Check out this week’s best!

Darkness

What friends and family generally tell law students after a year or two in law school. pic.twitter.com/wguaikqaUL

— florin hilbay (@fthilbay) August 7, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out this week’s best!

Good GOT Comparison

Them: “How were you able to survive law school?”
Me: pic.twitter.com/4nLE3KC750

— Your Lawyer Says (@YourLawyerSays) August 3, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Blanking?

bar exam: when does the security interest attach?
me: the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell,

— Legally Hog (@squierzz) July 23, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

In 2014, Law Street Media released its first set of law school rankings, in response to the changing legal education industry. Law Street Specialty Rankings are a detailed resource for prospective law students as they consider the many law schools across the country. You’ll notice some differences this year, as we return to the categories we first ranked in 2014. This year, we’ve changed the way we do our methodology slightly, to reflect feedback from our readers and the law school community. We’ve also redesigned our look, to make it easier to navigate and compare various schools. But as always, Law Street Specialty Rankings are built to blend the quantitative and qualitative in a way that accurately highlights the top law schools based on specialty programs.

This year’s law school specialty rankings were compiled by Anneliese Mahoney, Alexis Evans, Celia Heudebourg, Gabe Fernandez, James Levinson, Josh Schmidt, and Marcus Dieterle.

1. New York University School of Law: 99 Points

Jobs: 19/20

Job prospects for students at NYU are some of the best in the country. There are also great opportunities for students to gain vital career experience–for example, NYU Law is home to a Business Law Transactions Clinic.

Classes: 25/25

NYU offers a wide selection of courses for students interested in business law. The curriculum draws from the campus’s location near New York City’s financial district to incorporate real-world opportunities. Students can also take relevant courses at the prestigious Stern School of Business.

Networking: 15/15

In addition to business law symposia, NYU has held events on topics like class action litigation and international business law. NYU also utilizes social media to help keep its alumni in touch after graduation.

Extracurriculars: 15/15

 NYU Law offers several great extracurriculars for students interested in pursuing a career in business law. The school has the Law and Business Association and Journal of Law and Business. Students can also participate in various moot court competitions.

Location: 15/15

It’s no surprise that NYU Law, located in the world’s preeminent financial hub, received a perfect score for its location.

Other Rankings: 10/10

New York University’s Law School got the highest possible score in this metric because of its frequent appearances on other business law rankings.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Top 10 Law Schools for Business Law appeared first on Law Street.

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It’s That Time of Year

Bar review got me like… #barprep #barreview #ownthebar #isitover pic.twitter.com/IimRBEIfk8

— Angela (@ang_kuhlee) June 29, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out the best legal tweets from this week!

Good Advice

In law school, you have to embrace the thought that “Reading is life.”@YourLawyerSays

— LeunammeGayle (@Lyooname) June 22, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Sponsored Content

Millennials were teenagers or young adults when the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression hit, and our lives since have been marked by it. The crisis has been blamed, whether correctly or incorrectly, for everything from our growing student loan debt to our refusal or inability to buy houses. As a result, there’s long been a sense of “never again.” Millennials in particular have expressed a desire for corporate responsibility and to work for ethical companies.

And the American pushback against the 2008 financial crisis has led to an increase in regulations that financial institutions are held to. As a result, there’s been an increased need for compliance officers. It’s one of the fastest-growing fields within financial services, and Boston University School of Law recently launched a Certificate in Financial Services Compliance program to help you get started. The certificate program is housed in the School of Law’s Graduate Program in Banking & Financial Law, the oldest banking LL.M program in the country. Read on to learn more about the need for financial compliance officers and how BU Law could set you up for a rewarding, compelling, and fulfilling career in the field.

Financial Compliance Officers Wanted

Financial compliance officers essentially make sure that the institutions they work for play by the rules, and they’re currently in high demand. It was estimated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics that between 2008-2018 the total number of compliance officers will increase by 31 percent–a notable jump from 260,000 to 341,000. They’re employed by financial services institutions, corporations, and consulting firms. Many companies created new positions and allocated new budgets to account for this increased need. While demand has slowed down somewhat from the initial rush after the financial crisis and subsequent passage of increased regulations, it’s still a field that’s poised to see steady growth for the next few years.

So where do all these new financial compliance officers come from? Lawyers, especially those who have backgrounds that involve experience with regulatory mechanisms like the Dodd-Frank Act, are desirable. And so are other players in the financial sector, especially when they are able to gain that knowledge of regulations, and learn how to guide their institutions in their compliance with them.

It’s Complicated: The Dodd-Frank Act

One of the reasons that financial compliance officers are in such high demand is because of the rise in regulations after the financial crisis. In the 1980s there was a trend of deregulation on the part of the U.S. government when it came to financial institutions. In 2007 and 2008, when the financial crisis began, that deregulation was blamed by some.

So, when the question of “how do we make sure this never happens again” was raised, stronger financial regulations quickly materialized as one of the answers. In 2010 the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act–best known as just the “Dodd-Frank Act”–was passed and signed into law by President Barack Obama. The act massively changed the face of financial regulations in the United States, including attempting to prevent banks from growing so large that they’re deemed “too big to fail.” New regulations wrapped into Dodd-Frank mandated things like how much money certain kinds of banks need to keep in reserve and subjected many of them to stress tests to ensure they could survive another crisis. It created a whole host of new agencies to oversee financial institutions, and reformed many parts of the financial system as a whole.

Put simply: Dodd-Frank created a lot of new rules and tests for banks and financial institutions. According to Thompson Reuters, at one point in 2013, 110 regulatory changes happened each day. Financial compliance officers are tasked with keeping on top of these constant changes, and they need to be up to the task. As James Scott, director of BU Law’s Graduate Program in Banking & Financial Law points out:

Perhaps more important than the growth in the number of compliance personnel required in the area of financial services is the greater demand for professionalism. The scope of substantive knowledge required, as well as the increased breadth of risk management, monitoring and testing, policy drafting and implementation and training of business personnel has resulted in a dramatic rise in the professional stature of financial institution compliance officers.

Why is BU Law the Right Place to Study Financial Services Compliance?

BU Law recently announced a new certificate in financial services compliance; the program will begin with its inaugural class in Fall 2017. Here are some of the benefits:

A World Class Faculty and Program 

BU Law is home to the only financial services LL.M program in the United States that has its own faculty and curriculum. The new certificate is housed within that program. The faculty includes James E. Scott, who has had a long and impressive career working in banking and regulatory law. Scott is the Director of the Banking and Finance Law Program.

Online and Part Time 

The 12-credit program is part time and the classes are partially or completely online, so you don’t have to be in Boston to take advantage of the opportunity. There’s flexibility in the program too–students can complete it in two or four semesters, depending on their schedules. And the classes are offered asynchronously, meaning that a student can complete course work like lectures and assignments according to their own schedules. All of this makes it ideal for a working adult–someone who has a background in law, in financial services, or in a related field–to add to their resume while continuing their career.

Conclusion

Financial compliance officers are in high demand. It’s also a rewarding and challenging job–its growth was spurred on by the financial crisis of 2008 but continues to be a needed role in many companies. Getting a certificate in financial services compliance could be the next step you need to get started–and BU Law offers the perfect fit for someone with a law degree or related experience in the financial services field. Get more information here:

Resources

Primary

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections: 2008-18 News Release

U.S. House of Representatives: Dodd-Frank Act

BU Law: BU Law Launches Certificate in Financial Services Compliance 

Additional

NPR: Corporate Ethics In The Era Of Millennials

Financial Times: The age of the compliance officer arrives

New York Times: Reagan Did It

CNBC: Dodd-Frank Act: CNBC Explains

Quartz/Thomson Reuters: How the rise of modern regulation is changing the finance industry

Boston University School of Law

Boston University School of Law is a top-tier law school with a faculty recognized nationally for exceptional teaching and preeminent scholarship. At BU Law, you can explore virtually any area of the law in 200+ classes and seminars, 21 clinics, externships, and practicums, 21 foreign study opportunities, and 17 dual degrees. You’ll also be part of a supportive, collegial law school community while experiencing the professional, social, and cultural opportunities that the city of Boston has to offer. Boston University School of Law is a partner of Law Street Creative. The opinions expressed in this author’s articles do not necessarily reflect the views of Law Street.

The post Is a Certificate in Financial Services Compliance the Next Step for You? appeared first on Law Street.

Which legal tweets made the cut this week? Check out the best here:

A Deep Hole

Me falling down a hearsay rabbit hole. I don’t know what I’m doing with life. How did I ever pass a bar exam? pic.twitter.com/n9Rz1bhqVC

— KC. (@legallyKjo) May 30, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

When people ask me what I do for a living, I usually give the simple response: “I’m a lawyer.” Which usually ends the conversation. But sometimes people will ask, “what kind of law?” My response: “marijuana.” This is when people suddenly perk up, “so what do you actually do?” No, it doesn’t mean that I smoke a joint while drafting documents. And while that sounds like fun, THC and asset purchase agreements don’t play well together.

The answer varies for each marijuana lawyer as there are several different types. But all marijuana lawyers share one thing in common–we represent marijuana businesses for a living. And that means their problems become our problems. From banking, to dealing with 280E (which is the section of the federal tax code that prevents marijuana businesses from deducting certain expenses from their income–resulting in far higher tax bills than non-marijuana businesses), to residency requirements for ownership, to the inability to access federal bankruptcy courts, there are major difficulties that marijuana businesses face. And while the underlying legal work that a marijuana lawyer does might be very similar to that done by a non-marijuana lawyer, these unique challenges often define our jobs.

Marijuana lawyers these days tend to come in two varieties: old school types who often have strong criminal law or activist backgrounds and newer arrivals who frequently come from more corporate backgrounds. I’m very much of the latter variety, having spent the six years prior to joining the marijuana industry working at large firms in New York, but I work for a law firm founded and run by lawyers with impeccable activist credentials (if you have ever benefitted from legalized marijuana you owe them a debt of gratitude–they helped write and pass Amendment 64 in Colorado, which created the first legal and regulated recreational marijuana market in the world).

I specialize in corporate and securities law, which is to say that I help marijuana businesses and investors raise capital, buy and sell assets and businesses, navigate the patchwork of ownership requirements across the US, and generally assist with any business law issue that arises. A lot of what I do is almost identical to the work of a startup lawyer in Silicon Valley–drafting contracts and negotiating deals is very similar across industries. But there are key differences. In my previous life, it was extraordinary rare for a client to lose a bank account, or have trouble opening one, and now this is a daily occurrence. And that’s just one of many unique challenges that marijuana businesses and their lawyers face.

But no matter how transactional your focus, being a marijuana lawyer necessarily implies some level of political engagement. Our clients’ businesses are subject to heavy regulation (in addition to currently being federally illegal) and that means marijuana lawyers must both stay on top of the ever-changing regulations governing our clients and continue being activists for our industry. Following cannabis news is effectively a second job for a dedicated marijuana lawyer and my colleagues and I all have a long list of podcasts, daily and weekly newsletters, and websites that we attempt to follow regularly.

Like any other lawyer focused on an industry, we need also to learn the underlying business. In this way marijuana lawyers are far more like oil and gas lawyers than, say, employee benefits or tax lawyers (examples of legal specialties where lawyers are generally agnostic as to the underlying industry–a stock incentive plan can pretty much be the same for a software, machine tools, or widgets company). Unfortunately, this means more than burning one down after work. It means being able to talk intelligently to a grower, extractor, or dispensary manager about their job and it also means keeping up to date on the latest industry trends and news. Good marijuana lawyers understand not only the laws that impact the industry, but also how marijuana is grown, how it is sold, who buys it, and what keep marijuana business owners up at night.

This is the first of a series of articles I’ll be writing for Cannabis in America alongside my colleague Kelly Rosenberg. Together we will explore the frontlines of marijuana law and policy, business, and the day to day challenges and rewards of representing cannabis businesses.

Charlie Alovisetti

Charles Alovisetti is a senior associate and co-chair of the corporate department at Vicente Sederberg LLC. Prior to joining Vicente Sederberg, Charlie worked as an associate in the New York offices of Latham & Watkins and Goodwin where he focused on representing private equity sponsors and their portfolio companies, as well as public companies, in a range of corporate transactions, including mergers, stock and asset acquisitions and divestitures, growth equity investments, venture capital investments, and debt financings. He is a graduate of McGill University and Columbia Law School. Charlie is admitted to practice in Colorado and New York.

