Answering the Call | MABLSA's 58th Annual Regional Convention | The Unscripted Order Podcast Ep. 15

Answering the Call | MABLSA's 58th Annual Regional Convention | The Unscripted Order Podcast Ep. 15

What does it mean to show up when no one else will? In this episode of The Unscripted Order Podcast, The Law School Series, we give the mic away entirely — turning it over to the students of the Mid-Atlantic Black Law Student Association (MABLSA) at their 58th Annual Regional Convention in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Led by 3L William & Mary Law Student and MABLSA Regional Chair Mecca Vance, you'll hear from several student voices who are doing the work — building community, leading organizations, fighting imposter syndrome, and pushing toward a future where the legal profession looks different than it does today. Only 5% of attorneys in the United States are Black. These students are doing something about it. In this episode: — What MABLSA is and why it exists — The reality of leading a 23-person volunteer nonprofit while in law school — How to survive 1L without losing yourself to the curve — Why solidarity has to exist beyond your own institution — What it felt like when the Philadelphia City Council honored MABLSA with a formal resolution — The power of mentorship for first-generation law students— What it means to pass the torch — and build something bigger than yourself Featuring: 🎙️ Mecca Vance — 3L, William & Mary School of Law | MABLSA Regional Chair 🎙️ Makayla "MK" Graham — 2L, Howard University School of Law 🎙️ Zach St. Hubert — 3L, Howard University School of Law 🎙️ Frantzy Luzincurt — 2L, Howard University School of Law | VP, Student Bar Association 🎙️ Ron Thompson — 2L, Howard University School of Law | NBLSA National Board Member 🎙️ Samantha Ewiah — 2L, Howard University School of Law | MABLSA Financial Secretary 🎙️ Emmanuel Olanrewaju — 2L, Howard University School of Law | MABLSA Regional Treasurer 🎙️ Max Toppin— Law Student, Penn State Dickinson Law The Unscripted Order Podcast is hosted by Judge Smalls and Judge Bugg — two sitting judges on a mission to humanize the judiciary and make the legal system more accessible to everyone. New episodes drop regularly on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. 🎧 Listen on Spotify 🎧 Listen on Apple Podcasts 📸 Follow on Instagram: @UnscriptedOrder

Almost Esquire: What Nobody Tells You About Law School | Mecca Vance + Jason Whitted | The Unscripted Order Podcast | Episode 14 (The Law School Series)

We pulled up to the nation's first law school — William & Mary School of Law — and sat down with two of its finest for Episode 14 of the Unscripted Order Podcast. Meet Mecca Vance and Jason Whitted. Two third-year law students. Two incredible journeys. And one unscripted conversation about what law school actually looks like when you're smart, driven, and almost done. Mecca grew up in Detroit, attended Howard University, and came to William & Mary with a business background and a fire in her belly rooted in foster care, family, and community. After graduation, she's heading to Boleman Law — the largest consumer bankruptcy firm in Virginia — where she plans to give every client the dignity they deserve. Jason comes from a family of lawyers. His great-grandfather was the first Black judge in the 10th Judicial District of Virginia. His father was a prosecutor and now is a judge. After graduating from JMU and serving in student leadership at W&M Law, Jason is heading to Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen to fight for plaintiffs who can't navigate the system alone. In this episode, we get into all of it: → Growing up around the criminal justice system — and letting it fuel you instead of break you→ Imposter syndrome: what it really sounds like when someone questions whether you earned your grade→ ADHD, anxiety, and the mental health cost of law school nobody talks about→ What lawyers actually do all day (hint: it's not jury trials every day)→ The weight of being someone's last line of defense→ Why bankruptcy is a tool, not a failure→ What judges wish more young lawyers understood before walking into the courtroom→ How two judges ended up on the bench when neither of them planned on it→ And the one word every 1L needs to hear right now Plus — Mecca and Jason flip the script and ask US the hard questions. And we answer. This is Episode 14. The Law School Series continues. And these two are Almost Esquire. 🎙️ SUBSCRIBE to The Unscripted Order Podcast so you never miss an episode.📲 Follow us on Instagram: @unscriptedorder🎵 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts — search "Unscripted Order"📩 Slide into our DMs — we read them (as long as you're not talking too crazy) ⚖️ DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this podcast is intended to create an attorney-client relationship or constitute legal advice. All content is presented for informational, educational, and entertainment purposes only. If you have a legal question, please consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction.

