Mindset matters in law school, a lot. It’s inevitable that you’ll face challenges as a law student, so it’s important to develop the skills to overcome obstacles and keep going. (Let’s face it, it’s not as if life as a lawyer is a walk in the park! These are skills you can use throughout your legal career, to perform your best in the face of setbacks.)
Read on for basic tips on mindset in law school, including how to find a school that’s a good fit, ways to bounce back from obstacles, strategies to maintain motivation as the semester drags on, and suggestions for returning to school in a productive frame of mind after a break. We’ve also got advice for avoiding procrastination and some goal-setting apps and ideas that might be helpful. Finally, you’ll find tips on starting to develop your professional reputation in law school, which is itself a state of mind!
The Right Mindset for Law School Success
- 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.
- How to be a Top Law Student Every law student wants to be at the top of the class. Good grades and high class rank can yield significant rewards, like law review membership, better odds of passing the bar exam, and more desirable employment options. How do some students get to this enviable position? What can you do to be one of them?
- How to Think Like a Successful Law Student There are several key traits and attitudes in those students who perform at the highest levels and succeed the most with their grades. And guess, what, it doesn’t have much to do with “who is smarter” or “who puts in the most study hours.” It's all about mindset!
- Law Students and a New Age of Unattainable Perfection Are law students sabotaging their learning process because of pressure to seem perfect at all times?
- Seven Things Law Students Need to Stop Doing Immediately Law school classes will always be made up of both mature, self-sufficient, well-informed people on the one hand and maybe a few childish, coddled, clueless people on the other. I’m not saying there’s no in-between grey area, of course there is. However, I’ve seen some startling behavior from several law students over the past few years, and there are some things that just need to stop.
- What’s the Right Mindset for Studying? When you sit down to study how do you feel? Bored? Anxious? Confused? Excited? Some combination of the above? Unfortunately, none of the above options are conductive to studying effectively. So, if these aren’t ideal, what is the ideal mindset for studying?
- Do You Have the Right Mindset for Law School? There is a lot to do before starting law school. But if you have time to read one book this summer, we have a suggestion for you: get a copy of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success by Carol Dweck. Here's why.
- You Are a Lawyer Already: Practice Management Law school teaches you to think like a lawyer, but you need to practice real-world skills, too!
- Why is Law School Hard? It may be a funny question to ask, but it's actually a valid question. Is law school really that hard? And, if so, why? Read our thoughts here.
- Video Quick Tip: Different Way to Think About Law School In this Video Quick Tip, Alison shares how to build the best foundation for your learning using cases, outlines and hornbooks, along with a different way to think about law school.
- 5 Resolutions for a Happier, More Successful Semester Most law students are excited (and a little nervous) about starting this endeavor and hopeful that it will lead to new, fulfilling opportunities. But once a student is a semester, or a year, or even two years into law school, it’s not uncommon to feel disillusioned by the experience. Of course, everyone’s situation is different, so it’s essential that you do some soul-searching and figure out the precise cause of your frustration or dissatisfaction. Once you know the cause, consider whether any of the following resolutions may help you overcome the bad habits that led to your current predicament and rekindle your motivation.
- 5 Things To Be Thankful For as a Law Student As a law student, you can get busy with school and studying and forget to think about what you have to be grateful for. We're looking at some things you can be thankful for as a law student.
- Get On Your Feet! Why Oral Advocacy Competitions Should Be On Your To-Do List No matter who you are, talking in front of people can be nerve-racking sometimes. Many law schools provide opportunities for students to practice these skills in the form of oral advocacy competitions. When those competitions come around, you should participate in all of the ones you can. Here’s why.
- Podcast Episode 1: Mindset - The Key to Success in Law School? Everyone is going to encounter challenges in law school, and in life – what matters is how you react to the road bumps. Do you have a fixed mindset or do you see challenges as an opportunity to learn and grow? Hear our thoughts on mindset in this episode.
