is law review worth it if you have a job lined up after grad Forum

[Michigander]

Long story short, I'm finishing 1L semester one and am wondering if I should do law review. A relative of mine has his own practice and has invited me to work for him once I've got my p number.


Will being on law review have any value to me?

[Jchance]

Long story short, I'm finishing 1L semester one and am wondering if I should do law review. A relative of mine has his own practice and has invited me to work for him once I've got my p number.


Will being on law review have any value to me?

Do you plan to work for him for the rest of your legal career? if not, do law review.

[BigZuck]

You've already been invited onto law review? Without grades? That's pretty cool.

[mvp99]

No.

[jrf12886]

Yes, of course do law review. Unless you never plan to work anywhere else.

[AReasonableMan]

I'll go against the grain and say even if you do work for him for your whole career then it's still worth it. As someone who got high grades but not high enough for law review, I'd have traded my GPA for median and law review in a second once I got a job. No client will ask for your grades, but will know what law review is. It's more work but not crazy more work. The fact Obama was on law review even came up during his campaign, and nobody asks what his grades were. We just know he was on HLS LR.

[sflyr2016]

Nah. Good thing we got this out of the way 6 months in advance tho!

[Br3v]

Yes

[mephistopheles]

You've already been invited onto law review? Without grades? That's pretty cool.

this is retarded. everything isn't always an unpredictable coin flip. people on this board get so uptight about planning on future success, it's amazing law school was even in the equation

[BigZuck]

You've already been invited onto law review? Without grades? That's pretty cool.

this is retarded. everything isn't always an unpredictable coin flip. people on this board get so uptight about planning on future success, it's amazing law school was even in the equation

This post is pretty cool.

[Michigander]

You've already been invited onto law review? Without grades? That's pretty cool.

this is retarded. everything isn't always an unpredictable coin flip. people on this board get so uptight about planning on future success, it's amazing law school was even in the equation

This post is pretty cool.

Really? Because I couldn't understand it.


But anyway here's more info: talked to the invitee, he said not to worry about my resume. I pretty much would have a lifetime gig there depending on if I wanted to. My older sister already is there practicing and she said as long as I can pull my own clients then I'm set.

Would law review help with clients? My sister suggested mock trial and things like that as hands on experience.

[BigZuck]

You've already been invited onto law review? Without grades? That's pretty cool.

this is retarded. everything isn't always an unpredictable coin flip. people on this board get so uptight about planning on future success, it's amazing law school was even in the equation

This post is pretty cool.

Really? Because I couldn't understand it.


But anyway here's more info: talked to the invitee, he said not to worry about my resume. I pretty much would have a lifetime gig there depending on if I wanted to. My older sister already is there practicing and she said as long as I can pull my own clients then I'm set.

Would law review help with clients? My sister suggested mock trial and things like that as hands on experience.

Mephy was saying that it is retarded of me to suggest that you can't plan on being invited on to law review because that takes really good grades and/or writing ability and it's impossible to know whether you have either of those in December of 1L year.

I'm catching a strong TTT/TTTT vibe here. That doesn't mean it'll be easy to make it on to law review.

[Michigander]

Mephy was saying that it is retarded of me to suggest that you can't plan on being invited on to law review because that takes really good grades and/or writing ability and it's impossible to know whether you have either of those in December of 1L year.

I'm catching a strong TTT/TTTT vibe here. That doesn't mean it'll be easy to make it on to law review.

I'm not talking about being invited to law review, I'm saying I have a job after graduation at a relative's practice. It's the relative's practice I've been invited to, not law review.

I don't know if I'll make law review. It's a write on. But should I try if I already have a job after graduation?

Like would it help land big clients? Any other benefits?

[BigZuck]

Mephy was saying that it is retarded of me to suggest that you can't plan on being invited on to law review because that takes really good grades and/or writing ability and it's impossible to know whether you have either of those in December of 1L year.

I'm catching a strong TTT/TTTT vibe here. That doesn't mean it'll be easy to make it on to law review.

I'm not talking about being invited to law review, I'm saying I have a job after graduation at a relative's practice. It's the relative's practice I've been invited to, not law review.

I don't know if I'll make law review. It's a write on. But should I try if I already have a job after graduation?

