“Your comfort zone is great, but nothing grows there,” observes Rob Hanna during a recent Platforum9 session. As the creator of the Legally Speaking Podcast, Hanna offers a compelling vision of how audio content is reshaping professional influence in legal services – not just as a marketing tool, but as a fundamental shift in how lawyers build trust and authority.
Reimagining Professional Visibility
The traditional model of legal networking – conferences, speaking engagements, client dinners – is being complemented by a more scalable approach. “We’re now in six and a half thousand cities in the world,” Hanna notes. “You can pick up an iPhone and start talking into it and get into cities around the world through half an hour of just chatting over coffee.” This democratization of reach presents unprecedented opportunities for lawyers to build global influence.
The Hidden Value Proposition
Perhaps most intriguingly, Hanna reveals how podcasting serves multiple strategic objectives simultaneously. Beyond client engagement, it addresses a critical internal challenge: “The juniors, the trainees, the youngsters, they don’t have access to some of the partners doing the big ticket deals,” he explains. “But there’s learnings there.” Podcasting becomes not just an external marketing tool, but a powerful vehicle for knowledge transfer within firms.
The Evolution of Authority
In an era where legal information is increasingly commoditized through AI, Hanna suggests that personal connection becomes more, not less, important. “We’re almost shifting away from the knowledge need,” he observes. “Don’t be too precious about things unless you absolutely categorically have to be.” This marks a fundamental shift in how lawyers demonstrate value – moving from pure legal expertise to contextual wisdom and relatable experience.
Strategic Content Architecture
Hanna introduces the concept of a “topic of influence” – a focused area where lawyers can build distinctive authority. “When people think legally speaking podcast, I want them to think legal careers, legal tech information,” he explains. This strategic positioning helps cut through the noise in an increasingly crowded media landscape.
Measuring Impact Differently
Success in this medium requires new metrics. “Over 85 percent consumption level means loyal listeners,” Hanna notes. But the real measure of success goes deeper: “I’m sitting in the room with CEOs of billion dollar tech companies, advising, giving counsel. I’m getting attracted to some of the world’s best lawyers who want me to help them find jobs.” The podcast becomes not just a content platform but a door-opener to higher-level opportunities.
The Future of Legal Influence
As artificial intelligence reshapes how legal knowledge is accessed and applied, Hanna’s insights suggest that podcasting isn’t just another marketing channel – it’s a strategic response to fundamental changes in how legal expertise is valued and transmitted. By combining technical knowledge with personal narrative and human connection, lawyers can build influence that transcends traditional practice boundaries.
“This is serious about business,” Hanna concludes. In an age where technical legal knowledge is increasingly automated, the ability to build genuine human connections at scale may become the defining competitive advantage for tomorrow’s legal leaders.
