tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44462292041627905412024-02-20T22:34:34.462-08:00Tales of a Law School DropoutGinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-70887119658413339322013-09-20T09:15:00.001-07:002013-09-20T09:15:39.577-07:00ABA panel calls for overhaul of law school education | Inside Higher EdHappy Friday everyone,<br />
<br />
Check out this article on law school reform: <a href="http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/09/20/aba-panel-calls-overhaul-law-school-education#.Ujxz7Id-QRU.blogger">ABA panel calls for overhaul of law school education | Inside Higher Ed</a><br />
<br />
Also, if you haven't already, claim your Top Ten Career Tips and find your free bonus, a recording of my exclusive <a href="http://writingandeditingtoday.com/interview-with-deborah-schneider-author-of-should-you-really-be-a-lawyer/" target="_blank">interview with Deborah Schneider</a>, author of <i>Should You Really Be a Lawyer?</i><br />
<i><br />
</i> Have a wonderful day,<br />
GinaGinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-49730346466138888372013-09-04T12:29:00.001-07:002013-09-16T08:42:25.405-07:00Teleconference with Deborah Schneider, author of "Should You Really Be a Lawyer"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Hi everyone,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">I'm proud to announce that my Virtual Book Tour will conclude with an <a href="http://writingandeditingtoday.com/interview-with-deborah-schneider-author-of-should-you-really-be-a-lawyer/" target="_blank">exclusive interview with <span style="line-height: 22px;">Deborah Schneider, author of <i>Should You Really Be a Lawyer: </i></span></a><span style="text-align: right;"><i><a href="http://writingandeditingtoday.com/interview-with-deborah-schneider-author-of-should-you-really-be-a-lawyer/" target="_blank">The Guide to Smart Career Choices Before, During and After Law School</a></i>. To find out more about the book, please go to </span><a href="http://www.shouldyoureally.com/">http://www.shouldyoureally.com/</a><span style="line-height: 22px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The conference call will take place on Sunday, Sept. 8th at 3 p.m. PST. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 22px;">Conference dial-in number: </span><a href="tel:%28805%29%20399-1000" style="line-height: 22px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">(805) 399-1000</a><span style="line-height: 22px;">. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Participant access code: 471729</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The interview will be recorded, so be sure to Follow my blog at <a href="http://www.ginaakao.com/">www.GinaAkao.com</a> to receive a link to the recording.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Share the link with all of your legal beagle friends!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Also, check out the most recent book endorsement I received from attorney, Rick Hsu:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="line-height: 19px;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">"Gina Akao accurately portrays with gripping detail the neuroticism that every law student experiences in <i>Tales of a Law School Dropout</i>, from the frenetic process of studying for the LSAT through the trials and tribulations of the first semester of law school."</span></div>
<div data-mce-style="text-align: left;" style="line-height: 19px;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">--Rick R. Hsu, Esq.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Maupin, Cox & LeGoy</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If you haven't already, pick up a copy of my eBook, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Law-School-Dropout-ebook/dp/B00BDFMM9I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1360462792&sr=1-1&keywords=gina+akao" target="_blank">Tales of a Law School Dropout</a></i> for only $9.99!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Have a great day,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">Gina</span></span>Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-39786290871253176302013-08-07T10:02:00.001-07:002013-08-09T16:14:12.042-07:00Law School Pedagogy<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;">Hi everyone,</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">When I was in law
school, I often wondered why law is taught the way it is instead of
incorporating an apprentice-style of teaching that was common before Harvard
Law School and other traditional law schools switched the focus from the
practice of law to the theory of law.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">To read an
interesting article about the way law is taught, please go to this link: </span></span><a href="http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2013/08/07/new-book-emphasizes-role-pedagogy-law-schools#.UgJ83emJkUY.blogger"><span style="background: white; color: #999999; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">New book emphasizes
role of pedagogy in law schools | Inside Higher Ed</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><br />
<br />
<span style="background: white;">Also, if you
haven't already done so, please check out my new business website,
<a href="http://www.writingandeditingtoday.com/">www.WritingandEditingToday.com</a> and enter your email to receive your Top Ten
Career Tips.</span></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="background: white;">Thanks!</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 8.0pt;"><span style="background: white;">Gina</span></span></div>
</div>
Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-64482611566014213132013-06-15T19:43:00.001-07:002013-06-15T19:44:47.117-07:00Gina Akao: Locks of Love Haircut<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/xeX7RVkO1sY" width="459"></iframe><br />
<br />
Hi everyone! I'm donating my hair to Locks of Love! Many thanks to Emily Avila for giving me such a great haircut! For more information about donating your hair, please go to <a href="http://www.locksoflove.org/">www.locksoflove.org</a>. Don't forget to subscribe to my author blog, <a href="http://www.ginaakao.com/">www.GinaAkao.com</a> to receive your free gift!<br />
<br />
Here is the before picture:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaTdSUeWmt_7FGeIdzl5iFjmExBxKioIzYKbdZ6jgStl-KK8AEWUCzFtCfj7B_gWOtOzQw8MyGuDKTUZahOg83pui_OX7m8zPMN_6IROzSyR3GThtIymBtFLUr5FKbPz5HLoQImq4lXyE/s1600/IMG_0105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVaTdSUeWmt_7FGeIdzl5iFjmExBxKioIzYKbdZ6jgStl-KK8AEWUCzFtCfj7B_gWOtOzQw8MyGuDKTUZahOg83pui_OX7m8zPMN_6IROzSyR3GThtIymBtFLUr5FKbPz5HLoQImq4lXyE/s320/IMG_0105.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here are the after pictures:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aKoKYbndPMG7gUjfmfVaAY514PrdYGXL9IklpzHsGHsnihQpoPSAurvrqpoO1U1Sc_GmXqJXPaSQG7gy7tvF4BW60iL07APcJsVGhF_3uFFRcJukSv-c7LCec7CtLgekKLrN_vMC_0Eg/s1600/IMG_0106.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2aKoKYbndPMG7gUjfmfVaAY514PrdYGXL9IklpzHsGHsnihQpoPSAurvrqpoO1U1Sc_GmXqJXPaSQG7gy7tvF4BW60iL07APcJsVGhF_3uFFRcJukSv-c7LCec7CtLgekKLrN_vMC_0Eg/s320/IMG_0106.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwQXT47Hew2AO7azvlAkuYcsadmCfu9J8b0SS4iBUJcNGrp2DHRlf1If-kVcC0DKiCl1LhvsjLuRLrY671vyW7d2iTNrc-V54B7lP1a03q0fz3Eb0DorH61LVYZ_d-UPZtk-nCRY8c3PZ/s1600/IMG_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwQXT47Hew2AO7azvlAkuYcsadmCfu9J8b0SS4iBUJcNGrp2DHRlf1If-kVcC0DKiCl1LhvsjLuRLrY671vyW7d2iTNrc-V54B7lP1a03q0fz3Eb0DorH61LVYZ_d-UPZtk-nCRY8c3PZ/s320/IMG_0107.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Have a great day!</div>
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Gina</div>
Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-84514258515082785322013-04-13T15:04:00.001-07:002013-04-13T15:09:23.280-07:00Gina Akao: My Author HubHi everyone,<br />
<br />
Check out the link to my Toastmasters speech about My Author Hub!<br />
<br />
Here are a few key points from my speech:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>If you have a passion, talent, business, or book to promote, a blog is an affordable and easy way to get the word out to your audience.</li>
<li>You can create a blog in a few hours for free on Google <a href="http://www.blogger.com/home" target="_blank">Blogger</a> or <a href="http://www.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">www.WordPress.com</a>.</li>
<li>If you would like to create a personal brand, you can buy a domain name for your blog. Domains cost anywhere from about $10 on <a href="http://www.godaddy.com/" target="_blank">www.GoDaddy.com</a> or you can buy one directly on WordPress.com for $18 per year. The domain is integrated with your WordPress site, and goes live within as little as a few hours.</li>
<li>Link your blog to social media. This connects you with friends who can help you share your ideas and connect you to future clients.</li>
<li>Encourage people to subscribe to your blog by offering a free gift.</li>
<li>If you're not tech savvy, you can enlist the help of a virtual assistant to set up your blog for you. If you would like me to help you, please contact me <a href="http://ginaakao.com/contact/" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
</ol>
<div>
If you liked this article, please go to <a href="http://www.ginaakao.com/" target="_blank">www.GinaAkao.com</a> and subscribe to receive your Top Ten Career Tips!</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Have a great day,</div>
<div>
Gina</div>
Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-59430075255470033802013-02-09T18:52:00.000-08:002013-02-09T18:56:45.085-08:00Buy "Tales of the Law School Dropout" today!Six years in the making, and the moment is finally here: my e-book, "Tales of a Law School Dropout" is available on Amazon.com! Get your copy today for $9.99!
