Podcasts have become indispensable sources of information and insight for legal professionals. Whether you’ve never tuned into an episode, or you’re an avid listener looking for a greater variety of programming, we present our list of the five podcasts for Canadian legal professionals.

  1. Hull on Estates: Trusts and estates boutique Hull and Hull LLP can easily lay claim to the tile of Canada’s longest-running legal podcast, clocking up almost 500 episodes on Hull on Estates since its 2006 launch. Recent cases, news stories and journal articles, and, of course, estate law concepts and tips, make for informative and interesting podcast fodder. Participation among the firm’s lawyers in voluntary, but a rotating schedule that shares the load of hosting duties, combined with relatively short episodes, has kept them all on board.
  2. Lawyered: Hosted by Husein Panju, a Toronto-based lawyer and public affairs consultant, Lawyered is a bi-weekly, independent podcast series that takes a critical look at current Canadian legal issues. Each episode features a conversation with a different legal professional who provide their insight on developments in their area of practice. Recent podcasts include discussions on international trade law, mental health law, children’s law and securities law.
  3. McGill Law Journal: McGill Law Journal became “the first Canadian legal journal to launch a significant podcast series.” More than fifty episodes in, the podcast – which includes occasional French episodes – covers issues related to the legal profession, legal education, landmark cases and the legal aspects of current Canadian issues such as refugee rights, Aboriginal title and senate reform.
  4. The Docket: With Ottawa criminal lawyer Michael Spratt serving as host, The Docket examines the impact that government policy has on the law and society. Guests have included former Canadian Supreme Court Justice and UN High Commissioner of Human Rights, Louise Arbour. Topics include political scandals, animal rights, women and the law, and more.
  5. The Law School Show: Started by Rishi Dhir and Chris Deschenes after their first summer at Stikeman Elliott LLP, The Law School Show is where savvy law students go for on-campus legal interview advice. Now associates at Stikeman Elliott, Dhir and Deschenes have assumed director roles for the podcast, overseeing a roster of nine hosts who chat with senior lawyers in various fields about the realities of the practice of law and other topics of interest to past, present and future law students.

As a bonus – while not technically Canadian – no legal podcast list would be complete without:

The Robert Half Legal Report: Hosted by Charles Volkert, lawyer and senior district director at Robert Half Legal, The Robert Half Legal Report offers expert discussion and analysis of current trends in hiring and staffing in the legal profession. Covering critical law practice management strategies such as succession planning and eDiscovery management and professional development tips for candidates, it’s a terrific companion to the Robert Half’s legal blogs and Salary Guide.

Looking for more career and employment resources? Check out Robert Half's wealth of information on workplace research, career management and hiring advice.