Wellness has many important dimensions...

But…You may wonder what wellness has to do with law school?

In fact, taking a careful approach to wellness will not only help you succeed personally and in both college and law school, but is essential to being a successful legal professional.

Law students and lawyers live very busy, and at times, very stressful lives. They are expected to maintain high levels of personal and professional behavior, even in the face of time pressure and stress. Keeping your body in good shape is an essential first step in managing a busy, stressful schedule, but other skill sets need to be included in your wellness routines to help ensure your short and long-term success as a student and professional.  Successfully studying law and becoming a legal professional means that you have attend to other forms of wellness as well.

In recent years, efforts have been made to examine the overall well-being of the legal profession.  As a result, we now have a much greater understanding of the direct connection between the state of individual wellness to issues within the legal profession.  These issues include professional happiness, professional ethics, incidents of malpractice, and personal health.  In response, many steps have been taken to help support wellness in the profession, provide resources to practicing attorneys and judges, and to foster a mindset of wellness in working professionals.  To demonstrate the commitment to these goals, wellness in now considered an aspect of legal professionalism with many jurisdictions requiring attorneys to regularly complete continuing education training on wellness topics as part of their ongoing obligations for licensure.

• • Learn More! You can learn more about wellness and the legal profession online through the the Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism.

In addition, the ABA also found a direct relationship between wellness and successful law students.  To help you begin thinking about wellness as part of long-term goals and readiness,  we have articulated a few important aspects of wellness for you to consider as you plan for pursuing a legal education.

*Keep in mind the topics below are only a highlight – there are many aspects to wellness and you should investigate them all as you think about your overall well-being and health!

Mental and Emotional Wellbeing

There are many, many aspects to your mental and emotional wellbeing – but one area that is very common amongst high performing individuals is stress management.  In terms of study and work, stress can distract focus, decrease efficiency, and increase mistakes. Stress can also harm your judgment in ways that can have negative effects on your professional and personal life.  Stress has also been proven to have significant impacts on our physical health if not managed properly.  Maintaining your emotional health and preventing the negative effects of stress is extremely important.

Unfortunately, the reality is that pursuing a legal education and law profession will create opportunities of stress and challenge.  The good news is, stress can be managed.  Knowing you may encounter challenges of this nature provides you an opportunity to be purposeful and proactive in taking steps to develop methods and skills to manage through these times successfully.

There are many strategies you may employ to tackle stress and developing these skill sets now can have benefits throughout your life.   It is important to make sure you are developing healthy stress management techniques and avoiding relying on sources of outlet that might provide temporary relief, but can create long-term damaging habits (such as substance abuse).   As you begin developing healthy management skills you may need to try different tactics and approaches to learn what works best for you.  Some individuals mange stress through relaxation, mindfulness, meditation, socialization, spiritual practice, and simple exercise.  Some seek a more structured approach through therapy and counseling to cope.

Whatever healthy approach to stress management works for you is right.  What is important is that you identify how stress impacts you and what methods create relief.    Some aspects of stress management to consider include:

• • • Mindfulness. Mindfulness is a particularly useful skill to develop. Mindfulness allows you to maintain relative emotional calm, even in stressful situations, and helps you sharpen mental focus. Techniques for enhancing mindfulness are simple and can be practiced every day.
    • Relaxation & Exercise. Appropriate forms of relaxation can refresh your mind, and renew the energy and focus you bring to your tasks. If you build a reasonable amount of relaxation into your busy schedule you will benefit with better results in your work. Relaxation can take many forms, from reading, to watching TV, to enjoyable hobbies and socializing.  Exercise has long been proven to provide an outlet for managing overall health – including stress.  Explore and discover health exercise activities that work for you.
    • Spiritual practice. Spirituality can take many forms and does not necessarily refer to an organized religion (although it may for you). If spirituality or religious faith is part of your life, attending to it can help you manage stress. In the busy life of being a law student or legal professional it is important not to lose touch with the spiritual part of yourself. Caring for your spirituality will provide you with many benefits.
    • Positive Thinking and Positive Self-regard. Having a positive outlook is important and has been tied to overall health benefits, but you also need to be kind to yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, or fails from time to time. Learn to forgive yourself for your perceived failures, be mindful of setting positive and realistic goals, and work to silence any negative self-thoughts.  We all need a pick-me-up sometimes, in a pinch – consider an emergency compliment to lift up your day!

