Law School For Dummies E-Book

Rebecca Greene

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Bildung
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 639

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

The straightforward guide to surviving and thriving in law school

Every year more than 40,000 students enter law school and at any given moment there are over 125,000 law school students in the United States. Law school’s highly pressurized, super-competitive atmosphere often leaves students stressed out and confused, especially in their first year. Balancing life and schoolwork, passing the bar, and landing a job are challenges that students often need help facing. In Law School For Dummies, former law school student Rebecca Fae Greene uses straight talk, sound advice, and gentle humor to help students sort through the swamp of coursework and focus on what’s important–all while maintaining a life. She also offers rare insight on the law school experience for women, minorities, non-traditional, and non-Ivy League students.

Leseprobe

Law School For Dummies

by Rebecca Greene, JD

Law School For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2003 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2003101865

ISBN: 978-0-7645-2548-3

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6

About the Author

Rebecca Greene, JD, is a May 2003 graduate of Indiana University School of Law – Bloomington. A freelance writer, she is a contributor to the American Bar Association’s Student Lawyer magazine and the 2003 edition of Peterson’s Law Schools. She also is the author of The Teenagers’ Guide to School Outside the Box (Free Spirit Publishing: 2001).

In law school, she was a staff member of the Federal Communications Law Journal, worked at the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Regional Counsel, and the Center for Analysis of Alternative Dispute Resolution Systems in Chicago. She graduated from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota, in 1999, and currently lives in Chicago.

Dedication

This book is lovingly dedicated to my best friend and soul mate, Brian, who never fails to make me laugh and always is available for a spontaneous snuggle. He shares with me loving support and unfailing encouragement each and every day. Thank you for all you have taught me in our life together, Bri-Bear. I love you always.

Author’s Acknowledgments

Many wonderful and talented people at Wiley Publishing helped make this book a reality. They include Acquisitions Editor Kathy Cox, who went out of her way to nurture a new author, and Project Editor Allyson Grove, who offered unparalleled editing expertise and countless useful suggestions that were right on target. A warm thanks also to Neil Johnson for his dynamite copy-editing, to Kurt Snyder and Jeff Cox for their brilliant technical reviews of the text, Holly Gastineau-Grimes for her expert endorsement assistance, and to everyone in Composition Services for turning words and thoughts into a reader-friendly and fun package.

Thank you also to everyone else behind the scenes at Wiley who contributed to making this book a success. A final shout-out goes to my trusty computer that stuck it out through 12-hour writing workdays with only the occasional crash and made writing this book such a joy — even with a missing shift key.

I also owe a huge debt of gratitude to the following people who generously shared their stories, wisdom, or encouragement, including my parents, Merle and Phillip Greene, my grandmother, Florence Manusow, Donald Gjerdingen, Leonard Fromm, Kevin Robling, Marshall Leaffer, Donna Gerson, Jef Richards, Sarah Zearfoss, Alan Dershowitz, Jen Weber, Michael Uslan, Robert Harris, Ingrid Anderson, Anita Rufus, Susan Palmer, Leverett Nelson, Amy Cook, Amy Liu, Pat Cain, Bree Kame’enui, Harold Davis Jr., Michael Pastor, Lyman Johnson, Eric Janus, Jeremy Hojnicki, Jonathan Greene, Shorge Sato, Kellianne Chancey, Ellen Deason, David M. Marquez, Matt Silverman, Scott Hairston, Donna Gerson, K. Bartlett Durand Jr., Wayne Schiess, and Mark Curriden.

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments through our Dummies online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register/.

Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development

Project Editor: Allyson Grove

Acquisitions Editor: Kathleen M. Cox

Copy Editor: E. Neil Johnson

Acquisitions Coordinator: Holly G. Grimes

Technical Editor: Kurt Snyder

Editorial Manager: Michelle Hacker

Editorial Assistant: Elizabeth Rea

Cartoons: Rich Tennant, www.the5thwave.com

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Erin Smith

Layout and Graphics: Seth Conley, Michael Kruzil, Jackie Nicholas

Proofreaders: Andy Hollandbeck; Aptara

Indexer: Aptara

Special HelpJeff Cox

Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies

Joyce Pepple, Acquisitions Director, Consumer Dummies

Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies

Ensley Eikenburg, Associate and Publisher, Travel

Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel

Publishing for Technology Dummies

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User

Composition Services

Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services

Contents

Title

Introduction

About This Book

How to Use This Book

Conventions Used in This Book

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I : Considering Law School

Chapter 1: Exploring the Realities of Law School

Demystifying the Law School Experience

Assessing Whether You Can Make It in Law School

Considering Other Important Factors before Deciding on Law School

Glimpsing the Law School Experience Year by Year

Charting the Law School Course

Chapter 2: Appreciating Diversity in Your Law School Class

Everyone Goes to Law School for Different Reasons

Changing Times, Changing Demographics

Chapter 3: Choosing the Best Law School for You

Deciding Whether You Want to Be a Big or Small Fish in the Law School Pond

Making Sense of Reach Schools, Likelies, and Safeties

Weighing the Key Qualities of Law Schools

Visiting Law Schools

Chapter 4: Using Battle-Tested Application Strategies to Succeed

Demystifying the Application Process

Getting the Most Out of Your Prelaw Advisor

Making Your Application Stand Out: The Steps to Success

Improving Your LSAT Savvy

Navigating the Nuts and Bolts of the Law Schools Data Assembly Service (LSDAS)

Glimpsing What LSAT Scores Can Get You into Law School

Playing the “Weighting” Game

Handling the Outcome of the Application Process

Deciding to Defer

Part II : Getting What You Came for: The Law School Experience

Chapter 5: Getting Into the 1L Groove

Performing Five Crucial Tasks before School Starts

Tips for Taming Your Transition

Selecting the Right School Supplies

Attaining the Law School Mind-set

Sanity-Saving Ways to Survive Orientation

Chapter 6: Surviving Typical First-Year Classes: A Crash Course

Understanding the 1L Curriculum

Reviewing How a 1L Course Is Organized

Making the Most of Your 450 Classroom Hours Per Year

Handling Your Professors

Yikes! I Was Caught Unprepared

Chapter 7: Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff: Keeping Academics in Perspective

Law School Isn’t a 24/7 Affair

Keeping Active and Healthy

Making Time for Significant Others

Surveying the Law School Social Scene

Part III : Studying Law: Secret Techniques That Really Work

Chapter 8: Thinking and Talking like a Lawyer

Does Law School Really Change You?

Braving the Socratic Method

Reading Cases Like a Pro

Briefing Cases: A Step-by-Step Approach

Recognizing the Importance of Class Participation

Chapter 9: Romancing the Tome: Making the Most of Your Study Time

Maximizing Your Study Time

Tackling a Wealth of Information

Getting the Skinny on Outlines

Deciding What to Put in Your Outline

Determining When to Start Your Outline

Getting a Little (Outline) Help from Your Friends

Putting Your Outline to Work for You

Taking (Many) Practice Exams

Discovering the Joy (or Pain) of Study Groups

Chapter 10: Assembling Your Personal Study Aid Arsenal

Improving Your Comprehension with Study Aids

Loading Your Study Arsenal with Other Essential Tools

Taking Advantage of the Law Library

Chapter 11: The Longest Three Hours of Your Life: Acing Your Law School Exams

Mastering the Most Common Exam Types

Understanding Your School’s Exam System

Exam Day Survival Strategies

Part IV : You’re Halfway There (2Ls and 3Ls)

