Shows
debriefi had a beautiful chinese wedding... and absolutely hated itWhat is the perfect wedding? Who is the perfect bride, the perfect daughter? In this episode, I unpack the push-pull of wanting to honor my family's customs while also staying true to myself. Interludes include the meaning of marriage in the modern world, friendship, and navigating one's own identity amidst familial roles and expectations.VIDEO PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/oqw49mbvB2YFULL ESSAY ON SUBSTACK: https://cecexie.substack.com/p/i-had-a-beautiful-chinese-wedding This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to...
2025-08-0121 min
debriefeducated, partnered & financially stable... i still don't want kids.Men have asked me, "When are you going to have kids? You don't have much time left." To which I say: ALL THIS!! In this episode, I explore my complex feelings around the decision to have children. I draw from philosophy, the pro- and anti-natalist movements, and my own recent experience with the embryo freezing (IVF) process. Segues include climate change, personal identity as a parent, and the influence of late-stage capitalism on the modern baby question. Am I overthinking this? Probably! But I wouldn't have it any other way.VIDEO PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/1...
2025-07-0617 min
debriefA "Good" Job or Your Dream Career?Don't know what to do with your life? Me neither! In this episode, I reflect on my own path of pursuing a stable career first and passion second. I examine the allure of "stability," the risks of over-prioritizing passion, and whether it's possible to have both in contemporary life. Tangents include Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, Elizabeth Gilbert's advice, and the parable of the Sword of Damocles.VIDEO PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/IvZduiKtGO8FULL ESSAY ON SUBSTACK: https://cecexie.substack.com/p/a-good-job-or-your-dream-careerTIMESTAMPS00:00 - Intro07:41 - Stability
2025-06-0622 min
debriefThe Fall of (Big)lawWhy are the world's most powerful and wealthiest lawyers abandoning the rule of law? In this episode, I go over the chaos wrought by the Trump Administration on the legal profession and the cowardice I see from elite law firms--Paul Weiss, Skadden, Willkie Farr, Milbank, Cadwalader, Kirkland & Ellis, Latham & Watkins, A&O Shearman, and Simpson Thacher. I discuss how much money these firms actually make, how their leaders are weaponizing fear for their own greed (and fears), and what it means to live your values as a lawyer. Stay tuned until the end for concrete actions you can take...
2025-05-0220 min
debriefmy publisher and i got divorcedThis is the most embarrassing announcement I've ever had to make, but I'm still making it.VIDEO PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/C37UkGJLI8EFULL ESSAY ON SUBSTACK: https://cecexie.substack.com/p/my-publisher-and-i-got-divorcedTIMESTAMPS00:00 - Intro02:02 - How It Started04:09 - Getting Orphaned08:43 - What Did I Do Wrong?09:47 - Shame15:45 - What's Next? This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit...
2025-04-1118 min
I Am The LawLeaving Biglaw for a "Portfolio" CareerFormer Biglaw attorney Cece Xie shares her unconventional journey from practicing law to building a portfolio career. After graduating law school, she embarked on a well-traveled road to a large law firm with a shiny name. Though she has many positive things to say about her two firms, she ultimately stepped away from it all. In this episode, Cece talks about the challenges of leaving a stable career, navigating financial uncertainty and opinionated parents, and finding purpose beyond traditional legal work. Plus, she talks about her love of writing, her book deal, and how she ultimately returned to law o...
2025-02-0340 min
debriefBig Tech vs. Biglaw with Jenny Wood, Google exec-turned-authorSurprise (episode)! I talk to Jenny Wood about our workplace anxieties—am I too weird? too bossy? too shameless when I promote my work? or *gulp* manipulative when I fake run-ins with my bosses?—and how she overcame them during her 18-year tenure at Google, where she went from an entry-level employee to an executive who ran a team that helped drive tens of billions of dollars in revenue. We go into specific advice about internal and external networking, knowing when to leave a role/company, how to figure out who you *really* need to impress, and more—all while...
