UChi Students & Alumni Taking Questions Forum

[Non-Chalant1]

How often do students do externships throughout the year and do they count for credit? I know a lot of schools do this and I'm interested because I want the experience. Do 1Ls get the opportunity to work with any clients or organizations I.E. some of Harvard's student programs that advise people about their housing situation or represent juveniles at school hearings, etc.

Thanks.

[Emma.]

How often do students do externships throughout the year and do they count for credit? I know a lot of schools do this and I'm interested because I want the experience. Do 1Ls get the opportunity to work with any clients or organizations I.E. some of Harvard's student programs that advise people about their housing situation or represent juveniles at school hearings, etc.

Thanks.

We don't do any of that stuff in 1L. You'll be busy enough just dealing with your core classes. There are pretty great clinical opportunities for your 2L and 3L years though.

[Dany]

Can you all comment on the noise level of the places you live? I have noisy neighbors now and I can't stand it - I'm a bit of a homebody. Is the law school zone in Regents pretty loud?

[ellewoods110]

Can you all comment on the noise level of the places you live? I have noisy neighbors now and I can't stand it - I'm a bit of a homebody. Is the law school zone in Regents pretty loud?

"The Law School Zone" is a bit of a misnomer. We don't all live on the same floors, or even on floors right next to each other. I live on the 28th floor, but my friends live on 14,16, 22, 28, etc. We do all live in the north tower though, which is convenient. I don't usually hear my neighbors. I can sometimes hear someone above me working out, but that's usually the extent of it. I think Regents is worth every penny.

[Sentry]

Can you all comment on the noise level of the places you live? I have noisy neighbors now and I can't stand it - I'm a bit of a homebody. Is the law school zone in Regents pretty loud?

"The Law School Zone" is a bit of a misnomer. We don't all live on the same floors, or even on floors right next to each other. I live on the 28th floor, but my friends live on 14,16, 22, 28, etc. We do all live in the north tower though, which is convenient. I don't usually hear my neighbors. I can sometimes hear someone above me working out, but that's usually the extent of it. I think Regents is worth every penny.

That's good to hear.

[Non-Chalant1]

How often do students do externships throughout the year and do they count for credit? I know a lot of schools do this and I'm interested because I want the experience. Do 1Ls get the opportunity to work with any clients or organizations I.E. some of Harvard's student programs that advise people about their housing situation or represent juveniles at school hearings, etc.

Thanks.

We don't do any of that stuff in 1L. You'll be busy enough just dealing with your core classes. There are pretty great clinical opportunities for your 2L and 3L years though.

Well I don't expect to do externships 1L year, but I was hoping I could do it 2L year...but obviously UChi doesn't do that for credit. I was wondering how often students do that...because obviously everyone isn't going to necessarily get into their first choice clinical. But really 1Ls don't do any pro-bono stuff at all?

[Emma.]

How often do students do externships throughout the year and do they count for credit? I know a lot of schools do this and I'm interested because I want the experience. Do 1Ls get the opportunity to work with any clients or organizations I.E. some of Harvard's student programs that advise people about their housing situation or represent juveniles at school hearings, etc.

Thanks.

We don't do any of that stuff in 1L. You'll be busy enough just dealing with your core classes. There are pretty great clinical opportunities for your 2L and 3L years though.

Well I don't expect to do externships 1L year, but I was hoping I could do it 2L year...but obviously UChi doesn't do that for credit. I was wondering how often students do that...because obviously everyone isn't going to necessarily get into their first choice clinical. But really 1Ls don't do any pro-bono stuff at all?

As a 1L I can't really speak to this, but if you want to tell me what kind of things you are looking for I am happy to do some research for you (PM me if you want). I think the clinics work pretty hard to get the people that are genuinely interested into the clinic they want. You also have the option of working for the clinic over your 1L summer which I guess doesn't guarantee you a spot but I think it helps a lot. Between the clinic and things like corporate lab and seminar classes I don't hear anyone complaining about the lack of opportunities for practical experience.

