Life of a Part-Time Law Student

Shedding the Stigma

2012-09-20T22:00:00.000-04:00

Hello faithful reader! I hope all is well, whether you've just started your evening law school career, or are already deeply ensconced in the seemingly endless cycle of work, class, study, coffee, work, class . . . you get the picture. Now that I'm gainfully employed, I find myself wanting to focus more on job opportunities and the job hunt. You may have heard through the grapevine that the days of wine and roses for young lawyers are over (for further reading, see the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the Legal Whiteboard, and my personal favorite, Shit Law Jobs). I've never been one to lie to you, faithful reader. It's hard to find the job you want out of law school. But, it's even harder for evening students, and it always has been, so no great shock there. I know of a fellow evening student who was told that she'd never get hired because she went to school at night, while she was on the interview!


This has nothing to do with my post, but I just love Corgis!

Here's my beef: The fact that evening students are stigmatized when it comes to the job hunt is stupid! It's completely counter-intuitive, and it needs to come to an end. I never understood why being an evening student is seen as a negative by law firm recruiters. These are the same people who will exclaim "I don't know how you guys do it! I give you lots of credit!" We don't want credit. We want jobs. Evening students have proven work experience, we "get" office politics, and obviously have presented ourselves in public without drooling - at least once - in order to get a job. What more do they need??

So, I think it's time to defy convention and fight the stigma (or "shed" it. Like the picture. Get it? Nevermind.) I've some up with a few ideas that may help:

Use your cover letter wisely: Most Career Services offices will try to get you to write plain vanilla cover letters that emphasize your coursework, legal experience, etc. Yawn! Forget it; write what you want them to know about you. You're breaking your butt working, studying, and taking care of things at home--you're a multi-tasking machine! Let them know it!
Bring your experience to the interview: Many law firm interviews are quick and to the point, so you may not have time to really stand out to the recruiter. Make sure you bring your work experience into the discussion. But, not the way you normally would at a "regular" job interview. Analogize your outside work experience to the legal market. Have you done marketing research? Hammer the point that you are analytical and research oriented. Have you managed a staff? Make sure they know that you're comfortable with people, and could see yourself presenting to clients with ease. Maybe you're a techie? Talk to them about predictive coding and e-discovery. They'll never see it coming!
'Splain yourself: I think part of the stigma surrounding evening students comes from the (incorrect) belief that evening students aren't as committed to the capital L "Law," and are only there for a quick career change. after all, if you really wanted to be a lawyer, you would have gone straight after college, like us committed day students! Of course this is poppycock, but it's another myth that probably has to be dispelled. Start your interview - even your cover letter - explaining your unique journey to law school. It will humanize your resume, and probably help a recruiter think about evening students a little differently.

Remember that most recruiters were day-students as well, so they may think that being an evening student is admirable, but they won't really "get it," and they will bring their prejudices and assumptions to the interview. Dispel the myths for them with strong, persuasive arguments. Your work experience is not a negative; but you will have to fight to make sure it's a positive. There is, as we know, no shame in going to law school at night. You work harder, put in longer hours, have more responsibilities, and are arguably more dedicated to getting your law degree than your day student counterparts. Make sure you let people know it!

The Longest Month of Your Life

2012-06-19T14:23:00.001-04:00

Hello faithful reader, who should not be reading this blog because you should be studying for your bar exam(s). No, wait! Don't go yet--I didn't mean to lay a guilt trip on you. You've probably inflicted enough of that on yourself already every time you watch a rerun of the Golden Girls instead of study. It's ok. You're not a machine, and you're completely allowed to take breaks and browse the interwebs once in a while. Just, not too much.

By this point you are about 4-5 weeks into your bar studying, and you are STILL wondering how in the h**l you are going to remember all of this stuff especially on a timed exam. Stop wondering because I'm about to tell you how. There is no trick to it--the key is to study and focus. ("Great. Thanks, Christine. So glad I stopped by for THAT little pearl of wisdom!"). Hang on, there's more.

I hate when people say that law school doesn't do enough to prepare you for the bar exam, although I have muttered that myself from time to time. But, it isn't really true. The law school experience teaches you everything you need to know to prepare for the bar exam. I know law school seems like a 4 year blur to you right now, but if stop and think about it, you'll get where I'm going. By the end of your first semester, you figured out what worked for you. You hated or loved highlighting. You thrived or failed in study groups. You depended on or laughed at flash cards. Mnemonic devises were friend or foe. Whatever technique you can think of, you already know what works. Great. Amplify that by 100 and you have a sure-fire personalized learning device for tackling all that messy law.

I deliberately haven't posted a blog about this yet because the first month you should be focusing on your prep-course study guides and completing their outlines (hint: avoid the temptation to turn those into mad-libs). By now you should have the outlines for the major topics completed, so start using those to study from and advance your special technique. Mnemonics worked for me. So did alphabetizing elements of certain crimes (New York can drive you insane with their degrees). And now, since you really should be getting back to the books, here are my tips for not-at-all-guaranteed-but-very-likely-success on your bar exam of choice:

Go back to the basics and study for the bar in your favorite way (Flash Cards, Highlighting and Summarizing, Mnemonics). Do NOT rely on straight reading the materials--that probably didn't work for you in law school, and it will work less now!
Find your happy place and leave your laptop home. Mine was on my back deck on sunny days, and in my local library on rainy days--no distractions, nice and quiet.
Read it. Read it again. Read it once more. Now explain it to yourself. If you can't conformtably repeat it or explain it out lout, read it again.
Commiserate, but don't complain. You still have a support network of people who went through this or are going through it now. Rely on them to break the tension, but don't kvetch. No one wants to hear it. You chose to go to law school, so your pain is self-inflicted.
Google what "kvetch" means if you're not from New York.
Remember that it is all important, even if the bar people tell you that it hasn't been tested in X years. Know it anyway.
Make sure you rest, but stick to a routine so that you don't over-rest (lazy).

And most importantly--avoid the people who are telling you that they're finding this process "easy" or "not that bad." Those people are not putting the work in, and you might be tempted by them to ease up. Those people will also probably not pass the first time. You should be sufficiently stressed, almost to the point of hives. This is extremely important and many people do fail these tests. They are expensive, painful, time-consuming, and expensive, and you want to get it right the first time. You will not do that if you don't give these tests their due. Get them over and done with once, and then get back to your family and enjoy future summers. This one is a wash.

Be this:

Not this. Ever:

Good luck, hang in, and pay your dues. It will be worth it come November!

When the Rankings are Rank

2012-04-06T19:05:00.000-04:00

Spring is here, faithful reader, and that means lots of different things to different people. If you're a new law student just wrapping up a hectic first year, it means bring able to see some light at the end of the tunnel. If you're a graduating law student, it means finals and bar applications, and being in a pretty foul mood all of the time. But there is another breed out there--the applicant. I want to turn my attention now to people who may be thinking about law school, or who have already put in some applications because times are different now than they were just 5 years ago when I applied.

You may have heard that we had some economic problems recently (they may or may not be over, depending on who you talk to). The economy had such a far-reaching impact on the legal field, I don't think anyone could have seen it coming. Law firms slashed the number of available jobs, while cutting thousands of already established associates, creating a simultaneous job deficit and a glut of supply. It went far beyond belt-tightening; more like they all started wearing whalebone corsets. Anxious students across the country waited for things to get better. They didn't, and they won't. I'm not trying to be a negative nelly, it's a fact. Firms (and not just law firms--I'm using the word "firms" as short-hand. This goes for government, non-profit, private sector, and even contract work as well) condensed and merged to save on overhead, and the life-blood of the law firm (the "billable hour") was killed at many firms. Clients started speaking up and demanding more experienced attorneys on their cases, so firms became much more reluctant to hire new blood. There are jobs out there, and things have picked up, but the golden age of ample internships and guaranteed placement is over.

Which brings me back to the title and topic of this post: Rankings. Applicants need to care about this, because whether we like it or not, rankings matter. They matter even more now since firms are being more selective about hiring recent graduates. Going to a "top" school matters, even though we all know the ranks are a systemic pile of steaming subjective and false crap. Not that I'm bitter.

