Before worrying over passing the application for a certain law school or writing that personal statement law school essay, there are other factors that you have to consider in selecting a law school.
Curriculum
Will a certain law school’s curriculum help you achieve your goal in specializing in a certain field? Though most law schools offer the same set of courses for the first year of study, it is at the second year that you begin to choose which track you want to take. View the curricula of law schools that you want to attend and look for courses or electives that are related to your chosen specialization. I
Faculty and student body
The products of certain law schools are good sources of information regarding the environment in these institutions. Ask for stories, anecdotes, tips, and anything else about a certain law school from people who’ve been there. Faculty and existing students can also offer insights as to the academic environment and techniques of the law school.
Track record or reputation
Going Ivy League may be the easiest way to judge a school by its reputation. However, going to these institutions solely because of their reputation will not sound good in your personal statement law school essay, even if you’re royalty or second-generation. Consider a law school’s reputation for making the best out of its students by checking out national listings and rankings.
Cost of living
Though you may have made it to the best law school in the northwest, you also have to consider the cost of living that studying in that locality can entail. Having a grant or scholarship can do you good, but otherwise, you have to be financially ready to study in places where the cost of living is high.
Employment opportunities
Most law schools have career centers or job placement departments that can help their students find opportunities after graduation. Though you may have stated in your personal statement law school essay that you plan to be a good litigation lawyer or a human rights lawyer, you might not be able to achieve it if the school you went to has very low employment success rates.
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In the first year, almost all ABA-accredited law schools offer the same curricula to their students. It is not until students reach their second year of law where more choices can be offered, depending on their area of interest or which track of specialization they would want to pursue. To get one started on the right path toward a specialization, look for electives that can get one closer to the goal. However, the options for electives and course offerings differ in each law school.
Prior to getting in, one could determine which law school would offer the best curriculum. Check out online curriculum guides of each law school for a heads up on what each law school can offer. Below is an overview of a few of the course offerings from reputable law schools in the US.
Georgetown University
Georgetown University has a comprehensive package of electives, seminars, and courses that span a variety of specializations. Georgetown University can also boast of courses that teach on the latest in legal matters and jurisprudence updates such as Law and Cyberspace or Bioethics and the Law.
The New York Law School – International and Comparative Law
The New York Law School also offers an interesting course lineup for students who want to pursue a legal career in a transnational setting. An international and comparative law curriculum spans many disciplines of thought and legal procedure. Advanced courses on Business law, Litigation and Dispute Resolution, and Human Rights, just to name a few, are offered in this institution.
Yale Law School
Though the Yale Law School by far has one of the smallest admission numbers throughout the US (admitting under 200 students per year), it has established itself as a purveyor of legal studies. The curriculum offers a wide array of courses, seminars, and lectures for the study of business law.
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Formed in the 1980s by a group of students from the law schools of Yale, Harvard, and the University of Chicago, the Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy Studies seek to reform the present judicial system of the United States. The Federalist Society has grown from an active student organization made up of a handful of law student upstarts into the largest legal network in the United States.
Members
Better known as the Federalist Society, this group has grown to have as many as 10,000 student members from 196 ABA-accredited law schools, 24 non-ABA law schools,a number of international graduate and law institutions and a few undergraduate schools as well. Almost 30,000 members comprise the Alumni and Faculty Division of this group from different chapters across the country and even the world.
Beliefs
The Federalist Society believes that the state exists to preserve freedom, and that it is the duty and responsibility of the judiciary to uphold this freedom through the rights and limitations stated in the Constitution. Simply put, members of the Federalist Society believe that the Constitution of the United States should be interpreted not for the convenience of the case, but for what it really stands for. Federalists aim to spread this awareness and put the present judiciary system back on track according to the original tenets of the Constitution.
Forums and discussions
This group has been made famous for the forums and discussions that they organize in law schools across the country. The Federalist Society’s views on the current issues of judicial system of the country are discussed in annual gatherings held in various locations. Speakers from opposing sides are also invited to present a fair view on certain issues.
Funding
The Federalist Society is the largest funded legal organization, receiving grants from private entities and prestigious members. These funds are used for the various causes and movements initiated by the organization to further their beliefs.
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Aside from the practice of law, what else is in store for a freshly proclaimed attorney or even the long-time lawyer who wants a career change?
Policy-making
Short of becoming a politician (though it is also a path to undertake eventually), policy-making and other duties related to it can be performed by a law graduate. From speech writers to lobbyists, law graduates can find their niche in a host of job opportunities in policy-making and governance.
