As an adjunct instructor at my law school, I have the privilege of imparting practical advice to law students. Many of my students heed my advice on how to succeed in law school (and beyond).
On the flip side, I also witness behavior that leaves me less than impressed.
Here are three ways to create a bad impression with a law school professor.
Law school success can be defined multiple ways, but getting good grades meets any definition of success.
Law school exams are unlike any other test you’ve taken, which means you need to meticulously prepare and execute your gameplan.
Here’s how to make it happen.
Earlier this year, National Jurist took a survey of law schools throughout the country to compile a list of people involved in legal education in 2012 and recently published its list of finalists. One individual on the list—Kyle McEntee, co-founder of Law School Transparency—is not a law professor. Otherwise, it is a moderately diverse group.
“It was surprising to see both the agitators and the establishment on the list,” said Jack Crittenden, Editor in Chief of the National Jurist. “The list is a who’s who of the people who have shaped the discussion over the past year, which has been a challenging and pivotal year. While some have shaped discussion through traditional means, others have stirred the pot more.”
The finalists will be published in order of influence in the January issue of National Jurist, which can be obtained digitally here.
I was pleased to see that Jerry Organ of my alma mater—the University of St. Thomas School of Law—was named to the list in addition to some other very notable individuals.
(photo: Shutterstock: 117503404)
I have spoken to a lot of people that are starting law school in the coming weeks. Those conversations got me misty-eyed reminiscing over my own pre-law school days. In fact, I remember quite clearly the first case I ever read for law school. It was the week before law school and after reading the case for my Legal Process class, I almost dropped out.
Most attorneys highly recommend taking practical skills classes in law school. Skills-based classes are a great chance to develop skills you may otherwise not develop during law school.
Many of these classes are taught by adjunct professors—which provides an excellent networking opportunity. May the most of those opportunities by following some of these tips.
“What’s your major?”
Huh? This is law school. We don’t have “majors” here.
But, maybe we should. Maybe we should have majors or other specialized academic programming within the J.D. curricula.
Law school success can be defined in many ways—graduating, getting a job, good grades, creating lifelong relationships—among other key accomplishments. The most successful graduates focus on all of the above.
If you are applying to law school, or in the middle of it, put yourself in the best position to succeed.
Being a student in law school is much different than being a practicing attorney. That said, law school is the foundation that your legal career is built on. As your career progresses and you build your reputation, law school fades away, but it never completely disappears.
If you are in law school right now, be mindful that your interactions, work, and relationships have a strong impact on your legal career.
Keep Reading ⇒
http://www.flickr.com/photos/draggin/15223525
The legal economy is showing signs of recovery, but the legal marketplace is changing significantly. Which means that you still need to work every angle for a possible advantage in your job search.
One place to look for help is right in front of you—your professors.
I have some bad news. If you only talk two times in class, no matter how brilliant those answers were, your professor probably will not remember you.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaronmerrell/3109754470
There are numerous posts on Lawyerist about whether applying to law school is a good idea. The legal economy simply cannot provide jobs for the number of students graduating each year.
On top of the that, many schools provide students with little to no practical skills, making a solo career difficult, if not impossible, right after graduation.
Is it time for law schools to radically revamp their curricula and move to a trade school format?
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