But, most evening students don't really have much choice when it comes to being selective. They go to law school at night because they have certain responsibilities -- whatever they may be -- that usually tie them to a geographic area. Pickins' are slim. So, people considering an evening program are basically stuck with whatever schools are closest to them that happen to have an evening program. (I know US News is ranking evening programs separately, and that's great -- but no one really cares. When someone asks where you went to law school, they don't follow-up with "Was that the crummy day program or the stellar evening program?" Doesn't happen. Your legal reputation is inextricably linked to the "overall" school ranking.) So, how does one cope and mitigate the need to rely on a school with a "poor" ranking? There are a few things you can do:

Prep your network. I've talked about networking before, because I can't stress it enough. Find out who you know that is an attorney. See if you can get in at a firm or do some legal work before you start law school. Experience and contacts are going to matter so much when you change careers. You don't want to be in a position of coming to graduation, needing a job, and then reaching out to people for the first time in 7 years. It's tacky and transparent. If you develop and sustain long-lasting relationships with people you will be better off in the job search--and thus less dependent on your school's reputation to get you that interview or job.
Focus. I blogged about this before, too, but the advice still applies. The more focused you are in school, the more that will come through on your resume. If you can find a niche in the market that you are wild about, where there may not be as much competition, go for it. Develop that interest and skill through coursework, legal writing projects, and even independent research. Again, by focusing more on your unique skills, your resume will "pop" and you will be less beholden to those rankings.
Aim High. Bu this, I mean go to the "best" ranked school with an evening program that you possibly can. Yes, I know I'm a hypocrite and after writing this bog I'm going to have to take a shower. I bemoan the ranking system, I talk about their patent unfairness and how they disproportionately impact evening student--then I go and tell you to succumb to the pressure and review the rankings. It's not a perfect world, what can I say? Even if you get a better financial aid offer from another school; even if you have to travel out a little farther, I would advise going to the more esteemed school (I won't say "better"), only because this is a huge investment and you need to ensure that your investment is protected long-term. No guarantee that your highly ranked school will always be at that rank, but it's a decent bet that it will hover in that area for a long time (at least long enough for you to get your first job).

Despite all that has happened over the last few years, I'd still always advise people to go to law school if they have a real interest in the law. It's a great learning experience, and it gives you a much deeper understanding of the technicalities of our civil society. But, it would be a perfect world if all J.D.s were created equal. U.S. News has ensured that there will always be an elite hierarchy, so do your best to not fall victim to it!

Head's Up on Bar Applications

2012-01-24T12:23:00.001-05:00

Greetings, faithful reader! If you haven't already been sent a glut of emails from your law school, which I'm sure you have, I wanted to try to condense the things you will need in the next few weeks, because I know how confusing the bar exam application process is. As always, my focus is NY/NJ but some things apply across all jurisdictions.

1. Deadlines
Pay attention to them, so you don't get whacked with exorbitant late application fees.
NY: April 1 - April 30th
NJ: March 1 - April 1st (meaning April 1st is the drop-dead date to get your application postmarked)

2. Fees
NY: $250 Visa or MasterCard Only
NJ: $475 (yes, really)

3. Method
NY: Online (for the application to get a seat--the moral character application is paper)
NJ: Paper only (yes, really)

4. What You Will Need Ahead of Time

This part is critical, because the more you can do now, the better off you will be. This pertains more to NJ than to NY. In NJ, you fill out every piece of information before you take the exam. In NY, you just fill out a bare-bones application, then if you pass, you fill out a lengthy application to the Committee on Character and Fitness. They ask for much of the same information, so if you have filled out your NJ application and kept a copy (like a good faithful reader), then filling out NY won't be a hassle.

Driver's abstract. I mentioned this is an earlier post, but it bears repeating. In NJ, you can apply online for your full driver abstract. Don't get excited yet. You apply online for a PIN which will allow you to access the form whereby you request your abstract. They send this PIN in the mail. Yes, really.
Be careful with this part, because the DMV will mail this PIN to whatever address you have on file with them. This may be an issue for some who are not living at their permanent address, or who have problems getting their mail. You may need to sort out your address first, so do that now.You have to obtain a complete abstract (not an abbreviated abstract) from each place where you have ever had a license. (Yes, really).

MPRE Score. If you didn't take the MPRE in NJ because you got a C or better in legal ethics, then you won't need the official copy of your score.

MBE Transfer: If you are taking more than one bar exam, decide where you will take the MBE (MultiState Bar Exam). This is the 200 question multiple choice component of the bar, and can be taken anywhere. If, like me, you don't take it in NJ, you have a separate form to fill out to have that score transferred. You do this before you sit for the exams. I think it has to be done by July 1st, but it might be sooner. This seems small, but it's important that you decide now because if you mess this up, you might not be assigned a seat for the MBE in any state (This has happened, and it's not good!)

List of Addresses. In NJ, they want to know where you have lived (including dorms) for the past ten years. In NY, they make you go back to age 21. This isn't a problem for you young'uns out there, but for most evening students who tend to be a little older, this could do a number on your memory.

Your Life On Paper. The applications will ask you the standard demographic info, name, age, rank, serial number. It will also want to know about education and any issues with probation, suspensions, etc. It will ask about your employment history, and any disciplinary actions, etc. And it will ask about any civil and criminal legal activity, other professional licenses, armed service history, etc. If you have anything resembling a formal charge, gather up documentation on it now because it will need to be submitted. This could include academic records, probationary documents, civil complaints, court orders, judgments, etc. Take the next 2-3 months to get your documentary ducks in a row so that you can breeze through the application.

Don't forget your student loan info, and the part that really sticks in my craw - your "indebtedness" (basically, your credit history). I don't feel that a person's debtload should be evaluated by the character on moral fitness, but that's the way it is (at present). Have all that information at hand if you have been delinquent on payments, etc.

That should be enough to get you going, until the July applications are released. Here are the links so that you can bookmark them when they do become available:

NY: http://www.nybarexam.org/forms/forms.htm
NJ: http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/supreme_doc/njbarexams/

Good luck! And remember - the best way to stay organized is to start organized!

The LSSSE through the Part-Time Lens

2012-01-17T16:53:00.001-05:00

The 2011 Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE) was released earlier this month, although I haven't had a chance to really go through the instrument/questions yet. Their press release stated (in parts relevant to this blog):

"Part‐time law students were as engaged as full‐time students in terms of class participation and preparation. They were less likely, however, to take part in important experiential activities, including pro bono work and clinics, which have been empirically linked to higher self‐reported gains in writing and speaking skills and critical and analytical thinking."

I feel like this is something we all already know, but I suppose that's what these surveys are for - confirming or denying. However, the data from the report indicates that part-time students reported the same gains in writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills--those very skills that are "empirically" linked to these skills. Does this mean that if part-time students did have the same access and opportunity for pro-bono and clinics, they'd blow their full-time counterparts out of the water? Seems to me the answer is a definite maybe!

The interesting thing is this seeming contradiction from the report findings:

"Both groups were equally satisfied with various law school
services, and they felt equally supported by the law school,
personally and academically."

How is this possible--I don't think being short-shrifted on extra-curriculars helps part-time students feel supported by the law school, academically.

How about it, faithful reader? Any thoughts on this survey? How is your level of engagement at your school?

You Can Stop at J.D.

2012-01-16T14:29:00.000-05:00

I wanted to share this article Big Law Firms Don't Care About your L.L.M. because I know a few people who have talked about--or asked me for advice on--getting an L.L.M. after law school. This article confirms what I always suspected; unless it makes sense in your career trajectory or if it's for something popular like tax law, you're better off saving your money and sanity. Be glad to know that you can head for the light at the end of the tunnel - and not go into a whole new tunnel - without destroying your career prospects!

Bar Exam Prep, Evening Student Style

2012-01-02T16:19:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year, faithful reader! My apologies for not posting in December, but this was the first holiday season in about 9 years that I didn't have schoolwork on my mind in some way, so I took advantage of the full opportunity, and actually enjoyed my holidays for once! If you're coming up on graduating law school (or any school for that matter), you will soon appreciate how big of a deal that is. So this post is dedicated to sharing my bar study experiences so that you will be able to have a stress-free holiday very soon!

As I mentioned in an earlier post, studying for bar exams while working is not easy, and I don't recommend it. But, the reality is that many will have to work at least part of the way through the weeks leading up to the bar -- so prepare to be flexible. The prep courses are designed for people who can give a full day to their program (generally speaking--there are a few that claim to work around your schedule). Even if you take a course that has a more flexible program, there is a lot of material to cover, so your focus and self-discipline are really going to be challenged.