<p>
You can find my book by going to Amazon.com and typing in "Gina Akao," or you can go directly to the link <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Law-School-Dropout-ebook/dp/B00BDFMM9I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1360462792&sr=1-1&keywords=gina+akao">here</a>: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tales-Law-School-Dropout-ebook/dp/B00BDFMM9I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1360462792&sr=1-1&keywords=gina+akao"></a>
<p>
You don't have to own a Kindle to read the e-book. Just download the Kindle for PC for free <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000426311">here</a>:
<p>
If you have a smart phone, you can also download the free Kindle app and read the book that way.
<p>
If you have ever contemplated becoming a lawyer or have ever tried a career path that didn't quite fit, this is the book for you.
<p>
I would love to hear your feedback. Please feel free to message me on facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube.
<p>
Happy reading!<p>
Gina
<p>
<a href='http://gan.doubleclick.net/gan_click?lid=41000613802463762&pid=NV8092910&adurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.technooutlet.com%2Fnv8092910.html&usg=AFHzDLt68MCOU7u7umQmZJQpoWtRsjsK_g&pubid=620146' rel='nofollow'>M-EDGE AF1-IN1-MF-R KINDLE FIRE INCLINE JKT, RED -TABLET-E-READER (Google Affiliate Ad)</a>Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-77063387607210792292013-01-28T21:02:00.001-08:002013-01-28T21:02:08.985-08:00Tales of a Law School Dropout e-Book Launch Date<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5xu69rhQMak" width="459"></iframe>Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-87905768742779375142013-01-06T16:44:00.001-08:002013-01-06T16:50:11.753-08:00Early Book Review<body>
Hi everyone,<br />
<br />
I hope you are having a fabulous new year so far! My book, "Tales of a Law School Dropout," is in its final stages of editing and will be available on Amazon Kindle soon. <br />
<br />
I have been sending my book out for some early book reviews/blurbs for the back of the book, etc. Here is a sneak preview below!<br />
<br />
<i>Like a lot of law students, Gina Akao didn’t do nearly enough research before deciding to go to law school. But unlike a lot of law students, Gina did make the honest and courageous decision to leave law school when she become convinced that becoming a lawyer wasn’t a path that would lead to career happiness. By chronicling in detail her journey into, and out of, law school, Gina’s story reinforces the critical career advice, first uttered by Socrates, that anyone in or considering law school should take to heart: “Know Thyself.”</i><br />
<br />
– Deborah Schneider, Esq, co-author of Should You Really Be A Lawyer? The Guide to Smart Career Choices Before, During and After Law School.<br />
<br />
Happy New Year!<br />
Gina
<br />
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My sister took the LSAT today, and endured 4.5 hours of cruel and unusual punishment that only pre-law students can appreciate. She told me her brain is tired, which is a feeling I am sure she will revisit once she goes to law school. Unlike me, I think my sister will be a good fit for law, considering she had the gumption to sue the IRS. Watch out, legal world, another Akao is on the way!<br />
<br />
Is the pain worth it?<br />
<br />
I recently interviewed a friend of mine, Doug MacLean. Like me, he was a fellow English major from UNR, but unlike me, he had a specific reason for attending law school. Four years ago, I had helped Doug with his personal statement to Georgetown. Not only did he get in, he excelled. Doug is now in Japan for a year on a Fulbright, studying exactly what he wanted to: international women's humans rights. Doug told me that many professors in the legal world agree OneL is "pedagogically bankrupt," but are unwilling to do anything about it. I translate this to mean that there is absolutely no reason why law schools across the country have to make learning law so hard for first year students. Will the system ever change? I hope so.<br />
<br />
Is there light at the end of the tunnel?
For advocates like Doug, absolutely. Is studying law uncomfortable? Most definitely, yes. Is it worth it for some? For sure, yes.<br />
<br />
If you are thinking about law school or in the process of applying, my advice to you is this: write down your goals and be specific. Include those goals in your personal statement. Years later when you look back at that document, you will see why the pain was worth it!