- Podcast Episode 33: Top 10 Tips for Law School Success After reflecting on what we've learned from working with hundreds of law students over the past four years, we've compiled our top 10 tips to help you be a successful and happy law student. Enjoy!
- Podcast Episode 110: Revisiting Mindset Our very first podcast was on mindset, specifically discussing fixed mindset vs. growth mindset. New information seems to suggest that focusing too much on grit and mindset might actually be harmful for learning. So, what’s the deal??
Finding a Good Law School Fit
- Transferring Law Schools: Three Things You Need to Know Every year around 2,000 students transfer from one law school to another. Their motivations vary, ranging from going to a school with a stronger program in a law specialty to following a significant other’s career move. The vast majority of students, however, transfer to attend a more prestigious (higher ranked) law school. So if you want to transfer, how do you put yourself in the best position to get into the school of your dreams? Here's a guide to what you need to do to optimize your chances.
- Should you Quit Law School? Most of the time, my job centers around trying to help people stay in law school—and how to succeed there—not how to get out. Recently, though, I worked with a student who I found myself advising to ditch the law altogether. I actually told this person, “If there’s anything else you can do, any other career path, even if it means starting a new career, do that instead.” Pretty harsh, I know. It was a tough conversation to have for both of us. So, how did we get to this point?
- Feeling Out of Place in Law School? There are other facets of law school in addition to studying and exam-taking. Our experts talk about adjusting in relation to other students, when you should give serious thought to jobs, and treating yourself right in the midst of it all.
- Out of the Frying Pan and Into the Fire! Transfer Students in Law School If you’re the new kid on the block this semester, here are some things to consider as you approach your first round of exams.
- Ahead of the Curve: So You Want to Transfer Law Schools... Do you think that the law school you've started with isn't quite the right fit for you? He are some ways you can set yourself up during your 1L year to make a change.
- Everything You Need to Know About Finding Your Law School Wondering about getting the right fit in law school? Here are some things you should do before choosing a school.
- Resources for Deciding Where to Apply for Law School It's important to make an informed decision when you apply to law schools. Do you want to know what information you need and where to get it? Here are some resources for you!
- How to Write a Top-Notch Personal Statement When You're Looking to Transfer Law Schools If you are reading this and you are currently in law school, then you already know 90% of what you need to know about writing a personal statement for the purpose of transferring law schools. So much of the structure and content of the essay that got you into your current law school stays the same for the transfer essay. Much like conducting a job search while you’re still employed elsewhere, there’s a bit of an art to expressing a preference for a different place without denigrating the place where you are.
- Podcast Episode 59: Conquering Loneliness in Law School This podcast focuses on something that comes up for a lot of new and seasoned law students - being lonely or feeling isolated in law school.
- Podcast Episode 74: Should You Go to Law School? Today we are talking about a very important topic — who should go to law school? People have a variety of reasons for going to law school, but the real question is — should YOU go? We’ll help you figure that out.
- Podcast Episode 113: Life as a First-Generation College and Law Student (With Shirlene Armstrong) If you're considering law school, but would be the first in your family to do so, this podcast is for you! Shirlene Armstrong is talking about her experience, including some of the particular challenges she encountered as a first-generation law student.
- Podcast Episode 122: How to Transfer Law Schools (With Mihal Ansik) Are you unhappy with your law school? Or wondering whether you can do better? Tune in for information about why and how you might want to try transferring to another law school after your 1L year.
Getting Gritty
- What Law School Did and Didn't Teach Me: A Personal Injury Lawyer Reflects on the Law School Experience An experienced lawyer reflects on what he learned - and wished he had learned - in law school.
- What I Wish I Knew Before Going to Law School Everyone heads into law school with an arsenal of unique skills. Here, several lawyers detail what skills and knowledge they wish they'd had before attending law school.