The post What is a Marijuana Lawyer? appeared first on Law Street.

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That is the Question

If Shakespeare was a law student during final exams:
To sleep or not to sleep? @YourLawyerSays

— Bong Pagara (@BongofZamboanga) April 20, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out this week’s picks!

Whoops

*drives to library to take a practice LSAT*
*forgets LSAT book*

Goodbye pic.twitter.com/mR5JlDwMso

— Ashley Courtney (@ashcourtalways) April 12, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out this week’s best tweets!

Rough

Finals coming at me like….. #lawschoolproblems #1L #2L #3L #lawstudent #finals pic.twitter.com/imhRVTfjdM

— I’m Dead Inside (@LawlzSchool) April 3, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Same

I love when college kids are like “I’m gonna graduate, go to law school, get married, and then buy a house by 25.” Like lol okay good luck.

— Catie Warren (@catie__warren) March 30, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out this week’s best legal tweets!

Congrats!

Wow left work on time every night this week, must be a new personal record #lawyerlife #friyay

— Christina Olliver (@C_L_Olliver) March 24, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out this week’s best tweets from the legal sphere!

Oh no!

When you start the day with a client in custody and a wardrobe malfunction you know it’s going to be an interesting one. #lawyerlife

— Maria K. Powell (@mapleandspice) March 10, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Gay Veteran Group Banned From Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade

A group for gay veterans that has walked in Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day parade for the past two years has been prohibited from participating this year by the organizers. The group, called OutVets, said it was banned from the parade because members were planning to carry a rainbow banner. An attorney who fought against the group’s participation said, “the symbols and activities associated with that community do not belong in the parade.”

The South Boston Allied War Veterans Council, which organizes the parade, faced immediate backlash and the mayor of Boston, Marty Walsh, said he would not walk in the parade unless OutVets were allowed back in. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker also said he wouldn’t participate, and several companies said they would drop their sponsorships. Last night, the organizers announced that they are holding an emergency meeting today to discuss the matter.

So they can die for you but not march with you on St Patrick’s Day? These people sound wonderful.https://t.co/WdybZdY6B7

— Christian Siriano (@CSiriano) March 9, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: March 10, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

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Well, it’s 5 Somewhere

Sign of my day: I wondered out loud, perhaps with expletives, whether 9am was too early to start drinking. #lawyerlife #lawyerlifesuuuucks

— Steph Williams (@steffers13) March 2, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out this week’s best!

Creative Metaphors

The LSAT is like eating an oatmeal raisin cookie or chugging a bottle of vodka thinking its water or making out in a Taco Bell parking lot

— Shannan M. Brown (@ShaN___B) February 25, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out the best legal tweets of this week!

What’s That?

Prof to class: “Do yall even know what a typewriter IS?” #notthatyoung #lawschoolproblems

— Katie Grosskopf (@KatieGrosskopf) February 15, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out the best legal tweets of the week:

Modern Struggles

People online talking about the First Amendment and I’m here trying not to WELL ACTUALLY every darn comment. #lawyerproblems pic.twitter.com/j5UWVuiCQ8

— k. (@karlyn_darlin) February 3, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

After a busy Inauguration Day, what is everyone talking about on legal Twitter? Check out the best legal tweets of the week:

Damn Straight

You can’t make this stuff up #lawyerlife #ThursdayThoughts pic.twitter.com/PCWprJz3R2

— WineEsquire (@WineEsquire) January 19, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Good Advertising

I just slipped and fell upon this sign #lawyerlife #lawyer #accidentshappen #accident #signs #funnysigns pic.twitter.com/1V6KMpcQGA

— SignYourName (@signyournamenet) January 12, 2017

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

I Don’t See a Problem

Googled “February 2017 LSAT date” and for some reason this image was the top hit: https://t.co/Q08hfklfIb

— Adam (@adamremsen) December 22, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out Law Street’s hand selected picks for the best legal tweets of the week!

Rough End to the Semester

Four exams and a major paper due this semester… beggining to think #3LOL was a lie–it’s more like #3WTF. #lawschool #lawschoolproblems

— Daniel Brookins (@daniel_brookins) December 2, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving, but tomorrow is back to the grind. Check out the best legal tweets of the week to laugh your way there.

This Week’s Meme Entry

me: “damn, I really should work harder if i wanna get into law school”

me to me: “who needs a degree when u schoolin’ life” pic.twitter.com/1ik4S5KSFu

— petty pablo (@guayabapapi) November 21, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out the top legal tweets of the week. Click through below:

Good Advice

Problems in ur personal life? Want to get rid of ’em?

Enrol into ur nearest law school & erase all ur problems bcs you’ll have no life.

— Mitali (@mitaliminigupta) November 10, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Spelling Doesn’t Have to be a Strong Suit

Honestly, if the #BarExam was a spelling test I would be forced to pick a different profession. @LNLawSchool #lawschool

— David O’Hair (@davidohair) October 28, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out the best of the week from Law Street Media:

Oh, Autocorrect

Is it a bad omen if my phone just autocorrected “I get my bar results Friday” to “I get my bad results Friday”? #barexam #badomen

— Nathan Westover (@nate_westy) October 11, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Another mall shooting took place on Monday morning, this time in Houston, Texas. Nine people were wounded before police took the suspect down. Police officers initially responded to a 911 call at 6:30 a.m. after reports of a shooting victim close to a strip mall, but realized that the shooter was still active when they got there.

Officers soon tracked down and killed the gunman, who was firing shots at moving traffic from the parking lot of the mall. The nine wounded people, one in critical condition, initially believed to be six, were inside their own vehicles when they were injured. Police did not release the suspect’s identity, but did say that he is a lawyer, and “there were issues concerning his law firm.”

Active shooter at Weslayan & Bissonnet has been shot by our officers; no reports of other suspects at this time #hounews

— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) September 26, 2016

One witness, Eduardo Andrade, said he heard an explosion when he was driving by the scene of the attack:

As I was driving by Law Street I suddenly heard a big explosion. I covered myself, accelerated and tried to get out of there. I did not know if someone was following me or trying to shoot me.

It is unclear whether this had anything to do with terrorism. According to authorities, they were investigating the suspect’s car for possible bombs.

Houston gunman injures six at US mall before being shot https://t.co/aubyR3pVbM

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) September 26, 2016

The shooting in Houston comes only three days after a shooting at a mall in Burlington, Washington, which left five people dead. Police arrested that shooter, Arcan Cetin, who was reportedly found unarmed in a zombie-like state after a daylong search on Saturday evening. Cetin had a history of domestic abuse against his stepfather. His ex-girlfriend used to work at the store in which he opened fire. A judge had previously ordered him to not possess a firearm.

Cetin is expected to appear in court on Monday to be formally charged with five counts of first-degree murder. Authorities first described Cetin as being Hispanic, but later changed that to Turkish. No details have been released about the Houston shooter’s ethnicity.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Lawyer Wounds 9 in Houston Parking Lot Before Being Killed by Police appeared first on Law Street.

Check out the best legal tweets of the week in the slideshow below:

Rough

When you’re only halfway through a transcript and your highlighter runs out… #lawyerproblems

— Alison (Cobra) Craig (@lawandchocolate) September 6, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Fair Reaction

Me: I can’t wait for law school
**Starts receiving emails about applying**
Me: https://t.co/ovD42QuZUo

— lj (@hoiihansen) September 1, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Happy weekend, Law Street readers. Check out the best legal tweets of the week below:

Growing Up

Learning that law school is the best excuse for getting out of social situations since “my mom said no!” #1L

— Sarah Jones (@sarahejones_) August 22, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Twitter, as always, is full of the musings of law school students, lawyers, and legal minds. Check out the best legal tweets of the week in the slideshow below:

Productive Sleeping

Studying criminal law, day 5:I still have nightmares about murders and abduction, but I can already classify them asleep.#lawschoolproblems

— Barbora Obračajová (@Baru_Obracajova) May 26, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

listen buddy if you want to throw away $200K just go to law school like a normal person https://t.co/hHOLQQvtp5

— actioncookbook (@actioncookbook) May 10, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

At an event hosted by the New York City Bar last week, around a dozen attorneys and interested professionals gathered at 42 West 44th Street in New York to talk about something not a lot of people in today’s society like to acknowledge: stress in the legal profession.

The workshop–titled Resilience for Lawyers: Practical Skills to Decrease Stress and Avoid Burnout–was run specifically by the Mindfulness in Law program, a group that meets monthly at the New York City Bar to discuss using meditative practices in the legal profession. The group is headed by Robert Chender, an attorney who started the program several years ago with the goal of seeing how mindfulness practices could potentially help lawyers. Law Street’s Social Media Marketing Assistant, Fatima Sarassoro, covered the event and had some interesting information to share about exactly why lawyers are so stressed and how they can better deal with that stress. After a conversation with her, a phone interview with Robert Chender, and an email exchange with Bjorn Sorenson–a presenter at the event–it became clear that there are important steps attorneys can take in their everyday life to de-stress and become more productive.

Stress is a funny thing; no two people experience it the same way. What might be stressful for one person, could be a normal daily occurrence for another. In addition, people cope with stressors differently depending on which coping mechanisms work best for them. One thing we do know about stress is that pretty much everyone experiences it. The workplace and money are some of the highest stress causing factors in America today. According to an annual stress survey done by the American Psychological Association, “Many adults say that money (37 percent) and work (31 percent) are a very significant source of stress in their life,” with only 13 percent of adults claiming that money is not at all a significant source of stress and only 12 percent claiming the same about work. In the field of law, specifically, people cite burnout as more common than in other fields because of pessimistic work environments and large amounts of debt from law school. The American Bar Association acknowledges that stress in the legal profession is well-documented, “Lawyers often have demanding schedules and heavy workloads, which may contribute to increased stress levels.”

In addition, part of the reason lawyers experience more stress than people in other professions is because of the high level of emotional involvement involved in their jobs. The practice of law attracts people who are very passionate, which then leads them to experience heightened emotions, like stress and anger, in response to their jobs–more so than many other professions.

According to Bjorn Sorenson–a consultant to mission-driven leaders, entrepreneurs, and businesses who gave a presentation at the event–law is a stressful profession, which then leads to a lot of stressed out lawyers not taking care of themselves and burning out early. At the event, he explained that life is on a spectrum; people fluctuate on that spectrum from stages of suffering and stress to stages of resiliency, sustainability, and flourishing throughout their life.

Because lawyers are taught in law school that they have to “think like a lawyer,” they have the skills to think analytically but not necessarily the skills to deal with the issues and stress that come along with that type of thinking. In addition to that law mentality, Robert Chender noted in a phone interview about mindfulness in law that,

Legal practitioners tend to be subject to certain qualities of mind that are more pronounced in lawyers than in other fields. For example, lawyers tend to be more pessimistic and lawyers tend to be more perfectionistic, which are adaptable or adaptive qualities at work but not so adaptive outside of work.

What’s the main stressor that comes from law? An inability for lawyers to focus, according to Sorenson. Apparently “47 percent of people are unhappy because they’re focusing on things other than what they are supposed to be focusing on.” Sorenson’s presentation explained how, even though in today’s day and age everyone assumes multitasking is the norm, our brains are actually incapable of multitasking. Instead, when people try to multitask they end up trying to do multiple things at once but doing neither one effectively. Trying to multitask leads to a lack of focus and productivity–perpetuating the problem. While this lack of focus is a challenge in all fields, it is especially prevalent among lawyers because of heavy workloads and heightened emotional responses to their work.

The question that comes from this is whether or not there is a place for awareness techniques like mindfulness to modulate the tendency toward negativity among lawyers. If stress is so prevalent, how can lawyers work to cope with the stress they face so they can be as effective in their careers and lives as possible? That’s exactly the question Sorenson hoped to answer when he spoke at the Resilience for Lawyers workshop.

At the root of the problem, Sorenson claims, it is imperative for the health of legal professionals that they sit back and realize one simple thing: before you are a lawyer you are a human being. As a human being, you have the power to control your own thoughts and reactions to situations. Unfortunately, Sorenson says, negative emotions are more contagious than positive ones.  Sorenson notes that to get out of this negative rut, people have to choose to be positive, both with themselves and with others. While choosing to be positive can be difficult, there are some tips and tricks to use every day to keep a positive attitude in potentially negative situations.

