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I am totally ignorant about this. Is there any good reason(s) for me to join the ABA as a 1L?

Also just got this email. My instinct is no, but also interested in hearing what TLS has to say.

No. Its about as helpful on your resume as all the student organizations all the 1L's are buzzing about as "resume boosts" this time of year.

Nobody cares. Actually going to ABA stuff might help you meet someone who can help you look for a job, but the resume item means nothing.

More important queston. Should I join the ABA to get 400 Westlaw points?

BarbellDreams wrote:No. Its about as helpful on your resume as all the student organizations all the 1L's are buzzing about as "resume boosts" this time of year.

To be fair, you need at least a few of those. I had at least a couple of EIWs ask "Why didn't you join anything 1L," as in "Aren't you a team player?"

Paying $20 in dues and going to a couple of free pizza meetings would have spared me a two minute answer.

mrloblaw wrote:

BarbellDreams wrote:No. Its about as helpful on your resume as all the student organizations all the 1L's are buzzing about as "resume boosts" this time of year.

To be fair, you need at least a few of those. I had at least a couple of EIWs ask "Why didn't you join anything 1L," as in "Aren't you a team player?"

Paying $20 in dues and going to a couple of free pizza meetings would have spared me a two minute answer.

I think I have exactly zero student groups on my resume, and I'm more than happy about the way my OCI turned out. I think they all know what it takes to be a "member" of a student group.

Redacted for excessive cynicism.

Helmholtz wrote:

mrloblaw wrote:

BarbellDreams wrote:No. Its about as helpful on your resume as all the student organizations all the 1L's are buzzing about as "resume boosts" this time of year.

To be fair, you need at least a few of those. I had at least a couple of EIWs ask "Why didn't you join anything 1L," as in "Aren't you a team player?"
Paying $20 in dues and going to a couple of free pizza meetings would have spared me a two minute answer.

I think I have exactly zero student groups on my resume, and I'm more than happy about the way my OCI turned out. I think they all know what it takes to be a "member" of a student group.

Not to suggest it's a necessary condition, but I agree with mrloblaw's general sentiment. I think it's quite useful in interviews to have a few bullet points under your law school other than just your gpa and journal. Even if no one asks you about them, they can be there for you to spin into stories on your own. If nothing else, it becomes a nice easygoing way to fill part of that half hour.

That said, we're all in requisite awe of your interview skillz, Helm.

If you are trying to get in state tuition, join your state's bar association -- it can be seen as an inditia of intent to remain.

Lieut Kaffee wrote:

Helmholtz wrote:

mrloblaw wrote:

BarbellDreams wrote:No. Its about as helpful on your resume as all the student organizations all the 1L's are buzzing about as "resume boosts" this time of year.

To be fair, you need at least a few of those. I had at least a couple of EIWs ask "Why didn't you join anything 1L," as in "Aren't you a team player?"
Paying $20 in dues and going to a couple of free pizza meetings would have spared me a two minute answer.

I think I have exactly zero student groups on my resume, and I'm more than happy about the way my OCI turned out. I think they all know what it takes to be a "member" of a student group.

Not to suggest it's a necessary condition, but I agree with mrloblaw's general sentiment. I think it's quite useful in interviews to have a few bullet points under your law school other than just your gpa and journal. Even if no one asks you about them, they can be there for you to spin into stories on your own. If nothing else, it becomes a nice easygoing way to fill part of that half hour.

Judging by the student group experience of some of the people I know (pay $$$, eat food, etc.), I'm not really sure what kind of half-hour long stories you could tell about your experience. I should note that I did do some extracurricular stuff, I just didn't get involved with student groups.

Helmholtz wrote:

Lieut Kaffee wrote:

Helmholtz wrote: I think I have exactly zero student groups on my resume, and I'm more than happy about the way my OCI turned out. I think they all know what it takes to be a "member" of a student group.

Not to suggest it's a necessary condition, but I agree with mrloblaw's general sentiment. I think it's quite useful in interviews to have a few bullet points under your law school other than just your gpa and journal. Even if no one asks you about them, they can be there for you to spin into stories on your own. If nothing else, it becomes a nice easygoing way to fill part of that half hour.

Judging by the student group experience of some of the people I know (pay $$$, eat food, etc.), I'm not really sure what kind of half-hour long stories you could tell about your experience. I should note that I did do some extracurricular stuff, I just didn't get involved with student groups.

I purposely said "part of" that half hour.

Helmholtz wrote: Judging by the student group experience of some of the people I know (pay $$$, eat food, etc.), I'm not really sure what kind of half-hour long stories you could tell about your experience. I should note that I did do some extracurricular stuff, I just didn't get involved with student groups.

I see it as a less crucial version of law review (or, for that matter, grades). Sure, it doesn't actually do a bloody thing for making you a decent lawyer/prospective lawyer or suggesting that you are one, but it eliminates what at least some employers will consider a concern.

To use a concrete example, I often had interviewers say something like "How are you liking law school" early in our session. After saying something like, "Actually, it has been a really great experience and I've been surprised how much I've enjoyed it so far," I would sometimes (depending on my mood or gut feel) follow up immediately with "That's actually the reason I wanted to get involved with the Student Admissions Committee. Because blah blah blah X Y Z."

Good conversation topic and now 5 minutes are gone.

wiseguy33 wrote:More important queston. Should I join the ABA to get 400 Westlaw points?

That e-mail was my first thought when I saw this topic.

I actually enjoy the magazines you get for free with...ABA journal, student journal, and litigation (if sign up for free group).

Lieut Kaffee wrote:To use a concrete example, I often had interviewers say something like "How are you liking law school" early in our session. After saying something like, "Actually, it has been a really great experience and I've been surprised how much I've enjoyed it so far," I would sometimes (depending on my mood or gut feel) follow up immediately with "That's actually the reason I wanted to get involved with the Student Admissions Committee. Because blah blah blah X Y Z."

Good conversation topic and now 5 minutes are gone.

Yeah, I can see that. That's sort of the direction I took with things except without talking about student groups (obviously). Did you ever have anybody straight-out ask you, "So what kind of things did you do in your Saving the Kittens and Whales student group?"?

MrPapagiorgio wrote:

wiseguy33 wrote:More important queston. Should I join the ABA to get 400 Westlaw points?

That e-mail was my first thought when I saw this topic.

It was an implied sub-heading of the topic.

But who cares about westlaw points if there are no other good reasons to join, which seems to be the case.

Helmholtz wrote:

Lieut Kaffee wrote:To use a concrete example, I often had interviewers say something like "How are you liking law school" early in our session. After saying something like, "Actually, it has been a really great experience and I've been surprised how much I've enjoyed it so far," I would sometimes (depending on my mood or gut feel) follow up immediately with "That's actually the reason I wanted to get involved with the Student Admissions Committee. Because blah blah blah X Y Z."

Good conversation topic and now 5 minutes are gone.

Yeah, I can see that. That's sort of the direction I took with things except without talking about student groups (obviously). Did you ever have anybody straight-out ask you, "So what kind of things did you do in your Saving the Kittens and Whales student group?"?

I would say every third or fourth interviewer asked me about my spring break service trip, which is listed as a bullet point under my law school. Though to be fair, that's a little different than a "go to four or five pizza lunches a semester" student group. School musical is also listed in the same place, and that drew a little bit of interest.

Lieut Kaffee wrote: I would say every third or fourth interviewer asked me about my spring break service trip, which is listed as a bullet point under my law school. Though to be fair, that's a little different than a "go to four or five pizza lunches a semester" student group.

Yeah, even though I'm not a fan of the student groups, looking back, I do wish I would have done the spring break service trip thing.