Law School Discussion

Hi, as a senior paralegal at my firm, I get to hear the inside scoop on a lot of the resume review processes.  At our particular firm, we have attorneys from the two major law schools in San Diego, so both of them know the score as far as making moot court teams.

At least at our firm, putting how far you got in a competition doesn't hurt you.  It is one way to set yourself apart from the rest of the resumes.  How much it helps you depends on how far you went, the further you go, the more it helps.  "participant" or "top 32" tends to draw a few chuckles and comments about how hard everyone tries to impress the hiring partners.  Once you get on the "team" it can lead to being higher up on the call back list.

We're not BigLaw by any stretch, so at some of the stuffier firms, the situation is likely a bit different. 

How would your firm react to my approach: Rather than simply listing that I made the moot court team, I list it and then draw a stick figure of me actually engaging in argument on the margins. 

Quote from: computer on April 21, 2007, 01:15:47 AM

Let's define and rank Moot Court:

Participated in intra-school Moot Court and survive the first round or two, would that be considered enough to put Moot Court on resume or does one have to be in Quarter Finalist or Semi-Finalist in order to put that on resume.

Or should Moot Court really mean winning the whole intra-school competition OR making it all the way to the traveling team representing your law school and compete against other law schools?

I'm still trying to figure this one out myself.  I've decided that making it onto a school team is good enough to go on the resume, since it is presumably fairly competitive to get on.  Making it to the Quarterfinals of an intramural team is good enough to go on the resume (I've heard octofinals is good enough too, but at that point it starts sounding a bit strange).  If I didn't have enough other things to put on the resume, I might even put down a competition I just participated in but didn't do well.  It at least shows a drive and interest, since you have to do extra work to even just compete.

Ok.  NO.   You can't put Moot Court on your resume if you simply compete in the intra-school competition and make it to the quarterfinals or whatever.  You NEED TO BE ON THE SCHOOL TEAM.  If an interviewer asked you about the Moot Court indication on your resume and you responded with "We made it all the way to the sweet 16/elite 8 in our school"... she/he would laugh at you and politely ask you to leave to lying on your resume. 

I am currently a 1st year part-time student. I entered the part time program with the intention of transferring to full time after the first year. At the beginning of the second semester, my school enacted a policy which requires a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be able to transfer to full time. Before this year, the "policy" supposedly existed, but it was never enforced. Could there be some sort of claim pursuant to contract law? Perhaps, reliance or mis-representation? Did the school waive their right to hold students to the requirement? Let me know what you think.

- Umass guy

Yeah, that's a great idea.... sue your law school.  Professors would really "respect" your decision when grading exams.

Do whatever it takes to avoid being a feminine hygiene product and hated by everyone.

Quote from: brewha on April 09, 2007, 10:57:58 PM

Quote from: loyola09 on April 09, 2007, 08:47:52 PM

There was recently a write-on competition advertised at our school for the International Law Journal.  You can pick up the packet tommorrow and it is due on the 21st of April.  The main journal write-on does not even start until our semester ends.  Should I try to write-on to this journal?  I do not want to bank on getting on the main journal; but I also do not want to do two journals.  Has anyone done 2 journals here?  Thanks.

2 Journals... do you have any idea how depressing your life would be??  Cite-checking for 2 journals and 2 writing requirements.  If you want to get more involved, do moot court along with the journal.

I have a friend who is doing 2 journals next year (board member of one, associate editor of another). It is possible, though probably difficult. Journal work does suck.

Believe me, I know it's possible, and it really wouldn't be all that difficult... I'm just saying that being involved in 2 journals would be the most depressing thing you could do as a law student.  The work is plain awful.