Hey y'all,

I'm currently 1L enrolled in an accelerated degree. I wanted to see what others thought of such programs. Initially, it seemed like a great way to get in and out quickly so I could start my career but I'm starting to reconsider. Is it worth it if it means skipping summer internships? My school offers ways to do internship credit during the year but I'm wondering if that's enough.

Desperate times call for desperate measures

1L,

Okay, so I’m just a little confused on personal jx. I’ve seen cases where defendant owns property in a state they don’t live in and the plaintiff takes them to that state court where defendant owns the property. What I don’t understand is why the defendant would move it to federal court under diversity jurisdiction (the property was worth well over $75,000). Is it just completely optional with diversity jx because I know when it’s a federal question it has to be moved but with diversity, can it be tried in state court and it doesn’t matter that there is diversity of citizenship? Is moving diversity jx to federal court a complete optional thing?

I’m looking for relatively comfortable professional shoes for women. Specifically, I’ll be wearing it with a suit for big law interviews and networking events.

Do you ladies have recs for some high quality but not overpriced companies/shoes fitting that description? I am hoping it will be genuine leather, something alongside the look of Oxford winged tipped brown shoes.

Hi,

Are there any recommendations of any advocates or law firms in Mumbai where I can intern in my 2nd or 3rd year? thank you :)

Hey. I’m 42 and a 1L. The other students are all really nice, but I haven’t connected with anyone. I’m sure this is my fault but being almost 2 decades older than most of the other students I worry that they’re just humoring me. When I was that age, I wouldn’t have wanted to be friends with someone that much older. But this generation is better than mine.

But give me the honest truth- what is your perception and whatnot of the older students? Do you think it’s a drag when you have to do a group assignment with them? Is it obnoxious that they want to make sure you’re getting enough sleep?

I seriously want to know the good and the bad. What things you like when the olds do, and things that are sucky.

Hello,

I am currently living with my parents while studying for the February bar. In the event that I don’t pass the bar, I was considering taking a JD advantage job in compliance/regulation (or something similar in the corporate sphere) and then taking the bar exam at a later date. I want to be able to start my career full-time and start paying off my loans rather than waiting and waiting to pass the bar

I eventually want to go into in-house counsel, so my question is: how practical is it to go from a JD advantage job in the corporate world to then going to an in-house counsel job? Assuming I pass the bar eventually

I know people who went straight in-house right after law school, even tho most people say you need firm experience first, so I know it’s possible to get those in-house positions without firm experience. But if I pass the bar at a later date, can I eventually go in-house with only JD Advantage experience assuming it’s in a (relatively) related field?

Any insight is appreciated. Thanks!

Hey guys! Does anyone have recommendations on how or a tool with which to improve issue spotting for BA exams? Or general advice on how to keep organized in such a content-heavy class? Top 25% 2L at a T-50, so my methods have done me well so far, but I'm struggling to apply them to BA.

My professor's old exams cover a lot of different issues, and the breadth of the course makes things difficult. Not to mention, he got mad yesterday that I said "MBCA 6.40 treats both dividends and repurchases the same way," instead of "MBCA 1.40 defines "distributions" to include both dividends and repurchases as distributions. MBCA 6.40 therefore applies to both dividends and repurchases." I mention this to let you know the kind of prof we're dealing with - the kind that Prof. Epstein at Richmond would call "professor putz."

I’m looking to work through a sample case that includes all the foundational documents. Initial complaints, motions, discovery files, final submissions, etc etc.

Ideally I’d like a case where I can see the progression from initial filings through to closing arguments (or similar stages in arbitration).

Does anyone know where I can find such materials, either publicly accessible or commonly used for practice?

Some have suggested mock cases but I cannot find anything I like.

Thanks in advance!

What should you be doing early in November to make the most of the month before finals? Study tips, stress management suggestions, prioritization, anything goes!

Trite, but it bears repeating— your professor is the sole authority and evaluator on your success (or non-success) on the exam. There is no standardized evaluative metric on the substantive performance of your exam.

