Q & A About Law School

In honor of me reaching 1,500 followers on Twitter, I wanted to do a special blog post. This blog post answers questions that people had for me about law school. The disclaimer is I am no expert. These blog posts are only from my experiences as a law student.

Why did you pursue a career in law?

I wanted to pursue a career in law because I saw injustices around me growing up. I was first interested in Criminal Justice and Criminology but later thought about what I could do with it. I thought about ways I could help people. I believe individuals can help people in many ways. However, I wanted to help people navigate through the legal system. This dream started when I was eight years old. I want to be the change. I still have the fire that burns inside of me to continue on this journey. Every stage of this journey, I have fallen more in love than before.

What is your journal article topic?

I am on a law journal and also in the later stages of writing/editing my article. This paper satisfies my upper-level writing requirement, and I can submit it to hopefully be published in the journal. My article topic is about Sexual Harassment Arbitration Clauses within Employment Contracts. An arbitration clause is something that we have all likely signed. This clause states if a claim arises against your employer you are barred from suing the employer. Therefore, if you are sexually harassed/assaulted on the job, you have to go through an informal process where a neutral third party determines the outcome of the case rather than a judge or jury. 

What is the process of being selected for a journal?

I don’t know other law schools process with regards for being selected for a law journal. However, my law school does it where you go into an informational session to learn about the law journals that we have. My school has two law journals (Law Review & Resolved), and one law bulletin (MALABU). They hold two sessions, one during the day and one during the evening. You learn about each law journal individually. At the end of the meeting, you rank the journals that you would want and give them your contact information. At the end of the Spring semester of 1L, they send you materials and say you have one week to write a closed memorandum and specify the page limit. In the middle of August, they send out invitations to those who they would like on the journal.

Which is a better material to study for LSAT, Kaplan or Power Score?

I have heard no bad things about Power Score. I think they are both amazing, but I have only heard positive remarks about Power Score

Is there only one exam rather than multiple quizzes like in undergrad?

This is now starting to vary by the law school. Traditionally, there was only one exam that determined 100% of your grade. Various law schools have started to change this. Some law schools are now doing midterms. However, the midterms are worth very little. Your final exam could still be worth 80% of your grade. For the most part, your final determines your grade in the class.

Am I going to survive 2L?

YES! You can and will survive 2L. They say first-year they scare you to death, the second year they work you to death, third-year they bore you to death. I have heard mixed things about 3L, but 2L is definitely a struggle. Do not forget self-care. Take it one day at a time and one assignment at a time. Do everything you need to be successful. Do not burn yourself out. Others before us have done it and we can as well! Keep your head held high.

Have you experienced a great deal or some sexism in law school?

This is an interesting question. I want to say in ways I have but it is subtle. It usually is not explicit. I’ve had people tell me “Oh, Honey, you are wrong” or “it is cute that you think that way, but let me help you.” This was very frustrating at first. I disliked people talking down to me as if I was incompetent. I hated that I felt like I couldn’t do anything about it. However, I am learning how to let them underestimate me and learning to not surround myself around negative people.

How many classes do you take?

My first-year I took five classes totaling in 15 credits; 3 credits per class. This year I am taking 17 credits which is about 5-6 classes depending on how much the credits the classes are worth.

Are the classes small?

1L my classes were not small because my graduating class was the largest class my school has taken. I had about 50-60 students in my section. My writing section was smaller totaling in about 15 students.

How hard is the work? Is it mostly memorization?

HARD. Law school is not like anything I have ever done before. I had to adjust my study habits because of how different law school was from undergrad. The class briefing, outlining, trying to understand cases from the 1800s, big words, legal words, and flashcards. There is so much to do and I always felt I could be doing more. When I would eat, sleep, breathe, I would feel guilty that I was not studying. It is also a mental thing. You want to do your best, but your best might not be good enough if you are below the curve. It constantly wondering if your study method is right and if it isn’t, then how to change it. I would say memorization is about 50% of law school. The other 50% is the application. You can know the law verbatim, but you must also know how to apply the law in a factual scenario. 

These were just a few questions people have asked me. As always you can email me, DM, or use other means to communicate with me if you have any questions about my journey through law school.