How To Select a Study Group in Law School

As Published in Bloomberg Law.  This advice is one of the many great tips that you can find in Ian E. Scott's new book, Law School Lowdown: Secrets of Success from the Application Process to Landing Your First Job. (Barron’s Publishing).  Find out more about the book by clicking here.

One factor that can contribute to success in your first year of law school is a good study group. When I was a law student, I had a great study group of two other classmates, and when you find the right group, the experience can be extremely positive.

A study group is important as it is nearly impossible to absorb every important aspect of every case you read in your classes by yourself. Even if you are the best note taker in the world, you may still miss some important points that your study partners picked up. In my own experience, my study partners sometimes informed me of points that turned out to be on the exam and I believe that my grades were higher as a result of working with a study group than they would have been if I studied completely on my own. In addition, the very nature of the law school course work and being a lawyer lends itself to discussion and debate, and a study group provides an excellent forum to develop the essential skill of explaining your point and convincing others.

 Typically, a study group meets to review and discuss the cases and complex material assigned in class. The group may meet prior to the examination period during the outlining process or after outlining has been completed, or following individual classes if a particularly difficult topic was covered. The meetings are not brainstorming or the traditional “studying” and as such, it is a good idea to meet after all members of the group have had a sufficient amount of time to review and digest the material. In some cases, meetings occur after each member in the group has completed the same practice exam so that the group can compare answers.

Who Should be in Your Study Group?

The selection of a good study group is tough. You of course want to find smart people but you also want to avoid the obnoxious people who will monopolize the entire session with their inane ideas. Also, you want people that are conscientious and will come to the sessions prepared and ready to contribute. Another important factor is finding people that have the same temperament that you do. Calm should be with calm and Type A should be with Type A. Having similar grade expectations is also important so that all members of the group are striving towards the same goal. You also want people that you get along with to make the pain of intense studying a bit more pleasant.

The ideal number of people in a study group is three or four in my opinion. I lean towards three so that each party can clearly express their ideas. More than four may add too many different perspectives and diminish the overall benefit of a study group.

Regarding the selection of someone smart, remember that the people who are the most vocal in class are not necessarily the people who do the best on exams. More often than not, you will find that the person that receives the highest grade in your class is a person who has not said a word all semester. Perhaps this is because the quiet type is often paying attention and is not distracted by what they are going to say next. As such, do not discount someone because they do not speak in class as they may be exactly the study partner you are looking for. Both of the people in my study group were very smart and did not say a word in class unless they were called on. It was clear from observing them during the year though, that they were paying attention in class and taking notes.

Another thing to consider regarding finding a smart person is that some people who did very well in their undergraduate studies may not grasp law school very well. As such, it is tough to really know who is “smart” from who is not and you will really have to go with your gut.

Also, it is important to find someone that you can coexist with for a long period of time. I remember many long nights with my study partners in my first year and it was nice to spend them with people that did not get on my nerves. My study group and I still all regularly go out to dinner and I am sure we will be life long friends who shared a very positive bonding experience.

Finally, while inclusion of people you may have been friends with prior to law school in your study group is an option, you should vet them objectively and focus on whether or not you have the same study habits. A good friend is not always a good study partner so tread carefully here.

To sum up my opinion regarding finding the right people for a study group, I will say that you do not need the people in the class with the highest grades in your study group but rather people who you get along with, that are similar minded, work hard and have assimilated all of the information throughout the year. These are the people that will help you.

Who Should Not be in Your Study Group?

Beware of the “barnacle.” He or she is the person that latches on to your study group and whom you just cannot get rid of. This person wants to join your study group so that he can benefit from all of the work you have done but is a freeloader. This person usually contributes nothing, will waste your time and will irritate you and stress you out. My own first-year study group initially included such a person until we got rid of him after the second exam.

Unfortunately, it is hard to identify a “barnacle” as they usually put forth a very good sales job. However, once included, there will be signs the decision was not a good one. In my own situation, the “barnacle” consistently missed meetings or showed up late and came unprepared. He always had an excuse for not doing what he was supposed to do and invited others to join (who also were not helpful). Also, during the few meetings we had with him, he would frantically take notes as if we were in class and we were his professors. One of the first clues that we had made a mistake was when he suggested “exchanging” outlines even before we had our first meeting, which the rest of us thought was odd.

