what is law school like? (1 Viewer)

[tilted tower resident]

Hi guys! I'm starting law school soon and I just want to know what it's like, any tips, recommendations, internship etc.

I've gotten mixed perspectives on it (some said they're basically slaving away for the course, unable to find true happiness and fulfillment, while I know someone who did ABSOLUTELY NO STUDY throughout, only 2 hrs for the bar exam) so pls tell me what you think is important to know and treat it like you're explaining to someone with 0 idea of what it's like

ty for the help!

 

[HazzRat]

it's exactly like suits bruh

 

[synthesisFR]

it's exactly like suits bruh

in all seriousness, nah. absolutely not.

i saw a reel on suits vs law actually i might send it here bc the comments were funny.

 

[HazzRat]

@enoilgam @RivalryofTroll @mmmmmmmmaaaaaaa @sheppy123 these r the only ppl who've done law ik

 

[mmmmmmmmaaaaaaa]

you need to stay on top of yo readings, create a master doc for case summaries (will be so helpful for finals, esp if closed book)

don't be one of those guys for the particpation marks

but yeah just like suits ... doe internships try networking events from the uni, join moot comps, make connections in the industry (from family is easier obv)

some said they're basically slaving away for the course, unable to find true happiness and fulfillment

this is exactly true

 

[Aeonium]

On the first day of classes, make sure you're one of those people who asks which high school everyone went to and the atar they got. Your social credit will actually skyrocket

hope this helps

do this ONE TRICK to make everyone LOVE YOU

 

[idkkdi]

On the first day of classes, make sure you're one of those people who asks which high school everyone went to and the atar they got. Your social credit will actually skyrocket

hope this helps

and as a plus ull likely be on a credit average too ))

 

[RivalryofTroll]

Hi guys! I'm starting law school soon and I just want to know what it's like, any tips, recommendations, internship etc.

I've gotten mixed perspectives on it (some said they're basically slaving away for the course, unable to find true happiness and fulfillment, while I know someone who did ABSOLUTELY NO STUDY throughout, only 2 hrs for the bar exam) so pls tell me what you think is important to know and treat it like you're explaining to someone with 0 idea of what it's like

ty for the help!

Firstly, congrats on your law school offer.

Here are just some of my tips and tricks on navigating your first year.

Useful sites and resources
I would suggest reading up on some first-year guides and career guides to get a high-level understanding of what lies ahead.

• Survive Law has a first-year guide.
• Interested in commercial law? The Aussie Corporate has an introduction to Australian Big Law. Their FAQ section for law students is also worth a read.
• The Law Society of NSW has free career guides and resources for law students and junior lawyers. Check out their Thriving in Law: Preparing for Your Legal Career guide.
• Lawyers Weekly is a good place to find articles targeted at Australian law students (see articles with the protege tag).
• You can always google First Year guides and Career guides for Australian law students. Your university's Law Student Society will probably have publications and guides too.

Academics

• Many law schools have open-book exams. Some law schools have closed-book exams. Some law schools grade on a bell curve. You'll find out in the first few weeks of law school so don't stress about this.
• Your grade for subjects will normally fall into 3 components: class participation, mid-semester assessment(s) and the final exam.
• Class participation - CP is normally about 10%-20% of your grade. These are the easiest marks to grab so make sure you consistently make an oral contribution or two in each tutorial/seminar. CP can be the difference between you getting a credit or a distinction or the difference between a distinction or a high distinction.
• Mid-semester assessment(s) - These can be problem questions (where you would apply the law e.g. case law or legislation to a hypothetical problem with legal issues) or research essays (where you answer an essay question by reference to primary sources e.g. legislation, case law and secondary sources e.g. academic articles). Mid-semester assessments are normally "take-home" assignments. However, this will depend on your law school and the subject you're taking at the time.
• Final exams - Depending on the subject, this will involve problem questions and/or policy essays. Your goal, by the end of the semester, is to distil your readings into concise exam notes (whether your finals are open book or closed book).
• If possible, I would suggest seeing if you can find exam notes from older students (preferably those on, say, a distinction average in Law) to see how they have structured their notes and summaries.

Career tips
It's never too early to start thinking about how you're going to tackle your career development.

