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Should You Listen to Music While Studying?

June 6, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Should You Listen to Music While Studying?This week we welcome back guest writer and lawyer John Passmore to discuss the positives and negatives of listening to music while studying.

Should you listen to music while studying in law school or during bar prep? As with most all study skills questions, one-size rarely fits all. So this post will not demonize your earbuds or bless them. Maybe the answer is even different for different study tasks or different subjects. The key is to appreciate the good and the bad and to make your choice an intentional part of your study plan. If you are trying to decide if study tunes are on your road to law school or bar exam prep success or failure, consider the following pros and cons: [Read more…]

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Choosing between a Full or Part-Time Law Program

May 9, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Choosing between a Full or Part-Time Law ProgramGuest writer Zoila Sanchez is back to talk about deciding between a full-time or part-time law school program.

One of the most exciting aspects of applying to law school is getting down to the specifics such as the kind of program—part-time or full-time studies. There are important things to consider when selecting the right option for you.

Questions to ask yourself may include:

[Read more…]

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Managing Expectations of Loved Ones as a Nontraditional Law Student

March 28, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Managing Expectations of Loved Ones as a Nontraditional Law StudentThis week we welcome back guest writer and law student Stephanie Gregoire to talk about expectations of family and friends as a nontraditional law student.

If I’ve learned anything in law school, it’s that everyone, and I mean everyone, has an opinion. With movies like “Legally Blonde” and “The Paper Chase,” people wonder what law school is actually like and what to expect from their friends or relatives who are in law school. So how do you manage the expectations of those relatives who expect one extreme or the other from you? Here are some tips I either used myself or heard about from classmates and friends to manage the opinions and expectations of loved ones. [Read more…]

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Coping with Divorce in Law School

September 13, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Coping with Divorce in Law SchoolThis week we welcome law tutor Sara Beller to talk about what it was like getting divorced in law school.

I started my 1L year newly engaged and ready to conquer law school. I could already see it – I was going to finish the year with a Law Review invitation and one of the top rankings in my class, all while planning the wedding of my dreams. Check, check, and check!

Next it was time to master being a 2L. No big deal, right? I mean my “to-do” list for the year was relatively short … just finish the year in the top 10%, make Law Review editor, land a summer internship, oh and did I mention get married?!

I crushed my 2L “to-do” list and was ready to tackle my last year of law school as a newlywed and newly minted Law Review editor. I had 3L year in the bag, or so I thought. Right before midterms of my Fall semester, life happened. I got divorced. Instead of studying for midterms, I was moving out of the apartment I shared with my now-ex-husband, figuring out where I was going to live, and getting further and further behind in my classes.

That year, I went from wondering if I would even pass my classes to *spoiler alert* graduating with honors. Here’s how I survived getting divorced in law school and the lessons I learned along the way:

[Read more…]

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Carving Your Own Path in the Legal Field

March 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment

Carving Your Own Path in the Legal FieldThis week we welcome back guest writer Zoila Sanchez to discuss how you can find your own, unique area of the law.

When I was an undergraduate, it seemed to me that most students fell into either pre-medical school track, psychology, or business. I recall our career center heavily focusing on business opportunity events, however, none of these paths seemed to spark my interests. We did not hear much about other possibilities.

[Read more…]

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The Do’s and Don’ts of Getting Involved Around Campus

August 17, 2021 by Leave a Comment

The Do’s and Don’ts of Getting Involved Around CampusThis week we’re welcoming back guest writer Aleena Ijaz to talk about why you may want to get involved around campus and what are some best practices.

You’ve probably found out by now that “law school” is more than just school. It’s a lifestyle. To ensure that your lifestyle is as balanced as humanly possible, you may choose to get involved around your law school campus. You may want to fill your days with something more than reading and briefing cases. But while getting involved is a great way to make the most of your law school experience, extracurricular involvements (or the lack thereof) can quickly snowball into your biggest regrets. Before you pay another membership fee or sign up for another journal, keep the following in mind: [Read more…]

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What on Earth is a Clerkship and How Do I Get One?