Law school exams are like bench trials with very narrow appeals processes. Treat it as such. Look at the past exams and how the professor graded them— if they’re not publicly available, ask former students what the Professor emphasized and what was negligible.

For instance, using the same strategy in 1L Fall, I averaged a B– getting an A in CivPro and a B- in Torts. It was not because I didn’t know the material any less in Torts, but rather that professor allocated more points to rule recitals than to application of the law. I didn’t look into that and netted below the median in that class. Conversely, my CivPro professor graded almost solely on the application of the rule to the facts and I scored significantly higher.

The only factor that significantly changed my performance was the evaluative component of the professor’s allocation of points. There is no pedagogy or studying that might have changed that— save learning how the professor graded.

In later semesters, this became clearer— most of my social circle did well in class where the professors’ grading policies and metrics were transparent and not as well where it wasn’t.

Tl;dr: it’s boring and arbitrary, but test to your professor’s metrics and you’ll be much more successful than allocating your time truly learning the law to your own proficiency.

I am primarily interested in corporate law, real estate/property law, and tax law. I have two internship offers outstanding at the moment. One is with a Big 4 accounting firm’s International Tax Counsel. The other is BigLaw at a firm that primarily does medical malpractice, they have small real estate and tax practices as well but they don’t really hire into that from what I understand. The other side is the Counsel internship is 5+ hours away from my wife and almost 7 from the rest of my family while the firm is 1-2 hours away. Because of my wife’s graduate program, she would be unable to come with me.

My wife and I prefer the area we’re in, and I’m even attempting to start up a rental property business here. I’m just so conflicted. What should I do?

Crosspost

Hello 1Ls!

In just one (spooky) day, November will be here, and this is when the pressure really starts to turn on, so let’s break down the key things to focus on this month that will let you triage the most important parts of law school so that you can land a summer job.

So without further ado, here’s a November specific timeline to help you prioritize outlining, memos, practice tests, and job applications.

As always, I will caveat this by saying everyone's timeline is different! If this doesn't work for you, that's okay! This is just a timeline I found helpful when I was going through it as I prioritized getting things done early to make time for job applications. It might provide a helpful template for you as you make a timeline that works for your own style.

Week 1 (Nov 1-7): Outlining and Memo Draft 1

Goal 1: Depending on when and if you have already been assigned your final memo, plan on getting your research and possibly the first (very rough) draft of your memo done this week.

• Why: This memo is likely going to be your writing sample for all of your 2L summer jobs so you want to make sure you have enough time to make it as pristine as possible.
• How: You'll want to break apart timing for research and timing for drafting. Often, this memo will build on the same research you used in your earlier memo, so you may not need to spend a ton of time researching. You'll follow the same IRAC-ing format as you would have in your first memo.
  • If you need, there's an in depth IRAC/CREAC/CRAC breakdown here.
• Time Commitment: Either way, giving yourself 2-3 days to research, and 3-4 days to draft a first version is a solid timeline (basically you only need to write 1.5 pages a day). That way, you have a solid draft on paper that you can revisit every couple of days to refine as needed until you submit.

Goal 2: Start outlining for each class you have. Ideally, you may want to use prior outlines to save you significant time.

• Why: Outlining early gives you time to deeply understand the material, so you’re not just cramming at the last minute.
• How: Here's an in depth guide on how to outline if you need one. Outlining is very much a constant and evolving process so while you want to use November to get the bulk of outlining done, you'll probably be editing your outlines basically up until your exams start.
  • Ultimately, whether you make your own outline or use others, make sure your outline reflects your understanding of the material.
• Time Commitment: Schedule around at least an hour a day dedicated to outlining, and definitely more if you feel like its taking too long to make any progress (ideally you want to have the meat of the outline done within 5-7 days). You can refine your outlines each week as finals approach. For example, I dedicated about 2-3 hours each weekday in November to outlining and that got me through everything I needed by the end of the month.
  • Some people prefer to knock out the majority of each one by going heads down and dedicating a few days only to one outline, and others prefer to take it a little bit at a time. There is no wrong answer, you just follow whatever helps you best understand the material.