You should also not select someone that you see frequently misses class. If they miss class, they will miss study sessions. Moreover, a person who never attends class will not be very beneficial filling you in on points that you missed because they will not have class notes. The same rule applies to those who are in class but not really in class. For example, you should also avoid people you observe on the Internet during class or who are generally not paying attention. If they are more interested in surfing the net than the course material, they surely will not have good notes and will likely drift off during your study group sessions also.

Also, be careful of “the holdout.” The holdout will join your group to take what they can get but will be silent even when they have relevant things to share. Unfortunately, some are preoccupied with the curve and think that any information that they share with anyone (even their study group) will mean a lower grade for them. Everyone in your study group can get an “A” and it is very unlikely that any assistance you give to other members of your group is going to make any difference whatsoever to your grade.

Finally, I would avoid forming a study group with someone that I was in a relationship with. While it may be more convenient, you want to be able to let your ideas flow freely and the last thing you want is an argument in a study group to flow in to your personal life. Also, if you break up during the school term, you will be stuck finding a new member after most of the class has already formed groups.

Even though you must be careful who you let in, I strongly recommend you make the effort to find some like-minded people to form a study group. Do not be afraid to break up the group if it is not working but the advantages of forming a group made up of the right partners cannot be ignored.

Ian E. Scott is a Harvard Law School Graduate, lawyer and author of Law School Lowdown: Secrets of Success from the Application Process to Landing Your First Job. (Barron’s Publishing) Mr. Scott worked as a corporate litigator in the law firm Cleary Gottlieb and currently runs his own law firm Scott Legal Services, P.C. specializing in Immigration Law & New Business set-up. Law School Lowdown is a comprehensive law school success guide that offers practical advice on a number of relevant law student topics. Find out more about the book by clicking here. Mr. Scott is also author of the blog Law School and Bar Exam Success Tips.

2013 Bloomberg Finance L.P. Originally published by Bloomberg Finance L.P. Reprinted with permission.  The opinions expressed are those of the author.

What Makes A Good Letter Of Reference For A Law School Application

As it is Law School application time, many have asked me what makes up a good reference letter and some have even asked me to write one for them.  Here are a few tips regarding selecting the proper person. 

In general, the more letters you have the better but all letters should be relevant and come from someone that knows you and can speak to why you would succeed in law school. 

The best letters come from your old college professors that can speak to your intellect and your ability to do well in law school.  The professor should of course know you and be familiar with your work and this usually means that you had the professor for a semester or you have performed research for the professor.  An unhelpful or non relevant letter from a professor would come from a professor who is a friend of your parents who you have never met.  This type of letter is useless and will not get you very far.  Similarly, if you know a professor but have never been in his/her class, the recommendation will only serve as a character reference and this is generally not what the admission’s office is looking for.  What they are looking for is a letter that will demonstrate you will do well in law school and this letter must be from a person who is in a position to give a reliable opinion about this.

Another good letter is a letter that comes from a lawyer that knows you and can speak to your scholarly potential.  This is especially the case if the person will be able to illustrate why you will do well in law school.  Another great source is a past or current employer especially if the employer can write about your analytical skills, problem solving ability or scholarly ability. 

When I went to law school,  each of my letters was selected to cover off an area that I thought would interest the admission’s committee.  Namely, one came from someone that attended Harvard, another came from a Judge that could speak to my scholarly ability and the others came from professors that I had for law school classes in my first year.  Each was strategically selected and the selection worked well for me. 

That worked for me and it could also work for you. Give who you want to select some careful thought as the people who are deciding whether or not to admit you will certainly review who you have selected.

10 Things You Should Be Doing if You Are Sitting for the Bar Exam in July?

Congratulations to all of you who have completed law school!  As many of you are preparing for graduation you may also be thinking about the pending bar examination.  Here are 10 things you should consider and do to ensure success.

