Moderator:
- Jordan Foley, Assistant Professor, Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, Washington State University
Panelists:
- Jill Ballo, Associate General Counsel, Microsoft
- Alisa Smith, Attorney, FAVROS Law
- Caryn Ragin, Associate Attorney, Bolan Law Group, P.S.
- Kennedy Woodward, Dechert Impact Fellow, Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
Length of Lesson: 75-90 minutes
- 10 minute warm-up
- 50 minute panel
- 15-20 minute discussion
- Optional classroom activities:
- Build the Case
- Ask Better Questions
- Reflection assignment
Learning Objectives
After completing this lesson, students will be able to:
- Explain how communication skills strengthen careers in the legal profession.
- Analyze how storytelling, audience awareness, and advocacy influence legal outcomes.
- Evaluate the importance of empathy, listening, and ethical communication in law and public service.
- Recognize how journalism and public relations skills transfer to many professions beyond traditional media.
- Reflect on the value of critical thinking, writing, and lifelong learning in professional success.
- Explore the relationship between communication, justice, and civic responsibility.
1: Pre-Video Warm-Up
Activity: “More Than One Side”
Present students with a simple scenario:
Two students have a disagreement during a school event, and each believes they are completely right.
Ask students:
- How might each student describe what happened?
- Why might their stories differ?
- What questions would you ask before deciding what actually occurred?
Transition:
Attorneys, journalists, and communication professionals all begin in the same place – by gathering facts, asking thoughtful questions, and understanding multiple perspectives before reaching conclusions.
2: Watch the Presentation
Teacher Note
Encourage students to listen for examples of:
- advocacy
- interviewing
- storytelling
- writing
- audience analysis
- empathy
- critical thinking
- ethics
- career development
- public service
3. Post-Viewing Discussion Questions
- Several panelists explained that they did not originally expect to become attorneys.
What experiences or opportunities ultimately influenced their career paths? - The panelists repeatedly compared legal work to journalism.
How are attorneys and journalists similar in the way they gather information and tell stories? - Jill Ballo described communication as “a communications degree on steroids.”
What communication skills did the panelists identify as being most valuable in law? - Several speakers emphasized asking thoughtful questions before reaching conclusions.
Why is curiosity such an important skill in both journalism and law? - Caryn Ragin discussed seeing the humanity behind legal cases rather than viewing them simply as legal disputes.
Why is empathy important even in professions that rely heavily on rules and evidence? - The panelists described how communication professionals learn to write clearly and concisely.
Why is simple, understandable communication often more persuasive than complicated language? - One audience question focused on taking time between college and law school.
What advantages can real-world experience provide before pursuing additional education? - Jill Ballo explained that much of her work involves advising Microsoft on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence.
Why do communication skills become especially important when explaining complex technologies or legal issues to different audiences? - Several panelists encouraged students to reach out to professionals, ask questions, and seek mentorship.
Why can networking and relationship-building create opportunities that grades alone cannot? - After hearing the discussion, how has your understanding of communication careers changed?
Can you think of another profession where strong communication skills might be just as important as technical expertise?
Optional Activity 1: Build the Case
Time: 20 minutes
Divide students into small groups.
Present a fictional school scenario – for example:
A student organization is accused of violating school policies during an event.
Each group is assigned one role:
- Student organization
- School administration
- Student newspaper
- Parent association
Groups must prepare a brief statement that includes:
- What facts matter most?
- What questions still need answers?
- Who is the intended audience?
- What communication approach best builds trust?
After presentations, discuss how different audiences require different communication strategies while remaining truthful and ethical.
Optional Activity 2: Ask Better Questions
Time: 15–20 minutes
Students work in pairs.
Partner A receives a short fictional scenario (e.g., a misunderstanding between coworkers or classmates).
Partner B’s job is not to solve the problem – but to interview Partner A using only open-ended questions.
Examples:
- What happened?
- How did you know?
- What did you observe?
- What information might still be missing?
- How might someone else describe the situation?
Afterward, switch roles.
Conclude by discussing:
- Which questions produced the most useful information?
- Why do effective communicators often spend more time asking questions than giving answers?
Reflection Assignment
Prompt
The panelists demonstrated that communication skills can open doors far beyond traditional journalism or public relations careers.
Write one page reflecting on:
- Which communication skill discussed during the panel surprised you most.
- Why empathy and listening matter in professions focused on advocacy and justice.
- How the communication skills you are developing today could apply to your own future career – even if it is outside the media industry.
Support your reflection with examples from the panel discussion.
Key Takeaways
Students should leave understanding that:
- Strong communication skills are valuable in nearly every profession, including law.
- Effective advocates begin by asking thoughtful questions and carefully gathering facts.
- Clear writing and persuasive storytelling help people understand complex issues.
- Empathy and active listening strengthen both professional relationships and public trust.
- Communication professionals often become successful attorneys because they know how to analyze information, understand audiences, and communicate with clarity.
- Career paths are rarely linear, and unexpected opportunities often lead to meaningful professional growth.
- Networking, curiosity, and lifelong learning continue to shape successful careers long after college.
Teacher Notes
Media Literacy Connections
Although this panel focuses on careers in law, it reinforces several foundational media literacy principles by showing how communication shapes understanding, decision-making, and public trust.
Key themes include:
- Evidence Before Conclusions: Like journalists, attorneys must gather facts, verify information, ask probing questions, and avoid reaching conclusions before all relevant evidence is available. This reinforces the importance of critical thinking when evaluating information.
- Storytelling Shapes Understanding: The panel illustrates that facts alone are often insufficient. Effective communicators organize information into clear, accurate narratives that help audiences – including judges, juries, clients, and the public – understand complex issues without sacrificing truth or nuance.
- Clear Communication Builds Trust: The speakers repeatedly note that success in law depends not on using complicated legal language but on explaining ideas simply, accurately, and persuasively. This highlights the value of clarity over complexity in all forms of communication.
- Empathy Strengthens Communication: Whether interviewing a client, reporting a story, or representing someone in court, understanding the human experience behind the facts leads to more ethical and effective communication.
- Communication Skills Are Transferable: The panel demonstrates that writing, interviewing, audience analysis, public speaking, and relationship-building are not limited to journalism or public relations. These foundational skills enable professionals to succeed across law, business, government, technology, healthcare, and countless other fields.
This lesson encourages students to recognize that communication is more than delivering messages – it is a disciplined process of listening, investigating, analyzing, and advocating responsibly. Those same habits help strengthen journalism, the legal system, and an informed democratic society.