2024-10-2244 min
debriefthe IRS cleaned out my savingsHappy Tax Day! Or if you’re like me and navigating taxes while self-employed for the first time: condolences. I thought that being in a lower tax bracket meant that I would pay a lower percentage of my income in taxes (because that would make sense, right?), but it turns out this is just further evidence that I am terrible with money and finances. In this video accompaniment to my newsletter, I talk about the shock of seeing my tax bill, why high-salaried people can still be terrible at personal finance, and how I think through whether to apply to...
2024-04-1621 min
BarsideEp. 10: Moving ForwardIn the final episode of this season, the gang reflects on how each of them have grown over the years, what it's been like to explore an alternative career path, and what they think about the future of the practice of law.
2024-03-1944 minBarsideEp. 9: Associate BusinessThe gang discusses the impact of layoffs, affordability of Biglaw, office politics, and whether the associates do have it better these days.
2024-02-2833 minBarsideEp. 8: True CopyWith Alex out of commission this week, Matt and Cece cover the latest in the legal world, including the ethics of AI technology, workplace norms, and the differences between Biglaw and small firms.
2024-02-1538 minBarsideEp. 7: Work TroublesThe gang discusses a sales employee recording herself getting laid off, a study about the political leanings of law firms, and a discrimination lawsuit against a major Biglaw firm.
00:29 Recording your layoff04:11 Generational differences07:23 Political orientation of law firms10:11 Biglaw and pro bono17:44 Discrimination lawsuit against Biglaw firm20:47 Why realization rates matter26:56 Evaluating discrimination claims29:29 The two different types of non-billable work
2024-02-0234 minBarsideEp 6: Judging AIThe gang talks about elitism in Biglaw, their deepest life goals, and the New York Times' lawsuit against Open AI.
00:45 Shout outs06:33 Rent seeking Yalies09:49 Elitism in Biglaw recruiting15:24 Life goals20:46 What if you were a trust fund baby?29:58 NYTimes vs. OpenAI lawsuit34:02 Legal vs. Business/Tech perspective35:55 Courts deciding cases involving technology39:18 Mooting the case
2024-01-1742 minBarsideEp 5: Insignificant Law EnergyThe gang’s all back together for 2024 and there’s a lot to discuss, including the billable hour, legal technology, business development, and the rise of the independent lawyer.
00:39 Calculating billable hours targets for the year
03:39 Differences between Biglaw and insurance defense
12:08 Improving work-life balance as a partner
17:54 Using AI to figure out flat fees
22:23 Biglaw lawyers going solo trend
31:27 Rise of the independent lawyer
36:52 Referral engine
42:34 Solos vs. Boutique firms
2024-01-1043 minBarsideEp 4: Annual ReviewThis week, Alex and Cece look back on 2023, and share listener feedback and reactions to the pod.
01:11 Cece and Alex review their years16:13 Memorable legal events of 202324:16 Reading from the listener mailbox25:50 Are we too cynical?31:24 Why partners don’t use social media36:18 How law schools make money39:07 Are we boring?
2023-12-2743 minBarsideEp 3: AI Swag BagThe gang discusses the Squid Games lawsuit, an unusual perk for Kirkland partners, the state of legal AI, and subtle marketing tactics of law firms.
01:50 George Mason update05:15 Threatened Squid Games lawsuit13:45 Firms requiring 4 days in the office17:21 An unusual perk for partners with private equity clients21:30 Legal AI at an inflection point?28:35 Subtle marketing: from latte art to AI-powered tech31:37 Pre-2008 summer programs34:30 “Best law firm swag” Twitter thread
2023-12-2038 min
debriefevery influencer and their mom is starting a podcastLet’s get meta, baby! In this episode, I explore why it seems like every influencer and their mom is starting a podcast. Surprise—it’s not for the money! (Or it might be, but most influencers are going to be sorely disappointed if that’s the case.) I also reflect on my own podcasting journey since I started in October 2022.Barside (my new podcast with Alex Su and Matt Margolis) covers the latest and greatest (and sometimes not-so-greatest) in the legal industry and is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever else you listen.I’ll b...
2023-12-1434 minBarsideEp 2: Legally ViralThis week, join Alex, Cece, and Matt as they discuss the latest legal news, including a law school that might be in trouble, ideas on how to best develop associates, and a new set of rankings of law firm social media accounts.
