Tag: Law School

I Have a J.D. Now What?

Here we are. After three long years. Finally done. But, now what? I mean, I should be good now, right? I followed all the rules. I did what my parents told me to do. I stayed in school. Even when I felt frustrated, I stuck to it. Even when I felt like I did not belong, I showed up. Leading up to this very moment, where I can finally agree with all the elders that the “world is my oyster” and “all doors are now open to me.” I was really excited about this grande finale, until it ended. There were no oysters or open doors. It felt as if I was turning the page to the next chapter of a book, a real book, and found the next page blank. This was frightening at first, but I learned to recognize and appreciate my new freedom in this blank page.

As you may know, a J.D. can be used for a variety of jobs and landing a job is not easy. As much as everyone likes to advise fresh graduates that networking is the key to success, I feel luck plays a big part in that as well. Your luck only works in your favor if you are prepared for it. That preparation is what I had to take some time to work on. Initially, I figured working hard for grades, a resume, and some form of a network was enough, but it barely scratched the surface. I realized that I had to work on me. I had to believe in me. Crazy, right? How did I miss that? I know I cannot be the only one guilty of forgetting to take care of myself. Well, here are three ways to get back your peace at a turning point in your life.

Jump back and kiss yourself. Yes, I got that from James Brown. You need to be proud of yourself. It is so important to take the time to acknowledge how far you have come and what you achieved. When we are goal-oriented, and possibly humble, we tend to ignore celebrating ourselves. I was guilty of that. Once I master something I put my mind to, I tend to immediately move on to the next challenge. That is ok if you are always in motion. Once there is a pause or a gap, that mindset can lead to heavy doubt. So don’t leave room for doubt. Use that pause to celebrate yourself and be proud of what you accomplished.

Focus on your lane. Comparison is very tempting, especially when it seems everyone else is doing something better than you. Remember, we are all masters of filters and nothing is as it seems. Do not get lost in comparing your chapter 5 with another’s chapter 34. When we fall into comparisons, we miss the opportunity to celebrate others. That is what I continue to remind myself. Spreading love brings good karma in your direction. When I see my colleagues announcing their job placements before Bar exam results come out or engagement parties or moving to a new place, I cheer for them. I am genuinely happy for them and really hope it all works well in their lane. I truly want to see all of us succeed and I know my time in my lane is perfect.

Be optimistic about your new freedom, regardless of what your next step is. Freedom can be scary and exciting. Understand that mixture is ok. This was the biggest thing that had me feeling stuck. This new freedom frightened me because I was afraid of failure. With no guidelines to follow, or program to continue on to, or automatic job to slide in, what would keep me from falling? What would keep me from making mistakes? I realized that is what was so wonderful about this freedom. Do it afraid. Do it excited. I can design my destiny. I can be so in tune with my purpose, that I can trust I am being guided through this freedom.

That is what makes this time so beautiful. It can be transformative if you believe in yourself. Do you have any other tips for feeling stuck after a big accomplishment. Let me know in the comments!

Also, remember to connect with me on Twitter and Instagram. I would love to hear from you.

Photography: Fotos By Ben

Wearing: Kaela Kay dress; DSW heels

October 16, 2017
Why A Law Student’s Mind Is Precious
“Go to law school, they said. It would be fun, they said.” The amount of memes describing the humor, wisdom, and torture behind law school are hilariously accurate. As my 2L year comes to an end with an eventful final stretch, I am surprised and humbled to look back on how much I have grown. Through it all, my mind has gone through the most challenges and triumphs. For those who are in law school or are thinking of going to law school, I want to share with you why you need to run away as fast as you can. Ha! Kidding. I actually just want to share with you some of my experiences and resources that have helped me the most to get this far.

