Aba Law Student Podcast

The Law Student Division of the ABA provides many young lawyers with invaluable resources, benefits, and leadership opportunities. However, many students who are interested in pursuing a deeper level of engagement in the ABA aren’t sure how to continue their involvement as they enter the legal market. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, host Fabiani Duarte chats with guest Bryan Rogers about the Young Lawyers Division and the Emerging Leaders Program that is helping law graduates seek significant leadership roles within the ABA. Bryan Rogers is an associate attorney with the law firm Swanson, Martin & Bell, LLP. He also served as the Law Student Division representative to the ABA Board of Governors-Elect and as a 7th Circuit Governor. Bryan then moved on to be the Law Student Division representative member of the ABA Board of Governors. He also was a member of the inaugural class of the ABA Young Lawyers Division Emerging Leaders program. Bryan graduated from Valparaiso University School of La

Have you ever wondered how many lawyers continue to practice after acquiring their Juris Doctor Degree? Perhaps you’ve pondered how your legal knowledge can be applied to different types of public work or social activism. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, host Fabiani Duarte takes an in-depth look at the American Bar Foundation research attempting to answer these questions with its director, Ajay K. Mehrotra. Ajay K. Mehrotra is the executive director of the American Bar Foundation. He also is an adjunct professor of history at Indiana University and served as the school’s associate dean for research. Ajay is the author of “Making the Modern American Fiscal State: Law, Politics and the Rise of Progressive Taxation, 1877-1929” (Cambridge University Press, 2013).

One of the most demanding endeavors that any recent law grad will face is studying for and passing the bar exam. However, upon entering the legal market, many graduates aren’t aware of the challenges associated with transferring their bar exam scores between jurisdictions. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, host Fabiani Duarte and guest Christopher Jennison, the Board of Governors representative to the Law Student Division, discuss their year-long fight to provide law students with more bar exam portability by encouraging the ABA House of Delegates to adopt Resolution 109. Christopher Jennison is the Board of Governors representative to the Law Student Division and sits on the ABA Board of Governors. He graduated from Syracuse University in 2012 with dual majors in public relations from Newhouse and policy studies from Maxwell. He also graduated with a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Pennsylvania in 2014. Christopher has been the law student liaison to the Standin

As the law becomes ever more complex and the legal market continues to shift and grow, entering the workforce can be incredibly intimidating to a current student or recent grad. Sifting through the options and finding the career path that is right for you can sometimes feel daunting for even the most well-prepared of students. In this installment of the ABA Law Student Podcast David Lat, founder and managing editor of Above the Law, joins hosts Fabiani Duarte and Madison Burke to discuss his path to success and provide tips that can help students shape their burgeoning careers. David Lat is the founder and managing editor of Above the Law, a blog established in 2006 that provides news and commentary on the U.S. legal industry. Prior to this, he started Underneath Their Robes, a blog focused on the federal judiciary with pop culture magazine sensibilities. Before his career as a blogger, David attended Harvard College and Yale Law School. After school, he worked as a law clerk for Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain

If you are one of the 40 million Americans who funded their education with student loan debt, you may be asking yourself now what? The bad news: you probably can’t get out of it with bankruptcy. The good news: with over 1.3 trillion dollars locked up in American educational loans, the country has a vested interest to pave the way for repayment. So what does that mean for you? Tune in to find out. On this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, hosts Fabiani Duarte and Madison Burke talk with Credible Labs founder and Slate contributor Stephen J. Dash. Together, they discuss first steps in the post-borrowing world of student loan debt. Step One: Understand Your Situation This means you should know how much you owe and to whom. In addition, you should budget out your total earnings and total expenses. Step Two: Make a Plan By investigating your options for repayment, you will be able to make an informed choice. Primary options like consolidation, pay-as-you-earn, and refinancing all have pros and cons. Understa

