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My guest for Episode #258 of the My Favorite Mistake podcast is Michael Bloom, Chief Executive Officer & Founder of Praktio, an online learning company whose mission is “to create space for learning through mistakes.”

Before leaving to run Praktio full time, Michael was the founding director of the Transactional Lab & Clinic, an experiential program at the University of Michigan Law School.

Michael is the co-author of two books on contracts from a transactional perspective: Contracts and Commercial Transactions and Contracts: A Transactional Approach.

Michael earned his J.D. from Yale Law School and earned his B.A. with highest distinction from the University of Michigan, where he studied American history.

This episode focuses on Michael's journey from being a clinical professor to founding Praktio. By creating an environment that promotes learning through mistakes, Michael has challenged traditional paradigms and aligned his unique educational model with the evolving needs of learners in a fast-paced, information-rich world. His entrepreneurial venture, peppered with a fair share of mistakes, has yielded invaluable insights that have guided the development of a highly effective educational model that thrives on constructive feedback and the power of mistakes.

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Questions and Topics:

• Is it a mistake to listen to ALL feedback equally?
• Did you fear it might be a mistake to leave the law school and go full time into Praktio?
• How do law firms react to mistakes? 
• Framed as learning opportunities or something shameful?
• Tell us more about the Praktio story and product…
• Make mistakes in a safe environment to avoid the real one?
• Learning from the mistakes made by others now?
• What are some common or bad mistakes that could be made with contracts?
• Preventing mistakes vs. more senior inspecting the work?
• LinkedIn Profile: “Make mistakes and learn from them”
• As CEO, how do you think about mistakes INTERNAL to Praktio?
• Cultivating a culture of learning from mistakes?
• Learning from the mistakes of other entrepreneurs?

Scroll down to find:

• Video version of the episode
• How to subscribe
• Quotes
• Full transcript

Find Michael on social media:

• LinkedIn

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Automated Transcript (May Contain Mistakes)

Mark Graban:
Well, hi. Welcome to the podcast. Our guest today is Michael Bloom. He's CEO and founder of Praktio. They are an online learning company whose mission is to create space for learning through mistakes.

Mark Graban:
So we've got the right guy and the right podcast here today. Before leaving to run Praktio full time, Michael was the founding director of the Transactional Lab and Clinic, an experiential program at the University of Michigan Law School. Michael's the co author of two books on contracts and commercial transactions and contracts, a transactional approach. He earned his JD from Yale Law School and earned his BA from the University of Michigan, where he studied American history. So, Michael, welcome to the podcast.

Mark Graban:
How are you?

Michael Bloom:
Thank you. Thank you for having me. Doing well. How are you?

Mark Graban:
I'm doing well. I think you're doing. Doing better than me a couple of days ago. Congrats to your wolverines.

Michael Bloom:
Thank you. I appreciate that. It's a good time to be in Ann Arbor here this week.

Mark Graban:
Yeah. And what's the old chant? It's great to be a Michigan wolverine.

Michael Bloom:
Like that is a thing we've been saying out loud to anyone who will listen over the course of the past few weeks. Yes.

Mark Graban:
I mean, it's better. I mean, my bias shows because I grew up not too far from the University of Michigan, and even though I some might say it was a mistake, I didn't go to school there, but a lot of friends did. You know, I'm more familiar with the Michigan chants as opposed to what you might call the state down south that just like spelling the name of their state.

Michael Bloom:
Indeed, indeed. They put an extra emphasis on the word the there for some reason. But a podcast for a different day.

Mark Graban:
I think they say the yes.

Michael Bloom:
I wouldn't know.

Mark Graban:
So we're both making mistakes here and alienating our Ohio state and listeners. Let Michael gloat and enjoy his moment here.

Michael Bloom:
I'm gonna. Long time coming.

Mark Graban:
Yeah. Well, congratulations. So we're gonna talk about the company and the product and Praktio, and we got connected. I want to give a shout out to Jason Levin, previous guest on the podcast, who introduced me to Michael. And boy, when I saw the tagline about make mistakes and learn from them, I thought, we absolutely need to talk and do an episode together.

Mark Graban:
But before we get into all of that, as we normally do here, Michael, the key question to kick things off for real, what would you say is your favorite mistake?

Michael Bloom:
Yeah. So the one I have a few I'm sure I could bring, but the one I thought might be the most fun and one of my favorite mistakes kind of does speak to how it became, how make mistakes became such a central slogan and tenant and ethic around here. So when I first was starting what became proactio, I was a clinical professor at Michigan Law School, and I was teaching this class that had my law students working a lot with contracts. And typically in law school you take a class called contracts. No one sees a contract.

Michael Bloom:
You don't actually learn the practicalities of how to work with the contract. And so I was looking for a way to get my students up to speed more quickly on the language of contracts and started playing around with some e learning to use in my class. And students are great guinea pigs. Gave me wonderful feedback. And law firms started to get wind of what I was working on and wanted to start piloting this training in its form about ten years ago with some of their folks over there.

Michael Bloom:
Great, awesome opportunity. I was thrilled to do it. And so the mistake, this is all a big wind up to get to the mistake here was not terribly intentional with how we put on these pilots, was just thrilled to have the opportunity. We set up the users with accounts to the particular training firm, set a deadline for when folks had to complete the training by, and then, you know, did their internal surveying and learning what folks thought. And to my shock and horror, a common refrain in that feedback was, we do not appreciate being tested.

Michael Bloom:
I'm afraid the firm is ranking us. Why are you making us take tests? And when I first read that, my reaction was like, what are these kids talking about? No one said anything about a test. Of course, this is not a test.

Michael Bloom:
So my mistake was, and then my second thought was, all right, but even though those are my thoughts, clearly this is a reaction that at least these users had, and it's the reaction we don't want them to have. Indeed, we want them to feel like this is a place where they can just learn and make mistakes. And so the lesson I took from that was, we need to be proactive in communicating what this is. Appreciate the interesting dynamics and pressures and incentives and assumptions that might bear on how the users interpret and experience this training. Coming out of that experience was why we frame very loudly and explicitly that this is a place for them to make mistakes in the learning platform.

Michael Bloom:
We decided as a matter of principle that we as a company will not share score data with any of our firm clients around these training tools, because that's not what it's about. Went on to learn some really interesting learning science around, framing learning opportunities as either opportunities to learn or tests where everything was held constant. But that wording was different, the framing was different, and the actual measurable learning outcomes were higher when it was described as a learning opportunity. So that reinforced our pedagogical approach and the messaging around it. And so it's one of my favorite mistakes because it is sort of core to not who we are, because I think that was who we are before that, but to how we communicate that, how important it is for us to message that to the learners, how it's part of our, how we try to foster the learning experience that we think is important.