Weeks 2-3 (Nov 8-21): Finish Your Memo and Finish the Majority of Outlining

Goal: Complete your memo and review it thoroughly, aiming to submit your best work.

• Why: This follows the same logic above. These are not things you can really cram and they really take just a little bit of work every day just to maintain your sanity (remember, we haven't even gotten to actual exams in December yet, so you don't want to be stalling only to pull a bunch of all nighters the last week of November right before exams start in December.
• Time Commitment: You should likely go through at least 3 or so edits/drafts of your memo (if not many more) to make sure you are really hitting on all the details that will set you apart from the pack. Remember, the curves in these classes can be super tight and it can be hard to distinguish students, so small things like sloppy bluebooking can make a huge difference and tank your grade.
  • Pro tip: Make a checklist of common mistakes you might make (or have made and were flagged previously) and go through your memo every couple of days by going through this list. I.e. not adding periods at the ends of citations, not using a clear C in CREAC, did you use every fact available, is font size right, etc--both the tiniest details and the big substantive big picture things matter, so you'll want to double check everything is in there and looking sharp.

Goal: Finish the majority of your outlining for all classes.

• Why: This follows the same logic above.
• Time Commitment: Ideally you'll actually finish them closer to November 15th, but that can be a tough timeline for a lot of folks. A good general gauge is taking 4-5 days per outline (obviously with additions and touch ups to be made as you take practice exams and as you learn more in class, but this should basically cover all the important bits of class up until now.

Weeks 3-4 (Nov 15-30, and basically until exams): Take Practice Exams

Goal: Start taking practice exams to familiarize yourself with the format and identify areas where you need to improve.

• Why: Practice exams are crucial for understanding how to apply law under timed conditions, a skill that can’t be learned just by outlining.
• How: Voila! An in depth guide to practice exams here for you. Begin with old exams from your professors if they’re available, as they’ll give you a sense of what they’re looking for. If not, general practice exams for each subject are still valuable. Focus on issue-spotting, structuring your answers, and managing your time.
• Time Commitment: Aim to complete one practice exam per subject by the end of Week 4. In total, you'll want to take at least 3, ideally closer to 5, full practice exams per subject. Block out time for a full, uninterrupted session, ideally mimicking exam conditions if you can. Make sure you review every exam and include what you learned and details from the model answers into your outlines.

Weeks 1-5 (Nov 1-Dec 5): Begin Applying for 1L Summer Jobs

Goal: Start submitting applications to big law firms with 1L diversity programs, government agencies, and any other 1L-specific opportunities.

• Why: Even though your grades aren’t in yet, many employers start considering applications in November. There's an in depth post on this here too. Ideally you'll have gotten you application materials together in October before things are about to get crazy now (but if you haven't that's okay! Just add it to the to do list). Getting your name out there early can give you a big leg up in a competitive process.
• How: Prioritize law firms with 1L diversity programs and any other jobs that may have early deadlines, like federal government jobs. Polish up your resume and write a tailored cover letter for each application. This may be your first shot at applying, so it’s worth the effort to put your best foot forward.
• Time Commitment: Spend a couple of hours each week to research and prepare applications. I have a list of links to every V100 big law summer application and a tracker if you want it, feel free to DM. Make it a goal to apply to 3-5 places by the end of each week. The more you invest in finding a job earlier, the less time you'll have to spend during your winter break working to find a job, so you can actually use the break for what it should be--a break.

Pro Tip: Schedule Everything

Set specific times each week for outlining, working on your memo, practice exams, and job applications. Creating a schedule now will keep you organized and lower your stress level as finals approach because you'll be able to see that you are making positive progress, a little bit, every day.

And for brownie points, here is a list of helpful class and exam prep resources aggregated from all throughout this sub!

