Bar Review

In this final episode, we reflect on why we started this podcast in the first place — and why these conversations matter so much. What began as late-night conversations about burnout, compensation, mentorship, motherhood, and the realities of practicing law became a space to ask the questions so many lawyers have been quietly carrying for years. Why are women still leaving the profession? Why does...

What does it really mean to become a partner? In this episode, we sit down with one of our favorite human beings, Virginia McCalmont (you can call her Ginny), who never set out chasing partnership, but built a career—and a firm—on something deeper: ownership, intentionality, and doing the work on her own terms. We unpack the myth of partnership as a finish line and explore what actually shifts (an...

When should you tell your job you’re pregnant? And why does that question take up as much energy as it does? Gurl. You are literally making a human being with your body. You are a damn goddess. Who can also crush a deposition in your heels while you do it. It’s the people you are worried may think less of you when you share that incredible news with them that need to adapt. Not the other way aroun...

Why does it hurt more when it’s another woman who lets you down? Some of the most powerful collaborations we experience are with other women—and sometimes, some of the most painful moments are, too. In this episode, we unpack the complicated reality of women navigating workplace dynamics, ambition, and relationships inside systems that reward proximity to power over loyalty. What happens when your...

Why can't we be friends? No seriously. Gen X. Millennials. Zillennials. Gen Z. Women are not (always) on the same team in the workplace. Not because we don’t want to be. But because we are operating under different survival strategies in a system that was not designed by us, for us, to succeed. Different definitions of hard work. Different relationships to boundaries. Different thresholds for...

What’s your exit strategy? This week on Bar Review, Cody Blades, founder of Blades Law, joins us to talk about what happens when things fall apart—and how to build your way out. From getting pushed out to leaving a firm with your clients, this episode is all about reclaiming your autonomy and making your next move with intention. If you’ve ever felt stuck, sidelined, or like someone else was calli...

What are you trying to say? Is it “I don’t have time for this”… but what comes out is “Happy to help!”? In this episode, we unpack the gap between what you really mean and what you actually say at work—and why it matters more than you think. It’s an honest (and slightly uncomfortable) look at people-pleasing, boundaries, and the quiet scripts running in the background of your conversations. Think...

What is mentorship? In this first episode of Season 2 of Bar Review, we challenge the way people usually think about it. Maybe it’s not about finding a “mentor” at all. Maybe it’s about finding someone who actually cares—someone who tells you the truth, invests in your growth, and speaks about you the same way whether you’re in the room or not. Not nice. Kind. At its core, that kind of mentorship...

Season 2 of Bar Review launches March 22, 2026! In the meantime, join us for a quick game of 20 questions with Cari! Join Bar Review for unfiltered lawyer stories, real talk about life as a lawyer, how to (maybe) survive life as a litigator, what it means to be women in law, exploring law school journeys, and the everyday realities of the legal profession — only on the Bar Review Podcast. Find us...

Season 2 of Bar Review launches March 22, 2026! In the meantime, join us for a quick game of 20 questions with Annika. And maybe learn about your new favorite lunch spot! Join Bar Review for unfiltered lawyer stories, real talk about life as a lawyer, how to (maybe) survive life as a litigator, what it means to be women in law, exploring law school journeys, and the everyday realities of the legal...

What does it really mean to bring your “authentic self” to work when polish and performance are baked into the job description? In this episode, Cari and Annika take a scalpel to one of corporate culture’s favorite buzzwords: "authenticity." They unpack the double bind of being told to “be yourself,” while navigating rigid expectations about how lawyers should speak, look, behave and eve...

In this episode, we tackle the question every lawyer (or law student) eventually asks: what are my options? Cari and Annika unpack the myth of the “Goldilocks” legal job—one that meets all of your needs without compromise—and share candid reflections about how their priorities and definitions of success have shifted over time. From law school “buckets” to stress hive comparison competitions, this...

Law school teaches you how to “think like a lawyer.” But what does that actually mean? It starts with learning a new language and culture. One filled with Latin phrases, bell curves, and outlines (oh my). When the hive mind swarms, how do you stay grounded in what brought you to law school in the first place? In this one, Cari and Annika unpack what it really takes to survive  and maybe even enjoy...

In this episode of Bar Review, we break down the chaos of legal "firedrills." The unexpected deadlines, late-night filings, and chain reactions that ripple through a team and through your nervous system. Cari and Annika get personal about what it feels like to live under pressure, the importance of assuming good intentions, and how managing your own capacity is only half the battle. The...

In this episode, we sit down with Jaimie Nawaday. In addition to being a legal prowess she is also the founder of Disrupting Drinking. Disrupting Drinking helps law firms, event organizers, and professionals rethink how alcohol shapes access, inclusion, and connection in the legal profession. On this episode, we question the legal culture's relationship with alcohol. From Scotch Fridays to win...

The billable hour: it’s the foundation of private practice, the metric that drives salaries, bonuses, and careers. Also, we hate it. Deeply. In this candid episode, Cari and Annika break down what the billable hour is, how developing the muscle of living by the billable hour will make you too good at knowing when you have been in the shower for about six minutes, and why understanding the math beh...

In this episode, we take on one of the legal profession’s favorite buzzwords: "work-life balance." Spoiler alert, balance is a myth. The real goal is harmony. And by definition, harmony isn’t perfect. So stop putting pressure on yourself to make the imperfect perfect. Harmony is aspirational, personal, and ever-evolving, shifting with every season of life. For some, harmony looks like co...

In our first full episode of Bar Review, we unpack what it means to actually own the work you have done. Not just in hindsight. Not just when someone hands you an invisible trophy. But in real time. While you are still mid-sprint and questioning when everyone else is going to realize you do not know how to run (girl, you ARE fucking running...). We talk invisible shiny gold stars, confidence gaps,...

Meet the other half of the Bar Review duo — Cari! If you know Cari, you know she only operates at one intensity level: HIGH. From fighting for constitutional rights in the criminal system to rolling up to the hospital with a notarized birth plan (yes, notarized), she gives 110% to literally everything. At 5’2” she packs more fire than folks twice her size. Trust me, I’ve watched correctional offic...

Let me introduce you to the goddess woman that is my friend, Annika. She makes a tortellini soup that has the power to heal your trauma. She negotiated a deal with the spider on her balcony to eat all of the mosquitos in exchange for his continued existence in her space. She ran 16 fucking miles last Sunday (SIX.TEEN!). She is such a loyal hype woman that I have seen her threaten my inner critic w...

In our pilot episode, Annika & Cari share why they started this podcast. From law school to the bar exam to the ups and downs of legal practice, we're here with unfiltered conversations, humor, and real talk about life in the legal profession. Just remember - we are not your lawyer, this is not legal advice, and all opinions are our own. The Bar Review Podcast is all about the real journey...