The Material
Bar exams differ in each state, so this will focus primarily on NY and NJ as examples. I'm not sure what percentage of law school graduates take more than one bar exam at a time, but I'm guessing the rate is pretty high in the northeast, where the states are smaller and very close to one another. The key to taking more than one exam at a time is to study aggressively for the more difficult exam and hope that the majority of subjects overlap. This is pretty easy for NY/NJ, since the NY exam tests on 23 possible subjects, whereas NJ always tests on the same 7 topics (6 of which can appear in NY).

MBE Subjects
Constitutional Law, Contracts/Sales, Criminal Law/Procedure, Evidence, Real Property, Torts

New York Subjects
Agency, Commercial Paper, Conflict of Laws, Corporations, Domestic Relations, Equity, Federal Jurisdiction, Future Interests, Insurance (No-Fault), Mortgages, New York Practice, New York Professional Responsibility, Partnership, Personal Property, Secured Transactions, Trusts, Wills, Workers' Compensation, plus New York distinctions for all MBE subjects.

I have a theory that the rate at which you forget the law is directly proportional to its importance on the bar exam. If contracts figures prominently on your exam, by the time you graduate you will have forgotten how to spell contracts (doesn't help that the abbreviation for it is K). This is why I don't recommend that people go to crazy over taking "bar-specific" courses. Take what interests you and might be of use to you in your career. Law school isn't supposed to teach you hot to take a test, it's supposed to teach you the law and the legal thought-process. Bar prep is supposed to teach you how to take the bar, and they do a good job of that.

That being said, you will receive a LOT of materials from your prep courses. Don't be overwhelmed by it all. You won't likely read through all of it anyway (nor should you). I received 10 books for the NY bar exam. They consisted of essay prompts, multiple choice questions for the MBE (multistate bar exam), multiple choice questions for the NY multiple choice portion, and topic outlines both full and encapsulated. It's a lot to manage. I spent a few days just trying to work out the symbols on the books so I knew what homework to do! You are not expected to read through all of the materials, and it is not recommended! Not all of it is important, and not all of it will make sense, so don't try to confuse yourself with too much knowledge. Remember that the bar exams are not comprehensive; they are going to hit on a few things in each topic in (primarily) multiple choice format. The depth of your knowledge is less important than the breadth, so stick to the mini-outlines and reviews, and you should be fine.

The Schedule
I hinted at this in my previous post, but I was not able to stick to the prepared schedule that the bar prep folks created. There was simply no way--they basically expected 8-10 hours of studying per day, which isn't possible when 10 hours of the day are being spent working and commuting. There was full online support available, and you could log in and get your lessons, view videos, and get extra practice questions. You could also monitor your progress by checking off tasks in the schedule. There was even this little progress bar at the top of the page to let you know how far you were progressing in relation to where you should have been. As the first week went by, I stayed on track (for the most part). I figured I could boost my numbers by doubling down on my homework on the weekend. No dice. There was a full menu of activities for Saturday, and a weekly recap on Sundays, so no time to catch up. I sank fast. By week 3, my little progress bar was so far behind I had to keep a paper bag on hand to breath into. I thought for sure I was going to fail the bar exam. Every time I thought that, I reached for the paper bag. This period of my life is one that I refer to as "no fun."

By the end of week 3, I faced facts and made a scary decision - I went off the program. It wasn't an easy decision. The bar exam lecturers do a great job of convincing you that you can't pass without their guidance. Going off their program was risky, and I didn't have any information on how to craft my own study plan and still pass. But it was a risk I had to take because a) time was wasting and b) my paper bag had ripped.Here is what I did*.

Videos
From 6-9 or 10 PM each night after work, I watched the assigned video and took notes in the fillable outline. (I called them "mad libs"). The rationale behind filling in the outline was to keep you engaged and paying attention. It mostly worked.

Outlines
I did not create my own outline. Instead, I studied off of the prepared outlines from roughly 9 AM-2 PM on the weekends. In the afternoons I would do multiple choice practice tests and the occasional MPT.

Multistate Performance Test
"Closed universe" practical problem using instructions, factual data, cases, statutes and other reference material supplied by the bar examiners.

Essays

Harold taking Torts questions

I will admit only to you, faithful reader. I did very few essays. However, I did do one important essay that was submitted to the bar prep people for grading. I'm very glad I did that one early in the process because it was a big wake-up call. Out of a possible 10, I got a 2. That was a huge smack in the face, and made me realize that I only thought that I knew how to IRAC. Turns out that I didn't. I didn't use key phrases like "The rule is" and "In conclusion." They are very pedantic about these things on the bar exam, and it's important to structure your essays as if a chimp will be reading them. I visualized which chimp would be reading my essays, which helped me make the process more personal and less scary. His name was Harold, and he had a fondness for striped ties and earl grey tea. I suggest you visualize your own chimp.

Location, Location, Location
It is SO important that you minimize distractions while studying for the bar. For me, that meant picking up my books--sans computer--and going to the local library, Where there is internet, there is facebook (and twitter, and CNN, and icanhazcheezburger), and a million other distractions that seem innocuous enough, but wind up costing you hours. It's especially tempting to allow yourself to get distracted when there is no hard and fast deadline. Yes, the bar exam dates are set, but it's easy to justify surfing the web when there is a "whole 8 weeks" to study. That 8 weeks flies by faster than Howard can gulp down a banana. Set your own deadlines and STICK to them!

For example, I would set up a weekend for reading through two topics, and doing one essay and X multiple choice questions. It looked something like this:
Saturday:
9AM - 2 PM     Read Contracts Outline
3 - 4:30 PM       Do a Practice MPT
5:30 - 9:30 PM MBE questions
10 - 11 PM       Recap

Sunday:
9AM - 2 PM     Read Con Law Outline
3 - 5:30 PM       Do essays
6 - 9:30 PM      Finish any Contracts and Con Law Outline Reading

This format usually worked for me. Of course, I had to ramp up the reading as the exam got closer, but I was able to take off about 2 and a half weeks from work prior to the exam. So, from Monday - Friday, I would spend the mornings reading up on the "smaller" topics (Agency and Commercial Paper for example). The goal was to be finished reading through all of the outlines by about 2 weeks out, so that all that was left was review and practice questions.

There were times, of course, when I went completely off the reservation and just watched Maury, but you have to allow for that in your schedule.You're not a robot, and you have to remember that people pass these exams all the time. Even if you don't pass the first time out, you can retake them. But, if you're fairly well disciplined and really commit to doing the practice questions and essays (simulating test conditions), you will probably be just fine.If you are reading this blog, that means you are probably already thinking ahead to the exams and starting to worry a little--that's a good thing. Don't worry Faithful Reader. I believe in you. And so does Harold.

*Your mileage may vary - I'm only sharing my strategy. I make no guarantees as to your success. If this works for you, great. If not, find a bigger paper bag.

YES!

2011-11-02T14:32:00.001-04:00

I passed the New York State Bar Exam! More to come, I just wanted to post this for you, faithful reader.

~~Haven't heard from New Jersey yet, but at this point, who cares?I'll be admitted to practice law SOMEWHERE!!! :)~~ Update: Passed NJ as well. Now I'm fully licensed and admitted in the State of NJ, as well as the US District Court for the state of NJ. Still pending admission in NY, just have to complete my paperwork which I will do this month!

Woot.

Sincerely,
Esq.

Scheduling Your Life Around the Bar

2011-10-03T13:25:00.001-04:00

It's October. It has taken me three months just to decompress enough to even think about the bar exams. Yes, really. I wanted to share my experiences and tactics with you so that any of you out there in internetland who may be graduating law school this year can begin to balance work and studying.

First off, everything everyone tells you about them is true. Except for the people who tell you they aren't that hard. Those people are lying. The ones who tell you it is miserable - believe them.

I know, very cute. Scare the bejeezus out of people to inspire them to study harder. That's not the intent. The fact is that they are incredibly hard, and you will go through various stages of anger, frustration, composure, denial, resentment, calm, acceptance, resignation, and fear throughout your study process. That's normal. But, this post isn't about managing your emotions while you work and study (I'll cover that in a later blog post). It's about time management.

Prepping

Do not even think about not taking a prep course. That's a deliberate double-negative to emphasize that you should absolutely take a prep course! I don't care which one - just check out the ones you're familiar with and use what's right for you. I had never taken a prep course for an exam before in my life, but in this case I was not going to leave anything to chance. The exams are too important to go in blind, without the benefit of advice from people who have seen hundreds of exams in the past. They offer a level of comfort that you are in good hands, and honestly if all they are good for is that level of comfort, it is money well spent in my humble opinion.

