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Category: Law School



Mindfulness for Cold Calling

May 24, 2022

A Rite of Passage or a Form of Torture? Students have been terrified of and traumatized by cold calling ever since Harvard Dean Christopher Columbus Langdell invented the case method more than a century ago. The Socratic method is the ultimate form of

Why Law School Should Be Two Years

April 21, 2022

The American Bar Association and law schools should reconsider the outdated structure of three years of law school and the bar exam. First, law school is far too theoretical and lacks training for practical, employable skills. Second, it is very costly, and each semester puts students in greater insurmountable debt. Third, the

GAME Etiquette

Be on your GAME: Etiquette tips for law students

December 13, 2021

The first recorded etiquette rules are traced to 2400 B.C., and many are still important today in the practice of law. So it goes without question that law students should learn, hone, and abide by basic etiquette guidelines. To narrow down the long list of rules, here are four main categories to

Law Student Gift Guide

The ABA Law Student Gift Guide

December 07, 2021

Maybe, in the last month, you've asked the special law student in your life what they would like for the holidays. So, Student Lawyer thought we'd ask some of our students what they'd like in their stockings this year. Coffee This was the overwhelming winner in

Gratitude for law students: "Issue spotting" for the good in your life

November 23, 2021

Thanksgiving and the winter holidays are approaching, but with final exams on the horizon, you might be feeling anything but grateful. The idea of taking time off to fly or drive home to cook and “enjoy” a long meal with family—particularly if Thanksgiving falls during the law school’s reading

Computer Lab

Seeking accommodations in law school: Why, when, and how

November 19, 2021

It simply used to be that people with disabilities often could not attend college, let alone law school. Those who did often faced uphill battles. Fortunately, this no longer needs to be the case. One of the keys to success in law school for

The real deal on impostor syndrome? You belong here

August 26, 2021

This week I've received messages from law students who just started their summer legal internships. What's keeping them up at night?  Impostor syndrome.  So, let's talk about it.  Where did this come from? I am no

First Generation Law Students

How to overcome challenges as a first-generation law student

August 25, 2021

First generation law students face a unique set of challenges. They are often navigating graduate school completely on their own without the network or support of some of their peers. Here, we acknowledge many of those demands and offer advice on how to overcome them to ensure that your law school experience is a fulfilling and successful endeavor.

Legal Research

Westlaw: There is research and then there is re-search

September 02, 2020

After completing my first-year in law school, none of my courses were as demanding and rewarding as Lawyering and Legal Reasoning—better known as LLR. Any rising 2L, 3L, or even 1L in their second semester will tell you the significance of LLR. After all, since law students are

Introverted Law Student

Hey, introverted, quiet, and shy law students: Here’s why remote learning is our jam

August 26, 2020

When news pundits and politicians criticize remote learning as an “across-the-board disaster,” I bristle. I have a different take: introverted, shy, and socially anxious law students can thrive in remote law classrooms. As an introverted professor, I’m completely pumped to start teaching my new cohort of 1Ls next week—fully online.

Parent Law Student

How to be a PL: Parenting Law Student

August 10, 2020

When I began my first year of law school, or 1L year, I was a single parent, and this status meant that I was going to spend all three years of law school as a “PL”, or “Parenting Law Student.” My long days included

Personality Test Takers

Your personality test results are in, and…

July 23, 2020

If reading medium articles on maximizing productivity is getting old, or you’re growing weary of Tony Robbins’ booming voice telling you to work hard to achieve your goals, then let me tell ya—personality testing is your next fix. My school offered a personality test to

Grades

10 tips for recovering from a bad grade

November 01, 2018

I’m not the only person who’s ever been shocked by a law school grade. Many, many other lawyers have been similarly gobsmacked and were forced to figure out how to dust themselves off and learn from it.

Money Smart

What you need to know about student loans

November 01, 2018

Student loans are scary and sometimes downright mystifying. Do as much research as possible and ask questions, even the ones you’re afraid to ask.

Penn

Penn Law to accept GRE and GMAT scores starting in the fall

July 19, 2018

The University of Pennsylvania Law School has become the first law school to accept GMAT scores in place of LSAT scores for students interested in earning a JD outside of a dual degree program. As part of a two-year pilot program announced in June, applicants will be allowed

Picking a Law School

Picking your path: How to choose a law school

April 25, 2018

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.

Austin Conway

Striving for greatness and how to attain it in law school

February 07, 2018

How you approach anything is how you will approach everything. This is universally true whether you find yourself on the field, in the classroom, or in your career. As a pitcher on the baseball team at the University of Louisville, this principle is the foundation of our program.

Banned Laptop

Banning laptops is not the solution to better learning

December 13, 2017

Devices like cell phones, tablets, and laptops can be distracting. When students have access to these devices in the classroom it means that, instead of paying attention to what is going on in class, they might text, snap, tweet, or surf. The distraction can cause collateral damage in

The Warm Fuzzy Jar

A Jar of Post-Its: How gratitude got me through law school

October 31, 2017

Confession: I didn’t love the first semester of law school. As a 3L, I find this statement is met with more skepticism than it was even just a year ago—rolling eyes and lighthearted scoffs from first-years who are hard-pressed to believe that I ever felt out of place. I, of course,

Tijuana Barnes

What to do when tragedy strikes during law school

October 30, 2017

Tijuana Barnes, Vice Chair of the ABA Law Student Division, learned her sister Danielle had been shot on Sept. 13. Danielle died the next day. Tijuana writes about how she dealt with the tragedy.