The heavy, warm velvet robes and berets filled the Detroit Opera House on a sunny Monday afternoon. After a concise but spirited ceremony, smiling faces flooded the Detroit streets taking pictures with family and friends, celebrating their accomplishments. This was a memorable day for everyone, myself included, because we officially became Juris Doctors. That’s right, I made it through the most challenging part of my schooling yet, law school! Several years of blood, sweat and tears led me to this moment!! AND I was able to share such a special occasion with the people who mean the most to me: my family. Not only was this event important for me, but it meant something more to my loved ones. I have been reflecting back to this day and thinking about the impact my law school graduation has had on my family as a first generation college student. [Read more…] about What My Graduation Means – First Generation Law Student Perspective
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Podcast Episode 204: Advice for Incoming Foreign LLM Students
Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we’re talking about LLM programs, focusing on foreign students who don’t have a JD and are doing an LLM as their first exposure to the US legal system.
In this episode we discuss:
- What are the characteristics of an LLM degree, and who is likely to do one?
- What challenges foreign students should consider when thinking about starting an LLM in the US
- The Socratic method of teaching, which is often used in US law schools
- How you can prepare to do well in the LLM and get the most out of the experience
- Planning ahead for the bar exam if you intend to sit for it
- The importance of getting feedback on your writing if English is not your first language
Thanks for listening!
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Why It’s Important to Ask for Disability Accommodations Early
Many newly admitted students push asking for disability accommodations far down their to-do lists, choosing to focus on the logistics of moving and settling in. This is a mistake.
The best time to start the accommodations process is now. The process will be slightly different for each law school, but no matter where you attend, the earlier you start the process, the more likely you are to succeed at getting the supports that will help you rock your first year. The last thing you want is to worry about whether you should drop out after finals because of a problem that would have been moot if you had the proper supports in place.
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How to Launch a Great Legal Career Without Practicing Law
Good news for law students unsure whether they want to practice law after they graduate: The legal operations job market is heating up. Fueled by growing assertiveness among corporate legal departments to improve their productivity while reducing legal costs, the field of corporate legal ops has exploded in terms of focus, opportunity and investment.
That momentum can be seen in the remarkable growth in membership and influence of the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium. CLOC began as a best practices-focused group of 40 legal ops leaders, mostly in Silicon Valley, about three years ago. Today, its membership of more than 2,300 worldwide is redefining objectives, priorities and organizational structures in the legal ecosystem and the business of law. [Read more…] about How to Launch a Great Legal Career Without Practicing Law
Podcast Episode 203: Job Search Q&A (w/Ex-BigLaw Recruiter Sadie Jones)
Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we’re talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, about some of the most common issues and questions we see in the law student job search.
In this episode we discuss:
- What to do if you aren’t sure of your long-term goals yet
- How being proactive in your job can help you discover more opportunities
- Typos and other common mistakes to avoid when it comes to resumes and cover letters
- Tips for getting and successfully completing a summer job
- An overview of on-campus interviewing, and how you can make a great impression there
- The importance of preparing for each interview in advance
Thanks for listening!
[Read more…] about Podcast Episode 203: Job Search Q&A (w/Ex-BigLaw Recruiter Sadie Jones)
How to Prepare for 1L Year: Making the Summer Before Law School Productive
Everyone who has ever gone through law school will have a story or anecdote about the work or preparation they did in advance of the beginning of 1L year. The problem is, they are always looking at those experiences through the lens of a law school graduate. This article is an attempt to provide a few practical tips to a soon-to-be law student and help her get the most out of the summer before law school. Almost immediately after I got accepted into my law program, I began reading, researching, and learning about the journey upon which I was about to embark. This preparation filled me with excitement, pride, and (of course) anxiety. [Read more…] about How to Prepare for 1L Year: Making the Summer Before Law School Productive