Law School Guidance

Kaplan's MBE App

2010-01-19T05:09:00.000-08:00

Another fantastic learning tool that is available for your mobile device is Kaplan's MBE App. Made by gWhiz, the application covers roughly 425 terms, definitions and concepts designed to help you score higher on the MBE.

Also included in the application are instructional videos to help "highlight key concepts."

More about the application can be found on gWhiz's website, located here:

http://www.gwhizmobile.com/Desktop/ContentFocusedProducts.php#Kaplan_MBE

According to the site, the application is free for a limited time, so download it and see what you think.

BarBri Mobile

2010-01-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

In studying for the multistate bar examination (MBE), there are a lot of different methods to learning the material. Outlines, lectures, and books of practice questions are always helpful and should be utilized throughout the process.

However, if you happen to get bored with these, I came across two unique and exciting applications that will work with your iPhone or iPod Touch.

The first is from BarBri and can be located here:

http://www.barbri.com/wps/portal/barbri/barbrimobile

The application, which is completely FREE, presents you with 10 MBE questions at a time to be completed within 15 minutes. As you get questions correct, you accumulate points and your "rank" increases. The game places you in competition with your law school classmates who are also using the program, as well as people using the program on a national scale.

I'll discuss the second resource in the next few days. Good luck!

2 Year Law Degrees

2010-01-02T16:04:00.000-08:00

A couple of law schools have started offering students the option of obtaining a law degree in two years. This is a fantastic option that everyone should consider. Not only is it saving you money, but it's saving you TIME. During that third year, instead of being stuck in a classroom, you could be out in the world earning experience and money.

Review this June 20, 2008 article from the ABA Journal on Northwestern's two-year program:

College grads with work experience now have the opportunity to go to a top-tier law school and graduate in only two years.

Northwestern law school has announced it will offer a two-year degree beginning next year, reports Inside Higher Ed.

Students who enter the program will start taking courses next summer, the story says. During the regular academic years they will take an extra course most semesters. They will not have to take courses the summer between the first and second years so they can obtain internships or summer associate jobs.

In total, students will attend school for five semesters.

Northwestern is the first top-tier law school to offer a two-year J.D., according to TaxProf Blog. Southwestern Law School and the University of Dayton also offer two-year degrees, the blog says. The move was made possible by the ABA’s 2004 decision to drop a requirement for six semesters at accredited law schools, the Inside Higher Ed story says.

Northwestern dean David Van Zandt told Inside Higher Ed that the accelerated program will only admit students with two to three years of substantive work experience after college.

University of Chicago law professor Geoffrey Stone, the school's former dean, told the Chicago Tribune that two-year program is "irresponsible."

"My sense is that compressing the educational process is likely to seriously derogate from the quality," he said. "What is lost is likely to be much more than anything that is gained by hustling the students through more quickly."

Northwestern also announced it is offering three new required courses on quantitative analysis (including accounting, finance and statistics), dynamics of legal behavior and strategic decision making. The requirement applies at first to the two-year students but will eventually apply to all students.

Van Zandt told Inside Higher Ed that a theme of the new courses is communications skills. He said employers have complained that new lawyers are unable to write a concise one-page client memo that does not appear to “waffle.”

New programs will also allow third-year students to participate in experiential programs for up to a semester, including working in a legal clinic or in a law firm outside the United States.

If you don't have the grades for Northwestern, consider the University of Dayton School of Law in Ohio, which also offers a two-year degree.

Top 10 Cheapest Law Schools

2010-01-01T08:39:00.000-08:00

In these tough economic times, I thought it would be nice to recognize the top 10 least expensive law schools in the United States in terms of their annual tuition. For the public schools listed (which are all but Brigham Young University), the listed tuition is for in-state residents.

1. North Carolina Central University
Durham, NC
$6,856

2. University of the District of Columbia (Clarke)
Washington, DC
$7,350

3. Florida A&M University
Orlando, FL
$7,600

4. University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND
$9,210

5. Brigham Young University (Clark)
Provo, UT
$9,240

6. University of Mississippi
University, MS
$9,350

7. University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY
$9,541

8. University of South Dakota
Vermillion, SD
$9,620

9. University of Montana
Missoula, MT
$10,174

10. CUNY - Queens College
Flushing, NY
$10,610

Waitlisted

2009-12-31T12:55:00.000-08:00

There’s nothing worse than having your heart set on attending a particular law school, then receiving that thin envelope in the mail. Nine times out of ten, it usually means one of two things: a rejection or placement on a waitlist.

