Is dropping out at the end of 2L ever credited? Forum

[spleenworship]

Congrats.

Personally, I wouldn't put it on my résumé. But remember that most PI (non-prestigious PI) doesn't care about your GPA much, just commitment.

[CicerBRo]

All the advice here is good advice. You're almost done; throwing it all away, especially when you are passionate about PI/PD, is dumb. Just get through 3L and never talk to another neurotic law student again. In my experience, once they graduate law students are much more tolerable.

Also, you aren't the only person who can't stand certain aspects of law school. I also hate the forced curve, and I also dislike not the people, but the social aspects that are competitive and neurotic and annoying. That dissipates after law school.

TL;DR: You think law school sucks. You have finished 2/3 of a sucky experience. Do you really want to negate all the hard work and suffering through 1 and 2L by dropping now? Just find ways to mitigate whatever you didn't like 1L and 2L and, after mitigating, get through 3L.

[ranthum]

I would suggest looking into visiting somewhere else. The law school culture really depends on the school. The school I go to is not overly competitive or really cut-throat at all. I've made some really good friends and there are really only a handful of people that I can't stand. I haven't outlined for a single class, I can get them from classmates or upperclassmen without any problem. I also don't take notes, although if I wanted to get them from somebody else I know at least 3/4 of my classmates would hand em over without any questions.

[Anonymous User]

OP again. I decided not to drop.

I have a quick ?--is a 2 page resume ok for post-grad PI fellowships?

[Anonymous User]

At my PI organization they said 1 page unless you were old and had a lot of years to account for.

[Anonymous User]

Don't want to hone in on the affirmative action debate one way or another, but wanted to make the public service announcement that you can't take a black law student's experience in the legal job market as a marker for a white law student's job search. This is analogous to doing so in law school admissions. Most respected firms bestow an affirmative duty on some partners to actively seek out, and ensure diversity in the firm. The fact is that a black student above median at a top twenty-five school is going to have more opportunities, because there is a very limited number of law students with those credentials.

On hating the social aspect - surely in a class of three hundred, you can find people who are pleasant to be around. Many people, perhaps a majority, stopped caring after their second year.

[Anonymous User]

At my PI organization they said 1 page unless you were old and had a lot of years to account for.

Define "old". I'm 26, going on 27 in October.

[haus]

At my PI organization they said 1 page unless you were old and had a lot of years to account for.

Define "old". I'm 26, going on 27 in October.

As a starting point, I would say 'old' requires the person to no longer reference their age as "going on X".

[Anonymous User]

OP: many places count Asian as diverse. It's not the same boost as being black, but still considered diverse. Idk if they still go on this late as I'm white, but diversity fairs are good for you. If you have a bad gpa then you'll have more success going through avenues where gpa isn't the first thing they see.

[rickgrimes69]

At my PI organization they said 1 page unless you were old and had a lot of years to account for.

Define "old". I'm 26, going on 27 in October.

You're not old or experienced enough to justify a two page resume. HTH

[Anonymous User]

At my PI organization they said 1 page unless you were old and had a lot of years to account for.

Define "old". I'm 26, going on 27 in October.

You're not old or experienced enough to justify a two page resume. HTH

I disagree with the bold.

But really it depends on what your experience is. I'm 25 going on 26 and could easily do 2 pages - but i've started (and sold) 2 companies while in UG, worked for 2 other startups (also while in UG/HS) and had a 2.5 year stint at a IB and VC firm before going to Law school in addition to my 1L SA position. Depending on the audience i'll make it one page or 2, just depends on who I'm expecting to see it. Even in the 2L SA hunt i've had more discussions about my startups than my 1L SA job.

[JamMasterJ]

At my PI organization they said 1 page unless you were old and had a lot of years to account for.

Define "old". I'm 26, going on 27 in October.

You're not old or experienced enough to justify a two page resume. HTH

I disagree with the bold.

But really it depends on what your experience is. I'm 25 going on 26 and could easily do 2 pages - but i've started (and sold) 2 companies while in UG, worked for 2 other startups (also while in UG/HS) and had a 2.5 year stint at a IB and VC firm before going to Law school in addition to my 1L SA position. Depending on the audience i'll make it one page or 2, just depends on who I'm expecting to see it. Even in the 2L SA hunt i've had more discussions about my startups than my 1L SA job.

In your case, under Work Experience, i'd list SA, IB, VC, and your longest term couple of other jobs, and then mention the others in your Additional Information section

[Anonymous User]

At my PI organization they said 1 page unless you were old and had a lot of years to account for.