One of the methods Sorenson talked about in detail is the SPA method–Situation, Posture, and Attitude. Before diving into the inevitably negative grumbling when something doesn’t go right, it is important to analyze the situation you’re in. After you assess what exactly the situation is, take a second to breathe and adjust your posture. Then you can decide exactly what attitude you are going to choose to have when it comes to dealing with your situation. Taking a moment to breathe, assess your situation and readjust your posture and attitude can be instrumental in maintaining a happy work environment and perpetuating a positive stress-free lifestyle.

The good news about these techniques is that they are applicable in all fields. When asked in an email interview how flexible these strategies are in other jobs, Sorenson said,

All of the techniques discussed in my workshop are applicable in other fields and other areas of life. In fact, my primary approach to these workshops is to share human skills, not legal skills. Resilience, emotional intelligence, social connection, a meaningful life…these are not the exclusive domain of lawyers.

In a phone interview, Robert Chender explained how he teaches mindfulness techniques to all kinds of businesses and investment professionals. In light of all this information, what is the main takeaway from the Resilience for Lawyers presentation?

Fatima, my fellow Law Streeter who covered the event, says she walked away from the hour and a half presentation with a better understanding of exactly how stressful law and the workplace can be. There seems to be a lack of comprehension among most people about just how energy-draining a lack of focus can be every day.

Sorenson commented in the interview that the main take away from this presentation should be:

We have the power to make our lives better. In-between every stressful emotional trigger in our lives and our habitual reactions, we can insert a space for our values-driven appropriate response. We have tremendous agency in our lives—even if we can’t always control the circumstances, we can control our attitude toward those circumstances.

Finally, Chender finished off our phone interview by putting the main point of the event pretty succinctly:

If there’s only one thing you can come out of this event remembering it should be that you can actually take a breath before you react to a situation that’s emotionally fraught. You don’t have to follow your habit or follow you impulse, but you can actually take a breath, stop, and then decide what you want to do not because of how you feel, but, perhaps, even in spite of how you feel.

When it comes to any job, especially being a lawyer, you have to help yourself before you can begin to help other people. So, remember to take a break, step back from stressful situations, and choose to tackle them head on with positivity to make your life as efficient and positive as possible.

Editor’s Note: This post has been updated to correct the spelling of one presenter’s name. 

Alexandra Simone

Alex Simone is an Editorial Senior Fellow at Law Street and a student at The George Washington University, studying Political Science. She is passionate about law and government, but also enjoys the finer things in life like watching crime dramas and enjoying a nice DC brunch. Contact Alex at ASimone@LawStreetmedia.com

The post Why Lawyers are so Stressed Out and How to Prevent it appeared first on Law Street.

Happy Friday, everyone. Grab a cup of coffee, kick back, and relax with the best legal tweets of the week.

Happy April Fools

At Lawprofblawg #Lawschool, we have a strict no #AprilFools joke policy. We feel you paying our exorbitant tuition was sufficient.

— lawprofblawg (@lawprofblawg) April 1, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Happy Friday, Law Street readers! Check out a collection of the best legal tweets of the week below.

Musical Thoughts

It’s the remix to ignition/ law school student edition/ I eat pop tarts for dinner/ I can’t afford my tuition

— Justlawschoolthings (@lawschooltexts) January 23, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Most people don’t really like jury duty. Turns out that Senator Claire McCaskill, a Democrat from Missouri, is not most people. The senior U.S. Senator from Missouri and lawyer took to Twitter today to live tweet her jury duty experiences, and proclaimed that serving on a jury is on her “bucket list.”

McCaskill’s Twitter feed included tips for potential jurors, including seat choice, lunch recommendations, and fashion advice:

As usual Callow has succinct advice. “@publiceyestl Sit near an outlet.” Check. pic.twitter.com/QnfertUqZZ

— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) January 25, 2016

I recommend dark casual slacks and gray cardigan. #whatimwearinghttps://t.co/6cZEOvQrCv

— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) January 25, 2016

I brought some salad and hard boiled eggs from home. #preparedhttps://t.co/8AxnEkMCfK

— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) January 25, 2016

McCaskill also shared an amusing series of tweets about the control of the TV in the waiting area for the jurors:

This is gonna get https://t.co/AGxJhnqDyc in the room where we’re waiting.Someone for the remote. Now what channel? #pleasegodnotfoxnews

— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) January 25, 2016

Are you crazy? No way I want the remote. I work for these people… https://t.co/3j8X28gLbV — Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) January 25, 2016

Remote person settled on Comedy Central. Not bad, kinda safe choice. But noticed one woman grimacing over off color jokes. #juryroomdrama — Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) January 25, 2016

Eventually, McCaskill did get called into the back for a voir dire–essentially both sides questioning her to determine if she’ll be on the jury–but it’s unclear whether or not she’ll actually make it on to the jury itself. Given that she’s a lawyer in addition to being a U.S. Senator, it’s unlikely.   

A lawyer I know just walked by me in hallway, did double take, said hello and “they don’t want lawyers”

— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) January 25, 2016

After receiving her JD from the University of Missouri, McCaskill worked as a prosecutor in Kansas City, as well as in private practice, and she clerked for a judge on the Missouri Court of Appeals. Lawyers often exclude those with legal backgrounds for their juries however, due to perceived biases that could sway the juror’s view of the case, whether consciously or not, or that other jurors could defer to them because of their legal background.

We’ll have to stay tuned to McCaskill’s Twitter feed to see if she ended up being selected, but either way, she found a fun way to pass the time while she waited.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Senator Claire McCaskill Live Tweets Jury Duty appeared first on Law Street.

Check out the best legal tweets of the week in the slideshow below:

Good Literature

Battling my way through an “article” which is longer than Of Mice and Men #LawStudentProblems

— Marco Ubaldi (@Marcoubaldi19) January 4, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

It’s finals time for many law school students, but that hasn’t stopped the flow of fantastic legal tweets. Check out the best of the week in the slideshow below:

100% Justified

I only came to law school to learn how to sue club promoters who don’t put unsubscribe links in their weekly party promotion emails

— the other one (@imfromraleigh) December 9, 2015

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Let’s take a moment to reflect, shall we? But PLEASE, let’s not discuss Trump’s most recent gaffe or ISIS’s newest target. Throw away those gosh darn Thanksgiving leftovers you keep “saving” but will find covered in mold at the back of the fridge next week, and actually give thanks for the non-edible items in your life.

When’s the last time you showed gratitude for your education, job, or physical abilities? And when’s the last time you complained about one of the above? Thought so.

So, keep this next story in mind for the next time you unload the complaint wagon on a friend or co-worker.

I first came across the story of Haben Girma after she was featured on Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls Facebook page. (Yes, it’s the organization founded by that Amy Poehler). Haben Girma is Harvard Law’s first deaf-blind graduate. Now, Girma works as a public service lawyer, fighting for the rights of people with disabilities.

The White House has recognized Girma as a Champion of Change, and in July of 2015, she delivered introductory remarks for the 25^th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. She spoke directly with President Obama, using a digital device that displays Braille characters.

Girma’s Etrirean refugee parents, tenacious spirit, and access to opportunities afforded by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) have all contributed to her success. She is no stranger to adversity, having grown up facing access barriers as a deaf-blind person. What was the best way for other students and friends to communicate with her? How could she form personal relationships? How the heck could she have access to her school’s cafeteria menu?

She addresses all of these points in her celebrated Ted Talk from TedxBaltimore 2014 (which has garnered over 180,000 views on Youtube).

So, what does a Harvard educated public service lawyer and bonafide hero do for fun? Salsa dance and surf, of course. Girma was taught swing and salsa by a blind dancer, and was a member of the Harvard Ballroom Dance Team. She also enjoys tandem surfing, as seen in this video.

Whether you’re thankful for a job, family member, or just grateful that it’s not snowing yet, take some inspiration from Haben Girma and reflect on the positive things in your life.

Corinne Fitamant

Corinne Fitamant is a graduate of Fordham College at Lincoln Center where she received a Bachelors degree in Communications and a minor in Theatre Arts. When she isn’t pondering issues of social justice and/or celebrity culture, she can be found playing the guitar and eating chocolate. Contact Corinne at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post No Complaints Here: Deaf-Blind Champ Haben Girma Graduates from Harvard Law appeared first on Law Street.

There’re a lot of pointless and strange national “holidays.” For example, March 30 is National Pencil Day. June 17th is National Flip Flop Day. My birthday, August 23rd, also happens to be National Sponge Cake Day. Pretty much every day is National _____ Day–and today just so happens to be “Love Your Lawyer Day.”

Today has officially been designated “Love your Lawyer Day” by the American Bar Association. In a resolution passed last month, the ABA stated that today:

Lawyers throughout the nation are urged to celebrate ‘Love Your Lawyer Day’ to help promote a positive and more respected image of lawyers and their contributions to society.

The inception of Love your Lawyer Day is credited to the Fort Lauderdale-based American Lawyers Public Image Association, specifically an attorney named Nader Anise. He said he hopes that lawyers celebrate it by taking on pro bono work or donating to charities, and the general public can celebrate it with a moratorium on making fun of lawyers for the day. After all, only 21 percent of the general public thinks that lawyers are ethical; although to be fair, that’s the highest public opinion has been in two decades.

On Twitter, #LoveYourLawyer started trending, with a wide variety of reactions. Some are thankful about the day and others think it’s silly. Brian Tannebaum, a well-known criminal defense attorney and author told The Wall Street Journal:

I think it’s ridiculous. I haven’t seen ‘Love Your Doctor Day’ or ‘Love Your Accountant Day.’ It’s making lawyers what they already are: an open target for criticism.

Others thought it was nice, taking to Twitter to celebrate with the hashtag #LoveYourLawyer:

It’s #LoveYourLawyer Day! Call your lawyer and say how much you appreciate them! Unless they bill by the hour, then just send good thoughts.

— Attorneys Online (@AttorneysOnline) November 6, 2015

Today is #LoveYourLawyer day. Unfortunately, our professional code of conduct really prohibits loving your lawyer. High five, instead? — Melissa Carleton (@MCarletonOhio) November 6, 2015

It’s #loveyourlawyer day and #nationalnachoday. Please feel free to show me your love through nachos. — Catarina Gonzales (@thecatarina) November 6, 2015

So, happy Love Your Lawyer Day. Make sure to pass some adoration around to all the lawyers in your life.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Happy #LoveYourLawyer Day appeared first on Law Street.

Law school, LSATs, and the daily grind–check out the top legal tweets of the week below.

A Baseball Fan

Stuck in court making constitutional arguments during the #BlueJays game. Isn’t that unconstitutional? #lawyerproblems

— Alison Craig (@lawandchocolate) October 21, 2015

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

It’s been another long week for all you prospective law students, law students, and lawyers out there. So sit back, unwind, and check out some of the funniest tweets from your peers this week:

Rough Week

Nothing says “Happy Friday!” like being at the library at 8am. #lawschool

— Jordan Meehan (@JordanMeehan) October 9, 2015

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

It’s one of the most wonderful times of the year–the October LSAT is upon us. Click through the slideshow below to check out the best legal tweets of the week–LSAT and non-LSAT themed alike.

Priorities

Yeah I know the LSAT is in 4 days, but I just got invited to a Harry Potter function & only have have SIX WEEKS to come up with a costume!

— Darcy (@darcwhale) September 29, 2015

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

ICYMI, check out the best of the week from Law Street, including Campus Crime rankings, celebs with JDs, and the latest controversy with Harper Lee’s new novel.

#1 Campus Crime 2015: Top 10 Highest Reported Crime Rates For Mid-Sized Colleges

Student safety is a high priority for all colleges and universities. While colleges and universities are typically safer than the areas that surround them, many schools face important and unique challenges. Law Street’s Campus Crime Rankings were created to serve as a comprehensive look at the safety of our college campuses, and to act as a resource for students, families, and college communities. Read full article here.

#2 Seven Celebrities You Didn’t Know Had Law Degrees

While law degrees are usually associated with stern, hardworking, white-collar professionals, there are other J.D. holding candidates who portray a different image. In fact many of us look up to these people without even knowing it, as they resemble some of today’s hottest celebrities and athletes. Read full article here.

