Law Careers

While it may seem a bit early to be thinking about what you will do after law school , often times many potential lawyers don’t know what being a lawyer really means during the application process. A law degree can mean many things besides practicing as an attorney, but if you want to do eventually does not require a law degree you should really ask yourself why you want to go to law school in the first place. Spending 3 years at law school to not be a lawyer is a lot of time, energy, and money that may not be necessary. Here are some traditional paths that a law degree may lead to:

• Law firms (big and small). Some examples of practice areas are: Entertainment & Sports, Corporate, Employment, Appellate, Antitrust, Bankruptcy, Civil Rights, Environmental, Family, and many others. As a summer associate in a big firm you will have an opportunity to work in many different areas whereas a small firm might be more specialized.
• Judicial Clerkships. Usually a year or 2 spent after graduation working for a judge. This is a prestigious and competitive option and while it pays less it gives you invaluable experience that other legal employers will value.
• Other government work. At the state level there are opportunities in the District Attorney and Public Defender’s office as well as other state offices such as the Department of Fair Employment and Housing. At the Federal Level there are opportunities in the Department of Justice such as the US Attorney’s office. Also, a law degree may facilitate a career in public policy (although its not necessary).
• Public Interest Work. This would include pro-bono work and fellowships. Often there are loan forgiveness programs for attorneys who go into public interest.

Any questions about legal careers can be directed to prelaw@usc.edu!

Waitlisted?

First off, a waitlist is NOT a rejection. Many students get in off the waitlist and there has been a recent trend in higher numbers of students being waitlisted (and likewise being pulled from the waitlist). Things to keep in mind if you have been waitlisted:

• Is this a school you really want to go to? If not, don’t waste your time and don’t waste the schools time. If this is a school that you would drop everything else, even if they called you a week into 1L year, to attend, then it’s worth putting in the effort to show continued interest. But if it is not then your spot on the waitlist may take away from another student who would want to go there.
• The nature of the school’s waitlist. Does the school have a preferred waitlist or not? Look at the school’s yield range, if it is lower they will likely pull from their waitlist.
• What you can do to show continued interest. If a school you are waitlisted to is one of your top choices then make sure to follow whatever instructions the school gives you. This likely means a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI). Tell the school what about their school specifically makes you want to recieve a J.D. from there! Now is the time to be as school specific as possible. And if you are having a hard time being school specific then you probably aren’t serious enough about this school anyways. You can send more LOR’s or resume updates but make sure you are giving them something different and/or new than what they already have.
• Stay positive and patient!

If you have any questions feel free to email us at prelaw@usc.edu and make sure to come to our Waitlisted Workshop on April 2nd!

The Law School Decision

When law school decision letters start coming out, getting your first acceptance is very exciting! And if you are lucky enough to get multiple acceptances to schools of interest then you are going to have to narrow it down and make a decision. At the end of the day it may just be that one school feels right to you and that is where you go. But if you haven’t experienced such a feeling here are some factors that you should consider when making a decision:

•Ranking. When applying, it is easy to get caught up in the ranking of schools. While that is a factor that should be considered (after all employers consider it), it is important to note that going to the best ranked school is NOT a great way to decide where you will spend the next 3 years. Instead rankings should be considered in tiers (ie: top 20 versus top 30). That way you can make sure you are looking at comparably prestigious schools without allowing it to consume your decision-making process.

•Cost. Law school is expensive and the cost is just continuing to go up. That means that anything that could possibly make it less expensive should definitely be a factor to be considered. This could be the general cost of tuition for all 3 years, scholarship and aid opportunities, work study programs, and living expenses (ie: rent, groceries, and gas DO NOT the same in all parts of the country).

•Location. This is pretty obvious factor to consider but it is important to keep in mind that you need to think about this not just for where you want to spend 3 years of law school but where you want to live after law school. Think about where you ultimately want to practice law in the long run. While going to law school in New York does not mean you have to work in New York upon graduation, there are certainly going to be more opportunities. If you want to stay in California, maybe a west coast school would be better than an east coast school. That being said there are plenty of people who find jobs in different cities, states, and countries upon graduation.

•Future employment. How many students have employment secured upon graduation? What is the career services office like? How many employers come to On Campus Interviews? Does the school provide a lot of networking opportunities? While future employment prospects may seem so far off and easy to ignore at the time being, this is something that is REALLY important in the grander scheme of things and should be a huge factor in your decision-making process.

•Environment. Would you prefer to be in a small class or a bigger one? Does the school have a more competitive or less competitive reputation and how will this affect how you perform as a student? Remember not only do you want to go to a school but, more importantly, you want to go to school where you will do well. It is better to go to a lesser ranked school and be top of the class than a better ranked school and be near the bottom. You need to consider the environment of the school (talk to students, look at retention rate from 1L to 2L year, etc.) and determine what environment will be best for you and allow you to thrive.

If you have any other questions about deciding what school to go to email us at prelaw@usc.edu!