If it’s the former - then I believe you’re out of luck. Your options are boiled down to attending another school, then transferring over if you manage to get the grades. Or, you can call the whole thing off and apply again next year - after you’ve raised your LSAT score. I personally would recommend aborting until the next application cycle - since there are no guarantees as far as your first year grades are concerned.

If it’s the latter, however, there is still light at the end of the tunnel. Your execution has been stayed, at least for a short while longer.

Being placed on a waitlist is somewhat like being on a sinking ship with a limited number of lifeboats. At the end of the day, the ship is going under and there’s really not much you can do about it. If you want to survive, you sure as hell shouldn’t be complacent - since no one in their right mind is about to hand over their seat.

What can you do to ensure that you’re one of the lucky few?

At the very least, you need to write a “letter of continued interest.” Explain to the admissions office that their law school is still your first choice, that you’re excited about the possibility of attending and explain why.

If your only reasons for wanting to attend involve nice weather, a wild party atmosphere, or a greater likelihood of getting rich after graduation - then consider browsing the institutions website for information on unique programs or new developments that you can express an interest in.

You should also include any new achievements that would be of interest to an admissions committee. Did you pull a 4.0 GPA this past semester? Spend your break building houses for poor refugees? Tell them! If you haven’t done these things, then think about starting right now. Better late than never.

You can send more than one letter, but exercise some self-control. Don’t send daily or weekly updates. Once a month is fine, or whenever you have an exciting new achievement to tell them about, but the last thing you want to do is annoy the very people you’re looking to gain acceptance from.

Your fight to stay alive shouldn’t stop there. Consider contacting the law school to request a meeting with the Dean of Admissions. I did this when I was on a waitlist and my request was granted. At the meeting, be sure to have a plan of attack. Know ahead of time what you’d like to tell the Dean. There’s a very real possibility that the two of you will sit down in his or her office and you’ll be told to “go ahead” and begin with whatever you wanted to discuss. The meeting won’t necessarily be an interview in the traditional sense - and it could turn very awkward if you simply want to know how close you are to an acceptance letter. Trust me on this one.

If you can think of additional people to send positive letters of recommendation, it’s not a bad idea to contact them. Explain your situation and see if they can write a letter targeted to the law school you’re waitlisted on. If they’re really stellar individuals, maybe they could make a phone call on your behalf.

Eventually, the final hours of your law school application process will come upon you. If you’re still waitlisted at your first-choice school and all of your efforts have been futile, then there’s not much else you can do. At this point, many people resign to the fact that it’s just not happening for them.

If you STILL refuse to accept defeat - there is one last option. Call the law school’s admissions office and inform that you’ll be showing up to the first day of orientation anyway. Occasionally, prospective students accept offers from a law school, and then subsequently accept an offer somewhere else. These students should, in theory, inform the first school that they will no longer be attending - but sometimes they don’t. If that happens to be the case, then a seat has opened up - if you’re ready, willing and able to enroll, the seat just might be yours.

Rejecting Rejection Letters

2009-12-30T10:02:00.000-08:00

As a follow-up to the previous post, here's an example of how to gracefully respond to a rejection letter from your future employer:

[Mr. / Ms. Recruiter]
[Title]
[Office]
[Address 1]
[Address 2]
[City, State] [Zip]

[Mr. / Ms. Recruiter],

Thank you for informing me of your decision to pursue other candidates for the [Name Of Position] position in your office. While I am disappointed that you are unable to offer me an interview, I would like to respectfully request that you keep my resume on file for future consideration.

Furthermore, as I continue to search for employment in [City] and throughout the state of [State], I would greatly appreciate any advice that you might have in regards to my resume and cover letter. Also, I am very interested in any strategies you would suggest for finding legal employment in your specific region of the country.

Please feel free to contact me at your earliest convenience. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Enclosure

Feel free to use my example as a starting point. It should probably be edited to fit your own writing style / personality.

Legal Employment 2010

2009-12-29T22:24:00.000-08:00

“There’s nothing more dangerous than an enemy with nothing to lose.”

“Open up your mind, or someone may open it for you.”

Some of histories greatest moments were born out of desperate times. Triumph over the great depression and two world war’s wouldn’t have been possible if, at some point, we weren’t forced to confront these epic problems.

Today, many people are being forced to face problems of their own, and they occasionally do so in the most innovative fashions. Whether it be related to the law, a lack of employment, or a struggle in one’s current job - these trying times can give rise to amazing stories of overcoming adversity.

This post is dedicated to stories of individuals who managed to achieve their goals in unique and creative ways. As suggested by the quotations above, they had nothing to lose - and opened up their minds in a way that traditionalists would consider “dangerous,” or just plain crazy.

