For many second- and third-year law students, their last years are filled with the normal stresses of law school. However, they also have to worry about passing the bar exam and finding a job. Many new graduates will land themselves positions in a law firm. But which is right for you? In this post, we’ll dissect the pros and cons of large firms and small firms!
One of the great things about law school is that you will encounter classmates with a broad range of experiences and identities. That diversity also extends to prior work experience. Some students go straight from undergrad to law school; some students take a year or two off; and some students enter law school as a second career. No matter what your work experience looks like, it is always important to maintain a healthy work-life balance. This can be easier for some than others. If you are worried about how to establish and maintain a work-life balance when you have a law school internship, try following these tips!
Many associate attorneys struggle to find a work-life balance. Although it can be difficult to achieve that balance in the legal field, especially at a law firm, it is not impossible. Below, an attorney shares 6 tips for achieving associate attorney work-life balance!
If you are choosing which law school to attend, you have multiple factors to consider. You may look at the classes offered, or clinics available, or the school’s location. But one of the biggest considerations in choosing where to attend is the cost of attendance. If you are thinking of taking out student loans, make sure to ask about the school’s Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP). Many schools have an LRAP that helps students pay off their student loans. LRAP is especially helpful if you are planning on pursuing a public interest career.
Before you pick a school, ask the financial aid office these 6 questions about the LRAP.
Are you interested in pursuing a public interest career after law school with the government or a nonprofit? Law school graduates in public interest do important work that benefits society, whether as prosecutors, public defenders, legal aid attorneys, or non-lawyers. If you are interested in public interest work and plan on taking out loans for law school, make sure you understand the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program (PSLF). PSLF is a federal program that forgives your student loans if you work in the public interest.
In this post, we’ll go over 8 tips on PSLF.
Are you starting your first summer as a legal intern? Make sure you are maximizing your 1L summer internship by following these five tips!
NOTE: If you’re curious how the coronavirus will impact your summer 2020 summer association position, check out our thoughts here.
A law school summer internship is a wonderful way to apply the skills you have been learning in your classes and test potential career paths. However, working in a new environment with new people can also prove stressful. In this post, we outline four strategies to help manage law school summer internship stress.
As state bar exam results are flowing in, bar exam takers are anxious for swearing-in ceremonies. However, the coronavirus (COVID-19) may halt this process, or at least change its format. It is important to note that every state has different rules for swearing-in ceremonies, so it is imperative that you check your state court’s website for the most up-to-date information.
In this post, we cover some thoughts and information on how the coronavirus might affect swearing-in ceremonies.
UPDATE 5/6/20: it appears most states are holding swearing-in ceremonies online, including Michigan.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, there may be some uncertainty about whether your summer associate program might be canceled. This is due to news of summer classes being canceled, shortened, delayed, postponed, and going virtual.
If your summer plans are working at a firm, this post will give you some tips on how to prepare in case your summer associate program is canceled.
As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic sweeps the nation, states are adopting the emergency diploma privilege to accommodate canceled bar exams. However, law students and graduates may be unaware of what the emergency diploma privilege entails.
In short, the emergency diploma privilege allows law school students/graduates to practice under the supervision of a licensed attorney. This extends until passing the bar exam.
Here, we dive deeper into what the emergency diploma privilege is and what it means for law students going forward.
UPDATE 4/14/20: The NCBE announced it does not support the emergency diploma privilege. Utah has proposed the emergency diploma privilege.
The coronavirus (COVID-19) has had an impact on all areas of life. One question running through many law students and law graduate’s minds is how the coronavirus will impact the legal job market.
At this time, there is no telling what the landscape will look like in a month or even three months from now. However, we offer some thoughts on what might happen in this post.
UPDATE 4/9/20: there are reports online that firms are decreasing pay, cutting employees, and/or furloughing employees.
UPDATE 5/5/20: law firms are facing a decrease in the number of new cases/clients.
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, many law firms and courts are closing their doors at the moment. This leaves students who have accepted a summer associate position or clerkship uncertain about their summer plans.
UPDATE 4/8/20: Some law firms are delaying summer associate’s start dates to June. Read more about it here.
Many students define success in law school by grade point average or class ranking. However, one of the best ways to create opportunities for yourself is networking. Networking is not, in and of itself, likely to land you a prestigious job in a position straight out of law school that otherwise requires a high class rank. But, it is a way to increase opportunities for yourself both during and after law school. Read more
Will My Law Firm Pay for Bar Prep?: Are you a graduate or 3L gearing up to start studying for the bar exam and wondering how you are going to cover your expenses for the next few months? Or maybe you are a 1L or 2L contemplating what path you will take for bar prep and you are trying to figure out what makes the most financial sense. Well, if you already have a job lined up at a law firm (or if you are hoping to land one prior to graduation), you may be in luck. In this post, we discuss the expenses you should expect to incur during bar prep. We also and the possibility that your law firm will cover some or all of those expenses for you!
You may be wondering what exactly a judicial clerkship is and whether it would be a good position for you. In this post, we explain what a judicial clerkship is and the pros and cons of taking such a position!
