Best Mitch Leff Podcasts (2024)

1
Experience/Perspective Essay (Diversity Statement) Deep Dive with Former Law School Admissions Officers 1:05:20

2h ago1:05:20

1:05:20

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco speaks with three Spivey consultants—Tom Robinson, former Harvard Law Director of Admissions; Sir Williams, former Wisconsin Law Director of Admissions; and Anne Dutia, former Michigan Law Assistant Director of Admissions—about the relatively new category of law school admissions essays t…

1
4 Questions Journalist Spotlight with Mark Arum, the Mark Arum Show, WSB Radio 28:10

3d ago28:10

28:10

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Mark Arum, host of the Mark Arum Show on WSB Radio. Listen Monday - Friday from 9 am to Noon. Important Things to Know About Mark: Coolest Thing: He's got a great baseball card collection Favorite Local Restaurant: LaGrotta Last Book: "Tell It True" by John Pruitt Favorite Non-Work Hobby:…

1
How PARENTS Can Best Support Law School Applicants (Former Admissions Officers Weigh In) 55:52

2d ago55:52

55:52

In this special episode of Status Check with Spivey directed toward parents of law school applicants, Anna Hicks-Jaco and two Spivey consultants—Danielle Early, former Harvard Law Associate Director of Admissions, and Shannon Davis, former Assistant Dean for Admissions and Communications at Lewis & Clark Law—discuss how parents can best support the…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Gus Valdes, CNN Espanol 23:23

4d ago23:23

23:23

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Gustavo Valdes, producer and anchor for CNN Espanol. Important Things to Know About Gustavo: Coolest Thing: "I get paid to do what I like to do! I love doing journalism." Favorite Local Restaurant: Taco Veloz on Buford Highway Last Book: The Teacher, a great mystery novel Favorite Non-Wor…

1
Addiction & Recovery in College with Author Mitch Leff 31:20

1M ago31:20

31:20

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike has a conversation with Mitch Leff, author of My Addiction, My Superpower, about his experiences overcoming addiction at a young age, the lessons he learned, and how others can use his insights to improve themselves. As attorneys suffer significantly higher rates of substance abuse and depression re…

1
4 Questions Journalist Spotlight with Chuck Reece, Salvation South 22:06

22d ago22:06

22:06

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Chuck Reece, co-founder of Salvation South, a digital publication celebrating the culture of the American South, though stories, poetry, and podcasts. Important Things to Know About Chuck: Coolest Thing: He was at the University of Georgia at the height of the '80s music scene! Favorite L…

1
Law School Application Resume: Deep Dive with Former Admissions Officers 49:45

1M ago49:45

49:45

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco speaks with two Spivey consultants—Karen Buttenbaum, former Director of Admissions at Harvard Law School, and Nathan Neely, former Associate Director of Admissions and Director of Global and Graduate Programs at the University of Houston Law Center—about the law school application resume:…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Luis Estrada, Telemundo Atlanta 34:57

1M ago34:57

34:57

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Luis Estrada, Anchor/Reporter with Telemundo Atlanta. This is our first bi-lingual episode, with Estrada talking with host Mitch Leff in both English and Spanish. Important Things to Know About Luis: Coolest Thing: He's a bad singer, but he's trying to be better! Favorite Local Restaurant…

1
Law School Personal Statement Deep Dive: Advice from Former Admissions Officers 1:10:00

1M ago1:10:00

1:10:00

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with three Spivey consultants—Anne Dutia, Paula Gluzman, and Derek Meeker, former law school admissions officers at Michigan, UCLA, Penn, and more—diving deep into the law school personal statement. They discuss the brainstorming and topic selection process, how to stru…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Gabriel Stovall, Newton County Journal 20:51

1M ago20:51

20:51

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Gabriel Stovall, founder of the Newton County Journal. Important Things to Know About Gabriel: Coolest Thing: He's a Pastor and his son is top-ranked in Taekwondo Favorite Local Restaurant: The Town House Cafe in Covington Last Book: "Think Life A Freak" by Stephen J. Dubner and Steven Le…

1
Dear 1L with Amanda Haverstick 34:11

3M ago34:11

34:11

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, SCG Pre-L Consultant and Fordham Law professor Jordana Confino has a conversation with legal writing coach and Dear 1L author Amanda Haverstick about legal writing and tackling your 1L year. You can learn more about Dear 1L here, connect with Amanda via LinkedIn here, or email her directly at amanda@dear…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Zoe Seiler, Decaturish 25:40

3M ago25:40

25:40

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Zoe Seiler, Assistant Editor at Decaturish.com. Important Things to Know About Zoe: Coolest Thing About Zoe: She's played soccer all her life Favorite Local Restaurant: Pastries A Go Go Last Book: "The Good Part” by Sophie Cousens Favorite Non-Work Hobby: Gardening Favorite Local Getaway:…

