Are you thinking about going to law school, are you in law school or are you a recent law graduate? Then the decision of choosing a practice area may be something you’ve struggled with or anticipate dealing with in the near future. The great thing about law school is that there is no requirement of choosing a practice area on your first day as a 1L or even on your last day as a 3L for that matter. However, although it can certainly be beneficial to have a practice area in mind to guide you along in your course selections, it definitely won’t inhibit you if you never took a Contract Law course, and you land a Commercial Transactions position. The beauty of law school is that it provides you with the nuts and bolts to think critically and analyze issues carefully, therefore, upon obtaining your JD, you already have the skillset to thrive in any practice area. So as you decide what practice area you want to delve into, embrace this benefit. Simply put, you can kill it anywhere! But as you make this inevitable choice, here’s a handy guide. [Read more…] about A Practical Guide to Choosing a Practice Area That’s a Great Fit for You
Should I Relocate for Law School? Ask Yourself These Three Questions to Help You Decide
Whether you’re going to law school for the very first time or you’re considering transferring to a new law school, the possibility of relocation may be something at the forefront of your mind. [Read more…] about Should I Relocate for Law School? Ask Yourself These Three Questions to Help You Decide
I Hate My Law School! Should I Transfer?
Well, you already know what’s coming, it depends. Transferring to a new law school can definitely have its perks. It could mean access to a broader network, which could then mean access to better jobs, better pay and less student loan debt. I mean isn’t that what we all want? However, as tempting as these perks may seem, you should definitely consider the downside to this big decision. Transferring could pose risks such as: paying a higher tuition cost, re-taking 1L courses or missing out on law school extracurriculars such as: law review, moot court or mock trial. Therefore, if you really hate your law school, consider the below factors before transferring. [Read more…] about I Hate My Law School! Should I Transfer?
How to Maintain Momentum During Finals Season as a 3L
I think it’s safe to say that during law school, nothing tops the pinnacle of complexity like finals season. Yes, it’s generally difficult to make the transition into this new world of stress-filled days complete with legal jargon and a side of anxiety, but finals season no doubt ups the ante on this experience. Now the good news is that by the time you make it to your 2L year, you’ll likely begin to hit your stride as you may be equipped with the resilience and armor needed to fight your way through finals. However, by the time you get to your 3L year, finals season may become the most daunting uphill battle because, despite surviving four semesters of this fight, you may find yourself in a position where you just don’t care. When you just don’t care, it’s hard to maintain focus and find the resilience you need to complete extensive hours of outlining and studying. When you just don’t care, it’s hard to remember that you need to succeed in 3L year if you want to achieve your J.D. When you just don’t care, it’s hard to fuel the momentum you need to get through this trying season. But I get it. It’s easy to not care when you’re so close to the finish line and you’ve already surpassed two years of struggle. Heck, you’re probably even entitled to a moment of not caring, but finals season isn’t the time to do it.
So how do you find the motivation that you likely threw out the window the moment you stepped into 3L year? Admittedly, it’s difficult to pull this motivation out especially when you’ve been successfully coasting all semester and doing the bare minimum just to get by, but trust me, if you’ve made it this far it’s there. Finding this motivation and maintaining your momentum will just be a process of mind over matter. Simple right? Jokes aside, garnering this momentum won’t be without difficulty but maybe the below three suggestions can get you on the right track.
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Getting Back to Basics! Essential Analog Tools for the Non-Techie Law Student
Being a law student in this generation means that you’ve probably been immersed into every type of tech tool designed to make your law school experience easier. I’m sure you’re no stranger to the wonders of Evernote, or the scheduling/calendaring benefits of Doodle or Google Calendar. If so, I’m sure you’re aware of the many benefits these tools can provide. However, if you consider yourself to be a Non-Techie, I’m also sure that you may find some of these tools to be overwhelming. If so, this article is for you! This post will focus on essential analog tools which can be beneficial to any law student who sees the benefit in unplugging. These tools can also serve as great supplements to the tech tools available on the market. Therefore, give the below pointers a look and determine whether any of these tools can be helpful for you. [Read more…] about Getting Back to Basics! Essential Analog Tools for the Non-Techie Law Student
Why Slacking Off During 3L Year Won’t Pay Off
Making it to your final year of law school is a major accomplishment. Arriving at your third year means that you’ve likely overcome the worst of your law school experience. You no longer need to experience cold sweats as you approach finals period because you already know how to tackle the beast of final exams. You no longer need to be petrified about the possibility of a cold call because, let’s face it, are cold calls even a thing during 3L year? You may also experience less fits of confusion because you’ve finally begun to understand your course material. Understandably, with less fears ahead, you may take that as a justification to let your guard down, entirely slack off and “3LOL your struggles away.” Now I’m not saying that you shouldn’t take the time to enjoy your third year. It’s important to take things easy during your final year as you prepare yourself for the bar exam beast ahead.
However, it’s important to not slack off at the expense of jeopardizing all your accomplishments that you worked hard to build over 1L and 2L year. Slacking off during 3L means that you could fail out of law school and miss the possibility of graduating. Slacking off means that you could lose a job offer based on your behavior and poor grades. Slacking off also means that you could jeopardize your certification of fitness for the bar.
Trust me it’s not worth it to damage everything you’ve worked for on your final leg. It’s important for you to have fun but still carefully tow the line. So where should the line be drawn? Keep reading to find out why slacking off can be detrimental and how you can 3LOL appropriately.
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