Or, if you're like me, you will find a passion that doesn't require so much suffering.<br />
<br />
Cheers,
Gina <br />
<br />
<br />
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</HTML>Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-37743329202089683692012-08-01T14:56:00.002-07:002012-08-28T19:48:58.801-07:00Book Recommendation: Should You Really Be a Lawyer?<BODY>Are you planning to go to law school? You <u>must</u> read this book, <i>Should You Really Be a Lawyer? The Guide to Smart Career Choices Before, During & After Law School</i>. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Should-You-Really-Be-Lawyer/dp/0940675579">http://www.amazon.com/Should-You-Really-Be-Lawyer/dp/0940675579</a>.<br />
<br />
The author, Deborah Schneider, came to speak to my Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity club the summer before I attended law school, and out of all of the career decision books I have read, this is the only one that could stand the test of time. I wish I had a dollar for every time I said, "I wish I had listened to Deborah's advice," especially when, toward the end of my law school stint, I would rather have scratched my eyes out than read another legal case about murder and manslaughter (too gory for my classical pianist eyes!).<br />
<br />
Deborah has a JD, and is the former Associate Director for Career Development at the University of California Hastings College of Law. Her book has three main audiences: prospective law students, current law students, and practicing lawyers. However, I think the career advice would apply to almost any career path.<br />
<br />
My favorite part of the book: the assessments. Deborah and her co-author, Gary Belsky, have provided their readers with short, magazine-quiz-like assessments that challenge your assumptions about the legal world and the dazzling, high paying careers you think law will lead you to once you finish law school. For example, Decision Assessment 2 asks you to:<br />
<br />
Check all the statements that apply to you:<br />
<br />
I'm considering going to law school because...<br />
<br />
A) I'm not sure what I want to do, and a law degree will keep my options open.<br />
B) People whose opinions I trust are encouraging me to get a law degree.<br />
C) I've thought about what I'd enjoy in a job, and the law would be a good fit for my skills, strengths, and interests.<br />
D) The people whose jobs I'd like to have in a few years all have law degrees, even though they no longer practice.<br />
E) I've already worked in legal and non-legal environments, and I would prefer a legal setting.<br />
F) I was a liberal arts major, so a law degree seems like the next logical step.<br />
G) Everyone says I would make a good lawyer.<br />
H) I'm competitive by nature, so I think I'd enjoy law school and the legal profession.<br />
I) My prior professional experience sparked my interest in law.<br />
<br />
(Schneider & Belsky, 2005, p. 23-24).<br />
<br />
At the time, I checked C and F, then eagerly proceeded to the paragraphs below my answers to read what my responses said about me and my assumptions. Once I had finished my entire assessment, I received a score of 71, which put me in the gray area. I laugh when I read the description of the gray area, because it was dead on: "You probably do have some valid reasons for going to law school and a sense of what you want from a JD, and you have done a little research. But you may be reading this book because you're still not sure that law is the right decision for you." (Schneider & Belsky, 2005, p. 44).<br />
<br />
Was Deborah right? Absolutely! So if you are looking for a magic 8 ball to tell you if law school is the right fit, don't let the LSAT tell you that, read <i>Should You Really Be a Lawyer?</i> It is well worth the $21.86 bucks, which is nothing compared to the debt you will take on if you wait to address your uncertainties until after you are too invested to get out! Of course, you may read the book and decide law school is the right path for you. And if so, all the power to you.<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
Gina<br />
<br />
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</BODY>Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-7929856255656725182012-06-21T10:38:00.001-07:002012-06-21T10:56:27.523-07:00Assault v. BatteryI am always surprised when I am listening to the radio how often people mix up assault with battery. In my torts class, we studied assault and battery by the elements. We had the elements drilled into us, to the extent that one of the torts teachers said we should be able to wake up in the middle of the night and recite the elements from memory. I can just imagine sleeping peacefully, and suddenly, my eyes popping open. I would sit up in bed and, in a zombie-like haze, start announcing: <br />
<br />
Assault: <br />
1) act <br />
2) intent <br />
3) imminent apprehension of the harm or offence <br />
4) the harm or offence <br />
<br />
Battery: <br />
1) act <br />
2) intent to touch <br />
3) intent to harm or offend <br />
4) the harm or offense <br />
<br />
The elements look the same, right? Well, the difference is that assault is just the apprehension of a harm or offence, so it doesn't require contact. Battery usually involves contact while assault only involves thinking you will get hurt. It's the difference between someone faking a punch (assault) and actually punching someone (battery). <br />
<br />
Of course, you don't have to take my word for it. Any good lawyer would say it depends on the circumstances. And of course, when you are a law student, you get to say that anything you do or say should not be construed as legal advice. <br />
<br />
So there you have it: the difference between assault and battery. <br />
<br />
Sweet dreams!<br />
Gina<br />
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</script>Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-76038657033134373972012-06-08T10:27:00.000-07:002012-06-08T12:45:05.628-07:00Writing Your Personal Statement<br />
<BODY>
Writing your law school personal statement can be daunting, but it isn't difficult if you follow a few simple guidelines. Law school admissions committees are looking for three basic things: who you are, why you are applying to law school (and why now), and what will make you complete the program.<br />
<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Give up on trying to write the perfect personal statement. Several drafts are standard. Your first draft can be a "freewrite" where you just brainstorm whatever is on your mind, and what made you consider applying to law school.</li>
<li>Revise. Show some of your later drafts to a few people you trust. I ran my law school personal statement by 20 students in an English class. If at least three people recommend the same improvement, make the change. Some comments are useful, but the author always knows best. Trust your instincts. The last person you show your draft to should be the person whose opinion matters most to you.</li>
<li>Do a final edit before you submit. Nothing looks worse than an admissions essay that has typos. Admissions committees can tell if you drafted your personal statement for the first time as you were filling out your application. Trust me. I participated on an Admissions Committee as part of the Honors Program at UNR. A panel of professors, myself, and the Honors Director read through every essay and letter of recommendation and then met multiple times to debate which applications would go into the "accept," "reject," and "maybe" piles. Standardized test scores and grades determine which initial pile your application gets put into, but after that, especially if the committee is on the fence about your materials, your personal statement and letters of recommendation get scrutinized.</li>
</ol>
There are several books out there on how to draft a good personal statement. Sometimes it is helpful to look at sample essays that were successful. But remember, your personal statement is about <i>you</i>. In the end, those example are just examples. Admissions committees want to know who you are, so give them enough detail so they can visualize you in the graduation processional.<br />
<br />
Good luck!<br />
Gina<br />
<br />
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</BODY>Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-73559484189789337312012-05-29T22:03:00.001-07:002012-05-29T22:07:55.637-07:00Your LegacyWhat will you be known for?<br />
<br />
This question was posed to us during one of my Educational Leadership classes. The moderator of the discussion asked us to turn to our neighbor and tell him or her what we thought we would be known for. I said, even though it is a hobby, I might be known for playing and teaching classical piano. When I recently posted a book reading to YouTube, alongside a collection of piano pieces I recorded, the piano videos gained me more subscribers.<br />
<br />
After I thought about the question more, however, I might answer the question differently.<br />
<br />