November’s going to be intense, but staying on top of these priorities will set you up well for finals and give you a strong start on job applications. Remember, you’re not alone—ask for help if you need it, either from us or this community, and keep pushing! You're so close to getting through first semester!

Good luck!

As the title suggests I am both lazy and have missed a lot of class (for reasons both in and out of my control). For people who have been in this situation and turned it around, how did you do it? Any advice appreciated!

First of all. Thank you for your time and attention to my matter and Second. I am studying law school in Ecuador and hopefully pass the bar. I am wondering if going to Canada after that would be advisable as my lack of expertise regarding these subjects are my problem. An advice would be highly appreciated.

Going to Canada is optional. I can't study in Canada first, I need to go to Ecuador first for financial reasons. I'm concerned about whether the time, effort, and the technicalities of such topics. Henceforth I am requesting guidance. Thank you and have a nice day.

who can feel related?

Okay so this might sound completely ridiculous but I’ve decided not to care. I’m a 1L at a law school in the South and even though it’s almost November, our high temperatures this week are 77-80°. I also love fall fashion. Where I am people wear anything from sweats to a suit to class.

I’m trying to figure out what’s appropriate to wear to class that’s fall vibes but I won’t get too hot wearing it. Are knee high boots with a 2-3 inch block heel okay to wear to class? I’m thinking with a skirt or dress, possibly tights when it gets a bit chillier. I’ve been wearing jeans or leggings everyday and I desperately want to switch it up.

Any recommendations for fall/summer to fall transitional outfits would be very much appreciated!!

Can you guys share some of the cases or judicial opinions that have excited you in the past? Something out of the ordinary. Old rulings or some witty court judgments. I love reading some of the Cardozo's stuff but I need more!

Hi guys. So I’ve been with my bf for about 8 months. He started law school in August. For the past couple months, I’ve seen a pattern. He beats himself down if he does even one thing wrong. He had a panic attack when he got cold called and didn’t know the answer. He is always stressed out or depressed. For the past few days he’s been depressed and told me he feels like avoiding law school because it feels too hard. I try my best to support him but I’m at a loss. I’m not sure what to do to help him. I tried to express that I’m a little sad that we aren’t talking as much as we usually do. He told me that he doesn’t feel like talking to anyone right now but that he loves me and it has nothing to do with our relationship and only about law school. He does see a therapist but claims that it’s not helping. I’m truly not sure how to help him. Any advice?

Hello Im looking for JD next study material please help me in this regard

Anyone know when results come out?

Anybody heard back about second round interviews (especially for litigation positions)?They suggested invites would go out a week or two ago. At this point I’m assuming I struck out, except on the off chance they’re still deliberating or waiting until after the election.

Having an existential crisis. I turned in my memo draft and had an editing meeting with prof. The memo missed the mark in terms of some research and when I asked the prof about case selection, she said she couldn’t help with that part. I know it is fully independent but it is sending me into a spiral. I think I am on the right track now.

On top of exam prep, keeping up with class, memo, revision, i am having extreme anxiety about studying for the exam. My outlines are not where they need to be. And contracts is closed book.

I just want to pass and make my family’s sacrifices for me being here worth it. First gen college kid from immigrant home guilt setting in too.

I know i am not stupid but i am really anxious about the coming month.

How did you adjust to law school? How do you think your competitiveness has affected your mental health?

we had midterms last week, and I did fine. BUT. our civpro exam was bullshit, the questions were a hot mess, most had multiple correct answers, some had no correct answers. whatever.

my actual problem lies here: I went through my exam with my professor today, and one of the questions I got wrong was about amount in controversy.

the question asked if the AIC was $75,000 and there was diversity between parties, were diversity jurisdiction requirements satisfied. as far as i can tell from the statute, from treatises, from case law, etc. the AIC has to be greater than $75,000, so $75,000 would NOT meet the AIC requirement. obviously my prof does not agree. can anybody weigh in?? idk why I can't let this go

EDIT: my professor has changed course. this morning, he admitted that it should be greater than $75,000 BUT the question I got wrong asked about both the value of the goods and the value of the contract, therefore it was greater than $75k. (and now my question is, wouldn't those claims be essentially the same and thus not able to be aggregated?) but he's clearly done discussing this with me, so I will be letting this go now lmao. Thank you all for your validation and help.

