Write-on Competition

Write-on CompetitionThis week we welcome back guest writer Stephanie Gregoire to talk about what the write-on competition experience was like for her.

This past summer, I went through the write-on competition for my school’s flagship law review and was successfully selected to join the law review as a member. During that entire process, I found myself having several “I wish I would’ve known this” moments, so to that end I hope to provide some illumination into the vagaries of the write-on competition.

I do want to caveat that each school (and sometimes each journal at a school) will operate theirs differently, so for the sake of transparency, here’s how mine functions: all of the journals and law review have the same write-on “prompt” but invite different categories of people to participate over a two-ish week period during the summer. Our “prompt” was a case pending before the Supreme Court, and we had to write a note or comment on that case that we then submitted for anonymous evaluation. It was not mandatory, and if we were eligible to write-on to multiple journals we could submit to all of them. With that background out of the way, let’s talk about my multiple “what…” moments! [Read more…]

Behind the Scenes of Legal Writing: Understanding the Writing of Practicing Lawyers

Behind the Scenes of Legal Writing Understanding the Writing of Practicing LawyersThis week we welcome back guest writer Marissa Geannette to talk about the different types of legal writing.

The legal profession is often associated with words, language, and writing, and students who are strong writers have always been drawn to it. From contracts and pleadings to briefs and memos, legal writing is an integral part of a practicing lawyer’s day-to-day work.

While you’ve undoubtedly taken a legal writing course or two in law school, the truth is that legal writing is much more diverse than what those classes make it out to be. If you’re wondering what type of writing you’ll be doing once you become a practicing lawyer, read on as we delve into various forms of writing that lawyers engage in every day. [Read more…]

A Month At the Court As an Intern

A Month At the Court As an InternThis week we’re hearing again from guest writer Stephanie Gregoire, this time about what her experience as an intern in the court has been like during the summer.

For the past month, I’ve had the honor of interning with a Texas appellate court justice. It’s hard to believe my time in this position is over, but this has been an unforgettable experience, and I am so grateful for the opportunity. If you’re wondering what a judicial intern does, or at least what they might do, read on to learn more about what the past few weeks have involved for me. I should caveat up front that not all experiences will necessarily be the same, depending on the particular court or judge/justice you work with, but hopefully this will be helpful to you in some capacity. [Read more…]

You Can Do Anything With a Law Degree – These Authors Prove It!

You Can Do Anything With a Law Degree – These Authors Prove It!This week we welcome back guest writer Marissa Geannette to talk about what you can do with a law degree.

You’ve no doubt heard it before – “you can do anything with a law degree!” But do you believe it? Are there really alternatives to working as a lawyer? There absolutely are plenty. And while most law students aren’t thinking about how to leave the profession before they even enter it, it’s good to know all of your options.

Here, for some inspiration, we delve a little bit into the fascinating world of lawyers turned novelists and give some tips on what you can do if you think that’s something you might be interested in doing. Knowing that alternative career paths exist is one of the smartest things you can do for yourself as a young lawyer.

Who knows, maybe you’ll add author to your resumé one day!

[Read more…]

Bookkeeping For Law Students

Bookkeeping For Law StudentsThis week we welcome back guest writer Hillary Vaillancourt to talk about keeping your expenses in order as a law student.

With the frequent use of online banking, it’s easy these days to put our finances on autopilot. We create automatic payments for our bills. We get billing statements sent to inboxes and probably move them directly to the trash without even opening them. In short, we’re not paying attention to our money or our budget.

That can be a big problem down the road. As a law student (especially if you’re going to law school straight from undergrad), you probably aren’t worried yet about buying a house or perhaps getting a business loan to open your own practice.

There are numerous expenses and financial goals that can be impacted by poor financial habits in law school.

Trust me, I understand how completely time-consuming law school can be. Sometimes I feel like I’m still briefing cases, and it’s been more than ten years since I was in law school! However, your future is waiting for you. It’s important to establish good financial habits now before you start making the big lawyer dollars later.

Here’s how to manage your money now to set yourself up for success later.

[Read more…]

Five Foundational Principles of Good (Legal) Writing

Five Foundational Principles of Good (Legal) WritingThis week we welcome back guest writer Tiffany Lo to discuss some important basics in legal writing.

Have you ever gotten a headache from reading a statutory provision that went on for ten lines? Or a sentence in a court opinion featuring too many dependent clauses? Or a legal brief with too much jargon or unnecessary words like herein or thereafter?

As a student of the law, I have always been puzzled by why legislators, attorneys, and judges express ideas in convoluted ways. I am also delighted when a legal brief or court ruling is clean and concise, without compromising on sharp and compelling analysis. [Read more…]

7 Law School Resolutions For The New Year

7 Law School Resolutions For The New YearThis week we welcome back guest writer Tiffany Lo to talk about starting fresh in the new year with some resolutions.

Being a law student is not easy. There is always room for improvement—to make things more efficient, to grow your knowledge, to hone your legal skills. This year, consider adopting some of these new year resolutions:

[Read more…]

4 Ways to Seek Feedback in Law School

4 Ways to Seek Feedback in Law SchoolThis week we welcome back guest writer and 2L Tiffany Lo to talk about how to get feedback in law school.

In law school, a final exam is often the sole determinant of a grade in a course. For many students, this is an uncomfortable shift from undergraduate classes in which there are multiple assessments, whether as quizzes, group projects, or short papers. I have felt exasperated by not knowing whether I was grasping the materials, whether I was applying concepts correctly, and whether my legal analysis is on point. Unfortunately, the burden falls on us students to take the initiative and seek feedback. Here are four of my ideas for how to do that: [Read more…]

Make Applying to Outside Law School Scholarships a Habit

Make Applying to Outside Law School Scholarships a HabitThis week we hear from current law student and guest writer Tiffany Gee Ching Lo about how to approach applications to law school scholarships.

It is no secret that attending law school is a massive financial undertaking. While many schools provide need and merit-based scholarships, most students still need to pay a large sum of tuition and living expenses. As a student, I feel this pressure acutely, as do many of my classmates. During the summer before starting law school, I was curious to see whether there were scholarships I could apply for. I started with a simple google search, but quickly ended up with tens and tens of tiny tabs in my browser. I realized that many law firms and legal organizations offer awards ranging anywhere from $100 to $30,000, averaging at $2,000-$2,500. Many scholarships are recurring on an annual or semesterly basis. There were so many opportunities that I created a document to store all the hyperlinks and to organize them. I now call this list my money maker. [Read more…]

Did your Summer Job Fall Through? Become a Better Writer Anyway

Did your Summer Job fall through? Become a Better Writer AnywayThis week we welcome back guest writer and tutor Elizabeth Knox to talk about working on your legal writing skills this summer, whether or not you have a legal job.

Some lawyers find that the value of law school isn’t found in the coursework, but rather in the summer work most students do. Summer jobs allow students to practice tailoring their legal writing and then get real feedback from practitioners. There’s nothing like going through a brutal feedback process to help new attorneys become stellar legal writers.

COVID-19 has changed the summer landscape for most law students. Jobs have been canceled or postponed because of stay at home orders, leaving many students in the lurch. This would normally be a red flag for future employers, but because this is happening on an unprecedented scale, you don’t need to worry about that right now

This does not mean you should do nothing this summer. Employers are still going to wonder how you spent the summer, and you’ll want a good answer. If you don’t have to work or care for family, this summer holds a fantastic opportunity to improve your legal writing. It can be daunting to do this without the promise of feedback, but it’s worth doing anyway.

[Read more…]