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Working During Your 1L Year

3/28/2017

1 Comment

 
Law school is unlike any other post-graduate experience due to the unique amount of reading involved. It takes time to adjust to the sheer quantity of assigned pages; however, these readings are not only lengthy but they'll also challenge you to thoroughly ascertain the correct legal conclusions based on the material.  Nearly all of the assigned reading consists of condensed versions of actual cases in textbooks produced and edited for a particular course, such as criminal law or property.
 
As a first-year law student, covering 50 pages per night for each of your classes will be time consuming as is. On top of that, you will be expected to understand complex legal principles by spotting the issues presented by a case's facts and then determining how and why the judge applied a particular law to those facts.  This is a task that even the best students find a bit challenging at first.
 
A question I am asked often by incoming first-year law students is whether it is okay to work part-time during the school year. This is an understandable question as the costs of a legal education can be daunting. Additionally, many people enter law school having worked in a job that will be relevant to their future careers, so they hope to continue working there. However, it is best not to work during your first year in law school if possible.
 
Being a lawyer is a profession in which people entrust their property (and even their lives) to you.  You want to be more than competent--you want to excel. Working during your first year of law school detracts from your ability to become an expert issue-spotter and a master at applying the law to your future clients' cases.
 
Although some students are able to manage a healthy balance between law school and work, the odds are against you and you would be taking a huge risk with your future career.  While working part-time, you are likely to fall behind in your readings and will no doubt rely on hornbooks, commercial outlines, and other study aids; these materials will help you get by, but they will not teach you how to become a truly great lawyer.
 
You only have one shot at law school and it's a huge investment. Do it right: read the casebooks and develop a mastery of the law.  Wait to resume (or begin) working until your 2L year, or only work during summers if your finances allow.
If you would like to learn more about your rights or believe that you have been discriminated against please visit the Civil Rights Justice Center located at 2150 N. 107th Street in Seattle Washington or visit our website at civilrightsjusticecenter.com
1 Comment
Washington Personal Injury Attorney link
4/6/2023 03:21:02 am

As a former law student, I agree with the author that first-year law students should prioritize their studies over working. The amount of reading and understanding required in law school is unlike any other post-graduate experience, and it takes time to adjust to the workload. Aspiring lawyers should focus on developing their skills in issue-spotting and applying the law to prepare them for their future careers. While it may be tempting to work to offset the costs of education, the risks of falling behind in coursework and missing out on valuable learning opportunities outweigh the benefits of a part-time job.

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