As far as pro-bono work as a 1L.... I just don't know when you would find time. Focus on your 1L grades and worry about that stuff later.

[California Babe]

As far as pro-bono work as a 1L.... I just don't know when you would find time. Focus on your 1L grades and worry about that stuff later.

Nor is there much actual legal work that you could do as a 1L, anyway.

[TLSNYC]

So, I'm a bit confused about how the quarter system works. Is it basically you take two courses that are Fall only, two courses that are Fall + winter, and four courses that are just spring?

Also, how tight knit is the community in terms of social activities, etc. I'll be honest, my biggest fear/issue with going to Chicago is that I'd be leaving behind my SO and best friends in NYC/NJ/PA, who I regularly see. I haven't had to make friends in a long time. I don't want to sound socially incapable, but I just don't want to be the loser who sits on his couch Saturday afternoons. Do people from the law school regularly hang out outside of school/on the weekends or do people have their own pre established cliques that they tend to hang with?

[California Babe]

So, I'm a bit confused about how the quarter system works. Is it basically you take two courses that are Fall only, two courses that are Fall + winter, and four courses that are just spring?

That's almost right.

Fall: Civ Pro, Elements of Law, Contracts, Criminal Law
Winter: Contracts (cont), Criminal Law (cont), Torts, Property
Spring: Torts (cont), Property (cont), Civ Pro II, Elective

Legal Research and Writing goes all year you long. You have an ungraded closed memo during the fall, a graded open memo during the winter, a graded brief during the spring, and an ungraded oral argument during the spring.

Then I think it's typical to take 3 classes each quarter during 2 & 3L that end each quarter.

Also, how tight knit is the community in terms of social activities, etc. I'll be honest, my biggest fear/issue with going to Chicago is that I'd be leaving behind my SO and best friends in NYC/NJ/PA, who I regularly see. I haven't had to make friends in a long time. I don't want to sound socially incapable, but I just don't want to be the loser who sits on his couch Saturday afternoons. Do people from the law school regularly hang out outside of school/on the weekends or do people have their own pre established cliques that they tend to hang with?

I would say very tight. People are constantly hanging out outside of law school, throwing parties, going out, etc. You would have to try pretty hard to avoid being social and making friends.

[Emma.]

I would say very tight. People are constantly hanging out outside of law school, throwing parties, going out, etc. You would have to try pretty hard to avoid being social and making friends.

This.

Even though I feel like things have definitely gotten a little bit cliquey this quarter I always feel like I can walk into the Green Lounge and there is someone to sit with and talk shit.

[marburger06]

Then I think it's typical to take 3 classes each quarter during 2 & 3L that end each quarter.

No. 4. There's only one quarter where you can take 3 (unless you do a combo of workshops/clinics/other >3 credit classes).

Nor is there much actual legal work that you could do as a 1L, anyway.

Actually, there are several organizations that allow 1Ls to volunteer. That said, you probably won't have time as a 1L.

I think the clinics work pretty hard to get the people that are genuinely interested into the clinic they want.

You should be aware that the clinic system is technically lottery-only (although rumor has it that this might change, but nothing has been made official yet). If you land a summer gig at the clinic, you are guaranteed a spot, but those are really hard to get. However, it is true that if you don't lottery into a clinic during 2L, if you take all of the required classes for the clinic and really, really show interest in it, they'll probably find a way to get you in as a 3L. Also, there are at least a handful of people that participate in unpaid, not-for-credit externships during the school year (the most popular being at the US Atty's Office, though that is extremely competitive to get).

Chicago is getting better on the practical experience front, but we still lag behind other schools. If your #1 priority is hands-on experience...I honestly wouldn't come here.

[California Babe]

Then I think it's typical to take 3 classes each quarter during 2 & 3L that end each quarter.

No. 4. There's only one quarter where you can take 3 (unless you do a combo of workshops/clinics/other >3 credit classes).