Below are some additional resources to help you begin thinking through stress management techniques:

• • • UIUC Counseling Center  Be sure to check out upcoming programs with the Counseling Center, particularly Tuesdays @ 7 programs  that feature stress management, mindfulness, and other workshops each semester!
    • McKinley Stress Management Resources
    • UIUC Stress Management Peers
    • Relaxation Exercises 
    • Illinois Extension Stress Management

Find what works for you! There are also tremendous online resources and apps to help with daily mindfulness, relaxation and stress  – consider trying out a few and adding theses practices into daily life.  Consider trying this online breathing exercise from CALM as a start!

Time management

Time management is an obvious companion to stress management and a key part of wellness.  It is also an incredible tool that can be an invaluable asset to helping you achieve goals in all aspects of your life!

Although you have been busy as a college student, law school will provide new challenges for managing your time. Law students are under incredible time pressure, and professional attorneys tend to be under such pressure as well. Building time management skills now will help you rise to the challenges of law school and professional obligations and provide the structure necessary to tend to all aspects of your life whether it be academic, personal, or professional.

It is a good idea to build a systematic time management scheme that is suited to your life and your personality. There are many time management systems out there, but they all build on a few basic concepts or skills. Here some things to consider when building time management skills:

Organization and Planning. A key to effective time management is staying organized. A good time management system will allow you to manage and schedule  important tasks, activities, and information in your life so that it is easy to manage and execute.  It is important that you think of time management at different levels including daily, monthly, by semester, and yearly.   As you consider your system – keep in mind the following:

• • • • Deadlines. It is essential that your time management system allow you to keep abreast of the deadlines and obligations in your life, both the upcoming ones and those further in the future.  Don’t forget to plan for the unexpected – consider giving yourself internal /pre deadlines a few days or a week before critical/final deadlines.
      • Format. Because a time management system is essentially an information management system, the format will be important. Many people manage their time using online calendars, apps, or other tools, but paper-based time management tools are also popular. Whichever format you choose, it must work in a way that feels natural to you and be readily available throughout  your day/week/month.

Tracking/Accountability. A good time management system will allow you to both see what is coming up in your life, but also what you have done in the past.  It is also important to find systems to hold yourself accountable to the schedule and goals that you set, being realistic and making adjustment when you miss a goal.

• • • • Assess Your Time Needs:  Sometimes we don’t truly understand how long tasks actual take us to complete (especially in a distraction free setting).  Spend a week actively tracking the time it takes you to prepare for class, read assignments, commute, make dinner, grocery shop, etc.  Once you have specific understand of your time needs, you can make a good plan!
      • Be Realistic!  One of the easiest ways to become discourage with your time-management efforts is to be overly ambitious and unrealistic.  Set yourself up for success by planning more time than you think necessary for tasks such as homework, papers, class projects, or academic prep. Plan for the unexpected by building in time to your schedule for things you do not anticipate, emergencies, or delays.

Personalization. Finding a time management system that works seamlessly for you is essential. There are many, many time management systems available, but the one you choose should work for you, including being easy to modify to suit your particular needs.

Learn More about Time Management…

• • UIUC Counseling Center Time Management Resources
  • UIUC Housing Department Time Management Resources
  • LAS Time Management Calculator
  • How does time management effect lawyers?  Learn more here.

Financial Wellness

You may not normally think of your finances as a wellness issue, however,  developing an understanding of your personal financing and obligations is essential for long-term success and opportunity.  This may include taking steps to fully understand your current financial situation, having a reasonable personal spending plan or budget, appropriate saving habits, and planning for the future.  Law school is expensive and most students will incur some level of debt to manage these expenses.  Developing your financial wellness skill set and knowledge will assist you in preparing to assess your financial obligations as they relate to your legal education, increase your eligibility for assistance options (law school loans), and set your long-term career goals.

Below are important skill sets you can begin developing now as an undergraduate student!