On May 20, 2012, my cousin, Luke Akao, was killed in a motorcycle accident. He was 30 years old. My sister and I attended the memorial service this past Saturday. Although we did not know Luke well, I was so impressed by how many people said how much he had helped others. He lived. He loved. He laughed. He could fix just about everything. He had graduated from UCLA with a degree in Political Science, but he was so much more than just a student. His friendship, his daredevil qualities, and his goofy sense of humor endeared him to everyone around him, be it co-workers or family members.<br />
<br />
We are all multifaceted beings. There is no "one" thing that defines us. I teach piano, yes. I write. I work with databases. I conduct institutional research. I am a lifelong learner. I am committed to excellence. I give Toastmasters speeches. Life is a series of changes. At any given time, one talent may rise above another. Sometimes it is work. Sometimes it is school. Sometimes it is family. It could even be play.<br />
<br />
A colleague of mine in the Educational Leadership program at UNR had commented that he had seen my blog and noticed that I had attended law school and dropped out. He had gone to law school too and had decided it wasn't for him. Now, both of us hold a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership. Even though it was not a good fit, law school did not prevent us from succeeding in the future, nor from following new goals and dreams.<br />
<br />
By writing my book, I hope to encourage people to find the best path, uniquely designed for them. It could be law. It could be something entirely different. Whatever your passion is, do it! If my cousin taught me anything, it would be to live life to the fullest.<br />
<br />
Namaste,<br />
Gina Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-18516901197655213932012-04-20T14:50:00.001-07:002012-04-20T14:52:16.994-07:00Studying for the LSATHi everyone,<br />
<br />
One of my main objectives in writing my book is to give my readers what I wished I had known before I went to law school. Today's topic is studying for the LSAT, and what I found most helpful and not so helpful as I was studying for the LSAT.<br />
<br />
<strong>Kaplan Courses </strong><br />
<br />
I chose to take a Kaplan course to give me the motivation to study for the test. However, the teacher wasn't very good, and the course material jumped around schizophrenically, which didn't allow for mastery of any particular part of the test. Unless the format has changed since when I took it in 2006, the LSAT is half logical reasoning, a fourth logic games, a fourth reading comp, and one wild card section. There is a writing portion, but it is not scored. Kaplan courses are expensive (mine was $1099 at the time I took it, but is more now). I recommend skipping the expensive course and buying access to the online resources Kaplan has. I found that Kaplan's test answer explanations were particularly helpful.<br />
<br />
<strong>Previously Administered LSATS</strong><br />
<br />
You can buy sets of 10 previously administered LSATS, and this is well worth your money. I recommend taking as many practice tests as possible in a timed environment. Once you learn the basic types of questions on the test and the common mistakes, all you have to do is repeat. Score each test and review your answers. Then review your answers some more.<br />
<br />
<strong>Find a Strategy</strong><br />
<br />
Each question on the test is worth the same amount, but some questions are more difficult than others. Don't be afraid to skip around and do the easy questions first to maximize your points. Also, you won't get penalized for guessing, so don't forget to fill in all the answers, even if you are close to running out of time.<br />
<br />
<strong>Get a Study Buddy</strong><br />
<br />
Let's face it, the LSAT is just unfun. You will need someone who knows what you are going through to keep up your morale. Don't worry, the LSAT has nothing to do with your worth as a person or how smart you are. Although the LSAT is an important part of the admissions process, it is not the only factor. Don't beat yourself up. You can do it!<br />
<br />
Have a wonderful day.<br />
<br />
Namaste,<br />
<br />
Gina<br />
<br />Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-43559341553961817712012-04-03T09:55:00.001-07:002012-04-03T09:55:37.053-07:00Tales of a Law School Dropout Book Reading of Chapter 1: Cultivating the...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="270" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OfAGn8SRBVE?fs=1" width="480"></iframe>Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-28821425340696415462012-03-20T11:35:00.000-07:002012-03-20T11:35:40.521-07:00Goodness of FitAt church last week, the pastor gave a sermon about reality. One of the verses he pointed out stood out to me:<br />
<br />
"Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying,<br />
'This is the way, walk in it,'<br />
Whenever you turn to the right hand<br />
Or whenever you turn to the left."<br />
<br />
- Isiah30:22, NKJ<br />
<br />
Sometimes life throws you choices, and you don't know whether to turn left or right. Law school was one of those turns for me. There was a time that I thought God wanted me to go to law school. Maybe there was a reason why I was there even though I did not end up becoming a lawyer. After all, if I had not gone, I wouldn't have a book!<br />
<br />
A few weeks before I withdrew from law school, my Sabbath school group leader presented us this quote by Arthur Miller, author of <i>The Crucible</i>:<br />
<br />
"It is wrong, it is sin, to accept or remain<br />
in a position that you know is a mismatch<br />
for you. Perhaps that's a form of sin you've never even<br />
considered--the sin of staying in the wrong job.<br />
But God did not place you on this earth<br />
to waste away your years in labor<br />
that does not employ his design or purpose<br />
for your life, no matter how much<br />
you may be getting paid for it."<br />
<br />
- Arthur Miller<br />
<br />
Occasionally I revisit the quote, and it has always been helpful when I consider redirecting my path. We all have abundant possibilities. Sometimes they are just a turn away.<br />
<br />
Namaste,<br />
GinaGinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-66716011840001903482012-03-13T23:12:00.001-07:002012-03-13T23:15:08.345-07:00Ex parte and LingerieLast Wednesday, I went to my favorite Toastmasters group (Toastmasters is a nonprofit that teaches public speaking and leadership skills). During every meeting we have Table Topics, in which we have a Table Topics Master assign topics to speakers randomly, and then the speakers talk for a few minutes about the topic. If you know about the subject you can go for it, but if you don't, you can "dazzle with BS," as one of our veteran members likes to say.<br />
<br />
The week's table topics came from Black's law dictionary. The Table Topics Master, a local attorney, thought (however sadistically) that we might enjoy talking about legal subjects.<br />
<br />
The first topic: ex parte. The Table Topics Master called on one woman in our group. She started off, "Thank you Mr. Table Topics Master, Fellow Toastmasters, and most welcome guests...ex party." (She pronounced it party). A blank look crossed her face, but then she began to smile. We knew some dazzling BS was in store, and she didn't disappoint. The topic became a mini speech about lingerie parties, "ex party" style. I would tell you the rest, but I have been sworn to secrecy. <br />
<br />
If you want to know the real definition, you can always follow the link: <a href="http://blackslawdictionary.org/ex-parte/">http://blackslawdictionary.org/ex-parte/</a>. It basically means "on one side only," which I'm sure would be a lot less exciting to hear about during a Table Topic.<br />
<br />
My point is, there are so many legal words that can't be discerned at first glance. Love it or hate it, the language of the law is a beast of its own. But hey, if you don't like legalese, you can always join the "ex party" crowd.<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
Gina :)Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-45199004699292203202012-03-03T12:14:00.001-08:002012-03-03T13:19:56.845-08:00Arguing in the AlternativeWhen you go to law school, you learn to "think like a lawyer." But what does that mean?<br />
<br />
It means you can spot a lawsuit wherever you go. When you walk through a parking lot of a grocery store, and you see a large pothole in the pavement, you think, "oh, that's a tort lawsuit waiting to happen." Someone could easily fall if they were to accidentally step into the pothole. Is the injury foreseeable? Yes. Is the grocery store responsible for maintaining a safe parking lot? Most likely yes.<br />
<br />
But wait. There is another side to the story. What would the other side say? <br />
<br />
I was recently editing a legal memo for my sister for her paralegal class, and recommended that at the end of the memo, she add a brief paragraph to "argue the alternative". When I was in law school, my torts professor took great pride in getting us to think like a lawyer. Part of that process is learning to argue in the alternative. In other words, what would the opposing side say? What would they argue in response to your case?<br />
