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Should you choose a concentration or specialization in law school? What do they entail? And what’s the difference, anyway? You’ll find answers to these frequently asked questions and more below.
Providing authoritative support for assertions is a key component of legal writing. We learn to read and apply caselaw throughout our doctrinal classes. And 1L legal writing is dedicated to learning how to Bluebook. So does Bluebooking matter outside of law school? Absolutely.
“Law school” and “debt-free” may seem like an oxymoron these days. Mainstream media and law school admissions blogs alike are filled with stories of newly-minted lawyers who are hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt and without an income adequate to pay off that debt. But I am here to tell you that it is not only possible—but entirely attainable—to graduate law school without any (or with only minimal) student loan debt.
Studying for the bar exam is a marathon, not a sprint. To get you into condition to achieve your best performance, new lawyers who successfully prepared for and passed their bar exams will share tips on: • Study Schedule • Mindset and Attitude • Practice Tests • Exam Week • Exam Day https://youtu.be/ibON7QpQfocThe panelists
Many recent law school graduates have just started studying for the bar exam. As someone who was in your shoes last year, I thought I’d share what I wish I’d done differently when studying for the bar exam and a couple things that I think I did well that I think everyone could benefit from knowing.
Whether you’re becoming a full-time law student or simply getting ready to take night classes, law courses are a serious undertaking. It’s important to think carefully about and be prepared for the classes themselves, and there’s another whole range of concerns you may need to think about for
Future 1Ls, this one's for you! I thought I would share my thoughts on the factors rising law school students should consider when choosing a law school.* I think there are three things that you should consider once you have made the choice to go to law school: finances, school
Fear not. You have no "wrong" course options. (Perhaps with the exception of taking on more than 20 credits per semester!) Life does not happen in tidy, discreet, doctrinal categories. So do not be too narrow in your course selection when it comes to law school registration time.
One of the most frequently debated issues concerning law school exams is a professor’s decision to make the exam open book or closed book. Students seem to be partial to open book exams, perhaps because they seem less frightening and overwhelming. In this article, we take a look at the
I spoke at my law school at an admitted students’ event about how I decided on a law school. I am sharing some of my thoughts here as well because I know that many of you are making the same decision.
Law students and lawyers experience much higher rates of depression, anxiety, stress, and alcoholism than the general public. These problems usually start, or escalate, in law school. Drs. Jeff Fortgang and Shawn Healy, two psychologists with Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Massachusetts, examined the various contributing factors, ways of recognizing distress, and suggestions for getting help and staying healthy in "The Full Weight of the Law: How Legal Professionals Can Recognize and Rebound from Depression."
The phrases “legal research” or “legislative research” often conjure up images of signing into an online subscription resource to find everything one might need; however, using subscription resources is not a viable option for all lawyers in all situations. Luckily, several websites provide free and reliable legal and legislative information for
This is the time of year when many law students are filing their moral character application, hoping that the six month processing time will take them right about up to when their July bar exam results will be released. For some students, this is not a sure thing. The typical
So, you recovered from your 1L fall semester, binge-watched Netflix over Winter Break, processed your first semester grades, and returned to school in January somewhat refreshed and ready to tackle a new semester of classes. You eased into your legal writing class, perused the syllabus, and noticed: ORAL ARGUMENT ASSIGNMENT. Wait, what?
Mentors provide guidance and advice, but they do not necessarily act as a coach or advocate like sponsors. Those wanting career guidance and advice typically seek out mentors and, at times, mentors are assigned to professionals new to a particular industry or organization.
As deans of students with a long history of working on wellness initiatives, we’re here to share some advice on the resources and strategies available to you in this current era—and urge you to speak up and reach out. Here are 10 questions we hear often from worried students and the answers we provide.
Here are five ways to use this necessary companion to Google-like searching and be more confident that you’ve scoured the research landscape.
So, you’re ready for law school! Congratulations on making that decision. But which school to go to? There are hundreds of fine law schools throughout the country and finding the right fit can be a daunting task. This post discusses some of the factors rising law school students should consider
Do you ever have the thought that if you had known what law school was like prior to starting - truly knew what it was like - you might have chosen to become a professional bee keeper instead? There are many experiences in life that you cannot fully understand prior to living them. Law school is one of those.
It was 4:30 p.m., and I was a summer law clerk at a midsize firm that did not have strict, set hours for associates. There was no guidance as to when, exactly, associates needed to arrive and leave.My rival—I mean, fellow summer associate—poked his head over my cubicle wall. “Do you
I got an email asking me for advice on studying for the LSAT – the law school admissions test. I told the person I’d write a thread about it so others could benefit from the information. So here goes.
If you just received your first-semester grades and are wondering whether you’re going to survive law school, I’m sympathetic. I’ve been in your position. My first-semester law school grades were my lowest. They weren’t terrible, but they weren’t what I wanted or expected from myself either.And I’ve done what you
It can be difficult trying to figure out exactly how you want to use your law degree. Do you want to work in the government? For a large firm? A smaller or medium-sized one? A public interest group?Lucky for us, we lawyers have lots of options. One of the best
I’d like to provide some advice on letters of recommendation, having requested many for myself and with some observations having just provided one.When requesting a letter of recommendation, choose someone who can speak to the skills and attributes you’re trying to highlight. In my experience, a glowing letter from someone
Every first year law student is taught citations, most using the infamous 565-page Bluebook. I doubt anyone covers the whole book. But my impression is that most professors teach far more than most students will ever use. And then, after the course is over, most students gradually forget what they
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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