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Managing The Hectic Pace Of First Year At law School

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published March 01, 2013

By CEO and Founder - BCG Attorney Search left

The first year of law school, especially the first semester of 1L, can be one of the most thought-provoking yet mystifying, exciting yet exasperating, and eventually fulfilling times in your life. If you keep up with the hectic pace that the professors will set, you'll manage fine but if you allow the feelings of trepidation and confusion to take hold it's easy to fall behind in your assignments and your classmates.

Writing Assignments:

Basically every course in law school has extensive writing requirements. You must briefcases for all of your classes and many classes entail written projects as well. In addition to daily demonstrations of legal writing proficiency, at the completion of each course you must be able to present your written analysis of the many fact problems, which are presented as the class final, under a rigorously timed format.

While all classes do have significant writing requirements, there are some courses that are totally dedicated to improving your writing abilities. During the first year of law school you are introduced to some sort of legal research and writing course. In this class, you will learn to efficiently use the law library as a research tool and then utilize that knowledge to clearly present your findings in a standardized legal format. This course is often combined with an opportunity to orally argue your research and class writings in a moot court proceeding.

Reading Assignments:

You must expect a reading assignment for the first day of class, but then you will discover that the professor no longer provides specific reading assignments for upcoming class periods because he or she is assuming that you will have read far enough ahead to be able to participate in whatever class discussions occur on a given day. On some occasions you will only cover one case in class; other days you will cover fifty or more pages. How then will you know how much of the text to have read and briefed for a given class? You will never know for sure, but you soon develop a feel for how fast a professor progresses through the text on a day-to-day basis. After a while, you will feel comfortable with having prepared at least, for example, fifty pages of the text for a given day.

This does not imply, however, that you will be prepared in all circumstances. The day will come when a professor decides that this is the day he or she will make up for prior classes when too little material was covered. The professor will then launch into the cases and pass the student's level of preparation within the first half hour of class. In one particular law school class, after fifty pages were covered in the first half hour, each and every student called upon, explained that he or she had not prepared that far in advance. This caused the professor to recognize that he could not cover twice the usual material, and have the students be prepared, without some sort of advance warning. A student will not always be correct in his or her estimate of how many pages will be covered in class but can closely approximate the progress and then act accordingly.

Keep up with your reading assignments. It means that you realize its value and that you are putting in the effort to ensure that you don't lag behind. Moreover, keeping up with reading will allow grappling with new materials and keeping you abreast of areas that may come in handy when the exams come near - inadvertently your reading is preparing you for the examinations. Just by reading your assignments your angst levels will decrease.

Class Assignments:
United States

It is common to hear undergraduates complain that each teacher seems to think that his or her class is the only one that students are taking and assigns extensive projects accordingly. This is a feeling common to law students as well. Each law professor has the task of teaching an enormous amount of law, in a short period of time, to a group of students who must understand the material well enough not only to receive a good grade in that class, but to pass a difficult state examination based upon that same information base as well. In order to accomplish this task, the professor realizes that student efforts made during class time are not going to be enough to gain a full under-standing of the material presented; therefore, outside class assignments are also made. It's not difficult to estimate what assignments are possible for a given class.

In Contracts class you will probably be responsible for the creation of a contract or two; in Civil Procedure you will likely complete a complaint or draft an answer. All of these projects are designed to better educate students in a practical "real-world" way; thus, students should readily engage in such activities, which reflect the work attorneys perform on an everyday basis.

Study Groups:

It is recommended that students form study groups, if possible, to share ideas about doing the class assignments and to discuss with another their understanding of the prescribed reading and writing and other assignments.

Two heads are better than one"-certainly applies to law school. Everyone has something to contribute to the learning experience. However, two things must be guarded against: One person must not be allowed to monopolize the group's time for the purpose of sorting his or her thoughts out orally. Also, the study group's time must be spent in the study of law, not visiting and discussing nonrelated topics. Use the group time wisely and try to meet on a regular basis so that members can plan ahead to attend.

A study group, if properly handled, can be the greatest learning adventure of the entire law school experience. Students can play the devil's advocate-one representing the plaintiff, the other the defendant. Students can also quiz each other about questions they feel the professor will ask. There's nothing like going to class and beating the professor at his or her own game! In fact, if you're always prepared, you just might be the one the professor always calls on for class participation.

Law school is an amazingly matchless experience. Sometimes you will feel gifted and hugely competent for understanding and comprehending such difficult material and reading all thousand and more pages of your thick casebook. At other times, you will find yourself on an immersed in a gamut of emotions of self-doubt, insecurity and doubt. But if you keep at it, you will find your own furrow and figure out what works best for you. Just don't give up easily.

About Harrison Barnes

No legal recruiter in the United States has placed more attorneys at top law firms across every practice area than Harrison Barnes. His unmatched expertise, industry connections, and proven placement strategies have made him the most influential legal career advisor for attorneys seeking success in Big Law, elite boutiques, mid-sized firms, small firms, firms in the largest and smallest markets, and in over 350 separate practice areas.