July 6, 2021 by Leave a Comment

What on Earth is a Clerkship and How do I Get One?

This week we welcome guest writer Aleena Ijaz to talk about, and demystify, the clerkship process.

I had absolutely no idea what a “clerkship” was before I started law school. So, if you are reading this post and don’t even know what a clerkship really is, don’t stop reading. I will explain.

[Read more…]

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Three Things I Learned About The French Lifestyle That Changed How I Practice Law

June 22, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Three Things I Learned About The French Lifestyle That Changed How I Practice LawThis week we welcome back guest writer Hillary Vaillancourt to talk about what she learned from the French lifestyle and how this helped her as an attorney,

Ever since I can remember, I’ve been fascinated by the French lifestyle. My childhood bedroom had an Eiffel Tower clock. My traditional birthday cake was chocolate mousse. I took a French language class as soon as my school offered one. I have nearly a dozen French cookbooks (and counting), but what has really inspired me is the French philosophy on work life balance.

I first started to really delve into the French lifestyle when I read French Women Don’t Get Fat by Mireille Guiliano. The whole book is an ode to the French way of life. Essentially, the book explores how French women are able to eat decadent foods like buttery croissants, creamy custards, and cheesy sauces without seemingly gaining any weight whatsoever. Take a walk around Paris, and you’ll notice most locals are svelte and chic.

Mireille Guiliano, a native Frenchwoman, explains that the French allow themselves to indulge in their favorite foods, even dessert, without guilt, without reservation. To balance out the indulgence, they simply eat a little cleaner the next day. The key is, they indulge without guilt, but more importantly, they savor what they indulge in. Life is meant to be enjoyed. Why deny ourselves a crème filled éclair? Or a glass of red wine? Or a study break from our Torts outlines?

What can the French teach us about lawyering? Turns out, quite a lot.

[Read more…]

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Tips for 1Ls to Prepare a Strong Transfer Application

March 30, 2021 by Leave a Comment

Tips for 1Ls to Prepare a Strong Transfer ApplicationThis week we welcome back guest writer Tiffany Lo to talk about how to go about preparing the best transfer application you can.

Are you a 1L thinking about transferring law schools? If so, this post is for you! As a transfer student myself, I remember putting together my application as a worldwide pandemic raged on and interpersonal relations were developed and maintained through a computer screen.

Current 1Ls are in a similar predicament – many of them have not been able to go on campus or form close relationships with their professors and classmates. Under these constraints, campus culture has become difficult to discern. With travel restrictions, they cannot go visit other schools or sit in on classes. All of this has compounded the stress of the transfer application process.

I recently spoke to a 1L who is considering transferring. His questions spoke to the challenges with the process itself and concerns about being a transfer student, especially given the state of the world. Here are my tips for preparing a strong transfer application: [Read more…]

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How To Find The Area Of Law That’s Right For You

March 2, 2021 by Leave a Comment

How To Find The Area Of Law That’s Right For YouThis week we welcome back guest writer Hillary Vaillancourt to talk about finding the right fit in a legal practice area.

I am one of those people. You know the kind, the kind that can’t try a new recipe without posting a picture on social media with a lengthy write-up about how the food was prepared, where, and why. The kind that will go to a restaurant and snap copious amounts of pictures of the meal before finally sticking a fork in it. The kind that leaves a #foodie on post after post. I proudly grocery shop like a tourist in a new city. I love scanning the shelves every week for some new product, some new, exotic ingredient I can use to bring my culinary creations to a higher level of deliciousness.

In fact, I love food so much, during my first year of law school I considered leaving to go to culinary school. A fellow classmate did just that and became a pastry chef, and to be honest, I have always been a bit jealous of her path.

I did finish law school, but when it came time for me to decide where I wanted my own career to go, I wasn’t as sure as I thought I was when I first decided to get a law degree. I knew I wanted to help people. I wanted to do something altruistic. I thought I would go to Washington, D.C. and lobby for a nonprofit. But, I wasn’t quite sure what specific road to take after law school.

If you’re unsure of your career path, or what area of law is right for you, here are a few tips for you to find your way.

[Read more…]

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