Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're excited to have Derek Brainard, National Director of Financial Education at AccessLex Institute, talking with us about everyone's favorite topic - student loans!

In this episode we discuss:

• Derek's background and current role
• Services offered by AccessLex Institute
• What should students and grads know about payments restarting?
• The big news regarding loan forgiveness
• What happens if your loans are sold to a different servicer?
• Budgeting advice for law students

Resources:

• AccessLex Institute (https://www.accesslex.org/)
• AccessConnex by AccessLex (https://www.accesslex.org/accessconnex)
• Ask EDNA! Education Network at AccessLex (https://www.accesslex.org/ask-edna)
• Federal Student Aid (https://studentaid.gov/)
• Annual Credit Report (https://www.annualcreditreport.com/index.action)
• Podcast Episode 38: Can You Really Afford Law School? (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-38-can-you-really-afford-law-school/)
• Podcast Episode 177: Real Talk About Student Loan Debt (w/Financial Expert Travis Hornsby) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-177-real-talk-about-student-loan-debt-w-financial-expert-travis-hornsby/)
• Podcast Episode 184: Handling Law School Finances (w/Lyssa Thaden of AccessLex) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-184-handling-law-school-finances-w-lyssa-thaden-of-accesslex/)
• Podcast Episode 294: Money Talk (w/Carrie Friedberg) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-294-money-talk-w-carrie-friedberg/)
• The Reality of Law School Debt and Planning for It (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/the-reality-of-law-school-debt-and-planning-for-it/)

Download the Transcript  (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-361-student-loan-repayment-w-derek-brainard-of-accesslex-institute/)

If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we have ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones with us to talk about looking for legal jobs in the current economy, where law firm hiring is slowing down and some layoffs may even be happening.

In this episode we discuss:

• A look at recent periods of economic challenges
• What fuels BigLaw work?
• For students interested in BigLaw, how concerned should they be right now?
• What can students do to position themselves for a summer associate position/job offer, in any economy?
• How to analyze in more depth which firms to apply to and where to accept an offer
• Learning to be flexible on desired practice areas
• If a BigLaw job doesn't pan out now, is all lost?

Resources:

• CareerDicta (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta/)
• Above the Law (https://abovethelaw.com/)
• How to Search for a Law Job in an Uncertain Economy (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/how-to-search-for-a-law-job-in-an-uncertain-economy/)
• Tips to Finding Post-Graduate Jobs During a Recession (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/tips-to-finding-post-graduate-jobs-during-a-recession/)

Download the Transcript  (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-360-legal-jobs-in-a-slowing-economy-w-sadie-jones/)

If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today we are digging into a commonly-tested exam topic in Federal Civil Procedure – determining proper venue in civil actions.

In this episode we discuss:

• What is venue, and how to distinguish between venue and jurisdiction
• How venue can be properly established and changed
• Venue statutes and their application
• Analyzing two essay questions, from the February 2009 and July 2021 California bar exams

Resources:

• “Listen and Learn” series (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/law-school-toolbox-podcast-substantive-law-topics/#listen-learn)
• California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, February 2009 (https://juraxbar.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/February-2009-CBX.pdf)
• California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, July 2021 (https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/admissions/Examinations/July-2021-CBX-Essay-Qs-and-Selected-Answers.pdf)
• Podcast Episode 263: Listen and Learn – Subject Matter Jurisdiction (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-263-listen-and-learn-subject-matter-jurisdiction/)
• Podcast Episode 343: Listen and Learn – Personal Jurisdiction (Civ Pro) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-343-listen-and-learn-personal-jurisdiction-civ-pro/)

Download the Transcript  (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-359-listen-and-learn-venue-federal-civil-procedure/)

If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today on the podcast, we have guest Alexis Yee-Garcia, who manages diversity, equity, and inclusion programs at a BigLaw firm. We talk about how people with diverse profiles - whether racial, ethnic, cultural, religious, gender identity, or sexual orientation - find their place in today's legal profession.

In this episode we discuss:

• Alexis Yee-Garcia's professional background
• What does "diversity and inclusion" mean in the legal employment context?
• How can you tell if a firm is really serious about diversity and inclusion?
• Participating in minority career fairs or summer programs
• How to leverage a diverse background throughout your legal career
• Suggestions for people who want to get into the field of diversity and inclusion themselves

Resources:

• CareerDicta (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta/)
• Law360 Diversity Snapshot (https://www.law360.com/pulse/articles/1513061/the-2022-diversity-snapshot)
• The American Lawyer (https://www.law.com/americanlawyer/)
• Podcast Episode 258: Law Clerks for Diversity (w/Guest Danielle Barondess) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-258-law-clerks-for-diversity-w-guest-danielle-barondess/)

Download the Transcript  (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-358-diversity-and-inclusion-in-the-legal-profession-w-alexis-yee-garcia/)

If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! The topic of today's "Listen and Learn" episode is Criminal Procedure. Specifically, we're talking about a few topics related to the prosecution of a criminal trial: burden of proof, presumptions, and sufficiency of the evidence.