1. Sign up for a bar preparation course like Barbri.  There are many good bar preparation courses but I can attest that Barbri is fantastic.  While self study may work for the LSAT or other exams, the bar exam is different.  Invest the money and take a prep course.
2. Attend the Twitter Chat hosted by The Student Appeal Journal.  The Twitter chat will occur on Thursday May 24th, 8PM EST.   Get details here!
3. Relax and do not study until after graduation. I did not pick up a book until May 27th and given you will intensely study for the next 2 months virtually every day, you should relax so that you are energized.
4. Follow your study plan. Barbri and other organizations will give you a study plan that outlines exactly what you are supposed to accomplish each day.  Do not fall behind as you will have more and more added on to your schedule each day. 
5. The bar exam is a marathon and not a sprint and you cannot cram for it.  There is just too much material that you have to learn.
6. Understand the big picture and understand exactly what the exam is made up of.  The bar is made up of various pieces and you have to understand the composition of the exam so that you can allocate time accordingly.
7. The key to success is on the bar exam is doing as many practice questions as you can.   The Bar preparation organization should give you more practice multiple choice and essay questions than you could ever do. All you have to do to guarantee success is complete the questions.
8. Make sure you do the practice questions under timed conditions. Time management is a key to success and you may as well get used to the time restrictions.  See my post on time management and do not borrow time from exam questions.
9. Do not stress yourself out as you will likely pass. See my blog post that shows there is almost a 90% chance you will pass on your first attempt.
10. Take study breaks during the process.  You should try to take a day off every few weeks.  You will find the schedule extremely hectic but a day here and there will help you energize.

Best of Luck!

New York’s New Pro Bono Requirement – What Is All The Fuss About?

Generally speaking, in order to become a lawyer in New York you must get a law degree (3 years), pass the bar exam, pass a professional responsibility exam and pass a character assessment test.  Going forward the 10,000 or so prospective lawyers who meet all of these requirements will also be required to perform 50 hours of pro bono legal services before they can become lawyers.

This has caused a stir among some who say that this is among other things “indentured servitude.”  Another wrote, “I feel really bad for law students that graduate these days. And having brand new attorneys forced to be the ones to handle most pro bono smells like bad policy considering they have little to no experience and will invariably do a bad job of it.”

I am not sure what all of the fuss is about and I think a mandatory pro bono requirement is a fantastic idea!  A few points on this topic.

First, 50 hours is the amount of time you will spend during your first week of employment.  We are talking one week of work spread out over your law school career and the year after it.  The requirement is certainly not locking you into some long drawn out act of service.  It is 50 hours not 50 weeks or years.  In many countries, you must article (practical training) for next to no money before becoming a lawyer and this requirement is often 2 years.  Come on it is 50 hours helping those who need the help. 

Second, the requirement will not impact the majority of students as they already fulfill the requirement in law school.  I went to a law school (Harvard) that has a 50 hour pro bono requirement in order to graduate and this policy is not uncommon in law schools.  At the end of the year, Harvard published the actual average number of hours per student and it far exceeded the 50 hours.  Moreover, the requirement can often be met by clinical work performed or any volunteer work done while in school. 

Third, the more practical experience that one gets while in law school the better.  In some cases, fulfilling this requirement will be done by meeting with clients, drafting legal documents and perhaps even arguing cases before administrative tribunals. I met my pro bono requirement by working in an immigration asylum & employment law clinic and I was able to do all of the items listed above.

Finally, what is wrong with giving lawyers a taste of what it is like to give back to the community?  Also, as lawyer help others for free, isn’t there another benefit where the at times negative view of lawyers can be reversed?  This idea of giving back is already emphasized and encouraged in our professional responsibility requirements so why not formalize this a bit for new lawyers. As discussed above, this will not have an impact on most but will give those who would never have considered pro bono work an opportunity to see what helping someone else out without getting paid feels like.

As far as I am concerned, it is just another requirement to become a lawyer the same way that sitting for the MPRE, getting a character assessment or taking certain courses are requirements.  Not sure why anyone would be against this.  I would be interested to hear your thoughts.

How to Prepare For The Bar Exam & When You Should Start Studying

With the law school year closing out many students in their third year are starting to think (or worry) about the bar exam.  Here is a brief introduction and a few things to consider.

What Is The Bar Exam All About?

