Good Words Of Advice For The Beginning Law Student

As many of you know, my oldest daughter, Mary Newton, has just completed her second week of law school and like her old man she says that contracts has her down.  I just thought it was because I had the worst contracts professor of all time.  He had a nasal voice, spoke under his breath, never made eye contact or much lifted his head up to speak, and constantly clicked his pen while he spoke, always hunched down behind his desk.  So the issue becomes what advice do you give about law school overall to distract from this problem.  Not to worry because Kevin O'Keefe of LexBlog has come to my rescue with his good words of advice:

• Enjoy yourself and do not take anything too seriously.
• Make life long friends. The tension you will all endure will make for strong bonds. You will have the stories, laughs, and memories of a lifetime.
• Standing up in class and getting grilled by a professor is not all that bad - it's really rather funny. No one is getting shot at. You will survive.
• If large law and 160k to start is not what you are after, that's great. Take classes that are fun and intern with solo's in small towns, public defenders, and legal services programs. I did it and it's great.
• Buy Gilberts or whatever outlines exist today. It is a great experience to go through the Socratic method of teaching, and you'll learn from it. But there is no reason to be totally in the dark.

Comments

[Kevin OKeefe]

Daughter in law school - congrats.

Though your innovative way of looking at the profession would likely shake some of her professors up. ;)

[Mike]

My contracts professor told the class, on the first day, his philosphy on law school that was spot on. It didn't make the experience better, but I always laugh as I think back to the day.

"Law school, particularly the first year, is a lot like taking a hammer and repeatedly hitting yourself in the head. While you're doing it, it hurts like hell. But when you stop it feels really really good."

[Mary]

Mike, I love that quote and had to stop myself from laughing out loud in the quiet library I'm in. I think I'm overdue for a post now.