Develop Good Financial Habits.  Being a good steward of your financial health and credit history will be invaluable to ensure the widest possible opportunities to you as a law student and law graduate.  Below are some simple steps to begin fostering your financial wellness.

• • • Learn to Budget. Creating a workable spending plan, or budget, helps you understand the relationship between your expenses, income, and overall needs.  Developing budgeting skills should be important for anyone considering law school, regardless of your current financial circumstances.  This process will help you think long-term about goals as a professional (salary) and long-term debt prospects associated with educational loans.  This skill will also be critical as you enter law school as you may be require to create individual projected budgets for determining loans, financial aid, and grants.  Consider budgets in terms of monthly and yearly needs and goals.
    • Develop and Manage Credit.  Having good credit is an important priority.  Take small steps now to avoid any unnecessary challenges in this area.  Invest in mastering the following simple steps:
      • • Create a bill payment system/tracking process to ensure payments are never missed.  
        • Make all payments on-time.
        • Avoid “bad” debt wherever possible (credit cards) and be mindful of interest rates!
        • If you have debt (credit cards, car loans, etc) make meaningful efforts to bring balances to zero prior to law school.
    •  Saving. As a student the idea of saving may seem impossible. However, building a saving habit, even of a very small amount, on a regular basis will have immense benefits down the road. Consider starting a small emergency fund or general savings to help offset unexpected costs and expenses and reduce potential stress down the road. 

• Having an understanding of your finances and necessary skills to manage, will allow you to reach for the things you want in life and set you up for a successful financial future.  Below are some additional resources to explore as you tend to your financial wellness.

• • • UIUC Student Money Management Center
    • Illinois Extension Financial Wellness for College Students
    • Financial Wellness Toolkit
    • Access Lex Financial Education
    • Illinois Financial Wellness Hub

Final Thoughts

One thing that can be a tremendous benefit no mater what aspect of wellness you are exploring is your relationships with others – whether friends and family; your professors, advisors, and campus leaders;  or connections you make professionally – healthy and fulfilling relationship can serve as a fantastic source of support and benefit to you.

Interpersonal skills are also an essential tool for practicing attorneys.  Creating and maintaining positive relationships will serve as the building blocks for your future professional relationships as well.  Keep in mind that good relationship building can often come down to the simplest steps remembering that professional and work relationships benefit from the golden rule: Treat others as you would wish to be treated. Respect, courtesy, civility, and consideration for others are not just formalities. They are important to your success.

As a law student or legal professional you will be leading a complicated, busy life. Maintaining wellness, in all forms, is essential to being successful. By caring for yourself in these ways you make it possible to achieve what you want in life, and also to make the best contribution to you can to society and the lives of others.

Deciding which law schools to apply to is an important and complicated decision. Unfortunately, some people let their decision making process be dominated by one or two factors, such as ranking or location, when there are many other important things to be considered. The ultimate goal should be to apply to law schools that will be the right fit for you based on multiple factors that will ultimately contribute to your success.

Let’s look at some strategies to approach this decision and factors you should consider as you decide which law schools might be the right fit for you…

The first cut: General indicators

GPA and LSAT is a good place to start in narrowing your list as these are some of the clearest indicators of credentials common for prior successful applicants.  Your GPA and LSAT scores will help you decide which schools are reasonably likely to take a close look at your application.   Medians are reported in the annual ABA 509 reports for each school and can always be found on the law school websites.

TIP:  There is no secret formula here. Being at or above the median doesn’t mean automatic acceptance and being below it doesn’t mean automatic rejection. However, comparing your LSAT score and GPA against reported medians can help you determine if your application has a reasonable chance of success, understanding that the closer to at or above medians you are – the more attractive application you will be.

Once you have a list of possible schools, think about the factors that are most important to you. What do you want from a legal education? Here are some factors to consider:

• • School Size.  Law school class sizes can vary from around 100 to 400 +.  Do you thrive in larger or smaller environments?  Do you prefer smaller classes or larger ones?  What type of school community do you think you would enjoy?  Does having greater access for one-on-one experiences with your professors, administrators, and other resources appeal to you?

