Practising Law Librarian

Host Karen Oesterle catches up with one of her mentors, Loretta Orndorff, who recently retired after more than two decades at Cozen O’Connor. Loretta discusses her “zig-zag path to librarianship,” changes she’s observed over the course of her long career, her work on an important salary survey for law librarians, and more.

Hear why Andre Davison, Director of the Harris County Robert W. Hainsworth Law Library in Houston and AALL Executive Board member, says he’s most proud of his Seamless Access to Secondary Sources project, which allows attorneys to easily access materials – and how this reflects his commitment to creating connections, professionally and personally.

Susan Ryan, librarian in the Washington, DC office of Seyfarth Shaw, says that “all librarians are teachers.” She shares how she developed the idea for a blog on marijuana law and discusses other learning resources she has developed on topics such as conducting cost-effective research and skills for new associates.
The Practising Law Librarian brings you conversations with — and for — the law librarian community. PLI is proud to offer resources including PLI PLUS, the award-winning legal research platform, to support the essential work of law librarians and practitioners.
Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and not necessarily those of PLI.

Scott Bailey, Director of Research & Knowledge Services at Eversheds Sutherland, shares how collaborating with a creative, open mind — and applying improv skills from his “theater kid” background — helps him and his team build value at their firm and beyond.
The Practising Law Librarian brings you conversations with — and for — the law librarian community. PLI is proud to offer resources including PLI PLUS, the award-winning legal research platform, to support the essential work of law librarians and practitioners.
Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and not necessarily those of PLI.

Award-winning editor and author Ellyssa Valenti Kroski, Director of Innovation & Engagement at the New York Law Institute, shares how she pursues work-life balance while working remotely from a rural homestead, how her commitment to repurposing knowledge led her to connect escape rooms and libraries, and more.
The Practising Law Librarian, part of the PLI Ever Current podcast, brings you conversations with — and for — the law librarian community. PLI is proud to offer resources including PLI PLUS, the award-winning legal research platform, to support the essential work of law librarians and practitioners.
Please note: CLE is not offered for listening to this podcast, and the views and opinions expressed within represent those of the speakers and not necessarily those of PLI.

Harris Crooks’ background in finance — and affinity for “assisting attorneys with weird and bizarre questions” — have led him to interesting roles at Stroock, where he serves as Director of Knowledge & Resource Services, and before that, at Skadden. Hear about his career path and advice for law librarians in the latest episode of the Practising Law Librarian #podcast:

Elaine Knecht is not only the sole librarian for the 300-attorney firm Barclay Damon in New York — she is also a trained musician, opera singer, school librarian, and public radio classical music program host. In this episode, we explore the connections between music, mathematics, logic, and legal research with Elaine, and discuss her Summer Associate Research Academy and growing library of five-minute training videos on all matters library related.

Becky Katz’s lifelong commitment to serving those in need led her to found JusticeAccess, a free online law library for Washington, D.C. residents who need a law library but lack access to one. Among the library’s long-term plans is providing training to non-librarians so they can learn to do legal research and show others how to find the answers they need.

As Head of Research Instruction and a reference librarian at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Olivia Smith Schlinck has some unique insights on Generation Z law students. She joins us to talk about her article “OK, Zoomer: Teaching Legal Research to Gen Z,” recently published in AALL’s Law Library Journal, as well as her tools for teaching introductory and advanced legal research at Columbia Law and Cardozo.

Cornell H. Winston is the Law Librarian and Records Center Supervisor for the United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California, as well as the incoming Vice President/President-Elect of AALL. He talks about his career path from student worker at the Harbor-UCLA medical library, to circulation clerk at Whittier Law, to library roles at law firms, to his current home at the Department of Justice. Hear about the “11th Commandment” he applies to every class or presentation he leads, as well as a discussion about the enormous increase in the complexity and breadth of legal research today.