Category: Law School

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Advice Law School

Working with Sharks

Getting the Most From your Internship

 

You just spent an entire year drilling legal theories, concepts, terminology, and cases into your gloriously gyrificated brain. You’ve studied for several years to get to this moment — accepting an unpaid internship. Make no mistake about it, working this hard, only to spend 140 hours of your much-deserved summer, is a hard pill to swallow.

But you know what?

You secured an internship! That’s freaking fantastic! There’s a heap of law students that wish they were in your shoes. Don’t you dare pass up this opportunity to move your career forward. Make your mark.

Here are a few tips for you to make the most of your 1L Summer Internship.

intern

 

  1. Be Kind.
    • This seems so completely unreasonable to write down. Of course, you should be nice and respectable. If you have any sort of home training, you’ll be a decent human being because that’s the right way to behave. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Our Dean (a retired Judge) shared this story with us during our first week:
      • He hired a clerk for his chambers. The young guy had great grades and a good suit; looked professional and carried himself well. On the first day of his clerkship (if I am not mistaken) the Judge’s court coordinator, who had spent more than a decade working with the Judge, asked the young man to move some boxes for her. Such a simple task, right? Well, this guy told her that he didn’t spend his life working through his undergrad and law school years only to get a clerkship where he had to do secretary work. Now, imagine what this nice woman said the Judge…?
    • Do not be that jerk. If you can be helpful, that speaks volumes! Make a coffee run, organize files, direct lawyers to the proper courtroom. Do what you can to make people want to have you around. Niceties go a long way.
  2. Dominate Your Tasks.
    • This internship is a foothold for you to further your career. That said, make sure you see every task assigned through to the finish. Do not cut corners, because it will show. These Judges have a plethora of experience, which means they can easily tell the difference between great work, and half-assed work.
    • Own your work and make it stand out – in a good way. Polish your writing assignments, give them a look-over, and edit several times before giving them to your law clerk or Judge.
  3. Re-Read Everything You Publish. Twice.
    • This goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip, but I wanted to echo it. Read your work. Step away from it, and then read it again. Go line by line if you have to – because skimping on this is just a bonehead move. Judges and Attorneys want to trust in your abilities, so make it easy on yourself and proof-read your work before handing it off.
  4. Represent Your School with Fierce Pride.
    • Getting this internship could mean potential internships for the students that follow. Keep your eye on the prize. Your work with these judges and attorneys might open the door for other students looking for the same opportunity. By working hard and being memorable, you might be able to inadvertently offer a hand-up to a fellow student. Be the change, little shark. 
  5. Offer Simple Answers.
    • So often we read convoluted cases and lengthy explanations, written in legalese, when fewer words would suffice. That said, you’re still a student. Take the time to figure out a simple way to explain what you need to get across to your audience.
    • Pro Tip: Simple and elegant are not mutually exclusive, don’t let your creativity falter.

 

potential
You’ve got potential.

 

The work you do is important, it can change lives. Learn everything from this internship. Ask questions, especially when uncertain on a particular topic. The judges and attorneys know you aren’t perfect. Their choice to hire you is reflected in what they hope to teach you. Make the most of it!

 

Categories
Law School

Law School Madness

Learning to find your balance is a struggle, made only more difficult by attempting to reach your happy place, while putting your mind through grueling law school courses. You may find yourself asking “how does everyone make it look so easy?” The best answer I can give you is this – they’re great actors. Let’s be clear – law school is a drama-filled think tank with the best and brightest in their respective classes. Everyone is wound tighter than Shirley Temple curls, and nobody has time to deal with your shit. So trust me when I say that your peers are putting on a façade, to make you feel inferior. It’s an intimidation tactic. What these students are great at is striking a comfortable balance between varying shades of frenzied mayhem, and some are better at it than others.