A Reach Unlike Any Other Legal Recruiter

Most legal recruiters focus only on placing attorneys in large markets or specific practice areas, but Harrison places attorneys at all levels, in all practice areas, and in all locations—from the most prestigious firms in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., to small and mid-sized firms in rural markets. Every week, he successfully places attorneys not only in high-demand practice areas like corporate and litigation but also in niche and less commonly recruited areas such as:

  • Immigration law
  • Workers’ compensation
  • Insurance defense
  • Family law
  • Trusts & estates
  • Municipal law
  • And many more...

This breadth of placements is unheard of in the legal recruiting industry and is a testament to his extraordinary ability to connect attorneys with the right firms, regardless of market size or practice area.

Proven Success at All Levels

With over 25 years of experience, Harrison has successfully placed attorneys at over 1,000 law firms, including:

  • Top Am Law 100 firms such including Sullivan and Cromwell, and almost every AmLaw 100 and AmLaw 200 law firm.
  • Elite boutique firms with specialized practices
  • Mid-sized firms looking to expand their practice areas
  • Growing firms in small and rural markets

He has also placed hundreds of law firm partners and has worked on firm and practice area mergers, helping law firms strategically grow their teams.

Unmatched Commitment to Attorney Success – The Story of BCG Attorney Search

Harrison Barnes is not just the most effective legal recruiter in the country, he is also the founder of BCG Attorney Search, a recruiting powerhouse that has helped thousands of attorneys transform their careers. His vision for BCG goes beyond just job placement; it is built on a mission to provide attorneys with opportunities they would never have access to otherwise. Unlike traditional recruiting firms, BCG Attorney Search operates as a career partner, not just a placement service. The firm’s unparalleled resources, including a team of over 150 employees, enable it to offer customized job searches, direct outreach to firms, and market intelligence that no other legal recruiting service provides. Attorneys working with Harrison and BCG gain access to hidden opportunities, real-time insights on firm hiring trends, and guidance from a team that truly understands the legal market. You can read more about how BCG Attorney Search revolutionizes legal recruiting here: The Story of BCG Attorney Search and What We Do for You.

The Most Trusted Career Advisor for Attorneys

Harrison’s legal career insights are the most widely followed in the profession.

Submit Your Resume to Work with Harrison Barnes

If you are serious about advancing your legal career and want access to the most sought-after law firm opportunities, Harrison Barnes is the most powerful recruiter to have on your side.

Submit your resume today to start working with him: Submit Resume Here.

With an unmatched track record of success, a vast team of over 150 dedicated employees, and a reach into every market and practice area, Harrison Barnes is the recruiter who makes career transformations happen and has the talent and resources behind him to make this happen.

A Relentless Commitment to Attorney Success

Unlike most recruiters who work with only a narrow subset of attorneys, Harrison Barnes works with lawyers at all stages of their careers, from junior associates to senior partners, in every practice area imaginable. His placements are not limited to only those with "elite" credentials—he has helped thousands of attorneys, including those who thought it was impossible to move firms, find their next great opportunity.

Harrison’s work is backed by a team of over 150 professionals who work around the clock to uncover hidden job opportunities at law firms across the country. His team:

  • Finds and creates job openings that aren’t publicly listed, giving attorneys access to exclusive opportunities.
  • Works closely with candidates to ensure their resumes and applications stand out.
  • Provides ongoing guidance and career coaching to help attorneys navigate interviews, negotiations, and transitions successfully.

This level of dedicated support is unmatched in the legal recruiting industry.

A Legal Recruiter Who Changes Lives

Harrison believes that every attorney—no matter their background, law school, or previous experience—has the potential to find success in the right law firm environment. Many attorneys come to him feeling stuck in their careers, underpaid, or unsure of their next steps. Through his unique ability to identify the right opportunities, he helps attorneys transform their careers in ways they never thought possible.

He has worked with:

  • Attorneys making below-market salaries who went on to double or triple their earnings at new firms.
  • Senior attorneys who believed they were “too experienced” to make a move and found better roles with firms eager for their expertise.
  • Attorneys in small or remote markets who assumed they had no options—only to be placed at strong firms they never knew existed.
  • Partners looking for a better platform or more autonomy who successfully transitioned to firms where they could grow their practice.

For attorneys who think their options are limited, Harrison Barnes has proven time and time again that opportunities exist—often in places they never expected.

Submit Your Resume Today – Start Your Career Transformation

If you want to explore new career opportunities, Harrison Barnes and BCG Attorney Search are your best resources. Whether you are looking for a BigLaw position, a boutique firm, or a move to a better work environment, Harrison’s expertise will help you take control of your future.

? Submit Your Resume Here to get started with Harrison Barnes today.

Alternative Summary

Harrison is the founder of BCG Attorney Search and several companies in the legal employment space that collectively gets thousands of attorneys jobs each year. Harrison’s writings about attorney careers and placement attract millions of reads each year. Harrison is widely considered the most successful recruiter in the United States and personally places multiple attorneys most weeks. His articles on legal search and placement are read by attorneys, law students and others millions of times per year.

More about Harrison

About LawCrossing

LawCrossing has received tens of thousands of attorneys jobs and has been the leading legal job board in the United States for almost two decades. LawCrossing helps attorneys dramatically improve their careers by locating every legal job opening in the market. Unlike other job sites, LawCrossing consolidates every job in the legal market and posts jobs regardless of whether or not an employer is paying. LawCrossing takes your legal career seriously and understands the legal profession. For more information, please visit www.LawCrossing.com.
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