I'm glad I italicized "think" then so I don't look silly. I wasn't sure if it was 3 or 4.

Nor is there much actual legal work that you could do as a 1L, anyway.

Actually, there are several organizations that allow 1Ls to volunteer. That said, you probably won't have time as a 1L.

Yes, but what I meant was as a 1L you are pretty limited in actual legal work that you can do.

[Hey-O]

tag

[Emma.]

I think the clinics work pretty hard to get the people that are genuinely interested into the clinic they want.

You should be aware that the clinic system is technically lottery-only (although rumor has it that this might change, but nothing has been made official yet). If you land a summer gig at the clinic, you are guaranteed a spot, but those are really hard to get. However, it is true that if you don't lottery into a clinic during 2L, if you take all of the required classes for the clinic and really, really show interest in it, they'll probably find a way to get you in as a 3L. Also, there are at least a handful of people that participate in unpaid, not-for-credit externships during the school year (the most popular being at the US Atty's Office, though that is extremely competitive to get).

This is exactly what I was referring to.

Chicago is getting better on the practical experience front, but we still lag behind other schools. If your #1 priority is hands-on experience...I honestly wouldn't come here.

I can't speak to what other schools offer, so I'll defer to marburger here. However, I really think most people are going to get the majority of hands-on experience during their summer positions, and between that and the clinical opportunites at UChi I don't think the difference between the practical experience you can get here vs. what you can do at somewhere like NYU is that significant.

[Hey-O]

Does anyone know if any students are involved in admissions? I know Berkeley has students involved in the process. Does Chicago have anything like that?

[Emma.]

Does anyone know if any students are involved in admissions? I know Berkeley has students involved in the process. Does Chicago have anything like that?

There's a Student Admissions Committee but they don't read files or anything like that. They're involved with planning ASW and doing outreach stuff to admitted students.

[tamlyric]

What kinds of work are 1Ls doing this summer?

Hi, Emma. <3

[scat_cat]

Yes, but what I meant was as a 1L you are pretty limited in actual legal work that you can do.

That's true to some extent, and I didn't do much extracurricular legal work outside of class 1L year, but there are opportunities. I personally know about two: Spring Break of Service (they're thinking about expanding, but right now you go to Biloxi and Gulfport and do memos/interviews/etc for the Mississippi Center for Justice) and doing legal intake with an AIDS clinic. Susan Curry, the new director of public interest law, seems very willing to refer 1Ls to opportunities that will fulfill the new Pro Bono pledge--and those opportunities have to constitute legal work to count. See http://www.law.uchicago.edu/publicinterest/probono.

After 1L year, a lot depends on whether you get into a good clinic or not. If you're in the Federal Criminal Justice Clinic your 3L year, you will do more hands-on legal work with your 7-11 license than you can imagine at this point, including bond hearings, negotiating plea bargains, writing pretrial motions, arguing sentencing hearings, etc, all in federal court. Other clinics have students do state-court evidentiary hearings quite frequently.

You don't really need practical legal experience your 1L year, so apart from Spring Break of Service, which is a great opportunity, I would not worry about getting experience that early. Concentrate on your grades and learning legal research and writing and then get a job where you can do real work your 1L summer.

[coolgreen42]

Hi There,

I'm UChi is my favorite school at this point, but I'm from the east coast and would like to spend summers (at least the 1L summer while my BF is still stuck in the east) somewhere in New England/New York. At this point, I see myself being happiest living in Regents, but I'm wondering whether it will be feasible to find a summer subletter. Does Regents offer a <12 month lease?

Thanks for all your interesting answers!

[Ghost]

.

[Knock]

Is there a dress code for ASW?

Pants are required.

[California Babe]

Is there a dress code for ASW?

Pants are required.

At least during business hours.

[Ghost]

.

[Emma.]

Is there a dress code for ASW?

Pants are required.

At least during business hours.

too true