24 Podcast Episode Ideas for Lawyers

Getting started with legal podcast marketing can be intimidating for lawyers who aren’t super familiar with the format. But at the end of the day, podcasting is just talking. 

Most attorneys I work with are naturals at this, especially because they’re talking about stuff that they already know. That said, you still need to come up with ideas for what to talk about. And that seems to be one of the first hurdles that stops law firm podcasts from progressing. 

So I came up with 24 simple podcast episode ideas that any lawyer can use to map out upcoming shows. 

A few notes before we dive in:

• If you’re publishing 2 episodes per month, this is a full year’s worth of ideas.
• You can batch record episodes and do everything over 6-7 sessions.
• Make sure you set realistic goals for your law firm podcast to establish expectations early on.
• Listen to my podcast on recording gear for law firms to ensure you have the right setup. 

1. Recent Local News Impacting Local Laws

Think of any state-specific or even city-specific news that is relevant to your practice. You might even have a few of these stories off the top of your head right now without having to do any research.

For example, towns and cities nationwide have recently been addressing local e-bike laws. This is a trending topic worth covering for any personal injury attorney.

If you can’t come up with anything on your own, Perplexity is an excellent source for these complex queries. Just input your practice area, location, and timeframe, and give it the context that you want to frame relevant news stories for a podcast episode. 

2. Interview a Lawyer in Another Practice Area

I love this approach because it forces you to network with colleagues in other firms. 

It’s a win-win for both of you because it instantly gives that attorney exposure to a wider audience, and you give your listeners a relevant point of view in other legal areas without it being a conflict of interest for your firm.

3. Answer Questions From Listeners

This is another one of my favorite podcast episode ideas for lawyers because it doubles as an engagement lever on other channels.

You can promote this concept via social media, email, LinkedIn, and wherever you have followers who would be interested in submitting questions. In addition to getting engagement there, it gives those same people a reason to listen to that episode to hear you answer those questions. 

When planned strategically, you could easily get 5-6 social posts out of this, plus a high-quality podcast episode that people will be eager to hear. 

4. Explain the Timeline of a Typical Case

Obviously this will look a bit different for everyone depending on your practice area. Probate cases look nothing like slip and fall lawsuits or criminal trials. 

But it’s a great way to subtly outline your strategic approach and expertise as a lawyer, regardless of what kind of case you’re handling. 

And if your firm covers a range of practice areas, this single idea can become a series of episodes. 

5. Situations Where People Don’t Realize They Need a Lawyer

The title of this episode alone is enough to draw attention from potential listeners. 

Walk through real scenarios when someone tried to handle something on their own without an attorney. Maybe a client signed a commercial lease without legal review that locked them into unfavorable terms. Or a family that skipped an estate lawyer and watched a simple inheritance turn into a probate nightmare. 

6. Compare Different Types of Legal Proceedings

• Civil vs. criminal
• Small claims
• Class action
• Wrongful death
• Employment-related
• Breach of contract

You get the picture. Try to pick the ones most relevant to your practice area. But covering as many as possible is still valuable for your listeners and a great way to squeeze more episodes out of a single idea. 

7. Share Stories From Real Cases

Find cases that are genuinely interesting and turn them into a story. Keep names and specifics confidential if you need to, but give as much as you can. 

This is huge for firms dealing with criminal cases. According to Edison Research, 84% of people in the US consume true crime content. And 57% of true crime podcast listeners find those shows “fascinating.” 

8. Answer Common Questions You See Online

Here’s a shortcut to answering FAQs that doesn’t involve soliciting your own followers on social media. Browse through Reddit, Quora, and even the “people also ask” queries on Google for keywords related to your firm. 

The great part about doing this as a podcast episode is that it also helps contribute to your law firm SEO initiatives. When you publish these episodes on your website and transcribe them, Google will index the copy and your firm can rank for these exact questions people are asking. 

9. Explain and Debunk Common Legal Myths

Address the kind of myths created by TV shows, movies, and keyboard warriors online, like:

• Verbal agreements are never valid.
• An undercover cop needs to admit to being one if asked.
• Arrests are invalid if you aren’t read your Miranda rights. 

It’s a great episode to pull in a wider audience instead of just people actively looking for an attorney right now. 

10. Mistakes People Make When Hiring a Lawyer

This works really well because it’s useful to someone at the exact moment they’d consider hiring you. Walk them through common steps people get wrong that you’ve seen firsthand. 

Maybe it’s choosing a generalist when they actually need a specialist. Or it could be related to basing hiring decisions off price instead of proven results. 