In most States, the Bar examination is a 2 day exam that you take between approximately 9:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. each day.  (It is a 3 day exam in California)  One day of the exam is made up of a test called the Multi-State Bar Exam (MBE) and this part of the exam is made up of 200 multiple choice questions.  Everyone in all States takes the MBE on the same day and the exam covers 6 topic areas only (Contracts, Constitutional Law, Property, Evidence, Torts & Criminal Law).  The other day of the bar exam is a State day where generally State law is tested.  Each State makes up their own State exam and the exam will fall either on the day before or the day after the MBE depending on which State you are in. The State exam will usually be made up of essay questions but may also contain multiple choice and/or a practical memo writing section. 

In the United States, you must be certified (sit for a bar exam) to practice law in every State that you wish to practice in.  Generally speaking, this means that if your best friend was arrested in New Jersey for an offence, you could not represent him in court if you were certified to practice law in New York.  There are exceptions to this rule but this is generally the case.  As such, you will have to complete an application for each State you want to practice in.  You should pay particular attention to the application deadlines and any other instructions that you are given.  For example, some States, like New York, require a handwriting sample and a school certification to be sent in with your application.  At least one student that I know of that went to Harvard did not send material that the New York Bar Examiners required, and the person found out at the beginning of July that he/she was not eligible to sit for the bar exam at the end of July.  Do not let this happen to you.

How Should You Prepare?

The first step to passing the Bar exam is to sign up for a preparation course such as Barbri.  I took a Barbri course and it played a pivotal role in me passing the bar exam.  Barbri and other organizations have decades of experience with Bar Examinations and as such are experts.  During the course, they will hold lectures, give you practice essay questions, give you practice multiple choice questions and grade sample exams.  This is not the time to self-study as you will be at a significant disadvantage if you do.  If you can afford it (cost is around $2500) sign up today!  If you sign up with a reputable large bar preparation course, it is not necessary to take supplemental courses or to do any other studying outside of this course.  They will teach you everything you need to know. 

When Should You Start To Prepare For The Bar Exam?

It is not necessary to start studying for the bar until after you graduate.  Some get very nervous and start in March or April but this is not needed.  (actually, I think it is a bad idea as you need to take it easy so that you are refreshed for intense studying to come)    For those who just cannot wait, Barbri sends advance study material to students in April.   They do however clearly state that it is not necessary to start studying until after you graduate.  Once you start your preparation course lectures and really get into studying you will really appreciate the few weeks of a break between your finals and your graduation date.  Barbri will teach you everything you need to know during the two months prior to the exam.  Trust me on this one. 

Should You Be Worried?

No. See my post “Do Not Worry About Whether You Will Pass The Bar Exam Because There is Almost a 90% Chance That You will Pass It On Your First Attempt.”  The key to passing is consistent studying.

A Great Way To Market Yourself If You Are Looking For Or Will Ever Look For A Job

A few days ago I received an email from a first year law student, Justin, and he posed a very interesting question.  His email read;

“What is your personal opinion of law students having their own resume-styled website? I tried to do some research and could not find many that existed. Having an undergrad degree in Graphic Design, I've built my own. What do you think?”

Well my personal opinion is that setting up your own personal webpage to market yourself is an excellent idea! This idea extends far beyond law students and is an excellent thing to do for anyone including students in other disciplines, lawyers, and also any other professionals. This is a great idea for anyone that is or will be looking for a job and/or anyone that could benefit from positive marketing.

Here is Justin’s Site: www.justinhwalters.com

Justin is exactly the type of innovative law student that our profession needs and the idea of creating your own website to showcase yourself is something that I wish I had thought of.  Also, it is always a good idea to use part of your prior life (in Justin’s case marketing and graphic design) to make some money or compliment a new legal or professional life. 

       A few comments about this exceptional marketing tool.

Why Is Setting Up A Personal Website A Good Idea?

I started to write this section myself but then remembered that Justin had already done an excellent job summarizing on his website why setting up your own website is a good idea.  As such, I will copy his words which echo my exact thoughts.

“I believe there is a need for students to have their own websites with their resumes, portfolios, and contact information.  I believe it is beneficial for professional students, especially those studying law, to be able to place a personal website address on their business card or in the signature of their email.  Having a website can be appealing to prospective employers because it shows you are independent, creative and ready to advance into a more professional role.”

