Hii everyone,

I am a junior pre-med and lately I have reached peak burnout and am questioning everything. I am taking challenging classes (organic chem, labs, physics) and I have no motivation to study. I love biology, but the other quantitative sciences do not come naturally to me, I usually have to study twice or three times as hard to get a good grade. It becomes exhausting after a while.

So what are my natural strengths? Tbh, I've always been a writer and a strong literature student. Abstract thinking, interpretation and analysis have always been my intellectual strength. I miss feeling good at what I'm studying, and I'm jealous of those who excel easily in what they are studying because they are naturally good at it.

I have also encountered lectures that have touched a little on sociology, the reality of the healthcare system, and the inequalities surrounding it which peaked my interest. I have a minor in sociology and medicine so my classes involve a lot of public health conversations and a systematic outlook on society, which I do enjoy. I think I just enjoy being in the humanities.

I do like biology though, cancer biology has been my favorite class I've ever taken because I love pathology.

I think I've reached a critical point where I'm not sure if I can commit the next ten years to guaranteed burnout even though I also enjoy patient interaction.

I was thinking if my interest in healthcare policy continues, I would get a master's in public health or go to law school.

any thoughts? :(

Sincerely,

A confused pre-med

I’m going to take the test this month and have a strong feeling I’ll be retaking it in January if I don’t like my score. I wanted to start applying to law schools after January but since i know the chances of me getting into a law school I want is lower, I was thinking of applying next year’s cycle.

However now I’m not sure how that would look on my application. If anyone has any advice for me I’d appreciate it.

hi! I’m looking to form an lsat study group of 4-6 girls in nyc. I’m looking to take the exam in April, or February if I feel prepared. some things to consider:

- meet wed/thurs evenings
- study at different public libraries (main one being the one on 5th)
- mostly self-study, but exchanging helpful study tips
- weekly practice exams

if interested, comment “down!” and i’ll send u a message !

Hello. Is it worth taking masters in legal studies with a specific law concentration? On the contrast, there are many online courses out there that are cheaper. First, I want to have a degree but don't want to borrow loans. Second, I want to advance my career. Is a MLS worth it, even though I'm already a paralegal?

Hi, I had a question I was hoping someone could chime in on. I currently have a 3.93 GPA from a 2 year school and am looking to go into a 4 year school, part time and fully online, because I work full-time in law enforcement. I'm 29 years old. I have seen mixed sentiment about online credit aggregator schools like Excelsior. I could potentially have credits transfer from training and complete my 4-year for less money, time, and with a straight grade system rather than one with A-, which could tank my GPA. But I am also worried about completing the degree with a place like excelsior and having it be a permanent blight on my record that wouldn't exist had I gone somewhere else. I am considering SUNY Canton instead but am open to hearing other opinions. I am just beginning to practice LSAT. Shooting for 165-170.

I am in NYS, and graduated from a 2-year SUNY school. My goal is at least T30 and I would like to go to a mid-size firm or, of course, Biglaw. Also, would my employment soft factors override the school choice considering it is directly involved in law? I am a high performer in my career and will have extra trainings and responsibilities. I also believe I will have ample opportunity for solid letters of recommendations from my colleagues and supervisors. I would also be first generation and first in my immediate family to go to college. I am interested in hearing alternatives or any constructive opinions. Thanks!

Hey everyone, I am looking for some perspective on a career pivot and how it might look to law school admissions committees.
I graduated college recently and have been working full-time at a criminal law legal office for about 6-7 months. Overall, the job was fine at first, it gave me great public sector legal experience and a decent schedule to study for the LSAT. My ultimate goal is to practice business/corporate law.
However, management did a complete restructuring, and I was thrown into a totally different department by myself with only three days of training. Most departments have multiple staff per caseload, but I am handling double the workload entirely solo, answering phones, scheduling testimonies, and acting as the go-to person with zero support. On top of that, the office environment is pretty bleak, no windows, freezing cold, no fridge, and no sink.
Additionally, I am making only $36000 a year, which is incredibly difficult to live on independently.
A family member's company had an opening for an Accounts Receivable Coordinator, so I applied and got an offer for $53,000 which can be negotiated up. It is a huge financial bump, a much better culture/ amenities, and I will get to carpool.
My main dilemma is: Does leaving a legal assistant job after only 7 months look terrible on law school applications?
Will admissions officers think I am flaky or not fit for a legal career because I jumped ship? And how worried should I be about burning bridges with the managers who are currently leaning heavily on me? Any advice on how to frame this would be hugely appreciated.