<br />
For example, the hypothetical scenario from my sister's legal memo was about a guy who went to a bar and got drunk. He left the bar drunk and got into a terrible car accident. The issue was whether the bar was responsible for the damages caused by the drunken man's behavior. My sister argued the bar was indeed liable and cited several cases with similar circumstances in which the court found the bar responsible.<br />
<br />
However, what would the other side argue? Perhaps they would say the guy was drunk before he got to the bar. Maybe they would say that nobody saw him leave the bar drunk, so the injury was not foreseeable. There is always another side...and another lawyer to argue it.<br />
<br />
What does all of this mean for me now that I am not a lawyer? I can't enjoy myself when I walk across a parking lot.<br />
<br />
Cheers,<br />
Gina :)Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-1765255096686808742011-06-01T23:46:00.000-07:002011-06-01T23:46:35.870-07:00Tip of the DayHi everyone,<br />
<br />
I was recently contacted by someone needing admissions advice, and I wanted to share with you a few free tips about applying to law school.<br />
<br />
1. Take some time to craft the reason you are applying to law school for your personal statement. Several months into the semester, the law school I attended held a workshop on how to deal with the stresses of law school. They advised us to remember the reasoning we had listed in our personal statements...yes, all of those rosy dreams you had before you started reading loads of cases and wondering why in the world you decided to go to law school in the first place!<br />
<br />
2. The LSAT is not a magic 8 ball. If you do well on a practice test, that doesn't necessarily mean you will enjoy being a lawyer. On the other hand, if you perform poorly on your first practice test, don't throw away all of your law school hopes and dreams. A low score just means you have some work to do to improve your standardized test taking skills.<br />
<br />
3. The social scene in "professional" school is different than regular undergrad. Here's a hint...there are lockers. You might be reminded of high school days, only you will have student loans instead of notes to pass around in zero period.<br />
<br />
Send me a message if you find these tips helpful. I am always looking for good ideas for legal topics you are interested in.<br />
<br />
Have a wonderful day,<br />
GinaGinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-33312402667718636322011-05-03T00:19:00.000-07:002011-05-03T00:19:50.695-07:00Testimonial - Happy ClientsHi everyone,<br />
<br />
Just wanted to share with you a recent testimonal of someone who benefited from my admissions counseling. If you are thinking of applying to a dream school, or even a "good fit" school, please do not hesitate to contact me. I have served on the Admissions Committee for the UNR Honor's Program, and from my background in Educational Administration, I can offer insider's knowledge into the sometimes elusive academic world. My track record with Admissions Counseling for personal statements, application assistance, and mock interviews is 100%.<br />
<br />
Here's what one client had to say:<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">"I approached Gina to help me prepare for an MBA admissions interview. Despite my short notice, she was able to thoroughly research the school and provide a challenging and thought-provoking interview experience. Above all else, her assistance gave me the confidence and the positive state of mind to walk into that admissions office and ace my interview. Thanks in part to Gina’s help, I am now a MBA student at the <placename w:st="on">Stephen</placename> <placename w:st="on">M.</placename> <placename w:st="on">Ross</placename> <placename w:st="on">School</placename> of Business – one of the top ten business education institutions in the <place w:st="on"><country-region w:st="on">US</country-region></place>." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">--Hongda Jiang - March 14, 2011.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
Have a wonderful day,<br />
Gina Akao<br />
<a href="mailto:gna2581@gmail.com">gna2581@gmail.com</a>Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-60940869635227454372011-02-02T05:15:00.000-08:002011-02-02T05:24:50.468-08:00Dropout v. FailureDoes dropping out of law school equate to failure?<br />
<br />
Sometimes people assume dropping out is the same as flunking out of law school. The terms, however, are not equivalent. A dropout is simply someone who originally intended to finish the degree, but did not continue. A person who failed actually received "F"s due to inadequate academic performance.<br />
<br />
I chose to call my book "Tales of a Law School Dropout" because the word "dropout" has <i>zing</i> to it. After all, who would want to read a novel titled "Tales of a Law School Withdrawal"? The term "dropout" carries a negative connotation, but I don't think it's too harsh to call myself a law school dropout. I carry the title with pride! Not many people have the courage and integrity to discontinue an ill-fitting career path. Dropping out of law school was one of the best decisions of my life. I don't call it failure. I don't even call it changing my mind. I call it reclaiming my life. <br />
<br />
As a college Registrar, I process paperwork of students who drop out of school. The drop paperwork comes across my desk, and I give students the withdrawal grades indicated on the form. The student receives a "W" for "withdrawal", "WS" for "withdrawal satisfactory", or "WU" for "withdrawal unsatisfactory". Each school has distinct policies for withdrawal students. At the school I work for, "W" grades do not impact the GPA, nor do "WS" grades. "WU" grades count the same as "F"s.<br />
<br />
The law school I attended, Boyd, has a more stringent grade scale. Students who drop out at the end of the semester automatically receive "F"s. Although I performed exceptionally well academically during the semester, and received "A"s in everything I completed, because I chose to persevere till the end of my first year, I took a hit to my transcript. My law school transcript shows four "F"s and one "A" (I finished Lawyering Process, but didn't take finals in Torts, Property, Criminal Law, or Civil Procedure).<br />
<br />
One of my friends begged me to reconsider my choice to withdraw before attempting my finals. She argued that because I was likely to continue my academic pursuits at another school, the failing grades on my law school transcript might hinder my chances of gaining admission to graduate school. I told her I didn't care. I could explain the reason for my failing grades in an addendum, if necessary. The personal cost to me to continue law school was too great. A wise doctor once told me that no honor nor degree is worth sacrificing your health and happiness. <br />
<br />
My law school transcript did not prevent me from going to grad school and furthering my academic aspirations. Today, I am proud to say I am a grad student at the University of Nevada, Reno. I am pursuing a Masters in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Educational Administration. Best of all, I am pursing a career path that fits me completely. <br />
<br />
I have learned much more from failure in law school than I ever could have from success. I am grateful for my law school experience and the lessons I learned, both personally and professionally. I face my future without regret, and to this day, I never would have played it any other way.Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-65083386386335449612011-01-22T23:52:00.000-08:002011-01-22T23:52:02.418-08:00Tales of a Law School Dropout Blog Commercial<iframe height="344" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WpsP1gjV6-Y?fs=1" frameborder="0" width="425" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-17013398315343666902011-01-02T22:40:00.000-08:002011-01-14T21:51:47.281-08:00Book ProposalHello everyone and Happy New Year! What better way to ring in the New Year than to post to my blog? The following is a draft of my book proposal. Feel free to comment!<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
Gina<br />
<br />
<b>Overview</b><br />
<br />
<br />
Imagine searching for the perfect career. You’ve tried other jobs in the past. They weren’t right. Now you’re looking for something better: prestigious, intellectually challenging, and most of all, a job that pays well. <br />
<br />
Become a lawyer. Problem solved. All you need to do is take the LSAT, pay your application fee, gain admission, sign up for a loan or maybe earn a scholarship, study for three to four years, and pass the bar. Now you’re well on your way to an amazing future. Right? Wrong.<br />
<br />