LawandOrder

Some students excel at being selfish, which is fantastic, because law school is where being all about “Team YOU” comes in handy. Put yourself first. This step in reaching a happy medium is crucial. Your family wants time with you, your boss needs you to focus on the task at hand, your significant other begins to feel neglected, and the people in your life start to get upset because they feel you are tossing them aside. But, what they may not realize is the number of balls you juggle is more than they could handle, more than most anyone could. You made it, gained admission to law school, and now have to bust your derrière to stay here. You will likely work harder than ever before, or you’re truly gifted and don’t have to study at all because you’re brilliant. [On that last bit – I call bullshit. You need to study.]

self-esteem
Finding your balance means you will likely lose a friendship (or more) while working through your legal career. The unrelenting assignments, extra-curricular activities, and study group sessions will consume you – if you let it. I found that the most successful law students are well-rounded, and skilled at balancing their tasks. Taking the time out of your day to work out, read a book, or watch a movie allows your brain to re-set and re-focus on its goals. It is critical to understand when your brain needs to rest, because it is in those moments where you strike the perfect balance between your studies and passions. Otherwise, you’re going to burn out. I experienced true burn-out after my 3rd final during our first semester of 1L year. I walked out of the exam, took a few minutes to grab a coffee, and sat back down at my computer to read through notes. I must have read the same sentence 3o times before realizing I’d shut down. There was simply no energy left to process anything. So I packed up my crap, trekked to the parking garage, and drove myself to a movie theater. You have to know when to throw in the towel, because breaks are part of that school-life balance.

shambles

During my 1L year, I felt flustered because there were so many panicked voices in the halls – all trying to figure out how to study, when to study, how to brief, should they brief, is the assignment actually graded, is it ok to take a lunch break? The tension was palpable, and I simply could not be around it. Realizing my own stress-level rising reminded me that I needed to step away from it all for just an hour a day.

understand

When I need for the questions or worries of my day to fade away, I turn to running. I run at least two miles to clear my head, three times a week. On top of running, I choose to rock-climb. It is essential to have my brain focus on my feet hitting the pavement, or finding the next hand-hold on a wall. My balance involves shutting the world out to let in my inner-peace.

I strongly recommend you find your balance, whatever makes you happy and re-centers you, before the semester begins. Make sure to make time for yourself, every single day. If you are in a positive place, then studying will be easier and you’ll grasp the concepts quickly. However, an angry or frustrated mindset will likely land you in a crap-tastic mood and that’s a recipe for failure. Always re-focus.

nap

 

Categories
Law School

Shaking Up Legal Education

[I wrote this piece for the UNTDCOL Library Blog, and wanted to include it here as well.]

Girl-at-Dance
UNT Dallas COL – Library Blog

 

Studying Law is akin to quenching your thirst – mouth wide open, excitedly expecting a trickle of water from a fountain, only you end up on the receiving end of an open fire hydrant. Standing there, continuing to gulp down the torrent of water, is what separates your undergraduate years from your law school ones. Now, imagine working hard to get through doctrinal classes while balancing your extra-curricular activities, networking events, and (required) community service hours, with the near-constant fear that all this work may be for naught. That would be 1L of an experience, right? Well, that was our reality.

The third entering class at UNT Dallas College of Law walked through the doors last August, practically buzzing from excitement. We knew the risk of choosing this particular institution – not being accredited is a harsh place to stand. We shared the gut-wrenching disappointment with our upper classmen when we were denied provisional accreditation last October. Some of our classmates opted to leave in favor of establishing themselves at another schools. Most of us stuck around, and for good reason.

Studying at UNT Dallas College of Law is more than memorizing cases and being the gunner in the classroom, because there is a sense of competitive cooperation that runs rampant through these halls. Our faculty and staff push us to not only learn the concepts of law, but to apply them in the real world. We are immersed, daily, in what the legal profession expects us to be – considerate, competent, and professional practitioners. There are countless opportunities to continue perfecting our knowledge and skill-sets. This institution breaks with convention, pairing traditional legal concepts with an innovative practical application requirement. We effectively learn the iterative legal process where we learn to apply what we know and aim for progress, while striving for perfection.

The ideas pioneered here finally earned recognition. The American Bar Association extended provisional accreditation this June. This means all students (including those who just graduated) can sit for the Texas Bar Exam for the next three years. We breathed a collective sigh of relief and cheered when the news broke. That pressure rested on our entire law school family, but none more than the 3L class.

Observing our graduates from the circulation desk, hyper-focused on bar-prep, I am confident their efforts will be rewarded. They paved the way for my class, and will continue to pave the way as our alumni. I am proud to have chosen to attend UNT Dallas College of Law, and I hope you are too. We have come a long way in these last three years, working to balance the legal needs of the Dallas community with the school’s approach and vision.

Some of us may run for political office, hang our own shingle, or even take the bench. With the support Dallas has given, UNT Dallas College of Law is the premier location for your law school education. An outsider no more, now – she’s the prettiest girl at the dance.