• • Location. Geography can be important. Where would you like to be while in school, and where would you like to end up after graduation? Is being near family important,  what  impact does location have on living expenses? Schools with greater national reputations will traditionally have greater success in placing students at a wider-range of locations.  If you know where you would like to live following law school – perhaps schools more regionally located will position you well for success.

• • Scholarships and Financial Aid. Law school is expensive and affordability is an important factor to consider not only during law school but for your financial future. Research a school’s scholarship history, keeping in mind that most schools are awarding the majority of scholarships based on LSAT and GPA (merit based).  Also consider what type of earning potential a degree from a school would offer you – what are the median starting salaries for recent grads.

• • Career Goals. Do you know what type of career you would like to have – public interest, big law, government?  Schools report very helpful details about post-graduation employment for their law graduates.  Research and ask questions to learn more about how schools have supported prior graduates – keeping in mind questions about geographic placements as well.

• • Academics. Look for schools that have the right academic fit for you and your interests. Some school’s approach law study from a more traditional viewpoint, while others may place more emphasis on practical learning opportunities – most law schools will have a balanced curriculum between the two.  Consider all types of academic opportunities that you might be interested in such as legal clinics, moot court and trial advocacy programs, study abroad, class structure, multi-disciplinary classes, and internships or externships can all be important parts of your legal education.

TIP: Do you know what type of law you are interested in?  While your interests may change as you move thru your legal education, if you are starting law school with a strong area of interest – be sure your schools of choice has academic courses and programs that can help prepare you for this area of law.

• • Reputation. Law school rankings may be relevant in the legal world, but they are not everything. There can be advantages to attending the highest ranked law school that you can, but not if it is at the expense of other factors, such as those discussed above. What you want is the school where you can be most successful.

Do your research!

Once you have decided on the most important qualities of a law school for you – it is time to research to determine if a school is a good fit.  Fortunately there is lots of information available to help you decide where to send your applications. Do your research and really get to know the school you are interested in before applying. Here are some recommendations on resources for your research:

ABA 509 Reports

https://www.abarequireddisclosures.org/Disclosure509.aspx

These annual reports, submitted by each accredited law school, give you lots of information about the admissions process. Things like the number of applications received, percentage admitted, and median LSAT and GPAs of admitted students are included in the reports, along with tuition and scholarships and aid. Another set of reports will tell you about bar passage rates, where graduates were placed geographically, and what kinds of jobs the accepted.  Information is reported to the ABA each year, stay tuned for 2021 data which has been reported and will be available soon.

LSAC Website

https://www.lsac.org/choosing-law-school

The Law School Admission Council website has a wealth of information about choosing law schools. They cover everything from finding schools to evaluating them and financing your education. 

TIP: The Official Guide to Law Schools data search allows you to search geographically or with your GPA/LSAT data comparing your credentials to school medians.  This a great database for doing some early identification of potential schools.

Law schools websites

Once a school is on your radar be sure to check out their website. The admissions pages will have a trove of information about what the school is looking for in applicants, along with profile information about the school and its programs. Other parts of the website can be very informative about faculty, academic programs, and student life at that law school.

US News and World Reports and OthER Rankings

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-law-schools/law-rankings

Us News and World Reports ranks colleges and universities, along with undergraduate and graduate programs. Their law school rankings should NOT be considered the authority on what is a “good” law school.  However, US News, and organizations like it, compile helpful information on many different aspects of law programs which are easily searchable, assisting greatly in finding many data points about a school giving you more information to aid in evaluating a school from many different contexts.

Organization is Key!

As you begin compiling a list of schools and researching you will need a place to store and manage this information.  You will need to be able to compare and contrast various information about the schools, including deadlines and other factors.  Keep in mind you will refer to this information not only prior to applying, but once you move into your ultimate decision making process following acceptance. Here is an example* of how that information might be organized:

*Data is for example purposes only, please check current law school websites for current 2021 data and information.

Perspectives from our Graduate Assistant

We spoke to our GA, Courtney Koenig, currently a 3L student at the University of Illinois College of Law, about what the law school application process was like for her. Here are her thoughts on three specific application issues:

Location: “At this particular stage, I was focused on where the school was located for assessing whether I wanted to live in that region for the next three years. I looked at job placement location at a later stage, once I had offers of admission.”

