sample law school personal statements

Factors such as LSAT scores, GPAs, personal statements, and letters of recommendations are used as basis of many law schools when admitting students into their institutions. Excellent college grades and high exam scores can open plenty of opportunities when going to law school but these are not the only factors that law school admissions panel look into. Extra-curricular activities could also play a role in you getting admitted into your dream law school. As a matter of fact, involvement in extra-curricular activities can be a springboard for your personal statement. You’ll notice that many sample law school personal statements discuss involvement in different groups, explaining how such experiences have shaped the applicant.

Writing and debate organizations

Being a member of the school paper can be a great plus when applying to law schools. This is because joining such groups will hone your written communication skills, which are very important in legal discourse. Being a staff of your school or community paper means your trained to recognize bad sample law school personal statements from the good ones, as this is very important when reading sample law school personal statements as you write your own. Outstanding writing skills are traits of an excellent lawyer, and law schools would always appreciate an applicant who shows a lot of potential. Joining debate groups can help you hone your speech-making skills, which are also important if you wish to excel in law school. Even as a student, one has to be able to express his or her thoughts coherently. This is why those who join broadcast media organizations can gain an edge over other applicants.

Non-government organizations

Participation in a community or non-government organization is a big plus. When one is championing for a cause as part of his or her extra-curricular activities, this could pave the way to a specialization in law; joining an environmental group can expose you to environmental issues. However, you have to join these groups not because you want to enhance your resume. You have to sincerely believe in the group’s advocacies.

Positions held in organizations

Having a high organizational position typed on one’s resume would already speak volumes. It shows that one has the ability to take the lead and the skills to handle different people. Remember, organizational and leadership skills are always appreciated by law school admissions officers.

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Law reviews are journals or papers that are edited and run by students of a law school. Staffed by law school students, the articles are written by judges, professors, and practitioners. A law review is a place for academic publishing focusing on articles about different judicial issues.

Kinds of law reviews

These publications can include satellite journals. Such law journals give a more concentrated view on specific issues or fields of law. Then there are law reviews that include articles covering various judicial issues.

Applying for a law review

Many law students aim for the different posts in law reviews and journals. Some of the most notable law reviews hold writing contests to pick future members, with the contest open to freshmen. If a first-year student is chosen, he or she writes comments and case notes that are published during that school year. Senior members usually hold the editorial posts.

Benefits of joining a law review

Law journals serve as a venue for legal discussions. Even if an article written by a student would not really affect a legal decision, the student will be recognized for his or her integrity as such an article has to be well-researched for it to be published in a law journal.

If an employer sees a law review on an applicant’s resume, the chances of the employer taking a second look on the applicant’s credentials is greater. This is because many employers see members of law journals as exceptional and responsible individuals. Plus, the skills that you’ll develop as you join your school’s law review will make you an asset in the eyes of many potential employers. Because case notes and articles in law reviews are highly regarded for their integrity, being a member of your school’s law review is definitely a worthy credential.

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Without a doubt, US Supreme Court justices served as role models to multitudes of law students. The following discusses the academic profiles and contributions of three notable US Supreme Court justices who have left their own legacies in the world of jurisprudence.

Antonin Scalia

Antonin Scalia, known for his argumentative approach, attended Harvard for his law degree. At the same time that he was in public service, he was an educator too. He taught in several schools such as the University of Chicago and Stanford. At present, he is the second most senior Associate Justice in the highest court of the land. His advocacy is that the Constitution must be the basis for many rulings; it should not be treated as a tool for the benefit of certain people. This may be a conservative mindset, but it poses a challenge for law students on the way the actually see the Constitution. He penned a new book entitled “Making Your Case: The Art of Persuading Judges.” It was considered as an exceptional work by the Federalist Society members.

Benjamin Cardozo

After the death of Chief Justice Holmes, Cardozo was nominated to the highest court in 1932 by President Hoover. Benjamin Cardozo attended Columbia Law School, and his treatises are constant texts for studies. Among them are “The Growth of the Law” and “The Nature of the Judicial Process.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Holmes, Jr. penned the Common Law and attended Harvard for his undergraduate degree. He then joined the Civil War. When he returned from the war, he pursued a degree in law and he taught at Harvard just for one year. After teaching law, he was put up by President Roosevelt for nomination as the Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. He won the post in 1902. Holmes was renowned for his bold reasoning skills and he solidified and defended the scope and limits of the Freedom of Speech.

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The love for a profession propels many individuals to get a graduate course. You may have read various sample law school personal statements discussing how passion is very important for an individual to excel in a chosen field. If you do have the passion for a certain field, pursuing a graduate degree becomes easier, despite the sacrifices you have to make for those long study hours and grueling exams. So if you think your passion for studying can help you keep up with a more demanding coursework, why not pursue a joint JD/ MBA degree?