- The Olympic Lawyer: Preparation is Everything If you’re starting law school, or continuing law school, you might want to take some time to reflect on what it means to be a lawyer, and what it means to be excellent. If you have been following the Summer Olympics in Rio, you may have been dismayed to see that there is no “lawyering” event. But you might try to develop yourself into an Olympic-quality lawyer, by doing what the athletes do: learn the best ways to play your game, innovate to find even better ways, and practice. Preparation is everything.
- 5 Qualities of Successful Law Students Students from all sorts of backgrounds with all sorts of different skills can excel in law school and go on to be brilliant lawyers. But despite the variety of experiences and the array of abilities students bring to law school, many of the best law students share a similar set of qualities. If you’re a future or current law student, you should consider if these qualities describe you. If you recognized these traits in yourself, great! You should foster them throughout law school and your legal career. If you don’t recognize these qualities in yourself, don’t worry! You can definitely acquire these traits with a little hard work.
- How To Right the Ship If You Are Struggling In Law School It’s soon going to be the start of a new semester! You’re either filled with anticipation or dreading it. If you fall into the latter category, don’t fret. Here are some tips to get you successfully through the next semester and right the ship if you are struggling in law school.
- Law School Lessons Learned at the Airport Read Lee's story about an airport experience that reminded her of law school. Who would have thought you could learn a law school lesson at an airport?
- How Helicopter Parenting is Hurting Law Students An interesting read on how overprotective parents are really hurting law students.
- Ahead of the Curve: It's All in Your Head: Cultivating Success and Overcoming Setbacks With a Growth Mindset Believe it or not, our ability to succeed is directly linked to the way we think about and react to our successes and failures. Read on to learn how you can harness this information to improve your performance on your path to a legal career.
- Podcast Episode 64: Developing Grit in Law School This podcast will discuss grit - that quality that lets you get back up and carry on after you've been knocked down. And, every law student is probably going to get knocked down a time or two!
- Podcast Episode 135: Leaving the Law (with Casey Berman) Today, we’re excited to be talking with Casey Berman, founder of Leave Law Behind, about why some attorneys are unhappy and what they can do to shift to a non-legal career.
Managing Your Time and Avoiding Procrastination
- Time Management Tip: Think of Law School Like a Law Job Yes, law school is very time-consuming and sometimes it can feel like you work all the time. But do you really work all the time? Start to look at law school like you would a job, and may be surprised at what you find.
- Time Management Tips for Law Students Most law students would agree time management is a challenge. Some people excel at it, however, so it can definitely be done. Here are tips from some of those experts on how to go about managing your time in law school to ensure success and a bright future as a lawyer.
- Want Success? Rely on Systems, Not Willpower Lack of willpower is a common problem with all students. There are probably ways to juice your willpower, but we have an an easier suggestion: rely less on willpower, and more on systems.
- Struggling with Procrastination? Try this 10 Minute Technique Despite the stereotype of the type-A, high strung law student, many law students struggle with time management and procrastination. You may find yourself procrastinating for a variety of reasons: boredom or disinterest in the subject matter, an aversion to the type of work, a fear of failure, a sense of being overwhelmed by the difficulty of the task, or simply an unrealistic understanding of your own skill level and the amount of time an assignment requires. But regardless of your reasons for procrastinating, you have to find a way to overcome it.
- Plan Ahead to Improve your Semester Much like the lawyers they’re training to become, law students have a lot of different projects, tasks, and responsibilities that they have to juggle. But when you’re mired in the day-to-day struggle to stay on top of you’re reading, attend class, work at your internship, and manage all of life’s other daily requirements, it can be easy to lose sight of the long-term deadlines. But given the way law school classes are graded, with essentially your entire grade based on one final exam or research paper due at the end of the term, you can’t afford to miss the forest for the trees.
- Procrastination Rehab: Release the Responsible Law Student Inside of You We know it's in there, the responsible student inside of you. Stop being a procrastinator today and follow these tips.