 

Categories
Law School

The Law School Story

Feminists

 

Choosing to attend law school is a monumental decision.
I’d say deciding to apply, putting yourself through an LSAT exam (and all the crap that entails), applying to multiple programs (if you’re a bit more Type-A, like myself), and impatiently waiting on acceptance/rejection letters (then ugly-snot-crying your way through reading them) takes a whole heap of effort. Therefore, your want/need/desire to attend law school is enough of a motivator to push you through the doors of any legal institution.

However, your exact reason to put yourself through the rigors of law school will differ from every other student you encounter. So, the big question isn’t “should I go to law school?” but rather, “why do you want to be a lawyer?”

lawyer

Your answer to this question will not define you. In fact, how your answer changes throughout your legal education and career is what guides your course.
In my first year of law school, I learned both areas of law I am certain I will not likely pursue, and others that make my soul sing. My peers have changed their minds numerous times, as have I. The law is trial and error, truly. This means you have the opportunity to change your mind along the way. What you feel passionate about today, may change tomorrow. It is so important to understand this notion. You grow and change, every single day. 

Your reason for attending law school does not have to stand up to your classmates’ stories. You’re going to feel the need to one-up your peers when you (trust me, it’ll happen) ask them why they chose law school. Here’s a secret – you don’t have to have a reason at all! Your answer can be as simple as: It was my next step.

There need not be a “why” or any qualifying statement further.
Choose why you want to go – and then make it happen.

I thought I knew why I wanted to attend law school but, once I was accepted and had to make a choice on which one to attend, I realized my reason for attending needed to be about me, and no one else.

You see, I took a winding road to law school.
I used to be a 3rd party logistics broker. Having started as an intern, working my way up the ladder, I enjoyed the benefits of a lax schedule and great pay. Thinking I was doing well, taking a break between medical school and undergrad, I spoke to my manager about moving onto my next step. I wanted an M.B.A.

My manager told me that “a woman doesn’t need an advanced degree.” He went on to tell me that my aggressive qualities wouldn’t likely land me a managerial role in the company. Then he said, “but, you know – do what you want. I mean, you’re going to get married soon anyway.”

huh?

3 weeks later, I quit. I decided it was best to make a difference somewhere else, preferably a locale that didn’t mind my “aggressive” personality.
In a 180 degree move,  I’d taken a position as a science educator in a Dallas high school.

For three years, I taught Anatomy & Physiology. In my time with the district,  I also coached a robotics team, several academics teams, and the volleyball and basketball teams. I threw myself into building up my students, molding them into avid learners. My goal was to make a change in their lives, and better the education received by the students on our campus. But, it wasn’t enough.

I needed to impact more change. While teaching, I earned my M.B.A., and decided to apply to law school. My entire life I told people I was going to medical school. I attended all the science camps, space camp (because, being a flight medic was my ultimate dream), engineering camp – you name it, I trained in it. Medical school was where I was headed. However, every time I told someone I was planning on being a pediatric oncologist or flight medic, the response was always…

“Are you sure? You seem like you’d be a better attorney.”

It wasn’t until I started classes and took my first set of exams that I finally understood what everyone meant. I could be a good doctor. I studied hard, I learned the material, I loved my courses and enjoyed science. But I had to work sooooo hard for it to work.

Law school is different for me. I love every second of it, even the terrifying and stressful moments (like during a timed exam). It feels right.

I chose law school because my path led me there. I witness injustices in both business and education. My life’s purpose is to positively impact every field in which I work. Leave the world a little bit better – my mission.

I’ve chosen to take the Patent Bar, so I may continue to use my science expertise. I would like to work in various pro bono areas, to keep me grounded.
All the time I spent running away from what others expected, actually brought me back to what they saw me doing. It’s quite funny, when you think about it.

