If You are a Foreign Student, Your Sample Law School Personal Statement Can Get You Admitted to Your Dream Law School
Before I actually go to the particularities of a sample law school personal statement, I think it is necessary to mention this. You (as the foreign student) would have to finish all prerequisites, with extra requirements to boot. All (well, with very few exceptions) would ask from you the following things: application form, application fee, transcripts, ACT/SAT scores, recommendation letters and possibly an interview.
Tips for Your Sample Law School Personal Statement
You would find out (if you decide to ascertain by research)- that many experts give this particular hint: read essays of others. Not anybody’s essay, but a sample law school personal statement that has been acknowledged as good or topnotch. There are books, and there are websites you can go to. By reading many sample law school personal statement articles, you would get the essence of what it is that is required of you, in the way of writing. Take note please, the fundamental contents of your sample law school personal statement should be: strengths/weaknesses, work experiences if any, extra curricular activities and the chosen academic program-of that particular law college/university.
Turn Your Diversity Into an Asset on Your Sample Law School Personal Statement
The diversity issue, you could turn this to your advantage. On your sample law school personal statement, put into words how your roots would bring something special to the institution, or to law in general. Here is one thing that would not bore the admissions officers: why they opt for a law study in this country and not in their own. That or a substantial comparison between the US’ law school system and theirs, without disparaging either.
One good technique is to link your being a foreigner to your qualifications/motivations. It is crucial that you make this link on the sample law school personal statement. If it is really impossible, then do the best of something. Make a short mention of your most exceptional characteristics on the sample law school personal statement, but do not make it as the concentration of your paper.
The Cause-Based Sample Law School Personal Statement
One tip given to foreign applicants is this: it could also be good not to make the “diversity” the focus, but simply mention it in the minimal way possible. Instead, write a sample law school personal statement that elaborates why you have a “crusade” in mind. Write down what actions you have done in pursuit of this cause. It is not even essential to come down to a conclusion in this kind of sample law school personal statement. To most admissions officers, if they see that you can present yourself capable of seeing all sides to an issue, good. It would be a good mark on the assessment on your sample law school personal statement.
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I have always loved and appreciated travelling, regardless if it is the nearest country or a place two continents away. This appreciation is one that I started acquiring when growing up with an uncle (Indonesian-born). My father died in a tragic accident when I was just three years old, and my mother was working on a crisis-center that demanded her time and attention all the time. From my uncle, I learned Bahasa and some notable aspects of Indonesian culture.
The first chance to travel was when I was in college, in a Study Abroad initiative. In the beginning, the tasks were just administrative in nature. I absorbed a deep interest in helping multitudes of students choose foreign places for both work and study. I taught them on the nitty-gritty in the application of visas.
I spent three semesters in Ireland, and quickly realized how deeply imbibed cultural ways really are. Going to a European nation where English is a major language, gave me assimilation difficulties. From the simplest matters (like foods) up to bigger things like etiquette, it was both confusing and a bit frightening- the feeling of being from the “outside”. I will not be a hypocrite and say that I never experienced forms of discrimination…I did. However, I must say that those painful experiences were the exceptions, and not the rule.
I worked for about 6 months under a renowned Irish lawyer, and from him, I learned more about the law. Looking at both the American and Irish government structures, it was both enlightening and fun for me to compare and contrast the two. I learned of issues bearing on Irish culture, but more than that- I discovered that making observations in a country very different from mine brings crucial bits of knowledge. Knowledge that in one way or another, would affect my worldview.
When I returned home, I went to my Study Abroad program with more zest. I was promoted to one of the supervisory positions, and then, the tragic Sept 11 happened. So many countries altered their immigration laws. Cooperating with consulates all over the globe, we crammed to learn of the new mandates, while at the same time realizing that moving across nations’ lines would never be the same again.
At present, I still coordinate internships. I also took a contributing job for a student travel publication. Due to all the work experiences and learnings I’ve acquired over the years, I can now say without hesitation that I have this passion to learn. Learn about laws that link the different systems. My intention is to take up a specialization in Immigration law or International law. It is my vision to assist people in closing the cultural and bureaucratic gaps among global demarcation lines. I believe that this vision would serve as my greatest “motivator” when the time arrives for me to start my own law practice.
I am looking forward to all the challenges, as well as the fruits of hard work and commitment.
Thank you for your time. Here is wishing your School more success in all things.
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Outsourcing could be a good equalizer for the law offices (smaller ones) in the name of competition. The company could have legal or technical assistance, but they are not forced to have a big staff. Plus, the bosses do not need worry that their workers are not doing enough for the salaries being given. Outsourcing is to bring work usually done by the employees- to outside entities. It is not just for companies, if you are an individual, you can also mention outsourcing in your sample law school personal statement.