The Schedule

The course that I took met 5 days per week, for about 3-4 hours per day. A group of people sat in a room and watched a video of a lecture that had happened live earlier that day. If that sounds crazy to you, that means you're paying attention. It was crazy. The worst part of the experience was having 10 minute breaks at the top of every hour. Let's recap. I have just commuted an hour and a half to get to work, hustled like heck to get to this class at 6 PM, and there are only 2 or 3 ten minute breaks. That's not enough time to get coffee, let alone a full meal. One twenty or thirty minute break would have made more sense, but that was the way it was structured. Cest la vie.

After a week of that nonsense, I got hip to the fact that the lectures were available online. So, I went home to watch them at my leisure, while I was able to have a decent meal, and still take my notes. This is what I would recommend for any person who is still working while studying. Running around like that 5 days per week without proper fuel isn't just unhealthy, it's counter-productive. You lose your attention span, and nothing in the videos makes sense any longer. I was much more focused and calm when I went home. Now, your mileage may vary, and you may find that going to the lecture hall is the only thing that keeps you going, but for me it wasn't worth suffering for. The trick is to stay disciplined, and watch every video on the day that it is assigned.

Homework
The course that I took had daily (nightly) homework assignments, which ranged from multiple choice tests to full-blown essays. The course actually began in late May. By the middle of June, I was so far behind in my homework, I realized that I had to give it up. It simply was not feasible to cover the videos for 4 hours, then do 2 or 3 hours of homework each night and get to work the next day. I even tried cramming all of my homework in on the weekends. That lasted about a week. There is a full day's worth of homework on Saturdays, plus cumulative review. In short, do what you can to not have to work while you study for the bar.

I was able to take three solid weeks off just leading up to the bar. I wish I had been able to take more, but it wasn't in the cards for me, so I did as much as I could for those three weeks. It was literally day and night studying, although there was the occasional zombie afternoon where I had to stumble away from my books and try to remember how to spell my own name. I realized that I had to come up with a modified study plan that worked for me, because the one offered by the prep course really isn't designed for people who are working. Not that I'm saying that's a bad thing - they designed the program the way they felt necessary to maximize your chances of passing. Fair enough. But I really wish that had been in the brochure. Bottom line for you, faithful reader: if you can't take the full 8 weeks of prep off to study, then you will have to modify your schedule. I didn't do this right away and got more and more demoralized with each day that I fell behind. But, I worked it out quickly enough and did what I had to do (well, we will see how that worked out in November!).

Those are the basics of the prep schedule that I can offer for now. I'll detail what my days and nights looked like, and how the intensity and schedule ramped up as the exams drew nearer in another post. For now, just start to think about how you can block enough time off of work so that you can study!

The Specialists

2011-07-24T18:16:00.000-04:00

Hello faithful reader! Just coming up for some air to check in. I'll be honest, I"m so sick of studying that I'm at the point where I don't seem to care anymore. I think we're all in that boat now. We just want it over with. I want my life back. I think I have done everything that I can do to prepare for this utterly obnoxious exam. I mean honestly New York, 21 topics?!? As if anyone going into criminal law will give a damn about the elective share, or anyone practicing employment discrimination law will give a rat's patoot about New York's indelible right to counsel. But, it must be done, so I'll do it and hopefully pass it on my first shot out. I do not want to ever go through this again. Obligatory complaining out of the way, onto the post . . .

Flipping through my contracts and torts notes today made me a little nostalgic. I can still remember the anxiety I was feeling, right around this time in 2007 before I started at law school. So, since it seems that this blog has suddenly exploded in readership since I graduated (typical), I thought I'd give a little advice to newly admitted evening students, or maybe even those who are already in the thick of it. Don't worry - I'm not going to tell you to "enjoy it while it lasts" because that would be a load of nonsense. Law school is hard, especially when you attend after work, and you're not going to enjoy most of it.

What I am going to tell you to do is focus. FOCUS. This summer, before you return for the fall, narrow down your interests to one, maybe two, areas of law that you want to practice. Doesn't have to necessarily be specific like "construction contract law," but just begin to define your target area. Then, hone in on them in the classes you select and the activities you join. Many people, author included, went to law school having a general sense that we wanted to practice "the Law", whatever that meant. Unfortunately, the game changed on us while we were embedded, and it was too late to turn back. We were still treating law school as an opportunity that would open doors for us at every turn. That's only partly true. Certain doors will open, but employers are getting ever more specific about their candidates, so you have to know what lies behind the doors before you even open them.

The good news is that you have time to do this, and it's pretty simple. Find your passion. Pick the area of law that suits it, and then focus your efforts on it like a celebrity stalker. Join that section of your bar association, join the closest group in school that works in the area, or even try to get published in that area. The more focused your resume looks by the time you begin your interviews, the better. I may have stated this in an earlier blog, but it's even more true now because the hiring market for lawyers, at least in this area, isn't improving much. the law is becoming increasingly specialized, so it's time that law students do the same. Law school will encourage you to be a generalist. Even the bar exam will force you into a generalist mentality, but the truth is that you have to specialize early. After all, everyone you know in THE WORLD has been asking you what kind of law you want to practice, so might as well start to develop your answer now. Good luck! See you after the bar!

Graduation vs. Commencement

2011-06-27T13:17:00.000-04:00

Hello faithful reader! I'm surfacing for a little while just to post some updates and give a brief progress report. Not much progress to report, so this post will be brief!

I graduated (yay!). It was a very nice ceremony. My parents made it to New Jersey without creating widespread panic, and it didn't rain. All in all, not a bad day. It was weird, though. At all my past graduations I remember feeling this pang of anxiety and anticipation, like I couldn't wait to get out of there and start the next chapter. Graduating law school is very different, because you know you have the bar exam looming, only 2 months away. It's kind of a sickening feeling. It turns into a full-on malaria outbreak once you see the size of the prep materials.

But was it a Graduation or a Commencement? According to dictionary.com Commencement is defined as: –noun
1. an act or instance of commencing; beginning: the commencement of hostilities.

That definition could not be more appropriate - since commencement, I have been pretty hostile. The studying is incessant, the material is overwhelming, and all the while you have people telling you not to worry, you'll be fine. (TIP: If you're dealing with someone studying for the bar NEVER EVER SAY THAT! In fact, just back out of the room slowly - there is no "right" thing to say).

I guess my handy tip to people coming up on this chapter in their lives would be to just embrace it. It's coming. Sleepless nights, rote memorization, stress, hives, anxiety, self-doubt. It's coming. Just deal. This fraternity of lawyers demands that we be hazed, so if you want to be a part of it, you do what's required.

Make sure that you do whatever you need to do to free up your life (take off from work or quit your job, hire a cleaner, give your dog to a friend - whatever it takes to minimize distractions), and take in as much material as you can. And every once in a while hang out with other people that are in the same boat and commiserate. I would have said hang out with friends, but by this point in the process you don't have many left, so let's not kid ourselves.

The Summer After . . .

2011-05-03T22:34:00.000-04:00

So, what, this is goodbye? Just cause I'm graduating now, I think I'm too good for this blog?

Of course not, faithful reader. There are still hundreds of people working full time and going to law school at night, who need guidance, support, and encouragement. Of course, none of them actually read this thing, but I've never let facts get in the way of a good story before, and I'm not about to start now. However, this blog did start out as a way for me to share my experiences as an evening law student, and that journey has now come to an end (deuces, peeps!!).

End of the blog? Not at all. There is still the little matter of the Bar Exam, so I will post in the near future about what it's like to work full time and study for the bar exam(s). I'm taking New York and New Jersey, in case anyone was wondering or cared. I am taking a prep course for the bar--the first time in my life that I have ever taken a prep course for a standardized test. I took the "early start" of this course over the spring, and while it was awful sitting in class on a Sunday, it was only 6 days out of my life, and it was well worth it. I have a real comfort level about the bar already, and I feel fully confident that if I stay on target with their program, I will be fine. The trouble is staying on target with the program.

It's not designed for people who work during the day. While they do offer evening courses, there is no getting around the fact that I will be in class 4 hours per night, 5 nights per week, after work. It is going to suck hard, and that's with me sugarcoating it. So, I will try to keep you posted of my progress along the way, faithful reader, and let you know what it's like to work and study at full pelt. Of course, if over the summer you see a post that reads something like this:

sadsad aufh seiufhsueyfrth 4telihjereghndfln gln 1.n324n2m434n4433##$$#@@#@@@ . . .