Studying law is not for everyone, but it’s exactly right for me. <3

 

Categories
Advice Law School

4 Things You Must Do After Finals

beachready
Congratulations on making it through finals! <3 You earned yourself some much-needed time off. But before you can go traipsing off on worldly travels, you need to get a few things handled first:

  1. SAVE your DATA!
    • You worked so hard all year. Prepare for the worst! What if your computer crashes forever? Mine did right before midterms. Thankfully, I didn’t panic. I save everything important to dropbox and to the Sharepoint system for our campus.
    • If you haven’t done so already, BACK UP YOUR FILES! Those gorgeous law school outlines will be plenty helpful when studying for the bar. Do yourself this little favor and take the time to save your hard work. Create zip files and email yourself backups too! Trust me. Your future self appreciates you.
  2. Organize your DESK.
    • I know this sounds lame but, if your desk looks anything like the hellacious disaster mine does, you need to CLEAN it up! Seriously. Go full-on Monica Gellar. Re-organizing your study space will prepare you for a few things: summer classes, summer internships, and the peace that comes from ordered spaces. Get yourself a filing cabinet and organize all your 1L classes. Go through any paperwork you have and determine what’s needed and what’s superfluous. Again, this will make it easier to find your study materials in the future. The Bar exam is right around the corner and you’ll be happy to have retained your study aids and materials for future use.monica-shredder
  3. Return Your Textbook Rentals.
    • Forgetting to send them back, even for just a day, is a waste of money. Maybe you have those extra $$$ to spend, but I sure don’t. Send your books back on time and you won’t rack up late fees. Plus, you can cross one more task off your list. [I really love doing that]
    • If you bought all your textbooks, then you may want to hold onto them and sell them to the next class! You can ask professors if they’ll be using the same textbook, and offer to sell yours to incoming students for a cheaper rate than they’d have to pay at the bookstore or Amazon. It’s pretty much a win-win situation. You sell your books for a bit of cash and have moolah to buy your next semester’s books too.
  4. Plan Out Your Summer.
    • Just because classes are over doesn’t necessarily mean you have nothing to do. It does however mean that you need to be more lax with your time. You’ve been selfish (I really hope so) all year. This summer, make time for more friends and family events, or go try a few new restaurants. Some of you may be interning for judges, or working at law firms. [I am studying for the patent bar…yes – more studying.] Make time for more fun activities, which you can intersperse amongst work commitments and possible classes (if you’re taking summer courses).  Don’t lose track of your planner/calendar. Keep up with the good habit of knowing your schedule, otherwise it’s easy to fall out of sync and forget to keep yourself on track.

wedding-planning-gifs
I sincerely hope you enjoy your summer. This part, right after finals…waiting for grades to post…it’s the most stressful time. If you’re worried – there’s nothing you can do about it now. Take a few steadying breaths and be thankful you’ve made it through your first year of law school. Congratulations!

Categories
Law School

The Night Before Your Final

bookstack

The week before Finals is stressful. Deadlines. Meetings. Coffee Runs. Mentor Lunches. Dinner with your neglected significant other.

But now, everything feels like you’re moving in slow motion; no class means you have time to binge-watch every episode of all your favorite shows, which you’ve dutifully ignored and tended to your reading all semester. Right?

Now, here you are, the night before your exam. I really hope you studied. In fact, I am damn well willing to bet, you studied. You completed your readings. You finished your assignments. You discussed class topics with classmates, or even your (gasp) non-law school friends and family.

Without realizing it, you’ve done nothing but think of law school concepts for the past several months. Everywhere you look: torts. That case in law&order? Absolutely, in no way, followed proper federal question jurisdiction procedures. [I, personally, have taken to reciting, out-loud, criminal law elements whenever they come to mind.]

topanga

 

We are all striving for perfection. There’s nothing wrong with that, per se.

But, what doesn’t kill you may just leave you with a giant ulcer.
Now, as much as I love the rush of deadlines and pressure to get something done, I simply don’t enjoy the madness before an exam.

Which is why I am sharing this little piece of brilliance with you.
You’ve studied ENOUGH. Cramming one more piece of information on res ipsa loquitur will not help you.

Sleep, however, will help you!

Rest that gorgeous brain. Pack your backpack, download your exam, and then put your laptop in your bag. Be ready to go in the morning. Get in bed by 10pm. [I know you’re going to surf the interwebs on your phone, or read one last reddit thread…]

My advice is simple: Stop studying.

Your exam is less than a day away. There’s no damn point in wrecking yourself before getting to the gut-wrenching part tomorrow.
Rest up. Be prepared. You’re fierce. You’ve got this.

Categories
Law School

5 Tips for a Great Study Space

organized

 

Sometimes [ok, more often than I care to count] I find myself procrastinating. I think we all do it, from time to time.

One of my best friends says she “can’t seem to study until the entire house is clean, [she’s] prepped her next three meals, and there’s nothing left to distract her.”

Another one of my law school besties forces herself to come to the library because then “it’s just you, your books, and zero excuses.”

shocked
Amazing self-discipline, right?