In this episode we discuss:

• The burden of proof in a criminal case
• A review of the substantive law defining murder
• Rebuttable and irrebuttable presumptions in jury instructions
• How do we know whether the prosecution has met its burden?
• When can the defendant move for a judgment of acquittal?
• Analyzing two hypos from previous California bar exams

Resources:

• “Listen and Learn” series (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/law-school-toolbox-podcast-substantive-law-topics/#listen-learn)
• California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, February 2008 (https://nwculaw.edu/pdf/bar/February%202008%20Essays%20and%20Sample%20Answers.pdf)
• California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, July 2010 (https://juraxbar.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/July-2010-CBX.pdf)
• Podcast Episode 248: Listen and Learn – Introduction to Homicide (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-248-listen-and-learn-introduction-to-homicide/)
• Podcast Episode 295: Listen and Learn – Due Process and Equal Protection (Con Law) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-295-listen-and-learn-due-process-and-equal-protection-con-law/)

Download the Transcript  (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-357-listen-and-learn-prosecution-of-a-criminal-trial/)

If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, as part of our "Listen and Learn" series, we're discussing Criminal Procedure, specifically what is needed for a valid search warrant, and the situations in which a warrant is not required.

In this episode we discuss:

• What is a warrant?
• Requirements for a valid search warrant
• Eight exceptions to the warrant requirement
• Analyzing two hypos, from the July 2009 and February 2006 California bar exams

Resources:

• “Listen and Learn” series (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/law-school-toolbox-podcast-substantive-law-topics/#listen-learn)
• California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, July 2009 (https://nwculaw.edu/pdf/bar/July%202009%20Essays%20and%20Sample%20Answers.pdf)
• California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, February 2006 (https://nwculaw.edu/pdf/bar/February%202006%20Essays%20and%20Sample%20Answers.pdf)
• Bar Exam Toolbox Podcast Episode 141: Listen and Learn – The Fourth Amendment (https://barexamtoolbox.com/podcast-episode-141-listen-and-learn-the-fourth-amendment/)

Download the Transcript  (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-356-listen-and-learn-criminal-law-warrant-requirements/)

If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today we're talking about the parol evidence rule, which governs evidence that parties to a contract dispute can introduce when determining the specific terms of the contract.

In this episode we discuss:

• The definition of parol evidence
• Exceptions to the parol evidence rule
• The difference between a partially integrated writing and a fully integrated writing
• Analyzing two hypos from previous California bar exams

Resources:

• “Listen and Learn” series (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/law-school-toolbox-podcast-substantive-law-topics/#listen-learn)
• Examples & Explanations for Contracts, by Brian A. Blum (https://www.amazon.com/Examples-Explanations-Contracts-Brian-Blum-dp-1543807631/dp/1543807631/ref=dp_ob_title_bk)
• California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, February 2010 (https://juraxbar.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/February-2010-CBX.pdf)
• California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, February 2020 (https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/admissions/Examinations/February-2020-Essay-Selected-Answers.pdf)
• Podcast Episode 341: Listen and Learn – Contract Defenses (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-341-listen-and-learn-contract-defenses/)

Download the Transcript  (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-355-listen-and-learn-parol-evidence-contracts/)

If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! In today's episode from our "Listen and Learn" series, we talk about the two most heavily-tested types of legal remedies for a breach of contract.

In this episode we discuss:

• Legal remedies and equitable remedies for a breach of contract
• The rules for expectation damages and consequential damages
• Different loss-mitigation scenarios
• Analyzing two hypos from previous California bar exams

Resources:

• “Listen and Learn” series (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/law-school-toolbox-podcast-substantive-law-topics/#listen-learn)
• Hadley v. Baxendale (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadley_v_Baxendale)
• Examples & Explanations for Contracts, by Brian A. Blum (https://www.amazon.com/Examples-Explanations-Contracts-Brian-Blum-dp-1543807631/dp/1543807631/ref=dp_ob_title_bk)
• Podcast Episode 341: Listen and Learn – Contract Defenses (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-341-listen-and-learn-contract-defenses/)
• Podcast Episode 344: Listen and Learn – Contract Formation (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-344-listen-and-learn-contract-formation/)

Download the Transcript  (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-354-listen-and-learn-expectation-and-consequential-damages-contracts/)

If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we have ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones with us to discuss how to prepare for the second round of interviews for summer associate positions. 

In this episode we discuss:

• The basics of a callback interview
• Are interviews still virtual due to the pandemic?
• How callback interviews are different from the initial screening interviews
• How much do you need to know about the people you're interviewing with?
• Pitfalls to avoid if you're invited to a lunch type of interview
• How to handle a situation in which you're really not connecting with a specific interviewer
• What to say if you're asked a question you don't like or don't know how to answer

Resources:

• CareerDicta (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta/)
• Podcast Episode 4: Callback Tips for BigLaw Summer Associate Positions (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-4-callback-tips-biglaw-summer-associate-positions/)
• Podcast Episode 155: Top Callback Mistakes to Avoid (w/ Sadie Jones) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-155-top-callback-mistakes-to-avoid-w-sadie-jones/)

Download the Transcript  (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-353-tips-for-a-successful-callback-interview-w-sadie-jones/)

If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're focusing on an important topic in Evidence – the Best Evidence Rule, which requires a witness to produce the document whose contents he or she is testifying about.

In this episode we discuss:

• How Evidence is different from most other topics on a law school exam
• The Best Evidence Rule and its related exceptions
• Analyzing several hypos from previous California bar exams
• Structuring an answer to an Evidence question

Resources:

• “Listen and Learn” series (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/law-school-toolbox-podcast-substantive-law-topics/#listen-learn)
• California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, July 2005 (https://nwculaw.edu/pdf/bar/July%202005%20Essays%20and%20Sample%20Answers.pdf)
• California Bar Examination – Essay Questions and Selected Answers, February 2012 (https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/admissions/CBXFeb2012_SelectedAnswers_R.pdf)
• Podcast Episode 259: Listen and Learn – Relevance in Evidence (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-259-listen-and-learn-relevance-in-evidence/)

Download the Transcript  (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-352-listen-and-learn-best-evidence-rule/)

If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!

Thanks for listening!

Alison & Lee