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Why is Law School Such a Trip?
Everyone knows that law school is hard. You know that going in, but for many of us, halfway into our first semester there’s a shift from difficult to seemingly impossible. Why is law school so mentally difficult? Why does it make us question our intelligence, our choices, and capacity? Law school is tough for practical reasons. Mostly, they are retraining you to think objectively. Thinking objectively is difficult to do. It goes against our nature, which often wants to choose a side rather than view everything from all angles. It’s hard to master, and it’s frustrating when you don’t “get” it—especially when you’re used to doing well in school. It’s…
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Where My Ladies At? Being Excluded from Networking Events
One of my fave work related blogs, ask a manager, recently had a post about a work situation that many of us may face. The men, often bosses, networking together in a way that excludes women. This happens a lot, especially in our field. The reason is rarely malicious, but rather some events are “standard” and the standards are still set by men. Womp womp. So in this example, a bunch of dudes wanted to go to an NFL game and most of the women weren’t into football so they ended up excluding women from this event because they assumed they wouldn’t want to attend. If you watch Insecure than…
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Summer Series: The Prelaw Fun Before the Law School Storm
Our Summer Series is coming to a close! This series highlights different Latina students and law grads as they embark in their summer jobs and/or bar prep all across the country. We hope to provide a variety of work experiences, options for a healthy work-life balance, and general motivation through different guest contributors to help you to take charge of your summer and professional goals! Today we hear from Yadilsa, a soon to be law student who decided that rather than worry about the stress and hardship of law school–she’s going to enjoy life and made the most of her prelaw summer: When people ask me who I am, it can be difficult…
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Breaking Barriers: Overcoming the 1L Emotional Roller Coaster
By now, I’m sure most of you have heard or read that super odd article by David Brooks. He tried to explain that the rich and powerful maintain a culture of separatism from other socioeconomic brackets in an effort to keep others from joining their ranks. A valid point, followed by the most asinine example of a friend too stupid to pick out sandwiches, apparently. I definitely side-eyed the hell out of that example, but I have to admit that he was right in that there’s a culture and code that is hard to break into. If you’re about to enter into law school soon, I don’t want to scare…
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Game On: Actions Steps to Take Now to Land a Full-Time Attorney Position
When I started law school I didn’t really know how I was going to get a job. I just assumed that closer to my graduation, I’d start applying for entry level positions. LOL. Of course, soon I learned about the importance of externships/clerkships and back then the “rule” was that where you summered your rising 3L year was where you’d likely get an offer from and you’d be set by the time you took the bar. LOLLOLOL. Cue the recession. But honestly, with or without the recession, I wouldn’t have known how intricate and long-term legal job applications can be; your interview process can begin a year from your start…
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Summer Series: Finding Your Passion
Our Summer Series continues! This series highlights different Latina students and law grads as they embark in their summer jobs and/or bar prep all across the country. We hope to provide a variety of work experiences, options for a healthy work-life balance, and general motivation through different guest contributors to help you to take charge of your summer and professional goals! Today we hear from Amanda, a rising 2L, who shares her exciting internship with in a public defender’s office: It’s amazing to be able to turn your passion into action. Going into my first year at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, I knew I definitely wanted to make a career in…
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Quirky or Unprofessional: Spend Your Capital at Work Wisely
I recently read a comment online about a young woman who was new to her job and doing really well, but had been getting looks from people because she was taking notes on her arms. She realized she was using up social capital at work by doing that and decided to opt for a notebook to look a little more professional. As I was reading this I kept thinking–what are some ways we use up social capital at work that hinder us? I’m defining social capital as the goodwill people have towards you at work. You want to accumulate enough of it so that people take you seriously, are willing…
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Be a Goal-Digger: Setting and Achieving in 2017
I remember checking my first semester law school grades and thinking, “hmmm, not great.” Surprisingly, I did not have a freak out when my grades were not so fantastic. And although I tried to alter some things second semester, I still didn’t seem to get it. It wasn’t until I completely revamped my studying style that everything finally clicked into place and it was smooth-sailing/dean’s list from then on, thankyouverymuch. But think of all the time I wasted my second semester because I didn’t realign appropriately. Instead, I should have taken the gift of a “fresh start” to make real changes in my study habits. I try to do that…
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What Lin Manuel Miranda Can Teach Us About Law School
First, and foremost, I have been on the Lin Manuel bandwagon since 2010. It’s on record, people. So I saw his tweet today and was like aha! his work ethic is a great example of how to succeed in your educational pursuits. He tweeted: You will have to say no to things to say yes to your work. I mean, I know he’s an artist, but he was basically describing the path to a J.D. It’s not a newsflash to current law students or attorneys that getting to (and through) law school requires sacrificing many things in order to succeed. But in the midst of that sacrifice it…
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Journey to JD: When You Fail Law School
Law school is hard. Everyone knows that, but it’s not just hard academically, it’s difficult on an emotional level. Students are used to being the smartest in the room and we’re stripped down and re-structured so that we can think like a lawyer. This teaching model was very much created with one type of student in mind. When we are not like the “typical” law student we can struggle mightily to succeed. Today we have a guest post from J, a current law student, who wants to share that struggle with us. I think it’s important for us to see the grit, determination, and fight we often have to do as…