To be or not to be, it will still be

The start of the second semester has its positives and negatives.

The positives are that law school is not so unpredictable, it feels like you’re starting to get a grasp on the language, and the anxiety of being called on in class is considerably diminished.

The negatives are that there is no more “easing” into law school; the readings and Legal Writing assignments are not so forgiving. There is also a lot more to do such as; job and scholarship applications, and the time spent as a source checker for the Animal Law Review. Whatever time is not spent on assignments is spent on job searching and scholarships. The good thing is that these all have deadlines. The job application process is over and the scholarship process will be over next Friday.

I’ve decided that if I do not get a job at one of the larger firms, I will opt for summer school instead. The reason is the $12.44/hr rate that law clerks receive will hardly be enough to cover rent and two weeks of food (not to mention all the other expenses). I am not against clerking for $12.44/hr nor do I believe I am above such a rate, but practicality wins this argument.

If I take courses in the summer I will receive financial aid, which will most likely be more than $12.44/hour and thus pay the bills. I will be able to get a so-so part-time job that will help with any other summer costs, and by attending summer school I will get some courses out of the way. This could provide me with more time in my 2L and 3L years to either work part-time at a firm or spend extra time on other legal related activities.

My first choice obviously, is to work as a summer intern at a larger firm, but I am content with the idea of summer school as well.

Lay Down the Law.