1
Tier-Ranking Admissions Strategies with UChicago Law School Admissions Dean Ann Perry 52:18

3M ago52:18

52:18

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Ann Perry, the University of Chicago Law School's Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid, joins Mike Spivey and Anna Hicks-Jaco to tier-rank law school admissions strategies sourced from the folks over on the r/LawSchoolAdmissions subreddit. They talk about a huge range of topics, including pers…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Pamela Kirkland, Georgia Public Broadcasting 26:10

3M ago26:10

26:10

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Pamela Kirkland, Host of Morning Edition on Georgia Public Broadcasting. Important Things to Know About Pamela: Coolest Thing About Pamela: Used to be a big runner, has run several marathons and half-marathons, and wants to get back to it Favorite Local Restaurant: Upbeat on Howell Mill R…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Mike Jordan Atlanta Journal-Constitution 24:56

3M ago24:56

24:56

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Mike Jordan, the new Senior Editor, Black Culture Reporting, for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Important Things to Know About Mike: Coolest Thing About Ryan: He's a finalist for a James Beard Award ... for the second year in a row! Favorite Local Restaurant: Mujo Atlanta Last Podcast:…

1
Work Experience, Admissions Strategy, & Legal Employment: What You Need to Know 36:02

4M ago36:02

36:02

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco speaks with Pre-L consultants Rob Cacace and Jordana Confino (bios here) about the growing importance of work experience in admissions, why the impact of being a "KJD" (going "from Kindergarten through law school" without full-time work experience) has increased over time, and—importantly…

1
What Are Your Chances Off the Waitlist? 10:03

4M ago10:03

10:03

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses the various factors that play into any given applicant's chances of admission coming off the waitlist. He also gives a quick preview of our (very early) predictions for next cycle. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, and…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Ryan Dennis, PeachPopFive 22:29

4M ago22:29

22:29

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Ryan Dennis, producer and Host of Peach Pop Five! You might know Ryan and one of the founders of the A-Scene entertainment franchise on WXIA TV. Peach Pop Five is an entertainment-focused website that covers film and television, music, business, life, and gaming. Important Things to Know …

1
Transferring Law Schools: Strategy & Process with Two Successful Applicants 1:22:11

4M ago1:22:11

1:22:11

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with Paula Gluzman—a Spivey consultant and former law school admissions officer at UCLA and UW—as well as two of her past clients who successfully transferred law schools: Katie, who transferred from a regional law school in Texas to Columbia, and Melissa, who transferr…

1
The New 2024 Law School Rankings Explained 15:23

4M ago15:23

15:23

In this brief episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses the changes U.S. News made to their methodology this year. You can view the full list of new law school rankings (with +/-) here. You can listen to Mike's last podcast, "Why Rankings Matter to People (& Why They Should Not)," here. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Sp…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Beth McKibben, Rough Draft Atlanta 24:44

5M ago24:44

24:44

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Beth McKibben, food and dining editor for Rough Draft Atlanta. She joined recently after many years with Eater Atlanta and will be writing for all of Rough Draft’s newspapers, plus their weekly “Side Dish” newsletter every Thursday. Beth talks with us about the things that make a story of…

1
The New LSAT & The Elimination of Logic Games, with PowerScore's Dave Killoran 45:21

4M ago45:21

45:21

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with PowerScore Founder & CEO Dave Killoran about the removal of the Logic Games section of the LSAT, the new writing section, and what all this might mean for the future of the law school admissions. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple P…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Scott Kimbler, Georgia News Network 22:10

5M ago22:10

22:10

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Scott Kimbler, Executive Producer with the Georgia News Network! GNN is a network of more than 180 radio stations across Georgia, providing news content to their member stations. Important Things to Know About Scott: Coolest Thing About Scott: Has an extensive collection of jazz albums th…

1
First-Gen Students: What We Wish We'd Known as Applicants, Law Students, & Young Lawyers 48:06

5M ago48:06

48:06

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, five Spivey consultants discuss their experiences as first-generation college students, law students, and lawyers, with a particular focus on passing along advice and knowledge that they wish they had known. The episode includes Sir Williams, Derek Meeker, Sam Kwak, Peter Cramer, and Rob Cacace, who, amo…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Abby Kousouris, WANF TV 21:56

5M ago21:56

21:56

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Abby Kousouris with WANF TV! Abby is the state reporter for the station, which means you'll see her stories on Gray TV stations across Georgia (and beyond). Important Things to Know About Abby: Coolest Thing: She loves to go hiking around Atlanta Last Book Read: "It Ends with Us" by Colle…

