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If You Didn’t Pass the Bar
It’s hard to talk about failing the bar. First, because nothing we say will really remove the sting for those that didn’t pass. Second, because it’s so unfair how not passing upends your life for another six+ months, and even if you have a clear head now that the news has settled, it still doesn’t change the fact that you have to put in more time to pass this test. If you receive bad news like this, it’s important to give yourself time. Don’t make rash decisions right away (unless you really have to)–you need the time to bounce back mentally and emotionally. Slowly, you’ll come to terms and you’ll…
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Slaying Goliath: Paying for Law School
The biggest hinderance to applying, attending, graduating from law school is: money. It is ridiculously expensive. unnecessarily so, and I do believe a huge reason why the cost is so high is an attempt to keep the status quo in order. Because who suffers more by not having all types of capable and intelligent people earn these degrees? Not just the students that can’t afford to attend the school, but also those communities in which the people reside–but that is a post for another day. While there is no excuse for the high cost, there doesn’t seem to be any real movement to make this an affordable degree. If you’re going to start law…
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Deciding on Appropriate Interview Attire.
On Monday we talked about preparing for your summer applications. Now let’s talk about looking the part during your interviews. The look you’re going for, regardless of the legal sector (private, public, government, etc) is: conservative. And the only real rule that applies to everyone, is that you have to wear a suit. Other than that, I’m a huge believer that as long as you look presentable, professional, and clean-that’s all that matters. Too bad I don’t run the world… In reality, there are a lot more “rules” imposed on women and how we should dress when interviewing. If you want to truly play it safe, most schools will…
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Emergency Kit for Work
When you start working full-time you quickly realize just how many hours you will spend at your desk. Because we devote so much time to our work life, it’s important to make things as comfortable as possible. Aside from comfort, it’s always good to be prepared in case emergencies arise so that you’re not scrambling to look appropriate. Yes, by emergency I mean not emergencies at all, rather minor inconveniences. But, believe me–when you’re about to give a presentation to a bunch of attorneys and you realize your nails are all chipped, you’re going to wish you had something to remedy this problem! I started keeping a stash of “emergency” items,…
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Prepping for your Summer Job
My 1L year, the month I was supposed to start looking for summer job options, I received bad news after bad news involving my family– all of which culminated when I was told that my dad had just been diagnosed with cancer (he’s fine now, thankfully!). With all this added stress, guess who never made it to career services, or even knew that deadlines for jobs starting in MAY were approaching in December? Me. It was me. By the time I could actually focus on finding some type of summer employment, I was scrambling to find any agency that was still looking for help. Luckily, after cold-calling a few nonprofits, a…
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Common Makeup Missteps
Ok first, I’m not about telling women what to do when it comes to their appearance. There are so many issues when it comes to discussing makeup and fashion, and it’s far too easy to become patronizing when giving women advice on how we dress. Instead, I’m going to attempt to talk about distractions and how to avoid common missteps when it comes to using makeup in a conservative/professional setting. However, if at the end of this post you still want to do what you want to do–go ‘head! Everyone that knows me, knows I’m obsessed with makeup, but I definitely tone down my look for work. It’s just a…
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Confidence and the New Attorney
Bar results come out today in some jurisdictions!! Congratulations to all those that passed!! What an amazing feat!! While we hope you’re busy celebrating, we also want to take a moment to talk about the importance of confidence as you begin practicing law. For the most part, confidence is a self-given gift. You bestow it on yourself and say to hell with other people’s opinions and own your skills and abilities. It’s not easy getting there. Especially during your first few months in the legal profession. I never took as hard of a hit to my self-esteem and self-worth as the three years I spent in law school. My writing…
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Finding Your Voice In Law School
To talk or not to talk in class– that is the question. No one wants to be a gunner, and I won’t encourage people to talk in class just to show off–that’s not my jam. However, the unique thing about law school is that almost always there’s a forced participation by way of the socratic method. Sometimes you know it’s coming if the professor goes in some type of order; other times, you’re waiting (dreading) to be called. Because participation is inevitable, it’s important to have confidence in how you convey your opinion in class. Nothing screams timid and weak like someone that gets easily flustered and rolled over by…
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The Beginning.
It’s the last Friday of the month! How is it already almost October, Fall, and nearing the end of the year?! I don’t understand it. But this post is titled “The Beginning” because it is a new season and because tomorrow so many people will go take the LSAT, which is the official real beginning of the law school process. We wish all of the test-takers an abundance of great luck and calm minds. And for those Latinas taking the exam we want to scream: Si Se Puede! We are keeping our fingers crossed! For the last Friday post, let’s share some of our favorite stories from around the…
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Spotlight On! Solo Practitioner Daissy Dominguez
Today is the first of a very exciting series entitled: Spotlight On! The idea is to showcase new Latina attorneys and learn about the early successes in their careers. To start this series we’re interviewing Daissy Dominguez, a solo practitioner based in Chicago, Illinois. Daissy joined the bar on October 31, 2013, and opened her own practice, which focuses on criminal defense, immigration, and landlord/tenant law. I’m super excited to tell you all about her because I’ve also had the pleasure to work with her on some cases and know that her dedication to the community is the real deal! How did you decide to start your own solo practice?