How many hours a day should I study for the bar exam? This is a tough question to answer. Generally speaking—you need to study a lot. However, there is more to consider when looking for an answer to this question, primarily if you are a first time or repeat taker. Read more
Starting your own business is super-exciting. It is something that is challenging, fulfilling, and different than any thing you have probably done in your life.
Unlike other goals, there is not a clear “start” or “finish.” There is not a set path. You have to find one as you go along. This brings a lot of surprises and challenges on the way. In this post, I discuss the advantages of being an entrepreneur as well as the disadvantages.
Hate Practicing Law? Need a way out?
Many lawyers realize quickly that they do not like their jobs and need to find a way out! Some feel guilty for even complaining (given the not-so-stellar job market). But we believe you only have one life and should not spend it on something that you dread, or that is unfulfilling, or not what you were meant to do. Read more
12 Best Tips for Working and Studying for the Bar Exam: Are you planning on working and studying for the bar exam at the same time? You are definitely not alone. We have a lot of students each administration that take on these two challenging tasks! You are probably aware of the difficulties of working and studying for the bar exam–feeling tired, burnt out, sleep deprived, and not having much time to do anything else! It certainly poses a challenge, but it is definitely possible to do both.
In this post, we will outline our 12 best tips for working and studying for the bar exam. These are time-tested tips from many of our students who have successfully worked while studying for the bar exam. Read more
A lot of our bar exam students (and even people who are not our students!) will set up appointments with me either after they take the bar exam or pass the bar exam to discuss business ideas they have and get our advice. Some want to start law firms. Others want to start side businesses selling products that they make. Others sell consulting services in a particular field where they have developed some experience. Read more
How to Network in Law School: For many law students, the word “Networking” is a “dirty word”. It seems most students either love it or hate it, and those who hate it often feel uncomfortable with the idea of marketing themselves at networking events or using others as a stepping stone in their career path. However, networking doesn’t have to be a “dirty word,” and students need not feel uncomfortable with the true purpose of networking, which is not using others to advance their careers. Instead, networking is about forming lasting and reciprocal relationships. Read more
Seven Tips for Creating a Professional and Polished LinkedIn Profile — For Law Students and Lawyers
Given the prevalence of social media, it is not surprising that many employers are turning to LinkedIn to find new talent or—at the very least—using the site to “vet” potential candidates. So, for aspiring and current law students, young lawyers, and those transitioning positions within the legal field, having a polished and professional LinkedIn profile is integral to success and may help you gain an edge over your competition. Below are some tips to help you put your best face forward! Read more
Are you preparing for an interview at a firm or company? Whether you are preparing to interview at a big firm, small firm, pro bono internship, or some other job that is related to the legal field, it is important that you are as prepared as possible for the interview. Below are some important interview tips for law students and those applying to jobs in the legal field.
September 7-13, 2015 is National Suicide Prevention Week. Given the high rate of depression among law students and lawyers, we felt compelled to write a post increasing awareness about suicide and depression.
Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States and the second leading cause of death among individuals between the ages of 15 and 34. Last year, CNN reported that the proportion of lawyers that were committing suicide was much higher than in the past. In fact, lawyers rank fourth (behind dentists, pharmacists, and physicians – in that order) in the highest per capita suicide rate. CNN also reports that lawyers are 3.6 times more likely to suffer from depression than non-lawyers. Read more
Should I Apply for Jobs While Waiting for Bar Exam Results? It is tough to get a job when you are in the “in between” space of taking the bar exam and waiting for bar exam results. The economy is already not at its best, and having a JD (with a question mark as to whether that will turn to “Esq.” in the next couple of months) is an additional hurdle.
Many employers will not hire you as a paralegal or a clerk because they are afraid that you will leave as soon as you pass the bar exam. (Note: we have known students who do not list their law degree on their resume in an attempt to get hired — we do not recommend this! Employers will ask what the prospective employee did for those years that are unaccounted for, and feel deceived when finding out that the person attended law school!)
Further, many law firms are too afraid to hire you as a prospective lawyer, just in case you do not pass the bar exam.
That can make this in-between period difficult (you don’t know your future, you don’t know if you passed, you don’t have a lot to do besides think about these things!). However, it can also provide you with a great opportunity to relax, reflect, and plan for a career moving forward. Read more
Many of my bar exam students have stated that their goal was to eventually become a judge. People who are morally-minded with a sense of justness and fairness are especially attracted to this position of judge. Being a judge is also a great 9-5 job that pays pretty decently and, in most cases, comes with a nice office :)
Each state chooses their state judges differently and each state has different qualifications. In Michigan, the qualifications, according to Article VI Section 19 of the Michigan Constitution, are listed below. Read more
Many law students and graduated law students struggle to find a job after law school. It is no secret that the legal job market is at an all-time low. Law students and new lawyers compete for the few jobs that have openings. If you find yourself to be one of many unemployed law students or lawyers in this competitive job market, below are some tips on how to get a job after law school. Before you read the list of ideas about how to get a job after law school, keep these few tips in mind:
Lastly, it is a good idea to brainstorm while you are reading this list. See if any ideas come to you. Are there any people you should reach out to? Do you know deep down that you have to clean up your resume? Write down a few things to do this week, and then do them!
You may be wondering if law school will prepare you to start your own law firm.
The answer is: It can, but you may have to make it a priority to seek out such learning experiences yourself.
In general, law school is theoretical. While practice is, well, practical. While there are some courses, such as internship classes that allow you to get practical experience, or a clinic, that tends to be the majority of “real experience” students get from law school. Read more
Studying for the bar exam is grueling enough. If you have to work too, that makes studying even harder!
However, it is not impossible to study for the bar exam and work full time. We have several successful students who study for the bar exam while working full time each and every administration . . . you are not alone!
If you are studying for the bar exam and working, we generally recommend that you take as much time off as possible − however we recognize that it is not always possible to take a significant amount of time off of work to study. If you are looking for some tips for studying for the bar exam while working full time, read the tips below. These tips have helped several of our students (and in fact, many of them came from our successful students who study and work full time!). Read more
Many people wonder if they should start their own law firm, and if so, where to begin. Some people want to start their own firms right after law school. Others start them after gaining a year or two of practice under their belt.
So we compiled a list of tips that our friends, our students, and ourselves have found helpful in starting our own law firms. This is by no means a detailed guide to starting your own law firm. Nor does it answer the question, “Should I start my own law firm?” It is, however, a very helpful list of ten things to consider before starting your own law firm. Read more