As a law student who graduated into one of the worst economies in recent history, I feel compelled to tell my own story first.

By every measure, I should be stuck somewhere in the frozen tundra of Upstate New York - cold, hungry and desperate for work. I graduated closer towards the bottom of my class than the top. I wasn’t on law review. I didn’t have an Ivy League background, wealthy parents or years of valuable work experience.

I would browse our law school’s “career service manager” website and sigh heavily when the list of on-campus interviews was literally empty. I’d look through postings where I could submit my resume, only to discover that I was severely unqualified for many of the listed positions. “Students should have a B+ average,” a posting would read, or, “Candidates should be on Law Review and in the top quarter of their class.” It was discouraging, to say the least. Without even knowing what I could offer them, these employers were shutting me out.

With less than year before graduation, I couldn’t simply raise my GPA and join Law Review. That ship had sailed. With two years of grades behind me, my class rank wasn’t about to skyrocket towards the top either.

I started to feel desperate. I contemplated following recruiting coordinators out of their offices and into local establishments, then striking up what would look like an innocent dialogue. I could fabricate a social bond and eventually use it as a backdoor into a lucrative position. “I think that almost fits the definition of stalking,” a colleague advised me. She was probably right.

Before going to that extreme, I adopted a different approach. The mass mailing. But not just a senseless, uncoordinated mass mailing. This had to have some degree of precision to it. I used websites like Martindale to locate lawyers, who were alumni, in institutions where I either: (a) went to law school, (b) went to college, (c) grew up, or (d) had family. This would allow me to write a cover letter alleging a connection to the firm’s respective city with some truth.

I would visit the firm’s website to gather necessary information like their address and specialty. I look the firm up on websites like infirmation.com to determine realistic salary expectations, then check the National Association For Law Placement (NALP) Directory for any other relevant data.

The resumes and cover letters were unique to the respective firm using a list generated in Microsoft Excel. The mail merge took place in Word - and the files were placed on a flash drive and brought to Staples for laser printing.

Typically, Career Services advises law students to stick with regular sheets of paper - but given my situation, I knew I needed to stand out. I went with high-gauge resume paper that looked expensive. I purchased mailing labels, and using the MS Excel spreadsheet, printed them up in a matter of minutes. The resumes and cover letters were gently placed into long mailing envelopes so the documents wouldn’t be folded over. They cost about $1 each to mail, and I sent out close to a hundred of them.

It wasn’t long before the rejections started flowing in. They began piling up, more and more. Part of me wanted to light them on fire - but instinct told me to hold onto them. I let them accumulate, one after another, until I knew just what to do with them: send them back.

The rejection letter, in my mind, simply became an offer to negotiate. As complementary and nicely worded as they were - they provided me with an opportunity to continue a dialogue with a meaningful contact (whoever signed the rejection).

About two weeks after I followed through with my plan, I received a phone call. “We received your letter, and we think it shows a very high level of interest that we don’t want to ignore. We’d like to set up and interview.”

And that’s how I graduated law school with employment in the midst of “the great recession.”

Where To Apply

2009-12-29T12:00:00.000-08:00

The decision to attend law school is a big one. One of the next biggest decisions is deciding where to go. For some, options might be limited because of geographical necessities. Maybe you can't leave your home state because you have a sick family. Maybe you don't want to uproot children or spouses. These are all important considerations to bear in mind when compiling an initial list of where you'd like to apply to.

Geography aside, you may also be limited by your performance as an undergraduate or because of your LSAT score. A low LSAT score will prevent you from attending a "prestigious" institution. That being said - a low LSAT score shouldn't deter you from sending out applications to other schools that can meet your needs.

If, like most people, you didn't manage to pull a 170+ LSAT score - the way you approach your law school application process should be significantly different. Now, you're looking at a lot of schools that just simply can't guarantee you gainful employment at the end of your three years of education. What can they offer? If you manage to graduate at the TOP of your class (between the top 15 - 1%) - you MIGHT be able to land an interview with a large firm.
Otherwise, depending on the economy, you'll wind up doing an internship for a local law firm, government institution, or public interest group - and it won't necessarily blossom into a full-time offer after the internship is over. To bolster your chances at landing a job offer at graduation when attending an average law school - it becomes critical to distinguish yourself in meaningful ways.

