5 Tips Before Starting Law School

5 Tips Before Starting Law School

Here are a few tips before starting law school that you should definitely keep in mind if you are heading to law school this fall! These tips will help you succeed both academically and professionally. I graduated as the #1 law student. Some of these tips I knew before law school, but some I only learned well after. All of them are beneficial to know! 

5 Tips Before Starting Law School

1. Law school is not college!

Law school is very different than undergrad. You cannot just expect to read the cases and then start studying for finals two weeks before the exam and magically get all A’s. Instead, you should develop a smart study strategy right away.

2. Networking starts now.

Your classmates will be a huge resource. Not only will you make some great friends in law school, but many of these classmates will also become colleagues, job references, and even sources of employment.

Always be courteous toward your classmates and remember that they can be of great value both personally and professionally.

3. Get to know the professionals at your school.

Specifically, get to know the career counselors, the dean of students, and others who may help you. I thought I didn’t “need” my career counselor because I graduated as the #1 student and I thought my resume spoke for itself.  However, she was an excellent source of employment opportunities after law school (and one time even emailed me an employment opportunity without me asking, which turned out to be an excellent fit!).  Now, when I need to hire someone, I go to her first. Career counselors can also give you resume tips, interview tips, and will be able to guide you in the right direction as you embark on your professional career.

4. Remember that law school is a marathon, not a sprint.

This means you need to build time for breaks into your schedule. I took one full day a week off in law school and found it greatly boosted my energy, focus, and ability to work hard throughout the week. You may not want to do that, but taking breaks goes a long way toward boosting your productivity and keeping you sane.

5. Cold calls don’t matter.

So many students obsess over how well they perform on call. They worry about it. They talk about it before and after class. And they spend way too long reading every nuance of a case just in case they get called on.

Cold calls don’t matter!

A professor will not change a grade based on your performance. And your classmates will not remember how great (or not-so-great) you answered questions while on call. So start thinking about outlining, practice exams, or even what you are going to eat for lunch, because that is all much more productive than worrying about how you will perform on call!

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