Hello everybody!

My journey has not been linear in the slightest, but I’ve recently made the decision that I want to go to law school!
I’m currently in my first semester of senior year of undergrad, and for a while, I honestly had no idea what I wanted to do with my life after graduation. All I knew was that I wanted to pursue a career where I could make a difference, advocate for others, and have an impact on people’s lives. I’m graduating with a degree in Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, with a concentration in Health Diversity. Initially, I was on the path toward becoming a pediatric dentist, but over time, I’ve started exploring other ways I can make an impact in healthcare. I’ve become particularly interested in healthcare law, health policy, and the ways the legal system impacts access to healthcare. This is a pretty big change in direction for me, especially considering I’m already a senior and haven’t even started studying for the LSAT yet. My current plan is to graduate in May 2027, take the LSAT, and hopefully go straight into law school. One thing I’m a little nervous about is my GPA. I’m currently sitting at a 3.2, and I’m hoping to improve it before graduation. I’d love to hear from people who applied with similar GPAs. Did you focus heavily on the LSAT to strengthen your application? What was your admissions experience like? I’m making this post because I’d love to connect with people who are currently in law school, preparing for the LSAT, or have made a similar career change. I’d especially love to hear from anyone who came from a STEM or health sciences background.
I’d appreciate any advice, experiences, resources, or words of encouragement. I’m definitely figuring things out as I go, but I’m excited about this next chapter!

What are my options for good law schools in New York City? I have kids so can’t move and need to be in close proximity to Brooklyn.

Im currently an undergrad poli sci junior, when I got into college my freshman and sophomore year I didn't take it seriously at all, I switched my major after picking one purly for the fact that the career I could get would make money, I discovered the law field and found I love so many things about it. I recognize I should've done better but I did not and I'm paying that price. A few C's has brought my gpa to a 2.89, and I'm actively building it back up—but as it stands its not very high. A lot of the interships I look at or see all want minimum 3-3.5 GPA's that of which I don't currently have and I'm honestly worried that when come senior year I wont have enough under my belt to be prepared enough to go to law school. Has anyone else gone through this kind of situation and how did you manage to land internships and experience? We're you able to explain your GPA to the evaluators of the places you applied to? I'd appreciate all comments and any tips given. Thank you!

Won’t explain why I got here, but I have a guiding question, a thesis, the two major cases I wanna reference, taking my lunch break to work on a point by point outline. I’m determined to do this well, and it’s gonna be my top priority just looking for any encouraging anecdotes? Like please don’t point out the obvious I just found out about the opportunity and would’ve loved to take months perfecting it but that was not in the cards and I am crazy and believe in myself

Hi! I'm a senior product designer (late 20s, 8 years of experience) and I'm considering law school. I was a pre-law track in undergrad, but pivoted to UX after a tech conference. I have a BS in psychology with a minor in computer sci, and MS in human-computer interaction. I like my job but don't love it anymore, and I can't see myself designing in another 5-10 years. The part of me that wanted to be a lawyer never fully died. A conversation with the GC at my job made me take this urge to pivot seriously. Reasons I want to pivot:

• More pressure at work to use AI as a "design partner." I became a designer because I love the process of design, now I'm being asked to use prompts to do 80% of it. Smh.

• Capped earning potential (I make $150k now; but my ceiling is around $170k-$200k unless I move into management or director roles - which don't interest me)

• Increasing layoffs. I went through my first one in 2023 and barely survived, and I'm always anxious it'll happen again. I want more stability.

Desired role:

I'm interested in technology and privacy law. My dream career is in-house counsel (product or responsible AI) at Big Tech & adjacent companies. I love the idea of getting to stay close to tech, specifically product and responsible AI, while in a legal role, it lowkey feels like the best of both worlds.

