Why Yes, Everyone in Law School is Competing with You

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There’s a subject on this law school blog that keeps coming up, and that subject is competition. When a lot of people apply to law school, they think that they will be just fine. After all, didn’t they already endure four to five years of undergrad?

Aw, how cute. You think that you know everything there is to going to law school because you went to undergrad. I hate to be smug, but you really have no idea what waits for you in law school until you’ve either heard the war stories of actual law students, or that you’ve gone through the process yourself. It sounds odd, but trust me — there’s so much that I know now that I really didn’t know when I first entered law school.

Now, back to the topic at hand. Competition is al around you. There are a lot of people talking about competition, and it’s something that you will need to make sure that you’re aware of in order to do your very best.

I don’t mean to harp on the subject — I’ve probably made some enemies as a result of my comments. But you have to understand what you’re walking into. Law school is all about being the best, getting the best grades, getting into the spotlight at every turn and …oh yeah, and being the best!

You have to understand that no matter how good your grades from undergrad were, there’s someone better than you. Even if you had a perfect 4.0, there’s somebody that not only carried a perfect 4.0, but they were also in a fraternity or sorority and led countless service programs over the course of their college career. That’s hard to compete with. No matter how many activities you think you have under your belt, there’s bound to be someone that’s dug a little deeper and came up with more activities — where they had leadership positions, not just membership. It’s something that you will need to cope with early on, unless you like running the risk of burning out and failing miserably, of course. Read more »

Talking to Your Parents About Going to Law School

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When you’re thinking about going to college, chances are pretty good that you’re also thinking about something else: how to pay for it. There will come a time when you’re on your own, but what if you’re having your parents foot the bill? Of course, you really can’t get over the point that you’re definitely lucky. There are a lot of good things about being under your parents’ wing for the first few years of college. Your ability to pay for your education is going to be limited, and these days, not too many parents have the ability to pay for their children’s education and still handle the financial obligations in their own lives.

So if you are thinking about going to law school directly after going to an undergraduate university, there are a few things that you will need to discuss with your parents in order to get things done.

First and foremost, you will need to make sure that they know that you are actually serious about going to law school. There are a lot of people that go into law school for the wrong reasons. Law school and practicing law is nothing like what you see on TV. It can be tempting to think that this is the case, but you will only end up wasting a lot of money.

One way t show that you’re serious is to make sure that you have all of the details regarding law school — even the details that seem like they don’t make a lot of sense. You will need to make sure that your parents understand that this is not something that you just decided on the spur of the moment. You can accomplish this goal by showing them that you are already studying for the LSAT, and you will need to also think about where you want to go. Instead of just turning to the U.S World News with all of its rankings, you will need to dig a little deeper. Think about any and all of your friends on law school campuses, as well as what jobs feed from what schools. It might be nice to apply to a big law firm in another state, but if you don’t go to that school already, you won’t get accepted. Read more »

Can You Find a Company to Pay For Law School?

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If you’re already employed by a major company, then it’s safe to say that you have some work experience. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you can’t get a little more experience by going back to school. It’s all about staying in motion if you’re really serious about your career, and this means that you must make sure that you look into anything and everything that can help you move to the next level.

If you’ve thought about law school, then you definitely wouldn’t be the last employee to think about it. There’s usually the assumption that it will lead to a better career than what you have, with a lot more money. However, will your employer pay for law school? That’s a question that I get asked a lot, since I’m in law school now.

From everything that I’ve looked at, very few employers are going to pay for you to go to law school. For starters, law school is a deep investment, and your employer has to make sure that you’re actually going to follow through with it. If you’re not someone that’s going to finish the schooling, then they have just wasted good money trying to give you another skill.

On the other hand, if you work for say, the military, you might be able to get your law school education for free. Even if you haven’t joined the army yet, you might be able to get enough money to go to law school essentially for free. Now, keep in mind that if you pursue this type of track you will end up serving in the military for a set number of years, in order to pay back the military for sending you through school. It’s really a catch 22, in a way. If you really don’t want the required service contract, then you will need to find another way to pay for law school.

However, here’s some food for thought. While a lot of people think that it would be the end of the world to serve in the military, this is actually a great chance to pick up some work experience that no one can deny. You will be getting your education for free as well as getting valuable work experience, two things that can set you up for a great life. Now, because you will be part of the service, you will still be held to the same honor code that any other solider would be. This is just something to think about. You don’t have to feel like a second career automatically means heavy loans and other problems — it could be the best thing that you could ever do for yourself! Read more »

Law School to Kick Off a Second Career – Yes, You Can!

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If your first career isn’t making you happy, don’t worry — you are definitely in good company. A lot of people find that they followed a certain script — go to school, get a good job, and try to raise a family. While that works out for many people, you shouldn’t be surprised if you find that your life could use a few improvements. For example, if you’ve always wanted to be a lawyer, you might have settled for something different in hopes that you will be able to get your life together. Maybe you got a Masters degree online and are really looking for that JD.  In other words, sometimes we do things different in life because it’s what is required to take care of our families.

