Last Minute Advice Forum

[wfudeacons2005]

This board was such a great help in editing my first draft so I was just wondering if anyone could give me any last minute feedback on this before I go ahead and submit it to my early action schools. Thanks in advance and I'd be glad to swap if anyone would like! ps is it necessary to throw in a blurb about the particular school that I am applying to?

“From the beginning we've said we are going to respect the rule of law. If the Supreme Court of the United States says no more votes will be counted, then that's the end of it.”
- David Boies, Esq.


My path towards law school began when I was just eleven years old, in the midst of the 2000 Presidential election dispute. I was in an Austin, Texas hotel room watching the latest news coverage of the Florida recount. Over the blaring noise and commotion of the pro-Bush supporters rallying outside of my window, I heard attorney David Boies, representing Al Gore’s campaign, make the statement above. The comment struck me at that time because it accepted the termination of a legal fight for a reason – the rule of law. In essence, Boies’ statement reflected a legal process and tradition that ensures continuity in the United States during periods of transition, where other nations might bend towards anarchy and revolt. Despite these initial reactions, however, it was not until later in my life that I was able to contextualize the meaning of Boies’ words fully and appreciate the role of the legal process in resolving disputes.

Government and law had always been a part of my family’s discussions. Both my parents are lawyers and both served in government at one point in their careers. As a result, debates at the dinner table often focused on how the Clinton impeachment was handled, whether Gerald Ford should have pardoned Richard Nixon, how a president can commit troops without a declaration of war. Even the opinions of my great grandfather, Colorado Supreme Court Justice Norris Bakke, were appropriate topics. I was increasingly interested in those discussions, which made clear to me that the law had the power to resolve highly controversial issues by bringing finality and closure.

This fascination with the American legal system and governance led me to select college courses at Wake Forest University that would explain what is really meant by the “rule of law” and how it developed and evolved. While these thought- provoking classes provided me with some of the answers, I quickly figured out that the true path to answers lay in real world applications. Perhaps no experience served me better than my internship in a Congressional office during the 2010 healthcare debate. In answering phone calls and discussing the legality of the policies that were being put forth, I was immersed in the lawmaking process. Each ring of the phone was not a tedious job to me, but a miniature lesson in the political process. In my final week at the office, I was fortunate enough to sit down with the Representative I worked with and discuss the previous month’s events. What struck me in that conversation was the fact that this highly accomplished politician began his journey as a lawyer and that he too found the complex relationship between law and politics of on-going interest in his work.

My evolving interest in law was crucial to my personal development in two important ways. From my captivating night watching news on the 2000 election dispute to my hard work the Congressional office, I developed an acute awareness of detail and a more refined ability to analyze difficult situations. Both of these skills will provide an excellent foundation for my legal studies. I also grew into the belief that law school was a commitment to a true ideal – education in pursuit of understanding the legal framework that has supported the United States for over 200 years. And so I pursue a degree in law so I can capture the power of the American legal system that I have so long admired. Whether as a trial lawyer such as David Boies that inspired me, an elected representative similar to the Congressman that I learned from, or as an advocate for those individuals that think themselves unfairly treated by the law, I hope to transform my long-standing interest in the law into a rewarding profession.

[msblaw89]

I only have one criticism- you start with a cliche " at the young age of X I knew I wanted to become an attorney". I have hard several times through publications written by former deans or through interviews that admissions officer cringe when they see those phrases.... b/c even if it is true it scream "bulls***" b/c just about everyone says something like that in their PS. Just my opinion.

[FryBreadPower]

I agree with the above sentiment. I got two sentences into your PS and said "oh lord". Thankfully I decided to keep reading and actually rather enjoyed the rest of your PS. However, I could see a stressed out, tired AdComm seeing that first line and saying, "Nope" and not giving you the full read through your PS deserves.