Strategies for Handling Difficult Situations in Law School

Everyone is going to run into tough situations in law school. What matters is how you handle these challenges!

Below, you’ll find strategies for handling law school grades and the general stress and anxiety of law school, along with advice on how and when to seek outside resources and some strategies for networking and succeeding in your first legal jobs. Best of luck!

 

Handling Law School Grades

• You Got Your Grades Back, Now What? Answer These Three Questions For Future Exam Success It’s time to talk about grades. If you're distraught over your results and have instead chosen to ignore them, in the hopes that this was just a one-time fluke that certainly won’t happen again, then answer these three questions.
• Unhappy with Your Law School Grades? Get Real It’s January, which means it’s time for the wailing about "bad" grades. While you may have some reason to be worried, let’s get real for a second.
• So You Didn’t Get an A: How to Deal with Your First Law School Grades Now that it is January, law students around the country are starting to frantically check for their law school grades. Only a small number in your class (in most schools) can get some kind of an A. So what about everyone else? How do you handle not getting an A?
• Demoralizing Feedback? Look at What You Did Right Between midterms and legal writing, lots of law students are starting to get feedback…which means lots of law students are feeling pretty bummed. But here’s a hint: Don’t just focus on what you did wrong. Pay close attention to what you did RIGHT.
• Want to Get Good Law School Grades? Become a Self-Starter Probably the most telling characteristics that separate out the 1Ls who will do well in school versus those who won’t is a self-starter attitude. Law students who are self-starters take it upon themselves to learn. Read more on how to be a self-starter.
• Advice for Overcoming Bad Grades in Law School It’s every law student’s dreaded scenario -- just when you think you’re getting a fresh start on your spring semester, your grades from the fall are posted -- and, unfortunately, they are not at all what you were hoping for. While bad grades are not directly correlated to being a bad lawyer, studies have shown that your GPA in law school can reflect your odds of passing the bar exam. However, there is no need to throw in the towel, because you can get them back on track. Here are some things to keep in mind when trying to figure out what went wrong.
• Can Failing a Test Actually Help You Pass? Is studying the key to getting good grades, or is it possible that terrible test results might actually be the best way to study? How could failing an exam possibly raise your score? That’s exactly what UCLA psychologists recently sought to determine in a new study about memory and exam performance.
• Two Ways Your Law School Exam Answers Went Wrong Getting your first law school grades can be shocking. And what can be even more confusing is trying to figure out what you did wrong. Mostly, the answer is “the curve,” of course, but there are two fundamental ways that things can go off the rails.
• Go See Your Professors—They Are There for YOU! Not happy with your first semester grades and wondering what to do to fix them? The first step is to collect your exams and get feedback from your professors about what happened (click here for questions to ask in your meeting). Here's how to start using your professors this semester.
• How to Cope With Bad Law School Grades It’s astonishing how perceptions self worth and past performance can soar or plummet so sharply in one moment upon seeing an “A” versus a “B” or “C” — perhaps worse. If you’re content with your grades, then congratulations! Nice work! But, what do you do if your results are not what you were hoping for? Here are some suggestions.
• The Waiting Game: A 1L Perspective on Waiting for Grades Law school sometimes feels like one big waiting game. You spend the whole semester working up to one big exam, and then what? You have to wait for your grade. Here are some tips for dealing with the wait.
• Tips for Handling Grade Frustration Law school is stressful enough as it is, but when combined with the fact that your entire grade performance for a semester-long course is determined by one final exam, the pressure can become crippling. If your grades aren't what you hoped for, here are some ways to deal with your frustration -- and how to bounce back next time.
• Academic Probation? 8 Steps to Help You Turn Things Around No matter the circumstances, being placed on academic probation is upsetting. If you find yourself on academic probation – or close to it – at any point during law school, it’s understandable to feel confused, distressed, and maybe even a little embarrassed. To turn things around after a disappointing semester, start working through these steps ASAP!
• What to do if You Didn't Do Well on Your Final Exams We're looking at what next steps should be if your final exams didn't go as well as you had hoped.
• Podcast Episode 9: How To Raise Your Grades as a 2L or 3L If you are a 2L or 3L who’s struggled in law school, this episode is for you. Today we’re talking about how to overcome a 1L year that was less than stellar and raise your grades for the rest of your tenure in law school.
• Podcast Episode 28: Dealing With Bad Law School Grades Chances are, you've received at least some of your first semester law school grades by now. The reality is that most students didn't do as well as they hoped. Don't panic - this isn't the end of your legal career. You have plenty of time to turn things around. In this podcast we talk about how!
• Podcast Episode 117: Surviving Law School Midterms Law school midterms are becoming more and more common, especially for 1Ls. Tune in to listen to a discussion of what you need to know about law school midterms.