However, you might be at a point in your life where you’re thinking about doing something simply because it might lead to a more exciting second career and that’s perfectly okay too. If you want to become a lawyer, your best bet is to go to law school. Now, you might think that you don’t have a chance at law school because you went off and got a different career path. However, this is actually not as bad of an idea s you might think.

First and foremost, you will need to remember that it’s really all about getting a well balanced profile in the eyes of other people. If you went off to the allied health field and now you want to be a lawyer, you have unique medical experience that other people do not have. If you went into computing, then you have technological experience that the average lawyer would not have. These are all things that can pay off in the long run, especially if you’re willing to build your resume a certain way to get those points highlighted properly. Read more »

Building a Support Network in Law School

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So you got accepted to law school — congratulations! You’re definitely on your way to a new chapter in your life. However, if you really want to make sure that things go well for you in your new life, you will need to ensure that you are building a support network in law school from the first day that you attend.

It might seem odd to try to build a network so fast, but when you look at it from the right perspective, you’ll actually find that it’s really not as far fetched as you might imagine. This is because it’s really all about getting the best education possible. You will need to learn in life how to leverage the information that others have for you anyway. If you can’t work well with others in law school, you will have a hard time leveraging the strength of other people after college.

You might think that no one will want to actually build something like that with you, but why sell yourself short? I mean, I thought the same thing when I first came to law school, but I had to learn that everyone sees you as a resource, and it’s a good thing. If people see that you’re someone that can get things done, then thy will definitely want to work, with you. I hate to break it to you, but everything that comes with law school is all about the connections that you make. If you really make sure that you do your best to actually reach out and talk to people about your law school experience, they will help you in areas that you’re weak in. The least that you can do is make sure that you’re able to actually help them in the areas that they are weak as well, right?

To get started, here are a few things that you need to keep in mind:

Make sure that you stay friendly. It’s easy to feel like everyone’s a resource, and they are, but that doesn’t mean that you always need to cut to the chase. Take the time to introduce yourself and actually mention something that has nothing to do with law school. This is a great way to ensure that you are always bonding with people first, and resources second. Read more »

Revising for Law Exams

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Everyone knows that a big part of getting good qualifications is to do well at the exams. However, some people are better at exams than others and it is worth trying a few techniques to help you to get the best possible grade.

With law, you will be expected to know about past cases and laws which are relevant to the subject you are studying. It is therefore a good idea to do some practice questions to see how much you have remembered. You should be able to ask your tutor to give you some and also you should be able to find some online. It might be a good idea to ask other people on the course about how they revise. They might have some really good methods. An important thing to remember is that we all take in information differently and so it is a good idea to try a selection of different techniques to remember things.

Some people just read things over, some say them out loud, some apply the information, some walk around while saying the information, some record it and then play it back. There are lots of things that you can try and it is a good idea to try many because you may find that the method you are using is not the best one for you. We all function differently and some find certain senses are more receptive than others and so some may find reading is best but others may find speaking, listening or touch are better which is why it is a good idea to try all of these and see what works best.

It may feel a bit unnatural or even silly, to talk things through animatedly, but it could really help you to remember it and you will find it worthwhile when you get good exam marks.

Studying Law

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Deciding whether or not to study law can be a big decision. Obviously, choosing your future career is always a big decision, but with law it is even bigger. It is one of those careers, like being a doctor or vet, which takes a lot of study, commitment and hard work.

There is also the future to consider. You will continually be having to update your knowledge in order to be successful at your job. This means that once you pass your bar examinations, you will not be able to stop there, but you will be having to continuously keep up with changes to the law and the details of new cases. If you are extremely keen on the subject, then this might fill you with delight as you will always want to be finding out new things. However, if you were expecting to go in to a career where you could stop studying once you got your qualifications, then this is not the thing for you.

The education process is quite long too. This means that you will have to pay quite big fees for the education itself. The final career may be well paid, but once you have to pay back your student loan, it may not be so good. It is certainly a career that you would want to stick to for life, once you have started. You will need to be fully committed and think hard about the future and whether you can see yourself doing it for the rest of your life. If you are the type of person that likes a change every so often, then this may not be the way to go for you. As long as you think hard then you can be happy that you have made the right decision for you.

Make Your Coursework Easier

Online Resources to Make Your Coursework Easier

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While some professors may have the best of intent, they aren’t always the easiest to understand or very good at fully conveying their lessons. Whether you are attending one of the best certified colleges in Miami or one of the Ivy League schools in the Northeast, there is a good chance that you will need help at some point.