Playing Devil’s Advocate Regarding Outsourcing
While it is my belief that outsourcing gives concrete advantages, there are experts who say this. That cost savings of oursourcing legal jobs is merely an illusion. According to Gartner Group (this is a consultancy entity), outsourced jobs are in the norm- 30% more costly than in-house operations. Plus, they say: sixty percent of those outsourcing some processes would result to defections of customers.
Evidence Screening on the Sample Law School Personal Statement
Let me take one example in the field of evidence screening, the sexual assault evidence. Outsourcing this kind of evidence would save one money and time. If you are well-versed in DNA analysis, you could put this on your sample law school personal statement
. That the average training of a DNA analyst is about a year, and he/she could just work about 3 cases (weekly) if not pressed by other priorities. Outsourcing this could free analysts to concentrate on more pressing matters.
Legal Documents Coding on the Sample Law School Personal Statement
Indexing, cataloging, and coding of documents are part of legal work. Yes, legal documents coding could be outsourced, and they are being outsourced. You could mention the following legal documents coding services on your sample law school personal statement: bibliographic coding, optical character recognition, determination of physical or logical document breaks, and data capture.
Another you can put on your sample law school personal statement is in-text coding. This is the process of finding many references of an entity in a multitude of documents. The goal is a stronger case.
Privilege Screening on the Sample Law School Personal Statement
Still another legal job that could be outsourced is privilege screening, and it is also worth mentioning on your sample law school personal statement, if you think it would create good points in the board’s assessment. Under American law, if an entity aims to protect client info, it should be mentioned in the outsourcing agreement.
General Outsourcing Mentioned on Your Sample Law School Personal Statement
The most beneficial opportunities most likely would be in outsourcing support (secretarial) and other legal administrative chores. At present, there are companies now offering the outsourcing of word processing chores.
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We tend to seek all the easy answers to the world’s pain and suffering. We always complain in the
papers, raise our points in the board room, trade points of view over the dinner table. What we don’t do enough, in my opinion, is act. Although we may have the best interests in mind when we talk about problems and find or propose theoretical solutions to them, people who take the necessary initiative in coming up with concrete solutions to even the smallest societal problems are very few.
People tend to place so much weight on individual success that those who truly need attention—the poor and underprivileged—are left out of the picture. I grew up amidst much racism and poverty, and in my 24 years, I have learned the only sustainable way to help them is to get rid of old misconceptions. Social problems are not a given. They can be reversed, and if a single person starts to act, I believe that a few more well-intentioned persons will follow. It is with this belief that I intend to study at the _____ School of Law.
My parents moved from China to Atlanta when I was less than a year old, hoping to find the proverbial greener pastures. As luck would have it, we ended up in a shady town with a high crime rate and few employment opportunities for immigrants like my parents. My parents, armed with hard-earned college degrees back in their homeland, settled for blue-collar jobs after being turned down by local employers. Still, they worked long hours to send me to kindergarten and eventually to a small private school.
A turning point in my life was the death of my father when I was still in college because of a vehicular accident. I remember all the legal processes that we have to go through with the company that owned the vehicle that was responsible for my father’s early demise. In the two years it took to settle the dispute, I realized how discrimination, coupled with a fear of the legal system, can keep people from getting the justice they deserve. More than ever, I was determined to finish my education and use it to make a difference.
I now have a Criminal Justice degree and a handful of respectable job experiences under my belt, but
it is my work as a legal consultant for a small legal aid firm that gives me the biggest sense of accomplishment. I work with a group of lawyers that provide free legal service to immigrants in the city where I live. Most of the time, these immigrants have no where to go to when they need legal assistance and most of them are not even aware of their rights or are too afraid to assert them. Working with these lawyers has allowed me to see the satisfaction they get from working with these people. To my mind, these are the people who “act.” These are the people who are doing something concrete, and I want to be part of their team. I know that I am already doing my share in helping these people while working for this firm, but I know that I can do more for them and perhaps for other under-represented groups too.
I believe that an education in law will help me become even more instrumental in improving
these people’s lives. I intend to specialize in immigration policies and family law, and
eventually provide legal assistance to the underprivileged. I specifically chose the _____
School of Law because of its diverse community and its focus on community issues, which I
believe will help me achieve my goals.