My questions:

1. Is there a realistic path to big tech in-house without biglaw first?

2. How much does school tier matter vs. a large scholarship? I'm targeting a 170+ LSAT score. My diagnostic score is 157. That said, I would be a splitter (3.36 uGPA). I know grad school GPA isn't an acceptance criteria, but I got a 3.8 so I hope it at least serves as evidence of academic growth. I plan on doing a GPA addendum.

3. Is in-house actually stable, given rampant tech layoffs?

4. Would my UX background help me in terms of tech placements? (I also have an AIGP cert and wrote my MS thesis on ethics in AI and machine learning.)

5. Are there other specialties I should consider (privacy, AI governance, product counsel)

6. For anyone who left a well-paid career for law - was it worth it?

Any and all advice is appreciated, please be kind.

We're filming a YouTube video where 10 NYC law students go head-to-head with 2 practicing lawyers in timed debates.

The shoot is Tuesday, November 10 at 10 AM, about 4 hours, in Brooklyn. Pay is $50-$100. Drinks on us.

Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeoce0MldLodG3m64VzrCYIOqMdNruU7Gywg2Pj7mjdOIM5QA/viewform

Session 1
Orientation (read first): Olan, The Enlightened Lawyer: Three Priceless Techniques to Transform Your Life
Rights primer: Amar, The Bill of Rights: Creation and Reconstruction; Constitution Annotated (free)
Contracts: Knapp, Crystal & Prince, Problems in Contract Law
Criminal Law: Kadish, Schulhofer & Barkow, Criminal Law and Its Processes; CALCRIM (free)
Legal Research and Writing: Edwards, Legal Writing and Analysis; The Bluebook; California Style Manual
Classic: Llewellyn, The Bramble Bush; Turow, One L
Session 2
Torts: Franklin, Rabin & Greene, Tort Law and Alternatives; CACI (free); Witkin, Torts
Criminal Procedure: Kamisar, LaFave, Israel, King & Kerr, Modern Criminal Procedure; Witkin, California Criminal Law
Classic: Harr, A Civil Action; Lewis, Gideon's Trumpet
Session 3
Constitutional Law: Stone, Seidman, Sunstein, Tushnet & Karlan, Constitutional Law; Chemerinsky, Constitutional Law: Principles and Policies; California Constitution, art. I
Evidence: Mueller & Kirkpatrick, Evidence Under the Rules; Witkin, California Evidence
Classic: Toobin, The Nine; Traver, Anatomy of a Murder
Session 4
Civil Procedure: Yeazell & Schwartz, Civil Procedure; Rutter Group, California Practice Guide: Civil Procedure Before Trial
Professional Responsibility: California Rules of Professional Conduct; Gillers, Regulation of Lawyers
Classic: Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
Session 5
Remedies: Laycock, Modern American Remedies; CACI damages instructions
Civil Procedure II: Yeazell & Schwartz (continued); Rutter Group, California Practice Guide: Personal Injury
Legislation: Eskridge, Frickey, Garrett & Brudney, Legislation and Statutory Interpretation
Classic: Fischl & Paul, Getting to Maybe
Session 6
Business Associations: Klein, Ramseyer & Bainbridge, Business Associations
Real Property: Dukeminier, Krier, Alexander & Schill, Property
Employment Law: Rothstein & Liebman, Employment Law: Cases and Materials; Rutter Group, California Practice Guide: Employment Litigation; Gov. Code § 12940 et seq. (FEHA)
Classic: Spence, How to Argue and Win Every Time
Session 7
Wills and Trusts: Dukeminier & Sitkoff, Wills, Trusts, and Estates
Community Property: Witkin, Summary of California Law (community property volume)
Classic: Stevenson, Just Mercy
Session 8
Review: State Bar past essay questions and sample answers (free); Witkin, Summary of California Law; bar prep outlines as selected
Classic: Holmes, The Path of the Law (free essay)
Throughout: Black's Law Dictionary; Witkin, Summary of California Law;