Surviving Law School's Journal (original) (raw)

| | Sunday, October 6th, 2013 6:05 pm - The Ten People You Meet in Law School Tuesday, January 8th, 2013 10:53 pm looloosmells has anyone ever worked full time while attending a graduate program part time (primarily during night school)? i was hoping to work full time and be a law student part time in the evenings, but my mom is saying its impossible.any experiences? (5 comments | comment on this) Wednesday, March 21st, 2012 8:42 pm - Advice about publishing careers? bkworm9 I graduated from law school a few years ago without a job and since then, have been doing a combination of contract and pro bono work. I've been relentlessly pursuing my job search since before I graduated but, as you all know, it's a tough market. As a result of looking for a few years and not having many leads, I'm starting to consider other options. I was an English major in college and worked for the campus newspaper as a reporter and an editor back then. In law school, I was an editor my second year and my student article was selected for publication. I enjoy reading in my spare time and follow major publishing news as a hobby (it's geeky, I know). The other day, I spoke to a close friend about my frustrating job search and she said, "Y'know, I've always seen you in publishing, not law. Have you considered that?" I'm considering it, but have no idea how to "break in" to that line of work. I'm thinking that legal publishing would be the first thing to check out but other than going to the Thomson Reuters/West website and applying for "Attorney Editor" positions, I don't know where to start. Do any of you (current attorneys) work in legal publishing or non-legal publishing? Any tips or advice on who to contact, identify potential job opportunities, how and where to network, etc.? Your help is much appreciated! (3 comments | comment on this) Thursday, January 5th, 2012 5:45 pm - Colorado vs Texas Bar difficulty? jillofthejungle You guys might remember my post (two entries below, in fact!) regarding my roommate taking the bar exam for the 3rd time in Texas.We just found out she's not actually taking the Texas one any more, but is opting to try the Colorado's for the first time.I can't seem to find any decent information regarding passage rates for CO; does anyone know if CO's is more difficult than TX? Or at least, more difficult looking at passage rates?And when I do find a list of passage rates (found one that was vague, up to about 2005)...would my roommate fall into the First Time takers column, since this is her first time in CO, or would she fall into the repeat, since this is technically her 3rd time taking a bar exam? Thanks! (1 comment | comment on this) Thursday, September 29th, 2011 2:06 pm - Study help jillofthejungle Hi guys. I was referred here from law_questions with this.I have a friend/roommate who is about to take the Texas Bar exam for the 3rd time and was looking for suggestions on possible Christmas gifts that might aid her in studying/passing the bar. I've already been informed that things look bleak for her if she hasn't already passed it the first 2 times, but, well, what can I do other than still try and believe in her.She has already taking BarBri, a few refresher courses, and has all the books, online lectures, and so forth, as far as I'm aware. My current ideas so far only include gift certificates to her favorite spots to study, a couple activities in mind when she can take a break to relax, and purchasing her supplements (that she typically purchases, I wouldn't buy anything she doesn't already buy unless there's a safe recommendation) so she doesn't need to think about them.If you guys have any other ideas that might help/make good x-mas gifts in this direction, I would greatly, greatly appreciate it! (3 comments | comment on this) Tuesday, August 30th, 2011 1:56 pm - A Question of Negotiation wikle This is directed towards those folks who are already attorneys. I have been out of law school a few years now. I did a clerkship and then got my very first "real" attorney position. Sadly due to many different problems that position ended back in January. Since then I have been doing a mix of temp jobs.That brings us to the present. I have reason to believe that a firm I interviewed with will be offering me a position in the not so distant future. It is a small firm (only 6 attorneys, and a handful of support staff) and I really want the position. Additionally almost any amount they would reasonably offer me is more than I am making now. So my question is this, when is it not ok to negotiate over salary?I have been out of regular work for a long while, and if it was a larger firm I would not hesitate to negotiate. But in a smaller firm I am worried about insulting my prospective employers. So what is the etiquette here? (2 comments | comment on this) Wednesday, July 6th, 2011 1:58 am - barbri - essay advantage and mini review littlestarletta I'm doing BarBri right now. There's an additional charge for both Essay Advantage and the Mini Review.Has anyone taken either of these and if so, did you think it was worth it?I'm leaning towards not doing them so I can focus on the material itself and of course, NOT paying the additional charge.Thoughts? (5 comments | comment on this) Saturday, July 2nd, 2011 5:27 pm - Living situations while in law school taraist I'm going to start my first year of law school this fall. I lived at home for the past two years, through one year of AmeriCorps and another of working a clerical job. I can realistically commute to my school, but I am debating on whether I should be staying at home or moving out. What is/was your experience? Did you live at home, on your own, or both? I had planned on living at home with a 30 to 45 minute commute to school. I know that a huge perk is living rent free, but I do not think that this would be plausible. I've been paying my parents rent for two years and buying part of the groceries. (Yes, even while in AmeriCorps). I believe my father is expecting me to take out loans to continue paying him rent. I've been trying to save up money for the cost of gas while commuting to and from school. Last week my mother "borrowed" half of this savings, only to tell me this week that she cannot pay it back. I know that if I continued to live at home, it would help my parents out financially. Obviously, it doesn't seem like living at home is really going to save me a ton of money, so I suppose its now a matter of guilt, right?You don't have to give me specific advice or anything, though. But how did you or do you live through school? (19 comments | comment on this) Tuesday, June 21st, 2011 8:33 pm - for all those drowning studying for the bar... Wednesday, April 20th, 2011 8:06 pm - 10 Steps to Understanding the Law Student in Your Life Wednesday, April 13th, 2011 7:11 pm - Tax ginnyjake I'm trying to