The Law School Toolbox Podcast: Tools for Law Students from 1L to the Bar Exam, and Beyond

Are your resume and cover letter ready to send out? Many law students wait until they're under the gun to craft their job application materials. The truth is you should write your resume now to avoid having to rush and create one when an opportunity presents itself.

Not all resumes and cover letters are created equal. Find out what makes a law student resume and cover letter stand out in a sea of applicants!

In this episode we talk about:

• Why you should do your resume and cover letter early in law school
• What your resume needs to convey
• How long the average hiring manager looks at your resume
• Learning to look at your resume from different perspectives
• How to make your resume stand out in a crowded field
• Common resume problems
• How to elaborate on a short resume
• How to explain experience that isn’t obviously related
• How you can get more experience for your resume
• Crafting different resumes for different types of jobs
• Where to get help writing your resume and cover letter
• The importance of consistency on LinkedIn and other social media profiles

Good luck in the job hunt!

Resources:

• The One Thing That Needs to Be On Your Résumé to Ace a Callback Interview (http://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/07/summer-associate-callback-law-firm-interview-tips/)
• The One Question That Will Improve Any Résumé (http://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/09/the-one-question-that-will-improve-any-resume/)
• Looking for Work? 7 Tips for a Remarkable Résumé (http://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/02/looking-for-a-legal-job-resume-tips/)
• Want a Job? Clean Up Your Online Paper Trail (http://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/06/want-a-job-clean-up-your-online-paper-trail/)

If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know!

We'd love a nice review and/or rating on iTunes. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website(http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact).

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

What is it about the term Legal Writing that makes law students cringe? If you are a first-year law student, you're most likely enrolled in a Legal Research and Writing Class (LRW). This is a class that can strike fear into the heart of some law students. Others approach it with an "I got this" attitude only to be shocked when they realize they actually don't. The same writing skills that scored you a spot in law school do not always transfer when it comes to legal writing. It's just another class - what is everyone so afraid of?

1. You have to get comfortable with writing in a different way.
2. The exams and papers can be incredibly time-consuming and challenging.
3. It's hard to "unlearn" a style of writing you became comfortable with in your prior education.

In this episode we talk about:

• What makes legal writing so difficult?
• The different types of legal writing
• How your academic background can affect your success in your legal writing class
• Improving your legal writing skills
• How to handle legal writing if English isn't your first language
• Tools and tricks tostay organized
• Why legal writing is important to your future career (and passing the bar exam)

If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know!

We'd love a nice review and/or rating on iTunes. And feel free to reach out to us directly! You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website(http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact).

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Resources:

• Trello(http://www.trello.com) - Our favorite organizational tool!!!
• Be Ready to Throw Your Writing Style Out the Window (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/0l-to-1l-be-ready-to-throw-your-writing-style-out-the-window/)
• It is Important to Be Realistic About Assignments(http://lawschooltoolbox.com/it-is-important-to-be-realistic-about-assignments/)
• Legal Writing Tip: Imagine You're Talking to Your Grandmother (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/legal-writing-tip-imagine-youre-talking-to-your-grandma/)

Are lawyers actually more unhappy than your average professionals, or do they just like to complain a lot?

Studies have shown that52% of practicing lawyers are dissatisfied in their careers. They suffer from depression rates 3.6 times higher than other professions. The divorce rate is higher among lawyers and especially among female lawyers.

Are you doomed to misery as a lawyer?

In this episode, we discuss why the profession is so messed up, and what you can do to shield yourself against the worst aspects of the legal profession. We talk about:

• Why lawyers are so unhappy
• Whether there's a link between pay and job satisfaction
• What intrinsic factors in the profession contribute to the widespread misery?
• "Phantom Blackberry syndrome" after leaving BigLaw
• Has technology made these problems worse?
• Perfectionism in the legal profession
• Is this all law schools' fault?
• What can you do to avoid or respond to these problems?
• How can you make your life better as a law student or lawyer?

The good news - not all lawyers are unhappy. The trick is to find a happy medium that works for you.

If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know! We'd love a nice review and/or rating on iTunes. And feel free to reach out to us directly! You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website(http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact/).

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Resources Mentioned:

1. Why Are Lawyers So Unhappy? (http://www.lawyerswithdepression.com/articles/why-are-lawyers-so-unhappy/)
2. Lawyers With Lower Pay Report More Happiness(http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/12/lawyers-with-lowest-pay-report-more-happiness/)
3. Law School Quadruples the Chance of Depression: Some Changes That May Help(http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-mayer-mangan/law-school-quadruples-dep_b_5713337.html)
4. The Lawyer Who Became a Clown(http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/08/20/abandoning-the-work-i-hated/)
5. Dave Nee Foundation(http://www.daveneefoundation.org/scholarship/lawyers-and-depression/)
6. Warrior One - Mindfulness for Lawyers (http://warriorone.com/)

Welcome back! If you are a 2L or 3L who's stuggled in law school, this episode is for you. Today we're talking about how to overcome a 1L year that was less than stellar and raise your grades for the rest of your tenure in law school.

