Lawyers - please advise - Law student

Sea24Q

Hi,
I am currently a 2L and I am having several issues about what to do with my schedule. I keep hearing that you basically have to be on moot court or law review to ever get a job. I am not doing law review and most of the moot court required dates are during the job I have - that I have to have to pay for school. I am trying to figure out my fall schedule and I can take a course that does not count to graduation but if you get an A you can compete to get on moot court. I have absolutely no desire to take this class, but I also have no desire to lose out on job opportunities in 2 years. Additionally, if I take this course I can't take a different course in the field I am interning in. Furthermore, I am in the process of lining up an externship in that field for next year.
So, what do I do? Can you recommend anything for me to do to try and boost my "stock" for employers in two years? Are moot court and law review really that  important? Thanks for your help!

ChanelShades

Yes, they are really THAT important, especially in this economy. Take out a loan, quit that job, and try out for moot court. Ask the job can you have one week off and promise to make it up to them. Do whatever it takes for you to try out for moot court. You need LR or MC, whether you want to work at BigLaw or in public interest. 

tldh

There's a post on the second page of the Student Board titled: To my Fellow Law Students - Law Review?  I was a practicing attorney in Ohio and am sitting for the PA bar now.  Here is part of the answer I posted to that question:

Things like law review and moot court are what will separate you from others trying to get the same job.  Both show an higher than normal dedication to doing something that is tedious and most of the time, no fun at all - much like 75% of the actual practice of law.

Even though law review is a bit more prestigious, I competed to get on my school's Moot Court team - it tapped into my competitve nature.  In interviews four years ago after graduating, I was told by almost every fim that it was the Moot Court experience that got me the interview.  One partner went so far as to hold up a bankers box filled with resume's for the opening.  The last firm I worked for won't even call you for an interview without law review or moot court on your resume (this was a medium sized boutique firm).  They preferred to hire the Moot Courters because of how often we were in hearings or trial.

Because of the Moot Court experience, my first job was one with a lot of responsibilty and I was able to build off that.  It let me get to a point that after just four years of practice, I have been contacted by firms to chair a department for them - unfortunately I'm not in state any more and had to turn them down. 

And in case you're wondering, I did not go to an Ivy League school.  I went to a small school in the midwest.  The job market I was in was Cleveland, which has one of the highest concentration of attorneys in the country.

As much as you think you want to go into a particular area of practice, this will likely change as you are exposed to more areas through your classes and clerking experience - and don't think for a minute that firms don't look for Law Review or Moot Court on the resumes of students looking for clerking jobs .  In recent years, these positions have turned incredibly competitive because of firms cutting back anywhere they can.

Sorry for the long post, but you really should be asking attorneys in your community this.  If you aren't already networking with them at CLEs or any recpetions held at your school, you need to start doing this...they are going to be your best source for advice (and job leads), not people in the same boat as you.

bethlovesjim

I'm just curious... Would MC or LR be as important to someone who has no interest in litigation?  I can see Law Review being important, but Moot Court?

tldh

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_students_lawyers-please-advise-law-student?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:684Discussion:29c387ce-ca9f-4984-9920-970cf4fac747Post:869cb7f0-b077-4499-805a-6625e4f618cf">Re: Lawyers - please advise - Law student</a>:
[QUOTE]There's a post on the second page of the Student Board titled: To my Fellow Law Students - Law Review?  I was a practicing attorney in Ohio and am sitting for the PA bar now.  Here is part of the answer I posted to that question: <strong><u>Things like law review and moot court are what will separate you from others trying to get the same job.  Both show an higher than normal dedication to doing something that is tedious and most of the time, no fun at all - much like 75% of the actual practice of law.</u></strong> Even though law review is a bit more prestigious, I competed to get on my school's Moot Court team - it tapped into my competitve nature.  In interviews four years ago after graduating, <u><strong>I was told by almost every fim that it was the Moot Court experience that got me the interview.  One partner went so far as to hold up a bankers box filled with resume's for the opening. </strong></u> The last firm I worked for won't even call you for an interview without law review or moot court on your resume (this was a medium sized boutique firm).  They preferred to hire the Moot Courters because of how often we were in hearings or trial. Because of the Moot Court experience, my first job was one with a lot of responsibilty and I was able to build off that.  It let me get to a point that after just four years of practice, I have been contacted by firms to chair a department for them - unfortunately I'm not in state any more and had to turn them down.  And in case you're wondering, I did not go to an Ivy League school.  I went to a small school in the midwest.  The job market I was in was Cleveland, which has one of the highest concentration of attorneys in the country. As much as you think you want to go into a particular area of practice, this will likely change as you are exposed to more areas through your classes and clerking experience - and don't think for a minute that firms don't look for Law Review or Moot Court on the resumes of students looking for clerking jobs .  In recent years, these positions have turned incredibly competitive because of firms cutting back anywhere they can. Sorry for the long post, but you really should be asking attorneys in your community this.  If you aren't already networking with them at CLEs or any recpetions held at your school, you need to start doing this...they are going to be your best source for advice (and job leads), not people in the same boat as you.
Posted by tldh[/QUOTE]


Yes.  The bankers box experience happens across the board today. 

EDIT: Also, while LR is more prestigious, MC gives you the practical experience of researching a case and writing and arguing persuasively.  I really can't think of an area of law that doesn't have the potential to end up in trials or hearings.  Even if you are never in trial you will still have to make arguments for your cases within your firm and a lot of the time this is done in memos.

nikol&JZ

YES! It is that important. Many firms will not even accept your resume unless you were on a board. I'm in IP and patent bar eligible and I am still doing a board.