Few law schools ask for all the information listed in this paragraph. Most ask only about felony convictions not expunged or pardoned. You need not volunteer what isn't asked for, but you must provide whatever information is requested. Information about criminal convictions, dishonorable discharges, and involuntary commitments to mental institutions can easily be checked against public records.
Don't feel, however, that a single blot on your record forever bars you from the practice of law. Many youthful indiscretions can be lived down. Uncharacteristic lapses in adults otherwise of good character are commonly ignored. And society now takes a much more liberal attitude toward many things that previously would have indicated poor moral character. Felony convictions for civil rights disobedience or draft resisting, divorces, non-marital pregnancies, and especially mental illnesses are all viewed much differently now than they were 30 years ago.
For this reason, if there is some skeleton in your closet, the best recommendation would be to seek an informational interview with an admissions official at each law school that you apply to. Ask for a candid assessment of how the information is likely to be received, and whether other evidence can be submitted of good character and rehabilitation. The law school may ask you to seek further enlightenment from the bar examiners.
Some forms have a box that you can check if you want the law school to arrange such personal interview. Use it if you have some special problem or there is something unusual in your background: if, for example, you have a partly foreign education or a handicap. If there's no such box, you should seek an interview by telephone.
The application may instruct you to list the names, tides, addresses, and even telephone numbers of the two to four people you will ask to write letters of recommendation. If you supply this information, the law school will know what letters are supposed to be in your file.
If you're asked to supply the names and addresses of relatives who have attended the law school you're applying to (or its parent university), the law school is signaling that it will consider your family background in the application process. You're fortunate if you are a "legacy"; there's a possibility that the law school will give you a marginal break because it doesn't want to offend your alumni relatives who are potential benefactors. If you have such an advantage, use it! Document the family relationship with the university as extensively as you can on the form. If your aunt attended the law school, ask her to write a letter to the law school explaining how she hopes you'll help her start (or continue) a multigenerational family tradition of attending that school. But don't expect much to come of it. Being a legacy won't make up for poor numbers.
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Some law schools ask you to document your family background in some detail. Now that all law schools are more concerned to find academic merit in students, rather than good upper-class social connections, you may wonder why this information is still requested. You're not alone. No law school representative has been able to explain why this question is still asked. But providing this information can't hurt you. If your family is illustrious, some of the charm may rub off on you. And if your parents are of modest accomplishments, you're demonstrating that you're rising in life by developing and exercising your own talents.
Open-Ended Questions
Some law schools leave room on the form for a brief paragraph in which you can list other qualifications. Or they instruct you to use a jump sheet for this purpose. Typical questions ask for "any other factors concerning yourself that you think the admission committee should consider," or "any other unique personal qualities, talents and/or any activities ... which indicate significant achievement." Don't list talents or character traits in the abstract. It isn't helpful for you to write "I am musically talented" or "I'm an extremely persistent person who never quits." Instead, list here any accomplishments that tend to provide evidence that you possess law-school-related talents or character traits. If not listed elsewhere on the application form, you should include
- fluency in a foreign language
- residence in a foreign country or extensive travel abroad
- computer or similar technical skills, beyond those commonly attained by liberal arts graduates
- publications
- publication or exhibition of photography or work in a similar art medium
- non-degree granting educational work completed
- ordination as a religious official
- honorably discharged veteran status
- proficiency on a musical instrument, as demonstrated by recitals or other performances
What to Enclose with the Applications
Depending on the school, you'll have to enclose supplementary forms and other materials. Here, in no particular order, are some common items:
- The required application fee.
- One or more preaddressed postcards, if they are included in your application packet. The law school will use them to notify you of the status of your application. A typical school will ask you to return two or three. Some simply say, "We have received your application." Others may say "Your application is complete;" or "Your application is incomplete; we are missing ."
- One or more essays or personal statements'.
- Letters of recommendation in sealed envelopes, if you are applying to one of the few schools that want you to collect and forward these letters rather than having them sent directly to the law school.
- One or two writing samples. These may be publications, articles you've written for your student newspaper or literary magazine, essays that won prizes, or even very well-received school papers. (A good independent study paper is particularly impressive because you took the initiative to develop your own project, do the research, and then organize and write the report.) A writing sample doesn't need to be on a legal topic, and it's not necessary for you to mimic the heavily footnoted style you've seen in law reviews. But whatever you send should indicate that capable professionals- editors, awards committees, creative writing teachers-have judged you to possess strong writing skills.
One word of caution: The writing sample must be evidence that you can write clearly and well. Don't assume that your writing meets these standards just because it has been published. Some publications, and not just student-edited ones, are notoriously poorly edited. They regularly print articles filled with typographical errors and sloppy prose. If you send a law school an essay filled with howlers, you'll create the impression that you're a sloppy and careless writer. Proofread your sample carefully, or have a good writer proofread it for you.
Some law schools want you to fill out and return a declaration of residence, which will be used to determine your eligibility for the in-state resident tuition discount. If a residence form is included with your packet of application forms, read it carefully and follow the directions. You may have to have it notarized; you will have to sign it in front of a notary, who will ask you for identification and then affix a seal indicating that your identification matches the signature. Notaries are sometimes listed in the yellow pages and can commonly be found in the offices of lawyers and real estate agents. Your college controller or registrar may also have a notary available. Expect to pay a small fee for the service. Some residence forms ask you to supply evidence of your resident status; enclose photocopies of whatever is required.
See the following articles for more information:
- 21 Major Interview Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs
- The Best Way to Prepare for a Job Search and Interviews
- How to Talk About Other Interviews in Your Interviews
- How to Answer the Tell Me About Yourself Interview Question
- How to Answer the Do You Have Any Questions for Me Interview Question
