sample law school personal statement

Boston College Law School (BC Law)

The Boston College Law School, one of the graduate schools of Boston College in Newton, Massachusetts, was founded in 1929. What makes BC Law one of the most prestigious schools in the United States are its programs in public interest law, human rights, and social justice. The college also has very high standards in selecting students, assuring that only the most talented will receive quality legal education in BC Law. Among the notable alumni of BC Law are former American Bar Association President Michael S. Greco, US senator John Kerry, and others who became senators, judges, justices, congressmen, and ambassadors.

Brooklyn Law School (BLS)

Norman P. Heffley and William Payson Richardson established Brooklyn Law School in 1901 with a goal of enabling women, immigrants, and less privileged members of society receive legal education. BLS today has a diverse student body, as well as a multi-faceted academic community. In addition, the school offers joint degrees in partnership with other academic institutions. Examples of joint degrees are the JD-MBA with Baruch College, JD-Masters in Urban Planning with Hunter College, and JD-MA in Political Science with Brooklyn College. Learn more about BLS and its course offerings through its official website.

Boston University Law School (BU Law)

As a branch of Boston University, the Boston University Law School was founded by a group of law teachers, jurists, and lawyers in 1872 with the aim of enabling anyone with merit to access quality legal education. What distinguishes BU Law from other law universities is the fact that it uses the Socratic method of teaching. Through this method, students are encouraged and are able to engage in interactive and intellectual discussions with lecturers and and fellow students. Those interested in pursuing degrees at BU Law School may want to consider having joint degrees, considering the school offers them in association with other Boston University colleges and graduate schools. To learn more about BU Law and its curriculum, visit the school’s official website.

Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law (Campbell Law)

The Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law was founded in 1976 and is located in Buies Creek, North Carolina. The school is a graduate department of Campbell University, that is why it has Campbell Law as its shorter name. The aim of the school is to produce graduates who are professional and competent in the legal industry while showing strong moral conviction and social compassion. Among the programs offered in Campbell Law are the JD-MBA program and the JD-MTIM (Masters in Trust and Investment Management) program. The JD-MTIM is offered to interested students in partnership with the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business of the Campbell University. Learn more about Campbell Law, its program offerings, and the admissions process through the official website.

Chapman University School of Law (Chapman Law)

Located in Orange, California, the Chapman University School of Law was established in 1995 as a private, non-profit law school. It is also a member of the Association of American Law Schools and the American Bar Association. Students who would like to pursue a combination of degrees can look into the program offerings of this school and choose programs such as the JD-MBA, JD/MFA in Film and Television Production, and the LL.M. Degrees in Prosecutorial Science and Taxation. Graduates of Chapman Law are proud to have undergone training and instruction with an emphasis on good citizenship and ethics, making them truly competent lawyers. Visit the official website of Chapman Law to learn more about the school and the admission procedure.

Franklin Thomas Backus School of Law (Case Western Reserve Law)

The Franklin Thomas Backus School of Law is the law school department of the Case Western Reserve University, giving it the nickname, Case Western Reserve Law. It opened its doors to students in 1982 and has since been producing competitive, recommendable, and brilliant graduates. Many of them serve in the local and federal government as lawyers or politicians. Among the joint-degrees offered in Case Western Reserve Law are the JD-MSSA (Social Work), JD-MBA, JD-MD, JD-MA in Bioethics, and JD-MPH (Public Health). Check out the school’s official website to submit an online application.

Charleston School of Law (CSOL)

The Charleston School of Law is one of two law education institutions in South Carolina. CSOL was founded in 2003 with the aim of producing competent lawyers with strong moral fiber. To promote a healthy intellectual discussion among its students, CSOL hosts three student publications—the Charleston Law Review, the Federal Courts Law Review, and the Maritime Law Bulletin or MALABU. Topics covered in the said student publications include issues on human rights, current events, and legal studies. Learn more about CSOL, its program offerings, and the admissions by visiting the school’s official website.

