There is under a month until final exams roll around, and I'm busy attempting (or at least thinking about attempting) to get into review mode. When you are a 1L, the horrors of the first year of law school are tempered in part by reading week - you get a week of no classes to prepare for finals. It might not sound like much, but boy is it wonderful! My first semester, reading week took the form of a friend and I (hi Julia!) heading to my aunt and uncle's house in Cape Ann for seclusion and 24-7 focus on our books. Second semester, I holed up in Boston, which was less quiet but meant I had access to study groups.

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as reading week during your second and third years of law school. This means that you are both learning new material AND reviewing at the same time. Every semester I hope that the teachers will take pity on us, and leave that last week for reviewing in class, but with the short quarters here at NUSL, we need every class we can get in order to cover the material in the syllabus. So that’s where I am now - trying to prepare for the end, while in the midst of still figuring everything out! And there is a lot to figure out - in Fed Courts we are up to our necks in the 11th Amendment, in Employment Law we are drowning in Unemployment Insurance, in Law and Economic Development we are broaching that teeny-tiny and completely accessible subject of Transnational Corporations (TNC's to those in the know), and in my Independent Study we are looking to start making some modest recommendations about national tobacco control. Can you sense my sarcasm and slight panic? Yep, it all feels a little overwhelming right now…but such is finals season! And on the other side? Co-op, the holy grail of NUSL.

Posted by Sarah at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm battling with a stubborn cold right now (or at least that’s what I assume it is, since I can't apparently be bothered to go to the doctor), so please excuse me if I'm all over the place.

A few prospective students have recently asked me about the feasibility of practicing outside Boston with a degree from NUSL, and I know this is a common concern. The best way to create connections outside of Boston, of course, is the co-op program (see Aisha’s blog for more, I think she’s done all of her co-ops in Atlanta!). However, beyond co-ops, the alumni network at NUSL is strong and nationwide. In addition to all the NUSL grads out there willing to talk, I have also recently realized that we have a very valuble resource in the faculty. And that’s why this week what’s on my mind is how much I love my professors at NUSL.

I have been struggling with trying to make connections in Florida, where I hope to move after graduation, and have turned to some professors for help. In the last few weeks, I have shot off emails to professors who practice, or teach, in areas of law I am interested in, asking if they might have connections in Florida they would be willing to speak with me about. The responses have been uniformly enthusiastic. Professors and administrators have given me names of lawyers, firms, judges and organizations they know in the area, helped me access lists and directories, and told me about NUSL alums they know working in South Florida. I’ve been bowled over not only by the feedback they have given me but also by their friendliness in responding. They really seem to see their place in the NUSL community not only as standing in front of a class a few times a week, but as being a general and accessible font of knowledge and experience to share with students. All of this is in-line with my experience at NUSL generally. During my time here, professors have been happy to have me on as a research assistant, welcoming of my ideas and concerns, and open to my various and ever-changing enthusiasms. I can’t think of one professor whose office door I would be afraid to knock on, and I can think of a half-dozen I say “hi� to in the halls. Sure, class selection, the co-op program, a commitment to public interest law, and all the other things about NUSL are important to me….but day in and day out, friendly and welcoming faculty make law school just a little bit easier.

Posted by Sarah at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I gave a tour yesterday to prospective students, which is one of my favorite things to do. I love consciously remembering why I chose to go to NUSL, and talking to excited students about the realities of law school. That led me to reflect, today, on my choice to attend, and the process of choosing a law school. It’s a big choice! I know it sounds cheesy, but when you find the law school that’s right for you, I think you just know. It’s a big decision, one you should have, ideally, already spent a lot of time pondering before you come down to enrolling in a school. For me, it was a year of intensive thinking that led up to choosing a school – I read all those “Is law school right for you?� books, talked to as many people as possible about their experience as law students and as lawyers, and read about and visited as many school as possible.

And when it came down to it, all that preparation made the choice easy. Although I was admitted to a number of law schools (some better ranked than Northeastern, or more widely known), as soon as I spent time at NUSL and talked to staff, faculty, and students, I knew it was the right place for me. In fact, the day after I visited NUSL I went to visit another (better ranked, honestly) school for a scholarship interview. I took the bus, got off and walked around the campus, and then…got back on the bus and left. Before even going to my interview.

Now, I’m not recommending this course of action. It was rude to my interviewers (although I called them to say I wouldn’t be coming) and rash. However, it was also right. I knew the setting of the second law school wasn’t right for me, knew the feel of the school didn’t suit me, and knew that Northeastern had felt like a match the day before. And I’ve never once regretted the decision.

I know the coming months, this season of acceptances and rejections, is rough for everyone. However, if you have really put thought into your choices, and done a good job of expressing your desires and goals to those around you, I truly believe you will find the right fit - whether it’s Northeastern or another wonderful law school.

Posted by Sarah at 3:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hey everyone, I hope the New Year is treating you well! So far, so good for me - I'm tan and relaxed, thanks to my first vacation since the start of law school where I haven’t brought along one law book, one case to read, or my computer. Yep, a real, unadulterated, vacation….and it was great.

But now I’m back, heading into the last months of my winter quarter and exams are starting to look like a reality. Yikes. Anyways, today I thought I would briefly write about clerkships. Clerkships are an opportunity you hear a lot about as a law student…and not a lot about as a non-law student. Basically, a clerkship is a one (sometimes two)-year position with a judge. Most judges have clerks, whether they are state or federal, trial or appellate, magistrate or Article III judges. Each judge has a preference for clerks – some prefer experience after law school, or in a specific subject area, while others take clerks right after graduation on the basis of their academic experience. No matter what judge you are applying to, however, there is stiff competition for the position. Most judges look for students at the top of their class, with Law Review experience, and outstanding letters of recommendation. Obviously the height of clerkship heaven is clerking with the United States Supreme Court. Beyond that, the competition is stiffest for positions with Circuit Courts (especially with certain circuits, such as the District of Columbia, notorious for being a “feeder court� for the Supreme Court clerk positions). Generally, positions with federal judges are more competitive than state court judges; however, even this can vary by geographical area and specific judge.

Why are these positions so coveted? First, clerkships are prestigious. People will try to tell you that the prestige did not play into their decision to clerk, however, I would be doubtful of such claims. Clerking with a judge, almost any judge, can help you land a position with a firm, or, really, with almost any job. Additionally, clerkships can show a dedication to a certain geographical area. Say, for instance, you went to law school in Boston but want to settle in Florida – a clerkship with a judge in Florida can help demonstrate to future employers your commitment to the area. Beyond the prestige, clerkships provide invaluable experience to get a sense of what it's like on the other side of the bench. The chance to see how judges make decisions is incredibly helpful to any future attorney. Additionally, the hands-on reading and writing experience is highly valued.

So, why am I writing all this, you ask? Well, it’s because even though I don’t graduate until May of 2009 (you better believe I’m counting the days), there are already some judges accepting applications for 2009-2010 clerks! And even one I found who is hiring for 2010-2011! While I don’t feel quite ready to start applying (I haven’t got letters of recommendation in order, and don’t have the time to do all the application assembly at the moment…just passing my classes is the immediate priority!), I’m already doing research on judges, checking out different courts, and thinking about where to apply. State judges, federal judges, appellate judges, oh my… A clerkship is a long shot, but I think it’s worth the effort.

Posted by Sarah at 3:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)