Exams are in one month and I haven't been able to start studying with the amount of catching up, reading, and assignments that I need to do/turn in. Every time I think I have a second to breathe I feel like I fall behind by a week. When I take time to myself, it feels like I'm wasting it.

Not sure when I'm going to find the time to study or figure out what's going on in my classes. Out of my 3 doctrinal classes, I know almost nothing about two and a little about the third.

I'm starting to feel like it's not doable to do well anymore.

Can someone who's not terrible at CivPro (unlike me) give me a sense if I'm gasping the rules decently?

Here's my hypo I'm making up to try to understand the rules.

P, D1, and D2 are driving in separate cars. There is a 3-car crash involving all three parties.

P sues D1 only in a tort action. Let's assume for the sake of this hypo that they have valid subject matter jurisdiction for diversity, valid personal jurisdiction, and proper venue. Rule 20 governs plaintiff deciding how many plaintiffs and defendants are configured in the initial claim.

P's pleading needs to meet the plausibility requirement of Twombly/Iqbal under Rule 8. Service of process to D1 needs to comply with Rule 4 requirements.

Once P has established a valid claim against D1, P can assert as many claims against D1, even if completely unrelated, Rule 18. P is not required to file as many claims as they have, it's just an option.

D1 has some options in its response to the served process. They can either file a motion under Rule 12, or file an answer under Rule 8. Rule 12(b)(2 through 5) defenses (insufficient PJ, insufficient venue, insufficient process, insufficient service of process) that are not raised in this initial response (motion or answer) are forever waived.

D1 must answer the complaint either within 21 days of service, or within 60 days if service of process is waived. If a Rule 12 motion is made by D1 and denied, D1's answer must be filed within 14 days from the denial of the motion.

D1's answer of the complaint must address each count of the complaint and either admit, deny, or state insufficient information to say either way, which is treated as a denial. Anything not denied is considered an admission.

D1 has a compulsory counterclaim under Rule 13 regarding the crash. If D1 does not file the counterclaim, it is considered waived. If D1 were to file the counterclaim, they can also file as many unrelated (permissive) counterclaims as they want under Rule 18.

D1 has the option, but is not required, to bring D2 into the P v. D1 case through impleader under Rule 14. D2 has the same option to file a compulsory counterclaim against P, but it too is waived if they do not do so. D2 has the same option to file multiple unrelated counterclaims against P, if they have established a valid counterclaim. D2 can also crossclaim against D1 under Rule 13.

Let's back up the hypo briefly and say that D1 never brought D2 into the P v. D1 case through impleader. D2 could not be brought in under Rule 19 as a necessary party, because SCOTUS has firmly said that joint tortfeasors are not considered necessary parties under Rule 19.

Regarding preclusion, let's say that P v. D1 is resolved on the merits and a final judgment is ruled in D1's favor. Obviously P could not bring the same claim a second time against D1 under claim preclusion, and would be barred by claim preclusion from bringing claims against D1 that arise under the same transaction/occurrence of the original crash. However, P could file a suit against D2 with all of the same allegations and would not be barred by claim preclusion.

Let's say that in the original P v. D1 trial, part of the jury's verdict was that P was negligent in P's operation of the vehicle. P now sues D2. D2 could potentially use nonmutual defensive claim preclusion to avoid having to relitigate the issue of whether P was negligent in P's operation of the vehicle.

I have many other rules questions, but didn't want to bloat this hypo into a small novel, lol.

Thank you!

Any recs for mid-size or big firms in Texas that have a 6 week program for 1Ls? I know most firms have moved towards 10 weeks