The MBA/JD joint degree

They may seem unrelated, but these two disciplines could now be taken under one course. When looking for sample law school personal statements to help you out with your own essay as you apply for schools that offer this program, take note of the structure and style used. But, don’t copy off ideas from sample law school personal statements; use these sample law school personal statements only as guide when writing your own essay. You can then submit your well-written essayj to top schools like Stanford and Harvard that offer joint JD/MBA programs.

Management and the Law

The Juris Doctor degree is the first door to practicing jurisprudence. When one has passed the bar exams, he or she could then go to either public or private practice.

Getting an MBA is a common path for those who want to climb the corporate ladder. An MBA program can provide you with the right experience and training on matters such as accounting, finance, consultancy, and administration.

Advantages of having a joint JD/MBA degree

The MBA-JD program is advantageous to people in the corporate setting, or if one is a legal counsel of a major company. Through this program, you’ll gain knowledge on legal matters and develop a client-oriented mindset in the process. This kind of training and expertise can bring about many opportunities and more lucrative offers. This is because many companies prefer well-trained multi-taskers.

One downside, however, is that many law firms view the JD/MBA program as a course that’s more focused on the business aspect than on legal aspects. Still, if a lawyer wants a career change and go into the corporate world, then this joint degree is beneficial.

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The career services departments of law schools work with law firms searching for “new blood” to be able to match the intership or job position with the right applicant. Many law firms woo potential interns and employees through various benefits and perks but the potential applicants should first meet the law firms’ standards.

Skills in communication

Without a doubt, lawyers have to have above-average skills in communcation. As an applicant, you should be able to display excellent written and oral communication skills. After all, your tasks as an intern or employee usually involve drafting legal briefs, arguments, and other documents that may be used in actual proceedings.

Exceptional grades

Having excellent grades is definitely a plus when applying in top law firms. There are law firms that mainly target students or applicants who belong to the top percentile of their classes. If you don’t have excellent grades, however, don’t despair. Grades may be the easiest factors to measure but it is not the only basis of law firms when looking for potential interns or employees.

Loyalty

Law firms also consider an applicant’s loyalty and staying power in determining if he or she really deserves a slot in the company. There are law firms that offer their prospective employees with perks like expensive dinners, allowances, trips, etc. This is for them to see who among the group of newbies or interns would stay on after the internship phase. A good intern would accept these perks and still do their responsibilities with full efficiency.

To summarize the things law firms look for in applicants, it’s best that you exhibit excellent communication skills, above-average critical and analytical thinking, and the right attitude. Although grades are not the sole criterion of many law firms, your academic performance says a lot about your ability to cope with pressure and still produce excellent results.

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A qualifying test that allows those with law degrees to practice law in a jurisdiction, the bar exam is composed of different parts that include essay questions and multiple-choice items. Take note though that bar exams in each state is different. This is because every state has its own regulatory board. It’s best to take the bar exam in the place or state where you mostly likely plan to practice law. An ideal way of knowing more about the kinds of bar exams a state requires is to surf the net and check out the official site of a specific state bar association. Another way is to seek data from your school’s career office.

Enrolling in review schools

An option for you to be well-prepared for the bar exam is to enroll in a review school. In a review school, you will be guided accordingly as you review the different subjects of law. When enrolled in a review school, it’s good to treat the bar review like a full-time job. This means you have to commit yourself into your bar review classes. A bar review school could give some exercises anchored on topics from past bar examinations.

Travel and accommodations

If you are taking the bar exam in another state, make sure to book the flight early and have reservations for lodging. Looking for a place to stay when you arrive at the exam venue can cause unnecessary stress. It’s best to have the logistics arranged even before you leave home. Also, keep in mind possible problems that may occur in relation to the number of students taking the exam such as traffic on the actual exam day.

Other tests

Aside from the bar exam, there are states that require law degree holders to go through character evaluation before they are allowed to practice law. The MPRE or the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination is a group of standardized exams that have to be taken across all states, save for the following jurisdictions — Washington, Puerto Rico, Wisconsin, and Maryland.

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Getting a law degree is never cheap. That’s why law schools may offer scholarships to students or establish their own financial assistance programs. For law students who need additional funding in pursuing law education, here are some good options:

Financial assistance based on need

Law schools could offer support to students who urgently needs financial help to keep on studying. There are some need-based assistance with set amounts to give away. Other financial aid providers, however, may use special calculations. The amount of financial assistance may be based on the student’s income, among other requirements.

Financial assistance based on merit

To seek financial assistance based on merit, the student has to maintain a certain grade or GPA as part of the requirement. Law students can seek financial aid by applying for scholarship or study grants.
They may look for these programs through private organizations, foundations, business companies, and certain individuals who may willingly offer sponsorship. Aside from these, law schools may also have their own programs. Take for instance the scholarship program of Duke University.