Show notes:
00:43 - Attorney fraud derailing a monumental ADA case (Acheson Hotels v. Laufer)04:02 - Valve lawsuit06:57 - George Mason University hit with notice of non-compliance from ABA10:45 - Law firms: the bigger, the better?16:43 - Generative AI’s threat to junior associates19:56 - Law fi...
2023-12-1340 min
BarsideEp 1: Spaced OutWelcome to the first episode of Barside! This week, Cece, Alex, and Matt grab a seat and discuss what they are up to, Big Law raises and bonuses, and an argument that makes you really read between the lines.
SHOW NOTES:
00:21 - Who we are05:39 - Biglaw salary raises13:41 - Why Biglaw associates make more than other associates with similar years of experience16:18 - The math behind why Biglaw clients are willing to pay millions in fees20:15 - The “double space” case23:26 - Focusing on form when you don’...
2023-12-0732 min
debriefhomeroom: what i consume in a weekThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit cecexie.substack.com* Supreme Court lawyer Paul Clement is representing an Indiana school district to prohibit transgender children from using their gender identity’s restroom. He’s offered a flat fee for his firm’s legal services—$100,000 to petition the Supreme Court to hear the case and another $100,000 to argue the case in front of the Supreme Court (if the first $100,000 petition is granted).* Around 1,200 Israelis and more than 11,000 Palestinians have been killed since the October 7 attacks by Hamas. These numbers are particul...
2023-11-1614 min
debriefhomeroom (secret ep): israel-hamas, yeule, studio legal's first eventThis is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit cecexie.substack.comWelcome to homeroom, the secret episodes where we get to talk about events both in the world and in our lives—just like we would back in homeroom (obviously).Here are the links and resources mentioned in this episode:The Honourable Woman (BBC miniseries)The Daily (Golan’s Story): Interview with a resident of Kibbutz Be’eri, where more than 100 civilians were killed.The Daily (Voices from Gaza): Interviews with Gaza residents about the ev...
2023-10-1902 min
debriefknowledge is free; people are notI'm back!! (Ish.) Missed my voice? Wondered what's been on my mind ever since I contemplated being a failed influencer? In this episode, I delve into social media's algorithmic imperative towards complete personal annihilation through public consumption and how that has been hindering me creatively. I share one of my biggest regrets from social media and my plan for countering these negatives going forward, including why I'm doubling down on Substack. If you'd like more episodes like this one and to join my inner sanctum, click here for your limited-time welcome offer (40% cheaper than subscribing monthly!!).Substack...
2023-10-1119 min
Thinking LSATBig Bad Law (Cece Xie) (Ep. 414)Cece Xie is a lawyer, writer, and content creator who became wildly popular on social media while working as an associate at a big law firm. She joins Ben & Nathan to talk about her upcoming book. They discuss why law schools push students toward big law and what it takes to climb the law firm hierarchy.
LSAT Demon
LSAT Demon iOS App
LSAT Demon Daily
Watch Episode 414 on YouTube
Thinking LSAT YouTube
LSAT Demon YouTube
Follow Cece on Substack, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and her website.
2023-08-0758 min
Sense & Sensitivityas seen on tvWelcome to the Season 2 finale! This week, Cece and Hannah chat about TV--specifically, TV shows set in New York City. From Sex and the City to And Just Like That, Girls to RHONY, we discuss their verisimilitude and escapism. Stay tuned until the end for some news we want to share, too!
Connect with Cece:youtube.com/c/cecexiececexie.substack.com
Connect with Hannah:tiktok.com/@hannahstellainstagram.com/hannahstellaHannahstella.substack.com
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show...
2023-07-2751 minSense & Sensitivityscammers and the cityJoin Cece and Hannah this week to discuss infamous scammers. Is Caroline Calloway a scammer, or just a personality? Does Martin Shkreli deserve an audience? Digressions include why Hannah can't stop going on dates, Cece's first time watching Titanic, and the Barbie movie, of course!