Michael Bloom:
And because at least in law firm circles, maybe in professional organizations more broadly, there often aren't sort of safe opportunities where the only consequence to screwing up is you get to learn something. And that's central to what we were trying to do. So mistake was not communicating effectively, not thinking ahead to how our learners might experience our training and lesson. All right, let's make sure that can't be possible ever again. Let's get out in front of it.

Mark Graban:
Yeah, well, Michael, I mean, that's a great story of learning from the mistake. I mean, that is part of the purpose of doing a pilot of let's learn something that we didn't know before we started. And I appreciate hearing you're telling of the story of listening to the feedback instead of being defensive or saying, well, they're wrong. We don't need to change our approach. They're just overly sensitive or they happen to work in environments that were doing a lot of ranking or maybe had a fear based leadership culture.

Michael Bloom:
Yes.

Mark Graban:
I mean, it seems like you took that feedback to heart.

Michael Bloom:
Yeah, I mean, I'll be honest. Oftentimes with, or with that example or any user feedback we get, I need to leave space for myself to be like, all these idiots are all users. Oh, they don't get right, like, okay, I'll process that. I'm human. And I might have that first reaction and then it's all right.

Michael Bloom:
What do we do about this? The fact of the matter is maybe we have a certain percentage of users that do have that reaction or do have that interpretation or do have those pressures or operate in those cultures or whatever it might be. What is within our power to do about that? If we can, even if I, like, disagree with it or think it's the wrong, it doesn't matter what's within our power to bring about the result we want for as many people as possible. And that is sort of more of a user experience mindset, more of a software development, and iterating over time mindset that is totally foreign, at least in my experience, to how I was trained as a lawyer or coming up in that professional sort of discipline.

Michael Bloom:
But it's been very freeing for me where I can have my judgmental reactions, and that's fine personally, but it's not relevant to our decision making to, given the world as it is, what can we do to bring about the result we're looking to bring about? So I don't want to get not fully mature. I still can have those immature reactions.

Mark Graban:
Well, but. So it's something to work on, right. And try to at least minimize the immediate reaction type mistake, or at least say it to yourself and realize, okay, I'm saying that, let me, like you said, give it some space before reacting or making too much of a judgment. Right?

Michael Bloom:
Exactly, exactly.

Mark Graban:
Yeah. I mean, it seems like in general, in a software company with a lot of products or services, you want to listen to the voice of the customer, you want to hear feedback, then the challenge is when you get conflicting feedback, it seems like it could be a mistake to try to accept all feedback equally. At some point, you've got to make a judgment call. You and your team.

Michael Bloom:
That's a critical point. It's interesting. What helped me to get some perspective on that was actually being a classroom teacher, because early on you get your evaluations at the end of the quarter of the semester, and early on it's, oh, I gotta be responsive to everything. And then you swing the pendulum the other way the next quarter or semester, and then you get feedback that's totally on the other side of the spectrum. And you can keep, you know, flap it in the wind for all time, or you can let me be a little less jittery in reacting, let me be open to the feedback, process it, wait till we have enough data where we can make a decision based on what, you know, based on that as to what, if anything, we ought to do.

Michael Bloom:
And so that was a lesson I learned over the years, teaching and responding to feedback in that context. And, you know, we now have folks on our team at Praktio who are user experience designers in training and trade and can run those processes and help give me perspective on that as well. But we tend to be of a like minded thing from coming from very different perspectives. But appreciating, yes, you can absolutely overreact too quickly to feedback with the best interests in mind, wanting to be responsive, but realizing different folks out there will have different experiences, perspectives and such.

Mark Graban:
Yeah, yeah. And remind me, what year did you get started with Praktio, then formally as.

Michael Bloom:
A business 2000, I want to say 2014, I believe, is when we incorporated as an actual company. It was sort of this hobby project of mine while I was teaching at the law school at Michigan. And then 2018 was when I decided to jump in with both feet and leave the law school and do this full time.

Mark Graban:
Yeah, and that's a big leap. But did you feel like from those years, four or so years prior, plus the early experiments, how confident did you feel about making that leap, or kind of. We talked to people on the podcast about different career mistakes. I'm certainly not implying you've made a mistake, but the fear of, like, am I making a mistake? And what happens if it is a mistake?

Mark Graban:
Do you remember some of your thought process around that?

Michael Bloom:
Definitely. Definitely. So what drove me to take that leap at that point? So, still a wimpy lawyer at heart and really liked my day job. It wasn't like I was looking to leave.

Michael Bloom:
It was a combination of things. It was one, this could be a whole other mistake saga to talk through. Collected enough feedback over the years that I completely agreed with, and either it was impossible to address it, given the limitations of software that I was using, or it was possible, but extremely cumbersome because of some of the weird work around brute forcey things we were doing in that software to sort of will into existence some of the training that we had created, or I had created in it. So I had sort of this pent up what we call frustration or backlog of things that didn't seem like we were going to be able to get to. If I was not more focused on this, and an early attempt of trying to address that, we figured, let's build our own software platform.

Michael Bloom:
We have enough traction to invest in this. Hired a software development shop to build the first version of that. And this is where I was alluding to the mistake. That project went all kinds of sideways and all the sort of textbook ways that I'm trying to build a big software project for the first time. Can go.

Michael Bloom:
Happy to talk about that more. But it became clear to me, is the main takeaway here, that if I wanted this to become what I wanted it to become, I was going to need to focus on it full time. And it needed to be more than my little hobby side gig that I'm spending a little bit of time on here and there. That, coupled with more positively getting lots of traction, was making enough revenue that I wasn't worried about being able to eat or pay the mortgage or what have you. So I was able to develop it to the point where I proved the market fit, at least to myself, proved the viability to myself, and it felt there's still risk, like, of course, but secure enough in making that leap after a few years of paying customers that return back year over year.

Mark Graban:
Yeah. So it's almost like, yeah, that risk was mitigated, or at least it seemed like a reasonable, well educated risk as opposed to a leap.

Michael Bloom:
That's right. That's right.

Mark Graban:
Yeah. I'm going to ask a question. It might be hard to answer because I'm going to ask you to generalize, and that's kind of an unfair question. But when you talk about, we're on the same page about, boy, if we frame mistakes as learning opportunities in the workplace, we're so much better off for it. How often do you find law firms share that belief that mistakes are learning opportunities as opposed to something that's shameful or really focuses on punishment instead of learning?

Michael Bloom:
So another big reason why we come in hot and heavy with that make mistakes tagline is because it is countercultural. We want to get folks like the hair going up on the back of their neck and make mistakes. Why is that? We want to inspire that question, which is always, there's sort of always hints or something stronger of skepticism when it's asked, and it gives us a great opportunity to explain our approach and such. So the premise of that is there is hostility to mistakes.

Michael Bloom:
Generally speaking, here in the legal profession, I think it's fair to say a profession full of perfectionists, myself included, I try to reframe those instincts as great. So you want to improve, you want to get better. How do you do that? It's certainly not by ignoring the mistakes that you make and sweeping them under the rug or pretending like they don't exist because they're too horrifying to look in the eye. But no, there is a culture that's antagonistic to mistakes.

