Are you excited about your upcoming first day of law school? You should be! Law school will be a great adventure—a unique experience full of highs and lows you will remember for the rest of your life. But what can you do to be ready to hit the ground running day one? There are plenty of great things to do to get yourself ready. Here are some practical suggestions that can help you to start out organized and on top of your game. Follow these rather painless tips and you’ll at least remove some of the early stumbling blocks to law school success! [Read more…] about Tips for Acing Day One of Law School
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Podcast Episode 159: The Secret Life of Law Firms (w/Sadie Jones)
Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today we’re talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones about the secret life of large law firms. If you think you want to work in a large law firm someday, don’t miss this episode as we dive into the unique culture of BigLaw.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The unique work culture of large law firms and the myriad personalities of people who work there (aka, why BigLaw is so weird)
- Things not to do, if you don’t want to look like a jerk
- How to really get on the partnership track – if that’s what you want – and the reality of the pyramid structure at large law firms
- The truth about partnership at large firms – it’s not the golden ticket it once was
- Dress codes – are all firms the same and does it really matter what you wear?
- Tips for fleshing out the unspoken expectations and rules that often exist in BigLaw around billable hours, travel time and expenses, and office face time
- What unlimited vacation REALLY means
Thanks for listening!
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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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It’s Time to Have That Talk with Your Family
Congratulations! You got into law school. That is a big step, maybe even a life-long dream, but it is just the first step. It’s possible you have already moved to a new city, found a new apartment, even acquired a new roommate. Maybe you’ve already purchased all your textbooks, outlines, etc., and scoped out the best places to study. However, to ensure success in this new endeavor, there is one more crucial step you must take now – you need to have a serious talk with your family.
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Podcast Episode 158: What to Wear (and Not to Wear)
Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today we’re talking about law school fashion. What to wear (and maybe what not to wear) to law school classes, job interviews, and other law school events.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Do you need to even worry about what to wear to class?
- Balancing your professional self and your authentic self
- Why it’s fine not to get creative with your fashion choices
- Some solid rules of thumb – like ALWAYS wear a suit to an interview
- Dressing the part for the role you want and building confidence in the process
- Easy ways to build a professional wardrobe and the benefits of keeping it simple
Thanks for listening!
[Read more…] about Podcast Episode 158: What to Wear (and Not to Wear)
Preparing for Your Legal Career: 10 Books to Read Before You Begin Law School
There is no shortage of recommended reading lists for incoming 1Ls, but they tend to focus more on preparing you for the law school experience and not so much on professional development and career exploration. This is understandable, given that many of you may be feeling anxious about the first days and weeks of law school and want to know what to expect. However, law school doesn’t leave much time for recreational reading, and the books I’ve recommended below cover some equally important topics and offer a lot of really great information and advice. So read some books from those other lists, but read some of these too. [Read more…] about Preparing for Your Legal Career: 10 Books to Read Before You Begin Law School