Cleveland-Marshall College of Law

Cleveland Law School was the original name of Cleveland-Marshall College of Law when it was established in 1897. It is the law school department of Cleveland State University that is located in Cleveland, Ohio. In 1946, the law school merged with the John Marshal School of Law and received its current name. Students who wish to enroll at Cleveland-Marshall can look into various degrees offered including JD degrees, LL.M. programs, and five dual-degree programs. As the first evening law school in Ohio and one of the country’s first schools to open doors to women and minorities, Cleveland-Marshall promotes quality education that is accessible to anyone. Visit the official website of the school to learn more on offered programs and admissions.

The City University of New York Law School (CUNY Law)

The City University of New York Law School was established in 1983 and is well-known for its specialization in public interest law. “Law in the Service of Human Needs” is the motto of the school and its curriculum is geared toward serving the disadvantaged and disempowered members of society. In accordance to and as proof of the aim of the CUNY Law curriculum, specializations and clinics revolve on issues in Community and Economic Development, Economic Justice Project, Immigrant and Refugee Rights, and International Women’s Human Rights. More information on CUNY Law and its programs can be found at the school’s official website.

Marshall-Wythe School of Law (W&M Law School)

Thomas Jefferson founded the Marshall-Wythe School of Law in 1779. It is the law department of the College of William & Mary, the second oldest college in the United States after Harvard University. W&M Law School, located in Williamsburg, Virginia, is the oldest law school that exists in the country and it is often ranked among the top 30 US law schools. A few of the most notable programs offered at W&M Law School are the Election Law Program, Human Rights and National Security Law Program, and the Institution of Bill of Rights Law. To know more about the programs, the school, and the admissions process, visit the school’s official site.

Cornell Law School

As one of the graduate schools of Cornell University, Cornell Law School was established in 1887 in Ithaca, New York. Cornell Law is also one of the five renowned Ivy League law schools. It offers JD-MBA, JD-Masters in Global Business Law, JSD, and LL.M., among others. In addition, programs such as Public Interest, International Human Rights Clinic, International and Comparative Law, Clarke Program in East Asian Law and Culture, and extensive externships are offered by Cornell Law. Apply to this school by completing an online application form at the official website.

Columbia Law School

Otherwise known as Columbia Law, Columbia Law School is one of the most prestigious legal institutions in the United States. This school is one of the graduate departments of the Ivy League-member institution, Columbia University, and it has a highly selective admissions process. Graduates of Columbia Law have become successful lawyers, congressmen, senators, businessmen, ambassadors, and diplomats. Among them are the famous Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt. Students eager to specialize in intellectual property, and corporate and international law will do better to proceed to Columbia Law because the said programs are the school’s forte. Learn more about this law school by visiting its website.

Like other higher learning institutions, law schools also place prime importance on grades as a measure of student performance. Because grades serve as the main tool by which academic performance is evaluated, students continually strive and aim for high marks. So much so that there has been a constant increase in the number of students who get high GPAs. This phenomenon, called grade inflation, has led many colleges and universities to raise their grade percentiles. By doing so, they’re able to place limits on the number of students who make it to the top ranks. And because top law firms look at applicants’ grades and rankings, one glaring implication of raising grade percentiles is that the number of students who get into prestigious law firms are also limited.

Grade-based law schools

Grade-based law schools face much criticism from certain academic groups because the grading system fosters tough, and often unhealthy, competition. Students who attend grade-based law schools deal with stress on a regular basis because the harsh grading system allows only a specific percentage of students to reach the top ranks in the class. While the fierce competition serves as a motivating factor for students to excel, it can also work to the detriment of some who simply cannot keep up with the stress of competing for high grades.

The downside to grade-based law schools is that not all the excellent students who rightly deserve to be on top are granted the high-ranking prestige. This is because of the specific limits placed on the number of students who will be considered as belonging to the top percentile ranks. The emphasis on getting high grades can also be unhealthy in that students may not necessarily be gaining knowledge, but merely devising ways by which they can get the highest grades.

Non-grade based law schools

Instead of the traditional percentage-based grading system, non-grade based law schools such as the Boalt Hall of Berkeley Law grade and group students into ranking categories such as High Honors, Honors, Pass, Substandard Pass, and No Credit. Non-grade based law schools also usually rank their students based not just on academics, but also on other aspects of student performance. Non-grade based law schools place flexible limits on who, and how many, gets High Honors and Honors rankings. Because of this, more excellent students are given the chance to belong to the top ranks — something which they truly deserve.