- Are you a Procrastinator? Break the Cycle with the Procrastination Wheel David Rasch, a California psychologist, developed the Wheel of Suffering related to procrastination. He spends much of his life helping people who suffer from writer’s block and other issues that stem from procrastination, and his research may help lawyers in particular. Do you suffer from the vicious cycle of procrastination? Hopefully, this will help.
- Five Techniques for Using Deep Work to Excel in Law School Deep Work is the ability to focus exclusively for a long period of time on one particular intellectual task without distractions. Here are five techniques that will help you implement deep work in your law school life.
- Ahead of the Curve: Tips for Beating Procrastination Given all the work in law school, many law students struggle with time management and procrastination. Here are some effective tips for beating procrastination.
- The Law School Juggler: How to Handle Multiple Commitments The law school environment is notorious for inflicting stressful lifestyles on law students. For instance, law school forces law students to juggle many responsibilities simultaneously. This is partially because law school not only provides the necessary education to obtain a Juris Doctor degree and pass the bar, but it also serves as a boot camp to prepare young associates for real world practice. We have some suggestions for how manage this challenge.
- Meal Plan Services For the Hangry, Busy and Thrifty Law Student After a long day of classes or studying in the law school library, there is nothing more appealing than coming home to a hot delicious meal. Sadly, this isn’t a reality for most law students and is even further from the truth for a bar exam prepper. In today’s millennial age, there is no shortage of meal delivery services geared towards meeting the taste buds, the diet and the pockets of each diverse law student. We offer some suggestions!
- How I Manage Time in Law School - a 2L's Perspective Efficiently managing time in school is often trial and error but we have some insight into what might work best for you!
- Non-Tech Tools That Can Enhance Your Productivity in Law School We will be focusing on non-tech tools that can enhance the productivity of legal professionals. The focus of this piece is highlighting non-tech tools that can be just as beneficial in increasing productivity for the non-tech inclined.
- Being Intentional With Your Time: How Taking Breaks Can Lead to Law School Success Figuring out how to manage your time in law school can be one of the hardest adjustments to make as a law student, especially during 1L year. Luckily, there are lots of tips for figuring out how to budget your time, when to start outlining for exams, and how to avoid procrastinating.
- What's a Trello? The Habit Tracker to Help Law Students Stay Productive Trello is a program that can help you organize your life and track your habits. We're reviewing it and looking at how it can help you as a law student.
- Podcast Episode 7: Time and Life Management Basics In this episode we’re doing a deep dive into a critically important topic — time and life management! If you’re an over-stressed law student or young lawyer, this is a can’t miss episode.
- Podcast Episode 95: Top 1L Questions: Time and Life Management Law school requires a lot of time, but so do other important areas of your life. Find out how to fit everything in without having a breakdown!
- Podcast Episode 112: Managing Distractions in Law School From technology, to analysis paralysis, to life’s ongoing drama, there are a million things you can turn your attention to at any given moment. Learn to master distractions in law school and you’ll have greater success, not only academically, but in your law career and in life as well.
- Podcast Episode 187: Thinking On Your Feet in Class Discussions and Other Public Speaking Opportunities We’re talking about thinking on your feet when you’re on the spot.
Mid-Semester Motivation
- Why I Don't Feel Guilty For Going on Vacation During Spring Break - A 2L Perspective There may be plenty to do looking at the last part of your spring semester, but we're looking at why it's also important to take some time off and re-charge, and spring break can be the perfect time to do it!
- How to Maintain Your Motivation Throughout the Semester As the last few weeks of the semester approaches many students start to feel their motivation slump. The initial excitement of a new school year has worn off and is replaced with a pile of lengthy reading assignments, outlines that aren’t up to date, and the anxiety-inducing knowledge that finals will be here in no time. It can be tempting to revert to bad habits or become disengaged as the semester drags on, but slacking off now will likely lead to more stress later on. Law school requires consistent, methodical preparation throughout the semester, so if you find yourself becoming complacent, use some of these tips to help you re-motivate and finish the semester strong.
