Books

I’m what the tech-blogs and forums have dubbed an “Apple fanboy”. When Apple unveiled the iPad on January 27th, 2010, I wanted one instantaneously. I had no use for one back then, but still I had a desire to acquire. The common criticism of the iPad is that it is simply a “bigger iPod touch”. Yes, superficially that is true. But the iPad is a “bigger iPod touch” in the same way a 60-inch HDTV is a bigger 32-inch HDTV. If you own an iPhone or iPod touch and then play around with the iPad, you’ll immediately notice that they are not the same in terms of functionality. The bigger screen changes everything. Every single application that has an iPhone counterpart feels different and gives you a different experience than what you may expect.

So how was I going to justify getting one? By telling myself that I needed it for law school, duh! The iPad is the king of convenience. Most of the time, it is the only thing I bring to class. I purchased a stylus from Amazon that lets me annotate directly on my briefs. I can highlight points the professor covered in class, cross-out the insignificant facts, and write any supplemental notes at the bottom. Everyone has their own method of studying and being engaged in class, but I find annotating on my briefs more effective than typing out notes in class. The app I use for annotating is called iAnnotate PDF and costs $10 in the App store. After I annotate, I can email the briefs (along with the annotation) to myself or transfer them to another application called GoodReader. GoodReader is a document storing, managing, and reading application that gives the iPad a classic “file management” system that you would expect from a traditional computer. GoodReader also lets you annotate on documents, but I find the experience is not as smooth as the iAnnotate PDF application. GoodReader costs $5 in the App store.

While I’ve only touched upon a couple of applications, there are many other productivity-boosting apps in the iPad’s catalogue. But I must confess, I don’t just use the iPad for school. I use the iPad to check Facebook, check my email, check what’s going on in the NBA, check what the weather is, read a book, watch Netflix, listen to music, and well, you get the picture. I know what you’re thinking at this point: “Oh Karan, but you don’t need an iPad to do all those things”. Yeah you’re definitely right about that, and that’s the crazy part! At first glance, the iPad is the device that appears to serve no purpose if you own a laptop and a smartphone. After all, it’s not replacing your laptop and it’s not replacing your smartphone.

But Apple did not design the iPad to replace your smartphone or laptop. The iPad was designed to bridge the gap. That’s part of the reason netbooks got as big as they did. But you’ll notice that you hear very little about netbooks since the iPad’s release. We are now in the age of tablets, with the iPad leading the way. It’s hard to define the purpose of the iPad, or the modern tablet for that matter. For example; when you buy a smartphone, you know that you’re going to use it to make phone calls. When you buy an iPad, you can use it for whatever you like. It can be your toy, your tool, or your guide to becoming a lawyer. For me, it’s all three.

We all remember being in elementary school, anxiously waiting the few precious months with no school, no responsibilities. We’d sleep until noon, swim all day, eat popsicles and play in the sun. So now that we’re supposed to be responsible adults our days certainly can’t be filled with pure fun, games, and relaxation. Right?

Right. It’s time to buckle down and begin, or continue, to lay the groundwork for what you plan on doing with your career. Not all students have job opportunities lined up and the job market is competitive. Don’t worry if you won’t be working in the legal field this summer, there are many other opportunities for law students.

A great place to start is with Thomas Jefferson alumni. TJSL’s Career Services or Alumni Relations offices can help you set up informational interviews with alumni doing the kind of work you’re interested in.  Stuck on what exactly to ask the alum? Symplicity has an online networking handout with great tips.

Take a trip to the courthouse, any courthouse will do. Stop by the information desk to find out which courtrooms have trials in session and introduce yourself to the bailiff when you enter. The judge may make time to speak to you on a break so remember to dress professionally. Numerous 1L legal writing classes recently visited appellate courtrooms for a chance to sit in on oral arguments. “It was cool seeing how one on one the appellate court was between the judges and the attorneys,” said 1L Richelle Menezes.  “We got to experience how it was more about how well, or sometimes not so well, the attorney could present their argument.” The Career Services office also offers self-assessment exercises to help students determine their strengths and interests. See them for information and advice on these assessments.

San Diego County Bar Association has numerous groups which offer a lot of networking opportunities.  If you join as a student member you can attend bar association events, join a committee, or even get a mentor. You can also offer to write an article for a legal magazine or newsletter, something often published by bar associations.  These associations also have sports leagues that offer you an opportunity to get to know attorney’s in a relaxed setting. 

Volunteer as much as you can.  Having volunteer experience, no matter what the setting, looks great on a resume. Nonprofits that provide legal services are a great place to start. The Career Services office offers Work Study and Volunteer Opportunities handouts that can give students good ideas for volunteering.

With all the extra time off, read as much as you can. It’s often said that reading more translates into being a better public speaker. Furthermore there are a lot of books that can help you gain some insight into the legal profession. For more information about different practice areas, insight into what a typical day as an attorney is like, and the skills needed for and advice getting into a particular area, pick up The Official Guide to Legal Specialties by Lisa Abrams. Another good read for law students is Guerrilla Tactics for Getting the Legal Job of Your Dreams by Kimm Alayne Walton.

Study abroad. TJSL offers two study abroad programs. Students can travel to Hangzhou, China or Nice, France; some even participate in both programs and travel to both countries. Professor Susan Tiefenbrun, Director of the Center for Global Legal Studies is the head of both programs and holds numerous informational sessions on the programs. The programs are filling quickly so interested students should inquire and apply soon.

It’s important, however, to remember to take some time and eat a Popsicle outside, swim in a pool,  and have a margarita. You can fill your days with great resume boosters and be productive right along with the best of them. But when it comes down to it, we all still need to indulge the elementary school kid inside of us just itching for summer break!