1
Why Rankings Matter to People (& Why They Should Not) 12:40

6M ago12:40

12:40

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses some of the psychological and societal reasons that rankings seem to matter so much to people—then explains the reasons that they shouldn't matter as much as they do. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠Google Podc…

1
International Students: Differences in Law School Admissions + Our Best Advice 42:54

6M ago42:54

42:54

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco has a conversation with two Spivey consultants, Peter Cramer and Tom Robinson (you can read their bios here), on differences in the admissions process for international applicants, how law school admissions has changed for international students over time, and our best advice for strategi…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Audrey Galex, AIB Network 20:54

6M ago20:54

20:54

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Audrey Galex with the AIB Network! Important Things to Know About Audrey: Coolest Thing: She runs a Facebook page called the "Abandoned Mattress Project" Last Podcast: Hidden Brain Favorite Local Restaurants: Cafe Alsace, Pastries A Go Go Favorite Local Getaway: Tin Roof Cantina Favorite …

1
Law School Admissions Now vs. 10 Years Ago 38:14

7M ago38:14

38:14

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna has a conversation with Joe Pollak—one of Spivey's consultants and a former admissions officer at the University of Michigan Law School—about differences and similarities in law school admissions today vs. ten years ago. Anna brings the perspective of someone who was applying to law school a decade …

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Tracie Morse, North Atlanta Fitlife magazine 18:33

7M ago18:33

18:33

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Tracie Morse, owner/publisher of North Atlanta Fitlife magazine in Atlanta. Important Things to Know About Tracie: Coolest Thing: She loves to dance! Last Books Read: "Henderson House" by Caren Simpson McVicker, "Go-Giver" by Bob Burg and John David Mann Favorite Local Restaurant: Rumi's …

1
The Growing Epidemic of Addiction in High Achievers, with Dr. Peter Grinspoon 47:45

7M ago47:45

47:45

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews Dr. Peter Grinspoon—physician, Harvard Medical School instructor, and author of Free Refills: A Doctor Confronts His Addiction, in which he writes about his struggles with and recovery from opiate addiction. Mike and Dr. Grinspoon discuss mental health and wellness for high performers, wh…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Marlon Hyde, WABE Radio 21:42

7M ago21:42

21:42

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Marlon Hyde, business reporter with WABE Radio in Atlanta. Topics he’s looking at for upcoming stories: Electric vehicles, economics during the election year, tech companies in Georgia, VR companies, housing and interest rates, Important Things to Know About Marlon: Coolest Thing: Collect…

1
Law School Admissions Reddit AMA with Anna Hicks-Jaco 24:41

7M ago24:41

24:41

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, current applicant and Redditor Extension_Ad_1432, who we call "Julia," interviews Spivey Consulting's new President, Anna Hicks-Jaco—unscripted and unprepared, "Ask Me Anything"-style—on anything and everything that was on her mind. They discuss factors impacting this cycle, advice for applicants who app…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Audrey Washington, WSB TV 30:35

7M ago30:35

30:35

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Audrey Washington, a general assignment reporter and anchor at WSB TV in Atlanta. Important Things to Know About Audrey: Coolest thing: She loves anything live, live performances, live music, and she loves to cook ... especially cooking fish. Last Book Read: Protect Your Peace by Trent Sh…

1
8 Ways to MESS UP the Second Half of Your Law School Admissions Cycle 14:13

8M ago14:13

14:13

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Anna Hicks-Jaco, Spivey Consulting's new President, discusses common mistakes that applicants make in the second part of their admissions cycle—after they've submitted their applications. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Stitcher⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠…

1
How to Make Your Resolution Stick, with ‘Master of Change’ Author Brad Stulberg 28:01

8M ago28:01

28:01

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews best-selling author Brad Stulberg (whose books include Master of Change, The Practice of Groundedness, Peak Performance, and The Passion Paradox) on how to make real and lasting change in your life. Brad and Mike discuss why we resist change, elective vs. forced change, identity, and how …

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Josh Green, UrbanizeATL 24:29

9M ago24:29

24:29

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Josh Green, editor of UrbanizeATL, an online media outlet that covers real estate and development around the metro Atlanta area. UrbanizeATL is part of a family of online media outlets across the US and in Canada. Important Things to Know About Josh: Coolest thing: Just published his firs…

1
Dopamine & Success with Dr. Daniel Lieberman 27:36

9M ago27:36

27:36

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews Dr. Daniel Z. Lieberman, MD, a psychiatrist and best-selling author of The Molecule of More. Mike and Dr. Lieberman discuss tenacity, goal-setting, and both achieving and finding contentment in success—all as they relate to not just law school admissions (Dr. Lieberman gives some excellen…