With lower starting salaries and higher tuition rates, today’s law students face tough decisions when it comes to financing their education. In addition to school rank, employment rates, and average starting salaries, future lawyers need to be aware of loan terminology and how it affects their future ability to pay. But how much do you have to know to make an informed decision? Unfortunately, there is a lot to consider, including your future area of law, fixed vs. variable interest rates, short term loans vs. long term loans, tax implications, federal requirements, and much more. The good news is, there are organizations and people who can help. In this episode of ABA Law Student Podcast, hosts Fabiani Duarte and Madison Burke deep dive the treacherous waters of student loan debt with CommonBond CEO and Co-Founder David Klein. Together, they review many factors students should consider before signing one of the biggest contracts of their lives. In addition, they present a case study that may alarm some prospe

If you are in or plan to go into public service, you may have heard about public service loan forgiveness (PSLF for short). This economic incentive was intended to attract and keep employees in public sector positions such as district attorney or public defender by offering student loan forgiveness following a minimum period of service and on-time payments towards the borrower’s debt. The cost of this benefit is borne by the taxpayer and is aimed at making public work more attractive despite the relative low pay. In recent times, the PSLF program has fallen under the scrutiny of budget cuts following the recession as Americans slog through the recovery period. Some critics believe that student loan borrowers in the public sector should pay for their own education especially with the relative job security and retirement benefits as compared to those in the private sector. Other critics state that not all public service positions should receive loan forgiveness and call for budgetary caps. But what would cappin

ABA Law Student Podcast hosts Fabiani Duarte and Madison Burke sit down with Chris Jennison, the ABA Law Student Division’s representative to the ABA Board of Governors, to discuss the governing role of the ABA Board of Governors and how its actions affect the lives of law students and recent grads. Since 2009, the Law Student Division has been able to vote on the Board of Governors and they are actively using that power to improve the plight of fellow students. Currently they are advocating for Interpretation 305-2 which would allow ABA accredited schools to let students receive both pay and credit for their externships. In addition, they are supporting the spread of the Uniform Bar Exam, which allows one exam score to be applied to multiple state bars in the states that participate. The net effect will make it cheaper and easier to get admitted to the practice of law in multiple states. As for future initiatives, Chris discusses the Limited Licence Legal Technician program in Washington and increased studen

On this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, Senator Lindsey Graham joins hosts Fabiani Duarte and Madison Burke. Together, they discuss getting through law school, being an advocate, and public service loan forgiveness. Tune in to hear about his early career and the importance of having your character tested in law school.

Surviving law school is difficult enough, but law students also need to be thinking about how to best prepare themselves for the future. In this episode of the ABA Law Student Podcast, Fabiani Duarte and Madison Burke talk with Paulette Brown, current president of the American Bar Association, about her path through law school, advice she has for current law students, and legal initiatives she thinks might really interest young lawyers. Tune in to hear what qualities Ms. Brown would look for when hiring a lawyer who had just passed the bar.

Fabiani Duarte and Madison Burke interview leaders and representatives from a few of the 64 ABA sections, divisions, and forums. In this round robin format, each guest makes a two minute pitch explaining how law students can benefit from potential networking, education, and career path opportunities in the following: Young Lawyers Division Tort and Insurance Practice Section Law Practice Division Antitrust Law Section Criminal Justice Section Armed Forces Law Committee Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice Section Animal Law Committee

Richard Conviser joins hosts Fabiani Duarte and Madison Burke for a discussion about the history of BARBRI, why it was founded, and how it continues to help law students pass the most important exam of their career.

In this extended-play first episode of ABA Law Student Podcast, we start with an interview of our two hosts (Fabiani Duarte and Madison Burke) before cutting to their first episode recorded at the ABA Annual Meeting in Chicago. While there, they discuss the ABA Law Student Division, its free membership, and how it’s helping law students around the country. Tune in to hear about their ambitions to provide paid externship credits, public service loan forgiveness, and debt counseling for those who need to take out student loans.