Preview No. 1, Season 2 -- A Look Back at Season 1

Ever wondered what it truly takes to survive, and even thrive, in big law without losing yourself? Join me, Emily Logan Stedman, as we pull back the curtain on the realities of a big law practice and aim to prioritize wellbeing. Reflecting on the standout moments from our first season, we revisit the episodes that struck a chord with our audience: defining big law and the complexities of tracking billable hours. These insights are particularly crucial for law students and new associates who find themselves navigating uncharted waters. 

As we gear up for our season two premiere on September 24th, expect practical advice and strategies designed to help you build a sustainable legal career without sacrificing your mental health and wellbeing. From setting boundaries to de-stigmatizing mental health, our conversations will empower you to find your own grace period. 

So, catch up on season one if you haven't yet, and prepare to embark on a journey towards a healthier, more balanced approach to big law. Together, let's redefine success in the legal profession by putting our wellbeing first.

Find out more at https://thegraceperiod.substack.com/.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to the Grace Period where we get real about attorney mental health and well-being and pull back the veil on the high-stakes world of big law. I'm your host, emily Logan Steadman. In this demanding profession, it is crucial that we don't lose ourselves in the hustle for billable hours. On the Grace Period, we have honest conversations about finding consistency, minimizing chaos, developing coping strategies and de-stigmatizing mental health. It is time to prioritize our shared humanity to find our grace period. Hi everyone, welcome to the first trailer for season two of my podcast, the Grace Period. Before diving into season two, I want to recap and point out to you some of the most popular episodes of season one. My podcast aims to provide bite-sized episodes, digestible in 15-ish minutes or less usually much less with practical advice and key definitions, I hope to shed light on what it is really like to practice in big law and what it means to build a sustainable practice with an eye on your well-being and mental health. On season one, the most popular episodes were my first three episodes the one defining big law and the two episodes on defining and tracking the billable hour. I think it is important to define big law because so many law students go into big law blind. If you do well in law school, you're thrust into on-campus interviews, ocis, at which the area's biggest and most prestigious law firms interview you and dole out summer associate spots to a lucky few. But along the way, no one ever defines big law. No one ever explains the expectations that come with joining a big private practice law firm. Similarly, I didn't learn about the specifics of the billable hour, much less how to track it, until a couple of months into my first big law job. I joined in May, but the associate orientation wasn't until that fall. So, although I was told to bill my time, I had to seek out resources on my own about what that looked like, what it meant and how to implement it. These three episodes the first of season one highlight the goal of this podcast to pull back the veil on big law and share information that will help people go into big law eyes wide open or avoid some of the hiccups I faced as an associate, or recover from them if you're experiencing them right now.

Speaker 1: 2:39

Season two of the Grace Period will premiere on September 24th. Until then, I encourage you, if you haven't already, to check out season one, where I define big law in the billable hour and also provided concrete tips and tricks to managing your time and your practice so that you can succeed in big law and create a more sustainable path. Thank you for listening to this trailer for season two of the Grace Period, which will premiere on September 24th. Remember you don't have to sacrifice your well-being for career success. By prioritizing self-care, setting boundaries and seeking support, you can survive and even thrive in the law and in big law. Until next time, take care of yourselves and each other. That is the path to our grace period. Disclaimer this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute professional advice of any kind, including legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by listening to this podcast.