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What is the LSAT? And where do I start?
By Tatum Wheeler • March 29, 2017 •Law School, Pre-Law
What is the LSAT? The LSAT is a standardized test required by most law schools (although not all) that is used, along with other factors, to determine admission, similar to how colleges use the SAT and ACT. It is currently administered four times a year in February, June, September/October and December, although the LSAC will likely introduce additional administrations in the future. LSAT scores remain on record for five years. Unlike other tests, the LSAT is not based on memorization, but rather a measure of “acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills” based on three different sections: Logical Reasoning, Reading Comprehension,…
NYC Bar “Launching Your Career” Week 4: Legal Writing
By Kamya Arora • March 27, 2017 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Legal Academia, Politics and Government, Law School, Pre-Law, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
On March 22nd, pre-law students participating in the New York City Bar's Launching Your Career seminar series heard from Grace Pickering (Director of Legal Education at Legal Outreach & Adjunct Professor at Fordham Law School) and Van Ann Bui (Director, Law Program at Sponsors for Educational Opportunity). Students had many notes and questions for Grace during and after her detailed presentation on “Legal Writing: An Introduction.” Van Ann’s segment regarding personal statement essay-writing for law school applications was equally engaging; it garnered plenty of questions from students, and even took the discussion into over-time. At the start of the night, Grace explained the court…
Pre-Law Q&A: Evelyn Mau, Pre-Law Senior at Hunter College
By Genevieve Antono • March 16, 2017 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Law School, Pre-Law
In this “Pre-Law Q&A” series, Ms. JD Pre-Law speaks to pre-law students around the country. Joining us today is Evelyn Mau, a Class of 2017 undergraduate majoring in linguistics and rhetoric, and Chinese literature at Hunter College, The City University of New York. Hello Evelyn! Thank you for taking the time to chat with the Ms. JD Pre-Law blog. To start, can you tell us a bit about yourself—for instance, where did you grow up, and what are you majoring in? Evelyn: Thank you for the invite! I was born and raised in Brooklyn by first-generation Chinese immigrants. My parents…
NYC Bar “Launching Your Career” Week 3: Office Etiquette
By Genevieve Antono • March 15, 2017 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Other Career Issues, Law School, Pre-Law, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, •Internships and Clerkships, Other Law School Issues, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
This week, the pre-law students participating in the New York City Bar's Launching Your Seminar series had the opportunity to hear from Sarah E. O'Connell, Senior Counsel at Norton Rose Fulbright. Sarah was engaging, warm and funny—and gave our students delightfully no-nonsense, straightforward advice about the mindset it takes to succeed in a corporate setting. Some of her advice included: Write your own "blank." When you are new to an environment and people don't really know you, they will tend to judge you quickly: "Oh you know, Richard, he's the one who ___________." You have be intentional about filling in that blank the way you want,…
Pre-Law Opportunity: Internship with the Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY)
By Gregory Antono • March 14, 2017 •Ms. JD, Careers, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Law School, Pre-Law, Internships and Clerkships
Hi Ms. JD Pre-Law! Do check out this summer internship opportunity with the Asian American Bar Association of New York: What? The Asian American Bar Association of New York (AABANY) represents the interests of New York Asian-American attorneys, judges, law professors, legal professionals, legal assistants or paralegals and law students. Its mission is to improve the study and practice of law, and the fair administration of justice for all by ensuring the meaningful participation of Asian-Americans in the legal profession. AABANY’s Legal Internship Program supports Asian-American students, law clerks and lawyers interested in the legal profession to develop a commitment to advocacy…
Pre-Law Opportunity: University of Wisconsin Law School and DiscoverLaw.org PLUS Program
By Gregory Antono • March 14, 2017 •Ms. JD, Careers, Law School, Pre-Law
Hi Ms. JD Pre-Law! Here's an summer opportunity at the University of Wisconsin Law School that you might want to check out: What? The DiscoverLaw.org Pre-Law Undergraduate Scholars (PLUS) Program at the University of Wisconsin Law School is a four-week summer immersion program that allows students to explore legal education and careers in law and to help them succeed in applying to, enrolling in, and graduating from law school. Held at the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus, the activities in this program include: taking introductory law courses, taught by UW Law School professors, attending personal and professional development workshops and ganing hands-on experience…
Ms. JD Pre-Law: Interview with J.Y. Ping, founder of 7Sage and PreProBono
By Genevieve Antono • March 13, 2017 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Legal Academia, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Law School, Pre-Law, •Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Internships and Clerkships, Other Law School Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Mentoring and Networking, Other Issues
Today's Ms. JD Q&A is with J.Y. Ping, an educator and social entrepreneur who founded 7Sage and PreProBono. J.Y. has a JD from Harvard Law School and a BA from Columbia University. J.Y., you're the founder of 7Sage, which provides affordable online LSAT test prep. For example, you offer an LSAT Starter course, containing your entire core curriculum, for just $179, and your most expensive course is $749—a fraction of what test prep companies typically charge. What inspired your mission to "liberate and democratize education"? J.Y.: One thing that inspired me was when I realized that statements like “X is…
Pre-Law Opportunity: Summer 2017 Internship with ABA Standing Committee on Law & National Security
By Gregory Antono • March 11, 2017 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Politics and Government, Law School, Pre-Law, Internships and Clerkships
Hi Ms. JD Pre-Law! Here's an internship opportunity at the American Bar Association that you might want to check out: What? The Standing Committee on Law and National Security conducts studies, sponsors programs and conferences and administers working groups on law and national security related issues. These activities assist policymakers, educate lawyers, the media and the public, and enable the committee to make recommendations to the American Bar Association governing body. The committee is hiring interns to assist in conducting research and drafting memos on issues including terrorism, cybersecurity, surveillance and homeland security. Responsibilities include attending meetings and programs, as well as hearings on…
NYC Bar “Launching Your Career” Week 2: Networking and Finding a Mentor
By Genevieve Antono • March 11, 2017 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Legal Academia, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Politics and Government, Law School, •Pre-Law, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Internships and Clerkships, Issues, Mentoring and Networking
At the second installment of this year's Launching Your Career seminar series by the New York City Bar, our cohort of pre-law undergraduates and recent graduates had the opportunity to hear about networking and finding a mentor from Janine Pollack and Regina Calcaterra, partners at Wolf Haldenstein, before immediately practicing those tips in a "speed networking" event with practicing attorneys. One of our pre-law participants, Kamya Arora, reflected after the event: "I took a lot away from both Janine and Regina's presentations today. Their personal stories of growth especially struck me as inspiring. They reminded me that learning never stops—even…