#3 Atticus Finch Was Always Racist

This week, the white fiction world has been up in arms about Harper Lee’s portrayal of fictional, white lawyer Atticus Finch as explicitly racist in her long-awaited second book, “Go Set a Watchman.” Read full article here.

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post ICYMI: Best of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out the best of the week from lawyers and law students on Twitter in the slideshow below.

Whistle When Angry

My judge once told me to whistle when angry at work. Feel like a dwarf following Snow White today after so much whistling. #lawyering

— Ryan Ashley (@Ripe_Ryan) June 15, 2015

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

In the current economic climate, it is incredibly hard for young people to get proper experience in their desired fields. For law students, there are little-to-no options when it comes to receiving training and being mentored by professionals in their chosen specialties. On the other end of the spectrum, many Americans cannot afford costly legal services for even basic civil court proceedings. In an effort to innovate and grow their programs, law schools across the country are attacking both these problems by running legal incubators to better train law students and provide low-cost services to low-income Americans.

Incubators: Training Law Students

The Incubator for Justice, created at the City University of New York, has been successful in preparing recent graduates to enter the work force. Over 40 law schools throughout the United States have now begun offering select students the opportunity to participate in one of these prestigious programs, including major schools such as Rutgers School of Law, the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law, and the James E. Rogers College of Law at the University of Arizona. Schools create incubators usually by implementing small law firms on their campuses or in nearby cities in which the students take on a large amount of cases for very little pay.

Most other professions offer graduates a chance to hone their skills under the guidance of experienced professionals. Medical students do internships and residencies, and dentists participate in a similar training program, as do most workers of the medical field. These incubator programs give new lawyers the chance to work under and be led by experienced lawyers and retired judges in certain programs. These programs provide recent law school graduates with many of the tools they need to join a prominent law firm upon completion, continue working toward a legal aid career, or possibly begin their own firm in the future.

Law students often are able to participate in clinics and externships offered through their schools, but this is still not enough training. Incubators are similar to the aforementioned opportunities, although they allow participants to take on a much more extensive caseload. Once law students graduate, they are expected to dive right into the field, although this is very difficult to do when they have not first been given the proper instruction and tools.

Incubators: Bringing Legal Services to the Masses

These programs help not only law school graduates, but also the public. One of the biggest problems in the United States is the lack of affordable legal services, which is needed by many Americans. People of lower incomes often cannot afford legal services due to the prohibitive hourly cost of a lawyer’s time. An incubator program charges $75 or less an hour in most cases, and sometimes they offer their services pro bono.

Millions of Americans lack proper legal representation, especially in cases that could completely change their lives. This is due to the high price of lawyers, how most are concentrated only in highly populated areas, and few can or want to take on work that isn’t very profitable. Many people also end up not being represented because they are rejected when they apply for civil legal aid. It was found that in 70 to 98 percent of the cases brought to civil court in the United States, one or both parties did not have a lawyer present to represent them. There are many programs already established throughout the country that are dedicated to providing free or low-cost legal services to people of low income, although most have very few resources available and few lawyers willing to take on the extra–sometimes menial–work. Given how many law school graduates are unable to find work in the field, more should be encouraged to do this type of work.

One of the most difficult aspects of starting and running an incubator program is finding the proper funds to support it. Many of the schools allocate funds for them, although this is not always enough to run them. The Moritz College of Law at the Ohio State University has been running a program that is financed by multiple sources, such as alumni donations and private funds. Michigan State University offers an innovative approach to its program by partnering with government organizations, nonprofits, and other university departments so that participants can engage and practice in a wide variety of subjects. These programs, as well as many others, seem to be thriving, as they have given students genuine experience and have provided legal aid to those who need it most.

It is widely said that it is easier to get into law school these days due to far fewer people applying and enrolling. The current job market for lawyers is abysmal, and so these programs could be instrumental in helping graduates begin prosperous careers. Only 40 percent of law school graduates are employees at law firms, and 20 percent hold jobs that don’t even require a law degree. Considering how astronomically high the average debt of most law school graduates is, it is imperative that they start their careers off on the right foot so that they can pay off this debt and achieve success.

Toni Keddell

Toni Keddell is a member of the University of Maryland Class of 2017 and a Law Street Media Fellow for the Summer of 2015. Contact Toni at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Law School Incubators Are Attacking These Two Major Problems in America appeared first on Law Street.

ICYMI, check out the best of the week from Law Street, including the latest in law school admissions, rape culture in the workplace, and shocking pictures from Egypt’s hospitals.

#1 Are You Sure Now’s a Good Time to Go to Law School?

Beaches, sun, internships, and vacations; these are some of the highlights associated with Summer. That’s not the case though for thousands of 19 and 20 year olds frantically preparing for arguably one of the most overrated exams looming in the second week of June: the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). By now, every college sophomore and junior has probably heard that getting into law school  is “easier” than ever due to the decline in the applicant pool. Is it really though? Read full article here.

#2 “Time Macho” is the Rape Culture of the Workplace

People cite it all the time: women make 77 cents to every dollar men make. We use it as a linchpin in arguments about equal pay, feminism, glass ceilings. We offer it up as proof–because mind-bogglingly, we still need to “prove it”–that feminism is a necessary thing. But the whole 77 cent thing? Not actually true. Read full article here.

#3 The Sad State of Egypt’s Hospitals: Shocking Pictures Released

Doctors need the proper resources to be able to treat their patients. But a new viral Facebook page started in Egypt illustrates that doctors and dentists in that country don’t necessarily have access to what they need. The page is shocking to many, as photos of multiple hospitals in Cairo, Egypt have been shared illustrating that they are unequipped and unsanitary for doctors to properly operate in. Read full article here.

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post ICYMI: Best of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out the best of the week from lawyers and law students on Twitter in the slideshow below.

Lawyer’s Lunch

Can’t seem to get out of this courtroom this morning. Hope they are planning on serving lunch. #lawyering http://t.co/uOx6sTZb8X

— Pabst Law Firm (@Pabstlaw) June 11, 2015

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out the best legal tweets of the week from these lawyers and law students. No summer vacation for you!

Macho Lawyering

My take on #macho #lawyering — dismissing vicarious #trauma ignores fundamental #ableism & #sexism in the #workplace http://t.co/xQGrr2CZQZ

— Jennifer Polish (@JenniferPolish) June 4, 2015

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Beaches, sun, internships, and vacations; these are some of the highlights associated with Summer. That’s not the case though for thousands of 19 and 20 year olds frantically preparing for arguably one of the most overrated exams looming in the second week of June: the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). By now, every college sophomore and junior has probably heard that getting into law school  is “easier” than ever due to the decline in the applicant pool. Is it really though? Moreover, what does this notion entail once graduating seniors actually commit to their respective law schools? It seems that what used to be a competitive challenge for those truly passionate about law and policy has become an option for the thousands of students wanting to avoid “funemployment” and who are unsure of their post-graduation plans.

Millennials are being victimized by the fallacy that a law degree from a middle-top tier institution will provide stable employment upon graduation. Many refer to the phenomenon of the smallest applicant pool in 30 years as a “buyers market,”  wherein students are sold the idea that applying to law school now is a good idea because they will have a higher chance of attending a top Law School, thus potentially being scouted by a top law firm and earning a six-figure starting salary. Although this sounds very appealing, the “buyers market” leaves out a minor detail–law firms are placing little emphasis on the small applicant pools given the excess law graduates from years past and job demand finally stabilizing.  

Last year saw the smallest class of incoming law students at 38,000–a 37 percent decline from 2010. There is no denying that the smaller applicant pool and decreased percentage of high-test scorers contributes to the evidence that admission into tougher law schools is in fact a more viable option.  Furthermore, these numbers indeed provide an incentive for thousands of students who, prior to the applicant decline, would never have considered taking the LSAT. The formerly serious and competitive reputation of the LSAT, wherein students would prepare months in advance for the arduous five-hour assessment, has become arguably as common as taking the SAT.  The increase in under-prepared students taking the exam is shown by studies conducted on the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) data. Statistics disclose that the number of applicants with higher LSAT scores (above 170) has declined exponentially more than the number of applicants with lower scores, advocating that some students with high LSAT scores do not apply to law school at all while students with lower scores continue to apply.

Moreover, statistics demonstrate that companies are not hiring more lawyers than they were in 2010. Top law firms not only continue to scout and favor aspiring attorneys from top-ten schools, but now have the luxury of choosing from a much wider pool of applicants than just students who have just graduated.

According to the American Bar Association,  in 2013 only 57 percent of all law school graduates found full-time work, meaning the job lasted one year or more and was either a clerkship or mandated bar passage. It is important to note that 4,714 of the jobs reported were in fields that technically did not require law degrees, but rather employers preferred to hire Juris Doctorates (i.e. congressional staffers, labor organizers, or NGO workers etc). An additional 1,724 jobs were completely unrelated to law.

The employment numbers are not expected to differ much for the Class of 2016. There are 36,000 students predicted to graduate in 2016, as opposed to 46,776 in 2013. The ABA further projects that there will be 19,650 jobs available for those graduates. While these numbers convey that fewer people will graduate unemployed, the previously mentioned values do not take into account individual student qualifications and readiness, which prominent law firms rely heavily on before offering employment.

So while at face value the numerical indicators provide an optimistic view for undergraduate students banking on attending a higher-ranked law school, confounding variables such as fierce competition among peers and lack of preparedness factor into the discussion. As Slate’s senior business and economics correspondent puts it:

Most people should not attend law school. Specifically, you shouldn’t attend law school unless: a) you have an overwhelming compulsion to actually become a lawyer and b) you understand exactly what becoming a lawyer entails.

Although not the worst time to apply to law school, do your homework. Completely disregarding the average $122,158 debt law students graduate with–because that is an entirely different topic on its own–undergraduates who are not 100 percent convinced about law and policy might want to think twice about applying to law school. What momentarily may seem like a fantastic educational opportunity to attend a slightly better law school than what would’ve been the case a few years ago could end up being a curse in disguise; a detrimental and slipshod attempt at a legal career.

Symon Rowlands

Symon Rowlands is a member of the University of Miami Class of 2016 and was a Law Street Media Fellow during the Summer of 2015. Symon now blogs for Law Street, focusing mostly on politics. Contact Symon at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Are You Sure Now’s a Good Time to Go to Law School? appeared first on Law Street.

Check out this week’s slideshow of the best legal tweets of the week, I passed the Bar Exam edition. Congratulations!

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

This week’s installment of the best legal tweets of the week feature law students motivated for finals by TV lawyers, contracts-fueled breakups, and everyone’s favorite development: Chipotle deliveries! Check out the slideshow below of the best legal tweets of the week.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

It was a mixed bag for lawyers and law students this week, from legal THOTs to my personal favorite of client “asshattery,” check out this week’s slideshow of the best legal tweets of the week.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Wondering what lawyers and law students were up to this week? Check out this week’s slideshow below of the Best Legal Tweets of the Week.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Remember last week when lawyers everywhere were having the best week ever? Yeah, that’s over now. Back to the grind of endless paperwork and clients who can’t get their lives together. Lucky for you though, it’s fun to read about. Check out the slideshow below for the best legal tweets of the week.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Lawyers, law students, and even a baby who will absolutely be a litigator some day had the very best week ever. Check out this week’s slideshow of the best legal tweets of the week.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Last week’s best legal tweets were pretty much all downers and I chalked it up to the incessantly terrible weather and rampant SAD. But luckily this week, not only is the weather starting to perk up but so are the lawyers and law students! OK not everyone–1Ls are still miserable–but some lawyers are actually having some fun in their professions. Check out the slideshow below for this week’s best legal tweets of the week.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

It’s another rough week in the lives of law students and lawyers everywhere. Check out the best legal tweets of the week in the slideshow below.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Check out the slideshow below for some of the best legal tweets of the week that you might have missed.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Lawyers. You can’t count on them for anything. It is why I decided to go into legal editing out of law school instead of actually doing a despicable thing like practicing. I mean, lawyers have to have good malpractice insurance because at some point, they are going to be sued for something stupid or dishonest that they did–not because the client is an idiot. No. It will definitely be the attorney’s fault.

Courtesy of Giphy.

