Before applying to law school everyone tried to scare you about the LSAT. And then you took it. Before starting law school everyone tried to scare you about the Socratic method. And then you experienced it. Before your first law job everyone is trying to scare you about the billable hour. And now...
Well, now the model might be on the verge of changing.
Studying takes on a whole new meaning in law school. And no matter how ideal a single study spot can be, sooner or later you may feel a little stir crazy hunkering down in the same place day after day.
So, where are the study hotspots for law students? Here are a few conventional picks, a few more creative ones, and some that were just out of left field.
1. Law school library. It's close, it's convenient, and hey you can scope out the competition.
2. Coffee shop. Where one shot of espresso is never quite enough.
3. Undergrad library. When you need a break from the law school scene, re-live the days you thought you knew what studying was all about.
4. Bookstore. Holiday music during finals time, you've been warned.
If you have recently cleared the Bar exam and are unemployed, you have likely given thought, time, and maybe even some blood, sweat, and tears to finding a job. And somewhere along the line you may have thought to yourself, wouldn't it be so much easier if you just put out a shingle?
Or, case scenario two, you have a good job practicing as an attorney but your hours are long, you don't love the work or work environment, and you don't feel directly connected to the cases you handle. You spend your time working for the Man or Woman, and feel like you have nothing to show for it. And then you find yourself wondering, what if you didn't report to anyone...what if you were the Man or the Woman?
Why be original and face blank stares and quizzical looks from interviewers, colleagues, and managers when you can alter your vocabulary ever so slightly to pave the way for cheers, high-fives, and a big ol' pat on the back?
If you are fresh out of the law school scene and trying to make your way in the workplace or through interviews, you might be up on the legal lingo, but now you need to make sure you are hip with the business buzzwords. Here's your primer to workplace cliches, as compiled by PR Newswire.
Though 2Ls and 3Ls are accustomed to the rigmarole, 1Ls may be surprised to see that peppered in with their fellow classmates' armful of casebooks are a number of equally sizeable paperbacks with distinct names. Seeing "Gilbert's", "Emanuel's", "High Court Summaries"--can make you wonder...did you miss the memo?
Worry not. First off, the books are popular law school study aids and supplements (i.e. hornbooks) that students use in addition to, and in conjunction with, their casebooks to grasp cases and key concepts better. Let's face it, the excerpts printed in casebooks are often randomly abbreviated versions of cases aimed to highlight particular rules of law or complexities in interpreting the law. It is often pretty challenging to know exactly what you are supposed to glean from the text. (On a side note, wouldn't it be nice if every bright-line rule was marked with, well, a bright line.)
In any case or casebook, the game is all about keeping law school students at the edge of their seats. And to make for a more comfortable ride, are the law school study aids.
We did an informal poll amongst alumni to find out which study aids helped them survive the 1, 2, and 3Ls of law school. Here are the top 7 picks, in countdown format, for added effect:
Summer draws to a close, calling students from their interim routines back to the lecture halls of law school. And for the associates on the block, the end of summer signals, well...no wearing white to work after Labor Day? Anyway, September may sound the gong on carefree days of summer, but it also holds the promise of stimulating law events across the country. Symposia to conferences, legal employment to nutritional law--there is no shortage of subject topics or types of gatherings spanning coast to coast
Here are 4 events to check out in the first part of the month, all offering the incentive of CLE credit:
In the current of law school and legal practice it can be easy to become wound up in your world. For law students it is classes, tests, keeping up and trying not to fall behind. And for working J.D., it is doing your job and balancing in life's demands that keep the spotlight focused on you. But the practice we are part of asks more from us than we may ask of ourselves. In fact, the American Bar Association encourages law students and attorneys to invest their time and skills to causes beyond themselves, suggesting that lawyers engage in 50 hours of pro bono legal work per year.
So why should you pro bono?