Be not afraid. That will just be me being completely exhausted and losing my mind. I'm sure it will pass. I'm, like, 80% sure it will pass.

65, definitely. Yes, I'm about 42% sure it will pass.

Ok, I've scared myself enough for one post. Goodnight.

How to be an Alum

2011-04-15T10:55:00.000-04:00

If you are in law school you already know this, but it may come as news to anyone thinking of applying. From the day that people begin law school, they begin counting the days until graduation. In some cases, there is a human countdown clock in the class who can be relied upon to give you the firm number of days left at the drop of a hat. But, we all have some sense of how much more we have to endure of cases, dissents, and arcane rules of black letter law. In my case, it's 4 days as of this writing. Not calendar days, but close enough - I have 4 more class sessions to sit through to be done with law school (not counting my one final). Am I excited? I'd say I'm somewhere between "hell yeah!!!" and "meh." I'm happy to be at the end of it all, but this economy has most graduates wondering what they will be doing after graduation--not a position we expected to be in when we began law school. But, overall it is a great time and I'm looking forward to some return to normalcy (after the bar exam, of course).

I'm going to be an alumna soon. That's a strange feeling. It means I'm forever connected to the school, yet all I want to do right now is run from the building and get on with my life. But, I know that's not going to ever really happen (if I didn't run away screaming after taking Property, I'm not likely to do it now). I think we all have a responsibility to our schools that remains long after we graduate. That's not a popular position, but it's true. We should all help our schools succeed and stay on the right track, because our professional degree will always be attached to the school (you never hear about someone being a J.D. without knowing where they went to law school). It's especially important at Rutgers, where they can't be trusted with our reputation or our money. So, I hope and plan to be a useful alum and do what I can to ensure that the Rutgers name attached to my very expensive degree doesn't get besmirched (anymore). I thought I'd provide some tips on how to be a good alum for any faithful readers out there that are in the same boat:

Stay on the Mailing List: If your school keeps up an e-newsletter, get it and read it. (If they provide a paper newsletter, drop out and go to a school that has heard of the internet). It's a good way to stay informed, and stay involved. Plus, it's free, which people love.
Respond: When you get your newsletters and emails, feel free to drop a line to someone that has won an award or competition. Current students would love to get alumni encouragement, and it would show them that people really do read the newsletters! You may even get a mentee out of the deal, which is a reward in itself.
Donate: I know we all gave blood, sweat, tears and tens of thousands of dollars to the school while we were students, but when you're an alum you get to choose where your money goes. You can give to a particular fund or project, and know that your money isn't going to BS "printing fees." You can also donate your time, help a student group plan an event, coach students in a particular area, offer to tutor. It doesn't always have to be about money.
Network: This doesn't mean show up to all the parties where they have free wine and cheese (you're going to do that without being told, anyway). Join your school's social media sites, so that you can post opportunities as well as read updates. Need volunteers for a project? No better way to get them than by posting it on facebook. I'm amazed at how little this is done right now, but maybe that's because recent grads haven't been as "media-nuts" as the current crop of students.
Be Good: It shouldn't have to be said, but let's not assume anything. Stay out of the New Jersey Law Journal! Don't do anything that will get you reprimanded, censured, or disbarred. First of all, that would just be stupid but it also gives the school a bad rap. People do read those things - stay clean and don't embarrass the school. I paid good money for my degree. The last thing I need is some schmuck making Rutgers look bad because of (insert favorite ethical violation here).

In my 4 years at Rutgers, I have not seen a lot of alumni involvement. I don't know why that is, but I'm sure it can and should be changed. I'm going to do my best to not be a hypocrite, and give back as much as I can, and I hope you do too, faithful reader. Otherwise next year's commencement speaker could be Heidi Montag (yes, that would be a bad thing).

The Bar Where Everybody Knows Your Name (and your credit history, your driving record, your relatives . . .)

2011-04-02T22:15:00.001-04:00

I just finished the bar application process for NY and NJ. New York was a straightforward, simple online application complete with credit card submission functionality. New Jersey's bar application, to the surprise of no one, is an inefficient, meaningless exercise in paperwork. Still, it's not going to change any time soon, so I thought I'd walk through the finer points of the process for anyone considering it for the future. (Special shout-out to KMS for giving me a heads up about the NJ DMV!).

There are 4 parts to the NJ bar application. The Application itself, the "Authorization and Release," the Certified Statement, and the Fee.

The application is one page, which asks for your basic name, rank, and serial number information. It has to be notarized. This seems stupid to me, because why anyone would fill out an application for another person is beyond me. The most bizarre part - the application requires your LSAC number. Remember that? Of course you don't - no one does. You haven't logged onto LSAC since you applied to law school. No clue why they request this. If anyone has an idea, please enlighten.

The Authorization and Release forms. No information really needed here - you just need to fill out your name and place of birth. Same form, but you have to submit two originals, both notarized. Seriously? Yes. And I can only guess its because NJ assumes right out of the gate that they're going to lose one. Again, any clues faithful reader? I'm all ears.

Ahhh, here's where it gets fun. The Certified Statement. The 19-page Certified Statement. It's basically a 19 page form that you can fill out by hand (or, if you're a crazy-person, you can download the PDF and make it into a fillable form*). It starts off benignly enough - more name, rank, and serial number stuff. But it can get interesting. It asks for all of the addresses where you have lived for the past ten years. Now, I have only had two addresses in the past ten years, so I didn't mind so much, but for all of you "rolling stones" out there - better start collecting! It then moves into asking for the list of schools you attended - should not be too much of a problem for most people (unless, like me, you attended 4 different colleges. Chronology can be a real pain!).

Next up is the Employment section. This can be a complete nightmare for people who have done a lot of part-time work, or can't remember the exact names of their supervisors and the months and years of employment. This list is supposed to go back 10 years. Most employers hold personnel records for 7. Best of luck. Even if you do remember where you worked, chances are that HR won't be willing and/or able to help you track down your employment. Luckily, you can claim "Unable to Recall" after making a "reasonable effort" to do so. Whatever that means. TIP: Start making your lists now, and keep your resume up to date.

The statement then gets into military service, asks about professional licenses, and any official positions or public offices held. Nothing too controversial there for most people.

The next section is fun - Legal Proceedings. If you have ever been a named party in any civil proceeding including "negligence actions, unintentional torts, landlord/tenant, contract disputes," or all manner of domestic relations matters, they require that you check "Yes" and then list the nature of the proceedings, with FULL details, on a separate attachment. They also want a copy of the complaint, answer, and other related documents. Now, I can understand the bar examiners wanting to know about your past criminal history, but I found this civil history to be excessive and intrusive. Maybe it's me, but I think the things they asked for are none of their damn business. If they let me in, I may take them to court on this one ;). TIP: Start requesting any such documents from the courts now, because this could take a while to come in. Also, this doesn't apply to child support actions if YOU were the child in question.

The next section asks about your indebtedness (why they can't just run a credit check, I don't know). If you have been 90 days or more late on any payment in the prior 12 months, you have to list it here. TIP: make all of your payments on time in the year running up to the bar application! Then - and this part slayed me and everyone else that I know who filled out this tree-killing application - they asked for all of the student loans that you currently have, who services them, and the amount owed. (Really, have these people never heard of credit checks??). This part took me SIX HOURS!!! Like many law students, I went to college. College usually means loans. Loans these days are bought and sold like pork bellies - who the hell knows who currently holds them? Trying to navigate the Sallie Mae and Dept of Ed websites (heaven forbid you forget your password on one of their sites), was like trying to . . . I can't even think of an apt analogy, that's how awful it was. Special mention goes to Citibank for their practice of making you renew your password, but not allowing it to be any of seven prior passwords you have used. By this point, I was ready to apply to cooking school. TIP: Start figuring out your loan information now, and consolidate wherever you can.

DMV abstracts from each state. The BEST part about this is the way NJ handles these requests. I swear I am not making the following up. You go online. Good. Your find the section for driver abstracts. Good. You fill out a form. Good. Wait - the form isn't for your abstract? No, silly - the form is to request that the DMV mail you a PIN number, so that you can later go online and request your abstract. I could not not make this up if I tried. (Again, NY is straightforward. Go online, download the form you need, send it in, and they will mail you your abstract. Catch up New Jersey!). TIP: They will mail the PIN to the address that they have on file for you - make sure their records are up to date. DOUBLE TIP: Get on these quickly, because it's a byzantine process.

