Complete required readings for the mandatory Introduction to the Study of Law course.
Finish items on the New Student To Do List.
Attend Orientation events such as the New Student Meet and Greet, Public Service Law Center’s (PSLC) Welcome Service Day, and many others.
Select an activity for Public Service Day.
Academics
Check the Canvas website for each of your 1L courses for first class assignments.
Order the required texts for each of your courses, and give yourself plenty of time to read the assigned materials more than once for each class.
Purchase your subscription to Core Grammar for Lawyers, use the class code provided by your Legal Research and Writing professor on their Canvas page, and complete the Pre-Test.
Think about how you will most effectively take notes and be sure to have your computer organized to keep materials related to each course (NB: some faculty members prohibit laptops in class).
Familiarize yourself with BLSConnect where you can access multiple Brooklyn Law School resources and explore information about academics, careers, pro bono opportunities, and much more.
Attend the weekly sessions offered by the Academic Success staff to learn skills useful in preparing for class and working with legal materials, as well as to develop time management systems and stress reduction techniques.
Attend the Student Organization, Pro Bono Group, and Community Fairs.
Walk around the neighborhood to soak in our amazing community.
Consider joining a gym or finding another outlet to help you stay healthy.
Check out the weekly yoga sessions and the Mindfulness and Meditation sessions.
September
Academics
Use materials from Introduction to the Study of Law to build study schedules and weekly task lists, including regular consolidation of notes, progress on outlines, and answering at least 10 practice questions per subject per week.
If you prefer to study with others, think about forming study groups with classmates.
Attend sessions organized by your Faculty Advisor—come with questions!
Attend Academic Success Friday Legal Skills workshops to learn new skills and seek additional help. If appropriate, schedule individual appointments with Academic Success for advice on study skills, resources, time management, outlining, and exam practice.
Careers and Professional Development
Attend small group resume and cover letter sessions.
Consider attending Brown Bag lunches and other practitioner events, the NYC Public Interest Career Reception at Fordham University School of Law, and the Edward V. Sparer Fellowship information session, and the workshop on Public Service Internship Search for 1Ls.
Volunteering for one of the school’s pro bono projects is a great opportunity to gain legal experience.
Check out the Career Development Center (CDC)’s social media accounts and the Public Service Law Center (PSLC)’s Facebook page and In Your Interest (IYI) newsletter for up-to-date programming and career and public service announcements.
Student Life
Attend student organization General Body Meetings, Student Affairs Brunch, and other programs to help you get involved in our community.
October
Academics
Your Research Skills Assessment in your legal writing class will be due.
Your Legal Research and Writing Memo 1 will be due.
Many 1L courses schedule mid-term exams in October.
At midpoint in the semester, it is a good time to stop and take stock of the concepts you have learned in each course thus far, and to consider whether your study strategies are working well.
Academic Success Friday Legal Skills workshops are ongoing.
Take advantage of Clinic Information sessions to learn about programs that will be available in your upper-level years.
Careers and Professional Development
Log in to Symplicity, explore its many features, and complete self-assessment and profile on Symplicity.
Begin revising your resume, and, after October 15th, make an appointment with your career counselor or public service adviser to review your resume and discuss your 1L summer.
If interested in public interest/service, attend the Public Service Internship Cover Letter and Resume program, apply for the Edward V. Sparer Public Interest Fellowship (applications due in late October), and think ahead to the Public Interest Legal Career (PILC) Fair in February (you are automatically registered).
Register for and attend 1L Career Development Center programs, including the information session on 1L diversity fellowship summer opportunities.
Student Life
Schedule some time each week to enjoy your non-BLS interests and hobbies. Finding a good balance is essential!
November
Academics
Your Legal Research and Writing Legal Memo 2 will be due.
Review feedback on your legal memos and mid-term exams, and consider how you may wish to shift your focus as you prepare for future assignments and final exams. If you have questions, seek out your professors during office hours..
Step up your outlining efforts and focus on identifying the major themes in each course.
The Registrar’s Office will send an email with information about exams.
Careers and Professional Development
Finalize your résumé and cover letters, taking note of the different formatting guidelines provided for public interest and private sector employers.
Attend information sessions about work and fellowship opportunities.
If you plan on attending the Public Interest Legal Career (PILC) Fair, held in February, attend the Public Service Law Center’s overview workshop on the Ins and Outs of the PILC Fair.
Student Life
Attend Wellness Week programs.
December
Academics
Focus on your exams.
Attend review sessions offered by faculty members and check out their former exams on Exams-on-File on BLSConnect.
Careers and Professional Development
Research summer job opportunities and meet with your advisors in the Career Development Center and the Public Service Law Center to discuss your interests. Seek out information on fellowships and other funding sources. You can begin applying for 1L summer jobs - public interest, private sector, and government - on Dec. 1.
If you plan on attending the PILC Fair, you need to sign up for interviews for summer internships (deadline is mid-January). Many organizations complete their summer hiring at the PILC Fair, so don’t miss this opportunity!
Review the comments on your Legal Research and Writing Memo 1 to edit and revise the document if you wish to use it as a writing sample for December job applications. (You can email writingsample@brooklaw.edu and make an appointment to go over your writing sample with one of our Legal Writing Specialists).
