1. Treat the other summer clerks as your colleagues, not your competition

Employers frown upon this type of competition. While you do need to put in the hours and produce high quality work product, do not overlook the importance of personality. Being too competitive is a turn-off and can hurt your chances of landing an offer for permanent post-graduation employment.

As you wrap up finals, the last thing you probably want to think about is another writing assignment. Well, here it is: the Journal Write-On Competition. And while it might not be the most fun way to start the summer, you absolutely should do it.

It might be tempting to dismiss the Competition as optional or something you’ll do “next year.” But if you are even considering participating on a Journal, you should complete the Write-On. You can always turn down an invitation. That said, you should not turn down the opportunity to join the Law Review or Journal of Legislation and Public Policy.

As a 1L, the summer job search can feel overwhelming. With limited experience and a lot to learn, it may be hard to know where to focus your efforts. But understanding your options and developing a strategy for the summer can set you up for success. Here’s a guide to help you navigate the 1L and 2L job search, with a particular focus on building your skills and connections as you prepare for the next step in your legal journey.

Why should I network? If you want to improve your chances of securing a suitable, meaningful job, networking is a crucial skill to have. There is a hidden job market. Often companies may be looking to hire someone but have yet to post the position. If you know someone at the company, they may let you know about the position. Even if you apply for a job through the normal submission process, having someone at the company that can recommend you will give you an advantage over other candidates.

For students, the end of one semester and anticipation about the next bring highs and lows. Anxiety becomes compounded this time of year. This is an opportune moment to remind the students and children in our lives that no matter the circumstances beyond our control, we remain in charge of two things: our focus and how we treat other people. In that regard, I shared with my children and students these five resolutions to consider for the new semester and the New Year.

(Post updated September 14, 2023)

One of the most frequent questions I get is how Seton Hall Law handles law school applications with multiple LSAT or GRE scores, whether someone should include an addendum explaining an increase or decrease in score, and whether they should retest. Before we get there, let’s talk about exam choice.

Many law schools, Seton Hall included, accept both the LSAT and GRE for consideration, but you should choose one test and stick with it. Often, if the law school is presented both BOTH a GRE and a LSAT, the LSAT will control consideration of the application because the ABA mandates that is what we report regardless of which score we use in the decision process.

(Post updated September 14, 2023)

One of the top questions Admissions Counselors are often asked is whether there is an optimal time to submit your law school application. The answer depends upon the deadlines of the particular law schools to which you plan to apply. With that in mind, here are a few things to consider as you begin your application process and map out all the deadline dates.

(Post updated September 14, 2023)

Now that you have written a superb personal statement, let’s focus on another aspect of your law school application – Letters of Recommendation (LORs) are another way that an otherwise average application may rise above the pack.

Although you do not have control over what your letter writer(s) may write, you certainly have control over the process. This includes ensuring that you select the individual(s) with the most relevant and positive things to say and that you provide them with all the information they need so that they can speak thoughtfully to your strengths and, if necessary, address any weaknesses your application may reveal.

(Post updated September 14, 2023)

There is no doubt that there's just a little bit of pressure on you to write the best personal statement you can. After all, there's no other component of the law school application that you can control as much as this one. And...a well-written personal statement can really help to set you apart from all the other applicants since this is essentially your interview on paper. So, how do you write a personal statement for law school? I'm hoping that I can offer some thoughts to prevent you from dreading the personal statement and instead embrace it as an amazing tool to share your story!

Prior to law school, I heard rumors about how competitive law school would be – like classmates ripping pages out of books to make sure you do not get ahead of them. As a first generation law student, these rumors terrified me. While law school is competitive, the community at Seton Hall Law School is nowhere near the rumors I heard.