Month: February 2018

Venting Frustrations

Attending law school as a former educator can sometimes be incredibly upsetting. For example – our professors recently started speaking about “unpacking concepts,” and I swear, I almost thought I was sitting in the back row of a professional development meeting ~~about to die~~. I damn near fainted. How in the hell, did Texas TEKS end up gurgling into my law classes?

I thought pursuing law school might mean I would no longer teach.
But I was soooo very wrong. I think I spend more time teaching classmates [and re-teaching myself] concepts throughout the day – and it’s freaking exhausting. At least my high-schoolers took my word as gospel…law students, not so much. We question everything. It’s both beautiful and terrible. I kind of hate it, but usually only when I’m trying to explain it, and then having a friend question my process. I found myself thinking that – if it frustrates me…how much does it frustrate our professors?

Here we are, a bunch of grown-ass adults, complaining about how we interpreted the statute. It is honestly laughable to me that we (as a collective group of law students) seem to think that *we* know more than our professors [you know, the peeps at the front of the class that hold shiny bar cards and have years of practical experience on us].

Why is that a thing? Why do so many of us think it’s acceptable to argue/back-talk a professor over anything other than a substantial topic in class? [Let me clarify, debating a point in class may be useful, but arguing with a professor for the sake of trying to “one-up” them is just not classy. Neither is arguing over an exam in class]. Judges don’t like smart-asses. Why form a bad habit in law school?

Personally, I feel that any grade issues or concerns should be addressed during office hours. Any questions regarding content and confusion could be asked in class, especially if you know a few friends also struggled with that issue.

Now, I do understand that not everyone feels comfortable speaking to a professor one-on-one, but I can promise you they don’t bite. In fact, they’ll probably be happy to help you. I highly recommend you visit a professor if you’re grappling with a concept, or even having a difficult time with their teaching style. Whatever the issue – be kind and courteous when addressing it.

This post isn’t meant to stir anyone into a frenzy. I merely think we should (as students, and adults) be mindful of the questions we ask, as well as the tone in which we frame them. Professors are [usually] seasoned veterans of the legal profession. It makes no difference if you are 21 or 61 – if you’re in law school, then they have years of experience above you. Be respectful of their teaching and their time. Teaching is incredibly hard, and not every great attorney will be a great teacher. It’s a sad fact.

Don’t misunderstand me. I get that law school is upsetting, and sometimes you don’t make the exact grade you want. But here’s the deal – you are not your grades! The goal is to learn how to deal with the setbacks and keep chugging along.

What you, my dear law school friend, need to focus on boils down to this:

Learn from your mistakes
- You don’t like your last quiz score, or the feedback you received sucked – then go talk to your professor and figure out how to fix it.
Study Like Your Livelihood Depends on It
- Because it does. If you want to be an attorney – graduating is only HALF the battle. You still have to pass the bar, yo!
Don’t be an Ass-hat
- Your professors will become your colleagues. One of my professors, Mike Maslanka, told our class one day, “Once you pass the bar. We are equals.” What he didn’t say is that we may be equals, but his network and connections far exceed the capabilities of my own. How do you think a professor you were rude to is going to react when you ask for help securing an associate position? #FatChance

Be awesome. Do good things. Don’t be a jerkwad.

Tags @MikeMaslanka, law student, learning, Teaching, Vent Session

Daily Dose

Love & Law School

Friendships are incredibly important to your life balance and ultimate happiness. This notion is even more crucial in school and, in my honest opinion, more-so in graduate school – where you’re testing the very limits of your own capacity to achieve and persevere. [Translation: Law school is hard, yo.]

Law school is an institution that can cultivate deep, long-lasting relationships; law school will break you down. Everyone gets brain fatigue. Everyone needs to vent. Everyone struggles.

And that is perfectly alright.
The struggle is what makes the reward sweeter. Those gold Bar cards are the light at the end of the tunnel. But, I’ll be blunt – you simply cannot get there on your own.

