10 Things To Know Before Starting Law School

By RACHEL MYERS

1. Law school is not graduate school.
Ever felt like taking a walk down memory-lane? Well, you’re in luck because the law school experience has more in common with middle school than it does with other graduate programs. On the first day, you enter the building like you own the place. You naively think you already understand the true meaning of life. And then very quickly you discover that you’re actually just an awkward and lowly 6th grader all over again. Thank goodness you can drink this time!

2. Be nice to everyone, and be careful with whom you trust.

Unfortunately, a large group of wannabe lawyers necessarily leads to some vicious drama (like I said, welcome back to your middle school cafeteria). And since gossip spreads like wildfire, everyone in your class will know whether you have a good or bad reputation by the end of the first semester.

3. There will be some reshuffling of friend groups several months into the semester.

Bonds made during orientation will weaken, and you’ll eventually figure out where you fit in. Don’t feel bad when you realize you’re not going to be lifelong BFFs with the person you thought was your soul-twin. It happens to most everyone considering how much time you will end up spending getting to know your classmates.

Law School Scenario 015

When I meet other law students...

LAW STUDENT STEREOTYPES

WRITTEN BY NICHOLAS

As law students we’re learning skills that will serve us well not just in a legal career, but also in many business fields and (possibly) life in general. However, there are some completely ridiculous expectations that people have of law students that no matter how hard we study, we just cannot live up to. 

Here are some of the expectations people, generally friends and family, have of me when I talk to them about my studies….

GETTING OUT OF TRAFFIC FINES

People always assume that I know how to get out of parking or speeding fines, like it’s a subject that’s offered in first year. Sure, in some circumstances there may be some mitigating factors but unfortunately, as we all know, they’re generally strict liability and if you’ve got a ticket, you’re stuffed. The only problem is how do you explain it to a tipsy uncle at a family BBQ?

DECIPHERING JUDGE JUDY

She’s a ‘judge’ and we’re law students, but that’s where the commonality ends. Sure we have comparative law subjects and we understand some of the similarities and differences between judicial systems, but none of those skills or knowledge will help you to make sense of what goes on in Judge Judy’s courtroom. The best explanation to give someone is to expect the complete opposite if they are ever going to court, or to suggest they try watching Rake instead.

AWESOME GOOGLING SKILLS

Sure, I have great researching skills – I know how to look up all Mabo decisions and the Tasmanian Dams Case – but that doesn’t mean I’m any better at Googling something. 

Probably like most of you, any searches I do on Google are just pot luck. Insert random words and hope for the best or failing that at least a funny meme. My real skill is searching through videos on YouTube. It’s amazing what you can find when you’re trying to avoid jurisprudence study.

BEING ARGUMENTATIVE

Now being argumentative is not such a bad attribute to have in law, and the ability to read between the lines to infer a certain take on something can be pretty helpful too. After all, that’s what statutory interpretation is all about.

Sometimes people always take it too far, thinking just because you express an opinion and are able to back it up, that you’re argumentative. Not to mention implying that you just love to twist words and butter people up so you can extract what you want from them. 

Personally, I take that as a compliment. It’s good to know my nearest and dearest think I will be killer at cross-examination, but it does get tiresome when people don’t realise that you can switch off your lawyer brain and that we are normal, friendly people that don’t have to have the last word.

COMPLETING A MARATHON

Finally, everyone seems to expect that just because I’ve almost survived the long haul of a law degree, I can survive the long haul of running 42.2km.

Strange how friends and family miss the stark contrast between being locked in a room surrounded by books and suffering a massive lack of vitamin D, and being outside and running for hours. Nothing I have had learned in law school has helped me with running, save that I know how to get away from an exam centre damn quick. 

These are just some of the unrealistic expectations of law students that I’ve encountered. Share you stereotype experiences in the comments section below! 

Dear Mr. Know-it-all ...

Dear Mr. Know-it-all  ...