You'll want to enroll in a clinical program where you'll be able to actually practice in front of judges. Knowing a thing or two about going before a tribunal will set you apart from your snobby counterparts who are working away in the law review suite. Participate in moot court competitions. Firms love people with a competitive edge who aren't afraid to speak in front of a judge and think on their feet. If you need to, volunteer a small amount of your time with a local practitioner who is skilled in his or her field. Every city has their "top" lawyers in different specialties. Does your interest lie in prosecution? Medical malpractice? Criminal defense? It's guaranteed that someone connected to your law school is practicing in that city and is damn good at what they do. You'll need to find out who they are and reach out to them. Don't be shy.

In this regard, every law school below the US News' "Top 15" seems relatively similar on the surface - so it becomes important to examine potential schools with the strictest of scrutiny. Find out what you can about the school's moot court programs, clinical opportunities and the availability of internships. Find out WHEN you can start in a clinic that interests you. What sort of commitment is it? Get a list of firms that have recently hired students in the past. Find out what percentage of students have found work. If you're not in the top 15% - make THEM sell YOU their institution. It's not all that different from scoping out a car at a dealership. You NEED to do your research, ask the hard questions and dig deep for information. A school simply won't come out and explain its drawbacks to potential students, it's bad for business. It's up to you to find out where the problems lie. You wouldn't purchase a vehicle without knowing a thing or two about the engine, transmission, interior or gas mileage. Hell, you might even take it for a test drive. Do the same with your future law school.

Once you've compiled a list of schools that meet your needs - both geographically and academically - it becomes necessary to take cost into consideration.

Now, if you're independently wealthy or have wildly generous parents - this may not apply to you. If you're like most people, and you're facing the possibility of student loans, then read on.

The recent recession has wrecked havoc on the way many law firms operate. In the aftermath of our nation's economic collapse, firms have started doing more with less and will, in my opinion, continue their stingy practices well into the future. Tough times have taught firms that it's possible for one attorney to do the work of three people. Not only is he capable of more - but he'll comply with the increased demand because he has nowhere else to go and needs to put food on the table. The bottom line is that as of now, jobs are scarce and the ones that do exist suck.

I am of the position that the last thing anyone needs, now (and even in the future), is educational debt. I would advise anyone who asks to AVOID STUDENT LOANS at all costs - even if it means putting your legal education on hold. This is especially true for mediocre institutions that charge students in excess of $50,000 a year to attend. Just imagine what you could do with a $150,000+ loan if you didn't attend law school. It's enough money to open up a franchise or purchase a home. Some will argue "Oh, but it's an investment in my own future." That's a load of garbage - especially given the fact that the return on this alleged investment will come in the form of little to no pay, massive repayments (to the tune of $1000 per month) and the implosion of your credit score. No matter what your situation might be - DO NOT TAKE OUT STUDENT LOANS. The ONLY exception to the rule I could fathom would be to accept an offer at Harvard, Yale or Stanford - where you're all but guaranteed lucrative employment after three years because of the reputation of the school.

Otherwise, the notion of borrowing that amount of money for a piece of paper should be off the table and out of your head.

So what do you do next?

Find a law school that's reasonably priced. After doing some light research, I came across a list of public law schools sorted by their 2010 tuition rate. Be sure to note the in-state from out-of-state rates. Here's the list of private schools. Brigham Young University's J. Reuben Clark Law School is a fantastic school with a tuition of less than $10,000!

Another option would be to consider a law school that's on the verge of being fully accredited by the ABA. These law schools tend to be "newer" and will often offer substantial sums of money to students with LSAT scores that are even slightly above average. They know they are being carefully monitored so you can be sure they're on their best behavior and are doing everything they can to prove that they deserve the ABA's stamp of approval. The following is a list of schools that are provisionally accredited by the ABA and probably offer a remarkable value in terms of the quality of education for the cost of attending the school.

Sometimes these (and other) schools allow prospective students to submit an application free of charge. You can send in your paperwork and just see what happens. If you're offered a full-ride or substantial scholarship, then give it serious consideration. If not, then you've lost nothing.

The bottom line is that if you're going to be shelling out six figures for an education - there needs to be a guaranteed return on your investment, otherwise it's far too risky. If a school doesn't have a track record of producing successful legal practitioners in your field of interest then you shouldn't be paying the same price as students who attend the top schools in the country. Do your research and find yourself a law school that matches your needs and can offer you a good price. You deserve nothing less.

If I've missed anything worth mentioning, please feel free to comment.

Just For Fun...

2009-12-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

It All Starts With The LSAT

2009-12-27T14:05:00.000-08:00

As is quickly discovered, one's law career is merely a series of challenges that need to be conquered. The LSAT, graduation, acceptance, first year exams, internships, the bar exam and employment are all a series of obstacles that stand in the way of our ultimate fulfillment. One challenge after another, separated only by tense moments of anxious waiting.

