based overseas, so aren’t relatable to the experiences had by law students and young lawyers in New Zealand.
That has changed with the introduction of a podcast website hosted by a Christchurch lawyer.
The New Lawyer “…is an extended industry-wide conversation about the practice of law in New Zealand,” explains host Katie Cowan.
The podcast site operates out of Christchurch, and its expenses are covered by funding from the New Zealand Law Society's Canterbury-Westland Branch Benevolent Fund.
Katie established the programme after reading Josh Pemberton’s report, First Steps: The Experiences and Retention of New Zealand’s Junior Lawyers. This report published statistics and information about New Zealand’s law schools, showing that while their academic teachings are valued, they have low scores when it comes to providing practical legal education.
The New Lawyer discusses real-life, practical issues faced by young lawyers and students. Mental health, stress management, how to find the right way to practise for your needs, and advice on how to be a good junior lawyer are just some of the subjects covered.
The programme also discusses other hot topics like gender diversity in legal leadership and how to utilise the experiences had while working as a junior lawyer. Guests provide insight on their area of expertise, their experiences and any other relevant areas of discussion.
While there are a lot of American and British podcasts aimed at lawyers, “a Kiwi voice for Kiwi law students” can provide comfort to young law students around New Zealand who can appreciate, and relate to someone who has gone through similar experiences.
In the upcoming episodes some of Katie’s guests include judges, novelists, Supreme Court justices, international lawyers, and the Solicitor General.
Episodes of The New Lawyer can be downloaded via iTunes, Stitcher and the iOS and Android Podcasts apps. It is also available on her website which also has a page of resources for all sorts of issues discussed on the podcast