As a transfer old schools LR Invite on Resume? Forum

[PlessFightsFire]

I already transferred but I wanted to know if I could put my previous schools LR invitation on my resume, thoughts?

[Arbiter213]

I already transferred but I wanted to know if I could put my previous schools LR invitation on my resume, thoughts?

Absolutely! I also always put all the schools I got in to, but didn't attend, on my resume so people don't think I am dumb.

[PlessFightsFire]

Thanks for the constructive crit arbiter

[fish52]

If you couldn't do the write-on for your new school (because the school doesn't allow transfers to participate), then I would include the LR invite from your old school. But if you failed the write-on at your new school, or didn't try, including your old school's LR invite might make the interviewer suspicious as to why you haven't been invited to your new school's LR. But this is purely speculation.

[PlessFightsFire]

If you couldn't do the write-on for your new school (because the school doesn't allow transfers to participate), then I would include the LR invite from your old school. But if you failed the write-on at your new school, or didn't try, including your old school's LR invite might make the interviewer suspicious as to why you haven't been invited to your new school's LR. But this is purely speculation.

Thats my situation, I won't have the opportunity until the end of 2L

[fish52]

If you couldn't do the write-on for your new school (because the school doesn't allow transfers to participate), then I would include the LR invite from your old school. But if you failed the write-on at your new school, or didn't try, including your old school's LR invite might make the interviewer suspicious as to why you haven't been invited to your new school's LR. But this is purely speculation.

Thats my situation, I won't have the opportunity until the end of 2L

Then I don't think it can hurt. Of course, if you are having space issues on your resume then leave it off. I say this because it's kind of a "duh" thing... "You were in the top x% of the class and transferred to a better school, I sure hope you were invited onto your old school's LR."

[PlessFightsFire]

Thats a fair point fish. My only thinking with it is that if its not there they might think that maybe...plus my old school didn't have a straight grade on and I'm not even sure I got that boost

[shock259]

Another question: do you think it's worth trying to distinguish being invited to law review from a write-on competition versus a grade-on?

My school did a write-on for and I was invited to join based on that. It would be nice to let the reader know that this was not just an automatic invitation for my grades, but rather something that was offered due to my writing abilities.

Maybe I'll just bring it up in interviews (hopefully)?

[CanadianWolf]

@shock: Just note on your resume that the competition was 100% write-on (if true, of course). Congratulations !

[shock259]

Thanks!

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_____ Law Review (invited via write-on)

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Hmm. Don't really like that. Gotta be a better way to do that.

[Danteshek]

I wouldn't bother. Focus on getting on law review at your new school.

(did both, btw)

[CanadianWolf]

Shock missed Columbia's write-on.

Definitely include the law review invitation on your resume.

[Anonymous User]

I was a transfer last year and on my resume for OCI, under my old school I had "<School> Law Review – Selected as Editorial Board Member".

It came up in discussion a few times and gave me a talking point.

[fish52]

I was a transfer last year and on my resume for OCI, under my old school I had "<School> Law Review – Selected as Editorial Board Member".

It came up in discussion a few times and gave me a talking point.

You were selected as an editorial board member without even being on the journal first? Whaa?

[CanadianWolf]

Several law schools refer to 2L members as "editorial board member" or as "editors". Also, some refer to 3L members as "editors" even though they really are just staff members.

[ggocat]

Although law review is an honor (an indicator of past success), it is also an experience (an indicator of gained knowledge/ability). If you're applying for jobs where the reviewers are likely past members of law review, I would not include your invitation to law review. It's like you're trying to put "law review" on the resume when you didn't actually have the experience of it simply because you want to tell the interviewer, "Hey, look at me, I'm successful." Other things on your resume (e.g., grades) will indicate past success in law school.

[CanadianWolf]

Include it as a sign of past success & assessment of your writing ability. Law firms will recognize your sacrifice in order to transfer for better placement opportunities. Using GGoCat's logic, one would exclude first year grades from one's resume because it was only a "past success". GGoCat's reasoning might be better suited for those who grade-on, not write-on, to their former law school's law review because it is redundant with one's first year class ranking.

[ggocat]

I agree that law review invitation is an indication of success, and that's the primary rationale for including the invitation on the resume. I think, however, the experience of law review is more important than a declined invitation, and former members of a law review may think listing a declined invitation shows a lack judgment.

I think invitation to law review is not a good indicator of writing ability. If the resume does not indicate the invitation was based on (pure) write-on competition, the the employer likely will not know the invitation was based on writing ability. Further, if the employer wants to assess writing ability, it will ask for a writing sample. I don't think successful participation in a law review write-on competition (without knowing all the details of the competition) necessarily indicates an ability to write well.

Again, just my two cents. But perhaps the value added of listing it does not outweigh the potential downside if you run into an interviewer like me.

[overandout]

I have to imagine that most people care about someone getting on Law Review because they will go through the experience of doing Law Review. Yes, it's a signal that you either had good grades or were a good enough writer to get on, but I think the main thing is the common bond of knowing the hell you're about to go through. I can't imagine they will care too much to see that you were accepted but won't be doing it since you are leaving the school. But maybe that's just me.

[CanadianWolf]

That's why I suggested noting that the law review offer was based on a writing competition (which is similiar to one's first year grades which are a measure of success/failure relative to one's classmates). A successful write-on is a noteworthy & resume worthy 1L accomplishment.

This situation is a bit different than one where there is an opportunity to write-on at the new law school after receiving an acceptance. Harvard & Columbia require transfer applicants to write-on before receiving their transfer application decisions. Thus, Harvard & Columbia transfers who spent time writing-on to law review at their 1L law school before receiving their Harvard and/or Columbia acceptance wouldn't have had the opportunity to write-on to Harvard's or Columbia's law reviews unless they wanted to undertake multiple write-on projects simultaneously.

In the instant case, shock359 would have had to do three write-ons at the same time because he/she applied as a transfer student to both Columbia & Harvarrd & didn't learn of any transfer decision prior to the three law review write-on deadlines.

[Anonymous User]

I think it's more something you'd put on your resume if you don't get onto your new school's law review. But, given your situation (that you can't write-on until the end of your 2L year), I'd go ahead and put that you were invited onto your old school's law review. This is fairly standard, and I have seen others do it.

[Anonymous User]

I just put "invited to join _____ Law Review"

Mine was write-on only, but the "competition" was in the summer, after I already got admitted to my transfer. Needless to say, there's no point ti writing-on and possibly stealing a spot from someone else. I was invited to join (pending a successful write-on) and the competition was by invite-only.

You can't really put "____ Law Review" since you're not on the journal yet, but invited is okay.

[anli]

--LinkRemoved--

[CanadianWolf]

@anli: That's a great find: "Law Review, offer declined."

[fatduck]

I just put "invited to join _____ Law Review"

Mine was write-on only, but the "competition" was in the summer, after I already got admitted to my transfer. Needless to say, there's no point ti writing-on and possibly stealing a spot from someone else. I was invited to join (pending a successful write-on) and the competition was by invite-only.

You can't really put "____ Law Review" since you're not on the journal yet, but invited is okay.

lol tell me this isn't serious