What type of dumb or shady thing would a lawyer do anyway? I am sure we can all come up with some lackluster examples, but I have one that beats all of yours. What if a woman were to go to the office of a divorce lawyer and ask for help with her divorce? And what if, on hearing this request, that lawyer went ahead and helped her without giving her the proper disclosure that getting a divorce could lead to being divorced? Clearly that attorney would just be trying to get that paycheck without any regard for the client, right?

I am sure you–if you are a lawyer or are preparing to be one–would never make this mistake. I mean, you probably have warning signs in your office to alert incoming clients to this little-known side effect of divorce. I am sure you are all good guys looking to help your clients, not trick them; however, at least one lawyer has done this hateful crime. And it all happened in the UK.

Jane Mulcahy is a good Catholic who would never do something horrible like get a divorce. So when she entered the office of what would soon be her archenemies and asked for help with her divorce, she did not, and could not, know that soon the worst thing imaginable would happen: she would be divorced.

Courtesy of Giphy.

Now, as Ms. Mulcahy was not herself familiar with the field of law, it could not be expected that she came into the law firm with the knowledge that we, members of the legal world, have on this subject. I still remember, after all, the week in law school that we spent talking about the meaning of divorce and how, at the end of the proceedings, it would somehow end up with the termination of a marriage. It was a shocking revelation, indeed, and one that not a lot of outsiders were privy. So, of course, with this being such a legal secret, it is very plausible that this poor, abused woman had no idea what a divorce was when she asked for one.

Because of the murky definition of divorce, and knowledge of Mulcahy’s strong religious beliefs, it was the duty of her solicitors to inform her that if she were to get a divorce, her marriage would, in fact, be terminated. Also, they should have advised her instead to get a judicial separation–which is basically just all the benefits of a divorce without the sin of a failed marriage. In other words, it was perfect for Mulcahy, and yet her lawyers did not let her know about it. (It is my humble opinion that divorces probably make the lawyers more money, and so they deceitfully hid the meaning of divorce from their client to make a few more bucks from themselves. They should be ashamed.)

Courtesy of Giphy.

When Mulcahy learned of the trickery that had been done to her, she did not take it lying down. Instead, she sued. See, dirty lawyers? This is what happens when you play fast and loose with the lives of your clients: you get sued and lose lots of money … wait. What? A judge dismissed the claim? Man. Clearly, we are dealing with a crooked judicial team as well. Will justice ever be served to the poor, downtrodden Mulcahys of the world? Probably not. They all have pretty bad karma from committing the sin of divorce. Payback is a bitch, after all.

Ashley Shaw

Ashley Shaw is an Alabama native and current New Jersey resident. A graduate of both Kennesaw State University and Thomas Goode Jones School of Law, she spends her free time reading, writing, boxing, horseback riding, playing trivia, flying helicopters, playing sports, and a whole lot else. So maybe she has too much spare time. Contact Ashley at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Woman Sues Because Her Divorce Ended in Divorce appeared first on Law Street.

The podcast “Serial” took the world by storm this fall. Never had a podcast been so talked about, so obsessed over, or raised such fascinating questions about a 15-year-old murder conviction. The case involved a young man named Adnan Syed who was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend. Although he was convicted a decade and a half ago, Syed’s case will now be heard again in court.

For those of you who missed “Serial,” here are the CliffNotes. Don’t worry, I’ll stay away from too many spoilers. Essentially, in 1999, a Baltimore high school senior named Hae Min Lee went missing and was later found dead. After a police investigation, Syed, her ex-boyfriend who was also a high school senior, was found guilty of her murder.

Fast forward almost 15 years to present day. Journalist Sarah Koenig was approached by Syed’s friends with concerns about the way his case was handled, and all the inconsistencies in the evidence that was brought up in court. Koenig was intrigued, and started looking into the case. She ended up producing a podcast–a journalistic enterprise–exploring the facts of the case.

A Maryland court just ruled that it will hear arguments on Syed’s case, mostly based on the fact that his lawyer, Christina Guttierez, may not have done her job effectively. Syed and his lawyers are arguing that Guttierez didn’t follow up with a possible alibi witness whom Koenig spoke to in the “Serial” podcast. They also argue that Guttierez failed Syed by not exploring the possibility of a plea deal when she was given the option. Given that Guttierez has since died of a heart attack, it’s unclear why she made those choices. They could have been incompetence, like Syed’s attorneys are arguing, or they could have been a strategic move.

After a few different attempts at an appeal failed since Syed was convicted, this most recent appeal was brought to the Maryland Special Court of Appeals. It’s important to note that Syed hasn’t actually been granted an appeal–this is just a small step toward that. Basically, the Maryland Special Court of Appeals has agreed to listen to what Syed and the state have to say, and then decide whether or not to order a new trial, or send it back to the Circuit Court.

Koenig posted about the development on the “Serial” website, saying:

In Episode 10 of the podcast, I reported that this appeal was alive by a thread. Now, I’d say it’s more of a … well-made string, maybe. Like the nylon kind. Because it means that the Court of Special Appeals judges think the issues Adnan raised in his brief are worth considering. That’s a pretty big hurdle for any appellant to clear.

Whether or not Syed will actually end up getting a new trial is very uncertain at this point. That being said, it’s a case that touched a lot of people, or at the very least opened the doors to some unsettling realities of our justice system. I’m sure all “Serial” fans will be anxiously awaiting the next news in this saga.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Subject of Serial Podcast Gets Appeal Opportunity appeared first on Law Street.

Congratulations on making it through Snowmageddon and another week of work. If you’re like any of the lawyers in this week’s slideshow, you earned your vacation. Check out the latest selections of the best legal tweets of the week below.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

First of all let me just say this up front: I’m sorry. I’m sorry that it’s finals seasons. It’s tortuous and stressful and you probably can’t keep your eyes open or your brain at a normal speed. Wish I could help ya, but really all I can say is that the end is near and you totally earned a five-minute break to flip through this slideshow of people who are suffering too. Check out the best legal tweets of the week.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

You made it to the weekend! Congratulations. Have a cup of coffee, scroll through Twitter, and…OK, probably you should get back to work and studying. But before that, check out the best legal tweets of the week and follow these handles for some comic relief.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Lawyering is tough. If you’ve been through the law school struggle then you know this all too well. And as one of my favorite tweets of the week tells us, you probably have bags under your eyes so major they should have the Chanel logo on them. Need a break? Check out Law Street’s best legal tweets of the week.

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Chelsey Goff (@cddg) is Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University in DC. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at cgoff@LawStreetMedia.com.

Featured image courtesy of [Shelley Bernstein via Flickr]

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

A lawyer in Atlanta recently got first-hand experience with a pretty intense double standard. Stacy Ehrisman-Mickle, an immigration attorney in Atlanta, was publicly humiliated by a judge for having to bring her child to court.

Ehrisman-Mickle recently gave birth to an infant. She was entitled to six weeks of maternity leave, despite the fact that she did have a busy schedule of hearings and court proceedings. After her child was born, she tried to move some of the hearings scheduled during her maternity leave, using a doctor’s note to show why. All the judges and opposing attorneys complied with her motions to continue, with the exception of one — Judge J. Dan Pelletier Sr. He denied her request to move the hearing, saying she had no good cause.

So, Ehrisman-Mickle was put in an incredibly tough situation. She had a one-month-old baby, her husband was out of town for work, she had no family in the area, the child was too young for daycare, and she had just moved to town so she hadn’t found a babysitter yet. Essentially, she was left with a horrible choice — do her job or take care of her kid.

Luckily Ehrisman-Mickle was able to talk to her pediatrician who said that as long as she took appropriate precautions, she could show up that day with her baby strapped to her chest. All went relatively well, until the child started to cry, and Ehrisman-Mickle had to calm her down. At this point, Pelletier started scolding her for bringing her child to court. According to Ehrisman-Mickle,

When the [immigration judge] saw me with my daughter, he was outraged. He then questioned my mothering skills, as he commented how my pediatrician must be appalled that I am exposing my daughter to so many germs in court.

Ehrisman-Mickle was humiliated, and understandably so. There are a lot of serious problems with what happened to her — let’s start at the beginning.

The fact that she was not allowed the motion to continue. Motions to continue are very routine, as long as you can show that you have a good reason to file it. Most judges view having a child as a good reason, along with family emergencies and the like. Another requirement is that it’s rescheduled so that only a reasonable amount of time passes. Given that Ehrisman-Mickle only had six weeks of maternity leave to begin with, it’s clear that she could probably could have easily rescheduled the hearing to a different date that fell within the reasonable amount of time requirement.

Pelletier was unreasonable to deny the request, to be sure. But his public shaming of Ehrisman-Mickle is even worse — it’s ridiculous and unprofessional. There were other lawyers in the room with her when she was embarrassed who backed up her story. One of them talked to the Guardian confirming her story, but asked to not be named in hopes that Pelletier wouldn’t find out that it was him.

What happened to Ehrisman-Mickle was disgusting, but it shouldn’t be considered particularly surprising or even unusual. Maternity leave polices in the United States are pretty much accepted as being awful and outdated. We’re one of only a few countries that don’t have paid maternity leave, and the amount of time we give is almost laughably unproductive. That means that women are often put in situations like Ehrisman-Mickle’s, and sometimes they don’t even have the ability to consider taking their child to their job, or the access to a pediatrician to make sure that it would be ok to do so.

Ehrisman-Mickle has filed a complaint against Pelletier, and as of the time this story broke onto the national news scene, had not heard anything further.

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Lawyer Admonished by Judge After Bringing Baby to Court appeared first on Law Street.

What did we learn from lawyers and law students on Twitter this week? That they are sleep deprived, haven’t had a fruit or vegetable since the elementary school lunch line, and are in desperate need of a drink. Oh and also my personal favorite — they don’t wear jeans because they aren’t cowboys. Check out the Best Legal Tweets of the Week.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

From professional power-napping in your car between classes to investing your life’s savings into extra shots at Starbucks, law students across the country struggled toward midterms this week. And while it wasn’t even remotely easy, this crop of tweeters made it entertaining. Check out the best legal tweets of the week.

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Chelsey Goff (@cddg) is Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University in DC. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at cgoff@LawStreetMedia.com.

Featured image courtesy of [Coletivo Mambembe via Flickr]

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Now that the world has made it through the excitement that was last week’s LSATs and the premiere of “How to Get Away With Murder,” we’re all back to the normal struggle. From autocorrects that prove you’re working too hard to the constant battle of law student versus the finite amount of ink in a pen, check out the best legal tweets of the week.

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Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

With the next LSAT just over a week away, 1Ls settling into that special experience we call law school, and clients wanting selfies in court, this turned out to be a great week in the world of funny legal tweets. Check out this week’s best, and then head over to #300Voices and discover the top accounts to follow for all things law and policy.

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Chelsey Goff (@cddg) is Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University in DC. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at cgoff@LawStreetMedia.com.

Featured image courtesy of [Garrett Heath via Flickr]

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Best Legal Tweets of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Need a lawyer? Well soon, we may have an app for that.

Currently there’s a project on crowdfunding website Indiegogo called Sidekik. The idea of sidekik is based on the fact that many Americans have found themselves in situations where they are confronted by the police, or other security force, and may not know their rights. In such a situation, the Sidekik app can be used for a few different things. It will be able to audio and video record the interactions that the user has with the police, and then upload it to a server where it can’t be deleted by just deleting the physical file off the phone. And it can connect the user, in real time, to an attorney who can help. Here’s a more thorough explanation of the idea:

The idea hasn’t really taken off on Indiegogo — so far, just over $11,000 has been raised of the $250,000 that Sidekik estimates it will need to get off the ground. But according to the founders, that initial money is enough to start developing the preliminary stages of the app.

I think the idea, at its core, is an interesting one. I do agree with the founders that most average Americans don’t necessarily know their rights, although if you’re curious, this guide on what to do if you’re pulled over by Lawstreeter Marisa Mostek is an excellent resource. Given the debates the nation has been having about police militarization and fairness, the Sidekik app could play an interesting part in ensuring that civil rights violations are avoided. I highly doubt that an app like this would have saved Michael Brown in Ferguson, but I could see it preventing some more minor civil rights issues.

