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Before and After
Seven years ago, my husband (then boyfriend) and I celebrated our first Christmas together after finishing my first semester of law school. I recently stumbled across a picture of our tree: I have to smile at the sparseness of the apartment; the newspaper wrapping paper; and the window treatments because the apartment was always freezing! The struggle was real! Aside from upping my decoration game, this picture reminds of the difficulties of that first semester. During the midst of my first semester finals (and almost all the other final seasons thereafter), I always felt this constant pressure of anxiety that I’m sure many people feel. Would my grades be good…
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Article Review: Women, Work, and Policies
I recently read this article by the New York Times that I thought required more than just a highlight on the monthly links post. The article is entitled, Why U.S. Women Are Leaving Jobs Behind. The author describes the difference in parenting policies enacted by the U.S. compared to Europe. This is always an interesting topic for me because I’m vehemently opposed with creating a façade that women have a choice, but really they’re arranging it so that only one choice ends up being the better option. The article discusses how the European policies seem to give favorable maternal leave, daycare subsidies, and higher protections to women once they have children. Whereas the…
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Responding to Performance Reviews
Having to sit in front of your boss and receive criticism, even if constructive, can be tough. Your ability to show that you can accept feedback in a stable, steady will help you move forward in your career, but it’s anxiety-inducing. It can cause emotional response that can affect your reputation at work. When there’s a face-to-face with your boss regarding your review, the key is to try to relax and go in with an assumption that this will be a learning tool. If you have moderately competent bosses then you should be aware ahead of time of any major issues. This really shouldn’t be a time with big surprises.…
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Breaking Law School Barriers II: Hidden Costs
This series, Breaking Law School Barriers, tackles the big and small issues that come into play when you’re deciding if you’ll even attend law school. The purpose is to give practical advice for college students, and for current law students and attorneys to give suggestions about their real world experience. For those that have started the law school application process it’s likely that you already know this–even applying to law school cost money. Seriously, as a college senior applying for law school, all I could do from giving up, was keep hoping that I would be given extra hours at my part-time job so that I could afford what…
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Some is Better than None
Everyone is super busy right now. Exams, new jobs, end of the year wind-downs, the holidays, family–the list goes on and on! It’s so easy for our health to take a backseat when there seems to be so many more pressing issues. But it’s so important that we take on the attitude that our health isn’t something that can be compromised. I struggle with this mindset everyday. It’s so easy to just buy lunch, instead of packing something healthy; to sleep in, instead of getting up early to exercise. But I also know that the more I put off my health, the harder I’m making it for myself because the…
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Starting your Job Search
Whether you were just sworn in a few weeks ago or have been a lawyer for a few years, dusting off your job search skills is never any fun. Looking for work is time-consuming, frustrating, and sometimes it seems never-ending. Unfortunately, it requires a lot of work upfront, but today we’re sharing five things you should consider doing to kick your job search into gear: One. Contact your contacts. Do all the people in your network know that you 1) graduated from law school, 2) passed the bar, and 3) are looking for work? Likely not. Consider sending a genuine individualized email to all your contacts (former intern supervisors, clinic…
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Gift Guide for Law Students
We’re sharing some gift ideas for law students! If you’re in the midst of finals, you may not have been able to give suggestions to family/friends that ask you what you’d like for the holidays. So today’s gift guide has ideas for useful presents that can come in handy for most law students. Gift Cards: Gift cards to restaurants and coffee shops are great, but you can also consider giving a gift card to Amazon or any store that sells text books at much cheaper rates than school bookstores. I know, text book purchases aren’t very fun, but any little bit helps, right? Coffee tumbler: Coffee is a given and…
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Seedy Energy Salad
We talk a lot about trying to eat healthy and try to occasionally share quick and healthy recipes for everyone to try. One thing that’s difficult (for me) in my attempt to eat healthy is what to bring for lunch at work. I tend to go in cycles, but always seem end up back at salads. Lately, I’ve been craving nutty, seedy salads and today’s recipe really satisfies this craving. It is filling even without meat, but I keep tuna packets at work and usually add it to the mix. However, I’ve also eaten it without tuna and it keeps me just as full and satisfied throughout the day. Mostly, it’s…
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Gift Guide for New Attorneys
I love seeing all the status updates on people being sworn-in during this time of the year! Being admitted to the Bar is always such a special moment, and for us Latinas it’s a hard-won prize. It’s important to celebrate this milestone and if you have a new attorney in your life (or even one that has been practicing for a few years) the holidays are a perfect time to acknowledge this accomplishment! Business Card Holder. A very necessary tool for networking, and a card holder is the best way to keep your cards nice and clean. Giftcards. Yes, the new attorney may be starting their journey as a young legal…
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Easy and Healthy Snacks for Stressful Times
For people that knew me in law school, they may laugh that I’m about to encourage people to eat healthy during law school finals. I would laugh too. Not only did I tend to not snack healthy during school, but I wasn’t eating healthy–period. So, I totally understand how during this time in school, you’re more likely to say, “screw it,” and go to bed instead of packing a healthy lunch for the next day. Or more likely, say, “screw it,” and eat the free pizza that the bar prep course/student organization is offering instead of staying cooped up at the library. But it’s not just easy to eat poorly…