The more specific you get here, the more credible you sound. It builds authority and gets people to trust you without you having to come outright and say, “hire me.”

11. Upcoming Changes to State or Federal Laws

In addition to discussing trending news stories on new laws, you can also cover proposed changes making its way through legislation. 

One thing I really like about this idea is that it gives you something to call back on at a later time. 

You can cover it when it was initially proposed, again during the house vote (whether it passed or failed), and when it finally gets signed into law. 

12. What Makes a Case Strong or Weak

I’m sure every case you take on isn’t a slam dunk. 

Talk about factors that make it more likely to result in your client’s favor, and when they need to have expectations that things may not go their way. 

This can go beyond basic guilty or not guilty verdicts. It could also be whether someone gets a five-figure settlement vs. seven-figure settlement in a personal injury case. 

13. How to Prepare for Your First Consultation

Set expectations for anyone seeking legal advice:

• Are initial consultations typically free?
• How long are the meetings?
• Do they happen in person or over the phone?
• Can you speak directly to a lawyer or is it with an administrator?
• Is the conversation confidential without a contract or payment?

Whatever you think people should know before you speak to them for the first time. Not only does it help them, but it can streamline your consultation process if any of these listeners turn into a client. 

14. Interview a Former Judge

I’m assuming that sitting judges probably won’t sit down for a podcast interview with you (but maybe I’m wrong). 

If you have a relationship with a retired judge, call them up and ask for a favor. Otherwise, try to find any judge out there promoting a book. 

15. Roundtable Discussion With Other Attorneys at Your Firm

Roundtable podcasts feature expert panel members that go deep on a particular topic.

Rather than having to source these experts from all over, you may already have these people at your disposal at your practice. 

16. The Role of an Expert Witness

Talk about how important witnesses are to any case.

Be specific. Explain what qualifies someone as an expert witness and how each side uses these people when reviewing evidence or taking a case. 

A witness who saw a car accident is very different from an impartial witness, like a doctor who didn’t treat a patient but reviewed their medical files ahead of a mesothelioma lawsuit. 

17. Interview a Former Client

I’m sure you have at least one client who comes to mind for this episode. 

It’s usually because you have a good rapport with them and you assume they won’t mind the inquiry (other clients may think the ask is unprofessional). Or it could be a client who just had such a unique case that’s worth sharing. 

18. How Settlements Actually Work

Go into detail on settlements that happen outside of the courtroom.

From who initiates them to how they’re calculated and when it makes sense to settle this way.  You can naturally spin this into why people need to have an attorney negotiate settlements on their behalf. 

19. Common Misconceptions About Your Practice Area

Every practice has these. 

For example, a personal injury attorney may say that everyone thinks a car accident automatically results in a big payout. Estate planning attorneys can talk about the misconception that only wealthy people need a will.

This kind of episode is a great way to build trust because you’re correcting misinformation without making the listener feel foolish or uninformed. 

20. Get Interviewed by Someone From Your Firm

Typically you’ll be conducting the interviews on your own show.

But if it’s been a while since you had a good guest or you’re struggling to find someone (or if someone cancels on you at the last minute), you can flip the script and become the interviewee. 

Have a secretary or paralegal at your practice hop in to ask the questions. 

21. Review a High Profile Case and What People Can Learn From It

Think national news headlines. Lots of these will likely be criminal or some type of massive corporate lawsuit, but it’s still worth giving your opinion on these even if it’s outside of your practice scope.

People are still naturally drawn to names they recognize (Menendez brothers, Apple, Mark Zuckerberg, etc.). And hearing what a lawyer has to say about it is important to them, which will naturally attract more listeners. 

22. How You Decide Whether to Take a Case or Client

I like this podcast idea because it instantly paints the picture to listeners that not every consultation turns into something that’s a good fit for both parties.

Another cool way to approach this would be how you decide to take pro bono cases. 

23. Common Legal Strategies You Disagree With

Going with an angle like this for an episode helps humanize your practice. It shows that you aren’t just a robot, and while you follow legal proceedings appropriately at all times, there are still things you disagree with.

Whether it be related to morals or something a bit more specific from the opposition, this type of commentary can be highly captivating to listeners. 

24. A Law You Think Should Be Changed

This is always a fun concept to get a lawyer’s perspective on. 

Maybe it’s something that you constantly see problems with in the courtroom or some loophole that needs to be closed. Or it could be a new law you’d like to enact. 

Need help turning these ideas into real episodes? Contact our team for a free legal marketing consultation.