Dear 1L,

“If everyone chipped in to help those coming after them, the law profession could easily be filled with amazing lawyers. . . .  And law schools could be filled with more confident, happy students.”

I almost fell from my chair.  What refreshing words to hear from a new law student!  Our broken profession may have a chance after all.

Dear 2L,

We spoke a lot about IRAC essay exams last year, but it’s been several months. I thought a refresher was due.

Key Reminder: You must do an IRAC analysis for every Element of every Claim and Defense raised by the exam hypo. Only then, do you maximize your score.

Below are 10 Steps.

Dear 1L,

You’ll hear of “IRAC.” You’ll learn it stands for the words:
▪️ Issue ▪️ Rule ▪️ Analysis ▪️ Conclusion.

But knowing those words won’t tell you how to write an exam. And law school won’t teach you, either.

There are many ways to write an IRAC essay for an “A,” and you may find others that suit you better.

Dear 1L,

You’ve been through a lot of challenges in life that were hard.
They tested you.
But you came through.

Remember when you tried to ride a bike for the very first time.
You likely fell.

Dear 1L,

You’re likely hearing about “outlining.”

Various schools of thought exist on when you should start, and the answer may differ for each of you.

Dear 2L,

If you feel “burnt out” & “unmotivated” right now, I am so sorry. I’ve been there, and I know how hard it is.

I hope the below thoughts will help. I’ll keep reading and thinking about ways to help feel engaged again.

Dear 1L,

I was wrong.

You may be a good writer.
You may be an excellent writer.
You may even be a published author.
But you are not a good legal writer yet.
You couldn’t possibly be.

💌 Dear 1L,

There will be some people at the start of law school who try to brag about how much time they spent on the assigned reading before the first class.

🔹 They may say they met with one of your professors already.

🔹 They may mention that they already copied all of a professor’s sample final exams from the library.

Dear 2L,

I don’t like to ask any of you directly about how the job-search is going. I don’t know whether you have an offer and feel good about things, or, like most, feel discouraged and not sure what to do next.

I remember there being a pall over my entire class that 2L fall. There was uneasiness in the air, as we were no longer “all in the same boat,” the way we were when we bonded during early 1L days.

💌 Dear 1L,

The summer before law school, I started to get nervous. I was excited, too, but as I sensed the magnitude of what was coming, anxiety built inside.

There were SO many unknowns:

What would law school be like?

Would the people be nice? 

📧 Dear 2L,

Facing the broad array of extracurriculars you might pursue this year can be dizzying. How to make sense of them all and find what works best for you?

Here are some thoughts.

_______________________