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:youtube.com/c/cecexietiktok.com/@cecexieinstagram.com/cecexiececexie.substack.com
Connect with Hannah:tiktok.com/@hannahstellainstagram.com/hannahstellaHannahstella.substack.com
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Send in a v...
2023-07-2058 minSense & Sensitivityhighs & lowsCece and Hannah are getting into it--this week, we discuss our favorite parts about living in New York, as well as air our grievances about the city that's normalized piles of garbage on sidewalks.
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:youtube.com/c/cecexietiktok.com/@cecexieinstagram.com/cecexiececexie.substack.com
Connect with Hannah:tiktok.com/@hannahstellainstagram.com/hannahstellaHannahstella.substack.com
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/s...
2023-07-131h 02Sense & Sensitivitynightlife in the city that never sleepsFrom fake IDs to partying in your 50s, Cece and Hannah are sharing their experiences with NYC nightlife. Cue the reminiscing about bars, clubs, and even weirder scenes! We reflect on our changing relationship to "fun" and ponder whether we will ever find a good Top 40s club ever again.
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:youtube.com/c/cecexietiktok.com/@cecexieinstagram.com/cecexiececexie.substack.com
Connect with Hannah:tiktok.com/@hannahstellainstagram.com/hannahstellaH...
2023-07-0653 minSense & Sensitivitythe lies we tell in New YorkThis week Cece and Hannah discuss what a lie really means and why telling less than the whole truth is so common in New York. Is it always important to be honest? Or is it more important to be kind?
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:youtube.com/c/cecexietiktok.com/@cecexieinstagram.com/cecexiececexie.substack.com
Connect with Hannah:tiktok.com/@hannahstellainstagram.com/hannahstellaHannahstella.substack.com
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Send in a...
2023-06-2946 minSense & Sensitivityadvice (comparison, traveling with friends, a partner's midlife crisis, etc!)Cece and Hannah are answering your questions this week! How do you stop comparing yourself to others? How to handle seeing a partner's ex-fiancée? How to deal with friend fades and breakups? Why does traveling with friends sound so fun in theory but so hard in practice? All these and more!
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:youtube.com/c/cecexietiktok.com/@cecexieinstagram.com/cecexiececexie.substack.com
Connect with Hannah:tiktok.com/@hannahstellainstagram.com/ha...
2023-06-1553 minSense & Sensitivityunhinged, bumbling, and out of tinderCece and Hannah dish about all things dating--our craziest stories, popular dating myths, and our changing relationship with dating as an activity. We also answer listener questions about how to find the confidence to date, the best places to meet people in NYC, and whether a high-powered career and education makes dating more difficult.
Next week, we'll be answering more listener questions--write to us at the email below or send a listener voicemail!
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:youtube.com/c/cecexiet...
2023-06-081h 03Sense & Sensitivitycan we afford to live like this?This week, Cece and Hannah are unpacking the viral New York Magazine article, How Much Is That Lifestyle in the Window? Three kids in private school? You can never overpay for education! $250 for a brow artist? The best brow services are in the small shops! Second house on Long Island? She actually means the Hamptons! We round out the episode with estimates of our own dream lifestyles and discuss the components that we might need to compromise on, after all...
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:youtube.com/c/c...
2023-06-0153 minSense & Sensitivityto all the apartments we've loved beforeLocation, location! This week, Cece and Hannah reflect on all of the apartments we've lived in--from first NYC apartments to worst living situations to how our apartment preferences have morphed over the years. Tangents include arguing about whether honeymoon funds are tacky, nightmare college roommates, and two bunnies named Beauty & Justice.
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:youtube.com/c/cecexietiktok.com/@cecexieinstagram.com/cecexiececexie.substack.com
Connect with Hannah:tiktok.com/@hannahstellainstagram.com/hannahstellaHannahstella.substack.c...
2023-05-2549 minSense & Sensitivityyears of our livesWelcome back to season 2!! The season's theme: New York City! This week, Cece and Hannah embark on a (roughly) year-by-year comparison of our lives and the paths that brought us to NYC. In 2012/2013, we both took the LSAT and applied to law school... and then our roads diverged drastically. By 2019, Hannah was married and Cece was billing 1950 hours a year. Unexpectedly, posting on TikTok in 2020 led to our paths converging again in 2022. Join us as we dissect our questionable and less questionable choices over the past decade and ponder what lies in store in the future. Are we afraid...