figure out my schedule for next year. I don't really want to take more credits than I need because it's expensive. And my question is - how important is it that I take a tax class before I graduate? Did anyone here not take a tax class in law school? (9 comments | comment on this) Sunday, March 27th, 2011 11:05 am - family law supplement? Monday, February 21st, 2011 10:36 pm - "Exception" - GWU Law Revue 2011 10:22 pm - F*** You - GWU Law Revue 2011 Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 9:55 pm - So, does anyone go to Cooley? Thursday, January 13th, 2011 4:26 pm - Personal Statement verbalizingit Hi all,I'm applying this cycle for schools and was hoping for some critiques and advice for my personal statement.Two years ago, while working at the Roxbury District Courthouse, I walked into work and was greeted by various news vans parked outside, and a large police presence. The reason for the media flurry was for the arraignment of a man that shot a 14 year old, who was waiting for the bus. At the time, I worked in the probation department for a number of months, and witnessed everything from attempted escapes from the sixth session, murder trials and a domestic dispute that involved a frying pan and hot grits. The atmosphere during the arraignment was full of emotion, where the defendant, a 20 year old, prominent member of a Boston gang, plead not guilty behind a partition for fear of backlash in the courtroom. Emotions ran high in the courtroom due to the young ages of the involved parties and the gang connections. I currently work in the Gang Unit office at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, where I had the opportunity to see this particular defendant’s trial go to Superior Court and work with the prosecuting attorney. The trial provoked me to pursue a career as a prosecutor, to ensure the future well being of others, especially with adolescents. It was a harbinger of change for me, where before I wanted to focus on the issues of social justice due to both of my parents being members in active unions. This trial struck a chord with me due to having tutored students from the victim’s school, as well as my extensive work experience with adolescents. As the child of immigrant parents, independence was instilled in me and I gravitated towards leadership positions. My parents spoke English but lacked a firm grasp on it and I often facilitated my own parent-teacher conferences in elementary school. I have served in varying leadership capacities since then and continued my leadership work through college. At Northeastern University, I am the Vice President of Programming for the Resident Student Association (RSA). My role in the organization is to plan and execute large-scale programs for the 14,000 students that live on campus, like the annual 24 hour scavenger hunt with 600 participants.( Read more...Collapse )Thanks for reading! I'm trying to have it all done by this weekend. (5 comments | comment on this) Sunday, January 9th, 2011 12:57 am - NY Times - For Law Student Graduates, Debts if Not Job Offers littlestarletta Is Law School a Losing Game?By DAVID SEGALIF there is ever a class in how to remain calm while trapped beneath $250,000 in loans, Michael Wallerstein ought to teach it.Here he is, sitting one afternoon at a restaurant on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, a tall, sandy-haired, 27-year-old radiating a kind of surfer-dude serenity. His secret, if that’s the right word, is to pretty much ignore all the calls and letters that he receives every day from the dozen or so creditors now hounding him for cash.“And I don’t open the e-mail alerts with my credit score,” he adds. “I can’t look at my credit score any more.”Mr. Wallerstein, who can’t afford to pay down interest and thus watches the outstanding loan balance grow, is in roughly the same financial hell as people who bought more home than they could afford during the real estate boom. But creditors can’t foreclose on him because he didn’t spend the money on a house.He spent it on a law degree. And from every angle, this now looks like a catastrophic investment.( Read more...Collapse )sourceI definitely think there needs to be law school reform organized and led by the ABA. Without doing this, the profession is going to suffer for all, even more than it already has. At this point, seeing the data it's clear that incoming law students aren't going to stop coming in - so the ABA has to step in and create standards. We don't see this crap happening to any other professions. (19 comments | comment on this) Sunday, November 21st, 2010 3:13 am - Slate Article Discussion littlestarletta Anyone see this article? http://www.slate.com/id/2272621/**A Case of Supply v. DemandLaw schools are manufacturing more lawyers than America needs, and law students aren't happy about it.**Is law school not all it's cracked up to be? Is law school not all it's cracked up to be?During the recession, the logic was ubiquitous: The economy is terrible—better to wait it out! It is a three-year fast track to a remunerative, respectable career! It's not just learning a subject—it's learning how to think! Law school, always the safe choice, became a more popular choice. Between 2007 and 2009, the number of LSAT takers climbed 20.5 percent. Law school applications increased in turn. But now a number of recent or current law students are saying—or screaming—that they made a mistake. They went to law school, they say, and now they're underemployed or jobless, in debt, and three years older. And statistics show that the evidence is more than anecdotal. ( bolded for your convenienceCollapse ) (9 comments | comment on this) Tuesday, October 26th, 2010 8:47 pm - Last Semester Course Selection littlestarletta Whether I can believe it or not, tomorrow I register for my last semester in law school. I'm planning on a career in immigration law and thus I think it's important I take Administrative Law. I've also been advised by friends that Evidence is a must take in law school because it's the hardest to learn for the bar exam and is very complex. However, I don't know if I should take Evidence because I won't need it in immigration law.I also don't know if I should take Admin because I've heard it's wicked boring and I don't like the professor selection for the course next semester.Alternatively, I'd like to take Domestic Violence, Housing, First Amendment, and/or Family. I know none of these are required for the bar exam... but I don't want to take classes aimed at the bar because I figure BarBri will cover it and I don't want to use my tuition money like that. So basically I'm confused. Should I try to take some practice courses or are practical courses overrated? (29 comments | comment on this) Monday, October 18th, 2010 10:48 pm - So You Want to Go to Law School | | 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