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The University of California Hastings College of the Law is a well-respected law school and one of the earliest law schools in the West Coast. Among its notable alumni are Congresswoman Jackie Speier, California State Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, San Francisco Public Defernder Jeff Adachi, and California State Assemblyman Todd Spitzer.
History
The University of California Hastings College of the Law was established with a $100,000 grant from Justice Serranus Clinton Hastings, who started the school based on two conditions: that it stayed in the San Francisco campus, and that it could not be run by the university regents. The University of California Hastings (UC Hasings) College of the Law had to get its funds straight from the California Legislature, instead of the regent boards as other colleges did.
Academics
UC Hasings College of the Law offers a Juris Doctor program with a three-year curriculum and the option to specialize in criminal law, civil litigation, international law, taxation, public interest law, family law, and intellectual property law. It also has its own publishing department that produces prestigious journals in different areas of law.
Application
Law school applicants should submit an application form available at the UC Hastings website, along with a law school personal statement (also called an admission essay or statement of purpose), LSAT scores, resume, and letters of recommendation. The application essay and other requirements can be submitted electronically via the LSDAS service; the LSAT score is usually forwarded to the school during the application.
Using sample law school personal statements for a winning application essay
In reading sample law school personal statements, you’ll know instantly that the purpose of writing an admission essay is to show a more personal side of yourself. Sample law school personal statements would suggest that you share personal anecdotes or experiences. Based on sample law school personal statements, the focus is to make attention-grabbing introductions and powerful conclusions. Most sample law school personal statements have these in common. Needless to say, sample law school personal statements are used in making a good statement of purpose.
Those who have written excellent sample law school personal statements have proven themselves to have strong persuasion and good reasoning abilities. Sample law school personal statements also intend to show good traits of the law school applicant such as motivation and leadership. While others focus on their accomplishments, in some sample law school personal statements, writers talk about their passion for wanting to study law and the desire to help others. Sample law school personal statements may also feature a compelling story behind their goal.
For those who don’t know where to start, sample law school personal statements could be a clear guide. Sample law school personal statements offer effective tips for writing something that’s original, creative, and persuasive. Browsing through sample law school personal stratements will help avoid common mistakes such as the heay use of technical terms or summarizing a resume. Sample law school personal statements will help applicants make a winning piece of application essay. In fact, some sample law school personal statements were used as reference by UC Hastings law school graduates.
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Every year, hundreds and hundreds of lawyers make a career change. Due to the downsizing trends exhibited by so many companies, so many lawyers are seriously contemplating about doing something outside the main law practice. Still, deciding on which one could be a very scary and challenging issue, let this article help you out.
Questions You Have to Answer Before Working on Your Sample Law School Personal Statement
Besides people who are already lawyers, this article caters to another group: those applying for law schools. Indeed, if you put in “I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer since I was born”- the reviewer/reader might be tempted to tear your sample law school personal statement into shreds. However, if you put in there that you want to contribute to society by learning all the advanced tenets of the law so that you could become a successful entrepreneur, that would surely perk up their interest. Getting the admissions reviewers to be interested at the start of your sample law school personal statement is a crucial first step.
So, what questions do you need to contemplate on?
* What exactly do you desire
* Do you want to really get rich, or a lot of extra time on your hands
* What other motivations do you have, and you want to be in law school?
* What sacrifices are you willing to shoulder while in law school?
Five Alternative Careers that Could Be Mentioned on Your Sample Law School Personal Statement
1. “Entrepreneur” on the sample law school personal statement: a lawyer holds the mandated skills to become successful in this line. You could declare on your sample law school personal statement concrete experiences that show you have the following: time-management, fast thinking on your feet, and as a non-related (to law) skill- you could sell something.
2. “Administration” on the sample law school personal statement: I am referring to non-profit kind of administration here. Let us say that you were part of the Student Council in your college, you could put that down on your sample law school personal statement as a manifestation that you have powerful organizational skills. Actually, lawyers could be good choices for non-profit administration posts due to the same attributes mentioned in the first alternative-career.
3. “Corporate Position” on the sample law school personal statement: think of investment banking, just to give one. “I believe that a solid foundation in law school is a strong preparatory ground for a few corporate positions I will most probably be interested in in the distant future”- (then explain further)- will interest the admissions officer. They may not believe it at the end of the whole reading, but chances are, they would respect your assertions if your own supporting arguments are sincere and well-thought out.
4. “Consultants” on the sample law school personal statement: Fact is, management consultancies hire lawyers to be partners to business professionals. If you put on your sample law school personal statement that you intend to specialize in tax law, then becoming a tax consultant after law school is not going to be an outrageous vision.