True Story: I was pretty lucky. I got my PIN number in the mail rather quickly, and then got my abstract in the mail not too long after I requested it. Here's the thing: I'm from New York. I know this - you know this - anyone who listens to me speak for 13 seconds knows this. It's all over my Authorization, and my Certification. I was the one who, one day many moons ago, went to the DMV in Rahway, NJ for my NJ driver's license. I handed in my NY license in order to get one from NJ. I physically handed it to them. What does it say on my NJ abstract? "Out of State Driver History: None." Okay, NJ. Be more incompetent. This is gonna look great in my application packet, right next to my NY abstract. I'm expecting a call from the bar examiners any day now. Moving on.

Next up: Health information. Mental health and addictions basically get filled in here. TIP: Don't have any. But, if you do, come clean (no pun intended) about it here. Case after case has been brought up on practicing attorneys who lied about this on their applications. There is almost always a public censure - sometimes disbarment. Be honest about it now so that you get your license to practice law. Don't lie about it now, and lose your license later.

It then asks for some other basic information such as bar admission in other jurisdictions, etc. It also asks for references. I never understood references, and why people ask for them. They'll always be good - why else would you list someone as a reference? The trick here is that your references cannot be close relatives, law school classmates, fiancees, or more than one member of the same law firm. TIP: Know more people.

It ends with a "Miscellaneous" section, whereby it asks if there is any other issue that was not specifically addressed in the application process that could be considered a character issue? Classic. I'm sure they get tons of responses on this one. TIP: Check "no."

Once you send this in with your $475 money order or cashier's check (dontcha love how ethical they think we are - they don't even trust us to write a check that will clear), they will process it and send an acknowledgment packet, with fingerprinting information and other goodies. I can hardly wait.
I'll be sure to post about it when it gets here. I bet it requires everything in triplicate on high quality carbon paper, sealed in wax with your family's signet ring.

I should mention that while NY was a simple online form, they will get into all of these issues. They just don't ask for them right up front.

*Another shout-out there to KMS.

Happy Valentine's Day, Rutgers Law!

2011-02-13T21:49:00.000-05:00

Recently, I bumped into faithful reader, and I got the impression that my posts have become a bit of a downer lately. I read back over them and noted that my themes have touched upon unemployment, bad credit, extreme stress, and just a general "what have you done for me lately" attitude. It was never my intention to make people have to hide their virtual belts and shoelaces after reading my posts, so I apologize for seeming like a legal grump.

In honor of Valentine's Day, and inspired by the recent ABA Journal Article "Why I Love Being a Lawyer (Seriously)", I thought I would post some of the things that I have loved, and still love, about being a law student. Consider this my "Ode to the Atrium*."

The People: I have met some of the coolest, funniest, most brilliant people at law school. The faculty's not bad, either. But I'm talking here about my fellow students. It gives me a lot of hope in the future when I realize that the people around me in class are going to be taking care of the laws, cases, and issues of our society. (Of course, a few of them scare the hell out of me as well, but I'm trying to keep this post focused on the positive).
The Learning: Yes, the book-learnin' has been great, but the conversations with people about things we have read, or things going on in the world are fascinating. I have learned a lot about different points of view, and I have even begun to change my own eternally-grounded views about certain things. For instance, New Jersey isn't a complete wasteland. It has great diners. And apparently there are mountains somewhere, but I have yet to confirm this.
The Challenge: Going to law school, at any time, under any circumstances, is difficult. You have a lot of things, facts, laws, rules, jargon, crammed into your head all at once, and your entire fate is determined by how well you regurgitate everything in one final exam. The studying, the memorizing, the discipline that it has taken in order to succeed in law school, has been a challenge. Just knowing that I have stepped up to the challenge, and have seen my way through almost all of it now, gives me a great amount of . . .
The Pride: Damn right I'm proud of what I have accomplished so far. Sure, lots of people graduate law school every year, and lots of them are evening students. But, no two law students have had the same journey. I have done everything I could do while in law school, and taken advantage of almost every opportunity that came my way. I'm pretty proud of that, and I know my friends and family are as well.If you are in law school right now (especially if you are an evening student), step back, take a deep breath, and congratulate yourself.

There are things that I have also hated about law school, but like all relationships, you have to take the good with the bad if you're going to commit. Law school has offered me opportunities, built friendships, and made me break out of my comfort zone. If it occasionally forgets my birthday or doesn't pick up its socks, I can deal with that. I would do it all over again. So, I hope this post has made you think about the things you have loved about law school. Valentine's Day is all about taking that one day out to remember and reflect on the things in our life that we love - because we can always bitch about them the rest of the year.

Happy Valentine's Day, faithful reader!

*Rutgers Law School reference

All Hail the Mighty FICO Score!

2011-01-29T15:59:00.001-05:00

Fastweb recently posted a terrifying article: Excessive Debt Bars Students from Law Careers. It's terrifying because it's true.

The first student profiled in the article, Hassan Johnathan Griffin, is being denied permission to take the bar because he has racked up $170,000 in student debt. Mind you, $150,000 of that was for attending law school. He still had a little undergraduate debt, but it was a pittance compared to the law school debt, proportionally. He also has just over $16,000 in credit card debt. Read the full opinion.

What burns me about this scenario is that Griffin is currently working in the public defender's office, making $12 an hour. Doesn't take a genius to understand why he racked up over $16,000 in credit card debt - no one can live off of $12 an hour - not even a law student. So, he is being denied admission to the bar because he

got an education without being a burden on his family;
has dedicated his working time to public defense;
refuses to survive on a steady diet of ramen noodles and day-old baloney sandwiches.

What an irresponsible slacker! The stupidest part of all is that he wants to work in the public defender's office, meaning most if not all of his law school loans will be forgiven anyway!

(Note: A number of people have commented that he was denied the ability to sit for the bar not because of his outstanding debts, but because of his inability or lack of a plan to repay them. However, that isn't really the case in the opinion. The court finds fault with the fact that he chose to work part-time at the Public Defender's office, rather than get rehired as a stockbroker. His intention was to get full-time employment at the PD's office after he passed the bar. So, the court basically told Griffin that in order to be allowed to sit for the bar he should go back to work as a stockbroker and pay off his loans. The opinion never discusses the fact that Griffin will likely never owe on those loans due to loan repayment forgiveness. They stuck him in a Catch-22; keep doing what you love in the law and never be a lawyer, or give up working in the law in order to become a lawyer).

So, having a lot of student debt is indicative that a person lacks "the requisite character, fitness, and moral qualifications for admission to the practice of law"? Nevermind the fact that Griffin's parents were both civil rights activists, and his sole desire for going to law school was to help the indigent. That isn't indicative of good moral character? Smooth move, Ohio Supreme Court. Way to encourage people to finance their own educations, and provide the government much needed money off of interest payments.

And yes - it could happen to you! The bigger issue is how much we have let the 3 major credit companies take control over our futures in this country. Anyone can be denied loans for having bad credit (obviously), but these days you can also be denied jobs and housing because of questions about your credit. Nevermind the fact that identity theft is rampant, the economy has forced many people to use their credit cards as a means of subsistence, and credit reporting agencies screw up. Alot. Now, we can even be denied the opportunity to sit for a professional exam if we have a high debt/income ratio. This is absurd. Our debt is high because of law school tuition. The moral? Only people who can afford to go to law school and pay out of pocket should be allowed the right. Lower-and Middle-Class applicants need not apply.

Can you tell that I'm disgusted by this? So, basically, let this article serve as a warning to get your financial affairs in order before you need to sit for the bar. I never used to think that having law school debt would be a negative when applying to practice law, but then again, I'm not an idiot. Granted, this isn't just about Griffin. It's about the fact that having a negative credit history could make your law school career worthless. So, be sure to clean it up.

Check out these tips for paying off your debt quicker. The sooner you do this in your law school careers, the better. And be sure to watch out for that credit, folks, because things like divorce, identity theft, family medical problems, or housing purchases could mean that you're unfit, and immoral! Who knew?

Bar Review: Where Will we Find the Time?

2011-01-23T22:15:00.000-05:00

I have recently blogged about clinics, law review, and write-on: the Holy Trinity of evening student concerns. However, the topic that's weighing most heavily on my mind these days is the bar exam. Much of that has to do with the fact that everyone I meet, when they find out that I'm graduating in May, immediately says "Oh, then you'll have to take the Bar!" EVERY. SINGLE. PERSON. They say it as if I didn't already know. It's like telling a pregnant woman how much labor will hurt. I know what's coming, and I know how hard it is. Stating the obvious to me doesn't help, it actually just sucks the joy right out of the fact that my hard-earned graduation's coming.

