“The Advice I Wish I Had Going Into Law School”
The media’s go-to impression of a ‘lawyer’ has been impressive courtroom speeches, stacks of paper documents, and thanks to Suits — a glamorous lifestyle but no time to attend it. TV shows and movies had me thinking a typical law student and lawyer was a bit of a bookworm, quick-witted, sharply dressed and a bit of a skeptic. While there might be some truth to these impressions, a more realistic take on life in law would’ve been useful.
How does one really know what life in law school or as a lawyer is like? It was only through the first-hand advice of others that I would be able to test this schema. Learning of others’ experiences and seeking mentorship has allowed me to collect pieces of the map to navigating law school life.
Shubham Sindhwani is an Osgoode Hall law school grad with experience working on Bay street (in Toronto). He is currently a Business Lawyer & Founder at Chariot Law, who suggests:
“What law school is for you depends on what you want to make of it.”
Some individuals start law school knowing exactly what type of law they are interested in practicing and are able to quickly launch themselves into recruiting opportunities. Others might use it as a time to explore their interests by taking diverse courses and involving in extra-curriculars. For most people, it is a gradual process.
Actively planning for the areas of law you become interested in will enable an easier transition out of law school. Certain types of law may require a steeper learning curve and/or an extended time in practice (e.g. clerking at the courthouse) before reaching career milestones. By starting my research early, I was able to create a working shortlist of my interests and become mindful of the timelines for different specializations. Given how quickly 1L flies by, being intentional in tracking my interests has helped me take advantage of specific opportunities.
“A good lawyer is one who makes a conscious decision about what fits within their natural inclination and skill set” (Shubham S.)
As students who have persevered through hard work, it can be a challenge to learn to give up on something. During courses and in summer and articling positions, the most important question to ask is whether you truly enjoy the work that you were given. Being honest with yourself is important — as admitting what you liked and didn’t like will help you focus on a more meaningful future career.
“Reading, researching and writing have to be the summation of your legal career” (Shubham S.)
Almost every course at law school involves using all three of these vital skills. With time, these three become the strongest suits of a good lawyer. Joining a journal or publication, mooting, or gaining research fellowship experience are some examples of opportunities to brush up on these skills.
I once believed that if I did everything correctly — there would be enough time to finish every reading, get every assignment done early, take part in extra-curricular activities and still have personal time left over! Instead, the reality was a race against time — a continuous time management exercise. Like some of my peers, perfectionism sometimes got the best of me. It took me some time to realize that not all time spent working is time being productive. In such times, Nevethan Balendra, a Western Law grad and incoming articling student at WeirFoulds LLP suggests:
“A lot of what we do as students involves finding answers, not reinventing the wheel. Being methodical and resourceful has cut down on the time I have spent doing research both in academia and at work. When you get stuck — and you will — don’t be afraid to reach out, because chances are, someone can point you in the right direction. Those around us, including friends, colleagues, and mentors are all key sources of information you may otherwise spend countless hours seeking and synthesizing.”
Initially, I was reluctant to ask for help because I felt the need to first become self-sufficient. I wanted to be able to create my own detailed summary notes, understand the principles of each case and independently be able to see how everything connects. Going through this process alone is what I thought meant I was learning correctly. What I quickly realized is that it was inevitable and okay — to miss ‘important’ points during lectures and not have every detail down while note-taking. Using past summaries to fill in these gaps was only adding to my knowledge — not taking away from it. Creating a study group allowed me to understand how common it was to be confused while benefitting from the perspectives of my classmates.
“Focus on the end goal and manage the expectations of the professor, lawyer, or client.” (Nevethan B.)
Being able to communicate clearly and succinctly is also important. Understanding the technicalities of the law and translating them into simple terms for a client will be a learned skill. Advocacy opportunities at the law school that require oral presentation of complex ideas will thus be good preparation for the future. Fact scenarios on law school exams are also training for how to condense course material.
Whether these points prove true for you or not, I have learned that seeking the advice of others who have been in your shoes is valuable. They can be a rich resource — after all, they (currently do or will eventually) give advice for a living!
