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March 24, 2005

Request: Help with 2L Scheduling

Law student “Stare Decisis” writes:
I'm seeking advice on schedule planning for the second year. Specifically, how to choose classes: based on the bar, based on what you think you want to practice, based on time the class is offered, based on whether there is an exam, based on the professor teaching, etc. I'm curious whether anyone has advice based on what worked or didn't work for them.
If you have any suggestions, please post them in the comments! My two cents: As a rule of thumb, worry less about “bar classes” and instead take classes based on your own interests and the area of law in which you think you'll practice. Your bar review course (if you plan to take one, and who doesn't?) will prepare you for the bar; try to use law school to prepare you for your career in law. I also highly recommend clinics, even and especially as a 2L, because they give you experience you won't get in any other class and provide a nice break from the tone and routine of regular classes. If you wait to try a clinic until your 3rd year you won't have time to build on that experience in law school, but if you do a clinic in your 2nd year and love it, you can make your 3rd year that much more fun and interesting by taking the same clinic again or by taking another clinic, or by working an externship where you use your clinic skills. Talk to current 2Ls and 3Ls at your school! Talk especially to those you know who have gotten jobs you think you'd like or are pursuing careers in areas of law you think you'll want to work in. Ask them about the classes they've taken and the professors that are good in those subjects. Their advice will be more specific and informed than anything you'll get from anyone else, plus they might offer you their outlines, which never hurts. Finally, remember that you are the one who has to do the reading, attend the classes, take the notes, make the outlines, and take the exam or write the paper, so take your own interests seriously. Other people can offer advice and rules of thumb, but you should make your own decisions about what classes to take.

Posted by mowabb at March 24, 2005 06:43 AM

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Comments

Nearing the end of my 2L year, I have one major piece of advice. If you can save fun classes for the second semester, do it. Last fall I was still feeling good about law school and I even enjoyed Administrative law at that point. This semester, I hate all my classes and law school in general and it's not a coincidence that I'm taking pretty boring tedious crap (corporations, pre-trial litigation, civil rights litigation (not nearly as fun as it sounds)) right now.

Pretty much every 2L I've heard from hates law school second semester. If you can, try to save the fun non-bar seminars, clinics, etc. for second semester.

Posted by: Steve at March 26, 2005 05:40 PM

Thanks Steve and mowabb - Your advice was the most sensible I've received!

Posted by: stare decisis at March 30, 2005 10:29 AM