What to Look for in Clinics and Journals When Choosing Law Schools
When you are looking to get into law school, it can be hard to know which one is the right one for you. There are many options available, and there is a ton of information you need to collect before choosing. Some of what you will be researching are tuition, acceptance rates, and the average GPA scores of those accepted. Many schools provide information about their curriculum on their websites.
Since you will be looking at law schools, you also will have to look into each school's law journals and clinic programs. Some may be better suited for you, depending on what direction you want to take. It may seem stressful that there are more things to consider, but in this article, we’ll look at why it is important to research them. What are journals and clinics, and why do they factor into your law school decisions?
What Is a Clinic?
The purpose of law school clinics is to provide a hands-on learning experience for law students. Many of these programs serve various clients and give representation to lower-income clients during criminal and civil cases. Sometimes, these services are free for those who cannot afford a lawyer, which is known as pro bono work.
Why You Should Research Them
Different Types of Clinics
One of the benefits of a clinical program is the practical experience a student can receive. Getting real-world experience will attract employers. Some clinics work with real clients. Joining a clinic that offers direct services will help you understand what a real case looks like and how it develops. You will learn how to interview clients and do legal research.
There also are policy-based clinics that you can join. Some may be seminars or a trial advocacy course. They teach students comprehensive legal representation. You will learn skills like writing, negotiating, and policy research. Some clinics also provide travel opportunities for action-based learning.
Wide Range of Specialties
Try to look for a law school clinic that offers students the opportunity to explore legal specialties. Perhaps, you have an idea of what type of law you want to practice. For some people, they may spend years studying certain areas like family law. Towards the end, they may realize that they do not want to practice in that field anymore. Also, you might not have a clear idea of the field of law you want to specialize in.
A clinic with a wide variety for students to explore will help with your final decision. Some of these fields would include immigration, business law, and criminal procedure. Do not worry if you cannot find out what you want to practice. A quality law school clinic will help guide you on the right path.
Hours Per Semester
Another factor you will need to consider is how many hours a law school's clinic program can give students. You will want a clinic that is large and provides you with plenty of practice hours. It is a sign of a strong program. As you are getting course credit, you should also be getting enough policy knowledge or practical experience.
You will want enough time to understand how to build a case and present it in court. However, there should not be too many hours. Too many hours can conflict with the rest of your school schedule.
What Are Journals?
Also known as a law review, a law journal is a series of published articles written by law professors and other legal professionals. Students often run a school's law review. While legal experts write the articles, students can leave notes if the journal accepts them. You will usually try to join a journal during your second year, but some may allow third-years to apply.
Schools often have a main law review that covers a variety of legal topics. Alongside these law reviews are secondary journals that focus on a specific area of the law. Here is what to look for when joining a law journal.
What You Will Need to Research
The Right Subject
When looking at law schools, try to find one that has a law journal that covers an area of law that you are interested in. You will be able to build a network with those who are also interested in the topic. The reason you will want to make sure a school offers the right law journal is that the work can get time-consuming.
If you have no interest in the field of law that the journal focuses on, then the work will feel tedious. Even if it would look good on your resume, you are advised against joining a law review that does not focus on an area of law you want to practice.
Leadership Opportunities
Since law journals are completely student-run, you will have to chance to work your way up to higher positions. You may start off doing less-wanted tasks like citation checking. However, there are plenty of jobs that students can apply to as they gain seniority.
Students can get elected to be a member of the editorial board, or they can become the editor-in-chief. The higher-level jobs come with more responsibilities, but you will build up your leadership skills. You will end up reviewing entire papers, but you will learn how to spot logical fallacies.
The qualifications to obtain a senior position may be different for each journal. If you are interested in joining a certain law journal, it can help to speak to a current member about the process of moving upwards.
How to Apply
You will need to apply for a position as a staff member. Normally, you will not be able to do so until you have finished your first year of school. Each journal will have different selection criteria. Some will invite students to join based on their first-year grades. Others will have a write-on competition during first-year exams to select members. A few journals will use a combination of the two. Generally, information on how to join is posted at the end of the year.
It can be stressful when deciding on schools, but it can help to have guidance on what to look for. If you have any questions about law journals or clinics, contact us today.