2023-05-1858 min
FluentlyForwardSuccession: Behind the Scenes of the Show's Cast Drama Feat. Cece XieIn this episode, featuring Cece Xie of the Sense & Sensitivity podcast, we dive deep into the captivating world of the critically acclaimed TV show, Succession. Join us as we peel back the curtain and explore the captivating behind-the-scenes information, unearthing the drama and untold stories that have captivated fans worldwide.In this episode we uncover the secrets, scandals, and controversies that have rocked the Succession universe. From unexpected casting decisions to behind-the-scenes clashes, we leave no stone unturned. Get ready for an in-depth exploration of the sensational stories that have shaped this groundbreaking TV series....
2023-05-151h 19Sense & Sensitivitymoney scripts & personal financeThis week, Cece and Hannah go into Money Diaries territory. We talk about the money scripts we grew up with, financial situations we wish we'd thought a little harder about (some people might call them "mistakes"), and what our relationship to money is like now. Tangents include the story behind Hannah's less-than-excellent credit score and why Cece purchased luxury goods even while she was in six-figure student debt.
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:youtube.com/c/cecexietiktok.com/@cecexieinstagram.com/cecexie
2023-04-2054 minSense & Sensitivitynyc transplants: two sides of the cityThis week, Cece and Hannah delve into their experiences as NYC transplants. What brought us here? Was it everything we expected it to be? And which "sides" of NYC did we find a second (or first) home in? Hannah talks about hanging with the rich kids, Cece shares about the not-quite-healthy "work hard, play hard" ethos of finance/consulting/law, and we end by planning Hannah's upcoming mayoral campaign. Is Stella the Solution?
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:youtube.com/c/cecexietiktok.com/@c...
2023-04-131h 06Sense & Sensitivitytrad wife vs. girlbossIn 2020, Hannah was a trad wife, and Cece was a girlboss--at least on TikTok. We reflect on this (necessary? unnecessary?) flattening of identities into these archetypes for purposes of the ~aLgOriThM~ and debate the pros and cons of posting stay-at-home girlfriend/wife content and girlboss capitalist content. Along the way, we discuss Ballerina Farm, the allure of high-intensity high school extracurriculars like cheer, dance, and pageants, and the recent turmoil over diversity and inclusion at Chief, an exclusive women's networking organization for women with "senior leadership responsibility."
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/s...
2023-04-061h 02Sense & Sensitivitytiktok banThis week, Cece and Hannah catch up about their respective trips to South Africa and New York City, share their experiences with reality show casting, and discuss the proposed TikTok ban in the U.S. What will they do without TikTok?? Cece finally gets to bring in her experience as a privacy and data security lawyer, and Hannah gives some self-styled unhinged takes that actually aren't so unhinged after all.
[timestamps]
17:40 Reality show casting
25:24 Proposed TikTok ban
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.cominstagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:...
2023-03-301h 02Sense & Sensitivitybody imageCece and Hannah are together discussing body image, eating disorders, and the pressure society puts on women to look a certain way.
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.com
instagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:
youtube.com/c/cecexie
tiktok.com/@cecexie
instagram.com/cecexie
cecexie.substack.com
Connect with Hannah:
tiktok.com/@hannahstella
instagram.com/hannahstella
Hannahstella.substack.com
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/senseandsensitivity/message
2023-03-2356 minSense & Sensitivityadvice - answering your questionsThis week Cece is touring South Africa, Hannah is dealing with boat drama from Manhattan, and they're coming together to answer your questions about love, career, and friendships.
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.com
instagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:
youtube.com/c/cecexie
tiktok.com/@cecexie
instagram.com/cecexie
cecexie.substack.com
Connect with Hannah:
tiktok.com/@hannahstella
instagram.com/hannahstella
Hannahstella.substack.com
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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/senseandsensitivity/m...
