tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-56496144407830967862024-03-19T06:06:18.129-07:00Law School Expert HAS MOVEDThe Law School Expert blog has permanently moved to: <a href="http://www.LawSchoolExpert.com/blog"><b><u>http://www.LawSchoolExpert.com/blog</u></b></a>
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Please update your bookmarks and feeds to reflect this change.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.comBlogger244125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-55952538623890908502009-02-03T10:58:00.000-08:002009-02-03T11:03:19.753-08:00PLEASE NOTE THIS IMPORTANT CHANGE<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Law School Expert Blog has MOVED to </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/">http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/</a></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">All new posts and comments will be made at </span></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/">http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/</a></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:180%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"></span></span><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:180%;" >It's still Ann Levine, and it's still completely candid, honest, optimistic and wise advice, but it's now at <a href="http://http//www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/">http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/</a></span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:180%;" >Please subscribe at the new blog address</span><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:180%;" ><a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/">http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/</a></span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:180%;" >Please change all bookmarks, google reader links, etc. to</span><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:180%;" ><a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/">http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/</a></span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:180%;" >I promise to reward you with pithy, insightful information about the law school admission process!</span><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:180%;" >Thanks for reading, thanks for following,<br />and thanks for sharing this blog with friends.</span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:180%;" >I look forward to your continued readership, feedback<br />and comments at:</span><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:180%;" ><a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/">http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/blog/</a></span><br /><br /><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:180%;" >Ann</span><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-25017758133215753962009-01-26T19:46:00.000-08:002009-01-26T19:50:31.262-08:00Law School Expert Blog NewsHi Guys,<br />This is the first warning I'm issuing that the url for the blog will be changing in the next two weeks - it's going to be based on my <a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.com">LawSchoolExpert </a>website.<br /><br />The downside is that while things are in transition, I'm unable to comment (long, technically depressing story....)<br /><br />.....but for some recent people who posted questions, I do want to answer them here:<br /><br />First, Minah: You won't be rejected without an LSAT score. No one will read your file until it's complete.<br /><br />And, for the person who submitted the work resume: If it was a good resume that showed your strengths then don't worry. Substance rules.<br /><br />Goodnight everyone, and keep an eye out for the Great Blog Migration of 2009.....<br /><br />AnnAnn K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-49189727938368014482009-01-20T09:43:00.001-08:002009-01-20T09:43:37.838-08:00Yale taking February LSAT this yearSee the <a href="http://blogs.law.yale.edu/blogs/admissions/archive/2009/01/20/it-s-not-over-yet.aspx">Yale Law Blog</a> for details.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-48533769749316738712009-01-15T14:35:00.000-08:002009-01-15T14:36:59.901-08:00Ann Levine Interviewed by LSAT Tutor BlogThanks to Steve Schwartz for posting my interview on his <a href="http://lsatblog.blogspot.com/2009/01/law-school-admissions-expert-interview.html">LSAT Blog </a>today.<br />In the interview I discuss the February LSAT, the LSAT writing sample, and common (awful) mistakes made on law school applications.<br /><br />I look forward to your comments!Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-86104408292030795192009-01-11T19:45:00.000-08:002009-01-11T20:10:35.361-08:00Law School Expert's 250th Blog PostI have been very busy assisting clients through the application process and have not had as much time as I would have liked to share my thoughts on the blog and/or respond individually to as many comments. I am reading everything and responding when I am able, and I do not want to post fluff, but only share information that will truly be useful to law school applicants. I have some fairly random thoughts for this time in the admission cycle that I would like to share.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Some housekeeping:</span><br />First, this is my <span style="font-weight: bold;">250th blog post. </span>Thank you for reading with me along the journey, and thank you especially for telling your friends about the blog (especially friends considering applying to law school for the Fall 2010 admission cycle).<br /><br />Second, I just re-launched a new design of <a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.com/">www.LawSchoolExpert.com </a>and would love any thoughts you have about the new look.<br /><br />Third, I will soon be migrating this blog onto my own domain. Please don't be afraid if you come to read the blog and it suddenly looks professional and/or "pretty" - I promise it's still me, just a version of me planning to join 2009.<br /><br />Fourth, many of you ask very specific questions about your situations - schools to apply to, your chances for admission, etc. I know these are the questions most pressing on your minds, and I do my best to answer them to the extent that I am able. Please be understanding about the fact that these are not questions that are amenable to simple answers; responding appropriately would require significant time to evaluate and consider all of the relevant issues. The blog format is not conducive to this, and -after all - I do give this kind of advice for a living and my clients must continue to be my first priority. Thanks so much to everyone who takes the time to leave positive feedback about the blog being helpful to you; that means a great deal to me and is the reason I spend the time to do this.<br /><br />Lastly, I do want to tell you I am working on a book based on this blog and it will feature (anonymously) many of the questions I've been asked throughout the last 250 posts. Please stay tuned. It may not come out in time to help Fall 2009 applicants, but Fall 2010 applicants will benefit from all of your experiences and any kernels of wisdom I might have shared in response. Keep an eye out for that announcement in the next few months.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ok, Now let's talk about law school admission trends/recent observations:</span><br /><br />1<span style="font-weight: bold;">. Applying late.</span> It feels like more of you are applying later than ever before. This might just be because the December LSAT was a week later (and hence scores were a week later being released) but it definitely concerns me that so many people are still working on applications in mid-January. This is especially true for those of you retaking (or taking) the LSAT in February. I don't want anyone to panic reading this, but I do want you to have a Plan B in the back of your head. Plan B is retaking the LSAT in June/October and applying in September/October of Fall 2010. Of course, this only works if you have gainful employment or no need for gainful employment, but I just want to put this out there.<br /><br />2. The <span style="font-weight: bold;">waitlists </span>haven't gone crazy yet, but they will. Don't get upset about a waitlist decision, just do something about it! If you sit around twiddling your thumbs instead of campaigning to get into a school, then you don't deserve the precious acceptance letter in the first place.