Britney Lacks Necessary Mental Element

I don't get it? You want to go to law school, not practice, but just to get a law degree? I know there are more open doors after getting your law degree, but is it worth that three years and money? I don't think so. Unless you want to get into politics or public policy, I don't personally see how it makes sense to go to law school to not practice. What a waste of time! If you think you will be building up your resume with a J.D. to enter a non-legal field, somehow I suspect that if you were to just work in your target industry for three years you will be much more ahead if you were to go to law school.

I know in my class I come across people who are so non-enthusiastic about their studies saying, "oh, I don't plan on practicing." It is almost as if they are bragging about going to law school just for fun or something. Anyway, if you are one of those planning to go to law school, in law school, or graduated law school with no future or present plans to practice, let me know your side of the story--good luck.

One caveat, my opinion does not apply to those who have not been able to pass the bar - my older brother did not pass his first time, so I know it is rough! 

After learning of the news of passing the bar and with a couple weeks for it to settle in, I'm starting to hear new cliches that I was not privileged to be previewed until now.

After graduation, I heard what sounded like mocking birds giving bar advice saying to forget everything you learned in law school and re-learn BAR law. Before then, you had to forget all the movies you watched as a kid about being in law school or being an attorney (see Top 10 Movies to Watch While in Law School). Now, those same mocking birds are telling me to forget what I learned in law school, forget what you learned while studying for the bar, and basicaly humble up, becuase "you don't know anything about the law." Ouch.

On June 5, 2008, I'll be officially sworn in to be authorized to practice law, yet it is like starting from scratch all over again. I guess that is life; that is, starting and ending different phases of life while entering something new. It may be that one's young ambition to enter the "real world" as soon as possible is not necessarily about getting all the "cash money" but being able to be an expert and professional in one area of life that sets yourself apart from all of the Jacks of all trade. This new stage after passing the bar is no doubt different than studying for the bar, different than law school, and different than my undergrad, but at the end, same old, same old. Have I entered the real world? Not yet. We will see two, three years from now when I should be able to say: "I'm an expert and a professional."

When talking about what helped them to be successful on the bar exam, people often discuss how long they studied, all of the different materials they used, the courses they've taken, etc. Often overlooked is the crucial importance of thinking positively and believing in oneself – every single day. No matter how much you study for the bar exam, if you don't believe that you can pass the bar and you are dealing with self-doubt and negativity, you have even greater obstacles to overcome. Your negative attitude and second guessing yourself can be the difference between your racking those needed extra points that can cause you to pass the exam or just miss the score you need.

Here are a few tips to help you maintain a positive mindset throughout the stressful bar exam study period:

Does an undergraduate major really matter in applying to law school? The truth is, it would seem it is not the major that matters but how you interact with your major by challenging yourself and developing research and writing skills in the process.

As most of you may know, law schools rely heavily on ABA accreditation. If this is the case, future law school applicants may benefit in relying in ABA standards as well. According to the ABA:

I may need some help compiling a list, but I know since starting law school I've been really into watching movies about the law. Here is my list that I would recommend for some of you while taking a load off during law school. In fact, some of these, I watched while studying for finals (A Civil Action during my Civ Pro study). 

10. ...And Justice for All: "I'm not out of order. You're out of order..." You have to love Al Pacino's over-the-top performance as an attorney. Good movie to watch if you want to see how an attorney would need to confront conflicts with their own values and beliefs

9.  A Few Good Men: Always a classic - "you can't handle the truth!" If you are planning on being a JAG Corps attorney or are concerned about the code red's down at gitmo, this movie may be of interest with Top Cruise, Demi Moore, and good ole' Jack Nicholson.

A course outline is one of the most important and valuable tools a law student can develop in order to excel in his or her courses.

Organizational Tool. Law school courses are comprised of an enormous amount of material, which must be memorized, comprehended and applied by law school students.  The sheer volume and complexity of such material can feel extremely overwhelming, if you don’t have an organizational structure in place to manage such information.  A law school course outline is the most effective means of organizing such copious information.  Furthermore, you are bound to see the same information from multiple sources.  Compiling all of the information into one spot allows for a streamlined approach of comprehending the material without duplication of effort.

A very common question among new law students is determining how many hours they are permitted to work while in law school.

Many students who have gone from working full-time to law school may have to make an adjustment if they plan to enroll in more than twelve class hours.

If you go to a law school accredited by the ABA, the ABA says:

"student may not be employed more than 20 hours per week in any week in which the student is enrolled in more than twelve class hours." (Standard 304 from ABA)

Each law school must enforce this rule themselves by having the student commit to this and other rules.

Keep in mind that some law schools restrict this limit even more or prohibit working entirely in the first semester or two. Either way, most will tell you that working your first year at all may effect your performance adversely. 

There are always questions sent to me about what it is like in a typical day of a law student. I always respond by saying that law school is what you make of it, because there was hardly anything typical about my law student day.

To answer the question of what you would expect, just think of it as a 40 to 50 hour-a-week job OR... just see a day in the life of law student Jesse in this video after the jump.