I will only add one additional point and that is that the webpage puts all of the relevant information that an employer wants (short bio, resume, writing sample, skills) in one place and makes it all easily accessible.  Given that employers spend very little time assessing candidates you want to make your information as easy to access as possible and A simple webpage accomplishes this. 

What Does It Take To Get Set Up?

I am not a web designer but am confident that with a bit of determination I could create a page like the page that Justin has created. Wordpress is the web design tool of choice but if you do not want to use that there are many other options available with templates that will get you started.  In terms of hosting the website, that costs around $5 a month (a more complex website would be maybe $8 a month because it has more space) and you will pay around $10 a year for domain name. (You should try and nab your own name – just think of where Barack Obama would be if he had not purchased his domain name www.barackobama.com years ago).   

It literally takes a few hours to set everything up and install a simple website and if you prefer not to do it yourself you can always hire Justin.  Justin can design a website just like his own for you (and I must say it is a very professional looking website) and his fees are extremely reasonable.  You can contact Justin through his website - www.justinhwalters.com.  As for the upkeep, if someone can operate Facebook, they can operate a Wordpress blog as it is really user friendly.

The Lowdown

In this economy you cannot afford to be at a disadvantage and it is important to ensure that you are constantly improving, marketing and selling your brand.  This should start early in your career and creating a website is a great networking and marketing tool.   Creating your own personal website also forces you to give some thought to what important things you want to showcase to the world and may encourage you to constantly reevaluate key aspects to showcase.

Here is an excellent example that demonstrates that proper networking and marketing goes a long way. In this case, Justin sent me his website a few days ago and as a direct result of his marketing and networking efforts, I am likely going to hire him to work on my new law firm website - www.legalservicesincorporated.com. I currently use a template (yes, I know it looks like a template) but will hire Justin to create something that is closer to my own style. How is that for marketing efforts quickly finding a job!  I am also certain that some of you reading this blog will contact him to work on your websites.  This is only one example of how innovation and marketing yourself in the new cyber world can increase your chances of success and put money in your pocket.

I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on the website idea and again please feel free to contact Justin if you need help with your website. His contact information is all on his website.  Here it is again. www.justinhwalters.com

What Do I Need to Do to Transfer to Another Law School? - Part 4 of 4

Who is Eligible?

In order to apply for a transfer to another law school, you must go through the same application process that you went through to initially apply to law school.  There are some minor differences but for the most part the process is the same.  For most schools, you can use the LSAC process and fill out the transfer application (which is very similar to the original law school application) online.  You will require everything that you needed to apply to law school including a resume, a personal statement, letters of reference, transcripts and the completed application.  You must also provide your LSAT score but the schools will not place much, if any, weight on it.  The most significant factor that the schools will consider are your grades from your first year of law school.  Like everything else, the higher the better.

While most schools will want a complete picture, some are only interested in your first year grades.  For example, at New York University (NYU), the personal statement that they request is quite short and it does not have to talk about anything specific. Moreover, they do not require (or want) any letters of reference.  To contrast, Harvard, Yale and Columbia all require a comprehensive application complete with letters of reference, a resume and two page personal statements.

How Do Schools Select Who They Want?

In order to transfer to a top school, you will need top grades.  Harvard accepts around 25 transfer students a year and boasts that many transfer students could have been admitted if they applied there for their first year or are students that were waitlisted when they applied to Harvard in their first year.  You may know, Harvard’s entering class has a GPA very close to an A average and a LSAT score in the top 2%.  Yale only admits around 10 transfer students and the competition is very stiff.  In fact, many of the transfer students that were admitted to Harvard the year I was accepted were not accepted as transfer students to Yale.  (I did not apply to Yale so I will never know) 

As a rough guide, you should be in the top 10% of your class if you are applying to a top school.  This is by no means a cut-off and the number could change if you have some other compelling characteristics or you are transferring from a highly or lowly ranked school. The higher the ranking of your school, the lower your grades can be.  For example, if you are transferring from Columbia to Harvard, you could likely get away with an A- average (top 30%).  If you are transferring from Brooklyn Law School (ranked in the sixties), you will generally have to be in the top 5% of your class with other significant accomplishments. 