Ok, ok, maybe I'm just taking my own frustrations out on certain people. (Seriously though, it's everyone.). The fact remains that the bar exam (exams, in my case), is looming and I don't know how I'm going to find the time to study while working full-time.

As you may have heard, things have not gone according to plan for law school grads for the past few years. High post-graduation unemployment, and fewer "big law" jobs have changed the game for a lot of people. In the past, the idea was that you would get a summer job at a firm in your second (or third, for evening students) year. As long as you didn't burn the place down, that firm would typically make you an offer for permanent employment after graduation. Many would even let you draw a salary while you took off time to study for the bar. Reality no longer works this way, so many people are finding themselves having to take extra loans to cover their expenses while they study from May to July.

It's different for evening students. Many, such as myself, still don't have anything firm lined up after graduation. Which means that we will have to continue working at our present jobs after we graduate. A few of us evening students got together recently for dinner and lots of questions came up: What if we can't take enough time off to study for the bar? What if we have just started a new job and haven't accrued enough vacation? How will it affect our relationship with our employers, since they know we will be looking to bail as soon as something "legal" comes along? Yeah, good times.

These aren't easy questions, and the answers are highly specific to each person's situation. One thing that many of us will be doing is taking an "early start" course this spring. Basically, that just means that bar review begins in February rather than in June. I don't know if it will help, but I'm happy to know that this is an option. The sooner I can get a jump on studying for the bar, the better I'll feel. It also means sacrificing 5 Sundays this spring to study. Big deal - like I was doing anything interesting to begin with?

So, faithful reader, just know that if you, too, are worried about having enough time to study for the bar over 8 weeks in the summer, fear not. You will be able to kill your entire spring as well. I'll keep you posted throughout to let you know if I find them helpful.

When was it a "Winning Proposition?"

2011-01-18T16:25:00.002-05:00

Room for one more?

There has been a lot of talk recently about the "value-added proposition" of a legal education, and the "lose-lose" game of going to law school these days. A recent New York Times article features this addition to the fray. Well, far be it for the New York Times to exaggerate a story (snark). The Times seems to indicate that all is doom and gloom. Recent law school grads and current 3Ls are in the "perfect storm" of unspeakable debt, scaled back employment options, and an ever-increasing backlog of competition.

Others have been talking and writing about the prestige and opportunity that come merely from having a J.D. Simply expand your search parameters outside of Big Law, and you too can join the ranks of the successful Juris Doctorates. If you aren't being tapped for interviews for your "dream job," it's your own fault for having such limited dreams. Besides, no one promised you a rose garden. It's a tough world out there. Suck it up and stop feeling entitled.

The truth, of course, is rooted somewhere in the middle. It is a horrible job market for people looking to be associates in law firms (big or small). However, you can bet that by the time you have thought of an alternate career, there are 1,400 other applicants in ahead of you who already thought their way out of that same box. Simply looking for other ways to make use of your J.D. really isn't going to be enough for everyone.

Why are we in this pickle? Are law schools to blame? Law firms? Clients? Dirty hedge funds, Ponzi schemes, and unregulated banking? If you picked "E: All of the Above", you're right. For decades we have been inundated with images, real and fictional, of the glamor and prestige of legal careers. Law firms overpaid young associates in order to attract bright talent, and tuition rates skyrocketed commensurate with graduates' salaries. Clients spared no expense, and didn't bother questioning exorbitant legal fees, because people grew accustomed to massive legal bills. Law firms charged what the market would bear, but now we know just what the limits of the market are. Clients scaled back in a panic over cost-cutting measures (and many reached for the smelling salts when they noticed partners charging $600 per hour for legal "work"). Rather than trimming budgets and bringing expenses in line with sanity, firms went into massive lay-offs and hiring freezes. Think Billy Zane pushing the last half-empty lifeboat away from the Titanic.

So why does this matter, and how does it affect evening students?

It matters because people graduating law school feel so overwhelmingly ill prepared to practice law, that we are made to believe working in a multi-practice law firm is the only way to really get our feet wet, and build up credibility with clients. (That's largely true. Law schools could benefit by being more pro-active in prepping students for real-world practice, and balance that with the need to prepare them for bar exams). The European practice of apprenticeship makes a lot of sense - there is too much to know and too little that can be covered in doctrinal classes. (see my piece on the importance of Clinics). So, we are looking at a very large wave of the next generation of attorneys who are being shut out from perhaps the best form of on-the-job training. That sound you just heard was a collective "gulp" from the next generation of clients.

However, much like the poor in 1929, evening students were already in a bad position to start with, so this current climate hasn't changed things much for us at all. If anything, we are slightly better off economically if we have maintained our income while in school. So there are fewer jobs out there, students have to do more to distinguish themselves, and work harder to network and make good connections. Welcome to the world of evening students! This is nothing new for us; there are just more people in our lifeboat now. Cue Billy Zane.

Just please, PLEASE, no Celine Dion!

Healthy Competition

2011-01-09T16:03:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to mix it up with these blog posts, and give you new things to think about pursuing that won't take up daytime hours. A great option for evening students is to enter legal competitions. Two popular options for evening students are writing competitions and trial competitions. These are things that you can prepare for in your spare time (I know, "ha ha" you say), on weekends, and evenings when you are not in class. Writing competitions may be especially apt for evening students, because you could presumably find something to write about related to your work experience.

Related to my last post, bar associations are the best place to learn about these competitions. The ABA has a wide variety of them across all sections. (http://www.abanet.org/lsd/competitions/home.html). Check out this page for a long list of writing competitions by area of law: http://www.abanet.org/lsd/competitions/writing-contests/home.html. These contests are time consuming, to be sure, but even an honorable mention or other nominal prize is a great resume booster, and bragging rights go a long way. The best thing about writing competitions for evening students is that you write at your own pace (with an eye on the deadline, of course), but there is no daytime hour commitment.Be sure to check your local bar associations for their local competitions as well - there may be fewer entrants, which increases your odds of placing highly.

Trial competitions can also be a great idea for evening students. Granted, these competitions will take place during the day, but you can prepare for them during any available time you may have. These will usually involve compiling a team and working through a trial problem. They are a great way to gain experience, and are highly recommended if you want to be a litigator. (I have been involved in the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity Mock Trial competition for the past 3 years, and it has been a great learning experience. In related news, if your school has a PAD chapter, you should join it).

Remember, every little bit helps. I'm not advocating that you overextend yourself too much, but if you pick a select few activities you may just discover more about what areas of law interest you most, and you can gain some great exposure and experience. One competition or activity per your 4 years of law school should be enough for most people to handle. Let's call that my rule of thumb. Below are some links to writing competition sites. Also, don't forget to check with your school's Career Service office. Now, go find the competition that interests you most, and enter it. Good luck, faithful reader!

Am I missing some important ones? Post them in the comments!

Staying Connected: Bar Associations

2011-01-05T23:06:00.001-05:00

Have I mentioned how important it is to network yet? If I haven't yet, it's probably because everyone else in the world has written on how important it is to network. And you know what, faithful reader? They're all correct! Networking, especially in a down economy, is critical to developing a good law practice and getting your name out there for referrals.

You're probably already doing it on some level, but evening students need to do more, and ramp it up. This is critical to the legal profession,no matter what type of legal environment you wind up working in.

One great way to network is by joining your local bar associations. They often hold free events in the evenings, and they are a great resource for meeting people, and learning about new aspects of the law that you might not otherwise learn in school. Yes, I know you're in class in the evenings. If you weren't, I'd have no blog to write. But, as you get through your semesters and your course selection is up to you, you won't have class 4 nights a week. If you join a bar that is close to your job, it may even be easier to attend events there than it is to attend events at school. I know this is the case for me. I work a few blocks from the New York City Bar, and it's much easier for me to get there by 6 PM than it is for me to get to Newark. I strongly urge you to check out your local bar. (Insert favorite "bar" joke here).

In addition to the local bars, there is of course the American Bar Association. Student membership is cheap, and it's free to join many of the sections, so you can pick the areas to receive information. Many sections of the ABA put out regular magazines (great for paper topic ideas), and email newsletters. I know you're probably inundated with emails and articles, and reading for class. But, keeping up on recent legal events helps you to stay focused on the "real world" practice of law, and how what you're studying fits into that world. Besides, you will have to stay current with CLE credits after you graduate, so might as well get a sense of what's offered.