• Your competitiveness as a job candidate for internships, clerkships and graduate programs is ultimately a mix of (1) academic results, (2) work experience (including legal and non-legal), (3) extracurricular activities, volunteering and hobbies (where appropriate) and (4) job application skills (whether it is your written application e.g. resume and cover letter or your interview and interpersonal skills).
• Start working on your resume and cover letter writing skills.
• Start working on your interview skills. Learn about common interview questions asked by law firms during the clerkship or graduate application process.
• Start learning about the legal industry and corporate Australia by reading widely online.
• Get on LinkedIn. There's a wealth of knowledge and information on LinkedIn.
• Find a mentor. Join mentoring programs.

 

[RivalryofTroll]

Hi guys! I'm starting law school soon and I just want to know what it's like, any tips, recommendations, internship etc.

I've gotten mixed perspectives on it (some said they're basically slaving away for the course, unable to find true happiness and fulfillment, while I know someone who did ABSOLUTELY NO STUDY throughout, only 2 hrs for the bar exam) so pls tell me what you think is important to know and treat it like you're explaining to someone with 0 idea of what it's like

ty for the help!

Also, you don't need to sit the "bar exam" if you don't plan to become a barrister.

A good portion of law graduates don't become admitted as lawyers. For admission as a solicitor, you'll need to do Practical Legal Training after you finish your law degree. The above career guides (which I have linked) should explain the admission process post-law school at a high level.

In terms of the "experience", I would suggest blocking out any doom and gloom that you may hear. Those with the most negative opinions of the degree tend to be the loudest.

That said, about the whole "happiness and fulfilment" issue:

• In terms of studying, yes there's a lot of assigned reading. If you want to do all your readings (especially once you start doing 3-4 law subjects per semester), yes it's rough. Did I personally do all my readings each week consistently? Probably not. I've been a practising lawyer for a few years now and I think I turned out fine. That said, your academic results do matter for legal employers so don't take this as a suggestion that you should be adopting a "Ps get degrees" attitude.
• But on the bright side, if your law school does open-book exams, that's a whole lot less stress for final exams compared to students doing other degrees with closed-book exams. I've known Engineering students who failed subjects, but honestly, I've never personally known anyone who has failed Law subjects (and open-book exams definitely help you to at least not fail). If you're at USYD, then unfortunately you'll have to do some closed-book exams.
• The level of stress you'll go through will really depend on what your goals are. Sure, if you want to score the best legal jobs after law school, you'll want pretty good marks and that requires studying. If you care more about your other degree and want to do something outside of the law, then your law school marks might not matter so much. Some law students can be super competitive and have A-type personalities. Others are quite relaxed and chilled. You can choose the type of law student you want to be.
• In terms of careers, yes it's a competitive job market for the most sought-after jobs. But, if you put in the work from day one of university, you'll be OK.
• If you don't end up getting that clerkship offer at a top-tier commercial law firm in your penultimate year, don't think it's the end of the world. Many students don't. I personally didn't get a clerkship offer and ended up working at large commercial law firms. There are plenty of ways to get to where you want to be if you don't succeed the first time.
• If law school or being a lawyer ends up sucking the life out of you for any reason, then there's always a way out. I've known law students who dropped their law degree and never finished it. I've known law students who graduated with a law degree but never used it after law school and pursued a non-legal career. I've known lawyers who did it for a few years but ended up leaving the legal profession.

 

[mmmmmmmmaaaaaaa]

• If law school or being a lawyer ends up sucking the life out of you for any reason, then there's always a way out. I've known law students who dropped their law degree and never finished it. I've known law students who graduated with a law degree but never used it after law school and pursued a non-legal career. I've known lawyers who did it for a few years but ended up leaving the legal profession.

Yeah I did not enjoy law at all first year of uni (2023) and dropped it

 

[its_ace21]

• If law school or being a lawyer ends up sucking the life out of you for any reason, then there's always a way out. I've known law students who dropped their law degree and never finished it. I've known law students who graduated with a law degree but never used it after law school and pursued a non-legal career. I've known lawyers who did it for a few years but ended up leaving the legal profession.

yea my legal teacher used to be a criminal lawyer but he never told us why he left i think

 

[idkkdi]

yea my legal teacher used to be a criminal lawyer but he never told us why he left i think

its criminal law