Gordon Firemark, entertainment lawyer from Los Angeles, California and educator of lawyers about the importance of using podcasting in their legal practices joins us this week in the Law School Insider.
Gordon Firemark has been an entertainment lawyer for many years and in asking him about how people in the future can get into the entertainment law field, he joked and said that many are born and/or married into the field. In actuality though was that he has found that people in this field tend to have an innate need to perform or be communicators in some way.
Gordon mentioned that really anyone can go into the entertainment law field, but to do so you need to have strong academics and be willing to pound the pavement and put in sweat equity to be able to get to know as many people in the field that you can.
The internship is also key to being able to make your mark on the field and open up doors for you as you get ready to enter your career.
For Gordon, he found that doing good work was critical for on the job success, and it was through that good work that, he as a lawyer built his reputation.
He also found that networking was critical, especially in the entertainment law field. Gordon mentioned that not only do you need to network with people doing similar things with yourself, but also networking with people on the other side of the deals or the courtroom too.
The entertainment law may seem large, but Gordon mentioned that the overall field is actually very small.
Why is it so important for you to consider podcasting within your career?
- Pick a topic that you will not get bored with
- Write 10-15 things that you'll talk about
The nice thing with podcasting is that there is no set format for a podcast. As long as you have a list of topics you can get going. By taking the topic and laying them out, like you would a case, you can teach your listeners the topic, and possibly why they need to hire you as a lawyer in the end.
Gordon mentioned that there are two major road blocks that stop someone from podcasting. The first is technology, but Gordon mentioned that this is easily overcome. The second is what Gordon referred to as the impostor effect which is that you do not feel that you are the expert that you are.
Podcasts can help you break the ice with other people in the field as well, and if you have an interview format, you can also grow your own network base with having people on your show.
Some lawyers have concerns about the ethical ramifications about using podcasting in their professional practice. Gordon did not seem to think that this was a big concern. As long as you:
- Don't talk about your cases or your clients
- Don't reveal any confidences or specifics/details that you know about cases you are connected with
By staying away from these, you keep yourself safe from getting into ethical binds in the future.
There are also going to be some steps you may have to take to convince your own boss that having a podcast is worth the time and effort. As you sit down with your supervisor remind them that:
- you have a newsletter
- you have email
- you may have a company blog
By reminding them about this and explaining that podcasting is just another way to share information, you may find yourself podcasting before you know it!
If you are thinking about podcasting in your own practice, here is a list of possible equipment that you may wish to consider:
Possible Microphones
Suspension Boom Arm
Windscreen
Pop Filter
OPTIONAL
In the end, Gordon said that you can start podcasting even before you get into your career. In fact, he felt that students that step up to this may set themselves apart from others because they show a true passion about a topic.
If you are interested in podcasting in your own professional practice as a lawyer, check out the Power Podcasting for Lawyers course that Gordon has created. It will get you up and running in no time!
Did you like this interview? Are you interested in entertainment law or using podcasting in your own interest in the law? Leave a comment below to let me know!
Are you a practicing lawyer? A law student? Would you like to be a guest on an upcoming episode of the Law School Insider? Send me an email at lawschoolinsider@cooley.edu