First Lessons-Applying to law school

OK, so if anyone in the blogiverse decides to read this for advise on law school, here is a little advise.

First, let’s pretend you have taken the LSAT, and received your score.  Unlike your more traditional “classmantes,” you have more to consider with regards to where you will attend.  Obviously, if you have a chance at 1 of the top 6 schools, and you want to work in BigLaw (more on that later), you and your family may want to move.  If you are like many of us, and even with a 175 LSAT, your spouse or partner is not willing to uproot the family, then you have to start regionally. Begin with a list of all the law schools in your region and go onto their websites.  Begin to look at their programs, the average LSAT score of their students, and the overall vibe of the school.  I live in New York, so my choices were vast.  If you have less than 5 schools to choose from, jump in and apply to all 5.  Application cycles generally run from September-December, then you wait for responses.  It is ideal to apply around thanksgiving, but be realistic about this as well.  Unlike others, YOU may be hosting Thanksgiving, or cooking for it.  It may be best to apply 2 weeks before so that it is out of your hair.

Second, consider how you want to organize this process.  Personally, I paid a consultant to assist me with certain parts of the process.  Email me if you are interesting in a list, but a few great ones are Sonel Shropshire, Anna Levine, Kaplan, etc.  If the cost is an issue, google law school process or get a book on the subject.  I am working on providing a more detailed synopsis, but due to 1L coursework, that cannot happen now.

Bottom line is this, you are unique, and if you are even taking the steps to apply to law school, you are serious.  Unlike others, you have people depending on you, and honestly, you will take time away from them.  You don’t have time to play around with their life or your money.

I will try to blog in chronological order, but I cannot promise that.  I may jump right into my first weeks, or I may mention what I did to prepare my life for this transition.  If I am speaking to anyone in particular, it is the mother who has a supportive spouse, and school-aged children.  I don’t have perspective on anything else.