I will admit that when I was preparing to go to law school and would ask every law student or lawyer about it, I found it increasingly annoying when they would joke that I should stop and switch to something else. I still have yet to crack the code behind how those dreaded logic games on the LSAT feature in any class or job. If you look at the statistics, or people talking about the statistics, lawyers are the most likely to suffer from depression, addiction, and other dark influences out of any other profession. This kind of information was usually repeated to me with the jokes. From what I have seen and experienced thus far, this is no joke. The amount of confusion and disappointment law students go through is the reason why I think the law student’s mind is so precious.

From an academic standpoint, the curriculum is nothing like any other school experience. At first, the adjustment feels very daunting. Essentially, you have to learn how to teach yourself the material to prepare for one exam where you strive to not only get the right answer but a better answer than your classmates. Regardless of how much studying and practicing you do, you never really feel comfortable with your preparation. Thus, thinking about your grade is never fun. Eventually, you create a method that works for you.

From a social standpoint, the environment feels like an obstacle course at times and the magic word is always “networking.” From the second semester of our 1L year to the end, we are obsessing over internships, fellowships, and jobs. Gradually, students start coming to class wearing suits for interviews and part-time internships or jobs. Balancing interviews, mixer events, and stalking alumni…I mean…networking along with your school work can be challenging.

What does a typical day in law school look like, you ask? Well, that depends on your year and status. A full-time first year student spends Monday through Thursday or Friday in class and the school library carrying really heavy casebooks and supplements. As you progress to your second and third year, this time is split among internships or jobs and extracurricular activities. In class, you are not lectured on the subject matter, but instead tested by reciting from the reading assignments. You are basically asked about the readings, which are usually cases and statutes, to analyze how the rules are applied in the cases. During this exercise, you must also be a detective to discover what aspects of the rules and cases the professor is planning to use on the final exam. There are also skills courses, where you learn how to write legal briefs (which are not brief with a minimum of 20 pages), legal memos, contracts, wills, etc. Throughout the week there are a variety of student organization meetings, academic or career workshops, and social activities to attend.

Depending on your personality, the love/hate relationship with this experience can change from day-to-day. This is why the law student’s mind is so precious. It evolves to expand and compartmentalize all the knowledge, strategies, and reality checks it needs to survive.

I will admit that my mind has had a tough time. In spite of working to do everything right, there always seems to be this lingering cloud of inadequacy. It is kind of like in the movies where your mind splits in two voices:

Thing 1. “Ok, I think we got this. Way to go.”

Thing 2. “Ha! No way. That guy over there probably knows it better than you.”

Thing 1. “Well, maybe that job wasn’t for me. It’s ok.”

Thing 2. “Aww, another rejection. I guess no one wants you.”

I am sure this kind of thinking can happen at any school or job or part of your life, but for me this cloud of negativity grew darker while in law school. Add interactions that leave me feeling confused of whether people genuinely want to see me succeed or just interested in what they can take from me….it is not a pleasant mixture. Plus all the horror stories, which are real, of law graduates who cannot find a job and sometimes seem worse off than when they started. So, like any resourceful google-er, I searched for inspiration and encouragement to enhance my J.D. journey:
- The Gen Why Lawyer: A podcast featuring interviews with a variety of lawyers talking about the legal industry, career, and life.
- Law School Toolbox: A blog that provides tips and tutoring to law students.
- Above The Law: A blog about the legal industry beyond cases and adds humor and insight.
- Ms J.D.: A blog and mentoring platform for women in law.
- My Twitter legal list: As I was preparing for law school, I wanted to incorporate my journalist / blogger / social media skills to enhance my experience. So, I keep a list on Twitter for legal news.
Law school is an investment financially, intellectually, and emotionally. The only thing that is guaranteed is what you take out of it. As long as a law student takes care of his/her mind and is open to re-define their image of success, I think it is worth it.

Are you in law school? How has your experience been? What would you add to my list above? If you are thinking of going to law school or work in another challenging profession, how are you taking care of your precious mind?

Wearing: The Limited blouse; T.J.Maxx pants and shoes
March 30, 2016