For some students, going to a professor or TA for help is second nature, others struggle with asking for help. For those students who aren’t comfortable with asking professors for help, no need to stress. There are numerous free online learning resources that can help you better understand your coursework. A few of the most popular and helpful include:

BBC Languages

No need to spend an arm and a leg on Rosetta Stone or a tutor. If you’re struggling in your Spanish, German, or Italian class, or really just about any other language course taught in college, there is a good chance that BBC Languages can help. The site offers several auditory and text bassed lessons over dozens of languages, and can provide you with an easy way to practice so you don’t jumble your words the next time your professor asks you to speak aloud in class.

The Khan Academy

If you need help with that Statistics assignment or don’t understand what your professor is getting at in Organic Chemistry, no worries. You don’t need to wait around for a study session or office hours either. The Khan Academy has you covered, and can help you with just about everything from advanced math to art history to physics in as short a time that it takes you to watch a 15 minute video. Most videos are also followed up with a quick quiz and lesson review so that you know you got your new found knowledge down.

Wikiversity

If the Khan Academy isn’t providing you with the help you need, consider clicking over to Wikiversity. Wikiversity, like the K Academy, offers hundreds of lessons on a wide variety of subjects, but it has more peer-to-peer involvement to help those further struggling with concepts. If you don’t quite understand why Joyce wrote the way he did or why that math proof works the way it does, join a discussion or forum board about it, and another student or even a professor will get back to you with further explanation. It’s like having a Blackboard discussion without having to worry about dealing with all your other confused classmates.

When you don’t understand a lesson, it doesn’t mean you are an idiot or that your professor is clueless. It simply means that your learning style doesn’t match up with their teaching style, but that doesn’t mean that you should have to suffer or take a lower grade in a class. Simply go online and take advantage of one of the dozens of online learning resources so that you can be as successful as possible in college.

family law

What a divorce solicitor should do for you

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Divorce is, by nature, unpleasant. It is natural that emotions will be running high throughout, and communication with your soon-to-be-former partner will not be desirable. This in mind, it is useful to know what to expect from your family law solicitor and the process itself. The main expectation is that they will work skilfully, efficiently and compassionately with you throughout, but what does that mean?

Skilful representation:

Given the wide range of things that need to be discussed during divorce proceedings, your solicitor should be willing to represent you fairly and effectively across the board. Skilful representation implies more than just a knowledge of the law; your solicitor should also be able to confidently negotiate and argue your case, and have the experience to back this up. Of course a knowledge of the law is required too, otherwise they may miss points and cause a settlement biased out of your favour to be reached.

Efficiency:

Time is an important factor in divorce; it’s most likely that you’ll want to end any contact with your partner as soon as possible. Some solicitors forget this concern, and often charge on a timed basis as well, so it’s good to get a case resolved as quickly as possible. Chatting to your solicitor about their intended turnaround speed for the case can be a good indicator of how efficient they intend to be.

Working compassionately:

Compassion from solicitors is important in divorce proceedings more than any other part of the law. The people involved are coming to the end of one era of their life, and are about to embark on another. This sort of transition is emotionally difficult, and those involved may not be in the best place. Financial resolution, child custody concerns, and other issues to be discussed in the divorce proceedings, are unlikely to contribute to their personal well-being, so a compassionate solicitor who is interested in the emotional state of their client is of high importance.

So, a solicitor is more than just a representative in a courtroom. They are a person to guide you through the process, while considering your state of mind and best interests throughout.

Work Accident Compensation

Work Accident Compensation Isn’t Just Wishful Thinking – It’s the Real Thing!

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Getting hurt is never a good time, but getting hurt at work seems to take on multiple meanings at the same time. You see, it is never a great time to get hurt at all, but when you get injured at work you have to try to deal with the fact that there’s no way to hide the fact that you’re injured. If you work in a pretty competitive environment, this means that you already know that someone else is going to have to pick up the slack, and this is something that’s not going to be ignored later on down the road. So if you really want to make sure that you figure out how to move forward, you’re going to need to make sure that you keep work accident compensation on your mind.

It’s important to make sure that you don’t just think about compensation when you don’t like the company. It’s far too easy for companies that you get along with to try to brush away compensation needs, or get you to agree to a level of compensation that is far less than what you actually deserve.

No one is ever going to believe in your rights more than you, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t have help. It can seem like it’s you against the company, but that’s often what they want you to think. If you feel that you have no power, you’ll always be moving in the same circles that have caused you so many problems in the first place. Wouldn’t it be nicer if you could actually skip over these problems and go straight to solutions?

That’s what we thought, too. Going for the compensation you deserve isn’t about being selfish, or thinking that you are taking something that isn’t yours to take. On the contrary, this is something that is the natural way of things. If you get hurt at work and it’s not your fault — you do have the right to pursue compensation that makes sense. You don’t want to find yourself without the power to improve your life.

Don’t freeze up — it’s quite possible to get a good legal advocate to help guide you through the compensation process. It’s been found that when you get the help of a legal professional, you actually get a higher compensation package than if you tried to negotiate directly with the company.

You know the rest — if you want to get what you deserve, it’s time to look into your options today!

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