-
Brain Food: Easy Lunch Options for Law Students
Happy Labor Day! I wish I was on a beach, but I’m actually getting a head start on work. womp womp. I was talking to a friend recently about all my missteps in law school and one of them (as I’ve mentioned before) is how bonkers my eating habits became. My school was located right near Michigan Ave, so it was full of so many dining options that it became easier to just purchase lunch rather than make something every day. Of course, I thought I was being smart by getting tuna sandwiches (brain food, right? lolol) completely ignoring the fact that it was laden with mayo, like wtf was…
-
I Roll my Rs: The Importance of Honoring Your Identity
Has everyone heard of journalist, Vanessa Ruiz, who joined an English speaking newscast in Arizona and quickly upset some viewers for pronouncing Spanish name with the correct pronunciation? Seriously, it’s amazing what sets people off, but this is another example of mainstream communities tell Latinos that we do not belong. It’s so tiring. I remember being in fifth grade and speaking Spanish to another classmate and the teacher flipping out in anger. She actually made me write, “I will not speak Spanish in class” fifty times. I mean, if that doesn’t impress upon a small child that their natural way of communicating is bad, then I don’t know what else…
-
Affirmative Action, Feminism, & Me
In 2003, I was in high school, when the Supreme Court decided Grutter v. Bollinger--a case discussing race as a factor in college admissions. I remember being in my AP government class with a conservative, white, male teacher who didn’t hold back on how incorrect it was to take race into account. And so most students agreed with him. The class was small, maybe 12. I remember only one or two students, aside from me being in support of Affirmative Action. I remember, a white girl next to me who made a crying sound, implying that students of color complaining about diversity were being whiny babies. I was the only…
-
Reacting to Inappropriate & Privileged Comments in Class.
One of the great things about law school is that you’re interacting with a lot of smart people and most of them have specialized interest for justice. It can really broaden your horizons and expose you to knew causes and pursuits. That was very much the case for me. On the flip side, you will also encounter some of the most close-minded and culturally bereft people in your life. Meaning that you may have classmates who have lived in such sheltered, privileged way of life that they make comments without thinking (or caring) about the implications. Case in point, when I was a 2L we had to take a class…
-
Rules and Limits as you Practice Law
It’s no secret being an attorney is tough. Most often, clients need you at their most worst: accused of crimes; financially destitute; dealing with divorce; scared of immigration; angry with neighbors, employers, former friends. The list goes on and on. For most Latina lawyers, we practice in these emotionally heavy areas, and all attorneys working in these high stress areas experience what’s called vicarious trauma–a sort of second-hand stress from these stories and interactions. It’s a dirty secret that we don’t talk about for fear of seeming weak or unable to advocate like all the other attorneys who seem to be cool with what they’re hearing. But other attorneys experience vicarious…
-
Mastering Law School Classes
Law School classes are like no other because aside from reading often arcane cases and trying to figure out just exactly what’s happening in those crazy fact patterns, you also go into class with terror in your gut that you’ll be the one called on today and omg, what happens if I freeze?! It’s really quite stressful. The fear gets easier overtime, but what you really need to cultivate during the early part of the semester is paying attention so that you actually understand. I know it seems like a no-brainer, but law school is tricky. It tricks you into thinking you can listen and browse the internet at the…
-
The Lack of Diversity in Big Law
I just read this article on the New York Times about the difficulty Black lawyers face in Big Law. Since the representation of Latinos (let alone Latinas) is far fewer than Black attorneys, I can confidently say that the struggles in making partner are very similar. I don’t want to get down on Big Law because every area of law, whether it’s public interest, government, solo, has obstacles one must face in regards to ethnicity, race, and gender. In short, no area of law is diverse. Even in my agency the representation of Latinas lawyers is lacking. But Big Law is different–I’m going to come out and say that it’s…
-
Competition in Law School
I mentioned last week how intimidating my law school orientation was partly because I heard about so many accomplished students who were part of my year, and it was intimidating to compete against them. What I wish I had known then was that almost everyone—even the very accomplished—were just in the dark as I was. For the most part, we were all new to reading case law, briefing cases, the Socratic Method, and thinking like a lawyer. Now, of course, it wasn’t a completely even playing field. There were students that seemed to magically understand the concepts the professors were presenting; they knew which supplementals to use; they knew how…
-
Healthy & Easy Coffee Alternatives
No I’m not crazy—I’m very certain everyone in law school will have/has increased their caffeine and sugar intake during school. I’m not really anti-coffee. Coffee by itself has a lot of benefits, but if you’re like me—it’s not the coffee but the sugar and cream that makes it unhealthy. I also try to limit my coffee-intake because I don’t like being the type of person that can’t function without some type of substance. I have enough vices and don’t need to add one more, you know? In the last year, I felt like I was drinking (and buying) too much sugary coffee and decided to stop what…
-
What to Focus on in Your Job Search Post-Law School
The time post-bar is usually filled with such relief and happiness. For the most part, it’s pretty stress free; especially if you were fortunate enough to line up a job before graduation. But for those that weren’t able to find something, this time is crunch time to make sure you’re employed by the time loan officers start calling in November. I’ve been there! Graduating at the height of the recession, hardly any of my fellow students had offers—it was a completely different world from 2007 to 2009; it was like the world just changed overnight. I graduated without a job offer and very little prospects. But I hustled liked hell…