Chapter 12: One from Column A: Choosing Your Courses

Choosing a Successful Course Load

Revealing Strategies for Selecting the Best Electives

Gaining Credit for Real-World Experience Outside the Classroom

Taking Courses Outside the Law School

Getting a Global Perspective from Study Abroad

Chapter 13: Not a Moot Point: Getting Involved in Law School

Benefiting from Extracurriculars

Explaining Law Reviews and Law Journals

Working on Law Review and Law Journal

Arguing for Fun and Profit: Moot Court

Considering Clubs

Jumping on the Research Assistant Bandwagon

Getting Involved Outside of Law School

Part V : Preparing for Your Future

Chapter 14: Landing Your Perfect Summer Job

Considering Major Factors That Impact Summer Job Options

The Early Bird Gets the Job

Taking Stock of Your Summer Job Options

Picking Through an Assortment of Summer Jobs

Readying Résumés and Cover Letters

On-Campus Interviewing

Managing the Call-Back Interview

Munching Through the Lunch Interview

Writing Thank-you Notes

Chapter 15: Getting the Lowdown on Careers

Exploring Practice Setting Possibilities

Setting Goals for Your Job Search

Figuring Out What Legal Employers Really Want

I Accept: Handling a Job Offer Properly

Dealing with Rejection

Playing the Waiting Game

Chapter 16: Narrowing Your Focus: Choosing an Area of Practice

Focusing on Some Key Areas of Practice during Law School

Putting On Your Career Counselor Cap

Peeking at 18 Popular Areas of Practice

Chapter 17: Thinking Outside the Box: Considering Alternative Legal Careers

Bucking Traditional Legal Careers

Proceeding toward an Ideal Alternative Career

Sampling Nontraditional Legal Jobs

Modifying Your Job-search Tactics

Part VI : Wrapping Up Your Law School Career

Chapter 18: In a Class of Its Own: Preparing for the Bar Exam

Deciding Whether to Take the Bar Exam

The Bar Exam, Explained

Looking at the Character and Fitness Review

Recognizing the Advantages of a Bar Review Course

Using What You Know and Other Tricks to Prepare for the Bar Exam

Chapter 19: Moving toward Graduation — and Beyond

Winding Up Your Law School Career

Getting a Professional Graduation Photo

Reflecting on Your Law School Years and Looking Forward to Your Future

Treasuring the Magic of Your Graduation Day

Keeping in Touch with Classmates

Dealing with the Prospect of Being Unemployed at Graduation

Chapter 20: Ten Plus User-Friendly Law School Resources

Perusing Ten (or So) Useful Web Sites

Surveying Magazines and Newsletters

Part VII : The Part of Tens

Chapter 21: Ten Best and Worst Things about Law School

Gaining Valuable Public Speaking Skills

Becoming a Better Writer

Discovering How American Society Works

Developing Practical Legal Skills That You Can Use Regardless of Whether You Become a Lawyer

Finding Out How to Look at Both Sides of an Issue

Spelling Disaster: A Lack of Discipline

Being with the Same People 24/7

Not Getting Enough of a Hands-On Education

Facing Stiff Competition from Classmates

Realizing That the Law Is a “Jealous Mistress”

Chapter 22: Ten Little-Known Law School Secrets

Working Part-Time during the School Year Helps with Your Financial Aid

Choosing Best-in-Class Study Group Members

Using a Laptop in Class Saves Time Come Exams

Using Commercial Study Aids Throughout the Semester

Not Giving Your Classmates Fodder for Gossip

Getting Friendly with Professors Early Ensures Good References Later

Killing Two Birds with One Stone: Externships for Credit

Getting Course Outlines by Joining a Club

Graduating in December Sometimes Gives You a Leg Up

Making Use of Alums while Job-Searching

Introduction

W elcome to the wide, wonderful, and sometimes wacky world of law school! The book you hold in your hands will come in handy even more than that 10-pound casebook you just bought (or will soon buy). That’s because it’s an essential reference guide for those who want the inside scoop on getting into law school, staying sane while you’re there, and graduating with the job of your dreams. (Sorry, acceptance letter to the school of your choice isn’t included.) Everything you need to know to survive and thrive in law school is right here in this book. And what’s a piddly $19.99 investment compared to $80,000 in student loans, right?

This book fits three (or four) years of blood, sweat, and tears into 384 pages. I funnel all the important information you really need to know into this book so that you can get started as quickly as possible on your path to successful law studentdom.

Why do I feel I have the qualifications to relate this information to you? That’s easy. I just recently was a law student; I graduated in May 2003. It literally was only yesterday that I was pulling my hair out over finals, procrastinating on my studies, and dealing with the job search jitters. These kinds of situations are avoidable with the kind of support and encouragement you find here.

I know you’re not a dummy. Heck, you surely can’t be, because you’ve done so well in college and on the LSAT that you’re either seriously thinking about or already in law school. You’ve already proven to yourself that you have the mental moxie and drive to make it in a competitive academic environment. So all you have to do is embrace the strategies of law school success I outline here, and look out world!