<br /><br />3. <span style="font-weight: bold;">General impatience</span> is an unfortunate trend. Please be polite to people who work at law schools. Most of them are not paid well, they are overworked, trying to do a good job, but mistakes do happen. Be professional in all of your dealings; remember that if you act like a jerk (or spoiled brat) these people have the power to walk right into the Dean of Admissions and share a story about the unkind applicant. (An important lesson for aspiring lawyers- treat secretaries/assistants very, very well.)<br /><br />4. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Overestimating your soft factors. </span>I have heard from a lot of people this year touting their extensive, impressive work experience that - after reading 20-some-odd-thousand law school applications- is just not that impressive. This happens with diversity factors too - people who write diversity statements about things that have very little to do with the diversity they bring to the table and more about their parents, grandparents, brother, or best friends or neighbors.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">The good news:</span><br />1. Law schools are acting predictably, and not crazily, this year.<br />2. Application rates are not as crazy as people predicted either.<br />3. I will still be here in the coming months to write about these issues, to share the trends I'm seeing, and to entertain your comments, questions and concerns.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-72424312515142594852009-01-05T14:25:00.000-08:002009-01-05T14:26:39.365-08:00Part III: Observations of the Legal Job Market<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAnn%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAnn%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAnn%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> 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</style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><i style="">9 to 5:<span style=""> </span>9 Observations Regarding the Legal Job Market & 5 Strategies for New Attorneys Entering the 2009 Legal Job Market – A 3 Part Series (Part 3 of 3)<o:p></o:p></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><i style="">By Amanda C. Ellis, Esq.<o:p></o:p></i></b></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;">Parts 1 and 2 of this post examined 9 observations regarding the legal job market:<span style=""> </span>(1) layoffs; (2) hiring freezes; (3) pay freezes and bonus cuts; (4) increased bureaucracy in lateral hiring decisions; (5) busy small firms; (6) hot practice areas; (7) geographical variance among practice areas; (8) a slow moving hiring process; and (9) importance of law school grades.<span style=""> </span>For recent graduates looking for jobs or third-year law students who are expected to graduate in 2009 and have not secured permanent employment, I offer 5 strategies in light of these 9 observations.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><b style=""><u>5 Strategies for Attorneys Entering the 2009 Legal Job Market:<o:p></o:p></u></b></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style=""> </span><b style=""><u>Look at smaller firms.</u></b><span style=""> </span>Did you notice that 4 of the 9 observations discussed in Parts 1 and 2 applied specifically to large firms?<span style=""> </span>And, did you notice that they were all negative observations?<span style=""> </span>So much of the news we hear about the legal job market is from and about large firms.<span style=""> </span>And, there is so much emphasis (some say too much emphasis) on large firms at the law school level.<span style=""> </span>I am sure the focus on large firms during law school is attributable to the larger firms conducting on-campus interviews and establishing a presence among law students.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">However, you must remember that <b style=""><i style="">the overwhelming majority of new law graduates do not begin their careers in large firms.</i></b><span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.nalp.org/press/details.php?id=70">The National Association for Legal Career Professionals conducted a study</a> on attorneys who graduated in 2006 and found that <b style=""><i style="">only 20% went to work for large firms</i></b> (defined as law firms with more than 100 attorneys); the majority of new graduates went to work for firms with fewer than 50 attorneys.<span style=""> </span>So, while you may feel like your only employment option is with a big firm, there are many, many other firms out there – and, they are busy (see observation #4).<span style=""> </span>It just may take a little work on your part to find them since they aren’t actively recruiting at law schools.<span style=""> </span>Knowing which firms specialize in the hot practice areas will help!</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Hang your own shingle.</u></b><span style=""> </span>I am amazed at the resources and support system available for attorneys looking to open their own practices, and I imagine a significant number of new attorneys (even seasoned attorneys) don’t even realize they exist.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.susancartierliebel.typepad.com/">Susan Cartier Liebel maintains the site Build Your Solo Practice</a> and wrote a <a href="http://susancartierliebel.typepad.com/build_a_solo_practice/2008/10/why-now-is-the.html">blog post</a> in October suggesting that now, in a shaky economy, is the best time to start your own business.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Susan also runs <a href="http://solopracticeuniversity.com/">Solo Practice University</a>, a web-based educational community where attorneys can learn from other solo practitioners, marketing consultants, technology consultants and other business professionals about how to plan, build and grow a solo practice.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><a href="http://www.myshingle.com/promo/about-me/">Carolyn Elefant</a> is another solo practitioner who blogs frequently at <a href="http://www.myshingle.com/">MyShingle.com</a> about what it takes to make the leap to solo or small-firm practice.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://twitter.com/carolynelefant">Carolyn (@carolynelefant)</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/scartierliebel">Susan (@SCartierLiebel)</a> and a host of other solo practitioners actively engage in discussions on the social networking site <a href="http://twitter.com/home">Twitter</a>.<span style=""> </span>If you don’t have a Twitter account, create one (it’s free) and join their conversations!<span style=""> </span>Additionally, most state and local bar associations also have sections or committees devoted to solo or small-firm practice and offer resources, including resources focused on starting your practice.<span style=""> </span>If you have the entrepreneurial spirit, going solo might be a great option for you. </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Network creatively.</u></b><span style=""> </span>Networking is critical in a good economy and even more critical in our current economy.<span style=""> </span>Every job seeker knows this so you must get creative with your networking.<span style=""> </span>For example, if you had a career before entering law school, how can your previous career help you get a legal job?<span style=""> </span>Perhaps you were a teacher or worked in the education field prior to law school?<span style=""> </span>Network with your old contacts in the field and ask them which attorneys represent the school, the district, etc; if they don’t know, perhaps they can put you in touch with someone who does?<span style=""> </span>Market yourself to firms/attorneys that specialize in education/school law and express your desire to continue your work in the field only in a different capacity (as a lawyer). <span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><b style=""><u><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></u></b></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Another example of creative networking is to engage alumni from your college or high school or hometown who are also attorneys.<span style=""> </span>Many colleges and universities have their own list-serves or networking groups for alumni attorneys; if your college doesn’t, create one!<span style=""> </span>Finally, if you haven’t added social networking to your networking mix, do so now!<span style=""> </span>This is a topic worthy of an entirely separate blog so I won’t go into great detail here.