Home for the holidays? Check Symplicity and RSVP for events hosted by local employers in your city.
Student Life
Attend Study Break programs to help you re-charge.
Enjoy your time over the break to re-connect with friends and family. Have fun!
January
Academics
Learn from your fall legal memos and exams: attend exam review sessions offered by your fall semester professors; schedule appointments with your fall semester professors, if individual advice will be helpful; meet with Academic Success faculty to assess your performance and plan for necessary changes in your study approach.
Careers and Professional Development
Review the comments on Legal Research and Writing Memo 2 to edit and revise the document if you wish to use it as a writing sample for spring job applications. (You can email writingsample@brooklaw.edu and make an appointment to go over your writing sample with one of our Legal Writing Specialists).
Consider attending the Brooklyn Law School Spring Pro Bono Fair and getting involved with a project.
Finish your applications for summer internship interviews at the PILC Fair (deadline is in mid-January). Register and participate in the PSLC’s Mock Interview program in preparation for PILC.
Continue to check Symplicity and apply for summer internship, judicial clerkship, and employment opportunities.
Meet with your counselors in the CDC and PSLC to discuss your progress and to schedule an interview preparation meeting.
Create a job file/database to keep track of all job search related information.
If you plan to enroll in an Externship for credit over the summer, start to research possible positions, consult with your Career Counselor and/or Danielle Sorken, Symplicity, and CORE ELMS on BLSConnect.
Attend Journal Information Session.
Careers and Professional Development
Attend the PILC Fair. Whether or not you have formal interviews scheduled, attend Table Talk (informal networking interviews).
Continue to research summer job opportunities, apply for jobs, follow up on applications already submitted, and meet with your counselors to discuss your progress.
Register for and participate in the Career Center’s Mock Interview Program.
Attend individual firm receptions to learn about Early Interview Program employers.
Student Life
Review Housing Lottery information and apply for housing lottery to request on-campus housing for the following year.
March
Academics
Attend Clinic Fair and information sessions about fall clinic offerings. Read the information in the Clinics section on BLSConnect, and contact faculty who teach clinics with questions. Be sure to understand the experiential credits requirements.
Apply for fall clinics.
Attend faculty programs on course selection and curricular planning. If you don’t have an academic area of particular interest, go to several faculty programs in different subject areas.
Consider participating in the Alternative Dispute Resolution Honor Society and Moot Court Honor Society Trial Team competitions.
Careers and Professional Development
Over spring break, consider choosing one of your writing projects from your Gateway to Lawyering course to use as a writing sample, and use your professor’s comments on your graded work to finalize the writing sample. (You can email writingsample@brooklaw.edu and make an appointment to go over your writing sample with one of our Legal Writing Specialists).
Continue to search and apply to summer job opportunities.
Talk to your career counselor about developing an effective list for r a targeted mailing to small firms that practice in an area in which you are interested.
Schedule an interview preparation session with your career counselor.
To prepare for summer internships, attend programs in professionalism, ethics, and resilience.
Student Life
Check out the BLSPI Auction.
Attend the Barrister’s Ball.
April
Academics
Attend Registration Guidance Session to hear information about registering for fall classes.
Participate in the oral argument competition if you would like to be in appellate division of the Moot Court Honor Society.
If you have found an extern position for the summer and want to apply for credit, go to CORE ELMS on BLSConnect.
Student Life
Attend student organization alumni dinners to maximize networking opportunities.
Consider running for a position with a student organization.
Apply for a Student Advisor position.
Attend Wellness Week programs.
May
Academics
Focus on your exams.
Participate in the Writing Competition if you would like to be considered for a Journal.
Student Life
Attend Study Break programs to help you re-charge.
1L Summer
Academics
Register for fall classes.
Review your spring memos and exams to learn from them. If individual follow up will be helpful, schedule appointments with your spring semester professors and with Academic Success faculty.
Consider applying to be a Research Assistant or Teaching Assistant for a professor in a spring course in which you excelled.
Careers and Professional Development
Enjoy your internship or summer job! Let your counselor know if you have any problems/issues.
Continue to think about fall internships if you are not already enrolled in a clinic or if you have not found a fall position yet. Discuss opportunities with your counselor. Keep checking Symplicity.
Attend Career Development Center information sessions for on campus interviews (OCI) and job search strategies for 2L summer positions. Find out which employers are participating in OCI, which includes public sector employers and corporations, as well as large law firms.
If you are participating in OCI in July-October, update your resume, update your writing sample (you may email writingsample@brooklaw.edu to request a meeting to review your writing sample), and meet with your career counselor as you prepare your list of employers to which you will submit applications.
Determine hiring deadlines and requirements for government offices and public interest organizations that interest you but are not participating in OCI. Consult your career counselor to consider developing a mailing list of mid-size firms and out-of-state firms that did not participate in OCI.
Review the summer intern opportunities contained in the Federal Government Honors and Internship handbook published annually in the late summer here.
Complete a summer employment evaluation on Symplicity.
Consider joining at least one local bar association as well as a committee in a practice area of interest to you. The New York City Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, New York County Lawyers’ Association), Brooklyn Bar Association, Nassau County Bar Association, Suffolk County Bar Association, Westchester County Bar Association, and the various Women’s Bar Associations all accept student members.