Credentials:  “I looked at schools where I thought I would be a competitive candidate. Schools where my LSAT and GPA were close to the medians. I did have target, safety, and aspirational schools.”

 Financial Consideration: “I looked at the price of schools and compared that to the cost of living/cost of attendance (COA) for where the school was located. I also considered what scholarships would be available and if I would be competitive for them. “

Final Thoughts 

Applying to law school is a complicated process with many decisions to make. The most important thing is that you identify schools that will do the most to help you succeed. Careful consideration of the factors that are important to you, combined with careful research about potential schools, will help you make the right application decisions.

Remember, we are here to help! You can schedule an advising appointment with a Pre-Law Advisor.  There are two types of appointments:

• • • Pre-Law Advising
    • Document Review (Personal Statement, Resume, and Addendums)

Schedule online at: https://go.oncehub.com/PreLawAdvisingatIllinois

Achieving second round success…

If you’ve previously applied to law school but did not matriculate, you always have the option to re-apply in a subsequent year.  However, if you are re-applying, you want to take a careful strategic approach to the process. The reason or reasons you didn’t enroll previously need to be considered and dealt with if you want to succeed with your new application.

Why did you not ENROLL?

The first, and most important, question is why you didn’t enroll when you applied previously. The reason why you didn’t enroll will determine the right strategies for your new application. There are a number of possibilities:

Did you prepare to apply, but decide not to? If so, why?

Were you unhappy with your LSAT score or GPA?  Did you come across an alternative offer or opportunity that you felt you couldn’t pass up? Were there personal reasons why you didn’t proceed with your application?

Did you apply but withdraw your application? If so, why?

Were you dissatisfied with the schools that offered you admission, or the level of aid that you were offered? As with not applying, there could have been personal reasons for deciding to withdraw your application, or you could have encountered an alternative opportunity. Did something unexpected come up in your life?

Did you apply but not get an offer of admission? Why do you think that happened?

Failing to get an offer of admission from a law school is disappointing, but it certainly does happen.  Last year’s application cycle yielded an unprecedented increase in application volume – meaning it was a very competitive year.

One factor can be timing. Rolling admissions means that those who apply later in the cycle often face a more competitive process – as many offers of admission have already been extended.   Timing could mean you didn’t get an offer even though you might have had you applied earlier in the cycle.

Another factor could be the quality of your application. A rushed personal statement or poorly proofread resume could have led to an unsuccessful outcome. Similarly, the content of your resume could have been problematic.

It is also possible to have had unrealistic expectations about your chances of being admitted to the law schools you applied to, were your LSAT score and GPA competitive at these schools?

Were you waitlisted?

Many law school applicants experience being waitlisted. Keep in mind that being waitlisted is not the same as being rejected or denied an admissions offer. Applicants who are placed on the waitlist are effectively qualified, admissible candidates and students are admitted off waitlists each year. The fact that you were waitlisted should inform your strategy, particularly for schools that you intend to resubmit application to.  Fundamentally your application was good – it does not meant that you should not revisit and strengthen your application, but you do not need to re-invent the wheel.

 

Once you have considered carefully why you didn’t enroll after your previous application, that reason or reasons should inform your strategy for your new application. Let’s consider some strategies.

• • If personal reasons or alternative opportunities interfered with your previous application, have those issues been resolved, or the opportunities fully explored? If not, you should resolve those issues.

• • If your academic profile was an issue, have you taken steps to improve that profile?  Have you re-taken the LSAT,  can you?  Was your GPA at graduation higher than when you applied?  Did you engage in more advanced coursework as a senior that was not represented at the time you applied?

• • Can your application materials be improved?  Do they need to be?

Resume – always update your resume to reflect your most current activities and achievements.  This should be updated and revisited prior to re-applying.

Personal Statement – You may want to update your personal statement, depending on your situation. If your experiences and motivations have changed you should update it. Similarly if it could just be better written, then definitely write it again.

Addendums – Whether or not to update addendums will depend on if there is new information to be added. Otherwise they can be left alone.

LOR – If you have new or better recommenders you will want to update your letters of recommendation. However, this is not necessary if your previous LORs were strong.

Transcripts – Transcripts should be updated if you have done more academic work since your last application.

