Soldier On: Boot Camp to Law School – Secret, and Not-So-Secret Interview Tips
By Julie Cummings • November 23, 2016 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Firms and the Private Sector, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Politics and Government, Other Career Issues, Law School, Pre-Law, •Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Internships and Clerkships, Other Law School Issues
Normally, my monthly column translates valuable military skills into practical advice for succeeding in law school. This month, however, I want to stray just a bit. Instead, I want to share tips that will help you land and nail interviews. I have parents, law career development counselors, and mentors to thank for these nuggets of wisdom. Decide which tips you want to adopt. Use your time during school to develop your own “interview preparation list.” Then, when the time comes, you will be ready to crush that interview. I’ll focus primarily on the time “Before the Interview,” and just…
Soldier On: Boot Camp to Law School – Do you Have What It Takes to Survive?
By Julie Cummings • October 16, 2016 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Pre-Law, Curriculum and Classroom Dynamics, Internships and Clerkships, Other Law School Issues
It’s October. If you’re in law school, you’re already half-way through your first term. Undoubtedly you want to thrive, not just survive – or so the adage goes. Yet I argue that sometimes you just need to survive! A graduate of the US Army’s SERE school (Survival Evasion Resistance Escape), I’ve learned that resilience comes from surviving that which at the time seems impossible. Here are a few pointers I’d like to share so that when needed, you too can survive. Be decisive. Sometimes you’ll feel so overwhelmed with assignments and other school pressures that you just don’t know how…
Soldier On: Boot Camp to Law School— Amazing Mentors
By Julie Cummings • September 05, 2016 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, 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
“I’ve been through half a dozen other lieutenants just like you.” “You guys all come and go.” “Meanwhile, we stay here and keep things running.” “So you stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours, and we’ll get along just fine.” Then he went outside to smoke a cigarette – one of many he would light up throughout the day. Tim was gruff, outspoken, and not used to working with women. Most of his Army aviation career was spent working in special forces units, units comprised solely of males. But as a brand new lieutenant in…
Soldier On: Boot Camp to Law School— Lead with Confidence
By Julie Cummings • August 05, 2016 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Nonprofits and the Public Interest, Law School, Pre-Law, Other Law School Issues, Issues, •Other Issues
Inefficient, disorganized, unproductive. These adjectives describe many well-intended, yet poorly managed student organizations – also known as SORGs. With a new school year beginning, most students will either help lead a SORG, or at least attend SORG meetings during their time in law school. Sadly, student-led SORGs often lack disciplined management. This results in inefficient use of scarce resources, and it frustrates members. The problem lies in students not having a general grasp of how to run a small-scale organization. While other methods exist, today I present a simple framework to help…
Soldier On: Boot Camp to Law School—Go Make the World a Better Place!
By Julie Cummings • June 05, 2016 •Writers in Residence, Law School, Pre-Law, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Internships and Clerkships, Other Law School Issues
Law students across the country recently celebrated graduations. I am one of those excited graduates. Excited to finish. Excited to have experienced a life-changing opportunity. Excited for my future. I arrived three years ago, uncertain as to what lay ahead, and not truly aware of the energy it would take to complete law school. And yet I accomplished my goal, as did thousands of graduates this year. As I contemplate my future as a new attorney, I want to share 10 snippets of wisdom I learned in the military. I hope these words inspire you and guide you as you…
Soldier On: Boot Camp to Law School—Time for Those Pre-Combat Inspections
By Julie Cummings • May 05, 2016 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Politics and Government, Law School, Pre-Law, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Other Law School Issues
The beginning of summer is the perfect time for law students to conduct pre-combat inspections (PCI). Pre-combat inspections are a management tool that the Army uses to make sure that every soldier brings to battle every piece of required equipment, every time. And importantly, PCIs ensure the equipment is in proper working order. Pre-combat inspections consist of soldiers physically laying out for inspection each item of equipment they will need for a mission. The inspections are often highly regimented with detailed checklists and completed according to a prescribed layout diagram. For instance, soldiers may be assigned a 5 x…
Soldier On: Boot Camp to Law School—Shine at your legal internship. (Part 2 of a two-part series)
By Julie Cummings • April 05, 2016 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Law School, Pre-Law, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Internships and Clerkships, Other Law School Issues
Last month I wrote that succeeding in law school is about more than excellent grades. It is also about thriving in legal internships. In Part 1, I suggested five key attributes that you can bring to your internship. This month, I want to get into the nitty gritty of that internship. Below are five things you can do, once at your internship, to take your experience from average to amazing. 1. Prepare in advance for your supervisor’s initial welcome meeting Before your supervisor ever calls you into her office to welcome you to the new internship, think about how you…
Soldier On: Boot Camp to Law School—Shine at your Legal Internship (Part 1 of a two-part series)
By Julie Cummings • March 05, 2016 •Writers in Residence, Law School, Pre-Law, Choosing a Career and Landing a Job, Internships and Clerkships, Other Law School Issues
Succeeding in law school is about more than excellent grades. It is also about thriving in legal internships. For some, particularly students who worked between undergrad and law school, successfully navigating internships comes naturally. Yet for many, especially those with little professional experience, internships present a daunting unknown, complicating an already stressful law school experience. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can prepare now to have a great legal internship! Your new supervisor won’t have time to teach you how to be a model intern. And besides, wouldn’t you rather prepare in advance so that you control your…
Soldier On: Boot Camp to Law School—Aced the exams. Thanks, Checklist! Thanks, Captain America!
By Julie Cummings • February 04, 2016 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Law School, Pre-Law, Other Law School Issues, Features, Bar Exam
Flying across the Alabama countryside, just above the treetops, balmy breezes blow into the helicopter cockpit. Puffy white clouds adorn the blue sky. Gently rolling hills and tree-lined river valleys crisscross the landscape. The afternoon is beautiful, the mood peaceful. Suddenly a shrill warning bell screams into my ears. Painful butterflies alight in my stomach. “Simulated engine failure!” calls the instructor pilot as he rolls off the throttle, cutting the power needed to maintain rotor speed and remain aloft. I would like to panic, but there is no time. I try to take a deep breath, but barely manage a…