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The Mindful Mindset: Handling Rejection the Mindful Way
By Pia Das • January 28, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job
"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose." - Bill Gates Let's face it, we all get rejected at some point. For most of us, the emotional pain of being rejected can feel destabilizing and take us away from the path to success. An unfortunate by-product of rejection is that it can create negative self-talk and criticism, which then cuts away at our confidence and perhaps even leads us to avoid situations where we think we could be rejected again. This can send us away from opportunity, growth, and professional development. Don't let yourself get…
Making Peace with Testing Accommodations
By Katherine Macfarlane • January 28, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Law School, Other Law School Issues
I dreaded law school exams, but not because of the exams themselves. I received testing accommodations in law school, which meant that I took my exams in a room far away from the place all of my classmates took theirs. They noticed my absence. “I didn’t see you in the Contracts exam,” my classmates would tell me. Over the course of three years, I told only one friend about the accommodations room. My testing accommodations were a closely guarded secret. I was ashamed that my testing experience was different, and afraid that my good grades would be attributed to the…
Friend or Foe? Technology In Our Everyday Lives: Facing the New Year with Your Face
By Keisha M. McClellan • January 28, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job
Welcome to the New Year! As you kick off 2018 with a host of new-found, far-flung, and/or recycled resolutions -- eating less, exercising more, nurturing forgotten friendships, de-cluttering your closet -- don’t forget about your cyber self. What technology-related areas deserve your attention in the New Year? For practicing attorneys and law firms, it would be strategically valuable to ask what emerging areas of law could expand your perceived expertise and book of business? Are you sure your firm’s privacy protocols are protecting digital data? What steps are you taking to enhance your corporate clients’ cybersecurity preparedness and incident responsiveness?…
Selfie with no Filter: the 1L Life - Cut the Comparison
By Britt Wiegand • January 28, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Law School, Other Law School Issues
The Trap I just finished my first semester of law school (woohoo!) and felt great. I had set a goal for a gpa (despite knowing that gpa goals aren’t the best type of goals) and beat it by .09! I know, beating something by not even a tenth of a point sounds like a tiny achievement. But, given the law school grading curve, I was pretty pumped. After getting grades back, I felt proud. I told my parents and fiancé, and I was feeling excited about heading into semester number two. And then (dun dun dun)… I went back…
My ‘JD Preferred’ Story
By Diana LaMorie • January 28, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job
I suppose I should start with an introduction, though I suspect that by the end of this post it will read more like an Ode to Compliance. I consider myself one of the lucky ones who pretty much knew what they wanted to do with their career since a young age. Once I got over the ‘I want to be a librarian because I like books’ and ‘chef because I like food’ aspirations of second grade, I became drawn towards law because of the endless debates I’d undertake with friends and family. (As it turns out lawyers do debate endlessly, and…
The 2018 Ms. JD Fellowship Application Is Now Open!
By Maleaha Brown • January 27, 2018 •Law School
The Ms. JD Fellowship, one of our most popular programs, is now open for applications! In 2010, Ms. JD partnered with the ABA Commission on Women in the Profession to found the Ms. JD Fellowship. The Fellowship is Ms. JD's program to promote mentoring and professional development. Each spring, Ms. JD selects a group of outstanding second year law students as Fellowship recipients. In addition to receiving invitations and financial support to attend ABA and Ms. JD events, each Fellowship recipient is paired with a mentor chosen from among the Brent Award honorees, Spirit of Excellence Award recipients, and ABA Commission on…
The Best Way to Leave the Law When You’re Burned Out? Don’t.
By Amy Impellizzeri • January 26, 2018 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Other Law School Issues, Issues, •Women and Law in the Media, Other Issues
In 2009, I took a one year sabbatical from my 13+ year law career. I turned out the lights in my 42d floor office at 4 Times Square and left. Just a year. Nine years later, I often joke that I’m still on that one year sabbatical. The truth is, I’ve transitioned away from the active practice of law, and nine years has given me a fair perspective to understand how and why that transition has been so successful. In nine years, I’ve worked on the executive team of a pioneering start-up company, negotiated publishing contracts and a literary agency contract, launched…
You’ll Pay For This: The First Step Is Admitting You Have a Problem
By Kerriann Stout • January 25, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Other Law School Issues, Issues, Other Issues
I owe $226,020.79 in federal student loan debt for my legal education. Let’s start at the very beginning. I was extremely fortunate to have my undergraduate education paid for through a mix of scholarships and parental-aid. When I graduated with my shiny new B.A in Modern Languages and Cultures (yeah, I know), I had no clue what I wanted to do, and I had no concept of how different my life would be with student loans breathing down my back. In my infinite 21 year old wisdom, I decided “I don’t know what I want to do, so I will…
My First Generation Success Story: Prologue to My Story
By Shirlene Armstrong • January 25, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Law School
Imagine a classroom of eight-year-old, third grade students on a typical day of school. Most of the children are laughing with one another, day-dreaming or even playing during the lesson. One child seems unlike the others. This young girl appears to be focusing on the material being presented. She seems to understand the lesson and actively participates in the lecture. It also appears that this child gives off a serious, academic atmosphere. This young lady happens to be myself. I am just your average 23-year-old gal: I have a loving family, friends,…