There are some serious logistical issues though that need to be worked out when it comes to contacting attorneys. Presumably, you only have a few seconds between being pulled over and the cop walking up to your window. There’s no real time to tell your mobile attorney what’s going on, which will probably make it difficult for the attorney to be of real help.

Sidekik is also built on the fact that it will be in contact with attorneys within the jurisdiction where the user is interacting with the police, and be able to send the calls to those attorneys. It’s assumed that attorneys will pick up because of the desirability of client leads. I think that’s a great idea — during normal business hours. But what if you get pulled over at 2:00am? Will Sidekik be able to find a lawyer for you then? It’s certainly a tough guarantee to make, when it involves outsourcing to third parties.

Issues with the “contact an attorney wherever” logistics aside, the recording and uploading to a remote server is a decent idea. It will certainly allow you to chronicle your interactions with the police officer and ensure that the file can’t be deleted permanently if the phone is confiscated or destroyed. There are other apps that do the same thing, but maybe Sidekik will be able to make itself the go-to authority on secure recording.

I have no idea if this app will take off, but I think what it says about the state of American police is significantly more interesting than the app itself. We’re increasingly mistrustful of our police forces, and with more stories coming out every day, the paranoia is understandable. An app that’s based on the presumption that an officer is going to try to trick you or impede your civil rights is concerning. Whether or not Sidekik ends up being successful, it’s an interesting look into our national state of mind.

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Anneliese Mahoney (@AMahoney8672) is Lead Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

Featured image courtesy of [Jason Weaver via Flickr]

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Sidekik: An Attorney in Your Pocket? appeared first on Law Street.

In life there comes a time to hold ’em and a time to fold ’em. This summer, I folded.

A couple of months ago, I was so overwhelmed with projects at work and life that it kept me up at night. I was so consumed with all the thoughts constantly rushing through my head that it affected how I interacted with people and the amount of quality sleep I got each night, and I was having a difficult time managing stress. In addition, I found it extremely difficult to focus at work.

After two months of long hours and groggy days, I learned two very important lessons:

1. It’s okay to ask for help.
2. A good psychiatrist with a liberal view on doling out prescriptions makes everything better.

Keep numbers one and two in mind, because they are important life lessons that it took me 28 years to learn.

It’s Okay to Ask for Help

I work in a very small office, and the work we do should really be taken on by an army at least three times our current size. That leaves a little number of people to do a big amount of work. We get it done, but it takes a lot of effort and many early mornings and late nights.

One day last week, I was feelingly particularly swamped. At the end of the day, I went into my boss’ office for a quick recap of what was going on for the rest of the week. As we talked, I finally came out and said, “this is a lot, and I’m a little bit overwhelmed.” I didn’t even look at her, because I half expected to be fired on the spot.

Instead, she said, “I was wondering how long it would take for you to ask for help! Listen, we work a lot here, but a big part of your professional development will be learning when to ask for help and learning when to say no. It’s okay to say no. Not a lot, but every once in a while. Just, you know…don’t make it a habit.”

A good psychiatrist makes everything better

I really wanted an Adderall prescription to help me focus at work, so I asked some doctor friends what buzz words I should use during my psychiatrist appointment.

Thanks to those friends, and my uncanny ability to memorize key terminology, I walked out of that appointment with two prescriptions for Adderall and Ativan. Ativan, my friends, is an anti-anxiety medication, and it is EVERYTHING. You take it right before bed, and you get a smooth eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. In addition, you wake up with little to no worries. I’m obsessed. Work isn’t super busy anymore, so I’ve cooled it on the Adderall, but my relationship with Ativan is perhaps my most important relationship to date.

I almost feel silly for not being on this winning combination of prescription drugs during law school. If I had to do law school over again, I would definitely get medicated.Seriously. Back then, I was a bit of a hippie; I believed that water and yoga can heal anything. I still believe that to be the case 95 percent of the time, but when the going gets rough…Ativan.

This ends my love letter to stress management. I also promise to be back in a more regular capacity because, really, I have no excuse.

—

Peter Davidson (@PeterDavidsonII) is a young lawyer rants about news & politics and raves over the ups & downs of life after law school in the current legal economy. 

Featured image courtesy of [Flickr]

Peter Davidson II

Peter Davidson is a recent law school graduate who rants about news & politics and raves over the ups & downs of FUNemployment in the current legal economy. Contact Peter at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Managing Stress in a Stressful Legal Career appeared first on Law Street.

We’re having a debate here at Law Street over whether or not now is a good time to go to law school–this is Matt DeWilde’s argument against taking the leap, click here to read Brittany Alzfan’s opinion on why law school right now may be a good choice.

When it comes to the question of entering law school right now, unless you like gambling with over $100,000 on the line or you got into Harvard Law, you might want to hold your horses. Going to law school now will still most likely result in massive amounts of debt and only a small chance to get a job at a top law firm when you get out. I do believe that law school will one day be a smart choice again, but that day is at least several years down the road.

There are many reasons why now is not a good time to go to law school. For one, law school prices have started to trend downwards, but are still high across the board. You will most likely end up in massive debt, especially if you haven’t finished paying off loans you took out for your undergraduate degree. The best law schools are still going to set you back close to $150,000 and it is very hard to find a respectable school that will cost you less than $100,000. All that being said, it would be totally worth it if you could make six figures right after graduating, but you most likely won’t luck out in the job market. In fact, you will probably be happy if you can find a job that pays marginally better than one you could get with just your undergraduate degree.

Median pay out of law school is around $60,000 a year, $10,000 lower than it was in 2008. Also check out this graph from the Association for Legal Career Professionals. While it is true that there is a sizable percentage of graduates making good money–about $160,000 a year, they’re still in the minority. In fact, there was a high concentration of graduates making between $45,000-$55,000 out of law school in 2012, which is only marginally better than the $44,000 graduates averaged their first year out of undergrad.

The counterargument to these facts is that the job market has stabilized, and with a smaller law school class more students will get good jobs. But there are problems with this logic. One is that the best paying jobs are still only available to those who graduate from elite law schools, which have not had to drop class sizes to the same extent as mid-level law schools. So while it may now be less likely that you will be unemployed when you graduate, do not expect the big bucks. Also, just because the job market has stabilized now does not mean it will start improving over the next three years while you’re in school. Going to school with the assumption that the job market will improve is an incredible gamble.

While going to law school today might not be as bad as enrolling in 2009, it is still not a great option. But there are signs that we could only be a couple years away from a law school rebound. One is that law schools are starting to lower their prices.  There could very well be wide-scale tuition decreases over the next few years, meaning it would make sense to wait until those have come to fruition. As prices go down, so does the gamble.

So if your dream is to be a lawyer and you really want to go to law school, do not give up hope, but be patient. Prices should go down and the legal job market is likely to improve a bit–albeit in mainly lower paying jobs. Perhaps try to find a job as a paralegal for a few years, then go to law school. Paralegals can earn up to $50,000 out of undergrad and it’s great experience to put on law school applications. Gain work experience, and in a few years take advantage of lower priced law schools. While it may be better to apply to law school now than it was a couple years ago, it’s still a risky decision. Waiting a few years could very well improve your prospects.

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Matt DeWilde (@matt_dewilde25) is a member of the American University class of 2016 majoring in politics and considering going to law school. He loves writing about politics, reading, watching Netflix, and long walks on the beach. Contact Matt at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

Featured image courtesy of [thisisbossi via Flickr]  

Matt DeWilde

Matt DeWilde is a member of the American University class of 2016 majoring in politics and considering going to law school. He loves writing about politics, reading, watching Netflix, and long walks on the beach. Contact Matt at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Don’t Go to Law School…Yet appeared first on Law Street.

As the clock ticks down to June 9 — LSAT test day for the next crop of prospective law students — your stress level is probably increasing exponentially. I get it. Well, OK, I don’t totally get it. I went to graduate school and took the GRE, which is admittedly NOT the same. But I can certainly still feel your pain. We’re not just patting giving you a thumbs up and wishing you good luck as you march into the test room, though. We’ve got five actionable tips for you to incorporate in your preparation from our resident LSAT guru, Nick, who (lucky for you) has actually walked the walk.

If you’ve already been through the LSAT and have must-read tips to live by for your fellow budding lawyers, tweet us @LawStreetMedia with #LSATPrep. Let us hear ’em!

1. No prep book is as good as a prep test: Prep books can be good to know the basics, but often they don’t use actual past LSAT questions, and there just is no substitute for practicing on real LSAT questions. The LSAC sells previous LSATs by the bundle. There are now more than 70 previous LSATs to work through. Save the latest tests for last.
2. Start slow and build: Don’t worry about timing at first. I repeat: don’t worry about timing. It’s far more important to understand the fundamentals of logic first. And by ‘understand,’ I don’t mean that you generally know how conditional works. I mean: you can contrapositives, negations, and spot necessary and sufficient conditions practically in your sleep. Speed comes from not having to think too hard about the easy questions. That will free up time to tackle the harder questions.
3. Drill, drill, drill: Even though it seems tedious, and it is tedious, the more you practice, say, using the contrapositive, the easier it will be when you’re actually working through a game. Again, the goal is not to have to think about basic operations.
4. Set a schedule and stick to it: We don’t all have eight hours a day to spend studying for the LSAT. But if you want to improve your score, you need to set aside time to work, preferably at least an hour a day. Students, even very bright students, tend to forget the basics if they study sporadically. You can generally also squeeze a bit of studying into other parts of the day. For instance, consider doing a few LR questions on the subway during your commute to work.
5.  Hang in there: Studying for the LSAT is a long, hard slog for basically everyone. Your score will likely go through some ups, some downs, and some plateaus. So don’t get discouraged. To my mind, the most important skill on the LSAT is the one that they can’t teach in prep books: persistence.

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Chelsey Goff (@cddg) is Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University in DC. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at cgoff@LawStreetMedia.com.

Featured image courtesy of [Dvortygirl via Flickr]

Chelsey D. Goff

Chelsey D. Goff was formerly Chief People Officer at Law Street. She is a Granite State Native who holds a Master of Public Policy in Urban Policy from the George Washington University. She’s passionate about social justice issues, politics — especially those in First in the Nation New Hampshire — and all things Bravo. Contact Chelsey at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Five Things You Need to Know Before You Take the LSAT Next Month appeared first on Law Street.

What do income tax, credit card fees, salaries, and cars have in common?

They’re all negotiable, of course.

As a quick Google search will show you, there are lists on top of lists of things that can and should be negotiated – because who doesn’t like to haggle? Whether it’s furniture, jewelry, bulk purchases,  phone, TV, or Internet service, it’s clear that a “nothing is set in stone” mindset is applicable to, well, pretty much anything.

And anything, believe it or not, includes law school scholarships. While it’s no secret that law school is expensive, the fact that scholarships are negotiable doesn’t seem to be on most people’s radar.

Tuition may have been set in stone in years past, but over the last five years, law schools have become more open to haggling over money. That’s not to say students have never tried to negotiate price tags with law schools. Rather, it seems law schools are simply listening to student pleas now more than ever. Why you might ask? After the recession of 2009-2010, law school application rates have fallen, as many would-be law students have decided to opt out of a legal education due to hiring cutbacks.

Many law schools have resorted to new methods in an attempt to attract students and fill seats. Negotiating scholarships, along with tuition adjustments and accepting applications long after the official deadline, is one such tactic.

So, you were accepted into law school and received scholarship money. Congrats. But what’s next?

Scholarship negotiation is relatively simple. While it may be annoying to draft and send out all the emails, the juice is worth the squeeze, as they say. It’s best to wait until you’ve heard back from all the schools you’ve applied to – or at least all the ones you’re seriously considering – before starting the process. Once you’ve secured at least one scholarship, make a list of other schools you’ve been admitted to that are comparable in ranking and region. It’s important to be realistic – leveraging a top-tier school with a scholarship offer from a bottom-tier school probably won’t work. If the schools are in the same league though, you have a much better chance of success.

Now that you have your list of schools you’d like to haggle with, start drafting emails. Don’t rule out schools that haven’t offered you any money. This process can be effective in increasing scholarship offers as well as generating them. Although it’s not essential, it helps to make a phone call to the admissions office before sending out any emails. That way, the office will be at least familiar with who you are and your situation. Typically, the admissions staffer you speak to will not only tell you who to email, but will also provide some guidance regarding what exactly to say.