<span style=""> </span>At a minimum, you should maintain a profile on <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn</a>.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Consider relocating to another legal market.</u> </b><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Consider other legal markets where you have connections or ties; if the other markets are thriving, particularly in practice areas in which you are interested, consider relocating for a few years. </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Clerk for a judge on a temporary basis.</u></b><span style=""> </span>I know several attorneys who recently clerked in a non-traditional capacity.<span style=""> </span>One attorney clerked for a federal judge for a few months while the judge’s career clerk was on medical leave.<span style=""> </span>Another attorney was hired for a specified term (one year, I believe) to serve as an additional clerk to the bankruptcy judges in the Northern District of Texas after the 2005 Bankruptcy Reform Legislation led to a significant increase in consumer bankruptcy filings.<span style=""> </span>It is certainly conceivable that the current increase in consumer and commercial bankruptcy filings could create a demand for similar temporary positions.<span style=""> </span>Keep your eyes open for positions like these.<span style=""> </span>The <a href="http://www.uscourts.gov/uscjobvac/query/index.cfm?task=uscourts">website for the Federal Judiciary</a> lists employment opportunities in the Federal Judiciary.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0in;">In sum, do not let the negative news headlines discourage you.<span style=""> </span>If you entered law school knowing you wanted to be a lawyer, there will be an opportunity for you; it will just take some longer to find that opportunity so be patient.<span style=""> </span>My first-year torts professor (now, the President of the University of Texas) gave our class some advice that I still remember and believe to be true – no matter where you rank in your class, you will be doing something in 10 years that truly makes you happy.<span style=""> </span>He was right!<span style=""> </span>And, I know the same is true for you! </p> Ann K. 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mso-level-tab-stop:none; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><b style=""><i style="">9 to 5:<span style=""> </span>9 Observations Regarding the Legal Job Market & 5 Strategies for New Attorneys Entering the 2009 Legal Job Market – A 3 Part Series (Part 2 of 3)<o:p></o:p></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><i style="">By Amanda C. Ellis, Esq.<o:p></o:p></i></b></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 0.25in;">Part 1 of this post examined 4 observations regarding the current legal job market and all 4 observations concerned large firms – (1) layoffs; (2) hiring freezes; (3) pay freezes and bonus cuts; and (4) increased bureaucracy in lateral hiring decisions.<span style=""> </span>Part 2 of this post continues with more observations of the current legal job market; this part examines observations 5-9.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><u>9 Observations Regarding the Legal Job Market (cont.):<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></u></b></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Smaller firms are busy.</u></b><span style=""> </span>Almost all of my small-firm clients are busier now than they were a year ago.<span style=""> </span>Some are litigation boutique firms that are busy as a result of litigation related to failed financial institutions; others are bankruptcy boutique firms that are thriving as a result of the increased bankruptcy filings.<span style=""> </span>And, many are busy as a result of corporate clients seeking smaller firms with smaller fees, a trend that is likely to continue. <span style=""> </span>My small-firm clients definitely have a positive, upbeat vibe.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Certain practice areas thrive in an economic downturn.</u></b><span style=""> </span>Certain practice areas spike during economic downturns.<span style=""> </span>Bankruptcy is an obvious example.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://albuquerque.bizjournals.com/portland/stories/2004/11/08/focus1.html">Litigation is another practice area that usually spikes during downturns</a>; securities and white-collar litigation are expected to be strong during the current recession.<span style=""> </span>Labor and employment litigation usually increases during recessions as well since more companies implement layoffs. <span style=""> </span>IP litigation also remains a strong practice area in most markets.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u><span style=""> </span>“Hot” practice areas vary by legal market.</u></b><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>The demand for attorneys in a particular practice area varies by legal market – what is hot in one market could be dead in another market.<span style=""> </span>For example, asbestos litigation is cold in Texas due to tort reform but hot in California and Pennsylvania.<span style=""> </span>Even among the practice areas that thrive during an economic downturn, there is still some variation.<span style=""> </span>For example, there will always be a greater demand for bankruptcy attorneys in those markets where the majority of the large Chapter 11 cases are filed such as New York and Delaware. <span style=""> </span>We are witnessing this trend today.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Firms (of all sizes) take longer to make hiring decisions.</u></b><span style=""> </span>Obtaining a lateral position takes longer during a recession.<span style=""> </span>Firms of all sizes are now more particular about which candidates they interview and take their time deciding which candidates to interview.<span style=""> </span>Recently, I’ve seen firms take as long as 4 months before deciding to interview someone.<span style=""> </span>And, I’ve seen firms take as long as 6 months before eliminating candidates from the interview process.<span style=""> </span>So, don’t assume that the firm is passing simply because you haven’t heard from them! </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Law school grades are more important than ever.</u></b><span style=""> </span>At least 90% of the firms I work with (both large and small) inquire about lateral candidates’ law school grades.<span style=""> </span>I won’t get into a discussion here on whether law school grades are more important than the rank of the law school, but I can tell you that the majority of the firms I work with scrutinize a lateral candidate’s grades more closely than the rank of the candidate’s law school.<span style=""> </span>In the past month, I’ve seen 3 large firms move forward with candidates who graduated in the top 5% from a Tier 4 law school; this illustrates that a candidate can do well at a lower tier school and still land in a large firm.<span style=""> </span>The one caveat I would emphasize is that a large firm typically only hires candidates from Tier 4 law schools within the firm’s legal market.<span style=""> </span>For example, a graduate of a Tier 4 school in Texas will have a harder time finding a job outside of Texas even if he or she finished in the top 5% whereas large Texas firms are likely to consider the candidate.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">Certain legal markets give greater weight to grades than others.<span style=""> </span>Based on my experience placing lateral attorneys in multiple states, Texas firms have one of the most stringent grading scales.<span style=""> </span>The major firms in Texas base their hiring criteria on the <a href="http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/grad/law/search">U.S. News Law School Rankings</a>.<span style=""> </span>Generally, a candidate from a Top 15 law school must finish in the top 40-50% in order to qualify as a potential hire for large Texas firms.<span style=""> </span>Candidates from other Tier 1 schools typically must finish in the top 15-25% and candidates from Tier 2 schools must finish in the top 10-15% in order to qualify.<span style=""> </span>Candidates from Tier 3 and Tier 4 schools typically must finish in the Top 5-10% in order to meet the hiring standards for large firms in Texas (though certain Tier 4 schools are favored over others).<span style=""> </span>I’ve worked with firms in other legal markets that are not this strict; for example, the cutoff for Tier 1 schools is the top 50% in some markets.