The Law School Toolbox Podcast: Tools for Law Students from 1L to the Bar Exam, and Beyond

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, about how to make people hate you at work, so that, basically, you can avoid doing these things.

In this episode we discuss:

• Things to avoid, such as being late on your first day of work!
• How to make a good impression at social events (and how to make a bad one)
• Why there is almost no excuse for not showing up or notifying a host that you can't make an event
• Why treating everyone with respect, always, is so important
• Why you need to treat summer jobs as the start of your professional reputation
• Why first drafts aren't really drafts
• That it's your job to make your boss look good
• Why you need to do your homework, and then ask good questions, to avoid surprises
• How important communication is to success at work
• What to do if you do mess up at work

Resources:

• CareerDicta (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta)
• Networking Strategies (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta/networking-strategies/)
• Getting a Law Job, What to Wear, and How to Behave (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta/getting-law-job-wear-behave/)
• Getting an Offer: Being Professional in a Generation-Gap Workplace (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/getting-an-offer-being-professional-in-a-generation-gap-workplace/)
• Podcast Episode 25: How to Behave Like a Professional in the Legal Workplace (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-25-behave-like-professional-legal-workplace/)

Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-188-making-people-hate-you-at-work/)

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 thinking on your feet when you're on the spot.

In this episode we discuss:

• How practicing mindfulness when you aren't stressed can help you cope when you're on the spot
• Why it is not just okay, but important, to take a breath, pause, and think before answering questions
• The benefits of asking clarifying questions
• Why paying close attention and using active listening techniques is useful
• How to handle interruptions and other moments when you have to go "off-script"
• Why speaking in class is a skill set that you can (and should) practice
• How to project confidence even when you're not feeling it

Resources:

• Podcast Episode 29: Self-Care During Bar Exam Prep (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-129-self-care-during-bar-exam-prep/)
• Podcast Episode 37: Surviving Law school Moot Court (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-37/)
• Podcast Episode 62: Surviving the Socratic Method in Law School Classes (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-62-surviving-the-socratic-method-in-law-school-classes/)
• Podcast Episode 138: Top Ten Public Speaking Tips (w/Jennifer Warren) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-138-top-ten-public-speaking-tips-w-jennifer-warren/)
• Toastmasters (http://www.toastmasters.org/)
• What Did Improv Classes Teach Me About Public Speaking (https://magneticspeaking.com/what-did-improv-classes-in-san-francisco-teach-me-about-public-speaking/)

Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-187-thinking-on-your-feet/)

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 kicking off a new series: The Law School Toolbox Book Club. This is a chance for us to chat with you about the books we're reading and why you might want to check them out. Today we're talking about Becoming, by Michelle Obama.

In this episode we discuss:

• The new autobiography, Becoming, by Michelle Obama
• Some key takeaways about gender and race in the legal profession
• Embracing a growth mindset and asking for you want
• That even someone as accomplished as Michelle Obama can fail the bar!

Resources:

• Becoming, by Michelle Obama (https://becomingmichelleobama.com/)
• We Were Eight Years in Power, by Ta-Nehisi Coates (https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/550170/we-were-eight-years-in-power-by-ta-nehisi-coates/9780399590573/)
• The Final Year (https://www.finalyearfilm.com/)
• The World as It Is: A Memoir of the Obama White House, by Ben Rhodes (https://www.amazon.com/World-Memoir-Obama-White-House/dp/0525509356/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=_)

Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-186-book-club-becoming-by-michelle-obama/)

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 with ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones, about how to start thinking about your 2L job search when you're still a 1L.