So, that's my advice on bar associations. They are great resources, and can really help evening students feel like they're in the loop.

The Clinic Experience

2011-01-02T13:30:00.000-05:00

Let's begin at the beginning. A clinic is like a mini-law firm within the school. The clinic faculty act as the partners, and the students are the associates. Clinics manage a variety of issues, from family law to tax law. Every law school has a few different clinics. They are taken like classes, for class credit, and can be done for as many semesters as your school allows.

For most evening students, clinics are not a viable option. The clinics that tell you they are open to evening students may mean well, but they probably aren't giving you the whole story. There will be times when you will need to be available during regular business hours, talking or meeting with clients, or making court appearances. However, I would recommend making this work within your schedule if at all possible.

I had basically counted out clinics as an option, because all of the clinics at Rutgers were during the regular school year, and you needed some daytime availability. But, this past summer the Community Law Clinic opened up during the summer for the first time. I believe that of the 12 students that jumped at the opportunity, 11 were evening students. What made the summer option more viable than the spring or fall was the fact that a) it was only a 10 week commitment, and b) you could select the number of hours per week that you committed to. Finally, some flexibility!!!

Community Law basically acts as a free legal service for community organizations, not-for-profits, and the like, who need help with all manner of things. This clinic handles some real estate, not-for-profit formation, by-law drafting, contract drafting, and even litigation where necessary. I knew that I wanted to make this work, but I also knew that to be really effective, I needed to be available to my clients during the day. I arranged to take Wednesdays off from my full-time job, and made up those 8 hours during the rest of the week. Was it brutal? Yes. Was it worth it? Absolutely.

Since I have a non-legal job, and the summer associate market completely dried up for the second year in a row this past year, I was panicked about how I would get legal experience. The clinic was the perfect place for this. Yes, in a sense I had to pay to get legal experience, but being an evening student will force you to make these kinds of decisions.

Aside from the experience, being a part of the clinic was a lot of fun. I met great professors, worked with some of my favorite evening people, and learned a lot about the role of my law school in the greater community (dare I say that I felt a sense of pride?). If there is any way that you can finagle the flexibility to get involved with a legal clinic at your school, do it.

Going Global

2010-12-31T14:26:00.003-05:00

Me again. This is what happens when you give me some free time, and bad daytime television. I'm claiming my blog in Technorati and other places within the interwebs so that I can double, or even triple, my readership! Wow! Imagine 3 whole people reading this blog! Maybe I shouldn't get ahead of myself.

Ok, Technorati, here's your code: BXETPJDZXS4

New Features on this Blog

2010-12-31T13:21:00.005-05:00

A lot has changed on Blogger in 2 years. There are now loads of add-ons, features, and what-nots, and I have been playing around with them to add some spice to this blog. Check out:

The legally-related YouTube clips below the blog archive (these clips come up at random based on keywords, so I have no idea what will appear at any given time. Some are pretty funny);
I created a Poll at the bottom of this page, so my faithful reader can tell me what to talk about;
I also asked some Questions at the bottom of this page, to get people talking and discussing (What people? Maybe faithful reader will bring along a friend :) ;
You can now Subscribe to this blog in an RSS feed (top left). I promise that there will be more regular posts;
You can Share this blog on loads of different social networking sites.

This is fun, so I'm going to keep canoodling. I'll try my best not to clutter it up too much!

The Skinny on Journals, Part 2: The Note

2010-12-31T11:15:00.002-05:00

Being on a journal means having to write a note. Despite the cutesy term for it, a journal note isn't something that you can write on the back of a cocktail napkin. It's an extensive research paper on a topic of your choice (kinda, sorta).

Each journal will have different requirements for it's note. For the journal I am on, the note had to be a minimum of 40 pages long with extensive footnotes. Some journals require 60 pages, some require 20. You really shouldn't worry about that when applying for journals though. Although it sounds daunting, you have an entire school year to write it, and the journal (good ones, anyway), will force you to keep pace with mandatory submissions of drafts along the way.

The only thing to keep watch for is that your topic isn't "preempted," meaning that it hasn't been written on by someone else. You will have to check on this periodically, because even if you are 99% finished with your note, and someone else has just published a similar note, you will have to either change your angle, your approach, or your entire topic. It does happen.

Another old saw is to pick a topic that you love and are passionate about, because you will hate it by the time your paper is finished. This is mostly true, so I'd class it as good advice. The thing to be aware of for evening students is that YES, it can be done. There's not much disadvantage to evening students as far as writing the note, because day students procrastinate just as much, so I found that it all evened out in the end.

The Skinny on Journals: Write-On

2010-12-31T00:20:00.006-05:00

One of the first things I did in my second year of law school was become President of the Evening Student Association. During my first year, there was an ESA, but it was comprised of two very busy, over-worked people who had no support. So, there were no events, no workshops, no information for that first year. Many of us felt like we were floundering that first year, so I took the organization on in an effort to make it a real resource for evening students. I had great help from the rest of the executive board, and there was a lot of support and enthusiasm from the whole class to get the ESA back off the ground.

Before the first general meeting, I polled the incoming students to find out what their concerns were. Not surprisingly, they rated Law Review, Study Groups, and Sleep as their main concerns. Sleep was easy to address - they wouldn't get any. Next topic, please.

Study groups were also pretty easy to address - it's a personal decision depending on your own study habits, and how you play in the sandbox with others. Generally, they're very good for first year students because they have no clue where to begin, so the safety net of the group can be a great help.

Law Review/Journals was harder to address, because at that time none of us on the executive board had been exposed to it. At Rutgers, and probably elsewhere, the journals aren't available until your second year (after you have had a legal writing class). But, the main concern among part-time students, and people who are thinking of going to law school part time, is whether they can be on a journal. The short answer is yes. The long answer is impolite.

Each school has its own set of policies about applying for a journal, and even with in schools the different journals may have different application procedures. Some schools give automatic journal spots based on GPA, at other schools its a combination of GPA and writing sample. At Rutgers, the larger journals have a Write-On. Here are some tips about Write-On competitions in general:

Write-On Sucks: You pick up a packet of materials (from 500-600 pages). You sometimes have to pay a "copy fee" for these packets. You have one week to 10 days to read through the entire packet and write a note of 15-20 pages based on the materials. This occurs about a week after your spring finals. In our case, the write-on deadline overlapped with the start of summer classes. It sucked.
Write-On is Unfair to Evening Students: Everyone gets the same amount of time to submit their note. That means from the time you pick up your packet, no matter when during the day that may be, it is due back at a specific date and time. For everyone. Evening students do not get extra time to complete this assignment, despite the fact that there are 40 hours during the week that we cannot read the materials or work on the note. Be prepared to take time off from work. I hadn't planned on taking any vacation for the write-on, but I wound up having to take 2 days off. Plan for it.
Write-On is All-Consuming: No matter what else you have going on in your life, it will have to take a back seat if you want to finish the assignment on time. Best thing to do is warn your family that a) you will be a complete monster for those 10 days and b) you are commandeering the dining room table to spread out your materials, sticky notes and bluebook.
Write-On is No Joke: Take it seriously if you want to be selected for a journal. Taking it seriously begins in your first year. Pay attention in your legal writing class. Learn the bluebook really well. Pace yourself and leave enough time to polish up your writing. The evaluation committees are very selective, and even great writers have been excluded from journals. It is highly competitive, maybe the most competitive activity in law school. Take it seriously.

It really was a grueling process, but I would do it again. It has been well worth it. The journal has been a great experience, and it allowed me to write an extensive note on a topic that I loved. Plus, it fulfilled my writing requirement so it killed a few birds with one stone.

Law school applications are on the rise again. No surprise given the state of the economy. Legal jobs are few and far between. Anything that you can do to give your legal resume a boost (especially if you're an evening student with a non-legal job), is well worth it. If your school has a write-on competition, just heed my advice and you will be fine.

Pay attention in Legal Research and Writing
Pick up your packet early
Take some time off from work
Pace Yourself (give enough time for reading and writing)
Follow the instructions in the packet!!!! (Yes, all of them!)

So yes, faithful reader, evening students can participate in write-on competitions. They probably shouldn't for their mental health, but if they're this far along in law school already, mental health has already taken a holiday.