<span style=""> </span>However, I predict that as the recession lingers, many firms will gravitate toward a more stringent scale like the one used by many large firms in Texas.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <span style="font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">This part of the post concludes the 9 observations of the current legal job market; part 3 will examine 5 strategies new attorneys can employ as they seek to enter the 2009 legal job market – a market described by the 9 observations in Parts 1 and 2.<span style=""> </span></span>Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-49800104040771908892009-01-02T20:47:00.000-08:002009-01-02T20:56:52.808-08:009 Observations Regarding the Legal Job Market <meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAnn%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAnn%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAnn%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> 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Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-size:10.0pt; mso-ansi-font-size:10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p style="text-align: left;">I am not a career counselor, but everyone applying to law school should be thinking about the marketability of a lawyer's skills and education. I called upon a real expert in legal hiring, Amanda Ellis, president of Amanda Ellis Legal Search (www.aellislegal.com). Amanda focuses on the placement of bankruptcy attorneys nationwide and of all attorneys in Texas, with a special emphasis on attorneys relocated to Texas. She very kindly agreed to write a 3-part post about the legal job market for new attorneys, which should be of great interest to my readers.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:11;" ><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">
<br /></span></span></p><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"> </div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><i style="">9 to 5:<span style=""> </span>9 Observations Regarding the Legal Job Market & 5 Strategies for New Attorneys Entering the 2009 Legal Job Market – A 3 Part Series (Part 1 of 3)
<br />By Amanda C. Ellis, Esq.<o:p></o:p></i></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">If there’s one question I’ve been asked repeatedly over the past few months it is this:<span style=""> </span>“how has the economy affected the legal job market?”<span style=""> </span>In the past few weeks, I’ve also received numerous inquiries from contacts on Twitter and friends who are in law school about how the current legal job market and economy will affect new attorneys graduating in 2009 (or those who graduated in 2008 and are still looking for a job).<span style=""> </span>I’ve compiled a list of 9 trends I’ve observed in the current legal market and have outlined 5 strategies to help new attorneys find employment in the 2009 legal job market.<span style=""> </span>Because of the length of this post, I’ve divided the post into 3 separate blog entries:<span style=""> </span>(Part 1) observations 1-4 which happen to be observations about large law firms; (Part 2) observations 5-9; and (Part 3) the 5 strategies.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style=""><u>9 Observations Regarding the Legal Job Market:<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></u></b></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">1.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Large firms lay off associates and staff, rescind offers.</u></b><span style=""> </span>According to the <a href="http://lawshucks.com/layoff-tracker/">Law Shucks Layoff Tracker</a>, 1,762 lawyers lost their jobs in 2008 (this information is also contained in <i style="">The American Lawyer’s</i> <a href="http://www.law.com/jsp/tal/PubArticleTAL.jsp?id=1202425647706">The Layoff List</a>, a comprehensive list of all large firms that eliminated associates during 2008). The layoff trend began in January 2008, primarily in firms with large structured finance practices; however, the trend spread rapidly in the fall months as certain financial institutions collapsed and credit markets froze. <span style=""> </span>The disaster in the financial markets also caused some large firms to pause and reconsider some outstanding offers.<span style=""> </span>At least <a href="http://www.abajournal.com/news/akin_gump_among_the_firms_rescinding_job_offers_to_2ls/">one large law firm rescinded offers to 2Ls</a>, and I’ve heard from lateral candidates about a few large firms that rescinded offers to lateral candidates because they wanted to see how quickly the economy rebounds. <span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">2.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Large firms invoke hiring freezes (or disguised freezes).</u></b><span style=""> </span>In late October, a <a href="http://abovethelaw.com/2008/10/hiring_freeze_at_chadbourne_pa.php">large firm announced that it had instituted a hiring freeze</a> on lateral associates and staff; the firm made it clear that the freeze would not apply to the firm’s 2009 summer associate class.<span style=""> </span>I’ve seen many other firms take similar steps though they don’t call their action a hiring freeze.<span style=""> </span>Probably the most common approach I’ve seen is the one where firms fill their current hiring needs by pulling associates from slow practice areas – for example, moving a structured finance associate to the firm’s bankruptcy section.<span style=""> </span>Other firms that normally post all of their job openings on their websites have removed all job openings.<span style=""> </span><span style=""> </span>Another common approach is firms informing candidates (or recruiters) that they don’t have any hiring needs at this point and plan to assess their hiring needs in “a few months.” </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">3.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Large firms freeze associate salaries and cut associate bonuses.</u></b><span style=""> </span>It probably doesn’t surprise you that large firms’ bonus announcements to date have been significantly lower than 2007 bonuses.<span style=""> </span><a href="http://www.abovethelaw.com/">The Above the Law blog</a> tracks 2008 bonus announcements and details in its <a href="http://abovethelaw.com/associate_bonus_watch_2008/">Associate Bonus Watch</a>.<span style=""> </span>Additionally, at least <a href="http://abovethelaw.com/2008/12/latham_watkins_salary_freeze.php">two large firms have announced salary freezes</a>.<span style=""> </span>I’ve even seen a few firms (primarily, firms dependent on their real estate practices) actually reduce associates’ base salaries; in each case, the firms explained that their actions were preventative measures to avoid layoffs.<span style="">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="">
<br /></span></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">4.<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style=""><u>Large firms seek firm-wide approval on lateral hiring decisions.</u></b><span style=""> </span>Most lateral hiring decisions are made by either the department head or by the firm’s hiring committee.<span style=""> </span>In the last few months, I’ve seen more and more firms seeking firm-wide approval on hiring decisions.<span style=""> </span>For example, an IP partner of an AmLaw 100 firm recently informed me that he would have to obtain approval from all IP partners firm-wide before interviewing an IP lateral candidate.<span style=""> </span>It did not matter that the candidate graduated in the top of her class from a top 10 law school; the firm implemented the firm-wide review and approval process as a checks and balances approach in light of the economic downturn. </p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 0.25in; text-align: center;" align="center"><b style=""><u><o:p><span style="text-decoration: none;"> </span></o:p></u></b></p> <span style="line-height: 115%;font-family:";font-size:11;" >While observations 1-4 may sounds grim and depressing, you must keep the news in perspective.<span style=""> </span>For example, look at the 1,762 layoffs in the context of the total number of attorneys in the US -- <a href="http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_many_lawyers_are_in_the_US">1,143,358 in 2007</a> – we are talking about 0.15% of all US attorneys.