Week #1: Know Before You Go

We are glad you found your way to our first post! Whether you are a prospective first-gen law school student, a current first-gen law school student, or a legal professional reflecting on your experience, we hope you find this first series to be informative and thought-provoking. This first week, we are offering five tips for you to consider before you leave for school. Leave us a comment. Shoot us a DM. Your feedback will shape the growth of this platform.

Here's to going first,

Danielle and David

1. Put family and friends on notice.

We spent a bit of time thinking about how to strike a “balance” here. We don’t want to convey a message that glamorizes overwork or suggests you should forgo Thanksgiving dinner to study for your Contracts exam. However, it is important to understand that you will need to make sacrifices, especially during your first year of law school.

Share the academic calendar with your family and closest friends. Share your class schedule, too. But, also remind the family that many of your evenings and weekends will be spent in the library or in study groups. Just because you aren’t in class doesn’t mean you are available. We both found it incredibly helpful to schedule standing check-ins with family members and our closest friends. Danielle often cooks dinner while she FaceTimes with her mom. David usually catches up with his parents while on evening runs. Get creative with your time as your relationships outside of the law school bubble will prove invaluable throughout your experience.

2. Make commitments to yourself.

Make commitments to yourself before classes begin. Prioritize your mental and physical health. If you know you need eight hours of sleep a night, structure your days to ensure you get that time. If exercise is part of your daily routine, fit it in.

We both have implemented tools to help us hold ourselves accountable. There are great apps, wearables, and other technology tools that can remind you to walk, run, or sleep. Erasable marker messages on your mirror or sticky notes next to the coffee maker work well, too.

3. Settle in.

It is likely that you will have reading to do prior to the first day of classes. If possible, avoid moving in the weekend before orientation starts. Give yourself time to breathe.

Take time to settle in. Grocery shop, buy (or rent . . . more on that in week 4) your books, create space to live and work in your new home, and familiarize yourself with your new neighborhood and neighbors. Exchange numbers with a neighbor or two as there will probably be a time when you're going to need to call on these newfound friends.

If time permits, visit campus and locate your classrooms and other on-campus resources. If lockers are available, scout out one that is in a convenient location.

4. Don't read the online reviews of your professors.

Give 'em a chance! We all know the sites. We can debate all day long as to whether the information is instructive. But, if your school is like ours, professors and courses will be assigned to you. Consider allowing your experiences to serve as the foundation for your opinion of a professor.

5. Learn the basics.

If we had you on an elevator, we’d probably share that the American legal system is a common law system (with the exception of Louisiana, which relies on civil law, but has some common law influences). Courts rely heavily on precedent, or the body of law created by judges and memorialized in written opinions, when determining case outcomes. Legislators promulgate statutes and regulations are developed by the executive branch. Cases typically make their way before a judge when there is ambiguity in the law. Such ambiguity exists where precedent isn’t “on point," statutes are silent or unclear as to how to resolve the particular issue, and/or regulations are ambiguous.

We'd also note that we have a dual court system here in America, with federal and state courts. Both systems have three tiers (typically trial courts, appellate courts, and supreme courts). The plaintiff–the allegedly injured party bringing forth the claim–has to consider the facts and circumstances of her case to determine what system has jurisdiction, or the ability to hear the case. This is the crux of what you’ll learn in Civil Procedure.

Why are we sharing these tidbits? Because you’ll be spending many of your waking hours reading opinions. These opinions will reference precedent, statutes, and/or regulations, where applicable, to offer a conclusion. Casebooks will often include opinions from state and federal judges. The weight of the opinion’s authority will depend on a number of factors. For now, just know that a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court carries the greatest weight.

That’s all for this week. Have additional thoughts? We want to hear from you!

Week #2: Getting Involved will be shared on Monday, January 11, 2021.

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