5. “Writer” on the sample law school personal statement: well, people may think that a writing job is nowhere near the field of law, but that may just be splitting hairs. One strong field is in public relations, another is the journalism field. If you have good investigative prowess coupled with skills in written communication, then putting this on the sample law school personal statement would serve you well.
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You Can Turn Your Sample Law School Personal Statement Into a Blockbuster
Blockbuster reading is what I mean, and I do not mean to say that you turn it into a highly-dramatic fiction- as though you were following the writing style of Stephen King or Koontz. Remember, your sample law school personal statement is an official paper to be submitted- it is not fiction writing where you can get away with a lot of things (read: liberties).
Many law schools no longer include a personal interview, thus, the sample law school personal statement (or just personal statement, or admission essay) becomes more crucial. It is the only avenue for the admissions officers to know you- and to be impressed (or not).
Avoid Both Extremes on your Sample Law School Personal Statement
On one hand, do not put them to sleep. The more boring your sample law school personal statement is, the bigger the chances of it getting dumped. Starting it with “Since time immemorial, I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer”- would make the reader cringe, trust me.
In veering away from this rule, some applicants go to the other extreme on the sample law school personal statement. They resort to dramatics, they wish to make the admissions officers cry over a past episode in the applicant’s life, ie.- a car accident. That or they want to come across as the greatest, most promising newbie in the legal profession since John Grisham’s Rainmaker. So, how to find a middle ground that would produce neither a boring sample law school personal statement nor a very cheesy document?
Tips in Writing for Your Sample Law School Personal Statement
Regarding your dreams or aspirations, demonstrate mature and independent thinking on your sample law school personal statement. One common blunder is putting in “I wish to help a lot of people in the future”. Here is the truth, the reviewers of the sample law school personal statement of every applicant are not naive. They know for a fact that most law graduates would seek careers that would make them very comfortable, if not very rich.
Let us say you have a very particular aspiration, like helping out a specific marginalized sector, then that is much better. On your sample law school personal statement, it is very good to show a particularized goal or dream. What would turn good into “very good” is this: support the dreams on your sample law school personal statement by any track record. When you have worked for that mentioned sector in a voluntary capacity, and in the process this made you realize of some injustices, it would be very wise to put it down on your sample law school personal statement.
Another tip for your sample law school personal statement, when I say do not indulge in dramatics, I do not mean to say that you fake details or feelings you really have. Be honest on your sample law school personal statement. When admissions officers feel you are just putting words to impress them, it would be a bad mark in the evaluation of your sample law school personal statement. Be true to yourself, that is a cliche, but hey, this is an article. Not a sample law school personal statement.
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Yes, there are so many good law schools in the country, but there are those that are a class of their own. These are the very best, and needless to say, getting into them is really difficult. One concrete reason why they are considered as “first among equals” is that not every Tom-Dick-Harry-lawyer-wannabe could get in into these school. Without meaning to make this sound as gospel, here are five law schools where getting admitted in is a real challenge.
Do Your Best Sample Law School Personal Statement for Any of These Five Schools
# Columbia University: it offers their students many academic programs, this includes environmental law. Thus, if you have always been an “environmentalist”, it would be a good move to include that in your sample law school personal statement. Particularly if you have the deeds to back up your assertions- like, if you were an officer of the “Save the Trees” club in your college.
# University of Chicago Law School: one thing that stands out for this particular institution is their legal clinics. They have: MacArthur Justice Center, Edwin F. Mandel Legal Aid Clinic, and the Institute for Justice Clinic on Entrepreneurship.
# Yale University Law School in Cambridge: their very high standards has made this school into one of the most desired in the country. Indeed, it is no secret, that a Yale law degree would make most employers look at one’s CV with much scrutiny. If you turn in a very boring and mediocre sample law school personal statement, even if you made good in the other requirements, expect to be turned down.
# Harvard University Law School: this school does not just produce excellent practicing lawyers, they turn out the very best professors not just in the country, but on the world map. Need I say more?
# Stanford University Law School in Palo Alto, California: they offer different academic programs like the Biosciences and the Center for Conflict Resolution program. Just like the aforementioned schools, it is crucial that your sample law school personal statement is both substantial and interesting.
Some Hints for the Sample Law School Personal Statement You Would be Submitting
There is nothing bad in putting in all your experiences on the sample law school personal statement, but keep them short. Do not turn your sample law school personal statement into a tome. If it is very important for you to list down all of the past 25 jobs you’ve had, attach a resume.
