Am I screwed? Class selection for unemployed 2L Forum

[Anonymous User]

I finished my 1L in the top 1/3 at my T-14. Because I spent the entire fall semester unsuccessfully looking for a 2L summer gig, my grades plummeted: a combination of stress over the job search, a lot of law review duties, including a case note, getting on the professor's bad side in a seminar class, and being curve-f***ed by having literally ALL of the top students in one of the classes.

My stressful job search will obviously continue through the spring semester, AND I will have to explain my low grades to boot. Sucks.

That said, what should my strategy be for picking classes for next semester? Right now I'm signed up for a lot of seminars on interesting topics. In theory, the curve is easier, so there is potential to raise my GPA to where it was, but if I get on the professors' bad side again, I'm screwed. Plus, employers don't look favorably upon those "Law & ___" classes (which is maybe why nobody wanted to hire me). Should I change my schedule to take more core classes instead, possibly pleasing potential employers with whom I interview in the spring but at the same time risking getting curve-f***ed again?

[Anonymous User]

penn?

[Anonymous User]

No, not Penn. DNCG.

[Anonymous User]

penn?

Doubtful. I don't even have any 2L grades. If true, he'd be a huge outlier. Plenty of below median kids without w/e, HYP UG, or URM status with V100 offers (including V50s).

[Anonymous User]

No, not Penn. DNCG.

[Anonymous User]

No, not Penn. DNCG.

Really, is speculation about my school going to help answer my question? Unless there is some theory that if I go to DN, I should take seminar courses, and if I go to CG, I should take the typical core classes...

[Black-Blue]

You mean biglaw core classes (like federal courts, antitrust, government contracts, international business, corporations, mergers and acquisitions, environmental law), or shitlaw core classes (family law, personal law, trusts and estates, criminal procedure, insurance defense)?

[Anonymous User]

You mean biglaw core classes (like federal courts, antitrust, government contracts, international business, corporations, mergers and acquisitions, environmental law), or shitlaw core classes (family law, personal law, trusts and estates, criminal procedure, insurance defense)?

Either/or, depending on the collective TLS wisdom?

If I'm still unemployed, I'm guessing that biglaw is no longer an option for me, as sad as that is, so maybe taking biglaw core classes is useless. I didn't actually consider shitlaw core classes (for lack of interest in those subjects). Do you think it would be smart to take those as opposed to biglaw cores or seminars?

[A'nold]

You mean biglaw core classes (like federal courts, antitrust, government contracts, international business, corporations, mergers and acquisitions, environmental law), or shitlaw core classes (family law, personal law, trusts and estates, criminal procedure, insurance defense)?

Lol at crim pro being a "shit law" course.

[Anonymous User]

OMG you are top third at a T14 and you could not find a job? You must look like an alien!

[Anonymous User]

You mean biglaw core classes (like federal courts, antitrust, government contracts, international business, corporations, mergers and acquisitions, environmental law), or shitlaw core classes (family law, personal law, trusts and estates, criminal procedure, insurance defense)?

Lol at crim pro being a "shit law" course.

Hah, I also noticed that but decided not to call him out on it. Crim pro is similar to the other classes he listed under "shit law" in that it attracts a different crowd of people than biglaw classes and that it doesn't lead to a high paying job.

As for the alien comment, if you're serious, well, as seen in other threads here, I'm far from unique. But if you were being sarcastic, I'd like to clarify that I'm not asking for sympathy. I would simply like to know how to proceed with my course selection in light of my current situation and whether I should prioritize raising my GPA over taking "employable" courses or vice versa.

[worldtraveler]

What exactly did you do to get on the professor's bad side?

[Anonymous User]

Not sure. Sexism? Politics? It wasn't because I was impolite, lazy, or annoyingly gunner-ish. There just seemed to be a personal dislike, and very clear favoritism of some students, (which understandably happens in small seminars, and that's why I'm nervous about taking another one).

[Renzo]

Not sure. Sexism? Politics? It wasn't because I was impolite, lazy, or annoyingly gunner-ish. There just seemed to be a personal dislike, and very clear favoritism of some students, (which understandably happens in small seminars, and that's why I'm nervous about taking another one).

Either you are not a very pleasant person, or you are wildly paranoid. No professor would single you out for abuse based on sexism or politics. Surely you weren't the first man/woman/republican/communist/libertarian the professor has come across.

If I were you, I'd worry less about what classes you take and more about what it is about your mannerisms/personality that has, by your own account, made both professors and employers not like you.

[RVP11]

My CrimPro class had more than its fair share of LR people. I'd watch out for that.

Classes like M&A, Bankruptcy, Secured Transactions, etc. are almost devoid of LR people at my school. Most LR types are litigation (and DC/BigGov) focused and cram into clerkship classes (Fed Courts, Conflicts, Admin, Legislation, Antitrust).

[Anonymous User]

Not sure. Sexism? Politics? It wasn't because I was impolite, lazy, or annoyingly gunner-ish. There just seemed to be a personal dislike, and very clear favoritism of some students, (which understandably happens in small seminars, and that's why I'm nervous about taking another one).

Either you are not a very pleasant person, or you are wildly paranoid. No professor would single you out for abuse based on sexism or politics. Surely you weren't the first man/woman/republican/communist/libertarian the professor has come across.

If I were you, I'd worry less about what classes you take and more about what it is about your mannerisms/personality that has, by your own account, made both professors and employers not like you.

Obviously you are smart and hard working. Just reading your posts made me think you are probably not self aware. Get an unbiased coach to help you work on your people skills. With your stats, you should be in demand. The fact that you struck out at OCI and other job seeking efforts speaks to your ability to sell yourself and/or the fact that you need to tweak some mannerisms/personality traits. The sooner your realize this and take action to change it, the better. As far a classes, you should take what's interesting to you.