Pepper Hamilton has started podcasting and its initial effort is very solid. Hosting its podcasts at PepperPodcasts.com, it has taken a firmwide approach, featuring interviews with attorneys from myriad practice areas. The podcasting site offers visitors a number of ways to listen, from downloading an mp3 file, to clicking and listening online, to subscribing for later listening (and updating). Giving visitors flexibility and choice is a smart idea.
Overall, Pepper Hamilton's approach strikes me as a well thought out strategy. First, by reaching across the firm for content, they can tap more attorneys for material on an ongoing basis, rather than relying on just a few. This approach should give the firm a better chance of keeping the site fresh. Second, in the podcasts I heard, the firm adopted the interview style, which I personally find more engaging then lectures. Third, Pepper Hamilton keeps the podcast runtime to a reasonable length, which makes each "edition" digestible in one sitting. Finally, the site itself is clean and intuitive for the user, requiring nothing more than a single click to start consuming content. The last point is important, as many visitors to the site may not yet have an RSS reader (until Internet Explorer 7 takes hold, anyway), or may not be particularly comfortable with new technology, which podcasts (even though they are really just audio recordings at heart) are considered.
In the end, I would be surprised if we don't ultimately see variations of the Pepper Pod Center become standard issue at law firms across the globe. The cost is reasonable, the technology works, and the podcast itself gives lawyers another avenue to showcase their expertise to an unlimited potential audience. So, take a look at one of the early movers to see what may lie ahead: PepperPodcasts.com