Whatever your situation, when re-applying remember that the Prelaw Advising Services office is here to help. Our services are available for free to all current Illini and alumni. Learn more at prelaw.illinois.edu!

Bonus Tip:  How did you leave it?

When re-applying to a particular school you should be mindful of how you left things with your previous application.

• • If you withdrew an application to that school, you may want to discuss that fact with the admissions personnel. They may have concerns about why you withdrew.
  • Similarly, if you declined a previous offer of admission, this will be a point of concern.  Why did you decline, what has changed?
  • Finally, if your application was declined previously you should consider carefully what has changed that makes you a better candidate, and how to communicate that in your application.

 

 

 

Law Fairs provide a unique opportunity each for applicants, and those with future law school goals, to learn more about some of their top choice programs, connect with admissions officers, and discover new schools you may not have considered!  Attending law fairs can be an extremely beneficial part of your strategy for successful admission to your dream school.

Review a list of tips and suggestions shared at our recent Law Chat Live event for some helpful perspectives to make your law fair experience as successful as possible!

Check out our events page for details on upcoming workshops and stay tuned for details on our new Law School Panels this fall exclusively for Illini students and alumni featuring some of the nation’s leading programs! Learn more about upcoming forums or fairs at lsac.org and on our website.

Appointment with a Pre-Law Advisor:  Click here to sign up for an individual or document review appointment with a Pre-Law Advisor.

Good Luck!

This summer we will be sharing tips and suggestions for students beginning law school this fall,  those returning students preparing for law school applications,  or students still exploring their interest in law for a future year!  Be sure to check back throughout the summer for additional topics and information featured in our Summer Tips Series!

NETWORKING

Networking is an important skill-set for future law students and attorneys.  As a law student you will have many opportunities to network with school alumni, legal professionals, and potential future employers.  Many students obtain summer employment or permanent positions through networking activities, and individuals you meet through networking may lead to mentors who can provide invaluable advice and insights as you navigate your educational and professional choices over many years.

Developing networking skills as an undergraduate student will not only assist you in developing potential relationships to assist you with internship opportunities and law applications – but will start preparing you to excel at networking as a law student.  Below are some resources and tips to assist you in this process…

• • Be Brave: Networking can be intimidating and uncomfortable, particularly as you begin developing these skills.   Networking, like any new skill, will get easier over time and the best way to move past anxiety or uncertainty is to just do it! Consider setting a goal of 1-3 networking opportunities this summer.  Keep reading below for ideas on how to create these opportunities…

• • Be Realistic – Set Expectations:  Often individuals approach networking experiences with the ultimate goals of future job offers or mentors.  Engaging in networking with only these goals in mind can increase pressure and anxiety.   Networking experiences do not need to result in these ultimate goals to be valuable.  Consider engaging in networking with these additional goals in mind:
    • • Acquiring Skills: Practice makes perfect.  If you are new to networking – think of initial experiences as an opportunity to develop your communication and conversational skills.  Use these opportunities to work on asking meaningful questions and conducting conversations in a way that you learn something about the individuals you engage with, and find ways to share information about yourself.
      • Acquiring Information: Given an opportunity to interact with professionals – it is a wonderful chance for you to learn and gain insights about being a lawyer, law school, or different areas of law that might interest you.  Entering networking opportunities with the mindset of gaining knowledge can help drive your conversations, contemplate topics to discuss, and provide invaluable insights to clarify your own goals.

• • • • • Networking in a group? As opportunities for larger in-person events resume, don’t forget to be a good observer as well.  Observing how others navigate networking opportunities can provide great models for how you may wish to approach situations, or how NOT to approach situations.