Your GPA as a 1L is important because it's used for on-campus interviews and Law Review, but don't forget that clerkships, internships, and future employers look at the big picture and you still have a long way to go. It's too early to get discouraged!

We discuss strategies to raise your GPA which include:

• Evaluating the problem
• Developing more effective pre-exam preparation strategies
• Secrets to eliminating distractions in class
• Managing your time effectively and getting more practice in
• Working on your exam writing skills
• Scheduling classes the smart way
• Taking advantage of electives and clinics
• Improving your GPA as a 3L - Is it even worth bothering?
• Getting in the right mindset for success

The most important things is to not get discouraged and give up. Continuously try to improve and change the way you prepare and study, and you'll see results!

If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know! We'd love a nice review and/or rating on iTunes. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via thecontact form on the Law School Toolbox website(http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact/).

Good luck!

Alison & Lee

Resources:

• Demoralizing Feedback? Look at What You Did Right!(http://lawschooltoolbox.com/demoralizing-feedback-look-at-what-you-did-right/)

Welcome back! If you’re a 1L, this is the episode for you. We’re going to talk about the top five things law students consistently screw up their first year, so you can avoid doing any of them.

In a nutshell, here they are (and we talk about each one in detail in this episode):

1. Bad time and life management

2. Misunderstanding what’s expected on the final exam

3. Lack of practice

4. Lack of feedback (or not learning from feedback)

5. Simply not doing the work, or not fully committing to the experience

Are you falling behind in law school, or just checking the boxes and missing the point? Find out what you need to be doing to succeed as a 1L - and what NOT to do!

Resources:

• The Circles method for time management (http://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/08/tips-time-management-awesomeness-with-the-circles/)
• How to Calendar Your Way to Better Grades and More Free Time(http://lawschooltoolbox.com/how-to-calendar-your-way-to-better-grades-and-more-free-time/)

If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know! We'd love a nice review and/or rating on iTunes. And feel free to reach out to us directly! You can always reach us via thecontact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact/).

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Today, we're doing a deep dive into a critically important topic -- time and life management! If you're an overstressed law student or young lawyer, this is a can't miss episode.

Here's some of what we cover:

• Why is work-life balance so hard in today's legal profession?
• Has technology made things even more difficult?
• How to focus and get the right things done
• Why multitasking is a bad idea
• Why it's important to make time for breaks
• Overcoming self-sabotaging behavior in law school
• Effectively using a calendar to manage your time
• How to figure out what you should be spending your time on in law school
• When should you start outlining in law school?
• Strategies for prioritizing and executing effectively in law school
• Common ways to waste time in law school
• How much time should you spend reading cases?
• Using systems to make life easier for yourself
• What can you outsource to create more time for yourself?
• How much time are people really studying in law school?

Resources:

• The Circles Technique for time management (http://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/08/tips-time-management-awesomeness-with-the-circles/)
• How to Calendar Your Way to Better Grades and More Free Time(http://lawschooltoolbox.com/how-to-calendar-your-way-to-better-grades-and-more-free-time/)

If you enjoyed this episode, please let us know! We'd love a nice review and/or rating on iTunes. And feel free to reach out to us directly! You can always reach us via thecontact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact/).

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Today we’re excited to be discussing one of our very favorite topics – Learning! I know you’re shocked that this is a topic we find interesting…but we do. Especially right now, when Alison is living in Mexico trying to learn Spanish and Lee is watching her one-year-old son learn new stuff every day.

We’re pretty convinced that the lessons from learning a language, or learning to walk, apply equally to learning in law school!

Here's what's discussed in this episode:

• How do children approach learning, and what can we learn from them?
• What's it like learning another language, and how do these lessons apply to law school?
• Why you need to do the things that make you uncomfortable to really learn effectively
• Why being smart isn't enough (Hint: You still have to work hard)
• What we can all learn from Brene Brown about learning (love her!)
• Practical ways to develop your learning resilience

Enjoy!

If you like the Law School Toolbox podcast, we're really appreciate an iTunes review and/or rating. And if you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Lee and Alison at [email protected] or [email protected] or you can always contact us via our website contact form at LawSchoolToolbox.com.