What's interesting is that success in one area will make it much easier to succeed in the challenges to come. Let me explain:

Should you graduate from your undergraduate institution with a healthy GPA and with a solid LSAT score, you'll have a much easier time with challenge number two: getting accepted to a "good" law school. If you're accepted to a good law school, your first year grades won't be as critical to your internship search - thus knocking out another potential challenge. With that great experience under your belt, your post-graduation job hunt will be a breeze (if you even need to conduct one). If you did well enough on the LSAT to avoid incurring any student loans, then in 3 years time, you might be looking at pocketing close to $160,000 a year with nothing hanging over your head.

Sounds nice, doesn't it? It's every first year's dream. Even if your ambitions lie in more noble pursuits, you'd be kidding yourself if you didn't at least recognize that it would feel good to have the option to realize such a destiny.

But as you can see from the progression of events that I described above, it all starts with your LSAT and GPA. It's unfortunate, since there is so much more depth to an individual's character than these two simple numbers - but it's the reality of the situation.

As you'll eventually come to understand - this progression isn't the sole means to success in our ruthless field. There are many ways to the top - and some are longer than others. Some are more difficult. But the route that I described is certainly the fastest and most traditional.

If you're in a position now where you haven't enrolled in law school - then I encourage you to begin your legal career by mastering this exam. Tear it to pieces. Anyone can do it. The test isn't anything remarkably difficult and with regular practice, any idiot could destroy it. But you need to put in the work.

If you take it and you wind up with a 150, then study and take it again. Put law school on hold for a year or more if you need to. But do NOT apply to law schools until that number is above a 165. It takes work - but if you can do it now, then it will make the rest of your LIFE substantially easier.

People have different methods of studying for exams like the LSAT. Some people prefer one course over another, some people are attached to certain books.

In my experience, there is one brand that has consistently emerged as a superior LSAT study company: Powerscore. Look at the different materials and decide for yourself - but it is my understanding that the Powerscore products were the weapon of choice for test takers who did well.

If you've already given the exam a shot - feel free to let everyone know what worked best for you.

What Should I Major In?

2009-12-27T09:00:00.000-08:00

As of this writing, there are 200 institutions that have the approval of the American Bar Association. They vary in terms of their size, cost, location and reputation.

Since attending law school myself, I've been asked the question "Should I go to law school?" a number of times by individuals who are captivated by the prospect of earning a huge paycheck from a big-city mega firm, or who dream about the multi-million dollar payday they could experience when their small practice receives its first massive settlement.

These are all legitimate dreams that can be achieved through law school. However, pursuing your legal education carefully can help ensure that you get what you want out of your legal experience while successfully avoiding debt, misery and unemployment.

So you made the decision that you want to attend. What next?

If you're a traditional student, meaning a student in his or her twenties who is currently an undergraduate somewhere - the first thing I would advise you to do is to formulate a backup plan. I mean this in the nicest way possible. Many people finish their first semester of law school and it dawns on them that they've made a terrible, terrible mistake.

At that point, first-year law students feel that they are "in too deep" and have spent far too much time and money on their legal education to change direction. What can you do to avoid this? First, chose an undergraduate background in something that (a) you enjoy doing and (b) can be applicable towards a career other than law. Think about obtaining a degree in one of the hard sciences: math, chemistry, biology, or engineering.

If you can do that, then not only will you walk away with a profitable skill set, but you'll also set yourself up for a fantastic legal job right out of law school. As of today, the field of Intellectual Property (IP) is the only legal concentration where demand exceeds supply. What do you need to become an IP lawyer? A background in a legitimate science. By the time most people become aware of this, or develop an interest in IP, they're already in law school and they gave up their chance at a meaningful undergraduate degree to pursue something worthless, like political science or philosophy. Don't make the same mistake - give yourself opportunities.

Undergraduate students often adopt the mentality that fluffy, theoretical degrees are a good "stepping stone" for their legal career because it will give them the skill set they need to conquer "logic" problems on the LSAT, or it'll help them understand the material that they'll eventually be reading about in their legal casebooks. It's all bullshit. Your LSAT will last you one day of your life, but your undergraduate degree will stay with you forever. Major in something that will put food on the table for you and your family, that will pay your rent, that will cover your medical expenses. DON'T major in something that might help you out on a couple of test questions, but will otherwise prove to be completely worthless. Big mistake.

For your LSAT, there are preparation courses and test booklets that will prove to be a million times more beneficial and cost efficient than a BA in Criminal Justice, Philosophy, Government, etc.