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Contrary to what some people think, litigation is not the be-all and end-all of legal practice. Sure, bulk of the bar-passers go into litigation and client representation as a career. But there are also tons of other options for the practice of law. So if you’re not up for the courtroom drama, below are some alternative career options you can consider:

Politics and public service

Lawyers who wish to hold public office and venture into politics can kick off their political careers by getting elected as a district attorney. From there, lawyers can aim for the position of state attorney general, and move further up the political ladder by getting elected or appointed. Lawyers also have the option of joining the US Department of Justice, or get appointed by the US President to hold a position in the US Attorney’s Offices. Know though that pursuing a political career often requires a certain level of popularity not just in the community of legal practitioners, but also in the academe and law organizations.

Policy-making and legislation

Lawyers can also secure employment in legislative sectors by serving as consultants to senators and members of the Congress. See not all politicians have extensive knowledge on the history of laws and legal procedures, and this is where lawyers can help. Working in the field of legislature entails helping politician conceptualize and draft bills and policies.

Private legal consultancy

Every company and corporation needs someone with significant legal background and knowledge to take care of the legal aspects involved in their industry. Labor and industrial laws should be taken into consideration in the operation of companies and corporations. Lawyers can work as corporate consultants and become the point persons for drafting contracts and legal agreements, as well as ensuring that the company’s nature of work is in compliance with labor and industrial laws.

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The legal industry is a field that makes little or no room for poetry. Presentation of facts should always be concise and direct to the point. One document where concise writing should be practiced is the legal brief. Legal briefs are the documents that showcase the legal arguments presented in court, as well as case summaries. The ability to write concise legal briefs, without emitting pertinent information, is important in the realm of law. So much so that most law schools even require their students to take legal writing courses in their first year in law school.

Legal briefs are important documents because these show the progress and developments made in the legal processing of cases. Below are a few tips which can also serve as a guide for legal practitioners, law students, and paralegals in crafting clear and concise legal briefs.

Always maintain brevity and conciseness

If you’re tasked to write a legal brief and it’s your first time to do so, don’t fret. Most courts follow a template that dictates how legal briefs are formatted and structured. The US Supreme Court, for one, enacted a set of brief-writing rules in January 1990, which is being followed to this date. For federal appeal cases, however, a different format is followed in writing legal briefs. The FRAP, or Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure, is a handbook that details how legal briefs on federal appeal cases should be written. From page margins to document length, the FRAP outlines the rules that should be followed when writing briefs.

Presentation of Questions

The key to succeeding in this part of the legal brief is to avoid writing loaded or leading questions. Learn to practice neutrality in presenting facts, while still writing your questions in a way that reflects the side you are arguing for.

Drop the pretty words

As mentioned, there’s no room for poetry in law. Drop the “fluffy” words and present cold, hard facts in a clear manner.

Accuracy in stating facts

Brief writers should be careful about presenting “facts.” If the information is contained in the case records, you can rest assured that is considered factual. But if you’re merely stating claims and declare them as factual information, you’ll affect the consistency and credibility of the legal brief.

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Though you’ll learn significant amount of law jargon throughout your stay in law school, there are some terms associated with law firms that could still sound foreign to you. To avoid giving off the impression that you’re an “outsider” to the realm of law, here are a few terms used in law firms along with their definitions:

Pro Bono

This term literally translates to “for the good of the public,” but is used in law firms and offices to refer to the provision of free legal service to clients. To do something pro bono means to do it for free. Contrary to what many people think, pro bono service and hours do not just come from the goodness of lawyers. The American Bar Association actually requires all lawyers to render 50 pro bono hours each. Although the ABA has a set requirement for ABA hours, the state bars have the authority of lowering this number according to their discretion.

Summer Associate

Summer associates are law students employed by law firms as interns. The duration of service for summer associates is three months. If they perform well as interns, the firm may invite these students to stay as associates or guarantee their employment with the firm after they graduate.