Best friends are hard to find. When you do find them, hold on tight.

As an example – 2 of my dear friends, both who I met in law school, will be my bridesmaids. They are just as important as the amazing friends I met in high school, at Baylor, or while teaching. The people you mesh with are simply good for your soul. Once you find someone that speaks directly to who you are, I believe it is your solemn responsibility to keep them and be their friend. Build each other up!

It may seem cheesy, but I do my best to breathe positivity into damn near everyone, in every situation. That said, sometimes my friends [and yours] need a boost in confidence, an extra hug, a few kinds words – do whatever you can to make them feel amazing and brilliant.

Why?

Friends are worth the effort, y’all. You will need each other to lean on, especially during those crazy late-nights, while stuck frantically reading through your Wills, or Family Law, or Property Outlines because you have an exam the next morning and are ::completely:: freaking out! You’re going to want to call someone who (is also awake at 3am) needs to take a break and discuss the finer points of Bridezillas or Housewives of L.A. – trust me, you need those peeps. I damn sure know I need mine. They’re amazing men and women who lift me up when I need it, and knock me down a few pegs when I need that too.

Cherish every moment you spend with these wonderful people. Hug them, hard. Love them forever. They will get you through your crap-tastic days, and be there for you during finals season, when you’ve studied so long you can’t remember how to get home. [Seriously, those moments have happened]

I guess what I’m trying to say is – don’t forget about your friends! Law school is rough, but its even harder to walk those struggles without helping hands. My besties are fantastic, and I make sure to let them know it, often.

Happy Valentine’s Day, my lovelies!

Tags Law school advice, love, valentines day

Advice Law School

Closing Deals In Heels

This past week was a combination of brutal + exhilarating.
[The best times are a bit of both, wouldn’t you say?]

On top of classwork, extra-curricular activities, and working in the law library, I also drove to Austin to participate in the Public Interest Law Fair. The beau and I drove straight to Austin after a full day of classes. But you know what?

The Consortium of Texas Law Schools hosted a job fair at UT-Law, and it was a great experience; I wanted to share my perspective.

Here’s what you need to know:

When you apply to these job fairs, it kind of feels like a cattle call. There’s a long list of potential employers that set out their criteria for interviewing (GPA threshold, Moot Court requirement, Law review requirement, 1L/2L/3L, etc.) – then it’s up to you to sift through them all and figure out which possibilities would be best for you.

Once you read through the descriptions, you upload your documents and start applying.

Personally, I wanted a summer opportunity that would offer me the chance to be in court. Having only clerked in a Probate Court, and worked in the PD’s office (but never building an actual case), I felt those skills could be bolstered. This means I sifted through every opportunity and chose Law Clerk Summer positions that fit 1)courtroom experience, 2) writing and research tasks, and 3) challenge my current skillset.

I uploaded 3 letters of recommendation, a blanket cover letter (written to apply to each and every position [why? because I personalized 37 cover letters for a previous job fair and only received 1 interview. I thought shaking things up a bit was warranted]), the most recent transcript, and my résumé.

Once you apply to the positions you are interested in…you wait.

And wait some more.

After a few weeks, the firms and/or government agencies post your worthiness.
I am happy to report that, of the eight positions I applied to, I received six interview invitations. ::woot::

Thankfully, I was able to cram all six interviews into a single day.

Friday morning started with a BANG! I hit the ground running, on pure adrenaline…because I tend to avoid eating before an interview. I made sure to print eight copies of my resume and writing sample, just in case an interviewer needed them.

