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How to Deal with Anxiety While Studying for the Bar Exam
By BarExam Insider • September 29, 2015 •Ms. JD, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup, Careers, Law School, Features, Bar Exam
“We cannot enjoy life if we spend a lot of time worrying about what happened yesterday and what will happen tomorrow. We worry about tomorrow because we are afraid. If we are afraid all the time, we cannot appreciate that we are alive and can be happy now.” - Thich Nhat Hanh Luck The bar exam creates anxiety in people because there are a lot of unknowns. The scoring is based on the population of test takers so whether someone passes or not depends on who else is taking the exam. An examinee does not know what subjects the questions…
The Power of the Elevator Speech
By Christina L. Martini • September 29, 2015 •Ms. JD, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues, Law School, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Internships and Clerkships, •Issues, Mentoring and Networking, Women and Law in the Media
Dear Readers- I hope that your fall is off to a good start! It is hard to believe that October is already here. As we gear up for Q4, it is a good time to reflect on all that we have accomplished so far this year, and to brainstorm ways we can finish off 2015 by moving the needle on the goals we set for ourselves 9 months ago, including on the business development front. Being our own advocate is an important part of these efforts, and having a powerful and effective elevator speech is essential. In 2013, I wrote a column on this subject, which appeared as an installment of my monthly "Paradigm Shift" column in…
Ms JD Weekly Roundup: Week ending October 2, 2015
By Ms. JD Weekly Roundup • September 28, 2015 •Ms. JD, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup
The Recorder's 2015 Women Leaders in Tech Law share their most valuable career advice. Are you guilty of throwing in the kitchen sink when drafting briefs? Justice Kagan shares her tips on what it takes to be a good writer. Making the move in-house can be a shock to the system as you step outside your familiar law firm environment. Prepare for the transition by understanding what it takes to succeed. One key element is knowing whether you're cop, counsel, or entrepreneur. Love it or hate it, networking can be the best way to find that dream job or next opportunity. Here's…
Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week ending September 25, 2015
By Ms. JD Weekly Roundup • September 21, 2015 •Ms. JD, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup
The White House will nominate deputy counsel Jennifer O’Connor to the top legal job at the U.S. Department of Defense. Removing one word from your writing can make it sound stronger. The US government has a plain language mandate, and when they talk about omitting unnecessary words, they specifically call out prepositions as a potential problem. Professor Rollag of Babson College discusses that often our nervousness and reluctance in new situations keeps us from putting ourselves out there and taking advantage of life’s opportunities. There are lots of ways to keep stress at bay and maintain your cool. Here at…
Specific Intent Crimes
By BarExam Insider • September 16, 2015 •Ms. JD, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup, Careers, Legal Academia, Features, Bar Exam
Specific Intent Crimes “EA CL1FF BARS” 1. Embezzlement-intent to defraud 2. Attempt-intent to complete the crime 3. Conspiracy-intent to have the crime completed 4. Larceny-intent to permanently deprive the other of interest in property taken 5. 1st Degree Murder-premeditation 6. Forgery-intent to defraud 7. False Pretenses-intent to defraud 8. Burglary-intent to commit a felony in the dwelling 9. Assault-intent to commit a battery 10. Robbery-intent to permanently deprive the owner of interest in property taken 11. Solicitation-intent to have the person solicited commit the crime Engage a former California bar grader for California Bar Exam to help with memory techniques:…
Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week ending September 18, 2015
By Ms. JD Weekly Roundup • September 14, 2015 •Ms. JD, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup
If you dream of becoming a SCOTUS law clerk, you'll want to clerk for one of these "feeder judges." Working as a paralegal can be good preparation for a career as a lawyer. When should you make the leap from paralegal to lawyer? BakerHostetler became the latest firm to move to a single-tier partnership structure.
Time Management
By BarExam Insider • September 11, 2015 •Ms. JD, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup, Features, Bar Exam
Each section of the bar exam is allotted a specific time to complete. For instance, in California, an applicant must finish three essays in three hours. Some applicants wonder how they can possibly read the interrogatories and fact patterns, and then outline and write their answers or choose the best choice on a Multistate Bar Exam (MBE) question within the time allotted. Applicants who worry about not finishing may rush to analyze fact patterns, or go directly to drafting the answers to performance tests or essays without outlining. Finishing the bar exam is key to passing, but do not sacrifice…
Introducing Ilana Flemming, DC policy professional
By Esther Goldschlager • September 03, 2015 •Ms. JD, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup
Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ilana Flemming about law school, her career path and her recommendations for newly minted JDs and attorneys who hope to conduct similar work. Read about her story here: 1) Can you please provide a brief summary of your professional background? After college, I worked as a paralegal in a pro bono legal services program for victims of domestic violence. I eventually decided that I wanted to become a lawyer and I wanted to work on women’s issues and gender-based violence. I went to law school in DC because I knew that I…
Ms. JD Weekly Roundup: Week ending August 28, 2015
By Ms. JD Weekly Roundup • August 25, 2015 •Ms. JD, Ms. JD Weekly Roundup
Good communication skills are essential to every aspiring attorney, and those already in practice. Here are 3 Ways Law Students Can Become More Confident Communicators while they are still in law school. For every 10 years you’ve been working, you can add one page to your resume. These helpful questions can assist you in shortening your resume without losing important content. When you come across an open position that seems like the perfect fit for you, it can be tempting to submit your resume and cover letter as fast as humanly possible. Here are four mistakes that people make when…