gonow

I totally bombed my 1st year and am very ready for my 2nd year (so far so good) but I heard that it's very difficult to get a good job if your first year went badly. Is it true and what should I do if it's true?

coachbre

Don't Give Up!

Hi there! This industry is a bit unpredictable at best. A lot depends on what you want to do with your JD. If your desire is to go into a large tiered high paying firms, then, well, it may be a bit difficult for you -- unless, of course, you know someone that can get you in the door. If your goal is to work for the court system, go out on your own, go into a small to mid-size firm, then you may be okay.

The key, at this point, is to figure out where you had difficulty in your first year and get a plan of attack in place to do well in your 2L year. Bombing your first year is not uncommon! The difficulty that most law students have is that it takes a year to "figure it out." What I mean by this is many/most law schools do not have exams until final time -- with no or very little practice essays to do prior. This, unfortunately, results in the "look to your right, look to your left . . . at the end of your first year, one of you will be gone" theory. Have you heard that one? <sigh> It just should not have to be that way.

So, what I am saying to you is that you can still pull through this and still succeed in law school and ultimately get your JD degree. Not doing well your first year is NOT FATAL! Just get a plan and perhaps get a tutor to help you out. If you would like to talk to someone that may be able to help tutor you in your 2L year, contact www.lawcoaches.com or e-mail directly at info@lawcoaches.com and set up a free consultation. You have nothing to lose and you will, without a doubt, receive some good "free" information and some direction for your 2L year. Then, if you decide to hire a tutor, you can proceed with that as an option.

Best wishes and kindes regards,

Bridgette de Gyarfas, Owner and Coach Law Coaches, LLC www.lawcoaches.com

everlaw

1L is the MOST important
while I agree that don't give up and there are other ways you can get a good job, the truth is that 1L is the most important year of your law shcool career. If you want to go to a big law firm, your chance just reduced by 80-90%. However, clerking and other options are open, and like what Coachbre said, you can get it if you try really hard. Sometimes small law firm merges with the big law firm and you get in that way you know... so...you will be fine.