Managing Stress and Anxiety

• Is Your Law School Exam Over? Then Stop Worrying About It! Worrying about your exam after it’s over is a complete waste of time! Don’t do it. Here's why.
• Keep Your Spirits Up! Don’t Let Negativity Get You Down As final exams approach a number of law students are starting to get a little depressed. Does this sound like you? If so, we challenge you today to change your mind-set. Here's what you can do right now.
• Having an October Law Student Freakout? Of Course You Are! Here we are in mid-October and law students everywhere are freaking out. Does this sound familiar?Are you starting to feel panicked or full of anxiety? It is completely normal, and we are here to help.
• Are You in Law School Crisis Mode? Here’s How to Get Out In your second semester of law school and perhaps didn’t do as well as you had hoped in your first semester? In crisis mode because nothing has changed? All is not lost.  With some very disciplined and dedicated work you can actually save this semester and get ready for finals.
• Remember, Remember, the Fear of November Perhaps you were handling the October Freak-Out just fine, but now it’s November. For many law students, that means exams are just a few short weeks away. If you feel you may be teetering on a precipice overlooking exam day doom, take a few moments to consider the following questions and come up with a plan.
• You’re Totally Unprepared for a Law School Exam! How to Avoid a Disaster It happens to many of us in law school. For whatever reason, you’re totally unprepared for an upcoming exam. Obviously this isn’t an ideal situation to be in, but it might be possible to avoid an exam disaster. Here are a few tips.
• How to Recover from a Bad Law School Exam Experience If you’re in law school, you’re eventually going to have a really bad exam experience. Here are six tips for recovering from a disastrous law school exam.
• How to Handle Stress in Law School While stress is inevitable in law school, how you handle it can make all the difference. Read this for eight ways to manage your stress.
• 6 Quick Tips for Busy Law Students It gets pretty crazy trying to balance school and all of the extracurricular activities in law school. Follow these tips to make your hectic life a little bit easier.
• Ahead of the Curve: How to Ensure You're Getting Things Done in Law School Are you feeling lost or falling behind? Here are some tips and tools to help you stay productive.
• Should I Get a Part-Time Job in Law School? Are you considering a part-time job to help defray the costs (or cut back on the loans) related to being in law school? Here are three questions you should ask yourself in order to make the best decision for you.
• How to "Drop the Mic" on Your First Moot Court Argument Fear of public speaking is widespread, and it doesn't go away as easily as most of us would like. If this is something that you struggle with, read here for some tips on making it through your first Moot Court argument successfully.
• The 3 Stages of a 1L Midterm Not all 1Ls have midterms. If you do, here is some information to help guide you through the process -- and maybe make you feel better about your upcoming exams!
• Tips for Handling Grade Frustration Law school is stressful enough as it is, but when combined with the fact that your entire grade performance for a semester-long course is determined by one final exam, the pressure can become crippling. If your grades aren't what you hoped for, here are some ways to deal with your frustration -- and how to bounce back next time.
• Lessons After the First Month of Law School The first month of law school comes with a LOT of adjustments and worries. Here are some tips that might make your first month that little bit smoother.
• Staying Sane During the LLM Program LLM programs can be hectic and overwhelming. Here are a few basic tips that can help you organize, focus, and maintain your sanity.
• 1L Perspective at the Mid-Semester Point Are you a 1L approaching the middle of your first semester of law school? Here are some things you might be experiencing -- from the perspective of someone who's been there recently.
• Things To Do During Break to Prepare for the New Semester The semester is over, and it is finally time to not be focused on law school! I am sure you know that law school is very stressful. Thus, it is crucial that you take your break seriously. Breaks are very important for your health. They allow you to catch up on your sleep, see people you (probably) have not seen in awhile, and just de-stress in general. Follow these tips in order to prepare yourself for the new semester while on break.
• 5 Ways to Fight Though Law School Burnout Law school is a mentally exhausting endeavor. Even the most dedicated aspiring lawyer can suffer from law school burnout. Whether it is fueled by fatigue, frustration, or just plain apathy, don’t let a momentary state of mind break your will to fight through the hard patch and re-engage. Here are five low-impact ways to motivate you to get back in the law school game so you can stay on track and accomplish your law school goals.
• Podcast Episode 2: Why is Law School Hard? Today, we’re talking about why law school is hard! Not to scare you, but to provide context and alert you to some of the challenges you might face. Forewarned is forearmed. And remember, a challenge – seen the right way – is just an opportunity for growth and learning.
• Podcast Episode 15: The October Freakout October is the time in law school where reality begins to set in. Don't flip out! Take our advice to get through the October Freakout so you can have a productive rest of the semester.
• Podcast Episode 29: Handling Pressure in Law School (Guest Dr. Hank Weisinger) One of the biggest challenges law students face is how to handle pressure in law school. In this podcast, the New York Times bestselling author of "Performing Under Pressure: The Science of Doing Your Best When it Matters Most" and renowned pressure expert, Dr. Hank Weisinger, is here to talk about handling the pressure of law school.
• Podcast Episode 39: Battling Test Anxiety in Law School and on the Bar Exam Today we’re talking about everyone’s favorite topic – test anxiety. Okay, not really anyone’s favorite topic, but a very important one because so many law students deal with test anxiety in law school and on the bar exam. Listen to our tips here!
• Podcast Episode 115: Tips for Settling into Law School Settling back into law school after your first month can be difficult, even if you're a 2L or a 3L. In this podcast we talk about making sure that you're making proper adjustments and taking good care of yourself through this stressful time.