Michael Bloom:
I'll say, though, at least my experience and what I hear from others is that generally, especially starting out early on in the game, if senior attorneys sense that the more junior attorneys are hard working, are well intentioned when they make mistakes, so long as they are open to the feedback, the juniors are open to the feedback, so long as they do what they need to do to avoid making those mistakes, it's that repeated mistake that really will start to irk people. There's, generally speaking, among most reasonable people at law firms, some fair leniency around that. Again, they don't use these words. Might be a bit more, I don't know, might not be so soft and comforting around it, but generally there is, I think, an understanding that folks don't know what they're doing when they first start out. Of course they are going to make mistakes.

Michael Bloom:
They might be frustrating, but so long as you are taking it in stride, implementing the lesson, not just wasting my time making the same mistake over and over again after we've gone over it. Fine. Understood. Part of the process, yeah.

Mark Graban:
And I think having an environment that does treat mistakes as learning opportunities allows us to then learn and prevent and reduce the number of mistakes that are happening over time. And I think it's, you know, it's, it seems like it can be counterintuitive to people. We're like, well, we, the other line of thinking that I hear articulated sometimes as well, we have to punish mistakes, otherwise we're giving permission for people to make more. I'm like, I don't think that's really how it works. What do you think?

Michael Bloom:
And at least in the legal profession, you better believe for better or worse. Often worse. Any lawyer who makes a mistake is horrified about it. It's sort of that pit in the stomach. It's going to sit with them.

Michael Bloom:
If you ever look on the big law subreddit or on this app called Fishbowl, every week there will be a first year associate that posts like, I made a mistake. What do you do? Hey, can you all tell me the terrible mistakes you made as first year so I can feel better? And it's just a common thing, right? So they're punishing themselves enough, which I'm not celebrating that.

Michael Bloom:
And I don't think we need to further disincentivize mistakes to cause them not to happen. Rather, we need to acknowledge they are part of the process. Of course, part of what we're trying to do at Praktio is create a space where folks can make as many of those mistakes in our platform instead of in real life. But of course they're still going to make mistakes in real life. And when I was teaching in the clinical capacity, and I don't think I invented this, I'm pretty sure it's a common framing, you know, don't, don't lose twice or don't make the second mistake.

Michael Bloom:
Right. What a great opportunity to learn something and get value out of the mistake. If you're just going to be horrified or ignore it or what have you, because it's, it's too terrible to own, then you're making another mistake to not get that value, get that lesson out of it. And that's a way to kind of tap into the mindset that they might already have.

Mark Graban:
Yeah. So let's talk a little bit more about the Praktio product and the training approach. This idea of making mistakes in a safe environment, how much of it is training, or is it in a way like you think of aviation? They have flight simulators. Healthcare increasingly uses simulation settings far more complex and integrated than you and I might have done CPR training on the CPR dummy.

Mark Graban:
That's a simulator. That's a very, very simple simulator. I think there's a lot to celebrate about using simulators, making mistakes in a safe environment. Is the Praktio product, in a way, a simulator?

Michael Bloom:
Yes. I love those analogies. We use them, too, and that's the idea. A lot of our approach is to train through activities that feel realistic to the work, except unlike, unfortunately, often in real life, in our platform, you're getting immediate feedback on every single thing that you do along the way. But we try to both increase learner engagement by situating the learning activities and things that feel realistic, that feel familiar to them.

Michael Bloom:
Lawyers very skeptical audience. If training looks like something that's not applicable to them, they're looking sort of for any excuse to discount it and say it's not applicable to them. So we want to feel realistic so they are more likely to be engaged. And also, it's more clear to them how to transfer those lessons into practice, because they are practicing doing that work in something that feels quite similar to it. So, for example, we have a training on doing due diligence when lawyers at big firms, junior lawyers at big firms, are involved in a big diligence process for, say, their clients looking to acquire a company, and they want to review all these documents at that company.

Michael Bloom:
Those websites look a certain way. They're called online data rooms. We built in our platform something that mimics what those online data rooms look like. And then when they click into a document to review it, now they're looking at a diligence chart that looks a lot like what that work product looks like in real life. And they are filling it out in our system again, much the same way they would in real life.

Michael Bloom:
It's multiple choice. With each choice, it populates the relevant fields. And the beauty of multiple choice, what's hard and sort of artful about it is writing really good wrong answers. So having those wrong answers be the common mistakes that folks in their position often make. So we can kind of tempt them to make those mistakes with us and then immediately provide feedback as to why it's not the best choice for the given exercise.

Mark Graban:
So that's interesting. I think there's a parallel. I mean, I don't really know much about flight simulators, but it's my understanding of it is they will throw difficult situations at the pilot. That's the point of the simulator. And it sounds like you're doing a similar thing of almost like, setting them up for a potential mistake where, like you say, oh, here's something that might catch, you might not catch, or something might trip you up in the real world.

Mark Graban:
That seems like a good idea.

Michael Bloom:
Exactly. Especially for their level. You know, a lot of our training thus far is pretty focused on this entry level lawyer at a large firm, and a lot of what we do is sort of have conversations like this, usually not recorded. But what are all the mistakes you made when you were a first year on this particular task that we're building training around? What are all the things you wish someone would have sat you down and taught you explicitly on day one?

Michael Bloom:
Here's a magic wand. What's the mistake all your first years never make again? Kind of these different ways of interrogating the same question, and the answers to those directly feed into the training and the particular exercises and then those wrong answers that we bake into it. So that. Yep.

Michael Bloom:
Again, for a third year or a fifth year, these won't be challenges. But for a first year, we know 20% of you are likely to miss this issue or confuse that issue. Here's a chance to do that here. And then again, the only consequence is, great. Now you get to learn that here.

Michael Bloom:
And not that you should be horrified if you were to make that mistake in real life, but you don't even have to because you've already worked through it over here.

Mark Graban:
Yeah. So it sounds like you're tapping into or creating an opportunity for these first year attorneys to learn from mistakes that other people's made before them.

Michael Bloom:
Exactly.

Mark Graban:
Instead of thinking about, well, why does each person have to learn from their own mistakes?

Michael Bloom:
Exactly.

Mark Graban:
Sure. We want them to learn from the mistakes they've made. Maybe they're innovative and make a mistake no one else has made before, but, you know, we don't have to all just go repeat that same path.

Michael Bloom:
Exactly. Exactly. And, you know, not to belabor the point, but, yeah. So, crowdsourcing, sort of many, collecting all those mistakes across the different folks we work with, baking those into the training, and then consistently delivering that same training to everyone coming through the door and they will make those same mistakes, but in this low stakes, no consequences except learning environment, they're just making it. You know, in the little flight simulator, they're not crashing the plane.