Hanga tlaga ko sa taglay mong utak! Bangis mo sa memorization :)) Hindi na ko magtataka kung bakit madalas pa sa madalas eh ikaw ang highest sa mga exam lalo na nitong nakaraang midterm pero tandaan mo ! MAS MATAAS AKO SAYO SA POLITICAL LAW !! di ko na sasabihing bagsak ka dun ^^ hahahaha ! Anyway, that's not the point ... Bilib ako kung gaano ka kagaling mag-explain lalo na pagdating sa mga hypothetical questions parang ngumunguya ka lang ng mani .

Ano nga bang taglay mong sikreto? Ang sabi mo lang samin isa kang full time student .. and so ? Dami namang full time student pero di gaya ng performance mo .. iba eh ! At dahil full time student ka , nagattaka naman ako kung paano ka nkakasurvive sa law school ? Kamusta naman ang gastos ? Pagpapaprint pa lang ng mga cases na babasahin milyon-milyon na ! Samahan mo pa ng mga libo-libong halaga ng mga libro nila Sta. Maria, Bernas at Rufus-Rodriguez. 

Books to have for a First year/First semester Law Student

• Legal Research - Milagros Santos-Ong 
• Statutory Construction by Rufus Rodriguez or Ruben Agpalo
• Legal Profession by Edgardo Villareal
• Criminal Law by Atty. Renato Callanta Jr. (He's actually our professor and he made his own book which is very comprehensive and concise)
• Revised Penal Code (Every Law Student should have one!)
• Constitutional Law I known as Philippine Political Law by Joaquin Bernas
• 1987 Constitution (for Christ' sake!)
• Environmental Law I (No prescribed Author .. just make Google, LawPhil and Chan Robles your reliable Bestfriends)
• Persons and Family Relations Law by Melencio Sta. Maria
• Codal (The pocket size Civil Code of the Philippines)
• Family Code of the Philippines

that's all folks !

Soul Searching of a Law Student

Letter for Upcoming Law Students

Hello prospective law students. ,  you and I have something in common. We have all made a poor life decision, the decision to attend law school. But unlike you, I, as a 3L, am too close to the end to rectify my situation, but you all are not. Come Monday, you will step foot into this building and you will officially become a law student. If I were you, I would do some heavy soul searching this weekend and decide if you really want to do that. Take it from me, you do not.

But if you must see for yourself, I suggest you just come to class for two weeks and see how you like it. You can still get a full tuition refund after two weeks. Treat those two weeks as a test drive. You can do the reading for classes if you want, but I wouldn't recommend it. If you are called on, just tell the professor you are taking a test drive. After all, no one expects you to put gas in a car during a test drive. But give it two weeks, and if you really want to be here...well, don't say I didn't warn you.

You Don't Want To Hear This But You Should

Do you believe in irony? Well, I have been working as an attorney for a few months now and I really like my work. I am lucky to have such a great job. The sad part is, though, I am lucky to have any job at all.

The legal market is much tougher out there than law students expect. My conclusion is that career services aren't just useless, they're largely pointless because there simply aren't enough jobs out there for all law school graduates.

Here are your options as an upcoming law grad:

1) Big firm: You already know how these work. Either go to a great school or graduate at the top of your class. Otherwise, they're not an option.

She is now an Official Law Student ... noob !

Yesterday was my first day in Law School and God knows how nervous I was.

I looked like a total jerk roaming around the building not knowing where I'm heading to.

Luckily, I get reach my destination in a flash so I sat on the center table near my classroom and interview some Law Students .. The Buzz !

They are sophomores so I supposed they can give me some tips on how to survive (Zombie Apocalypse?) .

They were very generous in giving pieces of advice but they emphasized these things :

Study hard ! Never be absent ! and have the guts !

Weew ! I don't know if I should take it positively or not ..

It seems like they were trying to scare the s#%t out of me !

Anyway , thanks to them . It helped past time ^^

Welcome Freshmen ??

or

Welcome to Hell ?