How and When to Seek Outside Resources

• How to Make the Most out of Academic Guidance in Law School In law school you will be given many valuable resources. If you’ve ever wondered how you can take better advantage of the advice around you, whether from your tutor, professors, or T.A., here are some guidelines to follow.
• Do You Need a Sponsor to Stay Productive and Accountable in Law School Are you having trouble staying focused? Use these tips to stay accountable and productive in law school.
• How is your Executive Function? Law school is tough. Most law students feel overwhelmed at some point and many need to develop new skills to succeed. Law school demands a lot of intellectual muscle, but it also demands nimble attention to time and detail.
• How to Take Care of Your Mental Health in Law School What do you call it when you put one hundred Type-A personalities who are used to excelling at everything into a high-pressure, high-stakes environment for 10-12 hours every day for a few months and then tell them it’s impossible for everyone of them to “succeed”? Well, my friends, you call that law school. Here are some ways you can cope with that mental, emotional strain.
• Leveling the Playing Field: Using Resources and Seeking Accommodations in Law School Students come to law school with strengths from past studies, jobs, and life experiences, yet many find that law school is a struggle. There are many tools and strategies to help you succeed; one of these strategies is to address learning disabilities proactively.
• Are You a 1L Who Is Feeling Lost? Many students in their first year of law school feel lost. Sound like you? If so, what should you do? Here is our advice!
• Are You Coachable? Get the help you need. Tips for making yourself more coachable in law school.
• What Are Your First Semester Law School Goals? Setting goals for law school can help you stay focused, make smart decisions on how to use your time, and also give you a benchmark for progress. Here are some suggested goals to get you started.
• Want Good Grades? Get Feedback on Your Law School Exam Writing Hiring a tutor isn’t the only way to get personalized feedback in law school. Check out these other options for getting valuable pre-exam feedback.
• How Do I Get Re-Admitted to Law School After an Academic Dismissal? Getting academically dismissed from law school can be a humiliating experience. Regardless of what the circumstances were that caused your dismissal, whether it be an unexpected life emergency that threw you off course or just a sheer lack of preparation, getting dismissed sucks. We will try to de-mystify this issue and bring you at least a step closer to getting back on track to achieving that J.D. you covet.
• Not Happy With the First Semester? Hit the "Reset" Button! If you're not thrilled with your results after first semester, there's still time to make a change!
• 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, and we'll tell you why.
• What to Do When You Are Thinking About Dropping Out If you're considering dropping out of law school, we're looking at what to consider first.
• Using Upperclass Law Students as Resources: A List of Questions You Can Ask We're going over some questions you may want to ask more senior law students about their experience to help you get ahead in law school.
• Podcast Episode 63: Dealing with Self-Sabotaging Behavior in Law School In this podcast, we talk about something lots of law students deal with - self-sabotaging behavior. If you start your day with the best of intentions, but get nothing done by the time it's over, tune in! You're definitely not alone.