So sit back and follow me into the exhilarating world of law school, content in the knowledge that just reading this book puts you head and shoulders ahead of your law school (or future law school) classmates. Your GPA and résumé will thank you for it!

About This Book

I know that many law school books are competing for your attention. How do I know that? Because when I was in law school, I read all of them, cover to cover. But the following are several compelling reasons I think you need to choose this book instead:

It’s written by someone who’s been there, done that. Some law school books are written by people far removed from the experience. They don’t know the most significant topics affecting today’s law student because they haven’t been today’s law student for awhile. This book is different because it’s written entirely from the student’s point of view. I rushed home to write this book every day during my third year. (It was much more fun than reading for class and studying for exams.) That’s why you can count on this guide to give you the most up-to-the-minute information you need to get through law school.

It’s every law students’ book. This book is aimed at students from every tier of law school, from lowest to highest. It covers issues most relevant to all law students, from older students to disabled students to people with previous careers. In other words, it doesn’t assume that you’re 22 and straight-from-college or that you go to an Ivy League law school and are in the top 10 percent of your class. This book addresses everyone, because today’s law school classes are filled with bright, talented students from every undergraduate major, ethnic group, age bracket, and occupational background.

It’s well-rounded. This book doesn’t assume standard law student protocol (for example, that you’re going to opt for a traditional legal career, go out for law review, or even take the bar exam). Instead, I aim to present all your options, particularly the off-the-beaten-path ones that aren’t talked about all that much in law school.

It’s realistic. When you’re in law school, you hear plenty of myths, such as the ones that say only the top 10 percent of law school graduates get jobs or that you have to land a big firm summer job because everyone else is doing the same. This book cuts through the law school rumormill and gives you the real truth, straight up.

How to Use This Book

Use this book as a mentor, friend, cheerleader, prelaw advisor, career counselor, admissions advisor, hiring lawyer, and all-around reference. It’s the equivalent of the upper-class student you never thought you’d luck out to know, the one who’s willing to lead you by the hand and share battle-tested strategies each and every day.

But law students are busy; you may not have time right now to read the book from beginning to end. That’s okay because whether you’re a 1L or a second-semester 3L, you’ll find everything you need to know by using the Table of Contents or the Index to look up what you’re wondering about. Also keep in mind that each chapter in this book is self-contained and modular, meaning you can jump from chapter to chapter without needing to know information that came before or after.

Conventions Used in This Book

Throughout this book, you’ll see words and phrases particular to the law school experience. Whenever I introduce an unfamiliar word or term, I immediately provide a definition right after it, to ensure that you have that information you need. One of the most important conventions you’ll see is the shorthand of using “L” to denote your year in law school. For instance, if you’re a first-year law student, I refer to you as a “1L,” and so forth for the other years.

Foolish Assumptions

If you’re an absolute beginner — you’ve never seen an actual lawyer up close or have no clue what the LSAT stands for — never fear, this book has everything you need to get started. If you fall into this camp, I assume that you have no prior knowledge of how to decide which law school to attend or what it takes even to apply to law school. I also assume that you may have heard a few law school horror stories, and I do my best to debunk them (or confirm, where appropriate).

However, if you already have an acceptance letter in your hot little hands (congratulations!) or are already knee-deep in a mounting backlog of torts reading, you’ll also find this book to be a lifesaving resource. You’ll discover how to choose courses that can benefit you down the road and select the right extracurricular activities for your personality. The bottom line is this book is for everyone who wants to understand the law school experience better.

How This Book Is Organized

This book is an easy-to-use, nonlinear reference — that’s a technical way of saying you can start with any topic you want to find out about, anywhere in the book, and still find the information presented the way you need. But the chapters nevertheless have a rhyme and reason to them, all the same. (Don’t you wish law school were this easy?) Here’s how the order works:

Part I: Considering Law School

The chapters in this part give you everything you need to know to get into law school. From weighing the pros and cons of the entire decision to the finer points of choosing the best law school for you, you can find everything you need to stock your mailbox full of acceptances.

