Preparing for Law School

For anyone planning to go to law school, regardless of their background, it is important to master the English language. Writing well and understanding what you read are part of the lawyer's craft. For this reason, law schools emphasize these skills in the application process as well as in course work. The bar exams also place tremendous importance on writing and reading comprehension.

For those of us whose first language was not English, this may require additional effort. Proper syntax varies among languages. Therefore, it may be difficult to adapt to accepted modes of English composition. It may also affect reading comprehension. Take as many English courses as possible in high school and college, especially courses in composition. Take courses in other subjects that require essay exams and/or research papers. If your weakness is in grammar or writing, you initially may not do as well as you would like, but stick with it.


Proper pronunciation and good diction are important, too. Avoid slang. However, do not think that simply because you have a different accent or way of speaking that you must lose it in favor of "mid-western newscaster English." Sounding different may sometimes work to your advantage, because people will remember you. The important thing, however, is that you use good grammar and that others understand you. These suggestions are true for everyone, but unfortunately the "rules" are applied more stringently to minorities.

Although "all men are created equal," not everyone is equally adept at math or English. For some of us, not being naturally gifted means doing extra course work in math or English or some other subject. The SAT, LSAT, and bar exams all test knowledge of or skill in reading comprehension, logic, writing ability, and other areas. In recent years, some studies have concluded that members of a minority group do not score as well on commonly used standardized tests as people who are not members of a minority group. Whatever the validity of these results, instead of bemoaning them or letting them scare you, prepare to deal with the challenge.

A major industry has developed in helping test takers prepare for these and other standardized exams. Test preparation materials range from workbooks with sample tests to eight-week-long courses with live instruction on test-taking techniques. In some cases, individualized instruction may be available. In others, work is done in classroom settings. If money is a problem, start thinking about and planning for these courses early on. Practice can help you overcome fear of the unknown and help you gain confidence about taking the test. Higher scores can pay off, not only in enhancing your ability to get into law school but also in improving your chances of winning academic scholarships to get you through it.

Preparing for Practice

Unless you live and work in a very enlightened community, the sad reality is that there will be times when you will confront prejudice and battle stereotypes. Once you enter the profession, some people may attempt to pigeonhole you as the "black lawyer" or the "Hispanic lawyer" and suggest that you limit your practice to the public sector, discrimination issues, or other so-called traditional "minority" career paths. If these are your calling, pursue them; they obviously are important and honorable career goals. But if your goal is to do mergers and acquisitions for Fortune 500 companies or litigate complex commercial cases or negotiate multimillion-dollar real estate deals, go for it.

No matter what your community, you are often likely to be only one of a few minority group members present in the courtroom, your firm, or the local bar association. This can sometimes feel strange, particularly if you grew up primarily with members of your own group. Do not feel obligated to assimilate so thoroughly that you lose your individuality. Feel free to express your thoughts from your own perspective.

Make no mistake about it: in some communities, bigotry still abounds. Ethnic and racial stereotypes continue. You will inevitably confront people who will try to tell you, or suggest indirectly, that you do not belong. On the other hand, do not think of yourself as a victim. If your name is mispronounced, politely correct the speaker. With the many different cultures that make up America, it is not unusual for people to have trouble with spellings and pronunciations.

Increasingly, part of the criteria for determining the qualifications of present and would-be judges is their sensitivity to women and minorities. We are still a great distance from a perfect world. There are many "old- timers" who are the product of cronyism and whose primary life experiences were formed in the days of segregation. Do not let prejudice deter you. Use it as a source of strength, as an inspiration to excel.

Racial and ethnic minorities continue to be woefully underrepresented in the legal profession. This is especially true among larger firms, the judiciary, and legal academia. As a result, a number of these institutions have redoubled their efforts to recruit members of minority groups. Major corporations have also agreed to refer legal work to minority-owned law firms, either individually or in "partnership" with larger majority-owned law firms. Government agencies not only participate in such programs but also examine the ethnic and racial composition of law firms when deciding how to parcel out work.

Bar associations, which for many years reflected the homogenous make-up of the legal profession, are also welcoming members of minority groups and women with open arms. Although still predominantly the province of white males, most bar groups-particularly among younger lawyers-have recognized the need to diversify their membership and, most importantly, their leadership.

Although you may feel more comfortable joining a specialized bar, such as the National Bar Association, the Hispanic National Bar Association, or the Mexican-American Bar Association, you should take full advantage of the networking and leadership opportunities in non-minority bar associations. Of course, it is equally important to keep close ties to minority bars. No matter what groups you choose, you should work toward leadership positions within them.

A law professor once asked a group of college students: "Do you like staying up until midnight playing with ideas? Do you like the challenge of intellectual sparring?" "If you do," he said, "then the practice of law is for you. You will excel in law school. "The law does not belong to any one group. If you are up to the intellectual challenge, the law belongs to you.

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