My point is – every student has their own moment of distraction. Many times, my moments last a few hours.

What? Baking brownies for friends that might come over later obviously takes precedence over studying Civil Procedure…right?

oprah
We’ll have none of that, Oprah. 😛

In all seriousness though, sitting down to study takes some serious focus. Here are five tips that will help you find [or make] the perfect study space!

  1. Desk space!
    • Studying law is a hefty experience. There’s so many books! You need to find an area that can hold up all those books. I’d say a good, sturdy table, about 3 feet by 2 feet, will serve the purpose well. Anything larger would be wonderful, but not wholly necessary.
  2. Lighting
    • This is KEY. Lighting is important. I don’t do well with yellow lights, so my study space requires white light. It’s a must. Thankfully, the beau purchased an adorable Pixar-esque lamp. I love him. The lamp – just to be clear. He’s perfect, and I’ve named him Trevor. He’s adjustable and, combined with my other lighting, can lighten or darken my study space.
  3. Comfortable Walking Area
    • I am a firm believer in taking BREAKS! Which means I don’t always like to study in the library. There’s almost always someone wanting to kick me out of a study room (which can only be reserved for two hours) or there’s simply too many fantabulous friends around; we distract each other and can quickly turn to different (more like cute cat videos on youtube) activities.
    • That said, find a space you’re comfortable walking away from for a bit, somewhere you’re comfortable leaving your belongings for a quick minute or two. Personally, I frequent some nearby coffee shops and eateries. The staff know me, so I’m comfortable taking a call and walking away from my laptop and books (let’s face it, the books cost more than my macbook.)
  4. Sounds
    • Ambiance, people. The sounds has to be perfect. I have found a perfect study combination. Spotify’s Instrumental Pop Songs playlist and (judge me, if you must) Hogwarts Rooms. I’ve personally been hanging around in the Hufflepuff common room lately. The chirping birds and raspy quills add to my study mood.  #HermioneRocks
  5. Perfect Distraction Level
    • As I’ve told you, studying new material with friends is always a non-starter for me. I need to capture the material before reviewing it. So I prefer to study alone and then review with a few people. It keeps my study group small and everyone is easily held accountable.
    • Find a spot that doesn’t necessarily have all your comforts, or maybe even one that does. Just know, you need to find your middle ground and keep yourself focused. Law school is only three short years. Put in the effort and you will pull off the grades you deserve.

 

Happy Studying!

Categories
Law School

Let Me PUMP You UP!

studymoto

 

Finals week arrived. It was inevitable.
I’m not quite sure where the time went. Can you believe it’s been a year? This 1L is nearly finished. And, well, I don’t know about you – but I am exhausted.

I completely understand how tired you are. Tired of reading, writing, and thinking. I get it. Your classmates get it.

Trust me.
Everyone feels like a squished lemon, completely out of juice.

So let me tell you a secret.
You have a bit left in the reserve tank, kid.

Need some motivation? Here’s a little Pep Talk:

 

Advice to keep you on the right track:

  1. Set up your study schedule. Let your friends and family in on it – so they DON’T bother you during those time frames.
  2. Order in, or meal prep. You don’t want the hassle of cooking and cleaning, and getting distracted by Pinterest recipes.
  3. Settle into a good study spot. Find your little corner of the world with great lighting, perfect ambiance, and enough desk space for several snacks, books, and your laptop.
  4. HYDRATE! Make sure to have some water or some darn good sweet tea (you know, Texas’ drink of choice).

You’ve got finals in the bag.
Keep Studying, loves.

You’re almost through your 1L year!

Good luck on exams!

Categories
Law School

Law School Depression: Grades & Guidance

hell
Law School is ROUGH but – you’ve GOT this.

THIS read made me realize how lucky I am. This semester has been grueling (more-so than last semester) for many reasons – but not one of those reasons stems from feeling alone. In fact, for my wonderful classmates who read this blog (and for those peers far and wide going through the same law school struggle) please know there are resources available for you. Talk to student services at your school. Reach out to TLAP, or the appropriate lawyer assistance program in your state. There is a support system waiting to help you – all you have to do, is call.

