Law School Discussion

Do a search for Google syllabi for, say, Contracts. They will be from various schools. Download a number of them. Then, compare the cases listed in each and you'll get an idea of what the seminal cases are. Go read those cases. Don't worry if things don't make sense. You might stumble through it the first few times but be patient and perhaps look up some key terms and phrases that help you understand what the case is about. It's painstaking but you'll have to do it eventually so you might as well do it now. Preferably, go check out some books from a local law school and read the cases in the casebook, as there are some notes after the cases that can help.

I happened to come across this post and thought it was a great idea.  I went on my school's website and found the syllabi for all of the classes.  Thanks

Does anyone know some types of jobs you can get in the federal government with a law degree? Specifically State Dept or CIA?

Also, do these agencies have summer jobs for law students?

Thanks for your help.

I was looking at the CIA summer internship program.  Here is an excert from the site and the website so you can get more info on it.
 
Every year, the OGC aims to hire five to eight summer clerks (all 2Ls; they don’t allow 1Ls into the program, not because they don’t want to, but because, as a practical matter, 1Ls can’t apply before the spring semester, and the CIA screening process can take up to nine months). The weekly salary for summer clerks is around $700, and you have to be able to work for at least ten weeks. The clerkship gives you a broad exposure to the practice of intelligence law.

http://www.cia.gov/ogc/contact.htm

There are two ways I have seen:

My scholorship letter was in the same envelope with my admissions letter and states that I was awarded it due to my academic achievement and my ability for success in law school. In these instances I don't believe that there is anything that you do- but just how the admissions team feels about your packet.

Secondly, the law school I applied to has two full tuition scholarships that students have to write an essay for.  One is solely based on undergraduate acheivement, leadership skills, and Lsat scores.  The other is based on undergraduate acheievment and public service.  Finalists are chosen from the entries and then someone is chosen to recieve that scholarship.

I don't know if there are other ways to get scholarships from the law school itself- this is just my personal experience.

I made the decision to attempt to live off of my scholarship money and a loan.  My goal is to treat law school as my new full time job- that way I will still have that other time to spend with my son.  We spend a lot of time together and I don't think either of us would do to good with me working all day and going to school all night.  It does help that he is cheering me on to get this degree and he is old enough to understand that it is going to take a lot of work on my part. 

I think that it is an excellent idea to form a sort of support group with other single parents (or parents in general).  During my first year when he will be still living with my parents I hope to get a grasp on what support I do have around me: school, daycare, friends.  It also helps that I am going back to the town I did my undergrad studies in and have friends that are still there-including my cousin.

I think going back to school is definately going to require some time management, as mentioned earlier.  But the sacrifices are going to be worth the rewards for our children in the long run.

I will be starting law school in the fall and while my parents will keep my 8 year old son during the first year- I definately want him to move with me the following summer.

Are there any single parents who are in law school- or finished with law school- who can tell me if balancing parenthood with law school can be successful.