Orientation: Open Thread

How long is it?
What did you do?
What did you wear?
What did others wear?
How many times did you hear the words: "You'll find what works for you."

Reality check

This blog has historically tried to be positive -- realistic, but positive -- about law school. When the founders of this blog started it in 2006, the legal market was very different, but even then those of you who dreamed of BigLaw were cautioned that law school rank and grades mattered.

If you are considering law school and think that its the golden ticket in this economy, know that law firms have trimmed their summer associate programs for 2009, delayed start dates, and some are canceling summer programs for 2010. This is in addition to the mass lay offs that often affect even first year associates.

If you're thinking "well this post isn't about me, because I want a [small/ mid-sized/ family/ public interest/ clerkship] position," ask yourself where do you think all those folks with almost-stellar credentials who cannot get work in BigLaw are going to end up?*

I'm not telling you not to go to law school. I just ask you to knock the stars out of your eyes and look very seriously at what you're getting into and make sure you know what you want out of it.



_______________________________
(* See Massachusetts)

(Almost) FREE law school supplements! HERE!

Welcome to the First (and probably only)
Wish I Would Have Known Law School Supplement Give Away
(some restrictions apply)

• Comment below to list the supplements (MAX 3) you would like.

• Then EMAIL ilovebutterflyfish at yahoo.com with shipping information.

• First come, first served. I only have one copy of each. Limit THREE books per address.
  

RESTRICTIONS:

1. These books are not totally free. When I receive your email, I will send a request for PayPal payment to offset the cost of shipping/packaging/handling. I think $5 each book is fair... I'll probably actually lose money at that rate.

2. I want these books to go to a law student who will use them this year. So please don't pick the books you're pretty sure you can turn around on Amazon for the quickest profit, mmmk?

3. Limit THREE to an address.

And now, the books:

Aspen Examples&Explanations

• Civil Procedure (Fifth Ed.) Glannon
• Criminal Law (Third Ed.) Singer & LaFond
• Evidence (Fifth Ed.) Best
• Property (Second Ed.) Burke & Snoe
• Torts (Third Ed.) Glannon
  

Hornbook:

• Introduction to the Law of Real Property (Third Edition) Moynihan & Kurtz

Other:

• Problems and Answers: Estates in Land and Future Interests (Third Edition) Makdisi (Probably the hardest thing to understand in property law, this book was so approachable that I didn't need to relearn this area of the law for the bar exam.)
• Learning Criminal Law as Advocacy Argument (complete with Exam Problems and Answers) By John Delaney (I preferred this for Crim over the E&E!)

Emanuel:

• Civil Procedure (21st Ed.) Steven Emanuel
• Wills, Trusts, and Estates (7th Ed.) Peter Wendel. Keyed to Dukeminier/Johanson/Lindgren/Sitkoff casebook.
• Crunchtime: Corporations (2nd Ed.) Steven Emanuel
  

Case Summaries:

• High Court Case Summaries -- Keyed to Sullivan's Constitutional Law casebook -- 15h Ed.

Examsmanship:

• How to do your best on law school exams (complete with problems and answers) (Third Revised Ed.) John Delaney.
  

Legal Skills

• Synthesis: Legal reading, reasoning, and writing. (Second Ed.) Schmedemann & Kunz

BOOKS WILL BE SHIPPED ON OR ABOUT AUGUST 19.
Books requested on 8/3/09 may go out as early as 8/4/09!
This was wildly successful, huh?

Disclaimer: none of these is the current editions. Editions listed above! They may in fact be two editions out of date. But most of this law has not changed in many years... the companies push out new editions with trivial changes each year to keep prices high. These are used books -- most are gently used, with little highlighting and few margin notes -- but they are used all the same. As is, all warranties expressly disclaimed, and whatever other legal mumbo jumbo you want to throw in here.