<span style=""> </span>Also, the observations relate specifically to large firms, yet the vast majority of new attorneys begin their careers at smaller firms (discussed further in Part 3).<span style=""> </span>Part 2 of this post will continue with observations 5-9 and will include some positive observations about the current legal market.<span style=""> </span></span>Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-26673079810871026032008-12-31T17:05:00.000-08:002008-12-31T17:08:12.480-08:00New Year's Resolutions for Law School ApplicantsHere is a link to one of my favorite LawSchoolExpert posts ever - <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2007/12/new-years-resolutions-for-law.html">New Year Resolutions for Law School Applicants</a>. I posted it a year ago, and I hope this year's class of law school applicants finds it just as comforting as last year's.<br /><br />Happy New Year.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-53272595748074060372008-12-29T14:33:00.000-08:002008-12-29T15:20:43.329-08:00Law School Expert's Best of 2008Thanks to all of my readers for your wonderful comments and feedback this year.<br /><br />Over 63,547 of you visited the Law School Expert blog 93,719 times. WOW. Thank you. I love how many of you left comments and sent me e-mails about how the blog has helped you through the law school admission process.<br /><br />I'd like to share with you my favorite posts from this year: (There were 122 posts, so choosing them proved difficult)<br /><br />January: <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/01/benefits-of-attending-law-school-part.html">The benefits of attending law school part time.</a> and <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/01/5-things-you-can-do-to-be-admitted-from.html">5 Things You Can Do To Be Admitted Off the Waitlisted</a><br /><br />February: <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/02/law-school-discussion-driving-you-crazy.html">Law School Discussion Driving You Crazy</a><br /><a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/01/5-things-you-can-do-to-be-admitted-from.html"></a><div class="text_wrapper" id="f_primary_segment1" title="/2007/07/very-low-lsat-scores.html"><div class="text_wrapper"><div class="text_wrapper" id="f_primary_segment4" title="/2007/09/early-decision-deadlines-for-law.html"><div class="text_wrapper"><div class="text_wrapper" id="f_primary_segment6" title="/2008/10/while-waiting-for-october-lsat-scores.html"><div class="text_wrapper"><br />March: <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/03/thinking-about-multiple-seat-deposits.html">Thinking About Multiple Seat Deposits</a><br /><br /><br />April: <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/04/what-do-law-school-rankings-really-mean.html">What Do The Law School Rankings Really Mean?</a><br /><br />June: <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/06/most-popular-prelaw-questions.html">Most Popular Pre-Law Questions </a>and <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/06/what-law-school-admission-consultant.html">What a Law School Admission Consultant Can Do<br /></a><a href="https://www.google.com/analytics/reporting/top_content?id=4099387&pdr=20080101-20081228&cmp=average&trows=10&gdfmt=nth_day#" onclick="table._drillDown(9); return false;"> </a> </div> </div><br /> </div> </div>July: <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/07/choosing-lsat-prep-course.html">Choosing an LSAT Prep Course</a><br /><br />August: <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/08/tips-for-law-school-applicants.html">Tips for Law School Applicants Interested in Public Interest Law</a> and <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/08/top-5-mistakes-made-when-re-applying-to.html">Top 5ou S Mistakes Made When Re-Applying to Law School</a><br /><br />September: <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/09/over-30-and-applying-to-law-school.html">Over 30 and Applying to Law School</a> and<a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/10/should-you-re-take-lsat.html"> Should You Re-Take the LSAT</a><br /> </div> </div><br />October: <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/10/are-you-suffering-from-aps-3-things-to.html">Are You Suffering From Application Panic Syndrome?</a> (my personal favorite post of the year!)<br /><br />November: <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/11/mistakes-to-avoid-in-law-school.html">Mistakes to Avoid in Law School Applications </a>(with a whopping 32 comments!)<br /><br />December: <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-binding-is-binding-early-decision.html">How Binding is Binding Early Decision?</a><br /><br />Thanks so much for the great inspiration - many of my topics come from questions and comments posted to the blog and things that my <a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.com">law school admission consulting clients </a>express concern regarding.<br /><br />Wishing you all a wonderful and happy New Year in 2009.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-919203264062983912008-12-29T14:31:00.000-08:002008-12-29T14:32:24.445-08:00December LSAT Scores Out Today!Just heard back from my first client about December LSAT scores - Congrats on the big increase, B! Looking forward to hearing more news..... Check your email.... (not to make you totally paranoid, but keep your eyes out!)<br />Good luck!<br />And for those of you who haven't yet applied, let's get started ASAP. I'm here to help.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-28902852264203361422008-12-24T17:03:00.001-08:002008-12-24T17:20:06.925-08:00Holiday CheerHello Everyone! In honor of the holiday season, today's blog post exists to congratulate some of my <a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.net">law school admission consulting clients </a>who have heard good news from the following schools:<br /><br />M - Miami, PSU, Drexel (with scholarship)<br />R - Cornell, Georgetown<br />S - UCLA, Georgetown, Berkeley<br />D - William & Mary<br />B - Richmond<br />H - Georgetown<br />K - Wisconsin, BU, W&M (with scholarship!)<br />J - Georgetown, Washington University, Fordham (with scholarship!), USC (with scholarship!)<br />M- Baltimore, Rutgers Newark, Suffolk, Catholic<br />K - Rutgers Newark<br />E - U. Texas and UCLA (with scholarship!)<br />E - U. of Miami<br />T- Marquette (with scholarship!), DePaul, University of Miami<br />A- Rutgers Newark (with scholarship), Maryland, Catholic (with scholarship!)<br />L- Iowa (full tuition scholarship!), George Mason<br />J - NIU, DePaul, Marquette, John Marshall<br />M - Whittier (after applying last year to a bunch of schools and not getting in anywhere!)<br />K - U. Illinois (with scholarship!), W&M (with scholarship!)<br />A- Quinnipiac, Catholic, Widener (with scholarship!)<br />N- Case Western (early decision!)<br />J- St. Thomas<br />C- Nova<br />L- UVA, W&M<br />J- U. Miami<br /><br /><br />I love to hear about your success stories. Please continue to keep me posted. Happy Holidays to everyone.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-46513703107891721932008-12-23T12:05:00.000-08:002008-12-23T12:18:42.621-08:00How Binding is "Binding Early Decision"?"Exactly how binding is early decision?"<br /><br />Thanks to Nathaniel for this great (and timely) question.<br /><br />LSAC lists obligations of the law schools and obligations of law school applicants in the admission process, and one of the key obligations of a law school applicant is in regard to <a href="http://www.lsac.org/pdfs/2007-2008/expectationsinadmissionprocess2007.pdf">binding early decision programs</a>. I urge all law school applicants to read this one-page fact sheet.<br /><br />The bottom line is that, after June 15th, law schools will be able to see where you've submitted seat deposits. If a school sees that you have multiple deposits, the school enforce any policy it has with regard to withdrawing offers of admission.<br /><br />My personal advice:<br />You're entering a profession where your success will be based largely upon whether others regard you as being good for what you promise. It's a little early to start playing games with your reputation. Plus, you'll learn in law school that although it's not against the law to break a contract, there are certain liabilities and downsides for breaching a contract. While a law school won't send the police to cuff you, bring you to their campus, and make you pay the tuition, a law school very well might say "Nevermind" to your admission offer, as could the other school where you've submitted a deposit. Then where would you be? And would all of this trouble have been worth it?