Loans

Student loans can also be a good option in financing law school education. These are usually provided by federal agencies, private organizations, banks, and other financial institutions. There are numerous plans and packages to choose from when applying for student loans.

Other payment option

There are other ways to pay a loan such as committing to public service after graduating with a law degree. The same principle is used by Harvard Law School. The school will offer free tuition to third year students if they spend five years of their legal career  to public service after graduation. Other law schools also have their own payment terms, so might as well read the terms and conditions before applying for any kind of loan.

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Aside from proving yourself through an exceptional admissions essay and high LSAT scores, you may still be expected to go to an interview. When you are called for an admission interview at your dream law school, take it as a good news. This is because the interview is one more opportunity for you to show them what you’ve got and convince the admissions panel that you deserve a slot at your dream school.

Prepare yourself

Just like when you read sample law school personal statements as preparation before writing your own essay, you also have to prepare for the interview. When you get an invitation for an interview, make a confirmation as soon as possilbe. Jot down the instructions, such as the place and time of the interview. Another tip is to ask who the interviewers will be. Knowing who the interviewers will be can help you prepare better; you could research about these interviewers and know something about them before the actual interview.

Practice

Practice in front of the mirror so as to give you the necessary conditioning. When the interview day comes, dress accordingly. Formal business attire works best for both men and women. For the women, minimize the perfume as some people get distracted by strong scents.

Do some research

Doing some research about the school’s history is a good preparation for an admission interview. You can also research some biographical bits about the members of the interview panel. Checking out the latest issues concerning the school is also a good way of preparing for the interview. When you were writing your admission essay, you most likely read sample law school personal statements to prep you up. Exerting the same effort when preparing for an interview can work wonders on your chances of getting admitted into your dream school.

Review your law school admission essay

It’s possible that some of the interview questions will be based on your submitted admission essay. So, it’s best that you review your admission essay, much like when you were reading sample law school personal statements to give you an idea on what to include in your own essay.

Do an ocular inspection

It is best to go to the school grounds itself days or weeks before the interview and learn where the interview venue is. Knowing where the interview venue is in advance is beneficial especially if you easily get lost when you’re in an unfamiliar location.

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Competition for internship in top law firms among students is quite fierce. To help you stand out from the rest, here are some tips on how to land an internship in a prestigious firm:

Gather experience and training

Preparation is one key when aiming for that much-coveted internship at a top law firm. Applying for an internship even before you are required by the school to do so is a good idea. An apprenticeship or internship at a small law firm may mean less prestige and a smaller paycheck but the experience you’ll get is definitely worth it. Aside from small law firms, the office of the DA and private companies fighting for human rights and environmental issues are also good training grounds. Plus, such experiences are good additions to your resume later on.

Talk to your school’s Career Services Department

If your school offers career services, take advantage of such services. Give your resume to the career counselors prior to internship. Many schools have good relationships with reputable firms who are searching for prospective workers, along with alumni who are already working for or own top firms.

Create an exceptional resume

To create an exception resume, include attributes that make you the perfect choice for the internship. Examples are knowledge in various computer applications and leadership qualities. Aside from having an impressive cover letter, make sure that your resume is reader-friendly. And remember, an ideal resume should only be 1 to 2 pages long.

Impress potential employers during the interview

Making a good impression during an interview means you have to dress properly. Be conscious of your body movements and be confident when you answer questions. Also, do not forget your credentials and other important documents your potential employer may require from you. And of course, arrive at the the interview place on time.

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As a lawyer, you can choose from two main tracks — public and private practice. Depending on your interests and preferences, you can work for corporations, private firms, or companies as a private legal counsel. But if you wish to work for the state or government, then being a public lawyer is the path for you. Depending on your preferences and goals, each track presents various options for you as a legal defender.

In private practice

As a private attorney, you can set up your own law firm, or work for a firm or corporation as a legal counsel. Cutthroat competition and politics are more felt in private law firms, especially if the usual cases they handle involve rich, powerful, and influential figures. If you plan to set up your own firm, your salary will depend on the client base you have and the number of cases your firm plans to handle. Practicing law in private is of course, more lucrative. The higher your position is in a company or law firm, the higher your salary is.

In public practice

The government or state employs lawyers, and if one is a public lawyer, he or she would usually be given the responsibility of giving legal counsel to those who could not afford a private attorney. Majority of cases shouldered by a public defender are criminal cases, but quasi-criminal cases could also come up. The salary of a public lawyer is the responsibility of the state or government. There are times when one would be called upon to perform pro bono work. Being a public lawyer may not be as lucrative as compared to being a private lawyer, but benefits such as civil protection continue to attract many lawyers to go in public practice. If you wish to enjoy a higher salary, such as those working at the US Attorney’s Office, you can join the Federal Public Defenders.

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