2023-03-161h 00Sense & Sensitivitypop culture (the idol, selena vs. nepo girl gang, harry and meghan at the coronation, influencer plastic surgery)This week, Cece and Hannah chat about the stories, dramas, and scandals taking over their feeds online. Why did HBO scrap the nearly-finished $54 million production of The Idol to rewrite and reshoot the series under the direction of Euphoria's Sam Levinson? Is the supposed feud between Selena Gomez and Hailey Bieber real, or the figment of the internet's very active imagination (and proclivity to pit women against each other)? In the wake of Spare's publication, will Harry and Meghan be at the Coronation? And what do we make of all the influencer plastic surgeries that we're seeing?
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2023-03-091h 02Sense & Sensitivitynew york high society and the (alleged) birkin grifterCece and Hannah are asking (mostly Cece) and answering (mostly Hannah) questions about New York Society! Why are socialites so interesting? Why do we need social climbers? They’re also discussing scandals and scammers in the scene--including a recently uncovered (alleged) Birkin Grifter who's been called a "modern male version" of Anna Delvey.
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.com
instagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:
youtube.com/c/cecexie
tiktok.com/@cecexie
instagram.com/cecexie
cecexie.substack.com
Connect with Hannah:
tiktok.com/@hannahstella
instagram.com/hannahstella
Ha...
2023-03-0257 minSense & Sensitivityadult friendshipsThis week, Cece and Hannah are talking about everything friendships: how we met each other; friendship fails and embarrassments in our own lives; and what has helped us continue to make friends in the post-college world.
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.com
instagram.com/senseandsensitivitypod/
Connect with Cece:
youtube.com/c/cecexie
tiktok.com/@cecexie
instagram.com/cecexie
cecexie.substack.com
Connect with Hannah:
tiktok.com/@hannahstella
instagram.com/hannahstella
Hannahstella.substack.com
---
Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com...
2023-02-231h 02Sense & Sensitivityunconventional careers, being a woman online & traditional vs. social mediaWelcome to Sense & Sensitivity! Join Hannah Stella and Cece Xie for the debut episode of Sense & Sensitivity, a new podcast about life transitions, women, the internet, and pop culture. In this episode, Cece and Hannah discuss how their careers (online and off!) developed and women's fraught relationships in and with media, more generally.
Contact: senseandsensitivitypod@gmail.com
Cece’s socials:
youtube.com/c/cecexie
tiktok.com/@cecexie
instagram.com/cecexie
cecexie.substack.com
Hannah’s socials:
tiktok.com/@hannahstella
instagram.com/hannahstella
Hannahstella.substack.com
...
2023-02-1455 min
The HLEP Podcast“Follow Your Bliss” - Cece Xie, Content Creator, Author, Podcaster & LecturerOn episode 15, we speak to Cece Xie, the content creator that many of you may be familiar with on Tiktok and youtube. We talk about Cece’s content, her recent book announcement, how she made her career pivot from biglaw to full-time content creator, and the experiences and motivations that inspire her work. Cece also shares a ton of insightful advice throughout this recording for law students and junior associates!
Follow and connect with us at our LinkedIn and Instagram
More on HLEP at clinics.law.harvard.edu/hlep
2023-01-131h 03
debriefthe diary of a failed influencerIt's the last day of 2022 and the last episode of Season 1! It's only fitting that we're coming full circle to reflect on how quitting a 9-5 to become an influencer is going--or more accurately, how quitting my 10-10 to become a writer (and almost necessarily by extension, a content creator) is going. To be honest, I'm pretty lost, which is why I spent a few hours this week researching three artists to see how they handled the art vs. money issue, AKA selling out. Did Kurt Cobain really mean it when he said that there's more to life than...
2022-12-3128 min
debriefholiday q&a: answering your questions!You asked for unscripted, you get somewhat unscripted! In this episode, I answer listener-submitted questions in four major domains: law; work; life strategies; and personal questions. Do I regret leaving biglaw? How did I deal with coworkers who got on my nerves? How should one handle racism/sexism/being othered by peers in elite university settings? How did I go from being a libertarian to a progressive? No matter if you're visiting family, traveling, or taking some much-needed alone time for yourself, I hope you enjoy this extra-long holiday episode!You can find me on Instagram...