In addition to top grades, most of the transfer students at Harvard had a second Masters or Doctoral degrees or some other significant accomplishment.  Also,  law schools will look at other symbols of excellence such as success in Journals or Moot Court Competitions.  Moreover, work as a research or teaching assistant and participation in student groups during law school demonstrates that you can juggle classes along with other activities.  All of these accomplishments will help your application but the main thing the admitting school will look at is good old high grades.

Are There Disadvantages Associated With Transferring to A Different Law School? – Part 3 of 4.

           There are several factors that one should consider when deciding whether or not to transfer if your desire to transfer is based on an attempt to upgrade schools.  A higher rank does not always mean better and here are few things to consider.

You Will Lose Many of the Important Connections You Made in Your First Year

As noted in my last blog post, there is a substantial risk that you will lose some or all of the important connections that you will make in your first year.  This includes both students and professors.  Moreover, strong bonds have already been formed at the school you will go to and it may be hard to establish similar connections.

You May be Considered an Outsider at Your New School

As a transfer student, you will always be considered one step below the people that started at that school from the beginning.  This is particularly the case if you come from a lower ranked school. 

For example, one day after class, a Professor at Harvard took some students for drinks.  When he found out I was a transfer student and that I came from Brooklyn Law School (ranked in the 60s), he asked me if the other transfer students looked down on me because I came from a second tier school.  (Most of the transfer students came from other first tier schools ranked between 15 and 30).  If he thought that other transfer students would look down on me, you can imagine what he thought (or what some other students at Harvard thought/think) about transfers.  This is not a reason not to transfer but it is something to consider.  I became accustomed to the facial expressions of other students and professors when I told them I transferred.  In fact, after my second year, I intentionally did not mention I was a transfer student unless explicitly asked.

Your Grades May Fall & You May Not Be Eligible For Latin Honor Awards

People who get into top schools know how to take exams very well.  As such, you will find that the ability to get great grades when you transfer is more difficult. This of course depends on which school you are coming from as there is stiff competition in many top tier schools.  Generally speaking, if you transfer your grades will decrease and you will not be at the top of the class.  This is especially the case if you are transferring from a second tier school.  Do not get me wrong, it is quite possible to do very well at the new school and some end up in the top 10% or top 30%.  That being said, most transfer students were in the top 1-5% of their class in the school they transferred from and some were ranked number one.  As such, I am not talking about a significant drop in grades but a moderate drop.  For some, this is a big deal and you should consider whether it is important to you to be at the top of the pack or within the top 20%.  Do not be fooled into thinking that because you were a superstar at your old school, you will be one at the school you transfer to.

You should also investigate whether or not you will be eligible for Latin Awards when you graduate and exactly how any class ranking will apply to you.  Latin Awards are the Summa (top 1%), Magna (top 10%), Cumme Laude (next 30%).  Some schools do not permit transfer students to be eligible for Latin and other awards because they did not spend all three years at the Law School.  Moreover, very few schools, if any, will permit the high grades that you obtained at your first Law School to count in any calculation.  Depending on the law school, the Latin awards or class ranking will be very important and it may not be obvious to employers that you were ineligible.  Instead, all that they will see is that you were not in the top 40% and did not receive any awards. While ranking is not as important at a top school like Harvard or Yale, if you are transferring to a school that is say number 20 or 30, falling within the top rank levels of your class will be very important.

You May Move to Being A Small Fish in a Big Pond if You Transfer

Depending on the size of your school, as a top student you really stand out.  For example, after my first semester when I scored over a 4.0 GPA, the Dean of Student Affairs at Brooklyn Law School called me into her office to discuss my progress.  She was very pleasant and told me that she would do everything in her power to assist me.  Also, as a top student, I was offered a scholarship in my second year and it was very clear to me that the eyes of the administration were focused on me.

            When I transferred to Harvard, I was one of a class of 550 (plus another 100 LLM students) and I was clearly an outsider.  I had moved from a big fish in a small pond to a small fish in an ocean.  This was not just based on grades but also on the size of Brooklyn Law School and their ability to focus individual attention on top students.  Moreover, many students at Harvard were very well connected (sons of Judges and Senators) so standing out was even more difficult.

While none of the above mentioned items should stop you from transferring, you should consider them to assess whether a transfer is right for you.  The final post in this series will deal with what you have to do to transfer.

