ITT We Discuss the Merits of Law Review, Moot Court, Trial Team, etc.

[procrastinator]

Law review, moot court, trial team, secondary journals... what's the most attractive for employment opportunities?  Is it possible to do more than one at the same time?

I know I don't have to worry about this for a good 6 months or so, but I'm just curious.

[unlvcrjchick]

Law review, moot court, trial team, secondary journals... what's the most attractive for employment opportunities?  Is it possible to do more than one at the same time?

I know I don't have to worry about this for a good 6 months or so, but I'm just curious.

Law Review, hands down:  nothing else really matters, and Law Review itself doesn't mean that much unless you have the grades along with it.  Law Review is essentially just "icing on the cake." 

Technically, yes, you can do more than one of these activities.  I know one person who is doing Law Review and Moot Court.  Realistically, though, I don't think it's possible; if what you want is a life, that is. 

Only do both if you truly have an interest in doing so (for the sake of learning how to give an effective oral argument on the appellate level via Moot Court); don't just do it because you think you'll curry favor with prospective employers.  Besides, employers want a well-rounded person - someone who has an actual life outside of law school - and not just someone who is piling on anything and everything in order to impress them.  Just my 2 cents.

[GA-fan]

Here's my take on the traditional ranking:
1) Law review
-
-
-
2) moot court

-
-
-
-
-
3) Trial team
4) research assistantships
5) student organization leadership roles (college council, BLSA, JLSA, etc)

[cesco]

Here's my take on the traditional ranking:
1) Law review
-
-
-
2) moot court

-
-
-
-
-
3) Trial team
4) research assistantships
5) student organization leadership roles (college council, BLSA, JLSA, etc)

Depends on what kind of job you want.  In my state, the DAs office places a very high value on moot court/trial team as well as any other kind of courtroom experience.  They could really care less about law review.

Also, I agree that Law Review is generally a huge plus for firms, but grades still trump it.  I do not have Law Review (went with a secondary journal for specific reasons) and I have yet to be asked why I didnt do law review.  I do, however, have the grades and have gotten all but one screening interview I applied for.  (2nd Tier school).

[txlawstu]

Here's my take on the traditional ranking:
1) Law review
-
-
-
2) moot court

-
-
-
-
-
3) Trial team
4) research assistantships
5) student organization leadership roles (college council, BLSA, JLSA, etc)

Who's tradition?  I have always heard moot court or mock trial, doesn't matter which.  And, if your up for a litigation job (although I know almost no new associates are except in criminal law) mock trial is way more beneficial.

But as Cesco said, it depends on the type of job your after as to what they prize the most. 

[GA-fan]

This is just what I've heard from attorneys. It probably also varies by school- some probably have very well-known trial or moot court. At my school, law review and secondary journals are the only ones that have an impact on jobs, though I certainly don't think that this is the norm.

[LawLady]

I have law review, but my grades are mediocre.  My career service dept said "thank goodness you are doing public interest or a small firm"  Straight up.  I am in the middle of my class and law review hasn't helped me yet!

[ANBUDOM]

I don't know how other schools schedule their moot court competitions but biglaw OCI ends by the time moot court goes into full swing.  I'm not really sure how much moot court will help if you're pursuing a 2L firm job via OCI.  I'm sure it looks great if you're looking for government jobs though. 

[brightline]

Mock trial and trial team are pretty much a non-factor for employment in most cases. Scour some job ads if you don't believe me.

Student orgs are only worth it if it is something you personally enjoy and have time for. The external benefit for these things is going to be very, very low in most cases.

At most schools, the top students are the ones on law review. For schools that have a more inclusive law review policy that doesn't take grades into account as much, well, of course law review isn't going to get you past a top 10% cutoff for law firm interviews.

Worry about your grades right now, not the other stuff.