Partner

Law firms are rarely owned by just one individual. Ownership is usually shared with one or two other persons called partner or partners. Equity partners own part of the law firm and is entitled to a cut from the total profits raked in.

Associate

This is the title lawyers get once they’re hired by a law firm. Entry-level positions for lawyers come with the title as associate, and can be further categorized into junior associate and senior associate.

Billable hours

Billable hours are what sustains lawyers’ subsistence. Because lawyers get paid by the hour, the more hours of service rendered means more income for the lawyer. Billable hours refer to the time periods wherein legal service is rendered to the client in exchange for a certain fee. Associates are sometimes ranked, albeit informally, according to their billable hours.

Paralegal

Paralegals are those equipped with the knowledge and expertise to work in the law industry even though they don’t have law degrees. Paralegals are usually hired to help lawyers conduct research, prepare documents, and provide legal advice to clients under the supervision of a licensed attorney. In the US, the National Association of Legal Assistants and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations can certify and register paralegals to increase their chances for employment.

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While transcripts, grades, and recommendation letters are given significant weight and importance by admissions committees and law schools, your personal statement essay can help increase your chances of getting admitted. The importance of that single document can be seen in the number of sample law school personal statement essays you can find on the Internet, as tons of student look for guidance to come up with a well-crafted essay.

While the grades will show your academic skills and intellectual prowess, some admissions committees of law schools look for applicants’ ability to relate with, and contribute to, the academic community they belong to. The extracurricular activities you engaged in during college shows the areas or fields you’re interested in, thus giving the committee a glimpse of who and how you are as a student and as a member of the academic community.

School publication

Excellent communication skills is required AND valued in law school. This is why having held a position in your school’s publication can give you an edge over the other students applying for law school. Membership in your college or university’s publication also shows that you’re interested in discussing the views and opinions of other people, as well as interest in the pressing issues that your academic community faces.

Joining the staff of your school publication, or having your articles published therein, also shows that you can eloquently express your thoughts and principles in writing — an ability that will prove to be useful in law school and in your post-graduate legal career as well. You can check sample law school personal statement essays to see how contributing to your school’s publication can increase your chances of getting admitted into law school.

Non-profit and community organizations

Membership and participation in non-profit and community organizations dedicated to specific causes can also help increase your chances of getting into law school. Especially for those planning to specialize in environmental law, gender equality, human rights, and the like, your involvement in related organizations speak of commitment and passion. If you read through sample law school personal statement essays, you’ll also see how applicants dedicate a part of their essay to discussing their extracurricular activities and involvements.

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Law reviews are journals or papers edited and distributed by the students of a specific law school. Although mainly staffed by law school students, law reviews usually consist of articles and features authored by students, judges, law professors, and legal practitioners. As you will  Students, however, are also free to publish their own articles in the form of notes or comments. Law reviews are an effective venue for students and those in the legal community to discuss issues related to law and the judiciary system.

What are the different types of law reviews?

Law reviews are differentiated by the content they include. As mentioned, most law reviews tackle topics related to policies, politics, and the judiciary system, but there are also law reviews that only tackle specific topics and issues as decided by the specific law school they belong to. Considered as specialty law journals, these specialized publications are popular because they provide more focus on issues and topics pertaining to specific branches of law.

Who can hold a position in law reviews and journals?

Holding membership to a law school publication such as reviews and journals scores major points when included in law graduates’ resumes. Many law firms prefer their employees and lawyers to have experience working in or writing for their specific law schools’ publications. This is why many students sign up for membership in law school publications, and aim to have their articles published therein. To screen applicants, most law reviews conduct writing competitions. And as with most organizations, the upper classmen students are the ones who usually hold the editorial positions, while the younger ones are usually given staff positions.

What is the importance of joining a law review?

Law journals and reviews are effective platforms for legal discourse in the academe. These are venues where information and opinions can be shared among students, legal practiitioners, and members of the academe. And the fact that students are given the chance to publish their own articles also means that law reviews can also serve as a venue for students’ opinions to be expressed.

Holding a position in your law school’s journal or review lends you an edge over other law graduates — something that you will greatly benefit from once you’re in the rat race to secure employment and pursue a professional career in law.

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