With the podcast "Law on the Go" we turn law from a tedious necessity into an understandable advantage for business

Imagine that..

My name is Irena Georgieva and I am a lawyer and founder of PPG Lawyers - a boutique law firm specializing in consulting on complex regulatory issues in the fields of personal data, cybersecurity, AI, competition, consumer protection, cryptocurrencies, and more. For nearly 20 years I have specialized in the areas of personal data protection and public procurement. I am a certified privacy information management manager. My doctoral degree from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands is in the field of public procurement.

How did the idea for the podcast “Law on the Go” come about and was there a specific moment or situation in your practice that showed you that business needs more accessible legal content?

"Law on the Go" was born out of a moment of pure professional frustration about how broken communication is between law and business. In our practice, we constantly see how innovative entrepreneurs suddenly hit the wall of administrative fines or endless complex legal requirements. In times of so many regulations, businesses are actually unable to sift through what is truly critical and what can remain secondary.

That’s exactly why we decided to take law out of the "dusty folders" (as businesses often see it) and make it accessible. We created content that a manager can listen to in the car on the way to a meeting – hence the name of the podcast – and immediately recognize a risk, necessity, or opportunity.

What motivates you as a lawyer to step outside the traditional professional framework and start an educational podcast on legal topics?

The motivation came from the desire to change the very role of the lawyer in the eyes of business. In the traditional framework, we are often perceived as “firefighters” – we are called when the fire has already engulfed the roof. But our true value lies in prevention – in giving the client the knowledge to avoid the spark themselves.

Our podcast gives us the platform to multiply our expertise - instead of explaining the same legal risk to ten clients individually, we can explain it to thousands through “Law on the Go”. For this reason, I believe that the podcast can be very successfully used as a basis for internal training of employees in a given company, and then build upon it with specially made episodes for them. This achieves two goals – compliance with mandatory annual training in certain regulatory areas and using one video material for multiple different employees.

What is the main mission with which “Law on the Go” started and how has it evolved or changed over time?

Demystification of law! Legal topics are not necessarily boring, complex, or frightening. Our main goal is to provide businesses with the basic "survival toolkit". However, over time our idea has evolved. We are becoming a platform for dialogue. The podcast is shifting from a one-way transmission of information to a community. Our second season will be entirely dedicated to conversations with guests, often non-lawyers, and solving specific current cases.

How would you describe the development of the podcast so far and what has surprised you the most in this process?

The development of “Law on the Go” is a true journey – from a bold idea to an established source of information for people. We have not chased mass appeal at any cost, but quality.

I was particularly surprised by the hunger for value. Initially, we had concerns about whether people would have the patience to listen to episodes dedicated to complex topics like cybersecurity or artificial intelligence. It turned out to be the exact opposite – there is obviously an oversaturation of superficial content. And our audience perceives us not as inaccessible lawyers, but as partners. That’s why humor helps a lot, as well as the concept of legal design – explaining the rules schematically and visually, often with lifestyle elements.

What were the biggest challenges at the beginning – choosing topics, adapting legal language to business, or building an audience?

A challenge for us was the “translation into human language”. As lawyers, we are trained to be precise and sometimes too literal. We had to kill this academic style and start speaking the language of the people who actually drive the economy, simplifying the matter without losing its legal value.

Building an audience is also definitely a test of our patience. In a world of quick clips and entertaining content, we decided to offer something expert and without "influencer tricks", as I say in one of the episodes. The risk is high. But it turned out that when you present a complex legal topic through the prism of real business, people don’t just listen, they engage. Thus, the challenge slowly turns into our greatest advantage.

What feedback are you receiving from listeners and which comments or reactions have impressed you the most?

I am most impressed by comments like: "I suggested the episode on the hacker attack to be watched by our IT team", because it is important for us that people outside of law understand what their obligations are under the law. Or "The high level of filming and attention to every detail is evident", because we make almost cinema at times, not just a desk conversation. We also receive constructive criticism – to reduce the duration of the episodes a bit, to try to attract a younger audience, because in the digital environment in which they constantly thrive, they need to be familiar with the legal side of things. We listen to every single piece of advice.

Do you notice any change in client behavior after the launch of the podcast – do they come in more informed and with a clearer idea of their legal risks?

We realize that we cannot expect our clients on their way home to continue listening to us. 😊 Some of them, however, enjoy our episodes, build upon what has been said regarding their specific cases and problems, and understand the need for follow-up actions.

Has it ever happened for a client to specifically reach out to you after watching or listening to an episode and take action thanks to the information from the podcast?

Yes, it happened once. A client had heard our episode about the expected change in the concept of personal data and immediately made the connection with their own business.

Which topics, discussed so far in “Law on the Go”, generated the most interest and why do you think they resonated the most with the audience?

The episodes that directly touch on the survival zone of businesses and the risk of fines as a percentage of turnover generate the most interest – cybersecurity, GDPR and artificial intelligence, as well as the rules for maintaining an online store. These are topics where the risks are real and measurable. We are guided by the current problems of our clients, which we see in working with them, and by changes in regulations, to be as helpful as possible in choosing topics.

How do you see the role of artificial intelligence in the legal profession – as an assistant, a tool for orientation, or a factor that completely changes the way legal services are sought?

Artificial intelligence(AI) is changing the way clients orient themselves. It is now very easy to get a quick answer to a basic legal question. But here comes the big trap: AI is phenomenal at processing data, but it has no morals, does not think in terms of specifics of a given business, and does not bear responsibility. It can cite non-existent laws, as well as fabricated case law with complete confidence. That’s why the motto of PPG Lawyers is precisely "the Natural Intelligence professionals", because, thank God, there is still need for people to think.

The way services are sought is changing – clients are increasingly looking for strategy rather than theory. Business realizes that a strategic conversation at the beginning of a new project saves dozens of hours of legal battles and costs in the future.

What new plans do you have for “Law on the Go” – in terms of topics, format, or direction of development?

“Law on the Go” is a multimedia platform for legal culture in Bulgaria. For this, you will soon see: 1) New formats and quick tips: impactful, short video formats (Shorts and Reels), which within 60 seconds provide answers to specific cases or critical changes in the law; and 2) External experts and a multidisciplinary approach: we will invite more and more guests from various fields – IT leaders, cybersecurity specialists, successful entrepreneurs, and even artists. We want to explore how law intertwines with technology, artificial intelligence, and ethics in business.

If you had to explain in one sentence to businesses why it is worth following your podcast, what would you say?

Because “Law on the Go" is the platform where law stops being theory and becomes the practical navigator for your business.