Part II: Getting What You Came for: The Law School Experience

No first-year student can survive without getting a handle on the curriculum and learning how to healthfully balance law school and outside interests. The three chapters in this part give you the lowdown on getting though your first year with your sanity intact!

Part III: Studying Law: Secret Techniques That Really Work

In addition to showing you how to handle your coursework, I run through how to study productively, assemble the best study aids, ace your exams, and much more in Part III. On top of all that, I offer some helpful tips about what “thinking like a lawyer” really means and the fastest ways to get there.

Part IV: You’re Halfway There (2Ls and 3Ls)

As all veteran law students know, the first year the professors “scare you to death,” but during the second and third years, you already have a firm handle on the Socratic Method and how to navigate your classes with ease, so your energies turn to other things, such as choosing the best electives and extracurriculars. This part explains the best ways to make the most of your upper-class years.

Part V: Preparing for Your Future

Why is searching for a job (both summer and permanent) such an integral part of law school? These chapters tell the story. Regardless of whether you’re more interested in a job at a traditional law firm or you prefer something more outside the box, this part contains all you need to know about finding and keeping the summer and permanent jobs of your dreams.

Part VI: Wrapping Up Your Law School Career

All good things must come to an end, and so will your three (or four) years of law school. But more fun is in store for you! Studying for the bar exam and getting through that last semester will be foremost on your mind, so I explain what you need to know to conquer both with style.

Part VII: The Part of Tens

This part consists of great law school party trivia and useful resources I wish I had known about sooner. Here, I list the ten best and worst things about law school, ten little-known law school secrets, and (more than) ten invaluable resources (hey, I couldn’t resist).

Icons Used in This Book

If you’re at all familiar with Dummies books, or you’ve skimmed through this book while debating whether to buy it, you probably noticed the charming little icons interspersed throughout the margins (why can’t casebooks adopt these?). Here’s the lowdown on what they mean:

This icon indicates juicy, hard-to-find advice from a seasoned upperclassman. Socrates would be proud!

When I draw attention to something that can be unfair to law students or negatively affect your law school experience, I use this icon.

Far be it for me to know something about every last aspect of law school; when I use this icon, I call upon the wise words of lawyers, professors, career counselors, admissions deans, and other law students, who provide you with advice straight from the horse’s mouth.

When I want to reinforce practical or timesaving advice about the law school experience, I use this icon.

If you remember nothing else from this book, this icon signals an important tidbit to file away in your brain.

When I discuss an aspect of law school that can potentially reach out and bite you (an unequivocal tort), I use this icon. I also use it to point out things that may be dangerous to your GPA, social life, or wallet.

Where to Go from Here

By purchasing this book, you’ve taken an important step toward ensuring your success in law school. But where do you start? If you’re still considering law school or you’re in the midst of applying, start with Part I. If you’ve already passed this milestone and you’re about to start your almighty first year, go straight to Part II. And if you’re in over your head with all the work you have to do . . . start with The Part of Tens for a good chuckle. Go ahead and dog-ear the pages to your heart’s content. That’s what this book is for.

Part I

Considering Law School

In this part . . .

Deciding to go to law school is a big decision. In this part, you find out what the pros and cons are and who your fellow classmates may be. I clue you in on important considerations in choosing a law school and tell you how to wow admissions committees with your overall presentation.

Chapter 1

Exploring the Realities of Law School

In This Chapter

Describing the law school experience

Considering whether you’re ready for law school

Developing the law school mind-set

Getting an overview of the law school years

Mapping out your law school life

N ever before has a time been more popular for being a law student! Law school applications are up significantly, and law school seems to be the “in” thing to do across the country, regardless of whether you’re a graduating college senior or a middle-aged career-changer. If you’re looking to take that first step on the intellectual journey of a lifetime, now is prime time for doing it. At first, everything about law school can seem intimidating and intense, but rest assured that this chapter starts you out on the right path by offering an overview of the entire law school experience.

Demystifying the Law School Experience

Many prelaw students are confused about what law school entails, because they may not know anyone who’s in or been through the experience (I surely didn’t when I applied). So, in this section, I fill you in on exactly what you can expect as a new (first-year law student).