Blog Article
The Neurodiverse Guide to Bar Exam Accessibility
By Ms. JD Editor • July 28, 2021 •Writers in Residence, Features, Bar Exam
It’s hard enough to study for the bar. It shouldn’t be harder if you learn differently. I always end up reflecting on some form of isolated feeling during law school. As an autistic law student, I often felt alone. I didn’t know anyone else who had a similar disability until nearly the end of my 3L year and I spent law school accommodating myself in how I studied, took notes, and navigated the law school culture. I’m hardly the only one who was neurodivergent in law school, in law practice, or in that…
Blog Article
Everything Nobody Every Told Me: Visioning Really Works
By Paula M Jones • September 30, 2020 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life, Other Issues
As I was approaching thirty years of working full-time, I began much more flexibility in my daily schedule. My dream was to be able to set my own schedule instead of adhering to the schedule of others. Unfortunately, I could not see any viable way to make that happen, since I was working in a big firm where time seemed to be the master of us all. Over time, my frustration began to build. Whenever I became frustrated, I began to write out what I wanted my daily life to look like. Dreams – even those that seem impossible –…
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Everything Nobody Ever Told Me: Why If You’re Hysterical, It’s Historical
By Paula M Jones • June 22, 2020 •Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Law School, Other Law School Issues, Issues, Balancing Private and Professional Life
I had been having problems with my email lately. I dreaded calling technical support, since my experience in the past involved sitting for a long time on hold and listening to someone reading from a script instead of thinking creatively about my problem. However, since I could not fix the problem myself and I felt I had no other options, I called my internet service provider’s technical support line. True to form, after thirty minutes on the phone we had barely moved past the point where I had repeated my name and account number to four different people. Then, after…
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Am I wearing too many hats? Learning how to juggle it all: Don’t give up!
By Crystal Elaine Ellison • May 01, 2020 •Writers in Residence
Defeat is not the worst of failures. Not to have tried is the true failure. George Edward Woodberry It’s undeniable that COVID-19 has forced us all to celebrate, worship, create and work differently. That’s OK, because we have discovered new and creative ways to adapt than we could’ve ever imagined. We’re having to adapt to many changes and maneuver in a world full of uncertainties. Change and uncertainty can make us feel overwhelmed, stressed and anxious. We may start to develop thoughts in our heads that aren’t positive. Please know that you are not alone. You’d be surprised at…
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Young Lawyers: Can Baking Overcome Your Anxiety?
By Susan Smith Blakely • February 07, 2020 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector
We all are full of anxiety and stress these days. You know it. And we all are looking for ways to deal with the disappointing news of the day, the challenges of our work experiences, and the other unsatisfactory realities of our lives. So, what are we doing about it? Exercise is good. Eating wrong is bad. For me cooking is even worse, and baking is out of the question unless it is a national holiday and for my family and friends. After almost 50 years of marriage and some cooking and baking before then, I am over it. Hello…
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What All Lawyers Need to Know about Origination Credit
By Susan Smith Blakely • September 11, 2019 •Careers, Firms and the Private Sector
If you are a lawyer just beginning your career, you probably don't spend a lot of time worrying about origination credit. In fact, maybe you never heard of the concept. That makes sense. You have a lot of other things to worry about that affect you on a daily basis in pursuit of improving your skills and becoming the best lawyer you can be. But there is a difference between "worrying about" and "being informed about." As far as I am concerned, every private practice lawyer, regardless of experience, needs to at least be familiar with the concept of origination…
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Five Tips to Maximize Your Efficiency When In-House
By Jenny Patten • September 01, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Other Issues
When someone asks what in-house practice is like, I often reply that it is like drinking from a firehose. The legal department is the starting and ending point for a lot of projects and issues, and tackling everything that hits your desk without a game plan can feel daunting. While everyone takes a different approach to managing their workload, I’ve outlined a few tips that I’ve initiated during my in-house practice that help me maximize efficiency while in the office. 1. Keep Organized. Staying on top of your various task lists, emails, meeting invites, updates and follow-ups can feel like…
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Something Blue: Bringing Blue-Collar Roots to the Legal Profession – On Foie Gras & Food Faux Pas
By Molly Timko • August 30, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Other Career Issues, Issues, Other Issues
As I mentioned in my first blog post, I experienced heightened self-awareness about my blue-collar roots once I entered the legal profession. For this month’s blog post, I wanted to share some of my awkward workplace encounters involving food. I am fully aware that these awkward food encounters are trivial in comparison to larger socioeconomic issues such as structural inequality. However, I think it’s important for us first-generation lawyers to share our personal experiences, frustrations, and lessons learned. As a newly minted lawyer, I found that the majority of my coworkers appeared to possess sophisticated palates and expansive culinary vocabularies. Casual lunchtime conversations typically revolved around food (in addition to work…
Blog Article
Something Blue: Bringing Blue-Collar Roots to the Legal Profession - Finding Purpose and Giving Back
By Molly Timko • July 29, 2019 •Ms. JD, Writers in Residence, Careers, Nonprofits and the Public Interest
As I continue to move forward in my career and slowly chip away at my student debt, I feel more compelled to pay it forward. I often wonder whether us “Straddlers” and first generation lawyers have a greater propensity to engage in volunteer work, perhaps as a way to reconcile the duality of gratitude (for how far we have come) and guilt (for what we may have left behind). I attended a pro bono training several years ago, sponsored by an area bar association. At the time, I had been feeling a little uninspired by the daily grind of my work in healthcare…
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THE COALITION OF BLACK VOICES: Past, Present, and Future
By Subria Whitaker • May 05, 2019
THE COALITION OF BLACK VOICES: Past, Present, and Future "What we assumed to be the substitution of black students’ concerns before us, was actually the coalition of black voices: past, present and future." [Earl B. Dickerson Chapter, Black Law Students Association] --- My regard for advocacy inspired me to pursue law and dedicate my life to pursuing liberty and justice for all. As a 2L at the University of Chicago, I aim to be an active scholar, campus volunteer, and community leader. However, my experience at the Law School includes frequent instances of racism and bigotry that have taken a toll…Connect with us
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