5 Law School Tips I Wish I Understood Earlier
Author Line:
Written by Benjamin R. Gold, Esq. — Licensed Attorney in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine. Founder of Lawyer Stories.
If I could walk back into law school today, I would see a few things very differently.
I don’t say that with regret. My law school experience helped shape my career, the lawyer I became, and ultimately many of the experiences that led me to create Lawyer Stories.
But hindsight is a pretty good teacher.
There are things I would have taken more seriously, resources I would have used more often, and relationships I would have viewed differently. Some of the most valuable lessons about succeeding in law school — and eventually building a legal career — aren’t necessarily found in a casebook.
So, for students beginning their first year of law school or returning to campus, here are five law school tips based on my own experience.
1. Treat Law School Like Your First Professional Job
From the beginning, I believe law students should approach law school as professionals.
That starts with how you show up. During orientation and other professional events, err on the side of dressing professionally. You are beginning to build relationships with professors, administrators, alumni, practicing attorneys, and classmates who may remain part of your professional network for decades.
It also means treating law school like a full-time job.
Think 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. — and understand that there will be plenty of days when the work continues well beyond that.
Classes are only part of the workload. There is reading, briefing cases, outlining, research, writing, preparing for exams, networking, extracurricular activities, and eventually internships and bar preparation.
Developing that discipline early can make the transition from law student to practicing professional much easier.
2. Speak Up, Ask Questions and Go to Office Hours
This is one I especially wish I had appreciated more.
Participate in class.
You aren’t always going to have the perfect answer — and that’s okay. Law school is supposed to challenge the way you think.
If you have a question, ask it. There is a pretty good chance someone else in the room is wondering the same thing but doesn’t want to raise their hand.
And use your professors’ office hours.
Looking back, I wish I had done this more. Professors aren’t simply people standing at the front of a classroom delivering lectures. They can become mentors, references, resources, and connections throughout your legal career.
You are surrounded by people whose job is to help you learn.
Take advantage of that opportunity.
3. Your Classmates Aren’t the Enemy
Yes, law school can be competitive.
Grades matter. Class rankings can matter. Certain internships and opportunities are competitive.
But don’t allow that environment to convince you that everyone sitting around you is your competition.
That person sitting next to you in Civil Procedure could someday become your colleague, opposing counsel, co-counsel, client, friend — or one of your best referral partners.
The legal community can become much smaller than it seems when you’re a law student.
Relationships matter.
Help people when you can. Build genuine friendships. Celebrate other people’s successes. Don’t burn bridges over a grade or classroom competition.
And perhaps the simplest advice on this entire list:
Be nice.
It will serve you well in law school and long after graduation.
4. Use Everything Your Law School Gives You
Law school is expensive.
So use the resources you’re paying for.
Participate in clinics. Explore externships. Attend alumni events. Meet practicing lawyers. Use career services. Ask for help finding summer internships and post-graduation employment.
If your school provides bar preparation courses or other academic support, take advantage of them.
One mistake students can make is thinking they need to figure everything out themselves.
You don’t.
Your law school has an entire infrastructure designed to help students become lawyers and launch their careers. Some opportunities will be obvious. Others require you to walk into an office, introduce yourself and ask what’s available.
Do it.
The classroom is important, but some of the experiences that shape your future legal career may happen outside of it.
5. Learn to Manage Your Time Before It Manages You
Law school will teach you about time management very quickly.
There will always be something else you could be doing.
Another case to read. Another section of an outline to revise. Another event to attend. Another application to submit.
Eventually, you’ll add internships, clinics, extracurricular activities, bar preparation, job searching — and, yes, an actual life outside of law school.
You cannot give everything equal attention.
Learn to determine what actually deserves your time and protect it.
That doesn’t mean working every waking hour. In fact, learning when to stop working can be part of managing your time effectively.
The ability to prioritize will become even more important once you begin practicing law.
One More Thing: You Earned Your Seat
There is one more thing I would tell any law student — especially someone walking into a law school classroom for the first time.
Believe in yourself.
Imposter syndrome can creep in quickly.
You may look around the room and convince yourself that everyone else is smarter, more prepared, more confident, or somehow more deserving of being there.
Don’t.
You worked to get there.
You were admitted.
You earned your seat in that classroom.
You don’t need to know every answer. You don’t need to have your entire career mapped out. And you certainly don’t need to compare your path with everyone else’s.
Show up. Work hard. Ask questions. Take advantage of the opportunities around you. Build relationships. Be nice.
And keep going. 🚀
Benny Gold
Founder, Lawyer Stories