<br /><br />For those of you applying for Fall 2010 admission and wondering about <a href="http://blog.blawg.com/archive/2007/09/08/Law-School-and-Early-Decision-Applications.aspx">Early Decision admission to law school, </a>this link should answer your questions.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-70674518287157666182008-12-18T07:23:00.000-08:002008-12-18T07:25:52.057-08:00Your Law School Admission Questions Answered!Hello law school applicants! I am currently accepting suggestions for blog topics..... Fire away by leaving a new comment here - and please give yourself a name (rather than "Anonymous").<br /><br />I look forward to answering your questions.<br /><br />AnnAnn K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-28869373125969859592008-12-09T07:35:00.001-08:002008-12-09T07:39:13.906-08:00101 Ways to A Higher LSAT: Featuring Law School Expert!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUFzcwnwJTzj6E5IKx23pGnDl98h3OsJZxL-To3cPCLIR-_m_AYSfhXPwcvuEhZaWxrLpP4T5QkjESbqwSsoT2LJu3FPm8PpF1NzCd3uZ30VGKm9dNLUMJZKqX6UyfGAa-_DDw2cVJZM/s1600-h/LSAT+Book.png"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 125px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbUFzcwnwJTzj6E5IKx23pGnDl98h3OsJZxL-To3cPCLIR-_m_AYSfhXPwcvuEhZaWxrLpP4T5QkjESbqwSsoT2LJu3FPm8PpF1NzCd3uZ30VGKm9dNLUMJZKqX6UyfGAa-_DDw2cVJZM/s320/LSAT+Book.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277814668120643378" border="0" /></a><br />I am very excited to announce that I am a featured case study in the book: <a href="http://roia.biz/ts/n/X6xIPYJVAAAo2mM3ODgAQQACfIVCAABOrQ-A/">101 Ways to Score Higher on Your LSAT: What You Need to Know About the Law School Admission Test Explained Simply</a> by Linda C. Ashar.<br /><br />If you're just starting to think about the LSAT (especially those of you applying for Fall 2010 admission and beyond), this book is a great, unbiased resource from a company that's not trying to sell you anything.<br /><br />I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the book.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-82120450029842688882008-12-06T16:04:00.000-08:002008-12-06T16:27:47.891-08:00After taking the December LSAT - 3 tipsYou took the December LSAT today? My three most important tips:<br /><br />1. DO NOT SPEND TIME TODAY ON DISCUSSION BOARDS. If you feel good walking out of the test, don't change your opinion of your own performance based on what the mob says on discussion boards. Why would you trust total (anonymous) strangers over your own instincts? Instead of fueling hits to<a href="www.lawschooldiscussion.org/"> Law School Discussion</a> and <a href="www.top-law-schools.com/forums/index.php">Top-Law-Schools </a>today,<a href="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixteen_Candles"> rent a guilty pleasure movie</a> (or download it, I'm sounding my age by saying you have to "rent" it), <a href="en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Shaw_wine%20-">enjoy a glass of wine</a>, and only surround yourself with people who are supportive of your endeavors.<br /><br />2. Thinking about <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/10/cancel-lsat.html">canceling your LSAT score</a>? I've written quite a bit on that topic since starting this blog. (I can answer a few questions in the comments section, but can't give specific advice about whether you should cancel within the blog format. There are just too many factors to consider.) Please also remember that taking the <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2008/12/december-or-february-lsat-6-tips-for.html">February LSAT </a>is less than ideal for Fall admission.<br /><br />3. I know that LSAC said you'd get your scores in January. And they might be telling you the truth. But <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.blogspot.com/2007/12/december-2007-lsat-results-posted.html">last year scores were released on Dec. 21st.</a> Just keep this in mind so you're mentally prepared to submit all of your apps before the end of the month.<br /><br />Enjoy the rest of the weekend, and tell your friends who plan to apply for Fall 2010 admission to take the June or October LSAT so they don't have to go through this agony.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-58083891066459674252008-12-04T10:34:00.000-08:002008-12-04T10:49:50.175-08:00December or February LSAT? 6 Tips for LSAT Test Day.Here are the 4 most common questions that I'm hearing this week from people scheduled to take the December LSAT:<br /><br />1. I have the flu. What do I do?<br />2. This is my first time taking the LSAT and I'm not ready. What do I do?<br />3. If I postpone until February, is that too late in the rolling admission process?<br />4. Why do law schools say they will accept February LSAT scores?<br /><br /> If December would be your first time taking the LSAT and you're feeling unprepared or ill, then you have 2 options: (1) take the LSAT and see how you feel about it, keeping in mind you can cancel it if you really feel terrible during the exam, or (2) wait until the February LSAT.<br /><br />If it's not your first time, you have to decide how you feel about relying on your previous score(s). If you are ok with the options that score will leave you in terms of a schools list, then go ahead and submit your applications and see what happens. If you aren't happy with your results, you can take the LSAT next June or October and apply early in the cycle for Fall 2010.<br /><br />If you are someone who is scoring in the 140s on practice tests, please don't take the exam when you're sick. You'll come back with a score that won't get you serious consideration at any school, and this is especially true if your GPA is not strong. Plus, you'll have to deal with the ego blow that will haunt you whenever you do retake the test, and you'll have to write a pathetic "Boy, I sure do wish I'd done better on the LSAT" Addendum.<br /><br />Waiting until February is not ideal, but if you get your applications submitted in the next few weeks you may be able to mitigate some of the disadvantage from applying so late in the cycle. Of course, it's always a gamble to come up with a schools list without a final LSAT score. You can create a schools list based on the range of practice LSAT results you've gotten, erring on the side of your lower scores to be safe and to make up for applying late in the cycle.<br /><br />Lastly, I know schools say they "accept" February LSAT scores. However, you need to understand what that means. The earliest your application will be reviewed is March, at which point most schools will already have dozens or hundreds of applicants on their waitlists. So, in order for you to be admitted you would need to have an LSAT score that makes them want to take you over the others already on the waitlist. When schools say they "accept" February LSATs, it means they hold out for those really competitive candidates.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">6 TIPS FOR LSAT TEST DAY:</span><br /><br />I hope those of you taking the LSAT this weekend are ready, healthy, and well rested.<br />1. Go in with the attitude of proving what you can do.<br />2. Don't think about your final score.<br />3. Look at each question as a challenge that you welcome.<br />4. Don't worry about the guy next to you.<br />5. Don't talk to anyone during breaks (especially people who talk about already having a 172 but trying for a 179).<br />6. Do what works for you - eat the snacks that work for you, entertain your own superstitions, and try not to get distracted by rude proctors or clicking pencils. After all, those factors will be present in law school and during the bar exam - get used to them now.<br /><br />Good luck everyone!Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-42990309162433086402008-12-02T10:47:00.000-08:002008-12-02T10:55:31.613-08:00A Note to My ReadersJust a quick note to my loyal readers - I just started running Google Ads as an experiment. For the first 18 months of this blog, I did not run any advertisements. I have decided, however, that I'm not scared that you might learn about my "competition" - rather, I welcome you to learn about other <a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.com">law school admission consulting</a> options. I think, after exploring the options, you'll be rather impressed by all that I offer - particularly my accessibility, affordability, and the quality of the coaching you receive. I welcome your comments about having Google Ads on the blog, as this is an experiment and I want the blog to offer valuable information to law school applicants.