Networking and Finding a Job

• Easy Networking Tips For Those of Us Who Hate It One of the first and most repeated pieces of advice you'll hear as a law student is to network! Even if it doesn't come naturally to you, however, there are still things you can do to get comfortable, and we're offering some advice.
• Getting an Offer: Being a Professional in a Generation-Gap Workplace What does “professional” look like? Find out more about the definition of professionalism and what it should look like in a generation-gap workforce.
• I Got Really Bad Grades Last Semester, Can I Still Land a 1L Summer Job? Yes! The answer is an overwhelming yes!! Immediately block out all the pretentious buzz and chatter that has told you otherwise, because building your confidence and accepting this truth is the first step to landing a job this summer.
• I Told the Truth, and It Turned Out Okay The follow-up to the post about hitting rock bottom as a young lawyer is inspiring.
• When I Hit Rock Bottom as a Young Lawyer The job market for young lawyers is scary. Here is one person's story on how she struggled to climb up from the bottom of the totem pole.
• Say “YES!” Want an easy tip on how to advance your career in the business or legal profession? Try saying “yes” to every invitation! Here's why.
• Don't Have Time for Coffee and Networking? Wrong! In this post we combat one common excuse we hear for not following up after networking events: “I just don’t have time.” You do!
• Get Personal: Why You Should Be Socializing at Your Summer Internship Summer internships are a great opportunity to network. Even if you want to be a professional in the legal workplace, you should still take time to socialize with this advice.
• Hey, Law Students: Here’s How You Network If following up with someone you meet is the most important part of networking, why don't law students do it? We have heard that law students don’t follow up because they simply don’t know what to say or how to say it in a follow-up email. Well, here's what to do!
• It's My Party, I'll Network If I Want To: Law School Networking for Wallflowers and Gunners Alike Networking can be difficult for even the most outgoing students, but it can be even worse if you’re shy. Here are some tips to make your next networking event easier and more enjoyable for everyone.
• Law School Networking: It's What You Learn, Not (Just) Who You Meet Networking in law school involves talking about yourself to strangers, asking strangers for favors, and competing with other law students for attention. This can be an intimidating activity. If the prospect of networking in law school makes you uneasy, here are four tips to help you conquer fear and reframe the experience.
• Video Quick Tip: Finding Mentors and Sponsors In this Video Quick Tip, Alison explains the difference between Mentors and Sponsors and explains how each can help you throughout law school. Remember, finding support will take some effort on your part as well!
• Help! It's Already Summer and I Still Don't Have a Summer Job! Panicking about your nonexistent summer job? Take a deep breath, calm down, and read this to figure out some steps you can take!
• The Waiting Game: What Do I Do After My OCI Interview? OCIs can be stressful, but the interviews themselves have nothing on the stress of waiting to hear whether you were successful! Here are three things you should do while you wait to hear about callbacks.
• Law Firms are Hiring Your Qualities, Not Your Skills Most employers expect that they will need to train brand-new attorneys in the specific tasks that need to be handled on a daily basis. Read more to learn what traits law firms are hoping to see in applicants -- and how to display them in an interview!
• Unconventional Networking Methods for Law Students Networking. It's scary and uncomfortable for many law students, but there are a lot of ways to network. Read here for strategies that you may not have considered before.
• 6 Keys to Research Assistant Success While it may not be glamorous, being a research assistant for a professor during law school comes with plenty of benefits. Without leaving campus, you can improve your research skills, build a valuable professional relationship, and start monetizing your newfound legal knowledge. But developing a great working relationship with your professor is not a given. Here are some tips to make the most of your research assistant experience.
• Building a Resume in Law School The concept of building a resume during law school is rarely lost on the common overachieving, planning, list-making law student. Law students fret to secure a constant stream of internships, clerkships, clinic experience, volunteer experience, and summer associate positions. In the midst of all the stress and chaos of law school, keep these big-picture resume building points in mind.
• 5 Reasons to Take an Unpaid Internship If the opportunity is right, unpaid legal internships can be worth the time and effort. There is no denying that law school is expensive and working for no pay seems like some sort of injustice, but don’t rule out taking an unpaid internship position during law school. Remember that you are going to law school looking for a career, not a short-term paycheck. Here are a few good reasons to take an unpaid internship.
• Spring Semester Sprint: SOS Suggestions For Snagging a 2L Summer Job Spring semester has sprung! Do you know what your summer job plans are yet? This summer is crucial to your future legal career goals. Check out some of the ideas below to propel you onwards in your successful search for a 2L summer job.
• How to Follow-Up After Networking No matter how many networking events you attend or business cards you collect, it will all be for naught without deliberate follow-up afterwards. Below are some tips to guide you on how to follow-up after networking.
• Professional Metallurgy: Converting Informational Interview Into Gold There is nothing worse than cold-calling an attorney and asking for an informational interview. It is one of the most difficult things a law student can do, but with a little strategic thinking, persistence, and tenacity it is possible to leverage that 15-minute coffee into so much more.
• Podcast Episode 69: Building the 21st Century Lawyer This podcast deals with a panel discussion about what it takes to succeed as a 21st-Century lawyer. In this discussion, we dive into the characteristics of successful lawyers in today’s legal workplace and talk about how to gain those skills and traits while still in law school.
• Podcast Episode 114: Law School Networking 101 Networking can cause a lot of anxiety, but it doesn't have to! Whether you're an introvert or an extrovert, this episode can help you take a new approach to building your professional network.
• Podcast Episode 116: Life as a Small Firm Associate (With Jeremy Richter) In this episode we're talking to a practicing attorney about life as a young associate. If you're trying to figure out what you might be able to expect in your first few years after law school, this is the podcast for you!
• Podcast Episode 125: Maintaining a Professional Profile in the Digital Age We discuss how to maintain a professional profile in the digital age where so much of your life is online, for better or worse. If you want to maintain a professional image, it is important to be mindful of what you’re posting, where you’re posting it, who can see it (intentionally or unintentionally), and other activities that might put you at risk.

