ABA Announces Free Law Student Membership

The American Bar Association announced yesterday that "effective immediately," it would offer free membership to all students enrolled in ABA-approved law schools.  ABA membership, which previously cost students $25, offers a wealth of benefits geared to a law student's career interests and development. For example, students will have access to the ABA Job Board, with listings for clerkships and internships as well as other positions, and a resume posting service. Career advice webinars, networking events, CLE opportunities, free subscriptions, and product discounts are among the other valuable membership benefits.  Law students can apply online for ABA membership here, or by phone by calling the ABA Service Center. 

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Annual Law Student Survey Released

The results of the 2011 Law School Survey of Student Engagement are out. This annual survey is designed to measure how law students throughout the country study, experience growth, communicate with faculty, and rate the quality of their law school experience. The LSSSE was completed last year by more than 33,000 students at 95 schools in the United States and Canada. What do current law students really think about law school?  Would they enroll in the same school again?  Is law school helping them develop job-related skills?  Take a look at the survey results here.

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

How to Survive the First Year of Law School

Well, it's quiet today in my favorite corner of the Library, but not for long! Soon the tables will fill up with new faces, as the Hofstra Law Class of 2014 find their favorite spots, too. Being a brand new IL can seem overwhelming at first, so if you're starting law school this week, take advantage of the American Bar Association's free guide, "How to Survive the First Year of Law School." It's great review of the things you really need to know before it all begins.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Congrats to Bar Takers

To everyone who took the bar exam (or even multiple bar exams) this week--congratulations!

We know that you won't receive the exam results for months, but just making it through the months of study and the arduous days of the exam should feel like an accomplishment.

Now take a few days to relax.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Research Instruction Videos

The library has uploaded new videos to help students improve their research skills. These are all available on the library's webcasts page.

10-15 minute videos on effective use of Lexis and Westlaw are linked under Advanced Lexis/Westlaw Quick Tours,
and recordings of the library's prepare to practice series are listed under
The Top Ten Research Skills: What Employers Really Want New Attorneys to Know.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

New Law Student Survey

Spring Semester classes start for most law students in just a few days, so this might be a good time to take a look at the annual survey that reflects law student satisfaction and engagement with the law school experience. The 2010 Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE), "Student Engagement in Law School: In Class and Beyond," was recently released. This year, it represents the survey responses of almost 25,000 law students from 77 law schools. What motivates some law students more than others? Are law students engaged with faculty as career mentors? How many are satisfied with career planning support and with preparation for working with clients? Finally, do the survey results reflect your perceptions, level of satisfaction, and experiences as a law student? Read the report and find out.
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Now, For Some Real World Advice...

"What Would You Tell a Law Student Before They Enter the 'Real World'?" That was the question posed by this week's Elephant Post on Three Geeks and a Law Blog. Answers were solicited from practitioner experts, all speaking from their various law practice perspectives: client service; human resources; small firm and solo; information technology; business and career development; and (of course) library. As you think about your next job, your skills, your strategies and your future success, take a few minutes to read this practical advice from the trenches.
Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Grading Law School Exams

In the midst of exam week stress, have you ever taken a minute to think about your stressed out professors, faced with grading all those exams? For a humorous take on how law professors really grade exams, check out Assault and Flattery 2009, scenes from Louisiana State University Law School's annual comedy show and roast of the third year class, produced by the school's SBA. The professors are real. Hopefully, the exams were not.

A hat tip to Legal Blog Watch for the timely reminder.




Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

NALP Update: New Recruiting Guidelines

NALP, the National Association for Law Placement, announced yesterday its long-awaited timing guidelines for the 2010 legal recruiting season. After months of consideration, the association decided against setting specific dates before which offers could not be made, and settled on a modest change--a "28-day rolling response deadline for candidates not previously employed by the employer, and a November 1 response deadline for candidates who have been previously employed by the employer."

You can read the press release of the announcement here. That NALP's decision (see my February 21 post) followed "spirited" dialogue is reflected in this response from the Above the Law.
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What is the Future of the NALP?

The National Association for Law Placement is the group that coordinates law firm recruiting on law school campuses. The recession has brought calls for changes to current recruiting standards, including a proposal by the NALP that all summer associate job offers be issued in January.

This has led Peter Kalis, a partner at K&L Gates, to suggest that law firms and law schools work together to change how law firm recruiting is done, without the NALP.

It seems apparent that how law firm recruiting is done will change somewhat over the next few years, but how it will change--and how much it will change--is anyone's guess.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Law School Learning Survey

The Law School Survey of Student Engagement (LSSSE) has just released its 2009 annual survey report, "Student Engagement in Law School: Enhancing Student Learning." Unlike well-known rankings and other studies, the LSSSE is dedicated to knowing and improving the quality of the law student learning experience. Law students at 82 schools, including Hofstra, completed the survey during the past year. The selected findings in the report focus on how current law students describe their engagement with the classroom learning environment, faculty feedback, and outside-class discussions with professors. The report also charts factors such as motivation, the relative value of various law student activities, changes in employment expectations and interests, and the impact of technology and of law school debt. Before Spring Semester begins in earnest, check it out.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

No Felonies for 3Ls

New York Lawyer reports that Ohio has become the 42nd state to allow third year law students to handle felony cases, but New York has no plans to join that group.



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Where There's Smoke . . .

To those studying for the bar, remember, things could be even worse. As stressful as the bar exam may be, let's keep things civil in the Deane Library and not set it on fire.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Spring OCIs?

There is some talk of moving the summer associate recruiting process from the 2L Fall Semester (often, in reality, summer) to the 2L Spring Semester. There is no telling whether this idea will catch on.


Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

New Credit Crisis Victim: Bar Loans

Law.com is reporting that the newest victims of the credit crisis are some law students who seek bar exam study loans.  Criteria for obtaining a bar study loan has apparently tightened, causing more applicants to be denied than in the past.  The WSJ Law Blog has also commented on the article. 



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Civ Pro on the MBE?

More on rumors about future bar exams. The National Law Journal reports that Civil Procedure may be added to the Multistate Bar Exam.



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The UBE

The National Law Journal reports that the bar examiners in up to 19 states are considering incrementally implementing a Uniform Bar Exam. In the story, the chairwoman of the New York State Board of Law Examiners says that New York would consider using such an exam, which could offer attorneys greater mobility. Of course, no one is talking about implementing a UBE for this summer's exam.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Law School Summary -- Laptops in Class Helps

The National Law Journal has posted a summary of a national study of law students.  Among the findings highlighted is that laptops in class do have academic value.  That's because students can, for instance, instantly look up cases that are mentioned in class.  (The summary doesn't mention what might be open on other browsing tabs at the same time.) 

Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Law Student Risks His Life to Save His Outlines

This is a story that's showing up on a lot of legal blogs (or "blawgs," as they say). An ASU 1L recently beat up a baseball bat-wielding burglar to save his laptop and the notes it contained.

Note to 1L's: One or more friends will probably give you their notes if yours are stolen.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat

Radiohead Price Model Casebooks

Professors are experimenting with how students pay for two new intellectual property law casebooks. See a summary here. One is being offered as a pay-what-you-will download, with a suggested price of $30, and another is offered as a free SSRN download. Most students, however, will still have to pay for books next semester.



Ernster, the Virtual Library Cat