<br /><br />And, yes, I am currently accepting clients who are taking the December 2008 LSAT. I always offer a <a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.com">free initial consultation</a> if you have questions about how we could work together.<br /><br />If you sign up for my <a href="http://lawschoolexpert.net/signup.html#optionA">Option A "The Works</a>" package between today and December 15th, you can get 10% off the total price by entering the coupon code DECLSAT.<br /><br />Good luck on the December LSAT!Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-52517447695686492942008-11-26T13:58:00.001-08:002008-11-26T14:03:27.312-08:00Choosing an Area of Law as a SpecialtyYou've probably heard (or read) my speech about not "picking a major" when applying to law school unless you can really, really, really back it up.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.annaivey.com/iveyfiles/2008/11/follow_up_to_international_law_believe_the_hype">Anna Ivey's</a> recent post about the downside of choosing International Law as an area of specialization when applying to law school is extremely relevant and I hope you'll find it helpful (although I'm sure a portion of my audience will find it discouraging).<br /><br />I do agree with Anna on this point: most people applying to law school really have no idea what being a lawyer is really all about. I think that Anna has a great idea - if you're interested primarily in a specific area of law, you should try out that area as your profession before trying out the law part. (For example, try out the Entertainment Industry before trying out the Entertainment Law Industry).<br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-8340955433460607002008-11-26T08:29:00.001-08:002008-11-26T08:32:28.296-08:00LSAT AdviceI'm not an LSAT tutor, but sometimes my clients give me great tips to pass on. Here are a sampling:
<br />
<br />From S:
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mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">I am feeling much better about my LSAT progress ever since I finished the PowerScore books <u>and</u> utilized the materials at: <a href="http://www.testsherpa.com/">www.testsherpa.com</a> . </p> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">Back when I was in college my favorite calculus professor used to say, "If you don't understand a particular concept in your text book, don't give up . . . just get a different text book." He was right. Often times a different text author would explain something in a way that even a knucklehead like me could understand. Eventually I would find that author.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">
<br />The games were still killing me so with my teacher's words in mind I went online looking for a different explanation, and I found TestSherpa. The owner of TestSherpa <u>gave</u> me links to his four-hour long "Logic Games Workshop" and I'll be doing that tonight at home, after I leave work. I have a feeling that's going to solidify things a lot for me and then I'll resume taking practice tests tomorrow. The material's good and helpful. Why does he charge so little? I'm thinking maybe he's a disgruntled ex-LSAC employee or something.</p> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">Anyway, I think <a href="http://www.testsherpa.com/">www.testsherpa.com</a> is a wonderful little find. I'll let you know how much I improve. I have a feeling I'll have some good news about TestSherpa to share with others.</p><p class="MsoNormal">
<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">From J:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAnn%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAnn%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CAnn%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> 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name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:1; mso-generic-font-family:roman; mso-font-format:other; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;} @font-face {font-family:Calibri; panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:swiss; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-1610611985 1073750139 0 0 159 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"; mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;} .MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; 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mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> </p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">By the way, the Powerscore Logical Reasoning Bible is also good. I liked the Logic Games one so much I decided to order another to try to further improve my Logical Reasoning scores, and I'm glad I did. Both books include good information and techniques for approaching formal logic and conditional reasoning, and they interact well with each other. I was in the US for the last few weeks and skimmed through a few of the general-purpose LSAT prep books (Princeton Review, Barrons etc) in a bookstore, and I was amazed at how superficial and generic they were in their advice. I've always been quite suspicious of the whole standardized-test-prep racket, so I feel strange writing these gushy testimonials, but Powerscore really does offer exceptionally effective methods.</p><p style="font-style: italic;" class="MsoNormal">
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<br />Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-74701237236958819822008-11-25T13:52:00.001-08:002008-11-25T13:52:51.593-08:00Applying to Yale Law, and Applying ED t o Another School?A very interesting (and a tiny bit self-serving) post from the <a href="http://blogs.law.yale.edu/blogs/admissions/archive/2008/11/25/the-early-bird.aspx">Yale Law Admissions</a> blog.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-36901756333186335212008-11-24T09:43:00.000-08:002008-11-24T09:46:08.637-08:00Why I Help People Apply to Law SchoolI got a great phone call today from a client I helped 3 years ago in her law school application process. She had a REALLY low LSAT score - I think it was a 140 or something. And she has sent me a new client every year for the last 3 years. And today she called to tell me she's graduating from law school - and graduating as a member of the law review and on the moot court board. And she wanted my address to send me an invitation to her graduation!<br /><br />Calls like this make my whole day! And they only emphasize that the LSAT isn't everything, and that if you really submit the best possible application materials, there is hope.<br /><br />Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-26832753835466452592008-11-20T10:21:00.001-08:002008-11-20T10:28:34.272-08:00Concluding a Personal StatementMost of my <a href="http://www.lawschoolexpert.com">law school admission consulting clients</a> struggle to state the reasons why they are applying to a certain law school. I want to offer some hints and tricks in this regard:<br /><br />1<span style="font-weight: bold;">. Do I have to say why I want to go to Law School X?</span><br />No. You don't. Unless X Law School asks you to, and then - yes - you do.<br />And if they offer this as an optional essay topic, and you don't do it, then - yes- I think (as a former director of admissions) that you're being lazy.<br /><br />2.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> Is there some advantage to saying why I want to go to Law School X?</span><br />Yes. If you can convince them, they'll be more likely to admit you rather than wait list you and make you prove you deserve a coveted admission letter that they'll then have to report for rankings purposes.<br /><br />3. <span style="font-weight: bold;">So, what can I possibly say?</span><br />It's true - sometimes law schools just don't seem to be that different from one another, especially when they are ranked similarly.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here are some tips:</span><br /> a. Don't say you love their Environmental Law program if nothing in your application supports your interest in Environmental Law.<br /> b. Don't pick a study abroad program as your reason; you can do any ABA school's study abroad summer program and transfer the credits (generally).<br /> c. Don't list reasons that could be applied to any law school equally like 'esteemed faculty' or 'national reputation' or 'bar passage rate.' Be specific.<br /> d. If you're applying part time, tell them why. Otherwise they'll think you're just using the part time program to be admitted through the "back door."