Here are the most important interview tips I have for you:

1. Dress Professionally

For the love of legal briefs! Please do not show up to an interview looking like a cow chewed you up and spat you out. Wear some nice slacks and a button down, or a suit if you have one. I prefer to wear dresses to interviews, with a blazer. It’s comfortable, and usually means I don’t have to iron a crease into the pleats. Wearing a power suit is perfectly fine as well, but since we were traveling, I didn’t want to worry about packing an iron (in case the hotel didn’t have a working one, or whatever lack-of-iron-catastrophe would befall me). There are interesting takes on what attire is appropriate for interviews. I think the best thing to remember, especially for legal interns and young attorneys, is that we have not built our reputation just yet. Work on solidifying the foundation of your professionalism, and then [maybe…much later in your career] you can loosen up on the prim & proper points of your wardrobe. Maybe.

2. Have extra copies of (at minimum) your [proofed] resume in your padfolio.

Do yourself a favor, and make the extra effort to be extra prepared. Although I always take extra copies into an interview, it is rare that I am asked to proffer anything. I have however, impressed a few interviewers with my preparation. The added prep gives your interviewer the notion that you are a professionally polished person, ready for anything, and prepared for everything. That matters. People want to hire reliable associates, team members that can be counted on. This just adds an extra layer of greatness to what you’ve already put down on paper. Even better? It shows them you want the job, and you are willing to work hard. Our generation takes a bunch of crap for being “lazy” or “entitled.” That’s certainly not all of us, and it throws a pleasant curve ball to a veteran interviewer when you show up ready to for the game.

3. Rise to the challenge.

In this particular set of interviews, the attorneys interviewing me all exhibited different tactics. The most-challenging interview was conducted in a large jury room. The heating unit was rather loud, and the attorneys barely spoke above a whisper. It was infuriating. I couldn’t tell if it was on purpose, so I decided to just be myself. I leaned forward in my seat, paid attention to what they each had to say, and – when they asked me the first question – I raised my voice higher than theirs and spoke. I felt like I was screaming, but that wasn’t true. The lead interviewer smiled, and then leaned forward in his chair and continued the conversation with more questions.

::It was a trick afterall::

Sometimes, interviewers will do things to throw you off; it’s a tactic to enable them the opportunity to see how you will react. When in doubt – be yourself. And remember, all of the interviewers were in your shoes at one time. They know what it feels like, and they will likely not try to break you down. Part of their job is to make sure they like you, because they’ll have to work with you.

Be bold. Be confident. Hell, strike a power pose in bathroom stall before you walk into the interview. Give yourself a pep-talk. Show them just how your intellect, tenacity, and charm will add value to their incredible team.

4. Know Your Strengths & Weaknesses

In other words….practice for the damn thing! You know the interviewers are going to ask standard questions. So you need to PREPARE! Look up questions that interviewers tend to ask. There’s a whole slew of them available online. Do yourself a favor, and dive into them. The key is to prepare, without it appearing that you memorized each answer.

These interviews are a lot like speed-dating. You only get 20 minutes to impress these attorneys. It does not look great to have a ton of “umms,” “well, yeahs,” or “huh, hadn’t thought of that one before!” comments. You owe it to yourself to present the best candidate those interviewers are going to see, because you. are. fantastic!

5. Research the Position!

Ladies and Gents…this is imperative. Do not, I repeat, do not go into an interview without reading about the company/firm/government agency you are interviewing with. That is the fastest way to get yourself dropped! Know exactly what your duties entail and have a prepared answer for why you’d like to work in criminal/family violence/immigration/patent law. Just trust me on this. Knowing about the company’s mission, or agency’s perview is important. These interviewers need to know that you actually give a damn about the work they do. Don’t muck it up.

These tips are sure to get you in great shape for your interview.

Regardless of the occasion, interview as often as you can. The more practice you have, the better the conversation flows at the table. I share the above advice, as it was shared with me. For the sake of full disclosure, I [so far] received three offers from the six interviews. My summer is set and, quite frankly, I am thrilled to have the jobs lined up. I am truly looking forward to gaining a better insight to the federal court system, and the unique challenges those cases will encompass.

Now all I have to do is focus on my coursework and clinic cases this semester.
[More on the clinic later]

How are your plans going this semester?