Tips & Tricks

Subscribe to Tips & Tricks

There are a lot of steps law students must complete on their journey towards bar admission, and it can be a daunting task to try managing everything by yourself. Everyone needs some kind of support system – whether it’s a dedicated study group, a bar-prep course, or just a friend or family member to help…

With the fall semester behind us and spring semester kicking off this week, it’s a good time to reflect on your experience so far and focus on how to make this semester a successful one. Here are three easy tips to make the most of your spring:

  • What worked well?

Looking back at the previous…

Consider the following scenario:

Sam, a 2L trans woman who uses “they/them” pronouns, answers a question and the professor responds by asking the rest of the class, “Do you agree with his argument?” Sam quietly stares down at their desk, hoping not to draw attention to themself. It was an innocuous follow up question during…

Claire Yazigi (’04). Second row, center.

You can learn a lot from attorneys that have come before you. Specifically, those that have sat in the very classrooms where you now learn can offer unique insights about the law school experience in Sacramento, finding a job, and advancing your career. McGeorge alumni know how to find success without the name of a top 3 law school to open doors. Alumni Board Member and Administrative Law Judge Claire Yazigi (’04), Office of Administrative Hearings, offered this piece of advice:
Continue Reading Advice from Alumni | Claire Yazigi, ‘04

A law degree without a career utilizing the knowledge you’ve gained is like an oil painting – it looks nice on your wall, but that’s about it. What was all the time and effort (and money) for if not to pursue your dream job, to have a career enacting change in your community, state, country, or the world? To achieve those goals, you’ll likely need some help along the way. While you may not have thought about it when initially weighing your law school options, you will see the importance of a functional and responsive Career Development Office as soon as you begin your law school journey. Our job is to help set you up for – and support you during – a long and successful career, so knowing what services are provided may influence your decision to attend one law school over another. Here are five ways that the McGeorge CDO works with students and alumni to accelerate their careers:
Continue Reading Why is a Career Development Office So Important?

As you prepare for your role as a summer associate or intern, you may be wondering how to navigate the nuances of office culture and expected work product. It’s a daunting prospect for many law students, but it doesn’t have to be. With a little preparation, you can make a strong first impression and immediately…

First-generation law students often find themselves facing unique challenges and difficulties that many of their peers do not. From the general environment and structure of law school, to financial matters, networking, and even simply feeling like you belong with your cohort, it can be extremely taxing to try facing these issues by yourself. However, first-generation…

Law school is not easy, and every student experiences it differently. Here are some tips on law school essentials. In addition to pulling from my own experience now as a 3L, I’ve included thoughts from some of my classmates.

What’s in your bag?

When we discuss professionalism in class, we associate it with preparedness. Here are some essentials to keep in your bag:

  1. Pens/pencils/highlighters: This goes without saying, but it is always good to have a few of these handy in your bag.
  2. Notebooks and loose paper: These are good for taking notes.
  3. Organization tools (binder, notebooks for each class, etc.): You will likely end up with several handouts or notes for each class. This helps keep them organized and easier to retrieve later.
  4. A planner/to do list: This helps keep track of your schedule and manage your time effectively.

Technology Essentials

This can really vary for each person depending on how comfortable they are with technology.
Continue Reading Now that you’ve been admitted to law school, what do you need?

Nikki Kuklo (2E, Class of 2024)

You got accepted to Law School! Congratulations! Now, I want you to take a deep breath and buckle up for an information dump, because that is what the 1L Orientation is. Once you get through that, you will go straight into trying to figure out what a case brief is and how you can possibly get through all your reading assignments. You will likely feel as though you cannot focus on anything else because if you do, for even a second, you will forget everything you just learned in class and will fall desperately behind in your reading. So, I want to take a moment to point out some things I missed in my first semester.

Everyone’s first semester is the same to some extent. None of us have ever encountered anything like law school–and we will likely never encounter anything like it again. But law school is not only about learning the law; it’s about networking and building connections, finding out more about yourself, and discovering the type of law you want to practice after law school. I didn’t realize there were opportunities to advance these facets of my life running in the background during my first semester.

To start, let’s talk about an acronym that you will see in early emails that may make no sense to you (Was that just me? Oh well, I’m going to tell you anyway.) “CDO” stands for “Career Development Office” and it was my number one missed opportunity; not that it’s too late–I am still a 1L after all–but I wish I had understood what it represented, not just what the letters stood for, earlier. I cannot stress enough how useful their website is. I highly recommend starting here: Create Your Career Plan. From there you can find awesome timelines to assess what you can do for your career during each year of law school.Continue Reading Things I Missed