• • Identify Opportunities: Networking opportunities come in many shapes and sizes.  They may be one-on-one opportunities facilitated through alumni mentor programs, reception events, or employment fairs.  As you move through opportunities consider who will be attending and what knowledge they may have which could benefit your goals.  Here are some tips for identifying opportunities this summer:
    • • Pre-Law Programs: There are a number of pre-law programs during the summer months.  These programs may include law professionals, students, faculty, and law admission experts.  Stay current with the Monthly Snapshots on this blog, LSAC Events, and admissions office calendars for schools you are interested in to identify opportunities.
      • Current Connections: Do you have a friend, relative, or family acquaintance that is involved in the legal profession or law school?   Reach out this summer or ask to be introduced.  Request a meeting to chat over zoom, coffee, or lunch.  If you have previously worked or volunteered in a professional setting – consider reaching back out to a former supervisor or member of the organization to maintain your relationship and work on your skills.  
      • Look Local:  Home for the summer?  Contact the local bar association to ask if they run mentor programs for prospective law students.  Be bold and reach out to a law firm or law office to introduce yourself and ask if an attorney would be willing to have an informational interview with you.  If your courthouse permits public attendance at hearings, consider engaging in court watching.  Be sure to check local restrictions related to COVID.
      • University Programs and Events:  Look to your academic department or college for opportunities to network with professionals, alumni, and senior students.  Is there an alumni mentor program available to you?  Is there an upcoming career event or program?  If your not sure – reach out and ask.  Don’t forget to ask about future events – calendar now to engage in programs next fall or spring.
      • Career Events:  Networking events do not need to be specifically law related to benefit your law goals – is there an opportunity this summer that could give you a chance to improve skills.  Check out the Career Center website for possible options.

• • Develop a Plan:  Networking can take place in many different forms and formats.  Some opportunities will be carefully curated, while others may require you to seize the moment.  Regardless of the opportunity you should approach with intention.  Keep the following in mind this summer:
    • • Identify Opportunities.  Whether it is facilitating a one-on-one meeting or attending an event,  determine what type of opportunities you would like to engage in and what your goals will be (gaining knowledge, professional connection, future job or internship opportunity).
      • Manage Logistics. If it is an event, sign-up and calendar the program – confirming in advance you have all necessary software/information to participate.  If you will be reaching out for an individual meeting –  plan in advance by giving several weeks to schedule.   Be sure you suggest a time-frame to meet where you have a wide-range of availability.
        • • What will you wear?  Make sure you dress appropriately for your event.  Does the event have a recommended dress code (even if the event is virtual), if you don’t know ask. For individual meetings, plan on business or business casual attire depending on the setting and time of day.
      • Research and Prepare.  Whether you are meeting with an individual, participating in a program or attending a large career fair – you will want to research in advance to gain knowledge about the individual/companies that you will interact with.  Use this research to begin formulating questions and topics you might wish to discuss.  Consider your overall goals and benefits you hope to obtain to focus your questions as well.  Being knowledgeable and prepared will not only demonstrate your interest, but also key professional qualities.
      • Think about Yourself.  What do you hope to share about yourself?  Think about your story – including key personal attributes or experiences you might wish to share.  Determine these aspects in advance so that you are prepared to weave them into conversations naturally as the opportunity is presented. 
        • • First impressions matter. Practice introducing yourself, handshakes, and eye contact.  Small things can make a big impression!
      • Don’t Forget Small Talk.  Memorable networking opportunities often include interaction not specifically related to careers or professional topics.  Be prepared to talk about a wide variety of topics.  Be sure to familiarize yourself with local/national/world topics in the weeks leading up to your networking event.  Think about your interests and hobbies and what you might share with others.   These “small talk” aspects of networking are often what set-apart those who are exceptionally skilled at networking from those who aren’t.  This is also a great way to make a connection on a personal level.
      • Get Organized.  As your opportunities to network increase determine how you will maintain information about individuals you connect with.  Consider an online address book or spreadsheet for emails/phone/website information.  Consider adding notes about the individual and your conversation for reference later, particularly for individuals you may wish to connect with in the future.
      • Follow-Up. For individual meetings, always follow-up with a thank you email.  Be sure to include a request to stay in touch in the future if you would like to connect again and make a calendar reminder to make a follow-up outreach.  You could also consider connecting through professional social media – such as LinkedIn.  If you interreacted with an individual at an larger event or listened to a presentation at a program, consider reaching out to request an opportunity to speak individually.  Be sure to reference the event or program for context.

Additional Resources:

UIUC Networking Tips

UIUC Networking Success Stories

UIUC Virtual Networking

ABA Networking Tips

Forbes 5 Best Ways to Network