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The Barred Life: A Series of Indefinite Length - Part II
By Jannet Matthew • June 27, 2018 •Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Other Law School Issues, Issues, Other Issues, Features, Advice on Passing the Bar Exam
PART II Lessons and Realities from the Pass List Let’s get housekeeping out of the way. If you read my last post you know I took the California February bar exam and I was waiting for my results. So here’s the update: I didn’t pass. I sat on my living room floor with my laptop on my thighs. After navigating to the Cal Bar website, I carefully typed in my applicant number. Then my file number. I scrolled through and didn’t see my name on the pass list so I refreshed the screen. Again, I very carefully typed in my…
How to Be a Slightly Happier Lawyer
By Tracy Huang • June 22, 2018 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Other Issues
We often live our everyday lives in a blur. With smartphones, caffeine, news, and emails, we can move from our day-to-day existence without noticing what is around us. We often don’t take the time to look at people in the face or really to gaze into their eyes. I have seen this so often at the law firm where I work. One associate I observed glancing at his phone on the way to the bathroom, on the way down the elevator, out in the lobby, and into the street where we were headed to hunt for lunch. People avoid my…
Lawyering in a Crisis: What Five Puerto Rican Women Did in the Aftermath of a Major Hurricane
By Jeanne Ortiz • June 14, 2018 •Careers, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues, Issues, Other Issues, Features, Guest Bloggers and Profiles of Women in the Law, •Myths & Truths
Imagine living with no power for 10 months as a result of two major hurricanes and having to prepare for a third one. Or imagine being grateful for having your power back after 6 months but still having a blue tarp for a roof. That was the reality for thousands of Puerto Ricans this week when Beryl, the first hurricane of the season, formed in the Atlantic. I think we can all attest to the gut-wrenching feeling of anticipation the day we were expecting Hurricane María last year. Gazing out the window with my sister at 5:00 am still feels like yesterday,…
How To Help A loved One Understand The Benefits Of Estate Planning
By Anna Johansson • June 07, 2018 •Issues, Other Issues
Being a lawyer means you have an advantage when it comes to offering suggestions to friends and family. Understandably, you may not want to give your friends legal counsel, but when a friend is confused, it’s hard to stay completely silent. Okay, the situations portrayed in Hollywood movies regarding friends annoyingly asking their lawyer friends for advice aren’t that far off. You’ve probably had more than your fair share of friends asking you for advice, even in areas of law you aren’t even familiar with. Somehow, when people know you’re a lawyer, they think you can get them out of…
The Barred Life: A Series of Indefinite Length - Part I
By Jannet Matthew • May 30, 2018 •Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Other Law School Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Other Issues, Features, •Advice on Passing the Bar Exam
PART I A Personal Thing, but a Family Affair I’m a December graduate of Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles and took the February 2018 California Bar Exam. The month is May but I've been an emotional wreck since February. I write this post sitting two days away from knowing my fate and an alien feeling has come over me - my emotional wreckage is finally settling. The closer I’ve gotten to the result date, the more I let go of my anxiety, fear, numbness, and desire to control. This is a major breakthrough I'm profoundly proud of because I've…
Friend or Foe? Technology In Our Everyday Lives: Data Privacy
By Keisha M. McClellan • May 30, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Issues, Other Issues
There’s little doubt that being able to access your emails, texts, photos, and personal fitness stats on multiple devices, in multiple locations, is convenient. But from workplace privacy to Internet of Things (IoT) devices, the increasing concern is what is the hidden cost for connectivity and your data privacy? Does checking your personal email while connected to your employer’s wi-fi mean the company can access that personal content as well? Is your wearable fitness tracker data aggregated in a way that could compromise your ability to qualify for health insurance in the future? Could your robotic vacuum convey personal details about…
From Paralegal to Associate: How to Handle Stress During the First Year as an Associate
By Nadia Ennaji • May 29, 2018 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Other Issues
It is no secret that the schedule of an attorney is a hectic one. Balancing a personal life with the pressure of billable hour is a tricky job. The typical day of an attorney starts around 8:30 am and rarely ends until 7:30 pm. Add to this the commute to and from home. And with the new technology, are you truly ever disconnected from work? All of these contribute to higher than normal stress level in the legal profession. The first year of a new associate is even more difficult, as there is the continuous pressure to adjust to the…
5 Ingredients to Increase Productivity in Your Firm
By Dennis Hung • April 26, 2018 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues, Issues, Other Issues
No matter how passionate you are about your business, there will always be days when your productivity levels just fall short. The same goes for your employees. While there are no immediate side effects to low productivity levels in the workplace, the long-term view paints a gloomy picture for the firm. It can lead to slower progress and growth, losing cases and clients, and a workplace riddled with inefficiencies and unproductive activities. Here are five ingredients that can increase productivity in your law firm. Distinguish Important Versus Unimportant Tasks At the essence of productivity is the decision matrix developed by…
Ms. JD’s Report Card: 2018 Annual Conference “Her Story”
By Kerriann Stout • April 25, 2018 •Ms. JD, Conference, Law School, Other Law School Issues, Issues, Other Issues
On March 8th and 9th of 2018, Ms. JD hosted its annual conference at the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law. The theme of the conference was “Her Story,” and many of the talks and panels focused on the different journeys of the speakers. This was my first time attending a Ms. JD conference, and I was not sure what to expect, as I was attending by myself. I must say I was pleasantly surprised! It was a very welcoming environment, the Ms. JD staff was extremely kind, and there were lots of opportunities to meet and interact…