Michael Bloom:
Not that practicing law is anything close to crashing a plane. We often forget that lives aren't at stake with the practice of law. It can sometimes feel that way to those who are in the thick of it. But at least the type of law I'm talking about, right?

Mark Graban:
What are. So I was curious. You talked about common mistakes or bad mistakes or, I don't know, are there any kind of funny seminal stories from the field of contracts of just some, particularly in some way hilarious contract mistake that nobody else wants to make?

Michael Bloom:
Yeah, I mean, hilarious. And contracts that always find themselves in the same sentence, but there definitely are different stories of, and these are the things that actually will perk up the lawyer's attention when I'm giving trainings or what have you, the missing comma that actually cause the $10 billion lawsuit to go this way or that way. And so in a vacuum, it can feel pretty dry, or maybe who cares? But if you can show how it actually mattered, then that's a way, again, to get learner engagement. Here's why this should matter to you.

Michael Bloom:
Here's the consequence of this, and now let's work through how to think about that comma issue or whatever it might be. These lessons tend to be very specific and into the minutiae. So I don't know how exciting it would be for the purposes of this podcast, but yeah, there definitely are these big litigated outcomes that as soon as they happen, they're in all the newsletters and everyone's passing around LinkedIn. And hey, this is why this matters. And let's make sure we're paying great attention to this.

Michael Bloom:
Again, the details here are probably not super exciting for this audience, but there have been cases where whether the word of or in was used mattered a ton as to the, the outcome of the case and all the money people spent. And I, you know, use again those to illustrate the point that, you know, a couple things. Sometimes the words really can matter. Here's how it mattered here, and there's also often lessons around. It doesn't have to hang on whether you use the word in or of.

Michael Bloom:
We can just specify this a bit more plain language or a bit more explicitly, so it's not just casting magic spells. We don't have to do it that way. We can just be a bit more clear in our contracts and avoid the issue. And that's often the lesson. Another one that might or might not be of interest that I often use is involving Stanford university case with the Supreme Court and had to do with the ownership of intellectual property.

Michael Bloom:
And they first entered into a contract with one party that said, so and so shall grant the rights to this IP to the first party. Then they entered into a second contract that said, so and so hereby grants the ownership of this IP to that second party. And the question was, who actually owns it? And the result here was when they said, shall grants, they were agreeing to grant. And by failing to grant.

Michael Bloom:
Yeah, at some point. So they breached the contract by failing to do that. But in terms of who actually owned the property, it was the second group where it was hereby grants. And so the lesson being, words can really matter sometimes. The difference between hereby grants and shell grants was the difference between promising to grant in the future and actually granting right now.

Michael Bloom:
So again, we can nerd out on all kinds of little contract things, but the mistakes of the past often are really important lessons that very much get the attention of lawyers that illustrate why, in certain circumstances, using this language or this grammar or what have you can really be quite critical.

Mark Graban:
Yeah. So, in a law firm, it seems like there are people there with a wide range of experience, first years, and people who have worked there for decades. When I think back to my roots in manufacturing, a lot in the past, quality would be driven, or they would try to drive it through inspection. We're going to try to catch any of the defects, catch any of the bad products before it gets to the customer. And Toyota and other companies learned it's better to do things to prevent in the first place, not make the defect, because inspection, especially when it's done by humans, is never going to be perfect.

Mark Graban:
And you can have inspection mistakes, but how much of legal work involves somebody more senior inspecting the work of somebody who's very, very junior? And I imagine, boy, at the billable rate, or the potential billable rate of a senior attorney, they probably don't want to spend a lot of time on that. But is it necessary at times or what type of inspection might be done?

Michael Bloom:
Yeah, they wouldn't use these words, but there tends to be a pretty heavy QA process or QC process. And, you know, it certainly depends on the particular work we're talking about, what's at stake, etcetera. But generally, anything of consequence is going to go through several layers of review, for better or worse. And certainly law firms aren't famous for their efficiency. But, yeah, it's something that a junior, a contract, a junior is going to draft or memo to the client or what have you.

Michael Bloom:
There's probably going to be a mid, depending on the size of the deal and the risk and the rest. There's probably at least two layers of review. There's probably a mid level more senior associate taking the first pass, and then possibly a partner or more senior associate also taking a final pass and can go up and down the ladder until the final. More senior folks have signed off on it. Again, it depends on if it's something pithy and small and of risk or consequence or something, you know, quite important.

Michael Bloom:
So I'm sure there's a spectrum there, but generally first years are not let loose. Even emails to the client are likely to go through several rounds of review.

Mark Graban:
So, Michael, before we wrap up, I wanted to also get some of your perspectives as a founder and as CEO at Praktio, how do you think about mistakes that might be made internally to the company, customer service mistakes, software bugs, other types of mistakes that are made. What are you trying to do internally to help create internal space for people to learn?

Michael Bloom:
Yes. Yes, we try to eat our own dog food, as they say here, so nothing earth shattering, but we do, for example, monthly retros, where I try to model this myself, you know, reflecting on the prior months work. What's a lesson I'm learning from something that didn't go as well as I would have liked or what was in my power, and we just each go around the horn and share those out. It's not a, you know, airing of, you're not like falling on the sword or taking our lumps or anything. It's really with an eye toward lessons, things we want to do differently going forward, whether it's just for one of us personally or a process we ought to implement or, you know, whatever the right thing is.

Michael Bloom:
And we, we discussed this as a. As a group, and it's actually informed a little bit by something we used to do or maybe, I'm sure they still do it, but when I was a clinical professor in Michigan, we would. There, we call them case rounds. So every month someone would bring in sort of a gnarly problem in their clinic, supervising students or whatever isn't going how they'd want. And there was a whole sort of formula around the whole department trying to problem solve and brainstorm around that.

Michael Bloom:
And not only did I find that really helpful for the particular lessons, whether it was my problem or someone else's, but fostering a culture where this is normalized and part of what we do. And you'd have really, folks, 20 years into being a professor, bringing in a thorny problem they're trying to deal with, kind of burst that initial bubble of a more junior purple person thinking at some point, everyone's perfect at this, or they got, they have none of these problems. It's just me or what have you, right. It helps to not that ever would have been a realistic thing to think, but I think it's easy to feel that way, especially earlier on. And I found it helped foster a very collegial and culture, and one where we can bring these things and own these things, not have to hide them.

Michael Bloom:
And so something in our own way, tried to emulate here in that more formal way of having an end of the month meeting each time, but also then more on the spot when something's not going right for any of us, bringing in the right people. And again, it's never really about blame or apologies. It's about what's the lesson, how do we mitigate the issue, how do we solve it going forward? And just having our eye on that prize throughout whatever it is we're working on.

Mark Graban:
Yeah, that's great. That's really great. Maybe one other final, final question, I think made the mistake. I'm going to do a couple final questions here.

Michael Bloom:
That's totally fine.