How Much of Jump in Rankings Is Needed to Make A Transfer Worth While? – Part 2 of 4

 Can I Transfer to an Ivy League School After My First Year?

If you get great grades in your first year of law school, you could be eligible to transfer to Harvard, Yale or another top school and this is an option you should keep in mind as your first year comes to an end.  A dream of attending an Ivy League school is well within reach if you do exceptionally well in your first year.  I am living proof! The school you want to transfer to will base their decision primarily on your grades and other achievement in your first year and your LSAT score and College grades will generally not matter.

How Big Does A Jump in Rankings Have To Be To Make A Transfer Worth It?

 

Many students wonder whether or not they should transfer schools based on a small jump in rankings.  I know one student who transferred from a school ranked around 70 in New York City to a school ranked around 60 that was also in New York City.  This move made absolutely no sense to me.  I met him during the summer at Brooklyn Law School (the school he transferred to) and he was not the sharpest knife in the drawer and this was evident by more than just his school change. 

The point of this story is that you should only change schools if the jump you are going to make is going to put you in a substantially better place than you are.  I could have easily transferred to Fordham law school (which is ranked in the 30s) from Brooklyn (ranked in the 60s) but I did not even apply because I did not believe that this type of move was worth it.

The key if you decide to transfer is to make sure that the jump is significant.  As s general guide, you should jump at least 35 points in the rankings and higher if you can.  Also, the move should move you from one tier to another or from a first tier school to a top 5 school.  I know students who moved from Brooklyn law school to schools ranked 20-30 and they had a tough time during the on campus interview process and did not substantially benefit from the transfer.

Are There Disadvantages Associated With Transferring?

While rankings are important, you should not change schools for a slight improvement in ranking.  This is primarily because some of the disadvantages of transferring will outweigh any minor benefit.  For example, when you start law school, you will be assigned to a section along with around 80 other students.  Everyone in your section will have the same classes and you will get to know them quite well.  You will all be going through the exact same experience and as a result you will form quite strong bonds and networks. These bonds and networks may result in lifelong friendships, business contacts and even marriage.  Do not underestimate the importance of these connections.  If you transfer, there is a substantial risk that you will lose some or all of these connections.  Moreover, strong bonds have already been formed at the school you will go to and it may be hard to establish similar connections.  Additional negative aspects of transferring to another law school will be discussed in a future post.

Should I Transfer Law Schools After My First Year? - Part 1 of 4

            After you have completed one year of law school, you will be eligible to transfer to another law school.  If you transfer after your first year, you will get the degree from the new law school that you go to instead of your old school.  If you transfer after your second year, you will get the degree from the school that you went to for the first two years.  I attended Brooklyn Law School for my first year and then transferred to Harvard Law School.  As such, I received a law degree from Harvard Law School that did not indicate that I went to Brooklyn Law School for my first year.

There are two primary reasons for transferring.  First, people transfer because they have a personal change in their lives such as a spouse that gets relocated to a different city.  The second reason that students transfer is to “upgrade” schools.  This upgrade is done because a law school’s ranking is very important and students will often try to move from a second, third or fourth tier school to a first tier school. (or move from top tier school to an even “better” top tier school)  For your reference, here are the school rankings.  www.top-law-schools.com/rankings.  Moving from tier 2 to tier 1 was what I did when I moved from a school with a rank in the mid sixties to Harvard Law School, ranked number 2. 

Many students attempt to transfer to a top school and this can generally be a smart move as a top school will afford you more opportunity. This is especially the case in this competitive job market where many lawyers cannot find a job. There are some downsides however to transferring and these will be discussed in a subsequent post.  A move is especially advantageous if you upgrade to a top 5 school from a second tier school or make a significant jump in rankings (greater than 35 points).  For those of you in third or fourth tier schools, transfer is something to consider but generally speaking it is very difficult to transfer to a top 5 school. When I transferred to Harvard, of the 25 or so students that transferred there, there were only two or three other students that went to second tier schools (all others went to first tier schools) and none came from third or fourth tier schools. The next blog post will deal a bit more with how much of a jump you should make to make a transfer worth your while.