1
Insider Look at Admissions with UVA Law Dean Natalie Blazer (Reddit Q&A + Artificial Intelligence in Admissions) 24:57

9M ago24:57

24:57

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews UVA Law Admissions Dean Natalie Blazer on differences between this year and past years in admissions, special factors influencing this cycle, AI in admissions, and an insider look into UVA Law's application review process (including why some applicants hear back sooner than others). For m…

1
Handling Expectations & the LSAT with 'Loophole' Author Ellen Cassidy 39:14

9M ago39:14

39:14

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike interviews Ellen Cassidy, author of the acclaimed Loophole in LSAT Logical Reasoning and founder of Elemental Prep, on LSAT strategies, handling expectations (both from others and self-imposed), trends in law school applicants/LSAT-takers over time, and more. Ellen, as an LSAT expert and former appl…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Rebecca Grapevine, Atlanta Business Chronicle 23:07

9M ago23:07

23:07

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” podcast focuses on Rebecca Grapevine, a staff writer with the Atlanta Business Chronicle. She covers healthcare, higher education, startups, and venture capital. Important Things to Know About Rebecca: She loves history, in fact she’s got her Ph.D. in History and taught it before getting into journa…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Rico Figliolini, Peachtree Corners/Southwest Gwinnett magazines 21:55

10M ago21:55

21:55

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Rico Figliolini, publisher of Peachtree Corners magazine and Southwest Gwinnett magazine. Plus, he's got a podcast, Peachtree Corners Life! Important Things to Know About Rico: Coolest Thing: Used to like being an extra in film and tv productions (the food was really good!), bur he really…

1
The Slowest Cycle Ever 12:18

10M ago12:18

12:18

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses the reasons that this law school admissions cycle will be the slowest one ever (or at least within our admissions careers)—and, perhaps more importantly, what you should do about it if you're a current applicant. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠…

1
Mike Spivey's Top 5 All-Time Admissions Advice 16:18

11M ago16:18

16:18

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike gives his top 5 pieces of advice from his 20+ years working in law school admissions. You can listen and subscribe to Status Check with Spivey on ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Stitcher⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠, and ⁠Google Podcasts⁠. You can read a full transcript of this episode ⁠here⁠.…

1
"4 Questions PR and Marketing Agency Spotlight" with Caren West, Caren West PR (Part 2 of 2) 20:19

11M ago20:19

20:19

Leff & Associates Public Relations last month launched a new podcast that will highlight Atlanta’s talented PR and marketing community. The “4 Questions Atlanta PR & Marketing Spotlight” podcast starts with a conversation with Caren West, founder of Caren West PR. This is part 2 of 2, completing our conversation with Caren. Coolest Thing About Care…

1
What's Wrong with the LSAT? + What is JD-Next? with Craig Boise & Dan Rodriguez 47:05

11M ago47:05

47:05

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, two experienced and respected law school Deans—Craig Boise, Dean of Syracuse University College of Law, and Daniel Rodriguez, former Dean of Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law—discuss the history, the present, and the future of law school admissions and legal education. Their conversation cov…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Ryan Sauers, Our Town Gwinnett magazine 21:42

11M ago21:42

21:42

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Ryan Sauers, publisher of the Out Town Gwinnett magazines. We talk all about his magazines, how to pitch him, and, of course, him favorite local restaurant! What’s New? Big Gwinnett focused awards competition and new television show. Both coming in 2024. Check out his website at www.endre…

1
"4 Questions Journalist Spotlight" with Mara Davis 31:33

11M ago31:33

31:33

This week, our “4 Questions Journalist Spotlight” focuses on Mara Davis. Mara has had a huge career in Atlanta radio, and now runs her own company. We talk all about her career in radio, podcast, guest booking, how to pitch her and, of course, her favorite local restaurant! Important Things to Know About Mara: Coolest thing: Loves arranging flowers…

1
How Important is Work Experience in Law School Admissions? 18:28

12M ago18:28

18:28

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike discusses a question we receive often (especially lately, in light of the most recent U.S. News law school ranking methodology changes that significantly emphasized job outcomes over admissions metrics)—just how important is work experience in the law school application process? You can listen and s…

1
What to Expect in the 2023-24 Law School Admissions Cycle (+ Q&A) with Mike Spivey & Anna Hicks-Jaco 40:01

1y ago40:01

40:01

In this episode of Status Check with Spivey, Mike has a conversation with Spivey Consulting's COO Anna Hicks-Jaco about what to expect during the upcoming cycle, her perspective as both a recent Dean of Admissions and relatively recent applicant, and advice for applicants getting ready to apply. Mike and Anna mention several resources and past podc…

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