There are countless publications on how to succeed in law school. There are books about how to master the LSAT, transcend the difficulties of the first year, navigate the politics of becoming a partner with a corner office, and many more. None of these books talk about why people withdraw from law school. Tales of a Law School Dropout offers a candid, personal case study about the reality of law school retention. For example, what happens when law school multiplies your greatest weakness tenfold? What happens when the case briefing and group outlining sessions don’t work? What happens when counselors fail to help? What happens when black and white blur to gray? <br />
<br />
Several intelligent, ambitious students have attended law school, dropped out, and became amazingly successful. Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, attended UCLA Law School for one semester before dropping out. Teddy Roosevelt dropped out of Columbia Law School after only a year because it was too dull. Harper Lee, the author of To Kill a Mockingbird, attended University of Alabama’s law school, but never completed her degree. Out of all of these people, nobody has talked about the reason for quitting.<br />
<br />
Now more than ever, with the current economic downturn, undergraduate students are turning to law to save them from a dismal job climate. Interest in law school is booming. “Kaplan's director of prelaw programs, Jeff Thomas, told the Collegian that there were 151,000 LSATs administered by the Law School Admission Council in the current admissions cycle [in 2009], a 6.4 percent increase over the previous year”(http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/40_of_law_school_applicants_riding_out_recession/). Tales of a Law School Dropout targets the pre-law student, as well as anyone who has ever pursued a career path that just didn’t fit. <br />
<br />
The pre-law demographic, primarily 23-30 years old, will buy Tales of a Law School Dropout to learn what mistakes to avoid. This memoir will appeal to a broader audience as well. Readers of all ages can relate to life lessons about creating balance and coping with stress when challenges arise. When it comes to the end of the day, what really matters to you? Law school dropouts know the answer, and are better off for it. But many of them stay mum about the issue. Maybe it is too embarrassing. Maybe they think telling the truth would hurt their careers and future successes. We learn the hardest lessons in life from failure. Tales of a Law School Dropout delves into those truths.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Author</b><br />
<br />
Gina is a masters student in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Higher Educational Administration at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). She earned a scholarship to attend the Boyd School of Law, Nevada’s sole law school, in the fall of 2006. She endured four months of law school, and became the curve-breaker in her legal writing class, before deciding to apply her talents to her real passion: education. <br />
<br />
In 2004, she was awarded the honor of Senior Scholar for the College of Liberal Arts, given to the top graduating senior with the highest GPA in each of the colleges at UNR. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music and English-Composition at UNR and works as the Registrar at Morrison University, the oldest private, proprietary business school in Nevada. Her current research focuses on the difference between the accreditation of nonprofit and for-profit colleges.<br />
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Gina is a five-year veteran Toastmaster and has earned her Competent Communicator, Advanced Communicator Bronze and Silver, and Competent Leader. She has given over thirty formal speeches and attends meetings, trainings, and leadership events. She won second place in the 2009 Area 24 Humorous Speech Contest and has served as Washoe Zephyrs’ club President, VP of Education, Treasurer, and Secretary.<br />
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She is the author of the blog, http://talesofalawschooldropout.com, and actively hones her writing. Gina is a member of the Unnamed Writers’ Group (over 100-strong in membership) and attends the Monday-Monday critique group, which she has participated in since 2007. She performs freelance writing and editing, and offers consulting services to pre-law students who need help preparing applications and writing personal statements.<br />
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She plays classical piano and has instructed both group and private piano lessons for eight years.<br />
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<b>The Competition</b><br />
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<i>One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School</i><br />
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By Scott Turow<br />
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Warner Books, Inc.<br />
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This perennial best-seller about Turow’s first year at Harvard Law School captures the trials and tribulations of the Socratic Method in the 1970s. Turow is now a practicing attorney and author of several legal thrillers, including The Burden of Proof, Presumed Innocent, Pleading Guilty, and Personal Injuries, which Time Magazine named as the Best Fiction Novel of 1999. Although an excellent resource for pre-law students, One L does not offer commentary on modern second-tier law schools, nor does it touch on retention issues.<br />
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<i>New Girl on the Job: Advice from the Trenches</i><br />
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By Hannah Seligson, age 24.<br />
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Citadel Press<br />
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This book offers the perspective of a law school graduate wanting to succeed in the legal job climate. It does not touch on why students drop out.<br />
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<i>Should You Really Be a Lawyer? The Guide to Smart Career Choices Before, During and After Law School. </i><br />
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By Doborah Schneider, JD and Gary Belsky<br />
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Decision Books, published by Niche Press LLC<br />
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This book contains helpful exercises, quizzes, and advice for students who are having trouble deciding to go to law school. Although it touches briefly on why students leave law school, it does not offer a personal perspective or go into detail on the subject in a qualitative way.Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-88008742870446048512010-09-25T16:26:00.000-07:002010-09-28T20:32:21.391-07:00Ch. 4: OrientationAnita and her family had moved down to Las Vegas about a week before I did and settled into a small apartment complex a few blocks away from mine. During one of our many post-admissions conversations, I had persuaded her to attend Boyd with me, rather than to University of Michigan. Although "U of M" ranked higher, the tuition and living costs alone would have crippled her family's finances. Besides, Anita's husband worked for a company in Reno and could transfer to the Vegas branch, even earning a raise. <br />
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Attending Boyd with Anita had many advantages for me. We could carpool to school, quiz each other, and go to the store together to buy our casebooks.<br />
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We had received directions to buy our books in advance, considering our teachers expected us to complete our first assignments before the first day of class. I had diligently checked the online resources every day until the syllabi were posted. I had printed a spreadsheet listing my assigned books, and since Anita and I were scheduled to take the same classes except for legal writing, she could shop from my list. My roommate, Sue, had gone before us to purchase her books, because she was in section two. <br />
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Boyd students were randomly divided into two sections. All the section one students had the same teachers, books and classes. Section two students had different teachers and books, although all of us had to take the same five subjects during the first year. Students could more or less choose their classes based on their interests during the second year.<br />
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When Anita and I visited the UNLV bookstore, she could hardly contain her excitement. <br />
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“Oooh! Look at this one!” she squealed. She grabbed a deep-red Criminal Law book off the shelf, as if picking out a lollipop. It was insane she was having this much fun.<br />
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“Uh, huh,” I said. I smiled at her enthusiasm but didn’t feel the same way. “Should I buy the supplementals? I think I’m going to need them.”<br />
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“I won’t need them!” Anita said. She had never needed supplementals before. She could glean what the teacher wanted by listening and making educated guesses on exams. It worked better for her than any other person I had seen.<br />