 

exhausted

 

Law school is hard, breaks you down, and makes you question your life-plan. That’s right – it’s not just you! Everything is harder for you. Before law school, you were a great writer, logical thinker, skilled speaker. Then, the world crumbled beneath your feet and you probably feel like nothing you do is right.
Give law school your best effort. Your grades are important, sure, but they do NOT define you. The sum of your cumulative experiences matters more. Yes, you should strive to earn high marks, but sacrificing your health is not an option.

Just know – you are better than you give yourself credit for!
We all feel shaken, battered, and a little worse for wear.
You are not alone.

I cannot speak directly for my campus, but I can say they have provided multiple opportunities for us to reach out to them. Our professors and campus staff have done a great job explaining how our Texas Bar resources apply to law students. They opened the channels for us to discuss good ways to deal with stress, rather than the stereotypical (and, quite frankly, more common) substance abuse methods used by attorneys and law students across the country.

I deal with stress in these healthy ways:
– Bake for my family and classmates
– Sing in the shower
– Run a mile (or two) while listening to music
– Work Out
– Dance It Out
– Scream into a pillow

Okay…maybe the last one is not the greatest, but it’s certainly not destructive. Sometimes a good ARGHHHHHHH does the body good.

Find something that works for you. Relaxing, cooking, dancing….anything that could help you relieve stress in a healthy way – find your stress relief.
If you need to talk to someone, PLEASE DO.

Categories
Advice Law School

How to Prep Your Oral Argument

You’ve been chugging along, gobbling up every nugget of wisdom the professors have to offer. Everything is ok. You’re fine. Law school is finally feeling right and then – POW!

koala

Your first oral argument comes bounding around the corner and you have no freaking clue what to do. This is the point where you realize one of two things:
1) Well damn. I don’t like to speak to crowds and this is going to suck; or
2) I’ve totally got this and I’m confident, so I really don’t need to prepare – right?

You’re wrong in both scenarios. 

If you’re in the first group, then you need to give yourself more credit.
You were accepted to LAW SCHOOL. 
You MADE IT THROUGH your first semester.

This oral argument is going to be another feather in your cap of amaze-balls. 
Don’t think it’s going to defeat you or break your spirit. 
The point of the exercise is to give you a little taste of how it feels to be a zealous advocate. You need to feel the rush of what it is to be a competent attorney, otherwise, your efforts to earn high grades in class fail to relate to the real world. 

legalsuperhero

Trust me when I say this: If you can speak and write eloquently, you will have a much easier time winning a Judge over.

Now, if you’re in the 2nd group, listen here, child. Bottle up that confidence and store it away for the actual argument. You need to strut your stuff to impress the Judges, but if all you have is confidence – it’s not going to get you far. Do not make the mistake of thinking that you can get by with a few quick glances to the case facts and a few briefs of the defendant’s motion for summary judgment. Do not be the one caught unprepared!

Here’s what you’ll need:
1. Folder/Notebook/Padfolio
2. Notecards
3. Tape
4. Document Flags
5. Permanent Writing Tool (sharpie, felt-tip pen, pen)

Oral Argument Prep
Organize! Organize! Organize!

 

Your argument should be mostly drafted by the time you get here. 
Why? 
This is because you will likely have been asked to draft either a motion for summary judgment or an opposition to an MSJ (or other Motion brought in front of the Court).

Set up your argument! Write like the wind, and be FIERCE.
You’ll want to practice your argument multiple times before the real deal. Feel free to use your family members, or even pets, as an audience.
[If you were told not to collaborate with ANYONE – follow directions!]

erin
True, but we love it.

 

Now, you’re going to set up your already written argument!
Get your notecards and give them titles. I needed to create arguments for each of 3 elements, as well as have an introduction and a roadmap (to let the Court know where I plan on taking them).

 

IMG_1150
So, extra? No – soooo prepared!

 

Use the tape and flags to organize your argument and keep everything in place.
On the front of your cards, include what you want to say. Only tape the TOP of each notecard, so you can flip it over when you’ve made your point.
BONUS – Write the case names and facts you need to have on hand (on the back of the notecard where your point is), in case a Judge asks you for them!

Notice, I also used the extra space on my folder to write key points and notes to myself.
They’re in smaller chunks, so that I can catch them easily when I glance down.

Remember – DO NOT read directly off your notecards.
I prefer to write my entire argument down because it’s basically a security blanket!
By reciting  it often, the argument morphs into information that is easier to remember and feels much more natural discussing out loud. Ideally, your argument should not sound as if it is coming from a robot – you need to add flair and passion to your style!

Be awesome!