Crime and law enforcement
A law degree is a good foundation for a career in law enforcement. Though physical qualifications may also have to be met, a law degree holder can flourish in a career that also has its roots on the law.
Corporate setting
Management and consultancy firms also tend to look for individuals who possess higher degrees of learning. People who have law degrees are certainly not exempt from taking on jobs in the corporate world. Skills honed during law school can be of use in the fields of finance, accountancy, and even taxation where a knowledge of local and revenue laws are needed. The human resources department of a company can also be a good avenue for law degree holders.
Research and analysis
The field of research is also a good place for law degree holders to build their careers in. The analysis and management of information is a task that a law graduate can perform well given the training that one has received in law school. Law libraries and legal resources can benefit greatly from law graduates as well as publishing companies of legal references (journals and textbooks) and even management consultancy firms.
The academe
The academe can also be a welcoming place for law graduates. Recent graduates and bar passers can apply for grants and instructor positions, while seasoned law practitioners can go for instructor or even professor positions. Law graduates can teach not only in law school, but also in graduate schools of a different interest, in community colleges, and even in special programs related to the legal practice such as legal transcription positions and law enforcement seminars.
Though a law degree or having years of experience in the practice of law are sufficient for some of these alternative careers, an extra specialization closer to these fields won’t hurt.
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Entering into law school but unsure of the the different jobs and salaries common to the legal field? This article will cover some of the common career paths in law and the salaries that come along with them. Regardless of the type of job or salary you receive, you can be assured that you can earn a hefty paycheck, as long as you are ready to deal with hardship of pursuing a legal career. Here are is some helpful information on what you can expect, professionally, after law school:
Common careers for law school graduates
The education, training, and experience that students get through law school is respected in many different industries. Education, litigation, and insurance are just some of the industries that lawyers commonly go in to. Basically, your achievements, legal specialization, pre-law education, and professional experience will determine which fields you can go into. Remember, that you can always have your own practice as well.
Salary information on lawyers
Like any other career path, there are different factors that affect the salaries that lawyers earn. PayScale reports that, as of September 2008, law school graduates who have just graduated can earn roughly $50,000 annually. With time, your salary is likely to increase steadily. After 10 years, you can be earning around $80,000 per year and upwards of $100,000, 20 years after graduating from law school.
There are more specific factors that directly affect your salary, though. Specialization is one of these factors. The three specializations that earn the most on average are corporate law, litigation and appeals, and real estate. Law school graduates in these fields can earn yearly salaries of around $85,000, $75,000, and $74,000, respectively.
Another factor that will have an effect on your salary as a law school graduate is the place in which you work. For example, those who work for non-government organizations can expect around $54,000 per year, while those who work for the government earn about $91,000 per year. If you handle the legal concerns of a hospital, you can earn around $83,000 per year. Just be sure that the place you decide to work for can offer you the working environment and perks that you are interested in.
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Aside from passing the application examination of a certain law school and having an impressive personal statement essay, law schools would often require submission of at least two letters of recommendation.
What are letters of recommendation?
Letters of recommendation can be either general or targeted to any school. These documents can also be specific if you wish to address a certain academic institution. A good letter of recommendation should at least outline the capabilities of the applicant. It should be detailed as to how much the letter-writer knows the applicant and how the applicant would fare in law school. Though not required by all law schools, it would be better if the applicant has not read the letter of recommendation.
If required, a law school would ask for two or three letters of recommendations from applicants. Some law schools strictly require that the letter of recommendation be written by someone bearing the title of “professor.” Over all, law schools require that these letters be written by people whom you have worked with closely and have gotten to know you on a personal, academic, or professional level.
If you have plans of getting into law school, it could be best to try getting into the undergraduate classes or courses conducted or facilitated by reputable professors or lecturers. Develop a rapport with your prospective letter-writer while doing well in your classes with him or her. You must approach and ask for the favor personally, preferably before a long break so that you can still be fresh in their minds and that they have enough time to write an excellent letter of recommendation for you.
It’s never too early to ask someone to write you a letter of recommendation as these can be stored by your college’s letter service or in the Law School Data Assembly Service, especially if the law school you will be applying to is accredited by the Law School Admissions Council. Letter of Recommendation forms are also given by the LSDAS so that letter-writers can just sign after reviewing your credentials. LSAC will then send your letters of recommendation to your preferred law schools. Likewise, LSAC will inform you of the delivery or you can check the progress through your online LSAC account.
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