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“You can borrow mine,” I said. “Just in case.” I stacked Glannon for Torts, Property, and The Redbook (an optional citation manual) on top of my growing pile of books on the floor. Soon I split the tower in two columns, so it wouldn’t topple over. Yippee.<br />
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I could barely carry my books to the cash register. They must have weighed 25 pounds. The girl at the checkout smiled.<br />
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“We’re law students,” I explained, a little out of breath.<br />
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“Ah!” she said, as if she had never seen a bunch of future OneLs (first year law students) purchasing truck loads of books before. I charged over $600 to my credit card and hauled the newfound burdens home.<br />
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Once there, I released my books from their cellophane wrappers and carefully placed them on the unvarnished pine shelf across from my bed. Each book’s spine was at least an inch wide. Gold lettering gleamed from the heavy, hardback covers.<br />
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Which class would I like the most? Torts? That was all about personal injury. I looked up the definition of a tort before (it had nothing to do with chocolate and more to do with a civil wrong). Property? Naw. Property bored me. My sister talked about real estate all the time, ever since she started taking those phony get-rich-quick real estate investing classes in Las Vegas. Snore. Maybe I would like Civil Procedure—it was all about rules. I liked rules, right? Eh. What about Criminal Law? I had never even seen an episode of “Law and Order.” No “CSI” for me. Those shows made me queasy. “Boston Legal” and “Ally McBeal” didn’t count. My Lawyering Process legal writing books looked down-to-earth. At least they had paperback covers. No fancy lettering. I had three of them, but they were half the size of the other monstrosities.<br />
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Color coding time. Traditionally, I took all of my notes on loose binder paper, so if I took too many notes, I could always transfer them to another binder. I already knew I took notes prolifically, so I had purchased two-inch binders for all five of my classes. All I had to do was print out labels for each binder and come up with colors for each subject.<br />
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Easy enough. My torts book had a deep brown cover, but when I thought of torts, I pictured people falling down and getting black-and-blues, which usually faded to a purplish hue after a few days. Torts = purple label. Done.<br />
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Crim Law (Criminal Law) should be orange, because prisoners wear orange jumpsuits. Property should be green, like lawns in front yards. Lawyering Process would be blue because that was my favorite color—and writing was my favorite subject. What was left now? Civ Pro (Civil Procedure). That would be red because rules were like stoplights preventing people from doing illegal things. Well, some people.<br />
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I explained this color scheme to Anita over the phone later that day.<br />
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“You’re absolutely crazy,” she said. She laughed for a long time and paused.<br />
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“I know,” I said. Gotta make the binders look pretty. It was the least I could do to honor my mom the artist. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">….</div><br />
August 17, 2006. 5:30 p.m. Anita and I had signed up for our very first library tour, the informal kick-off event of Orientation. I came armed with my trusty notepad –a palm-sized book from the Holiday Inn that I had found during my pre-move shuffle. <br />
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I kept to my notes and didn’t look up until we passed the law journals on the third floor, across the indoor skywalk leading to the “quiet area.”<br />
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“Law reviews!” I exclaimed, not meaning to sound so enthusiastic. Law reviews represented the height of scholastic success for any legal writer/theorist. Boyd had a collection of law reviews from every major law school in the nation, it seemed, including Harvard. If I earned good enough grades during my first year, I might qualify for the Law Review the next year. Students could either “write on” or earn high enough grades to qualify by default.<br />
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“Yes!” agreed the talkative lady. She must have thought I intended to direct my comment for her. I tried not to look too friendly. Law schools graded on a curve and perhaps I should be careful who I befriended. The competition at some law schools was cutthroat.<br />
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“Can we have a copy of your notes?” she asked.<br />
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“No.” I said rudely. “Take your own.” It wasn’t like me to be short, but for some reason, I felt defensive, and disappointed that the library tour really didn’t reveal any secrets to the legal world. Now I knew where the bathrooms were. Whoop de do.<br />
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“I get lost easily,” I said, trying to excuse my large quantities of notes. She didn’t seem to mind.<br />
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When the tour was over, I looked at Anita.<br />
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“That’s it?! They had to give us a whole tour just to show us the bathrooms? We could have found that out just by walking around.”<br />
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Either the Boyd staff was trying to be friendly and hospitable, or they thought we were stupid. Anita and I shrugged and descended the cascading, black-slate steps from the third floor library to the main double doors. The bathrooms on the first floor impressed me, at least. They had modern, trough-like basins for sinks with automatic faucets, accented by beautiful silvery fixtures. <br />
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During the rest of orientation week, Boyd’s entire administration and staff babied us. They held our hands through each little description of the school, and lavished us with multiple opportunities to get to know the teachers and our peers. Monday morning, half the Boyd students reported to the Alumni building so a professional photographer could take our pictures, enabling the teachers to recognize us and call on us by name. <br />
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I smiled pretty for the camera and continued on to the next event on the agenda—the dinner with the faculty. We were seated alphabetically, so I went through the buffet line and sought the “A” table.<br />
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Most everyone already had taken their places at the circular table. I sized up my competition. To my right sat an Indian girl named Ruma. Zoe sat across from me. She had waist-length brown hair and an artsy, purple shirt with stars on it. She must have weighed no more than one-hundred pounds and wore almost no makeup. Zoe told us she was a theater major and a Las Vegas native. To her right was Krissy, a brunette whose silvery eye shadow made her look like a club-hopper. She had an annoying valley-girl voice, and told us she came from Las Vegas. Next to Krissy was Tim, a tall, lanky, geology major with a pale face and thick, Arthur-Anteater glasses. His voice vaguely resembled Ben Stein’s in the Clear Eyes commercials. He would make a great tax lawyer, I mused.<br />
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Before long, Professor Sullivan, a legal writing professor, joined us, sitting between Ruma and me.<br />
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“How’s everyone doing?” she said in a squeaky, girlish voice, unexpected coming from her mature face. “I’m sure you’ve already introduced yourselves to each other, but would you mind saying your names again?” <br />
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We didn’t have much time to chat before the dean’s formal speech, but I managed to squeeze in that I had written my undergrad thesis on plain English and the law and was looking forward to Boyd’s writing program. I’d read it ranked third in the nation, partly due to Professor Sullivan’s expertise.<br />
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Dean Langford began speaking. Because our table rested so closely to the podium, I had to twist uncomfortably to look at him. He came off like a wizened attorney and businessman, from his posture and confidence. Dean Langford repeated a line we had heard before: “Look to your left; look to your right. One of you won’t make it through the first year. Law school is a privilege. You all should be proud you’re here.”<br />