Mark Graban:
Learning from the mistakes of others in law, and I appreciate what you're talking about, learning from your own mistakes. Michael, as an entrepreneur, are there resources you go to read, listen to, to try to learn from the mistakes of other entrepreneurs who have gone before you?

Michael Bloom:
I'll say one of the first things that come to mind and that I listened to when I first was starting out, I don't know if you listen to this. I don't know. I don't think it still exists. But there used to be a podcast, I think it was called the startup, and it was about the formation, very meta, about a podcasting company that became Gimlet media that I think Shopify has since acquired or something like that. But it was this founder starting a podcasting company, and the first podcast was about founding the podcasting company.

Michael Bloom:
And it was very vulnerable, and it was very, or at least it seemed. I mean, I guess, I don't know, but it seemed like we really were able to follow along through all the mistakes and all the lessons, and I found that incredibly helpful. And again, realizing, all right, you know, people go through these, you know, troughs of sadness, whatever they call it, and the sort of founder's journey. And it was helpful in commiserating there. And even there was one episode where I brought it into my classroom as a teaching tool because it was about the founder, the podcast host, not listening effectively to his employees, and because he was recording for the podcast and listen back to it, he was sort of horrified at hearing himself and hearing himself not listening.

Michael Bloom:
He thought he was at the time, but getting that different perspective on it. He was able to totally appreciate where his employee was coming from and how in the moment he was completely missing it. And I bring that into my class on a session on listening effectively. And again, everything's sort of meta here, showing how we don't always come off the way we think we're coming off, how the exercise of reflecting can help us to see things differently, the way this guy was, and being open and honest and vulnerable, at least with yourself, you don't have to publish it to the whole world, but to see and hear things you might otherwise miss. So that in this case you can be the leader or the boss or whatever it is that you want to be.

Michael Bloom:
Because realizing we only have our own subjective experience in the moment, and of course it's not going to be complete or from every perspective. That was one. Again, I haven't listened. I don't know if it's still around, but I found that very helpful early on in a multitude of ways. Beyond that, I mean, more recently, I really enjoy Adam Grant's podcast, but again, I'm sure I'm one of many in that regard.

Michael Bloom:
And then more specifically, I have these little growing communities that are more niche to my space. So we started this group of professional development vendors or providers that work with law firms. And we have our own community where we meet monthly, share notes, ask questions. We have a mighty networks community that we can asynchronously communicate in, and other lawyer entrepreneurs groups on WhatsApp and what have you. So these more sort of curated communities that are tighter to the space that I'm in.

Mark Graban:
Okay, well, cool. Thanks for sharing that. So we've been joined today, Michael Bloom, founder and CEO of Praktio. I'll make sure there there are links in the show notes to the company and to more information about Michael. So thanks again to Jason for making the connection.

Mark Graban:
Definitely not a mistake on his part. I didn't think it would be. And Michael, really great to have you.

Michael Bloom:
As a guest here today.

Mark Graban:
Thank you.

Michael Bloom:
Same here. Thank you so much. Mark, really enjoyed the conversation.

Episode Summary and More

Embracing Mistakes to Foster Learning and Innovation

In the realm of professional development and education, the traditional model often focuses on perfection and error avoidance. However, a transformative approach is emerging, emphasizing the value of mistakes in the learning process. This approach, spearheaded by innovators like Michael Bloom, CEO and founder of

Embracing Mistakes to Foster Learning and Innovation

In the realm of professional development and education, the traditional model often focuses on perfection and error avoidance. However, a transformative approach is emerging, emphasizing the value of mistakes in the learning process. This approach, spearheaded by innovators like Michael Bloom, CEO and founder of Practeo, is revolutionizing how we perceive and engage with learning opportunities, especially within the legal profession and e-learning platforms.

The Genesis of Practeo

Practeo, under Michael Bloom's leadership, has positioned itself as a trailblazer in the online learning sector, aiming to cultivate an environment where learners are encouraged to embrace mistakes as a fundamental part of the learning process. Michael Bloom, with a rich background as a clinical professor and the founding director of the Transactional Lab and Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School, has leveraged his experiences and observations to develop a unique educational model. This model not only challenges traditional paradigms but also aligns closely with the evolving needs of learners in a fast-paced, information-rich world.

Bloom’s journey from academia to entrepreneurship reflects a deep commitment to enhancing how legal education and professional training are delivered. By integrating practical experiences with contractual language learning, he identified and addressed a critical gap in legal education. The innovative approach of allowing learners to engage directly with contracts and learn through doing—making mistakes and receiving immediate feedback—marks a significant departure from the conventional lecture-based, mistake-averse teaching methodologies prevalent in many law schools.

The Power of Learning From Mistakes

Practeo's foundational philosophy—”create space for learning through mistakes”—is not just a tagline but a guiding principle that permeates all aspects of its curriculum development and delivery. The initial feedback from law firms that piloted Bloom's e-learning tools revealed an unexpected insight: professionals were wary of being evaluated through what they perceived as tests, fearing judgment and ranking. This feedback was a pivotal moment, propelling Bloom to refine Practeo's approach to emphasize the learning opportunity inherent in every mistake.

This emphasis on learning from mistakes rather than penalizing them is underpinned by learning science, which suggests that individuals achieve better outcomes when engaged in opportunities framed as learning experiences, as opposed to being subjected to tests. By fostering an environment that diminishes the fear of failure and prioritizes constructive feedback, Practeo empowers learners to take risks, explore complex concepts freely, and cultivate a deeper understanding of the subject matter. This approach not only enhances learning outcomes but also prepares learners for the realities of professional practice, where mistakes are often part of the growth and innovation process.

A New Paradigm in Professional Learning

The transformation from a traditional, mistake-averse educational model to one that embraces and learns from errors represents a significant shift in professional development and continuing education. By prioritizing a safe space for learners to experiment, fail, and ultimately learn from these experiences, Practeo is leading a cultural shift within legal education and beyond. This shift aligns closely with the demands of today's dynamic professional landscape, where adaptability, continuous learning, and resilience are key to success.

The journey of Practeo, from a concept born in a university classroom to a pioneering online learning platform, underscores the critical role of feedback, adaptability, and a learner-centric approach in education technology. By embracing mistakes as essential to the learning process, Practeo is not only changing how professionals approach learning but also contributing to the development of a more innovative, resilient, and skilled workforce.

In conclusion, Practeo’s story is a testament to the transformative power of embracing mistakes in learning. By challenging traditional norms and fostering a supportive, error-tolerant learning environment, Michael Bloom and his team at Practeo are paving the way for a new era in professional development and education. This innovative approach has the potential to reshape how we think about learning and failure, not just in the legal profession, but across all sectors and disciplines.

Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Legal Training

With the challenges Michael Bloom faced in developing Practeo’s initial software platform, the importance of technology in revolutionizing legal education cannot be overstated. The attempt to create a proprietary platform, despite its initial setbacks, underscores a critical shift in legal training towards more innovative and responsive learning tools. This venture into technology development, driven by a need to overcome the limitations and cumbersomeness of existing software, highlights a pivotal moment in Practeo’s journey. It demonstrates a commitment to harnessing technology not just for the sake of modernization but to profoundly impact how legal professionals learn and grow.

Customized Learning Through Simulation

Drawing parallels to flight simulators used in aviation training, Practeo embodies the concept of a legal training simulator that offers a safe space for making and learning from mistakes. This innovative approach is central to Practeo's strategy, aiming to replicate the complexities and challenges of real-world legal practice within a controlled, repercussion-free environment. By creating scenarios that mirror actual legal tasks and responsibilities, learners are exposed to the realities of their profession, allowing them to engage in problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical assessment without the fear of real-world consequences.

Realistic Scenarios and Immediate Feedback

A key component of Practeo's effectiveness lies in its ability to present learners with realistic scenarios that demand active engagement. This immersion into practical tasks, coupled with the immediate feedback mechanism, serves as a potent educational tool. Learners are not only able to see the direct outcomes of their actions but also understand the rationale behind correct and incorrect decisions. This immediate feedback loop reinforces learning and solidifies the connection between theoretical knowledge and practical application.

Addressing Common Mistakes Before They Occur

Another significant aspect of Practeo’s training methodology is its focus on preempting common mistakes. By aggregating experiences and errors from a wide range of professionals, the platform offers a comprehensive overview of potential pitfalls and challenges newly minted lawyers might face. This crowdsourcing of experiences serves as a preemptive learning strategy, enabling novices to learn from the missteps of their predecessors without having to experience these setbacks firsthand. This not only accelerates the learning curve but also instills a sense of preparedness and confidence in handling real-life legal scenarios.

The Cultural Shift Toward Embracing Mistakes

Practeo’s inception and evolution signify a broader cultural shift within the legal profession and beyond. The traditional perspective of viewing mistakes as failures or setbacks is gradually being replaced with a more progressive mindset that sees errors as valuable learning opportunities. This transition is reflective of a growing recognition within the legal community and other professional sectors that the path to expertise and proficiency is paved with lessons learned from errors and misjudgments. By embracing this approach, Practeo is not only contributing to the personal and professional growth of individual learners but also helping cultivate a more adaptable, resilient, and competent legal profession.

By focusing on interactive, technology-driven training that prioritizes the experience and insights gained from mistakes, Practeo is setting a new standard in legal education. This forward-thinking approach, rooted in realism and practical application, promises to equip the next generation of lawyers with the tools, knowledge, and mindset to navigate the complexities and challenges of the legal landscape successfully.

Incorporating Technology and AI for Streamlined Legal Processes

In the realm of legal work, particularly in drafting contracts or managing complex legal documents, incorporating technology and artificial intelligence (AI) holds the promise of drastically minimizing errors and inefficiencies. As Michael Bloom alludes to the attention to detail required in drafting contracts, where a single word or comma can pivotally sway the outcome of legal disputes, the utilization of sophisticated legal tech tools can serve as a preventive measure against such costly oversights. These tools, designed with the capability to identify potential discrepancies or suggest improvements based on vast databases of legal precedents, could effectively reduce the reliance on manual inspection, thereby enhancing accuracy and efficiency in legal drafting processes.

Leveraging AI for Quality Control

• Automated Drafting Assistance: AI-powered software can assist in drafting contracts by suggesting precise language that has been vetted against legal databases, ensuring compliance and reducing the risk of ambiguous phrasing that could lead to disputes.
• Error Detection and Correction: Advanced AI systems can scan legal documents for errors, inconsistencies, or omissions that a human reviewer might overlook, providing an additional layer of quality assurance before the final review by senior legal professionals.
• Predictive Analysis: By analyzing past legal cases, AI can predict potential pitfalls in contract language or legal strategies, advising lawyers on risk management effectively before making final decisions.

Fostering Collaborative Learning Environments

The emphasis on embracing mistakes as learning opportunities, as highlighted by Michael Bloom's approach within Practeo, suggests the value of collaborative learning environments in legal settings. Such environments not only accelerate skill development through shared experiences but also bolster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Emphasizing Peer Review and Mentorship

• Structured Peer Reviews: Establishing a systematic approach to peer reviews can facilitate a constructive feedback loop, encouraging junior lawyers to learn from their more experienced counterparts and vice versa.
• Mentorship Programs: Pairing junior lawyers with mentors who can provide guidance, share insights from their experiences, and encourage reflection on mistakes can greatly enhance the learning process and professional development.

Advancing Legal Training with Real-world Applications

As Practeo and similar platforms demonstrate, integrating real-world scenarios into legal education and training can significantly improve the practical skills of emerging lawyers. This approach not only prepares them for the complexities of the profession but also instills a proactive mindset toward addressing common mistakes and learning from them.

Simulation-Based Learning

• Interactive Case Studies: Engaging learners with interactive case studies that simulate actual legal challenges can improve their problem-solving skills and legal reasoning.
• Virtual Reality (VR) Courtrooms: Utilizing VR technology to simulate courtroom proceedings or client meetings can offer learners immersive experiences without the pressures of real-life stakes, allowing them to experiment and learn from mistakes in a risk-free environment.

Conclusion

While the article does not conclude, it is evident that leveraging technology in legal training and embracing a culture that sees mistakes as valuable learning opportunities are pivotal in developing proficient, innovative, and adaptable legal professionals. These approaches not only refine individual skills but also contribute to a more efficient, effective, and responsive legal system. As the legal profession continues to evolve, embracing these trends will be crucial for preparing the next generation of lawyers to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Harnessing Digital Communities for Legal Professional Development

The digital age has ushered in unprecedented opportunities for legal professionals to connect, collaborate, and learn through niche, curated communities. These digital platforms and forums offer a wealth of resources, facilitating not just the exchange of knowledge, but the fostering of relationships that bridge the gap between learning and practical application in the legal field.

The Role of Digital Communities in Legal Innovation

• Knowledge Sharing: Online communities provide a platform for legal professionals to share insights, experiences, and best practices with peers. This collaborative environment encourages the exchange of innovative ideas and solutions to common legal challenges.
• Networking and Collaboration: By connecting lawyers, legal tech entrepreneurs, and professional development experts, these communities facilitate partnerships that can lead to the development of new legal technologies and methodologies.
• Continuing Education: Many of these forums offer educational content, webinars, and workshops, enabling legal professionals to stay updated on the latest legal trends, technologies, and regulations.

The Impact of Podcasts on Legal Education

Podcasts, like the one hosted by Adam Grant, have emerged as a significant resource for legal professionals seeking to broaden their perspectives and gain insights into the broader implications of legal practices on society. These platforms offer accessible and diverse viewpoints on a wide range of topics, including legal innovation, leadership in law, and the importance of fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptability.