Once your foot is in the door with the admissions office, send out your emails. There are some good  templates and sample letters available, but the general idea is to be confident and assertive, all while remaining professional and polite. While LawSchoolAdvice will provide you with some very detailed instructions, here are the fundamentals of a solid negotiation email:

Dear Admissions Office (emailing a specific person is preferable),

Tell them you are an admitted student and give some basic information about yourself (Name, year in school, college you currently attend…). Say how thrilled you are to have been accepted and that this school is your first choice, even if that’s not entirely true. Tell them why you are writing – either to be considered for a scholarship or to have an existing scholarship offer increased.

List other scholarship offers you’ve received, if any. Also list the names of comparable schools you’ve been admitted to, even if no money has come your way yet. Some schools will ask that you send them your other scholarship offers as email attachments.

Write a little blurb about why this school is the right fit for you – whether it’s location, prestige, or job opportunities. Be careful here, you don’t want too much fluff – make your point and move on. Finish this section by giving the admissions committee a candid look at your decision making process. With law school as expensive as it is, you cannot simply ignore other offers from peer schools – even if this particular school is your top choice. 

Conclude by making it clear that finances are the only factor preventing you from accepting their offer of admission. Ultimately, you need to choose a school that makes sense not only personally but financially as well. 

Thank the admissions committee for their time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Prospective Law Student

You should hear back in a week or so from someone at the admissions office. Most likely they won’t offer you money right away – they’ll probably tell you that your application is being considered and that the review process is underway. Sure, some schools will flat out shut you down, but most will, at the very least, make a note on your application – and that can be the difference between being passed over and being awarded money.

Once you’ve sent your initial email and started a dialogue with the admissions office, sit back and wait. If you receive any subsequent scholarship offers, it’s worth it to let schools know. If it’s getting close to the day your deposit is due, send one last email – regardless of whether or not you’ve heard back – inquiring if what you’ve been awarded is the school’s final offer.

In the end, there’s no guarantee that negotiating scholarships will work for you, even if it has worked for other students in the past. But given the relative ease of the negotiating process, there’s really no downside to trying. After all, who wouldn’t want free money?

—

Matt DiCenso  (@mdicenso24)

Featured image courtesy of [2bgr8 via Wikimedia]

Matt DiCenso

Matt DiCenso is a graduate of The George Washington University. Contact Matt at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The Art of Negotiating Law School Scholarships appeared first on Law Street.

In a couple of months thousands of college students and recent graduates around the country will take the June LSAT test. Which means that right now, those thousands are trying to figure out how to prepare for the test. But if you’re one of them, have no fear, because we here at Law Street have your back!

You got this.

Without further ado, here’s a list of the top dos and don’ts when preparing for the LSATs.

Do: Take a class or get some tutoring

There are so many ways to improve your LSAT score, and classes aggregate them for you and then present those tips, tricks, and skills in a scheduled format. The problem, I know, is that these classes and tutors are super expensive. But remember how I said Law Street is totally here to help? Well, we’re giving away 3-hour sessions with an awesome, super-qualified LSAT tutor named Nick. The only thing you need to do to enter is like us on Facebook and like the contest post on our page, here. One-on-one tutoring is an awesome resource for something like the LSAT because it allows you to get targeted help exactly where you need it the most.

Do: Make a schedule and stick to it

It’s going to suck, I know. But the best possible way to do well on the LSAT is to work your ass off. Treat it like a part-time job. It will be time-consuming and insane, but it’ll pay off. Take practice tests, learn new strategies, the whole shebang. And make sure that your schedule is focused on you. Here are some examples, but make sure to tweak them so that they help you work on your weak spots.

Do: Learn how to relax

Studying for the LSAT can be completely overwhelming, and it’s possible to get lost in that stress and repetition. So you need to make sure that you still take care of yourself. Find something that helps you unwind – and make it a healthy habit. For example, our Resident Legal Post-Grad, Peter Davidson, loves to use yoga for stress relief. Although, most of us aren’t quite as talented as he is:

Casually editing my article.

You can find what works for you. I highly recommend random dance parties.

Don’t: Always practice in a quiet area

In a perfect, beautiful, ideal world, you would be able to take the LSAT in total peace and quiet. In the real world, however, you are going to take the LSAT in an unfamiliar environment, with a bunch of people you don’t know, and you have no idea what that’s going to be like. I’ve heard plenty of horror stories about people being able to hear sirens from outside, or a meeting happening a few rooms over. Now, this isn’t said to scare you, but realism is important. Take a few practice tests in a coffee shop or other loudish place to make sure that if the worst does happen, you’re prepared. Also make sure to check out this wiki — it contains reviews for LSAT testing sites. While it’s not all-inclusive, it may help you narrow down what environment would be the best for you to take the test in.

Do: Read Outside Articles

Seek out sources that will have articles that are similar to what you might see on the test. Here’s a great example of an article about attractiveness in the workplace from The Economist. Reading articles outside of your test prep book is great because it allows you to read something relevant and interesting while still getting some studying done.

Do: Get a Logic Book

Even though there are obviously specific books and classes for the logic reasoning section, there’s something to be said for getting yourself a background in the topic. This tip actually comes from Matt DiCenso here at Law Street, who just went through the whole law school admissions and choosing process. (After you ace the LSAT and get into a bunch of awesome law schools, make sure to check out Matt’s post on picking the right one for you.) He says that taking a logic class as an undergrad helped him prepare to wrap his mind around the logic problems and the strategies for completing them. If you have the chance, check out a free online class on logic, like this one, or pick up a book on the subject.

Do: Practice your timing

The various sections of the LSAT are, obviously, timed. So it’s important that you know how to watch that time and plan your test-taking accordingly. It’s also important to manage the anxiety that can happen for some people when they’re on the clock like that. If that’s something you’re worried about, check out this article from Manhattan LSAT blog on “time-shaving.” If you’re having a hard time getting your time down for a section, this article can help you plan out a way to take a few minutes off each week until you reach your goal time.

Don’t: Freak out about the writing section

The writing section, to be honest, really doesn’t matter at all. It’s not scored, and while it’s given to the schools, many don’t even really pay attention to it. Furthermore, while skimming over a list of possible questions can be helpful, you don’t know what it’s going to be. Usually the format is that someone has to make a decision between two different things, and your job is to write a persuasive essay in favor of one or the other. Honestly, if you’ve gotten far enough in school that you are taking the LSAT and considering law school, you should be used to writing anyway.

So now that you’ve got these tips down, head over to Facebook and enter yourself in our LSAT Prep giveaway. Remember, Law Street has your back!

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Anneliese Mahoney (@AMahoney8672) is Lead Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

Featured image courtesy of [Dan Hancock via Flickr]

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post The DOs and DON’Ts of Mastering the LSAT appeared first on Law Street.

When you decide to start a business, you need to get all of your ducks in a row. Financially. Mentally. And legally.

The JOBs Act has helped a lot of new businesses sprout up over the last year, and crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter have proven to be the catalyst that a lot of budding entrepreneurs needed. Crowdfunding and earlier access to funding is making it easier for people (especially young people) to start their dream of being self-employed sooner than ever before.

While all of this new business development is lubricating our economy, creating opportunities for employment, and adding to the overall landscape of innovation and creativity, it is also raising legal questions.  As I’ve touched on previously, the SEC has gone through many adjustments and set in place regulations to protect both the entrepreneur and the investor.

Here’s a list of the most recent crowdfunding regulations (thanks, Forbes!).

• The amount an issuer can raise is capped at $1 million in any 12-month period.
• The amount a person can invest in all crowdfundings over a 12-month period is capped at 10 percent of annual income or net worth (incomes of $100,000 or more) or the greater of $2,000 or five percent of annual income or net worth (incomes of less than $100,000).
• Crowdfunding must be done through a registered broker-dealer or registered “funding portal.” Broker-dealers and funding portals may not solicit investments, offer investment advice or compensate employees based on sales. Traditional investment banks have shown little interest in crowdfunding, leading to speculation that crowdfunding will be facilitated by lesser-known financial institutions with little or no retail investment track record.
• Crowdfunding requires a disclosure document to be filed with the SEC at least 21 days prior to first sale, and requires scaled financial disclosure, including audited financial statements for raises of more than $500,000.
• Unlike Regulation D Rule 506 private placements to accredited investors following the JOBS Act, crowdfunding does not allow advertising except solely to direct investors to the appropriate broker/funding portal.
• Annual reports must be filed with the SEC by a company which completes a crowdfunding round.

Law firms specializing in business law need to accommodate the new influx of startups and stay up to date on the ever-changing and developing market, and I can’t stress enough the importance of speaking to someone who knows the exact you need to take. Startups have high risk potential, so it’s important that when presenting your idea to investors or to future clients you have everything organized appropriately. Many law firms, such as Manhattan’s Cohen Schneider & O’Neill, are taking note of the new potential market opportunities. One of this firm’s main areas of focus is on entrepreneurship and startups, for which they offer a comprehensive package for those ready to venture out on their own. For example, they can help the budding entrepreneur with particulars such as: required document preparation in the appropriate jurisdiction; compliance requirements and training, drafting and executing bylaws, resolutions, and stock issuance; tax ID registration; as well as brainstorming and consultations with a legal startup team.

So, basically, although things are getting easier in the market for new businesses, you still need to lawyer up, because it’s never easy when things aren’t done by the books. Save yourself some time and lots of money and take care of the legalities before you finish designing your logo.

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Alexandra Saville (@CapitalistaBlog) is a PR & Media Outreach Manager. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college.

Alexandra Saville

Alexandra Saville is the Media and Writing Specialist at Law Street Media. She has experience in the publishing and marketing worlds and started her own publishing company right out of college. Her blogs, The Capitalista and Capitalista Careers, focus on the young and the entrepreneurial.

The post Have a Great Startup Idea? Find a Good Legal Team First appeared first on Law Street.

Me, I’m a part of your circle of friends.  And we, notice you don’t come around…

One good thing about working in the legal industry is that you are privy to a lot of information. As legal professionals, we are exposed to a lot through contracts, mergers and acquisitions, and discovery during litigation.

I have been at my job for three months now, and I work a lot. I work hard. I do this for many reasons: (a) I work with hardworking people, and I want them to respect my own work ethic; (b) I love my job; and (c) I want them to know that they can trust me with major projects. I want to have my hand in as much as I can reasonably handle.

I want to be in the circle of trust.

I remember my internships and clerkships in law school, where I’d work really hard for three to four months in hopes of making a good impression on would-be employers. The thing with those positions was that I knew there was an end date. No matter how busy I got, or what project I was on, I knew that my work wouldn’t go further than my last day. That meant that I wasn’t always able to be in the secret meetings. I wasn’t in the circle of trust.

To be honest, I didn’t want to be in the inner circle back then. I didn’t care then as much as I do now. Perhaps it’s because this is my first “real job,” or maybe I’m just growing up, but I’m working on getting in the circle now!

Also, if you’re still wondering, I am still very tired. Weaseling my way into the circle of trust takes a lot of time and work. I’m convincing myself that inner circle membership results in mandatory daily naps. *Fingers crossed*

—

Peter Davidson is a recent graduate of law school who rants about news & politics and raves over the ups & downs of FUNemployment in the current legal economy. Tweet him @PeterDavidsonII

Peter Davidson II

Peter Davidson is a recent law school graduate who rants about news & politics and raves over the ups & downs of FUNemployment in the current legal economy. Contact Peter at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Working Up the Ladder & Into the Circle of Trust appeared first on Law Street.

As the old adage goes, “don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time.” But for Robert H. Richards IV, heir to the fortune of a chemical company called Du Pont, this age-old rule doesn’t seem to apply.

Back in 2009, Roberts was charged with fourth-degree rape after violating his 3-year-old daughter. He now faces a subsequent lawsuit filed by his wife, who claims he sexually abused his son as well.

Brought to light by this new trial, the details of Richard’s first trial are, to say the very least, troublesome.

Although Richards was initially indicted on two counts of second-degree child rape, which carry a mandatory 10-year jail sentence per count, he was offered a plea deal of one count of fourth degree rape charges – and no mandatory jail time.

Instead of placing him behind bars, Judge Jan Jurden ordered Richards to attend a sex offender’s rehabilitation center, claiming he would “not fare well” in prison.