2022-12-2540 min
debriefeverything i learned from my book dealHow do you get a book published? What does an agent do? Which publisher is the best home for your book? I answer all of these questions and more in this week's episode, informed by the crash course in publishing that I've gotten in the past nine months and my own publishing journey (which is still ongoing!). I talk about the most challenging parts of trying to pitch a book, how novels differ from nonfiction books when it comes to the publishing process, and answer questions from listeners about book covers, how I outlined, and whether you even need...
2022-12-1826 min
debrieflifestyle vlogging is a trapI'm gonna be honest: I regret lifestyle vlogging. It's so easy, other creators IRL and through screens told me, All you have to do is record your life as you're living it. It's the same logic and vocabulary surrounding MLM recruitment, and the fact that I purchased vlogging equipment from their affiliate links makes me all the more aware of the pyramid-like structure of the endeavor. In this episode, I lean into the personal and reflect on my lifelong penchant for mimicry and the unintended consequences that have flowed from living life by trying to be other people. I...
2022-12-1024 min
Ladies Who LawLWLS x Cece Xie: Life at Harvard, Pursuing Big Law and PivotingSend us a Text Message with thoughts, guest suggestions, stories and more, HERE! Starting law school this fall? You NEED to join the 1L Masterclass today! https://www.1lmasterclass.com/ Get a free trial of Audible using this LINK! Support the showFollow us on Instagram @theladieswholawpodcast
2022-12-0556 min
debrieflaw school rankings are dumbLike most other recovering prestige addicts, I evaluated where to go to law school primarily based on one thing and one thing only: the U.S. News and World Report (USNWR) law school rankings. The USNWR law school rankings has had legal education in a chokehold for over thirty years now, so it was a shock to everyone when law schools--including Yale, Harvard, Stanford, Berkeley, and Georgetown--began ceremoniously announcing that they were leaving the rankings (whatever that even means). In this episode, I wonder why a for-profit magazine's rankings has had such power and influence in legal education, dive...
2022-12-0222 minFluentlyForwardCraziest Celebrity Lawsuits feat. Cece XieCheck us out on Patreon!Can I get sued for blind items? Let's find out! This week I'm joined by Cece Xie of the Currently Workshopping podcast as she joins us for an episode to provide her professional advice (and as always, intelligent takes) on celebrity lawsuits, defamation cases, conservatorships, celebrity gossip and much more.12:28 Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton vs. British press22:00 Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard31:17 Ghislaine Maxwell case not televised33:38 Britney Spears and the legality of conservatorships40:03 Kanye vs. George Floyd’s family...
2022-11-211h 06
debriefwhy we love-hate gossiping (w/ shannon of fluentlyforward)We're doing something a little different this week! This episode, I'm joined by Shannon of FluentlyForward to talk about all things celebrity gossip and blind items. We talk about how blind items have exploded in the past few years, how we think their rising popularity is related to societal distrust of mainstream media (and whether that's a good thing), and ponder why we as humans love talking about other people so damn much. We share our own pieces of fave celeb gossip and how we feel about occasionally being in the crosshairs of online gossip ourselves--and how we would...
2022-11-2155 min
debriefcan "good feminists" get married?This week, I dive into a thoughtful question posed on one of my TikToks: is it anti-feminist to get married? I shuffle through my Family Law notes to give an overview of the legal history of marriage, which is unsurprisingly pretty sexist. (Yes, the Supreme Court really did rule that women couldn't be practicing lawyers.) I unpack my complicated feelings about my pending nuptials in light of the patriarchal and sexist foundations of marriage before going on to question even further what "family" means in our society. Marx and Engels made early arguments for abolishing the family, and even...
2022-11-1419 min
debriefwe're the asian kids in affirmative action america (whoa)On Halloween, the Supreme Court held oral arguments for two affirmative action cases, one against Harvard and one against UNC. The verdict? Well, there isn't a verdict in appellate proceedings, and we don't know yet (and probably won't for a while), but the Supreme Court does seem poised to strike down affirmative action. Being Asian American is a weird position to occupy in this debate--on the one hand, the educational benefits of diversity are very real to me, but on the other hand, how would I have felt if I had gotten rejected from Yale despite stellar scores and...
