Make sure you attend an accredited undergraduate college or university. To check, visit the U. S. Department of Education’s (“DOE”) Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.
While in college, look for opportunities to engage in public speaking. These opportunities can be in debate clubs, public speaking competitions, or even acting as a tour guide for the school. Also look for opportunities to strengthen your research and writing skills. Sign up for upper-level electives that allow you to write long research papers.
To get into an accredited law school, you will need a GPA around 3. 0 or higher. Applicants admitted into the Top 50 schools generally have a GPA of at least a 3. 5.
It’s never too early to begin building your network. If you do a good job working for a real estate attorney in college, then when you graduate law school you can revive the relationship and potentially get a job.
Create a free account at the Law School Admission Counsel’s (“LSAC”) website. Find a test date and location. To do this, start on LSAC’s Law School Admission Counsel’s website Dates and Deadlines page. The last date to take the exam for fall admissions is typically September/October. You may be able to take the December or February test, but by then many law schools will already have filled most of their classes.
Your local library or bookstore should have copies of old LSAT exams. Find the most recent to take as practice exams. The LSAT is scored on a scale from 120-180, with 180 being the highest. To get into an accredited law school, try to get a score around the fiftieth percentile, which is around a 152. [4] X Research source
Read up ahead of time on the test rules so that you can follow them to the letter. Failure to follow the rules could disqualify you from taking the test.
On average, test takers are able to increase their score only two to three points on a re-take. [5] X Research source You may not want to retake the test unless your score was far below what you were scoring on practice exams.
Make sure to get all documents to CAS in a timely manner. A law school will not move on your application until it has your packet from CAS.
Also think of getting letters from employers. If you worked part-time for a real estate attorney, then a detailed letter from your employer could help your application as well. Some recommenders may need to be prompted to complete the letter. Send a friendly email reminder, or stop in to chat.
Follow the directions. If the school wants you to write on a specific topic, write on that topic. Also, if they give you a word limit, stick to the limit. Going over, by even a few words, can harm your chances of admission. Feel free to write about your interest in real estate law. However, it’s a good idea to only write on the subject if you have something meaningful to say. The best personal statements are often based on anecdotes, so write about real estate law if you have some experience with it.
Red flags include criminal convictions, punishment for cheating or plagiarism, or semesters with very low grades. An addendum might also clarify why one LSAT score is much higher than another. Remember to explain in your addendum, not make excuses. Your addendum does not need to be lengthy. For example, you could simply state, “I would like to explain why my first LSAT score is 20 points lower than my second. Two days before the first exam, I contracted the flu. Since I was afraid that cancelling would result in my not being able to apply to law school this year, I went ahead and took the exam although I was sick. During the second exam, I felt much better and scored closer to my averages on practice exams. ”
If you have a 3. 5 GPA and a 155 LSAT, then you have an 80% chance of getting into Brooklyn Law School but only a 50% chance of getting into Pittsburgh Law School.
You should always ask any prospective law school for its job placement statistics. Pay attention to the number of students who get “full-time jobs requiring a JD” after graduation. This is the most relevant statistic. Other statistics, such as “those working full-time,” might include people who are working full-time in a job that doesn’t require a law degree.
Tuition for out-of-state law students is often comparable to the tuition of a private school. If you want to move to a state and hope to qualify as an in-state resident, contact the law school’s admissions office for information.
In a real estate clinic, students may represent low-income cooperative boards or other non-profits. Students will assist with loan and co-op unit closings, shareholder meetings, and drafting by-law or lease amendments.
You may end up taking 1L classes with the same people. Get to know your “section” because these people may be the source of career opportunities and contacts down the road.
Another good way to meet people is to join a study group. In addition to the comradery, you will also get help with exam preparation, share notes and outlines, and have a group of people to talk through difficult legal issues with. If you join a study group, however, stick with it. No one likes people who join a group only to drop out after a month.
If you want to practice real estate law at a large firm, then doing well in your 1L classes is critical. Large firms will hire summer associates on the basis of your 1L grades. If you want to work at a large firm or in-house at a large corporation, then you should plan on getting grades at the top of your class. To get an idea of how well you need to do to be competitive with large employers, visit your career services office and ask what large firms or corporations come onto your campus to interview. Career Services should also have information on the GPA required to be hired by these large firms.
Externships can be taken for credit. If your school does not allow externships for working with a real estate attorney, then you could think about working part-time after your 1L year.
Although you may be paid, money should not be the primary purpose of a summer job. Instead, you should begin building your reputation. Be sure to do your best work. If you do good work, then your employer may remember you later when you are looking for a job. Be sure to hang onto contact information, such as phone numbers or emails, and send an occasional email to check up or just say “hi. ” Be sure to get writing experience in your summer jobs. Employers usually ask for a writing sample when you apply for a job, and it is best to have a “real world” writing sample, such as a contract you helped draft for an employer, than something written for a legal writing class.
The bar exam is typically offered twice a year. There is usually a summer exam (offered in June or July) and a winter exam (offered usually in February). If you have to take the bar exam over, you have to pay each time you take it.
If you can’t afford a full prep course, then you might want to seek out old study guides published by bar prep companies. Many people sell old guides on eBay and other online retailers.
Common problems with character and fitness include criminal convictions, financial irresponsibility (such as bankruptcy), and accusations of plagiarism. These may not completely block you from admission, but be prepared to discuss them with the character and fitness committee. If anything looks suspect to the committee, it will call you in for an interview. Always be honest when filling out the background survey. It is better to be upfront than try to hide something and get caught.
It will take several months to receive your score. In Illinois, for example, those who take the exam in July will not receive their results until the first two weeks of October. [19] X Research source
Your Career Services office will send out detailed requirements for participating in OCI, such as preparing a resume and ordering copies of your transcript. Be sure to follow all policies to the letter, otherwise you could be prohibited from participating in interviews.
Smaller firms often want applicants to already have passed the bar exam, so you may not be able to search for these jobs until you have the results of the bar exam.
In the letter, explicitly state that you are not asking for a job. You will get a better response this way. The purpose of the interview is to create an initial contact. If you make a good impression, the lawyer may remember you later for a full-time job or for part-time contract work. Draft at least five questions about the lawyer’s practice and be engaged during the meeting. Take notes and ask follow-up questions. [20] X Research source Ask the attorney if she knows anyone else you can meet with. Be sure to send a thank you note afterwards.
You can also cold call other real estate attorneys and ask if they have any overflow work. If you do not have a job, you should be most focused on building your reputation and not be picky about how much you get paid. If you do good work for low wages (or even for free), then the attorney may come back to you with additional work.
Regardless of your first job, you can try to get real estate law experience in your free time. For example, you can do pro bono work. Volunteer at a local legal aid organization and help non-profits with their contract disputes, real estate closings, and other legal problems. You could also increase your familiarity with real estate issues by writing bar articles on real estate law, offering seminars to small businesses on real estate issues, or sitting on a local government board that handles land use and zoning.
You can also seek board certification in real estate law, if your state offers it. Ohio, for example, offers two specialist certificates in real estate, one in Real Property—Business, Commercial, and Industrial Law and the other in Real Property—Residential Law. [21] X Research source To earn the certification, attorneys must show that they devote a significant portion of their practice to real estate law, take advanced courses in the field, and submit references. [22] X Research source In many states, they also must pass a written exam.