In this episode we discuss:

• What your priority should be at this point in your 1L year
• How to get organized and set yourself up for success
• Why you should engage with your Career Services office sooner rather than later
• How to maximize your 1L summer experience in your 2L job search
• Why networking both on and off campus can pay off
• How to stand out by being prepared and polished from the start of your job search

Resources:

• Podcast Episode 7: Time & Life Management Basics (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-7-time-life-management-basics/)
• Podcast Episode 55: An Overview of BigLaw OCI (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-55-overview-biglaw-campus-interviewing-oci/)
• Podcast Episode 140: OCI Strategy (w/Sadie Jones) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-140-oci-strategy-w-sadie-jones/)
• Podcast Episode 179: What to Do If You Still Don't Have a Summer Job (w/Sadie Jones) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-179-what-to-do-if-you-still-dont-have-a-summer-job-w-ex-biglaw-recruiter-sadie-jones/)
• CareerDicta: Strategies & Resources for Your Legal Career (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta)

Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-185-thinking-about-the-2l-job-search-as-a-1l-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 talking with Lyssa Thaden of AccessLex Institute, a non-profit which works to increase accessibility and affordability for law students, about student loans and other financial topics.

In this episode we discuss:

• Student debt, and what you need to consider before you choose law school
• How to increase your access to scholarship dollars
• Why being realistic about your finances and your future is key to avoiding the worst-case scenarios
• Why making a budget and cutting your living expenses can pay off after you graduate
• How to plan for the post-graduation bar exam expenses (and why you need to!)
• Strategies and resources for graduates who are struggling with repayment

Resources:

• MAX by AccessLex: Strategy Changes Everything (https://www.accesslex.org/about-max-by-accesslex)
• AccessLex Student Loan Calculator (https://www.accesslex.org/student-loan-calculator#/)
• AccessLex Diversity Pipeline Program Directory (https://www.accesslex.org/accesslex-diversity-pipeline-program-directory)
• AccessLex Diversity Pipeline Research Grant Program (https://www.accesslex.org/legal-education-diversity-pipeline-grant-program)
• StudentLoans.Gov (https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/index.action)
• Law School Myth #1: Lawyers Make a Lot of Money (https://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/09/law-school-myth-1-lawyers-make-a-lot-of-money/)
• Podcast Episode 174: The LSAT is Going Digital (w/Nathan Fox) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-174-the-lsat-is-going-digital-thoughts-from-lsat-expert-nathan-fox/)

Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-184-money-money-money-w-lyssa-thaden/)

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 with ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, about when and how to change direction in your job search.

In this episode we discuss:

• How you know it's time to change direction in your job hunt
• How to best use your time, energy, and network
• Why you need to be realistic and honest with yourself
• Who to ask for feedback, and what feedback you need
• Why it's time to just get started!

Resources:

• CareerDicta: Strategies & Resources for Your Legal Career (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta)
• Podcast Episode 5: Maintaining Authenticity in the Legal Profession (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-5-maintaining-authenticity-legal-profession/)
• Podcast Episode 27: Job Interview Basics (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-27-job-interview-basics/)
• Podcast 111: Resumes and Cover Letters (w/ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-111-resumes-cover-letters-ex-biglaw-recruiter/)
• Michelle Obama: Becoming (https://becomingmichelleobama.com/)
• Spring Semester Sprint: SOS Suggestions for Snagging a 2L Summer Job (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/spring-semester-sprint-sos-suggestions-for-snagging-a-2l-summer-job/)

Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-183-changing-course-in-the-job-hunt-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 talking to Jennifer Warren about the realities of motherhood, and parenthood in general, in the legal profession.

In this episode we discuss:

• How you know it is the "right" time for children
• What to consider about your job and career when thinking about having children
• How to balance your life and job with the physical reality of being pregnant
• When to tell your coworkers and boss that you're pregnant
• How to plan for your parental leave and childcare
• How social media can be a game changer for finding information and support as a new mom
• Pumping, bottle-feeding, and why feeding your baby isn't always as simple as it seems

Resources:

• Parental Leave: What to Expect When You Return to Work (https://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/04/parental-leave-what-to-expect-when-you-return-to-work/)
• The Leaky Pipeline: Can Women Have a Family in BigLaw? (https://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/12/the-leaky-pipeline-can-women-have-a-family-in-biglaw-with-podcast/)
• Lessons Learned While Preparing for Parental Leave (https://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/04/lessons-learned-while-preparing-for-parental-leave/)
• The Office Maternity Leave Checklist for the Type A Professional (https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/the-office-maternity-leave-checklist-for-the-type-a-professional)
• State Family and Medical Leave Laws (http://www.ncsl.org/research/labor-and-employment/state-family-and-medical-leave-laws.aspx)
• How to be Both a Parent and a Lawyer (https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/09/mom-dad-parent-lawyer/405742/)
• 10 Out-of-the-Box Childcare Options That Are Changing Working Moms' Lives (https://www.workingmother.com/10-out-box-childcare-options-that-are-changing-working-moms-lives)

Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-182-motherhood-in-the-legal-profession-w-jennifer-warren/)

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 excited to be talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter Sadie Jones about negotiating job offers.

In this episode we discuss:

• The difference between a BigLaw offer and other job offers
• What you can negotiate – it's not just about the salary!
• How to figure out what salary to shoot for when negotiating an entry-level position
• How to balance aiming high with being realistic
• What to do if you get a job offer on the spot
• Why you really have to diligently read your contract!

Resources:

• GlassDoor (https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/index.htm)
• LinkedIn Salary (https://www.linkedin.com/salary/)
• Robert Half Salary Guide (https://www.roberthalf.com/sites/roberthalf.ca/files/documents/2018_salary_guide_CA_legal.pdf)
• Law School Myth #1: Lawyers Make a Lot of Money (https://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/09/law-school-myth-1-lawyers-make-a-lot-of-money/)
• Getting to Yes (https://www.amazon.com/Getting-Yes-Negotiating-Agreement-Without/dp/0140157352)
• CareerDicta: Strategies & Resources for Your Legal Career (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta)

Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-181-negotiating-a-job-offer-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 talking about setting yourself up to write a great seminar paper or journal note.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why selecting the right topic is probably the most important step in the writing process
• How to productively engage with your professors, your mentors, and even your law librarians about your topic selection and your writing
• Where to look for good topics that won't bore you (and your readers) to death
• The pros and cons of writing about circuit splits
• How to balance finding an original topic with existing authority
• Our own note and seminar paper problems – learn from our mistakes!

Resources:

• Picking a Paper Topic: Picking a Topic (http://law.uakron.libguides.com/c.php?g=495094&p=3388056)
• Picking a Paper Topic: Circuit Splits (http://law.uakron.libguides.com/topicselection/circuit_splits)
• Finding a Topic for Your Law School Paper or Law Review Comment/Note (https://legalresearch.usfca.edu/c.php?g=523726&p=3580707)
• Scholarly writing for law students : seminar papers, law review notes and law review competition papers (http://doncore.usfca.edu/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2985225?lang=eng)
• Podcast Episode 170: Let's Talk About the Bluebook! (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-170-lets-talk-about-the-bluebook/)
• Podcast Episode 106: How to Go to Office Hours and Make it Worth Your Time (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-106-go-office-hours-make-worth-time/)

Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-180-writing-a-great-seminar-paper-or-note/)

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 with ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, about what to do if you don't have a summer job yet. It's too soon to panic!

In this episode we discuss:

• The difference between the 1L and 2L summer job hunt
• Why it's not time to panic, but it is time to take action
• Why networking is key and how to get started
• How to use your law school's resources to your advantage
• Organization, and how to use technology to streamline your job hunt process
• Job hunting and networking etiquette – how to stand out as a professional
• Why location is almost as important as what job you get

Resources:

• CareerDicta: Strategies & Resources for Your Legal Career (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta)
• Getting a Jump Start on the 1L Summer Job Search (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/getting-a-jump-start-on-the-1l-summer-job-search/)
• NALP (https://www.nalp.org/index.cfm)
• Podcast Episode 120: Preparing for the 1L Job Hunt (w/ Sadie Jones) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-120-preparing-1l-job-hunt-ex-biglaw-recruiter-sadie-jones/)
• Spring Semester Sprint: SOS Suggestions for Snagging a 2L Summer Job (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/spring-semester-sprint-sos-suggestions-for-snagging-a-2l-summer-job/)

Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-179-what-to-do-if-you-still-dont-have-a-summer-job-wex-biglaw-recruiter-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