• Expanding Horizons: Listening to thought leaders and innovators through podcasts can inspire legal professionals to explore new approaches to their work and consider how global trends can impact legal practices.
• Practical Advice: Many podcasts focus on offering practical advice on navigating the challenges of the legal profession, from managing client relationships to incorporating AI and technology in legal workflows.
• Community Engagement: Interacting with podcast hosts and guests through social media or dedicated forums can further enhance learning and provide opportunities for engagement with the wider legal community.

Embracing Technology in Fostering Professional Growth

The involvement in communities, whether through listening to podcasts, participating in forums, or engaging in platforms like Mighty Networks, underscores the essential role of technology in advancing legal professional development. By leveraging these digital tools, legal practitioners can enhance their skills, adopt innovative practices, and ultimately contribute to a more efficient and effective legal system.

Leveraging Online Platforms for Skill Enhancement

• Tailored Learning Paths: Online platforms can offer personalized learning experiences, allowing legal professionals to focus on areas of interest or where they need to develop their skills further.
• Access to Global Experts: Technology breaks down geographical barriers, enabling lawyers to learn from global experts and thought leaders without the need to travel.
• Collaborative Problem-Solving: Participating in online seminars or workshops encourages collaborative problem-solving, enabling lawyers to tackle complex legal issues by drawing on collective knowledge and diverse perspectives.

The evolution of the legal profession in the digital age is marked by an increasing emphasis on community, collaboration, and technology. By embracing these elements, legal professionals not only stay at the forefront of their field but also contribute to a culture that values innovation, continuous learning, and shared success. As this trend continues, the legal field can anticipate a future where technology and digital communities play a central role in shaping practices, policies, and the professional growth of its members.

, is revolutionizing how we perceive and engage with learning opportunities, especially within the legal profession and e-learning platforms.

The Genesis of Praktio

Praktio, under Michael Bloom's leadership, has positioned itself as a trailblazer in the online learning sector, aiming to cultivate an environment where learners are encouraged to embrace mistakes as a fundamental part of the learning process. Michael Bloom, with a rich background as a clinical professor and the founding director of the Transactional Lab and Clinic at the University of Michigan Law School, has leveraged his experiences and observations to develop a unique educational model. This model not only challenges traditional paradigms but also aligns closely with the evolving needs of learners in a fast-paced, information-rich world.

Bloom’s journey from academia to entrepreneurship reflects a deep commitment to enhancing how legal education and professional training are delivered. By integrating practical experiences with contractual language learning, he identified and addressed a critical gap in legal education. The innovative approach of allowing learners to engage directly with contracts and learn through doing—making mistakes and receiving immediate feedback—marks a significant departure from the conventional lecture-based, mistake-averse teaching methodologies prevalent in many law schools.

The Power of Learning From Mistakes

Praktio's foundational philosophy—”create space for learning through mistakes”—is not just a tagline but a guiding principle that permeates all aspects of its curriculum development and delivery. The initial feedback from law firms that piloted Bloom's e-learning tools revealed an unexpected insight: professionals were wary of being evaluated through what they perceived as tests, fearing judgment and ranking. This feedback was a pivotal moment, propelling Bloom to refine Praktio's approach to emphasize the learning opportunity inherent in every mistake.

This emphasis on learning from mistakes rather than penalizing them is underpinned by learning science, which suggests that individuals achieve better outcomes when engaged in opportunities framed as learning experiences, as opposed to being subjected to tests. By fostering an environment that diminishes the fear of failure and prioritizes constructive feedback, Praktio empowers learners to take risks, explore complex concepts freely, and cultivate a deeper understanding of the subject matter. This approach not only enhances learning outcomes but also prepares learners for the realities of professional practice, where mistakes are often part of the growth and innovation process.

A New Paradigm in Professional Learning

The transformation from a traditional, mistake-averse educational model to one that embraces and learns from errors represents a significant shift in professional development and continuing education. By prioritizing a safe space for learners to experiment, fail, and ultimately learn from these experiences, Praktio is leading a cultural shift within legal education and beyond. This shift aligns closely with the demands of today's dynamic professional landscape, where adaptability, continuous learning, and resilience are key to success.

The journey of Praktio, from a concept born in a university classroom to a pioneering online learning platform, underscores the critical role of feedback, adaptability, and a learner-centric approach in education technology. By embracing mistakes as essential to the learning process, Praktio is not only changing how professionals approach learning but also contributing to the development of a more innovative, resilient, and skilled workforce.

In conclusion, Praktio's story is a testament to the transformative power of embracing mistakes in learning. By challenging traditional norms and fostering a supportive, error-tolerant learning environment, Michael Bloom and his team at Praktio are paving the way for a new era in professional development and education. This innovative approach has the potential to reshape how we think about learning and failure, not just in the legal profession, but across all sectors and disciplines.

Leveraging Technology for Enhanced Legal Training

With the challenges Michael Bloom faced in developing Praktio's initial software platform, the importance of technology in revolutionizing legal education cannot be overstated. The attempt to create a proprietary platform, despite its initial setbacks, underscores a critical shift in legal training towards more innovative and responsive learning tools. This venture into technology development, driven by a need to overcome the limitations and cumbersomeness of existing software, highlights a pivotal moment in Praktio's journey. It demonstrates a commitment to harnessing technology not just for the sake of modernization but to profoundly impact how legal professionals learn and grow.

Customized Learning Through Simulation

Drawing parallels to flight simulators used in aviation training, Praktio embodies the concept of a legal training simulator that offers a safe space for making and learning from mistakes. This innovative approach is central to Praktio's strategy, aiming to replicate the complexities and challenges of real-world legal practice within a controlled, repercussion-free environment. By creating scenarios that mirror actual legal tasks and responsibilities, learners are exposed to the realities of their profession, allowing them to engage in problem-solving, critical thinking, and analytical assessment without the fear of real-world consequences.

Realistic Scenarios and Immediate Feedback

A key component of Praktio's effectiveness lies in its ability to present learners with realistic scenarios that demand active engagement. This immersion into practical tasks, coupled with the immediate feedback mechanism, serves as a potent educational tool. Learners are not only able to see the direct outcomes of their actions but also understand the rationale behind correct and incorrect decisions. This immediate feedback loop reinforces learning and solidifies the connection between theoretical knowledge and practical application.

Addressing Common Mistakes Before They Occur

Another significant aspect of Praktio's training methodology is its focus on preempting common mistakes. By aggregating experiences and errors from a wide range of professionals, the platform offers a comprehensive overview of potential pitfalls and challenges newly minted lawyers might face. This crowdsourcing of experiences serves as a preemptive learning strategy, enabling novices to learn from the missteps of their predecessors without having to experience these setbacks firsthand. This not only accelerates the learning curve but also instills a sense of preparedness and confidence in handling real-life legal scenarios.