When I first came across this story, I had to read over that quote twice. Was I missing something? What does that even mean? Last time I checked, prison isn’t typically a place where any person “fares well” – that’s kind of the point. It’s a place where people go to be punished.

In an interview with The News Journal, Delaware Public Defender Brendan J. O’Neill said what we are all thinking:  it’s “extremely rare” for an individual to fare well in prison. “Prison is to punish, to segregate the offender from society, and the notion that prison serves people well hasn’t proven to be true in most circumstances,” he said.

According to O’Neill, while lawyers will often argue that a defendant is too ill or frail for prison, he has never seen a judge cite it as a “reason not to send someone to jail.”

Even if Judge Jurden’s rationale was based on this ill and frail scale, her ruling would still be flawed. At 47 years of age and roughly 250 pounds, Richards certainly isn’t frail. Although it’s clear that anyone who would violate their own child is sick, court records make no mention of physical illnesses.

So why did Richards get away with such a light sentence? Myself, O’Neill, and many other criminal justice authorities in Delaware believe the answer is simple – he, or rather his family, has money.

While one side of Richard’s family built a chemical empire, the other side co-founded the law firm Richards, Layton and Finger, one of the most prominent corporate law firms in Delaware. Needless to say, Richard’s family clearly has influence in the area.

And as for Judge Jurden, she isn’t exactly known as a softy. According to The News Journal, “the fact that Jurden expressed concern that prison wasn’t right for Richards came as a surprise to defense lawyers and prosecutors who consider her a tough sentencing judge.” Jurden’s decision on treatment rather than prison raises even more questions. The “treatment instead of prison” rationale is characteristically used in the sentencing of drug addicts, not child rapists. Additionally, if Jurden was worried about Richard’s safety once in prison – those who abuse children are sometimes targeted by other inmates – protective custody could have easily been arranged.

Looking at the all facts, it’s difficult to see a reason, besides money and family influence, why Richards isn’t behind bars. After all, this wouldn’t be the first time money has appeared to influence a judge’s ruling. In February 2014, Ethan Couch, a boy who drove drunk and killed four people, was sent to rehab rather than prison. The case made headlines after a witness claimed Couch was a victim to “affluenza,” or as CNN puts it: “the product of wealthy, privileged parents who never set limits for the boy.” Although the presiding judge claimed the affluenza defense did not influence her decision, many suspected that had the boy’s financial situation been different, there would have been a very different outcome.

When it comes down to it, it appears as though this is yet another example of the longstanding notion that money and a good lawyer can manipulate the justice system. If Richards hadn’t been a trust fund baby and wasn’t so well-connected, I have a very hard time believing he would have been able to score the deal he did – or pay his $60,000 bail. Amid all these questions, we’re left with just one. If the law doesn’t apply to those with money and a top-notch lawyer, is the system broken? My answer: unequivocally, yes.

[Detroit Free Press] [Huffington Post] [CNN] [Detroit Free Press]

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Matt DiCenso

Feature Image Courtesy of [Victor via Flickr]

Matt DiCenso

Matt DiCenso is a graduate of The George Washington University. Contact Matt at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post News Flash: No One Fares Well in Prison appeared first on Law Street.

For anyone going to law school in the fall, that April 15 matriculation date is quickly approaching. As a senior in my last month of college, my workload is starting to thin. Instead of worrying about papers and exams, most of my time is spent trying to figure out where I want to study law for the next three years.

Before I even applied to law school back in January, one of the first things I did, like most people, was check the rankings. Earlier this month, U.S. News and World Report released their 2015 Best Law Schools rankings. At first glance, the new rankings maintain the status quo. The top 20 schools remain largely unchanged, with giants Yale, Harvard, and Stanford leading the pack. As you scroll down the list of prestigious schools, you’ll notice several ties. Columbia University and University of Chicago share the number four spot, while both UCLA and Vanderbilt occupy slot 16.

Anyone can view the schools’ rankings, tuition, and enrollment numbers; however, if you want to see any of the really useful data (LSAT scores; GPAs by percentile; acceptance and bar passage rates; percentage of students employed immediately and nine months after graduation; and peer and professional assessment scores) you’ll have to spring for the $30 annual membership.

Granted, these overall rankings certainly provide some valuable information. But you’d be crazy to base your decision solely on numbers. Here are five important factors, besides just rankings, to consider when choosing which law school is right for you.

1. Reputation both regionally and nationally

Rankings are only a piece of the puzzle, albeit a substantial one, when it comes to a school’s reputation. Another factor to consider is a school’s reputation on both a regional and national level. If you attend a law school in Boston, for example, odds are employers along the East Coast will  not only be familiar with your alma mater but more importantly will respect it. Conversely, a law degree from a Boston area school might not have the same clout in, say, California. While this isn’t as big a deal for those who plan to attend a top-20 law school, it’s definitely something to consider.

2. What type of law you want to practice

Talking to both peers and parents about where to go to law school, this is probably the most common question I have been asked. For someone like me, who’s not quite sure what type of law he’ll pursue, this question can be frustrating. Similar to when relatives ask you what you plan to do with your life after only one semester at college, this inquisition can leave you feeling lost, confused, and annoyed. While it’s impossible to know exactly how your career will unfold, it’s not unreasonable to have a game plan, or at least a tentative one. If you love the environment and want to change the way it’s treated, consider schools that boast strong environmental law programs. One reason not to rely solely on overall rankings is because they provide just what their name suggests – an overall rank. Take the time to do the research – a school may be ranked 80^th overall but might have the third best environmental law program in the country. For those of you, like me, with little to no idea where your law degree will take you, don’t fret. In your first year of law school there’s little room, if any, for electives. Your first year will focus more on the fundamentals – the meat and potatoes, as they say.

3. Where you want to practice

This is the second most common question I’ve been asked. While I may not know exactly what I want to do, I do have a general idea of where I see myself living and working. I mean this in both a geographical and organizational sense – both the location of where you want to work and the type of company or firm you want to work for. If you want to live and practice in New York City, go to school in the big apple. If you want to live and practice in New York and work in “Biglaw,” then a New York school is an even better fit. If you see yourself working for a smaller firm in a less competitive market, a top-tier school might not be the right place for you. To reiterate my first point, always consider reputation – both regionally and nationally.

4. Where you want to live for three years

Law school is tough, no one is denying that. During your three years as a law student, you’ll undoubtedly spend a large portion of your time in the library. But eventually you’ll leave the library and, hopefully, have some semblance of a social life. If nightlife is important to you, a school in Boston, Chicago, or New York might be a good fit. If you absolutely abhor the cold, a school in Florida or California may be the best match. I realize that yes, you are first and foremost a dedicated law student. But after an exam or a marathon library session, you’re going to need to blow off some steam. Whether your idea of a break is a bar or a beach, go to a school where you will be able to enjoy yourself outside of class.

5. How you’re going to pay for your education

Scanning tuition prices, paying for law school can seem daunting – and that’s because it is. Like your undergraduate education, law school is a big investment. But unlike colleges and universities, law schools are sometimes stingy with merit money or financial aid. Without a full ride, a sizable scholarship, or a hefty financial aid package, paying for a $45,000-a-year education can look pretty bleak. Many law students inevitably graduate up to the their necks in debt, but the hope is that you’ll have worked hard enough to secure a job with a salary that will make paying off loans bearable. In an ideal world, money shouldn’t deter students from attending their dream schools. In reality though, educational debt can’t be ignored. Most law schools have similar price tags, but here are some things to consider:

• Schools located in major cities will cost more, with regard to both tuition and living expenses.
• Keep in mind that many law schools offer an in-state tuition discount. Decide if the state school where you live is the best fit for you, and if it isn’t then figure out the eligibility requirements where you do want to go.
• If money is very tight, attending law school part time might be a better fit. The more flexible class schedule allows you to work while you’re in school.
• If you’re dead set on being a full-time student, be sure to apply for financial aid and scholarships – though most law schools automatically consider every applicant for merit money.
• Research different types of loans – many law schools offer low-interest loans through the university itself.
• In the end though, the best way to pay for law school is to build as strong an application as possible. A high GPA and LSAT score will not only get you into a good school, but will provide you with the best possible chance at receiving a scholarship.

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Matt DiCenso (@mdicenso24)

Matt DiCenso

Matt DiCenso is a graduate of The George Washington University. Contact Matt at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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This week Law Street broke the story of the FBI’s latest violent crime data — if you haven’t checked it out yet you definitely should. This week, though, I want to talk about crimes of defamation, because though they are rarely discussed, they have similar ability to do serious harm to a person’s life. These are caused by careless, negligent, and often malicious words of one person against another. Some of these people are just talking to hear their own voices, and some are liars — there is a special place in hell for liars.

Crimes of defamation are rarely talked about on a large scale because, really, how do you quantify them?  Where do we draw the line between “Freedom of speech” and “defamatory content?” The area between the two is gray, but the laws exist to determine what is casual conversation and what is illegal.

The Supreme Court defines defamation as a four-element offense, which requires:

1. A false statement purporting to be fact concerning another person or entity;
2. Publication or communication of that statement to a third person;
3. Fault on the part of the person making the statement amounting to intent or at least negligence;  and,
4. Some harm caused to the person or entity who is the subject of the statement. 
   

Some states, like New York, take these federal guidelines a step further and determine various rules for defamation depending on the person being defamed. The first category is for “private” people — a group into which most of us fall. Private people are more broadly protected. If you negligently say something that is defamatory against me, and the above four elements are met, you’ve broken the law. It’s that simple!

New York also has two other classes: public official and public figure. President Barack Obama is a public official; Kim Kardashian is a public figure. (Get the difference?) These people have taken steps to thrust themselves into the public consciousness, and with widespread notoriety comes widespread ridicule and judgment. I believe the legal term is “Mo Money, Mo Problems.”

When dealing with Kim Kardashian, President Obama, or any other public person, New York mandates that a fifth requirement must be met: the defamatory speech must be malicious. Malice requires a specific intent to cause harm to a person — it’s a tougher hurdle to jump, but the rewards are much greater. When a U.K. newspaper claimed that Liberace was gay in the late 50s, he sued it for defamation and libel and was awarded a large amount of money. Tom Cruise won a similar suit, and let’s not forget when Lindsay Lohan tried to sue E-Trade for their drunk baby named “Lindsay.”

Liar, Liar Pants on Fire

The law says that truth is an affirmative defense to any claim of defamation. That is, if the defamatory statement is based on a true story, the speech is within the bounds of the law. This makes sense, right?  If you are a known thief, and someone tells their best friend that you steal, that is totally okay.

What’s not okay is when the defamation occurs and is based on untrue information. The law recognizes that the power of words and one’s reputation can carry a person very far, and does its best to protect an otherwise innocent person from being victimized by lies and rumors.

The point of these defamation laws is to combat that victimization. Because of these laws, an unfairly accused or viciously maligned person can stand firm in her innocence or his correct assertion. An easy way to do this is to have an adjudicatory decision in your favor, i.e. you’ve gone to court and won. In other words, proof is of paramount importance when attempting to bolster one’s argument in a defamation case.

“Show Me the Receipts!”

There are various ways to determine if something is true or false, and one of the easiest ways to make that determination is to review the record. Courts and triers of fact rely on hundreds of thousands, likely even millions, of pages of documents annually in order to parse out the truth from all of malarky. That is why law schools across the country focus on organization, meticulous record keeping, and the importance of creating a paper trail. It’s why we create elaborate filing systems, why every document is backed up, and why everything is committed to writing. The quickest way to piss off a lawyer is to make an assertion without substantiating evidence.

50 Cent, the Poet Laureate of the early 2000s, put it best when he said, “I talk a lot of shit, but I can back it up.”

The moral of the story is that crime is a problem, but we need to broaden the discussion. All criminal activity is reprehensible, and when the law is broken there need to be consequences. The law exists so that criminals don’t do whatever they want to do, and the same preclusions apply with words.

And if all else fails, don’t lie.

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Peter Davidson is a recent graduate of law school who rants about news & politics and raves over the ups & downs of FUNemployment in the current legal economy. Tweet him @PeterDavidsonII.

Featured image courtesy of [Angie Linder/Christina via Flickr]

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Peter Davidson II

Peter Davidson is a recent law school graduate who rants about news & politics and raves over the ups & downs of FUNemployment in the current legal economy. Contact Peter at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

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