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Just about this time last year, as I was facing the world as a newly-minted 2L, I wrote my first blog article for the ABA Law Student Division. I picked a topic that I had grown up with my entire life: legalized sports betting. This past summer, I remember
“The worst part of having a mental illness is people expect you to behave as if you don’t.”—Arthur Fleck, "Joker" Shockingly, I found some time in my 2L schedule to see “Joker” over the weekend. It’s a gritty commentary on society,
As a first-generation lawyer, I really didn’t know what to expect from the practice of law. I wasn’t prepared for the pressure and the stress, and I didn’t know how to overcome the need for perfection and validation that I’d inadvertently nurtured through a lifetime focused on academic performance.
August 2018, on a late Thursday afternoon, I received a call asking me if I was available to come up and meet with a chief assistant state attorney. I was an assistant state attorney in Miami-Dade County, Florida, handling mental health cases, so these requests were common. I
You’re on the path to join a profession in which you will spend most of your life advocating for others. But if you hope to be an effective advocate for others, you must first learn to be an advocate for yourself. Today, on Law
For decades, virtually every state required bar applicants to answer invasive questions about their mental health diagnoses. In 2014, the Survey of Law Student Well-Being revealed the effect of this practice: nearly half of all law students were dissuaded from seeking mental health treatment for fear that such treatment would have negative
“Dear Ms. Leader, Thank you for your application. Unfortunately, at this time, we are not able to offer…" Sound familiar? Some version of this email has started to grace my inbox as frequently as the latest J. Crew discount code or law school lunch talk
If you have ever picked up a free banana smoothie or granola bar from your law school’s wellness week booths, you are not alone. Free food is great, and law schools do seem to care more about wellness than they used to, but I still find myself asking: how
October is Mental Health Awareness Month, and World Mental Health Day is October 10. We observe this month and day to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to increase support for wellness. This day is meant to provide an opportunity for all those affected to talk about
Legal incubators have been around over a decade. Fred Rooney, at that time, had a vision of creating a program that would support new lawyers interested in launching their own sustainable
Newly elected ABA Law Student Division national chair Johnnie Nguyen and delegate of communications Julie Merow discuss the goals of the 2019-2020 council.
As a first-generation college graduate, I did not know what kind of doors a college degree or a graduate degree could open. Coming from an economically disadvantaged background, I did not have the resources or the tools to leverage a college degree or graduate degree. At my local
Hi, my name is Conisha, and I am your Delegate for Diversity and Inclusion. Now that introductions are out of the way, let me tell you a little bit about my pathway to this position. While I would like to start with the usual “once upon a time”
Law students and young lawyers often miss one of the most important parts of their writing: Credibility. Because with the right credibility, you can persuade even the most skeptical readers. Your reader can't see you; they can't hear you. Everything about who you are must spring from
The Law School Admission Council awarded its inaugural Justice Innovation Challenge winner earlier this month. And the winner is a law student who
Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the right for women to vote became law in the USA. And the 19th Amendment is the topic of the DC Bar's writing competition. The D.C. Bar Communities Office is presenting this year's competition. The winner will receive
Mark your calendars! The ABA Entertainment and Sports Industries is providing the perfect combination of legal knowledge, networking, and excitement with their 41st Annual conference,
A patent is a type of intellectual property which protects any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof. A claim cannot be patented if it was previously “patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on
Many law students are motivated by the desire to make a difference, but how can they hone in on opportunities that align with their personal and professional goals? Host Ashley Baker talks to Gaylynn Burroughs about her work at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human
As the Law Student Division heads into annual meeting, our new council wants to say hello. Here's a brief bio of the our incoming law student leaders. Chair-Elect Johnnie NguyenUniversity of Colorado School of Law Hello! My name
It's not exactly Game of Thrones. But in OCI, you gotta play to win. And we're here to help you slay at your on-campus interview. We've gathered our the top information on everything that goes into OCI, interviewing tips, help with your resume and cover
As a law student looking to land that perfect job out of law school, you can never have enough help. And we've got a great new tool for ABA members to use to get noticed in their job search. Meet ABA Career Forward,
The ABA Law Student Division is proud to announce the winners of the yearly Law Student Division Awards. Congratulations to this year's winners, who will be recognized at our ABA Annual Meeting awards breakfast held in conjunction with the Young Lawyers Division on
How we choose to spend our time will determine whether or not our life will be satisfying, rewarding, or meaningful.
As a law student, you may not have attended an ABA event before. The 2019 Annual Meeting, August 8-10, is a perfect place to get to know the ABA while still taking part in programming that is specific to your goals and interests.
Before the Bar is the blog of the ABA Law Student Division. It brings together a diversity of opinions, experiences, and voices from those associated with the law anywhere in the world and is targeted to law students, current, past and future.
Unless stated, the opinions shared by our writers do not reflect the official position of the American Bar Association.
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