A few months ago I was asking for some career advice from Jordan Furlong, of the CBA’s National Magazine.

My concerns over bait-and-switch tactics by law firms and the enormously high turnover in some had me thinking.

We compared law to other professional degrees, and the pros and cons of each. Jordan suggested that I look at law as an investment in a personal skills enhancement project,

He responded at that time by saying,

I think a better way to look at it might be to consider the first seven years in the law to be the admissions process: three in school, one in articling, three in post-articling (most often, in a large law firm). At the end of those seven years, you’ve accumulated at least a minimal set of knowledge, skills and networks, you’ve paid down a chunk of your investment debt, and you can actually go out and start your real career. Viewed in that light, the working conditions for new lawyers seem a little more palatable, because new lawyers don’t see the harrowing associate experience as the norm or the template for the rest of their careers; they see it as an extended work term, co-op placement, apprenticeship, whatever, that has no particular bearing on where they’ll go next. If we could ever establish that way of thinking in the profession, we’d have much calmer and happier new grads.

Our conversation grew into an article that he posted on his site.

It proved so popular that the Young Lawyer’s Edition of the Addendum published it this month.

Perhaps it’s slightly disheartening to think of even more years ahead of me. But at the same time it might bring greater satisfaction and purpose to the challenges ahead.

A reporter recently pressed charges against Britney Spears for running over his foot with her car.

But on Friday, Deputy District Attorney Joseph D. Shidler said,

[the] only way the victim’s foot could have been where the video indicates it to be was by the victim placing it in that location.

Shidler had reviewed photos and videos from last year to assess her liability, and noted that she was driving very slowly in a straight path, surrounded by reporters with lots of noise and confusion.

Furthermore, Britney claims not to even remember the incident.

It’s not the first time she’s gotten in trouble while driving. In 2006, a scandal erupted when she was spotted driving with her child on her lap, and last year she had a misdemeanor hit-and-run charge in a parking lot.

I may need some help compiling a list, but I know since starting law school I've been really into watching movies about the law. Here is my list that I would recommend for some of you while taking a load off during law school. In fact, some of these, I watched while studying for finals (A Civil Action during my Civ Pro study). 

10. ...And Justice for All: "I'm not out of order. You're out of order..." You have to love Al Pacino's over-the-top performance as an attorney. Good movie to watch if you want to see how an attorney would need to confront conflicts with their own values and beliefs

9.  A Few Good Men: Always a classic - "you can't handle the truth!" If you are planning on being a JAG Corps attorney or are concerned about the code red's down at gitmo, this movie may be of interest with Top Cruise, Demi Moore, and good ole' Jack Nicholson.

A course outline is one of the most important and valuable tools a law student can develop in order to excel in his or her courses.

Organizational Tool. Law school courses are comprised of an enormous amount of material, which must be memorized, comprehended and applied by law school students.  The sheer volume and complexity of such material can feel extremely overwhelming, if you don’t have an organizational structure in place to manage such information.  A law school course outline is the most effective means of organizing such copious information.  Furthermore, you are bound to see the same information from multiple sources.  Compiling all of the information into one spot allows for a streamlined approach of comprehending the material without duplication of effort.

A very common question among new law students is determining how many hours they are permitted to work while in law school.

Many students who have gone from working full-time to law school may have to make an adjustment if they plan to enroll in more than twelve class hours.

If you go to a law school accredited by the ABA, the ABA says:

"student may not be employed more than 20 hours per week in any week in which the student is enrolled in more than twelve class hours." (Standard 304 from ABA)

Each law school must enforce this rule themselves by having the student commit to this and other rules.

Keep in mind that some law schools restrict this limit even more or prohibit working entirely in the first semester or two. Either way, most will tell you that working your first year at all may effect your performance adversely. 

Law school grades can make or break your chances of getting that all important summer internship or associate position upon graduation. If you are not at the top of your law school class, it is easy to feel like all hope is lost. However, there are steps that you can take, both during and after graduation, to improve your chances of securing gainful employment. This article will tell you about what you can do overcome the stigma of a low grade point average.

Far too many attorney job seekers under estimate the importance of a carefully crafted cover letter as a pivotal tool in their job search. The attorney cover letter is an important introduction to who you are, what you have to offer, and why you are interested in the firm (or company or other entity) to which you are applying.  Skimping on or glossing over its contents show the recipient of your application that you are not serious about wanting to work for them, or that they are only one in a long line of places to which you are sending the identical, slipshod letter.  Furthermore, many attorney jobs are writing intensive.  Employers assume if an attorney can’t even write a good cover letter, their same inattention will carry over to their legal work on the job.

Too many attorneys assume that the cover letter will go unread, and that the recipient is only interested in the applicant’s resume.  This is simply not the case.  Employers receive hundreds of resumes for one position, and do not have time to review every resume in depth.  The cover letter provides a capsule description of yourself and motivates the reader to turn to your resume, rather than discard it for the next one in the pile.  This article will advise you how to write a winning attorney cover letter that will be sure to get you noticed.