3L Spring Class Overview

Overview — “A general review or summary of a subject.”

-Oxford English Dictionary

Now that I’m starting week 5 of classes, I wanted to share what classes I’m taking for my last semester of school!  Unfortunately because of the credit requirements to be a full-time student and how many credits each of the classes I’m taking are, I’m taking six classes this semester. 

How 3L Year Differs from 1L and 2L

Senioritis — “A supposed affliction of students in their final year of school, characterized by a decline in motivation.”

-Oxford’s English Dictionary

And just like that, I’m over halfway done with my second to last semester of law school.  I honestly can’t believe that I’m almost done with law school, it feels like just yesterday I was a baby 1L trying to get used to the changes from college to law school.  Not only are there changes adjusting to law school, but each year of law school seems to be slightly different than the one before.  I thought I would share what I found to be the biggest changes from 1L and even 2L years to 3L year.

Reflecting on 2L Summer Internship

Reflection — “Consideration of some subject matter, idea, or purpose.”

-Merriam Webster’s Dictionary

Oh, what can I say about my summer internship other than it was amazing!  From the time I was 10, I’ve wanted to work for a big corporation as some sort of executive.  Obviously, you don’t go straight into becoming an executive so I have to start somewhere small, and I think a legal intern fits that bill.  I really enjoyed the work I did this summer and I have the opportunity to continue working at the company for this school year.  I also had to meet with my advisor today to discuss my internship so this post is super timely.

2L Summer Internship

Intern — “An advanced student or recent graduate who is apprenticing to gain practical experience before entering a specific profession.”

-Black’s Law Dictionary

Summer is flying by and so is my summer internship!  I honestly cannot believe that tomorrow marks the end of my fifth week of my summer internship.  I’m really enjoying what I’ve been doing for the past few weeks.  If you’re interested in reading my posts on how I picked my internship last summer and a reflection on my experience, click here and here!

Scheduling in Law School

Register — “To enroll formally as a student.”

-Oxford’s English Dictionary

I am the type of person who plans everything out far ahead of time.  Like make a plan of your entire law school courseload before you even start law school.  Yes, I actually am that organized.  But I recently just registered for my last year of law school (seriously, how is that already around the corner??).  But, I thought I would share what classes I think are a good idea to take in your three years, and my opinions on the classes.

Cover Letters: First Intro to Future Employers

Cover Letter — “A letter that is sent with something to explain the reason for it or to give more information about it.”

-Merriam Webster’s Dictionary

I’m back with part two of my professional development series, and today’s topic is cover letters!  To be honest, I actually don’t like writing cover letters at all.  Prior to law school, I had never written one and, to this day, I still get writer’s block when trying to write one.  So here’s my brief introduction on how to write a great cover letter!

On-Campus Interviewing Process

Interview — “a formal consultation usually to evaluate qualifications (as of a prospective student or employee).”

-Merriam Webster's Dictionary

The beginning of 2L year marks the start of the job search for next summer, scary I know.  While most of this happens during the summer, firms and businesses are still taking applications for on-campus interviews.  What’s really stressful, at least for me, is a lot of these opportunities are not just for next summer, but can lead into a full time job after graduation.  If you’ve read my About Me section before, then you likely know that I would love to have a career in corporate law.  However, not a lot of people end up working in-house for a company right after law school, that means a firm life is likely what I’ll have until I gain enough experience to interview in-house.  That being said here’s an overview of the process of on-campus interviewing!

Reflecting on My Summer Internship

Reflection — “Consideration of some subject matter, idea, or purpose.”

-Merriam Webster's Dictionary

I honestly cannot believe my summer internship is already over.  I finished my ten weeks working with a local trial court judge last Thursday and I’m missing it already.  I really enjoyed my experience and saw so much during my time there.

Dressing the Part: A Basic Legal Wardrobe

Wardrobe — “A collection of wearing apparel (as of one person or for one activity).”

-Oxford’s English Dictionary

If you’ve been reading along since the beginning of my blog, then you’ll likely know that I work at Banana Republic part-time.  This basically means that outside of law school, my life revolves around fashion.  I absolutely love clothes, and the fact that I have three full closets of clothes between my school apartment and my bedroom at home should indicate that I take my clothing seriously (or haven’t grown in ten years so I can still wear things I bought when I was 12).  And going to law school means starting a wardrobe fit for a lawyer.  You might be thinking, “I’m only starting my 1L year, why do I need a dressy wardrobe?”  Well, you’ll be using some of these pieces sooner than you think, and purchasing one item at a time over a couple months will have you set for your 1L summer internship.

What's In My Bag? - Internship

Must-have — “something that is essential to have or obtain”

-Oxford’s English Dictionary

I love reading about or watching videos about what is in people’s bags.  It’s always interesting to see what things people find to be must haves or what they can’t go anywhere without.  Without further ado, here’s what’s in my bag for my summer internship.

First Year Summer Internship

Intern — “An advanced student or recent graduate who is apprenticing to gain practical experience before entering a specific profession."

-Black’s Law Dictionary

For this summer, I have the wonderful opportunity of interning with a judge in my hometown.  I’m currently in my fourth week of interning and I really enjoy the work that I am doing, along with the cases I get to observe.  The main types of cases he hears are custody cases, juvenile cases, and alternate courts that focus on rehabilitation, such as veteran’s court.  So, here are some of my tips on how to find a summer internship, to choose the right one for you, and to get the most out of this rewarding experience.