<br /><br />Good luck, and I hope I've inspired you to do a little more research and critical thinking about why you're choosing each law school on your list.Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-45792822461243026232008-11-17T17:11:00.001-08:002008-11-17T17:12:35.752-08:00The Best Personal Statement SamplesBU has posted some amazing personal statement samples. They are the best I've seen on the Internet. So, this is for all of you who love to beg me for <a href="http://www.bu.edu/law/prospective/experience/essays/index.html">examples of law school personal statements.</a>Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5649614440783096786.post-32333029933915253912008-11-12T10:20:00.000-08:002008-11-12T10:32:30.003-08:005 Things I Wish I'd Known Before Law School<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXuU6t92CyrlgzPLRxDQXHkLWOxVxbbzcXsu7uAhnYBAXxxlxjWWigxbjPMK_ZxUiqtnrxgZaZQw7VHy7OElA4BrQwSW0ABimE_WGzU72mwBfHeWIBEHYuqL2kT2qpXwiiXgw1p4EfdHc/s1600-h/donwest.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXuU6t92CyrlgzPLRxDQXHkLWOxVxbbzcXsu7uAhnYBAXxxlxjWWigxbjPMK_ZxUiqtnrxgZaZQw7VHy7OElA4BrQwSW0ABimE_WGzU72mwBfHeWIBEHYuqL2kT2qpXwiiXgw1p4EfdHc/s320/donwest.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267838093461160386" border="0" /></a>
<br /><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_West,_Jr.">Don West, Jr</a><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_West,_Jr.">.</a> is THE guy. I admit, I was his unofficial campaign manager when he ran for SBA president 10 years ago, and the first in line for a hug when he won. And so it is no surprise to me that he is now SuperLawyer of the Universe. So, I asked Don to share with my readers his thoughts on the "Five Things I Wish I'd Known Before Law School." As someone who went to law school with Don, I can tell you he put a lot of thought into this and into his own experience during those very important 3 years. And, I think our continuing friendship proves his point about the importance of networking while in law school. So, without further ado..... Here's Don:
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mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} /* List Definitions */ @list l0 {mso-list-id:1991598150; mso-list-type:hybrid; mso-list-template-ids:-689133922 67698705 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715 67698703 67698713 67698715;} @list l0:level1 {mso-level-text:"%1\)"; mso-level-tab-stop:none; mso-level-number-position:left; text-indent:-.25in;} ol {margin-bottom:0in;} ul {margin-bottom:0in;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">When Ann asked me to write a posting for her, my first response was, “Sure, no problem.”<span style=""> </span>But upon further review of the question she posed, “What are five things you wished you knew before applying to law school?”<span style=""> </span>That question ultimately caused me a severe case of writer’s block.<span style=""> </span>There were so many unknowns and variables that I simply did not understand before I attended law school in 1997 that I was not sure what was valuable and what could be trimmed as trivial or inconsequential.<span style=""> </span>I share all of that in part to apologize to my great friend Ann for the extreme delay in comprising this list of “Five things I wished I knew before I applied to law school”, so here it goes:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">1)<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="">An understanding of the business principles of the legal practice.</b><span style=""> </span>In most law schools excellent instruction is provided on legal reasoning, legal theory, research and writing.<span style=""> </span>However, in many instances we are acquiring these skills for the purpose of generating an income to support ourselves and our families.<span style=""> </span>Most law schools fall short in preparing students for handling the business behind the practice of law.<span style=""> </span>It is important for all of us as legal practitioners to also be astute business men and women as it is a foundational element to our professional craft.<span style=""> </span>I wish I had a more thorough understanding of this point going into law school.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">2)<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="">An understanding of the value of networking.</b><span style=""> </span><i style="">Law School Campus</i>.<span style=""> </span>In a way your law school becomes a part of your extended family.<span style=""> </span>I say this because once you graduate with your Juris Doctor degree you are essentially married to that particular institution.<span style=""> </span>So, no matter what your experience or opinion of the place, when people ask, “where you went to law school?” your alma mater is a name you cannot escape.<span style=""> </span>I suppose you can get a new JD, but I have not met that person in my journeys just yet.<span style=""> </span>With these facts in mind, the individuals that attend law school with you will be your life-long “partners” as you all progress from a common starting point.<span style=""> </span>Understanding the basic principles of professional networking and utilizing the knowledge while on your law school campuses will reap a lifetime of rewards and many genuinely enhancing relationships.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">3)<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="">An understanding of the value of networking.</b><span style=""> </span><i style="">American Bar Association, Local Bar Associations & other Professional Organizations</i>.<span style=""> </span>Many people say, “You should go to law school where you intend to practice law.”<span style=""> </span>I believe that one of the reasons that this is mentioned is because of the network you build in that local community in addition to the benefits of learning the laws of the local jurisdiction in your classes.<span style=""> </span>The American Bar Association and your local bar association(s) can also be career long partners for your professional growth and development.<span style=""> </span>Getting involved early allows you to explore the plethora of committees and sections throughout these organizations.<span style=""> </span>Active participation will allow the astute networker to build meaningful national and local contacts to aid in your career’s numerous twists and turns.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">4)<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="">A greater appreciation for academic excellence.</b><span style=""> </span>As most law students know, grades are an important part of the law school process.<span style=""> </span>I knew this fact going in, but I really could not articulate all the reasons why they were important.<span style=""> </span>During my first year in law school I had the privilege of meeting Mary Ann Connors and she shared this insight, “Law students with superior academic records correlate into faster producing workers on the job.<span style=""> </span>The skills they mastered in keeping up with their classroom assignments amidst all of life’s challenges are the same skills a law firm needs from its associates.”<span style=""> </span>In addition to the great benefits of post-graduation employment, many law firms will ask to see your law transcripts five, ten and even fifteen years after you have graduated.</p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style=""><span style="">5)<span style=";font-family:";font-size:7;" > </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><b style="">An understanding of the globalizing economy.</b><span style=""> </span>Our next generation of super lawyers will work in a complex highly international marketplace.<span style=""> </span>Understanding how the world is flattening and how a flat world impacts the legal sectors is an essential tool for the millennial lawyer.</p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br /></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;"> <span style="font-style: italic;">Thanks, Don!!!!!!! I know this is really important and sage advice for all law school applicants and pre-law students and truly appreciate that you took the time to share your thoughts with my readers.For more about Don, <a href="http://www.donwestjr.com/">see DonWestJr.com</a></span>
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<br />Ann K. Levine, Esq.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14984504220514350557noreply@blogger.com3