- Overcoming the Mid-Semester Slump It’s normal to feel unmotivated, especially as the professors increasingly mention exams and your brain starts to lose its edge. When these moments happen, there are a few things that have helped me.
- The Law School Semester’s Half Over: 7 Questions to Consider You're approaching the halfway point of the semester. What do you need to be thinking about at this point? Final exams! Here's why it pays off to prepare early for your exams.
- Time for a Mid-Semester Check In: How Are You Doing So Far? My school just finished fall break, which means, like most schools, we’ve reached the halfway point of the semester and final exams will be here in the blink of an eye. At this point, self-evaluation is a great way to gauge where you are and what changes you can make to put your best self out there. Below is a list of questions to ask yourself to help evaluate your work up to this point.
- Time for a Mid-Semester Reality Check Time’s getting short to pull things together before the exam crunch hits. (But don’t flip out if you’re feeling unprepared). Here are a few tips for getting it together.
- 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.
- Mid-Semester Check-In - 3L Perspective We hear from a current 3L about where things stand for her half-way through 3L year and some general thoughts on looking ahead to the last semester of law school.
- My Last Semester Resolutions - 3L Perspective We hear from a 3L, Shirlene Armstrong, about handling her last semester ever of law school, and what she wants to accomplish before it's all over.
- Podcast Episode 67: Mid-Semester Law School To-Do List This episode addresses running through your mid-semester to-do list to ensure you’re where you need to be before it’s too late. Mid-semester is the time when reality sets in for most law students. Whatever is going on – midterms, sniffles, boredom – it’s time to focus on the end goal and get serious about preparation.
Returning to School in a Productive Frame of Mind
- Back to School - What to Do Differently This Year For those of you returning to law school this year as a 2L or 3L, here are some things to do differently this time around.
- Strategies for Using Your 2L Year to Distinguish Yourself The start of 2L year is generally something to look forward to – the uncertainty that surrounds the first year of law school is in the past, the stress of final exams are months away, and you get to pick electives for the first time! 2L year has a lot going for it, but you shouldn’t let your newfound confidence as an upperclassman make you complacent.
- Seven Ways to Make the Most of your 3L Year Some critics of legal education assert that the third year of law school is unnecessary and should be eliminated. Reducing law school to two years would curtail student debt and add an additional year to career earnings, with potentially little effect on career readiness, they argue. But for now, law school remains a three-year program. Whether you’re approaching your third year with enthusiasm or, more likely, ennui, you’ve got to get through it. Here are some tips for making the most of it.
- The Shock of Being Back in School You may have read our reflections on my 1L orientation, but we also want to share a list of some of the “culture shock” you will experience in law school. Spoiler alert: law school is not how you imagine it to be.
- Tips for Second Semester Success in Law School Without a doubt, the hardest part of 1L year may be overcoming how burnt out you feel after first semester. We offer some tips on how to make it through your second semester all the way to finals!
- Were Final Exam Grades Not What You Expected? It’s January — a new year and also the start of the second semester. You may be freaking out because you didn’t get the final exam grades you expected. Before you start panicking about how you’re going to handle the second semester, we’ve rounded up some advice to help put your mindset at ease.
- Five Steps to Setting Yourself Up for Second-Semester Success As law students are back to school around the country, we wanted to share with you five things I think are critical to setting yourself up for second-semester success.
- What to Expect at Orientation -- A Guide for Incoming Law Students Like almost everything else in law school, law school orientation is a somewhat unique experience. Here are some things you should be prepared for!
- 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.
- Tips For Military Vets Returning to Law School Law school as a veteran or active duty service member has its own unique challenges, but your service and experience can be an amazing asset in launching a legal career.
- How to Set Yourself Up For a Successful 2L Year While it may be relieving that 1L year is over, 2L year will present its own set of challenges – and you should make sure you’re ready for them! We're looking at how you can set yourself up for success 2L year.