Why Should You Take My Advice

There are several reasons I hope you will take my advice.  First, it is tough to get accepted to a top law school and as a recent Harvard Law School graduate, I can provide sound advice and suggestions regarding how to improve your chances of getting admitted to or transferring to the school of your choice and how to do well in your first year of law school and beyond. 

Second, I also have direct experience with all of the topics that I will discuss in this blog.  For example, I transferred from Brooklyn Law School’s part-time program to Harvard Law School’s full-time program.  Given that I attended a first and second tier law school and was in a full and part-time program, I am able to competently discuss the experiences at both schools as well as address part-time student issues and the law school transfer process.  Also, I was selected for both Law Review and Moot Court in my first year so I can share my successful perspective.  In addition, I was also able to publish a 50 page paper in a law Journal while in law school so I can describe the process and give you pointers on how to put together and publish your own work.  Finally, I successfully completed both the New York and New Jersey Bar Examinations and will walk you through what to expect and how to be successful on those two or any other bar exams. 

Third, I can also provide sound advice on the job market.  For my first summer, I worked in a public interest job at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.  For my second summer, I was offered and accepted a position with a top large Wall Street Corporate law firm.  Moreover, I very successfully completed the rigorous on campus recruitment process at Harvard.  My perspective in this regard is also unique as I am a “mature” student with a M.B.A and over 10 years of Investment Banking experience.  My age and work experience affords me the benefit to provide insightful comments on finding employment and the culture of large organizations.

Fourth, I started documenting all of my law school success tips while a student at Harvard Law School law so all of my advice was documented  almost immediately after I had the experience.  This blog will not bore you with general academic summaries or broad generalizations.  The writer is someone who is in touch with exactly what you want to know and are struggling with. 

Finally, this blog will answer your questions.  During law school, I often had many questions and few answers and I personally had questions on all of the topics that I will discuss in this blog.  While I ultimately received answers to my questions, it was often through a process of trial and error and after time consuming research.  You will receive practical time and money saving tips that will help you on a daily basis in law school, and this advice is coming from a law student’s perspective and from someone who just went through what you are now or will go through.

         I wish that I could have found a blog like this when I started the law school process as it would have been a great help.  You though, will not have to worry about not having the information that you need and will benefit from my experience.

A Bit About the Purpose of the Blog

Law school can be a fun, rewarding and educational experience.  It can also be confusing, daunting and stressful.  I often found that I had more questions than answers and I repeatedly heard myself saying, “If someone would have told me this, I could have saved myself so much time, money and stress.” As I navigated through the tough first year of law school, a law review competition, moot court try-outs, finding summer and full-time employment, learning to do well on law school examinations, deciding whether to transfer to another law school, the second and third years of law school, and the bar exam, I realized that the questions did not stop but instead increased.  I also noticed that year after year new students were asking me the same questions that I asked when I was in their shoes, and they were looking for practical advice from people that could help them avoid mistakes that would cost them time and money they did not have. 

If you have not yet decided to go to law school, this blog will explain what you can expect so that you can make an informed decision of whether or not law school is right for you.  If you have already decided to go to law school or are already there, this blog will provide you with money and time saving advice that will guide you through your remaining years and the bar examination.  The helpful tips in this blog will start from the law school application process and cover every important aspect of law school right through to preparing for and sitting for the bar examination. 

In terms of specific topics, this blog will answer questions regarding; the law school admission test, the law school application process, how to select a law school that is right for you, how to do well on exams in your first year of law school, what should you consider when looking for summer employment in your first year, whether or not to transfer to a different law schools after your first year, how to make it on to law review, how to make in on to a moot court team, how to effectively select courses and navigate through your second and third year of law school, the full-time employment and recruitment process in your second year, what does it mean to work in a large law firm, what to expect in your second year summer job in a law firm or public interest organization, how to obtain fellowships & scholarships, the part-time law studies experience, how to publish articles in journals, preparing for the bar exam and much more. 

          The advice answers questions that you will have as you go through the law school process and provides you with answers before it is too late.  Some tips may save you $40 while other may save you thousands.  Other tips will eliminate hours of needless research. What you will get here is practical, targeted and specific tips on how to effectively navigate though the various parts of law school and the bar exam. 

        If there is a specific topic you would like advice or information on, post a comment and I would be happy to post some advice that will be useful to you.  This blog is for you so do not be shy.