Letter To the Class of 2018
A 3L’s Secrets to Law School Success
By Anthony Beneduce, Jr.
Disclaimer: What has worked for me, may not work for you. However, I can honestly say that the secrets I provide below are what helped lead me to success as a student at BLS. So today I’d like to share them with you. Good luck!
Tips for 1L Success
Find an upperclassman mentor. Law school is extremely difficult, and it can be even harder to navigate without guidance from someone who has been in your shoes. Having an upperclassman mentor can fill that void, and be critical to your success in law school. Whether you need advice on conducting legal research for your 1L memo, or just a shoulder to lean on, an upperclassman mentor can help navigate the murky path of 1L year.
Find a practitioner mentor. One of my greatest assets in law school has been having practitioners to turn to when I needed help. I have found that most BLS alumni are more than happy to mentor students. Seek out a mentor in the area of law you are interested in. If you are unsure as to what area of the law you wish to pursue, seek out a mentor for general career advice or perspectives on certain areas of the legal industry. You can do this by contacting the Alumni Office and asking them to connect you with practitioners in the specific area of law you’re most interested in.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. During 1L year, one of my greatest weaknesses was my stubbornness. There is no reason to subject yourself to the same mistakes that others have made in the past. I highly recommend that you reach out for help whenever you are confused, concerned, or lost. More likely than not, another person’s perspective will provide you with an answer you have been looking for. Whether you don’t understand the difference between a depraved indifference homicide and a negligent homicide, or are having second thoughts about law school, help is just an email, text, or call away. Reach out to a friend, a professor, or an upperclassman, and ask for help — you will save yourself much time and stress. This advice also applies if you hit a wall while conducting legal research. Either ask a reference librarian in the BLS library, or use the live chat option on Westlaw, Lexis, or Bloomberg Law, and an expert will provide you assistance.
Grades, Grades, Grades. 1L presents you with plenty of opportunities to get involved with pro bono activities, student organizations, ADR and mock trial competitions. But in the midst of all these great opportunities which afford practical experience, it is imperative to remember the most imporant responsibility: Grades, Grades, Grades. Your grades will make it that much easier for you to obtain job interviews, and job offers. Put your work first and you will thank yourself later. The secret to getting good grades is learning the rules of law, and then PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE in applying them to sets of facts.
Extracurricular activities. That being said, extracurricular activities can provide you with valuable practical skills, networking opportunities, and be an outlet for fun. At BLS, there are countless clubs in which students may become involved — from the Moot Court Honor Society, to the Softball and Basketball clubs, to the Federalist Society — there’s something for everyone. There are student liaison positions on various bar associations and their subcommittees as well. Getting involved is a great way to distinguish yourself from your classmates and give you that extra boost where GPA alone does not suffice.
Study Aids: Hornbooks, and outlines. Hornbooks and outlines are a great secondary source for you to study as you prepare for class and final exams. Specific books that many law students recommend are the Understanding series published by LexisNexis, which generally exists for every 1L subject, as well as the Examples and Explanations hornbooks published by Wolters Kluwer. Further, ask upperclassmen you know to help you locate outlines — they are often times keyed to the way the professor teaches the class, and are pivotal to understanding how the subject matter fits together. Although there is no substitute for reading your casebook, it is oftentimes easier to learn a rule of law and its factual application from a hornbook or outline.
Begin your legal research with a treatise. When studying a new area of law, it is helpful to begin your legal research with a treatise. Treatises are generally an exhaustive summary on a specific area of law that provides both the original policies behind the legal principle, and its case history. You can generally find a treatise for a particular topic under “Secondary Sources” in Lexis, Westlaw, or Bloomberg Law.
Start building your network now. The earlier you start to build your network the better. While sitting in class, take a look around you — this is where you will build a large part of your network. Student organizations are also a great place to find like-minded individuals who will provide you with opportunities, and they may be the people you rely on for help in the near future. Further, get out of the ivory tower and attend networking events and functions hosted by various legal organizations and bar associations around the city (time permitting of course). It is never too early to get your name out there. We are immensely fortunate to reside in a city of endless networking opportunities. Take full advantage of this.
Give back. BLS provides students with many opportunities to give back. Pro bono work is not only required by the school and the state for admission to the bar, but it is a great way to gain practical experience and distinguish yourself from your classmates while giving back to the community at large. Most importantly, pro bono work allows you to help the people who need it the most.
Don’t forget your why. Your why is what brought you to law school. Whatever it is, keep it in mind as you progress through your 1L year, and allow it to keep you focused on the task at hand: learning the law. Its very easy to get distracted by what others are saying, and doing, but don’t get caught up in it. Stay diligent, trust that you are doing the right things, and remain true to yourself.
Best of luck to you all,
Anthony Beneduce, Jr.
Anthony is a third-year student at Brooklyn Law School, a member of the Moot Court Honor Society, and a former member of Local 79 Construction & General Laborers’ Union. He has interned for the NY State Supreme Court, Queens County Civil Division, the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in the Violent Criminal Enterprise Bureau, and New York County Defender Services. He is currently externing for the law office of Elliott S. Martin in Downtown Brooklyn.
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