Jessie Zaylía's Law (and Law School) Blog

Whether you're on a law journal or not, having a publication can be a real boon to any resume. Nearly all law schools require a writing component, where you have to take a paper course. There's no reason that you shouldn't be able to take that paper and publish it. I'm convinced that I landed some of my most prestigious law school internships from my publications, not my GPA. A publication really sets you apart. Most law students have not published anything. Ever. So, when a perspective employer sees "PUBLICATIONS" as a category on your resume, he/she will likely be impressed and curious. That's a good thing. Note: This blog entry is NOT about how to write a publish-worthy piece. Rather, this blog assumes that you have written something excellent and explains the process of getting that fabulous piece of work published. You are going to need to know how to do the following: develop good key words write an abstract ... a good one write a cover let...

Now that I've graduated from law school, I've been receiving emails and invitations to attend certain events as an alumn. Like in law school, participation in events or clubs should be undertaken with discretion. Notwithstanding, I still think law students and lawyers should participate in, at least, some social interests. Law students : Being involved in a law school club can keep you from wanting to gouge your eyes out in law school. There were some days when the only motivator to me to come to campus was the fact that I had to moderate an event for the International Human Rights Law Society or some other club. Also, being involved in a club helps you to have at least something in common with your fellow classmates besides law! Perhaps, besides talking about Pennoyer , you can talk about something interesting... like animal welfare , tattoos , or surfing . One of the most worthwhile organizations that I became involved with was my local bar association . I met many l...

Whether you’re an attorney seeking a change in employment or a “rising” 3L trying to land a job, publication, or clerkship, having a good cover letter can make or break your chances for consideration. But why stop with “good”? This blog entry will demonstrate the whats and hows of superb cover-letter writing. Before we plunge into the nuts and bolts of it, it may help you to have an inside look into the mind of the person who will likely receive your cover letter. Chances are that this person is (1) extremely busy, (2) extremely bored with the task of sifting through mountains of applications, and (3) extremely annoyed with all of the terrible cover letters that he/she has already read. Even when a résumé looks awesome, a crappy cover letter will certainly land you in the circular file. Crappiness can range anywhere from poor format to poor grammar, from too long to too not-paying-enough-attention-to-get-the-job-description-right. And even when a cover letter is concise, gramma...

Ok, I'll be honest. You could grab about 10 random law grads, and I'm willing to bet that each would have strong feelings about the answer to this blog's topic. I'm going to let you in on a little secret... "you" being the 1L: none of you know what you are doing. This is completely acceptable! It's just that 1L paranoia begins to set in rather rapidly as you begin law school, and you--along with the rest of your colleagues--will all pretend (consciously or not) that you DO know what you're doing. This fact relates to study groups in a very poignant way: namely, a bunch of people who don't know what they're talking about getting together and putting forth their ideas does not appear helpful at the outset as a means of study. You'll here over and over as a 1L that by the time you reach your third year of law school, you just "get it." This is really true. And it becomes both laughable and painful to study next to a bunch of 1L...

Normally, I don't post things like this, but I think that all new lawyers and law students should have a look at this video. First, it's so unbelievable that it's hysterically funny. Second, sure, it's a major money-making program, but whatever. Third, it speaks to deference, if nothing else. Until next time...

About mid-semester, if I'm being smart, I start busting out some practice exams. But why now? Why would I start doing that before I have a full course's worth of materials to incorporate? I'll tell you why: Doing practice exams over a prolonged period of time makes your thinking and analysis on the day of the exam go very smoothly because, after all, you've done it before. Personally, the more I do, the better I tend to perform. However, this doesn't hold up as well if I wait until the last few days before the exam. I think one reason for this is because doing the exams creates a more holistic approach in terms of everyday learning in class. By the time you take the real exam, you've been so used to analyzing problems for your class a certain way that it becomes a cinch. Note: I have a very specific way that I use practice exams. I only take exams that have either model answers (by the top scoring student) or model outlines (by the professor who gave...

Last week, an inquisitive 2L approached me about her upcoming oral argument. We spoke for a bit until it became clear to both of us that she did not really know what on Earth to do with her introduction sentence. She didn't know how to structure it or, more importantly, what particular functions it serves. Many law students and, likely, lawyers encounter this same stumbling block. I have been lucky enough to have participated in many moot court competitions before actually arguing before the California Court of Appeal three times (successfully) last summer. Through trials, errors, triumphs, and blunders, I have learned a thing or two about oral argument. One of the more important things that you can work on to focus your entire argument--not to mention direct the court to the point of your "presentation"--is the introduction. The introduction acts as a sturdy, no-nonsense frame. And it lets the court know that you know what the heck you're doing up there. Now, t...

This is one of the posts that I've looked forward to completing for a long time. On a basic level, we all have different learning styles. Outlining for law school caters to linear thinking, which is great for linear learners. Regardless of whether you're a linear learner or a more holistic-type, outlining sucks. The process sucks. The time that you put into it sucks. And, moreover, if you lose part or--heaven forbid--all of it, that REALLY sucks. For those who find that they learn best from outlining, good for you! I am happy for you. For the rest of us who hate it for whatever reason, consider my alternative. Preface: this method has also worked really well for two of my mentees. One is in the top 10% at USD; the other is in the top 10% at UCLA. I suppose I'll call this process "index-carding" only because "flash-carding" sounds too much like pre-made flashcards, which is NOT what my alternative to outlining consists of. 1.  Get a pack of ...