Handling a Legal Job

• How Should an Attorney Deal With a Partner Who Belittles Them in Front of Clients and Co-Counsel? Advice on how to cope with a partner who may be tearing you down at work.
• How Should You Handle Negative Feedback in a Performance Review? At some point in your career, negative feedback on a performance review is inevitable. Here is how you handle those uncomfortable situations.
• How to Handle Difficult Feedback If you are working this summer, it is entirely possible that you are going to get feedback at your job, whether from a supervising attorney, in a formal evaluation, or just casually from colleagues. While some may be positive, how do you handle difficult feedback?
• Should Law Schools Have Stricter Codes of Conduct? The legal profession is closely tied to notions of ethics and professionalism. Lawyers are supposed to be ethical, trustworthy representatives of clients, helping them to resolve conflicts and understand the law. Law school codes of conduct are the primary focus of this question. What are current codes of conduct like? How should they change? What is the ideal code of conduct for a law school? In this post, we look into opinions on these questions and more.
• Podcast Episode 54: How to Evaluate Your Summer Legal Job Experience We will talk about about how to evaluate your summer legal job experience, and how to make sure you leave on good terms. As your summer law job is drawing to a close, here are some ways to ensure you learn as much as you can from the experience.
• Podcast Episode 66: Tips for a Successful Law School Internship or Externship Today we’re talking about how to have a successful law school internship or externship experience. For most law students, these jobs are their first experiences in the legal workplace (or maybe in any professional workplace). Be sure you’re behaving like a responsible professional, and you’ll set yourself up for success in any internship or externship!
• Podcast Episode 108: Handling Summer Associate Offers (With an Ex-BigLaw Recruiter) Today, we’re talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, about the process of getting, or not getting, an offer at the end of your time as a summer associate. Tune in for some great information on how to end your summer successfully and navigate the offer process thoughtfully and respectfully.