Blog

It’s hard to believe, but it’s already been a full year (!) since I started as an Associate at a big law firm. In reflection and celebration of these last twelve months, I’ve compiled a list of the top 18 tips that I hope to pass on to the next class of incoming Associates.

It's that time of year again! 3Ls everywhere are either enjoying their last semester of school ever or scrambling to learn all of Securities Regulation in the few days before finals. And somewhere in the back of their minds, the black box of bar prep looms in the distance. Now, a year after taking and passing the California Bar Exam, I want to share with you the mistakes made, lessons learned, and what I would do differently if I could rewind to my first day of bar prep.

As the first person in my family tree to attend law school, I didn’t have the luxury of pursuing higher education debt-free. However, I know I can, and will, make a positive impact in the world, and I see my debt as a reflection of how much I believe in myself to make this happen. And at the end of the day, I’m willing to put in the time and effort to make the financial investment worthwhile.

To answer this critical question, you need to first think about a deeper, not-directly-law-school-related question. What do you like to do, and how will getting a law degree help you do more of what you like to do? The necessary follow-up question is: After weighing the costs against the benefits, financial or otherwise, is law school still worth it?