Second, it is not all about bragging on the sample law school personal statement. While you need to sell yourself, the deeds you would be narrating on your sample law school personal statement are far more crucial than saying “I am good”, “I am committed to saving the environment”, “I hate injustices” without any of your experiences to give substance.
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Unlike most of my peers, I knew what I wanted long before I stepped into college. I was going to study a degree in Accounting or Finance and work toward having an MBA, perhaps with a few professional stints in between. But halfway through my program—in what seemed like my hundredth class in Accounting—I realized that an education in money wasn’t going to get me far. If I was going to succeed in business, I had to learn about the people and the legal aspects of different business environments.
I earned my degree nevertheless, something I take a lot of pride in considering a college education is largely optional in my family. For my family, having a high school diploma was all the education that is necessary; my parents felt that one has to earn his or her living after that. I come from a working class background, and I grew up watching my brothers take blue-collar jobs right after high school. Perhaps that is what spurred me to seek better opportunities. One day, I told my parents of my plans to go to college, which they supported much to my surprise. Looking back, I think that my parents saw my potential and supported all my extracurricular activities, from the high school math club to the college newspaper and debate society.
I worked part-time at various shops to finance my education. I knew there was more out there for me than minimum-wage employment, but I never regretted taking those jobs because, at that time, they were the only options available to me. These jobs nevertheless got me through college, but more than that, they also made me realize that money did not make or break one’s fate. I was working with people in the same boat as I was—young, hopeful, and struggling to carve out an uncertain future. What spurred us on was not our need for money, but our want of a better life.
After getting my degree in Business Administration and Accountancy, I worked as a finance manager for a large manufacturing firm while preparing for the LSAT and other law school requirements. Fortunately, I was working directly under the supervision of the department head, who was also a lawyer by profession. The job helped sharpen my logical and analytical skills, which made me realize certain parallels between numbers and the law. My job also made me realize that a degree in accounting is a good springboard for a legal career. One of the things I realized during my job was that both lawyers and financial advisers need to be careful with the details, as many decisions are made by looking at the details they provide. I have met many lawyers who were once involved in the world of finance and they all tell me that having a degree in finance is really advantageous in becoming a lawyer. I want to be part of this select group.
That is why I chose to pursue legal studies at the _____ School of Law. I believe that this school has the right environment to foster my interest in business while helping me become socially aware—a skill that can set me apart from the chokingly corporate world of entrepreneurs. With this degree, I plan on becoming a self-made entrepreneur who not only makes money, but also helps my community. I know I did not choose an easy path, but I am ready to take on the challenge.
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Like many young adults, I went into college with much of my life already planned out for me. A lot of us follow goals and expectations that are not our own, make choices forced upon us by other people’s ambitions, and realize we are going nowhere and inevitably lose our drive. It certainly was the case with me: a young girl who knew she was meant for great things, but had to follow a tailored path graciously laid out for me by well-meaning parents.
My parents are both well-respected in the medical field, my father as a surgeon and my mother a pediatric specialist. As the child of such brilliant individuals, I was naturally expected to be an overachiever in all aspects – academics, student groups, and sports. These expectations spurred me to make the most of my early education, actively joining the debate team, the school newspaper, and the basketball team throughout my four years of high school. My parents taught me to think competitively, and with that mindset I graduated on top of my class and got special honors for representing my city in the state athletic meets.
When it came time to go to university, I had the fortunate experience of being accepted in all of the schools I’ve applied to, and most of these were known for their medical courses. In between sports, the pre-med students’ association, and the biology classes my parents had carefully chosen for me, I lost the ability to keep up the juggling act. When my second semester grades turned out less than satisfactory, I knew that my parents, for the first time, had made the wrong choice for me.
After my first year in college, I returned home for the summer vacation and planned to tell my parents that I will be switching majors – from Biochemistry to Government or Public Administration, which will hopefully serve as my pre-law course. It meant defying the rules that have gotten me so far. But I reminded myself that those same rules came close to pulling me down and ruining any hopes I had of a good future. I joined relevant school organizations, including the Pre-Law Society, and became active in various community programs. Before I knew it, I had gotten my drive back and was hitting the books with fervor, although with a different field of study this time. I even got back into sports and coached a local youth basketball team.
I graduated with honors and immediately found employment at a regional trial court as a court clerk. But while it may help my application, it is my experience with local communities that make me confident I can make it in law school. Working with kids less privileged than I am has inspired me to make the most of what I was given. My parents may have gone overboard by choosing my major, but they genuinely want the best for me, and I still want to make them proud. More importantly, I want to be instrumental in promoting good education to children in small communities. I believe that an education at the _____ School of Law can put me in a better position to achieve that.
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