Show Notes:

• Brene Brown (BreneBrown.com)
• Is Starting Law School Like Moving to a Foreign Country? (http://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/07/starting-law-school-like-moving-foreign-country/)
• Ultimately, You Always Have to Teach Yourself (http://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/07/ultimately-always-teach/)
• How to Pass the Bar By Doing What Makes You Most Uncomfortable (http://barexamtoolbox.com/how-to-pass-the-bar-by-doing-what-makes-you-the-most-uncomfortable/)

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Today, we’re talking about a very important topic – how to stay true to yourself and live with integrity as a law student and as a lawyer.

Our friend Linda Alvarez gave a great talk on this topic at the most recent Catapult conference, and we’re going to be pulling heavily from her ideas here. For those of you who don’t know her, Linda is an innovative attorney who helps her clients create contracts that align with their values, through a process she calls “discovering agreement.” She’s been named an ABA Legal Rebel, and you can find out more about her on her website DiscoveringAgreement.com.

One of the first things Linda mentioned was that it was very interesting that we even think to ask these sort of questions.

For example:

• How do I create an authentic life in the context of my work as a lawyer?

• How can I create a legal career that doesn’t create too much dissonance between my nature and my work?

Why are lawyers even asking these questions?!? Alison went to architecture school, and architects definitely aren't spending a ton of time worrying that architecture will ruin their lives!

Today's conversation is wide-ranging, and includes stories of how we both screwed up and went off track in law school.

Some of the topics discussed include:

• Is this all law school’s fault?
• Has the legal profession lost a sense of community?
• What’s integrity? How does it relate to power?
• Can knowing your core values can make tough decisions easier?
• The value of making a personal mission statement
• Are lawyers allowed to have feelings? And what happens if you pretend you don't have any?
• What are you saying Yes to? Is it really what you want?
• What fundamental questions should you be asking yourself in law school, or as a new lawyer?

Enjoy! And, as always,if you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Lee and Alison at [email protected] or [email protected] or you can always contact us via our website contact form at LawSchoolToolbox.com.

Resources Mentioned:

• Linda Alvarez: DiscoveringAgreement.com
• Relationship advice for lawyers from Mark Perlmutter (http://trebuchetlegal.com/mark-perlmutter-6-things-learned-law-school-shouldnt-tried-home/)
• Lawyer-turned-therapist Will Meyerhofer ThePeoplesTherapist.com

Please leave a iTunes rating or review if you enjoyed the show. And don't forget to subscribe, so you won't miss anything!

Last time, we talked about the basics of OCI, how to bid, and what to expect in the initial interview. Today, we’re discussing the next step in the process – callback interviews.

Topics discussed include:

• The basics - what's a callback interview, and how is it different from the initial on-campus interview?
• What are firms looking for in a callback?
• Advice on scheduling interviews and handling travel arrangements (including what you can expect the firm to pay for)
• What to wear for your callbacks and what to bring with you
• Thank you notes
• What you should be paying attention to on your callbacks, to figure out if a firm is a good fit for you
• Questions to ask (and not to ask) at a callback
• What to do if you strike out at OCI and need to find a job a different way

If you're doing callbacks, this is a must-listen episode! We'll tell you all the stuff that no one else will.

If you enjoyed this episode of the Law School Toolbox podcast, please take a second to leave a review and rating on iTunes. We’d really appreciate it. And be sure to subscribe, so you don’t miss anything.

If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Lee and Alison at [email protected] or [email protected] or you can always contact us via our website contact form at LawSchoolToolbox.com.

Thanks for listening! Good luck in your job hunt.

Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast. For the next two episodes, we’re talking about the process of getting a summer associate position at a large law firm – typically referred to as on-campus interviewing or OCI. The details of the process vary somewhat between schools, but the basics are similar across the board.

In this episode, we talk about improving your resume and cover letter, how to figure out what firms to bid on in OCI and how to keep them straight, how the process typically works (and differences between different schools), what to wear, what the interviews are like, and what firms are looking for. We also share tips from our experience interviewing potential summer associate candidates - the good, the bad, and the ugly, and talk about the weird stuff we had to explain when we did OCI.

If you're a law student going through OCI, this is a can't miss episode!

If you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Lee and Alison at [email protected] or [email protected] or you can always contact us via our website contact form at LawSchoolToolbox.com.

Enjoy, and good luck at OCI!

Resources mentioned:

• Vault's Guide to Summer Associate positions(http://www.vault.com/company-rankings/law/best-summer-associate-programs)
• American Lawyer Mid-Level Associate Survey(http://www.americanlawyer.com/id=1202512392833/The-2014-Associates-Survey-Midlevels-Are-Happy-But)
• Above the Law BigLaw Rankings(http://abovethelaw.com/careers/2015-law-firm-rankings/)

Did you find this episode helpful and interesting? Please leave a ranking and review on iTunes. Thanks!

Alison & Lee