The Cultural Shift Toward Embracing Mistakes

Praktio's inception and evolution signify a broader cultural shift within the legal profession and beyond. The traditional perspective of viewing mistakes as failures or setbacks is gradually being replaced with a more progressive mindset that sees errors as valuable learning opportunities. This transition is reflective of a growing recognition within the legal community and other professional sectors that the path to expertise and proficiency is paved with lessons learned from errors and misjudgments. By embracing this approach, Praktio is not only contributing to the personal and professional growth of individual learners but also helping cultivate a more adaptable, resilient, and competent legal profession.

By focusing on interactive, technology-driven training that prioritizes the experience and insights gained from mistakes, Praktio is setting a new standard in legal education. This forward-thinking approach, rooted in realism and practical application, promises to equip the next generation of lawyers with the tools, knowledge, and mindset to navigate the complexities and challenges of the legal landscape successfully.

Incorporating Technology and AI for Streamlined Legal Processes

In the realm of legal work, particularly in drafting contracts or managing complex legal documents, incorporating technology and artificial intelligence (AI) holds the promise of drastically minimizing errors and inefficiencies. As Michael Bloom alludes to the attention to detail required in drafting contracts, where a single word or comma can pivotally sway the outcome of legal disputes, the utilization of sophisticated legal tech tools can serve as a preventive measure against such costly oversights. These tools, designed with the capability to identify potential discrepancies or suggest improvements based on vast databases of legal precedents, could effectively reduce the reliance on manual inspection, thereby enhancing accuracy and efficiency in legal drafting processes.

Leveraging AI for Quality Control

• Automated Drafting Assistance: AI-powered software can assist in drafting contracts by suggesting precise language that has been vetted against legal databases, ensuring compliance and reducing the risk of ambiguous phrasing that could lead to disputes.
• Error Detection and Correction: Advanced AI systems can scan legal documents for errors, inconsistencies, or omissions that a human reviewer might overlook, providing an additional layer of quality assurance before the final review by senior legal professionals.
• Predictive Analysis: By analyzing past legal cases, AI can predict potential pitfalls in contract language or legal strategies, advising lawyers on risk management effectively before making final decisions.

Fostering Collaborative Learning Environments

The emphasis on embracing mistakes as learning opportunities, as highlighted by Michael Bloom's approach within Praktio, suggests the value of collaborative learning environments in legal settings. Such environments not only accelerate skill development through shared experiences but also bolster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Emphasizing Peer Review and Mentorship

• Structured Peer Reviews: Establishing a systematic approach to peer reviews can facilitate a constructive feedback loop, encouraging junior lawyers to learn from their more experienced counterparts and vice versa.
• Mentorship Programs: Pairing junior lawyers with mentors who can provide guidance, share insights from their experiences, and encourage reflection on mistakes can greatly enhance the learning process and professional development.

Advancing Legal Training with Real-world Applications

As Praktio and similar platforms demonstrate, integrating real-world scenarios into legal education and training can significantly improve the practical skills of emerging lawyers. This approach not only prepares them for the complexities of the profession but also instills a proactive mindset toward addressing common mistakes and learning from them.

Simulation-Based Learning

• Interactive Case Studies: Engaging learners with interactive case studies that simulate actual legal challenges can improve their problem-solving skills and legal reasoning.
• Virtual Reality (VR) Courtrooms: Utilizing VR technology to simulate courtroom proceedings or client meetings can offer learners immersive experiences without the pressures of real-life stakes, allowing them to experiment and learn from mistakes in a risk-free environment.

Conclusion

While the article does not conclude, it is evident that leveraging technology in legal training and embracing a culture that sees mistakes as valuable learning opportunities are pivotal in developing proficient, innovative, and adaptable legal professionals. These approaches not only refine individual skills but also contribute to a more efficient, effective, and responsive legal system. As the legal profession continues to evolve, embracing these trends will be crucial for preparing the next generation of lawyers to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.

Harnessing Digital Communities for Legal Professional Development

The digital age has ushered in unprecedented opportunities for legal professionals to connect, collaborate, and learn through niche, curated communities. These digital platforms and forums offer a wealth of resources, facilitating not just the exchange of knowledge, but the fostering of relationships that bridge the gap between learning and practical application in the legal field.

The Role of Digital Communities in Legal Innovation

• Knowledge Sharing: Online communities provide a platform for legal professionals to share insights, experiences, and best practices with peers. This collaborative environment encourages the exchange of innovative ideas and solutions to common legal challenges.
• Networking and Collaboration: By connecting lawyers, legal tech entrepreneurs, and professional development experts, these communities facilitate partnerships that can lead to the development of new legal technologies and methodologies.
• Continuing Education: Many of these forums offer educational content, webinars, and workshops, enabling legal professionals to stay updated on the latest legal trends, technologies, and regulations.

The Impact of Podcasts on Legal Education

Podcasts, like the one hosted by Adam Grant, have emerged as a significant resource for legal professionals seeking to broaden their perspectives and gain insights into the broader implications of legal practices on society. These platforms offer accessible and diverse viewpoints on a wide range of topics, including legal innovation, leadership in law, and the importance of fostering a culture of continuous learning and adaptability.

• Expanding Horizons: Listening to thought leaders and innovators through podcasts can inspire legal professionals to explore new approaches to their work and consider how global trends can impact legal practices.
• Practical Advice: Many podcasts focus on offering practical advice on navigating the challenges of the legal profession, from managing client relationships to incorporating AI and technology in legal workflows.
• Community Engagement: Interacting with podcast hosts and guests through social media or dedicated forums can further enhance learning and provide opportunities for engagement with the wider legal community.

Embracing Technology in Fostering Professional Growth

The involvement in communities, whether through listening to podcasts, participating in forums, or engaging in platforms like Mighty Networks, underscores the essential role of technology in advancing legal professional development. By leveraging these digital tools, legal practitioners can enhance their skills, adopt innovative practices, and ultimately contribute to a more efficient and effective legal system.

Leveraging Online Platforms for Skill Enhancement

• Tailored Learning Paths: Online platforms can offer personalized learning experiences, allowing legal professionals to focus on areas of interest or where they need to develop their skills further.
• Access to Global Experts: Technology breaks down geographical barriers, enabling lawyers to learn from global experts and thought leaders without the need to travel.
• Collaborative Problem-Solving: Participating in online seminars or workshops encourages collaborative problem-solving, enabling lawyers to tackle complex legal issues by drawing on collective knowledge and diverse perspectives.

The evolution of the legal profession in the digital age is marked by an increasing emphasis on community, collaboration, and technology. By embracing these elements, legal professionals not only stay at the forefront of their field but also contribute to a culture that values innovation, continuous learning, and shared success. As this trend continues, the legal field can anticipate a future where technology and digital communities play a central role in shaping practices, policies, and the professional growth of its members.