2022-11-0426 min
debriefi wish i were a skinny white girlI have been endlessly comparing myself to others lately--namely, conventionally attractive, skinny white girls--but even hearing, "Comparison is the thief of joy," doesn't make me feel any better. (That's a Theodore Roosevelt quote, btw.) When in a spiral of self-loathing, there's really only one source for me to turn to: my old Feminist Legal Theory readings. What is woman? How can we think of being alive as a woman? How does one woman relate to other women? From Professor Angela P. Harris' musings on gender essentialism to Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw's unfairly maligned and oft misinterpreted intersectionality, I contemplate how t...
2022-10-2819 min
debriefare we in a parasocial relationship?It's time to DTR! In this episode, I discuss my thoughts on a popular YouTuber who suddenly stopped posting on YouTube after perhaps a bad parasocial experience with her fans (and Amazon?). Are parasocial relationships bad? Are we in one, right now? I go through the pros and cons of parasocial relationships and hypothesize why some parasocial relationships sour in more extreme (and terrifying) ways than others, rooted in a theory of how the creator/influencer/whatever got their power in the first place--traditional bestowment or grassroots. I draw parallels between subscribing to someone and being a shareholder in...
2022-10-2120 min
debriefwe should all be scammersYou know what they say--one's a point, and two's a line! This week, we unpack one of my favorite fascinations--scams and scammers. I discuss how my imposter syndrome likely impacted why I found scammers so magnetic and how scams are mostly the same old bones dressed up in new disguises. The million-dollar question is: are we all vulnerable to scams because they implicate the human condition? From LuLaRoe to crypto to Baudrillard, I connect the dots right into our favorite scammers, Brittany Dawn, Anna Delvey, and Elizabeth Holmes--plus an alleged scammer whom I met in real life, to a...
2022-10-1323 min
debriefthe stupidity of quitting your 9-5 to become an influencerIn this very first episode, I'm unpacking my thoughts on the resurfaced video from Mikayla Nogueira, one of TikTok's top beauty gurus, in which she vents about how hard being an influencer is. The backlash has prompted discussions around work and criticism of the full-time influencer, which contrast interestingly with the rise of the anti-work movement and the popularity for kids of vlogging/YouTube as a career aspiration just a few years ago. I dissect the "creator" career through the lens of changing paradigms--entertainer, aspirational influencer, and neighbor--that are drawn from William Deresiewicz's theory of paradigm shifts for "artists"...
2022-10-0525 min
Chickflix PodcastLet the record show that we do not advocate cheating(Partner Track s1)—The verdict is out on the Netflix Original Series, Partner Track. In episode 22, Hailee and Chelsi discuss the highly anticipated series, delving into corporate racism & sexism, how it differs from the novel, and of course, Ingrid Yun's love square. This episode features a TikTok from creator Cece Xie (@cecexie).
2022-09-0959 min
No Straight PathAccidental Pivots with Cece XieWelcome to today’s episode with another inspiring guest. Cece Xie is a writer, lawyer, and content creator who has been featured in Business Insider, Bloomberg Law, and the ADA Journal. As an immigrant, Cece grew up thinking she was only good at one thing, and that was studying. This led her to Yale, followed by Harvard Law, before she worked as a lawyer in New York City. She began creating content in 2020 to help demystify the legal industry for ordinary people and to share wisdom from her years of balancing wellness with a high-pressure career. Her aim was al...
2022-06-2939 min
The Next Level PodcastCece XieCece Xie is a trailblazer, a Harvard-educated lawyer and leader of a new generation of people in the legal business who understand how to harness the power of social media and use it for social good.
Cece's TikTok page, launched as a fun pandemic project, has garnered over 5 million likes, with several of her posts having gone viral. We discuss not only her work on social media, but the future of the billable hour, how more innovation can come to legal education, and where this all goes from here.
2021-04-0227 min