- What to Do in the Month Before Law School As summer comes to a close, you might be wondering what you should do in your last bit of free time leading up to law school. We're looking at some ideas.
- Lessons from Pop Culture - 10 Hamilton Songs to Get You Motivated for the New Semester We're looking at 10 Hamilton songs (in no particular order) to get you pumped and ready to get going in the new law school semester (and new year).
- 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 61: Making the Most of Your 2L and 3L Years of Law School Today we’re talking about what 2Ls and 3Ls need to be thinking about as they get into the swing of the later years of law school. If you want to make the most of your final years of law school, tune in.
Developing Your Professional Reputation
- How to Act Like a Professional in Law School At any given point in law school, you have probably heard someone tell you this or have read it somewhere already. But what does it mean? Why do you need to “act professional” if you are not working in a law firm yet? Well, professionalism is about much more than job interviews and office etiquette- it is a philosophy that applies to you at every stage of your legal career. If approached from this angle, between interacting with your peers and faculty, you will be well trained in how to be professional as an attorney.
- A Law Student's Guide to Emails Law school demands that you “up your game” by learn new skills and adopting new habits. Some of these new skills take a lot of time, such as learning how to Bluebook or analyze cases, while others take money, such as getting an appropriate interview suit so you look the part. Today, however, I want to talk to you about a simple, quick, and inexpensive step that you can take to “up your game” by writing emails that look and sound professional.
- How to Dress in Law School: A Cautionary Tale The manner in which you present yourself often sends a strong message about your attitude, your commitment, and your goals. It’s important to consider the message your demeanor and appearance are sending and make an effort to present yourself in the best possible way regardless of whether your attending a social event, going to work, or just attending class.
- What to Wear to Professional Legal Events Wondering what to wear to professional legal events? House of Marbury has you covered!
- Law School Style Report: The Best Carryalls for the Professional Law Student One question that many law students ask is what should they use to transport all their essentials to class. Is a briefcase appropriate? What about a backpack? Kathryn Conway from House of Marbury is here to to recommend a few carryalls for law students.
- Protecting Your Law School Reputation Students choose to prepare for law school in different ways – whether it’s taking a course to familiarize oneself with the law school environment or going on that last vacation before school starts. However, one type of preparation people often miss out on is deciding how they are going to present themselves in their law school environment. This is an important factor to consider since your professional reputation starts the first day of orientation. Here a few things to think about before your first day:
- Professionalism in the Legal Workplace How do you become your professional self? Law School Toolbox’s own Lee and Alison did an awesome podcast episode about professionalism in the workplace, and here were some of their best suggestions.
- Fashionably Lawyered: How to Dress as a Law Student While Not Breaking the Bank Once you become a law student, you should start to dress more professionally in your daily life. Here are some budget-friendly suggestions for giving your wardrobe a more professional look.
- 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 25: How to Behave Like a Professional in the Legal Workplace Although it seems like it should be common sense, you'd be surprised by how many law students struggle with professionalism when they arrive at their first law job. Now is the time to make a good first impression at your legal job and we have some advice to help you out!
- 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.
Goal Setting Apps and Ideas
- Best Apps for Goal Setting Try these apps to set (and exceed) your goals!
- How to Stay Productive and Remember Everything in Law School Get our tips for staying on top of everything (even birthdays!).
- Best Apps to Stay Organized in Law School Today we have a post for you law students who need some help organizing yourselves. Staying organized is critical in law school, especially when the handouts, books, and pamphlets start to pile up around exam time. If you think you are organized with binders, dividers, and folders, we still encourage you to embrace that thing sitting next to you right now: your smartphone and/or tablet!
- How To Stick To Your Goals in Law School Do you need help staying on track and sticking to your goals? Use these tips to stay on track.
- 9 Must-Have Apps for Lawyers If you're looking for some helpful legal apps, look no further!