Define "old". I'm 26, going on 27 in October.

You're not old or experienced enough to justify a two page resume. HTH

I disagree with the bold.

But really it depends on what your experience is. I'm 25 going on 26 and could easily do 2 pages - but i've started (and sold) 2 companies while in UG, worked for 2 other startups (also while in UG/HS) and had a 2.5 year stint at a IB and VC firm before going to Law school in addition to my 1L SA position. Depending on the audience i'll make it one page or 2, just depends on who I'm expecting to see it. Even in the 2L SA hunt i've had more discussions about my startups than my 1L SA job.

OP said that his only work experience was a stint in Americorps so my advice was directed at him specifically. But it holds true in general. I don't even think your experience, which is obviously unusually lengthy for your age, justifies a two page resume.

[rickgrimes69]

Define "old". I'm 26, going on 27 in October.

You're not old or experienced enough to justify a two page resume. HTH

I disagree with the bold.

But really it depends on what your experience is. I'm 25 going on 26 and could easily do 2 pages - but i've started (and sold) 2 companies while in UG, worked for 2 other startups (also while in UG/HS) and had a 2.5 year stint at a IB and VC firm before going to Law school in addition to my 1L SA position. Depending on the audience i'll make it one page or 2, just depends on who I'm expecting to see it. Even in the 2L SA hunt i've had more discussions about my startups than my 1L SA job.

OP said that his only work experience was a stint in Americorps so my advice was directed at him specifically. But it holds true in general. I don't even think your experience, which is obviously unusually lengthy for your age, justifies a two page resume.

Accidental anon

[FlanAl]

I know you said you are asian but you haven't mentioned if you speak any other languages other than english. Even beginner levels of another language can be super helpful. For full time legal jobs after law school you should really only put law related experience on your resume. You should be as detailed as possible in the description of each job i.e. something like "drafted 6 suppression motions which were filed with the court mostly regarding Miranda issues". I wouldn't put your GPA. I would also extern and try to do a semester abroad. From what I've heard you generally get to just kick back on semester abroad programs and it sounds like you could use the change of pace of being in a new culture.

[Anonymous User]

I know you said you are asian but you haven't mentioned if you speak any other languages other than english. Even beginner levels of another language can be super helpful. For full time legal jobs after law school you should really only put law related experience on your resume. You should be as detailed as possible in the description of each job i.e. something like "drafted 6 suppression motions which were filed with the court mostly regarding Miranda issues". I wouldn't put your GPA. I would also extern and try to do a semester abroad. From what I've heard you generally get to just kick back on semester abroad programs and it sounds like you could use the change of pace of being in a new culture.

OP. I am fluent in Hindi and Spanish. I am doing a clinic this fall, for which I will be certified to appear in court. Can't do the semester abroad thing because I am on the hook for my lease.

[Anonymous User]

OP again. What should I be doing to prevent myself from being forever ensconced in the Vale of Tears? I'm at my last legs here. My grades are not great (though above a 3.0) and no journal/moot court so I am hoping to parlay my significant public service work experience and foreign language ability into a FTLT jerb/fellowship. All of my bar association networking activities and informational interviews have led nowhere

Am I competitive for state trial court level clerkships? Particularly interested in family court, as I have extensive volunteer legal experience in that practice area.

[sparty99]

OP again. What should I be doing to prevent myself from being forever ensconced in the Vale of Tears? I'm at my last legs here. My grades are not great (though above a 3.0) and no journal/moot court so I am hoping to parlay my significant public service work experience and foreign language ability into a FTLT jerb/fellowship. All of my bar association networking activities and informational interviews have led nowhere

Am I competitive for state trial court level clerkships? Particularly interested in family court, as I have extensive volunteer legal experience in that practice area.

Perhaps you should try applying to jobs. That would help.

[Anonymous User]

OP again. What should I be doing to prevent myself from being forever ensconced in the Vale of Tears? I'm at my last legs here. My grades are not great (though above a 3.0) and no journal/moot court so I am hoping to parlay my significant public service work experience and foreign language ability into a FTLT jerb/fellowship. All of my bar association networking activities and informational interviews have led nowhere

Am I competitive for state trial court level clerkships? Particularly interested in family court, as I have extensive volunteer legal experience in that practice area.

Perhaps you should try applying to jobs. That would help.

I won't be graduating until 2016. Most entry level places want you to be able to start immediately. That's why I asked about clerkships, which hire a year or so in advance.