Like would it help land big clients? Any other benefits?

It's a credential that will carry with you throughout your career. Rightly or wrongly, some people think it's a good signal of prestige/intelligence/law skillz/general awesomeness. It might matter to future employers or clients, or it might not. Can't tell the future. I think it's probably always worth doing just seeing how much some people gush over it but some might disagree. You won't get a consensus answer to your question I don't think.

But, the cart is well before the horse here. You probably won't even be in a position to make this choice. It's definitely not worth thinking about in November of your 1L year. Just go crush your exams.

[sparty99]

Mephy was saying that it is retarded of me to suggest that you can't plan on being invited on to law review because that takes really good grades and/or writing ability and it's impossible to know whether you have either of those in December of 1L year.

I'm catching a strong TTT/TTTT vibe here. That doesn't mean it'll be easy to make it on to law review.

I'm not talking about being invited to law review, I'm saying I have a job after graduation at a relative's practice. It's the relative's practice I've been invited to, not law review.

I don't know if I'll make law review. It's a write on. But should I try if I already have a job after graduation?

Like would it help land big clients? Any other benefits?

There no tangible benefits on being on law review. Your clients want give two fucks. The only people who care are judges, if you go into academica, and Big Law.

[A. Nony Mouse]

I mean, I generally agree with this ^, but the question is whether you might decide you want to do one of those things in the future.

[Desert Fox]

I don't see any circumstance were after your first job anyone will give a fuck. Maybe judges and academia. However, I really doubt biglaw cares. They really don't care if you are lateraling.

[jbagelboy]

The conversation about journals/law review here and elsewhere on TLS is overly simplistic and derivative.. Some people on their school's law review will gain nothing by it beyond what their grades already got them; others will milk the faculty connections and publication value for all they are worth and the experience will open up avenues like academic fellowships not otherwise available. This can't be known ex ante, and I'm more doubtful of the automatic signaling value of a law review and more appreciative of the faculty networking opportunities it provides (which carry over to letters of rec/mentorship/phone calls on your behalf, which carry over to a clerkship, which carry over to a potential future in gov't ect.).

[BigZuck]

The conversation about journals/law review here and elsewhere on TLS is overly simplistic and derivative.. Some people on their school's law review will gain nothing by it beyond what their grades already got them; others will milk the faculty connections and publication value for all they are worth and the experience will open up avenues like academic fellowships not otherwise available. This can't be known ex ante, and I'm more doubtful of the automatic signaling value of a law review and more appreciative of the faculty networking opportunities it provides (which carry over to letters of rec/mentorship/phone calls on your behalf, which carry over to a clerkship, which carry over to a potential future in gov't ect.).

There are faculty connections to law review? I've never heard of that before. Is that just law review or also other journals?

OP- for the love of all that is holy, don't do a journal unless it is law review. I guess there might be a very narrow exception if you're at a school where lots of people get big law and most are on journals and you would look weird if you didn't do one too, but if you do one make sure it is the one with the absolute least work possible. And even if you fit into that exception it might not be worth it. But if you're at some rando TTT then don't do a journal that isn't law review.

[Avian]

Yes you should absolutely participate in the writing competition and I would strongly suggest considering joining law review if you are offered a spot. I did better at OCI than other people with similar grades and relevant work experience and many interviewers specifically mentioned that they liked seeing law review. Unless your relative is willing to pay you 160K (or whatever the market rate for biglaw is in your region), biglaw will be able to offer at least one advantage to that job. You may also find as you learn more about different types of practices that you would rather do a different type of work that what your relative does.

It's marginally more work for a few semesters but when you're done you have a credential that you will never have the opportunity to get again.

[mvp99]

If you're interested in Corporate and that will be one of your selling points, certainly don't it. Corporate partners do not care at all about LR. Ha I even know clerks who think LR is a waste of time. As long as you're occupied and have other things going on besides LS, you'll be fine. LR won't get you a job if you're GPA isn't good enough anyway.

[Michigander]

Thank you all for your replies and advice. I've already talked to my relatives but more input is appreciated.

I'm at MSU so can someone tell me if it's 2d tier or "TTT" and any info on the prestige of its law review?


How does it help with judges? I figured that individual clients don't care but what about banks, hospitals, businesses, etc.?