He Has 9 Kids, a Dean's Office & Zero Imposter Syndrome (The Dean's List) | Dean Ben Spencer | The Unscripted Order Podcast Episode 13 (The Law School Series--William and Mary School of Law)

Some people are shaped by greatness. Dean A. Benjamin Spencer was raised by it. The first Black Dean of William & Mary School of Law — and the first Black Dean of any school or department in the College's entire history — Dean Spencer sits down with us for a conversation that is equal parts inspiring, real, and unforgettable. In this episode, we go beyond the title. Dean Spencer takes us through his full journey — from his upbringing in a family of trailblazers, to his career as a practicing attorney, to finding his true calling in the classroom. We talk about his deep passion for civil procedure and why he believes it is one of the most misunderstood and undervalued subjects in legal education. We talk about what it means to lead an institution, the weight of the challenges that come with the dean's chair, and why he shows up every single day with purpose. And then there's the part of his story that reminds you what it's all about — his family. Dean Spencer and his wife are raising nine children. College students. High schoolers. Middle schoolers. Elementary schoolers. A full house, a full life, and a full heart. This episode is about excellence without arrogance. Confidence without ego. Legacy without pressure. If you've ever doubted yourself — your ability, your worth, your place in the room — Dean Spencer's story is the reminder you didn't know you needed. Don't doubt yourself. Know yourself. 🎙️ Episode 13 | The Law School Series — William & Mary School of Law

From the Bottom to the Bench (Chief Justice S. Bernard Goodwyn) | The Unscripted Order Podcast S2E4

In this powerful episode of The Unscripted Order Podcast, Judges Bugg and Smalls sit down with the Honorable Chief Justice Bernard Goodwyn — retired Chief Justice of the Virginia Supreme Court — for a conversation about life, legacy, faith, and the long road to greatness.Chief Justice Goodwyn takes us all the way back to his humble beginnings, walking us through the journey that shaped him into the man and the jurist he became. From his early days finding his footing as a young lawyer, to navigating the challenges and triumphs that came with climbing the legal ladder, Chief Justice Goodwyn holds nothing back. He shares the life lessons, the sacrifices, the faith, and the determination it truly took to rise all the way to the highest court in the Commonwealth of Virginia.This is more than a legal story. This is a blueprint for anyone who has ever had a big dream and wondered if they had what it takes to see it through.Whether you're a law student, a young professional, someone who comes from humble beginnings, or simply someone who needs to be reminded that greatness is possible — this episode is for YOU. 🙏🏾📺 Subscribe to our YouTube Channel so you never miss a new episode!❤️ Follow & Like us on Instagram🎧 Stream on Spotify & Apple Podcasts — and please leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review! It helps us grow and reach more people who need to hear these stories.

The Cases That Changed Us | The Unscripted Order Podcast | Season 2 Episode 3

Some cases don’t just pass through the courtroom. They pass through you. In Season 2, Episode 3 of The Unscripted Order Podcast, Judges Dontae' Bugg and Brian Smalls reflect on the cases that changed them forever. From moments that tested integrity to trials that reshaped perspective, this episode pulls back the curtain on the human side of the bench and the bar. These aren’t just legal stories. They’re turning points. Moments where preparation met pressure. Moments where truth collided with trust. Moments that left a permanent imprint. This is the side of judging and advocacy you don’t see in textbooks. 🎙️ Watch. Reflect. Share. Because sometimes the case that changes everything… changes you first.