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I strained my neck to the side and clapped politely after the speech closed, feeling like I didn’t belong in this room full of future lawyers. I wondered if anyone would notice the imposter amongst them, since my motives for attending law school had to do with decoding legalese, not just making money by practicing law. <br />
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Orientation week was comprised of several social-bonding experiments, like a mock class the teachers put on to demonstrate what not to do in class (instant messaging your friends, leaving your cell phone on, slamming the door when you exit to go to the bathroom, or, the biggie: going on longwinded narratives about your personal life and how it may or may not relate to the case at hand). To top it all off, we had to reunite with our tablemates for a scavenger hunt to win a lunch with the Nevada Supreme Court Justices. The scavenger hunt survey contained some objective questions like “What is the maximum occupancy in Room 101?” and other questions Krissy claimed had to be trick questions, like the ones on the LSAT. One of the questions asked us to come up with a school slogan using the first letter of the first names of each Nevada Supreme Court Justice. And finally, the stumper—look up Boyd’s student handbook and write down the absentee policy.<br />
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Our group had already tried to download the student handbook on one of the library computers, but for some reason, we couldn’t access it.<br />
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“Maybe it’s a trick question,” Krissy repeated, as if it was impossible that one computer in the library may not be functioning properly.<br />
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“It’s not a trick question” I retorted. “We could ask one of the librarians to help us, or find a paper copy of the handbook, or look for a computer that works.” <br />
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“I think it’s a trick question,” she insisted. This coming from a girl who had suggested that our school motto might have something to do with beer and skittles because two of the letters were “B” and “S.” Our group sat defeated, circled around a table in the break room. <br />
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“Nobody thinks my jokes are funny. I have no friends,” Krissy said. <br />
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I rolled my eyes. “I’m going to go ask someone how we can get a paper copy of the handbook,” I said. I left the table, finding it suddenly unbearably irritating to be in the same room with Krissy. I didn’t exhibit the sun-shiniest of moods. No one in my group followed.<br />
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“Why doesn’t she like me?” I could see Krissy mouthing to the others, as I looked through the circular window in the door. Everyone seemed shocked I had left the room. I paced a few minutes outside before regaining my composure and deciding to go back to my group. Even if I hunted down the answer, I wouldn’t be participating in the stupid team-building exercise. We ultimately settled on a school motto based on Tim’s suggestions (something to do with the Adversarial Judicial System Always Winning the Best Result). We decided to leave the handbook question blank. Guess we weren’t winning the luncheon with the Nevada Supreme Court Justices. The group decided I should be the one to record all of our answers on the copy we turned in. I was glad to just get rid of the darn paper. At least Zoe, who suffered from a rotten cold that week, had gone out of her way to find out the maximum room occupancy of Room 101. Krissy had heard someone from another group say the room was locked, so she concluded the question impossible to answer. Turns out all Zoe had to do was look at the sign outside the door. <br />
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Orientation week culminated in Professor Merek Czarnecki’s second lecture about what to expect on a law school exam. He led Boyd’s Academic Services Department, CASE. Merek’s speaking style proved eccentric—during the first lecture earlier in the week, he’d opened his PowerPoint presentation with a story about running from a bear—complete with flailing arm gestures and a scream. I forgot the relevance, other than that law school induced panic. Somewhere in his introduction he had also made a very convincing argument that the first seven bars of “Ice, Ice Baby” –Ding ding dinga- ding ding dig-ding—were actually not copyright infringement of another similar song because the last two notes were different. For a skinny Polish guy, he had more energy than any person I had seen. Merek told us he taught Torts, and in his practicing years as an attorney, had even made old ladies cry on the stand. We could see why. All goofiness aside, he terrified us. Sure, he made fun of his unpronounceable last name, but once he launched into the real serious stuff, such as what it takes to write a convincing test answer, we forgot about his antics. Merek lit into a surfer dude student who was brave enough to engage in the Socratic Method Q&A. Merek pressed until he stumped just about everyone. At the end of the lecture, Merek gave us a sample exam question, with five minutes to write out our answer. He offered to grade our one-page written answers to the hypothetical. Turning in the assignment was optional. I started writing out my answer, but ran out of time and decided not to turn it in because I figured I was a good writer and could follow the format he presented in the lecture (cite the rule of law, and back it up with relevant case law precedent, referring analogous facts to the facts in the hypothetical, etc). Anita scrawled out several paragraphs and turned in her paper. The professor had promised he’d return the graded papers in our boxes (similar to cubbies in kindergarten).<br />
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Merek’s lecture had a sobering effect on the students. Everyone exited quietly.<br />
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“I’m scared,” my roommate, Sue, said as we filed out the door.<br />
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“I am too,” I said. All hand holding and babying aside, we had finally glimpsed the rigors of law school—and it wasn’t pretty.Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4446229204162790541.post-48612662011270464802010-08-21T00:00:00.000-07:002010-08-21T00:00:21.334-07:00Freewrite on Agents and PublishingI sometimes compare working in a records office to working at a morgue. There is very little interaction with live people, and not much room for creativity. Hence my need to continue to write.<br />
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Today I was reading a chapter from Betsy Lerner's "The Forest for the Trees: An Editor's Advice to Writers." Simply put, writers are neurotic. "Some pick their skin, some pull out their hair..." (p. 93). Sound familiar? I asked myself. Disturbingly.<br />
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So what keeps us from moving forward as writers? We want to be published, yet there is an underlining fear stopping us. I remember approaching a wizened pianist after one of his brilliant recitals. In response to my question if he ever got nervous, he said: "Never in the history of the world has the earth ever opened up and swallowed a pianist." <br />
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What's stopping me from finding an agent and getting published? Nothing!<br />
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The further I read into Lerner's book, the more I was convinced. Yes, I need an agent. No, I shouldn't self-publish an e-book just to avoid rejection and the vetting process of the scary, traditional publishing world. <br />
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Lerner recommends coming up with long and short term goals. Long term, I plan to have my books published, and I'll need an agent to land a decent publisher. I can also publish as many of the papers I write for my master's degree as possible, preferably in peer-reviewed journals.<br />
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And very, very, short term, I can post reflections on my progress to my blog. It doesn't have to be perfect. It's a blog, not Hemingway. :)<br />
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From there, I'll polish my query letter, proposal, and synopsis and (yikes) send it all off to agents. Lerner says the process is much like applying to college. Send "one submission that is a reach, two that are in range, and one 'safety school'. Try an agent at one of the big power firms, a couple at medium-sized firms, and one who is out on her own. And if you're also trying publishing houses, try a big conglomerate, a couple of smaller houses, and regional or academic press if that makes sense" (p. 148-149).<br />
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Sounds like applying to law school to me...but much more fun!Ginahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07857035032165356264noreply@blogger.com0