I plan on living and practicing where I grew up. I'll be a solo practitioner under my relative. Will it help significantly as a solo practitioner?


Also, would it help get a job as a small town judge or prosecuting attorney/attorney general of a small county? The town I grew up in has less than 100,000 people living in it. My relative told me after enough years of practicing and building a good reputation within the county I could run for judge or some other respected position.


Needless to say I'm not interested in "Big Law" at all. I plan on carrying on my relative's practice with my sibling and remain where I grew up, a small town, and am wondering if law review will benefit me throughout my life or not, particularly when I'm 35 years old and older.

I understand law review has a great number of benefits and is a once in a life opportunity. But I wonder if I should join mock trial and other more "hands-on" activities in lieu of law review. I've been told LR at MSU takes up to 14-20 hours a week.

Reasons why I think I should not do law review: (1) calmer 2L year, (2) more time for other legal/school activities, (3) more time for social and personal life, (4) more time to dedicate to grades. Reason (4) is most important as I have a challenge scholarship - my scholarship amount depends on my grades and has a minimum of 3.5.

Reasons to do law review: (1) increased marketability, (2) networking. That's all I understand so far.

[schmelling]

Post removed.

[mvp99]

Thank you all for your replies and advice. I've already talked to my relatives but more input is appreciated.

I'm at MSU so can someone tell me if it's 2d tier or "TTT" and any info on the prestige of its law review?


How does it help with judges? I figured that individual clients don't care but what about banks, hospitals, businesses, etc.?

If you have to ask, then it's probably a 2nd tier LS and LR (no insult intended, I think this whole prestige thing is BS but that's the game). But I think you're misjudging the importance of LR. Firm's don't care about the quality of the LR. You have to understand what firms want and that it workhorses, people that can do LR, other shit and still get As.

Judges might care because they receive so many applications it could be a way to weed people out (I know a fed judge in your area can receive around 500 applications for one position). But some don't and it's rather about who you know (I know three clerks who got their jobs through contacts).

What kind of job is there for lawyers at Hospitals? by the time you get to be a GC or staff attorney at a health provider, LR probably won't matter

Point is LR won't hurt you but a bad GPA will hurt you. LR is only marginally positive. If you're gunning for a clerkship then by all means go ahead and enjoy LR. Personally, I think it's a waste of time.

[sparty99]

Thank you all for your replies and advice. I've already talked to my relatives but more input is appreciated.

I'm at MSU so can someone tell me if it's 2d tier or "TTT" and any info on the prestige of its law review?


How does it help with judges? I figured that individual clients don't care but what about banks, hospitals, businesses, etc.?

I plan on living and practicing where I grew up. I'll be a solo practitioner under my relative. Will it help significantly as a solo practitioner?


Also, would it help get a job as a small town judge or prosecuting attorney/attorney general of a small county? The town I grew up in has less than 100,000 people living in it. My relative told me after enough years of practicing and building a good reputation within the county I could run for judge or some other respected position.


Needless to say I'm not interested in "Big Law" at all. I plan on carrying on my relative's practice with my sibling and remain where I grew up, a small town, and am wondering if law review will benefit me throughout my life or not, particularly when I'm 35 years old and older.

I understand law review has a great number of benefits and is a once in a life opportunity. But I wonder if I should join mock trial and other more "hands-on" activities in lieu of law review. I've been told LR at MSU takes up to 14-20 hours a week.

Reasons why I think I should not do law review: (1) calmer 2L year, (2) more time for other legal/school activities, (3) more time for social and personal life, (4) more time to dedicate to grades. Reason (4) is most important as I have a challenge scholarship - my scholarship amount depends on my grades and has a minimum of 3.5.

Reasons to do law review: (1) increased marketability, (2) networking. That's all I understand so far.

WOW. You have to keep a 3.5 gpa to keep your scholarship. You NEVER should have gone to MSU. Nonetheless, as I stated, the aftermentioned people are the only people who care about law review. If you don't finish in the Top 30%, then I would not do it. It will be a waste of time. It is only for prestige. No one cares except the people I just mentioned. And they only care b/c of prestige or being on law review is very academic so professors care about that shit. Other than that, I wasn't on it. No one asked me why and I landed jobs at Big Law and government agencies.