I spent my summer at the District Attorney’s office prepping preliminary hearings. I appeared on record for the first time and questioned witnesses. I also had the privilege of arguing an opposition to a motion in front of a judge. When I wasn’t in the courtroom, I was back inside my unit researching and writing motions. My experience tied together criminal procedure, evidence, and criminal law. In addition to building on previous knowledge from courses I’ve taken at Loyola, I strengthened other skills such as witness interviewing and courtroom confidence.

I spent most weekends reconnecting with friends and family. I celebrated my 25th birthday in August at a theme park. Even though I worked full time, I made sure I had time to recharge and disconnect.

“You’re going to blink and before you know it, you’ll be a 3L,” words of wisdom told to me as I prepared to enter my 1L year. As I select classes for Spring 2017, I can’t believe graduation is around the corner. 1L me wasn’t so sure I’d make it this far. Law school was more challenging than I had initially anticipated. In the beginning, everything seems foreign. You are learning how to brief a case, how to analyze the law, figuring out what facts matter, how to IRAC, you sift through so much information.

What I didn’t realize back then is that the entire process of struggling with material is where the learning happens. My first reading assignment for civil procedure was on issue and claim preclusion. I must have read and reread each paragraph a few times. I did not understand what I was reading. I remember for the first time in my life, crying over that textbook. As a 3L, I remember that moment and laugh. Everything has changed.

My name is Stephanie, I am in my last year of law school. I spend most of my time working and attending classes. In my free time, I play with my puppy Milo and experiment with Special FX Makeup.

The truth is I’ve never participated in a study group. For whatever reason, I’ve always been a solitary studier. I am sure there are benefits to group studying, but I’ve never gravitated toward the practice.

Let me just say this: there is plenty of peer feedback “in the air” as a 1L. Your section is a very large study group. You’re in classes every day with the same people…studying!

If you pay attention to what your classmates are asking, you will find many of your own questions answered. If you participate heavily in class discussions, you’ll be very engaged on the topics covered in class, and you may save yourself time later on by only needing to lightly revisit those topics. If you’re wondering what will be on the test, focus on what your professor is focusing on. As the semester wears on, I’m sure this engagement in class will reap rewards that are similar to studying in groups.

I have found it necessary at times to discuss things in depth with other students. In those situations, I’ve found it effective to reach out to others that I trust and admire academically. Everyone in class has various strengths, as do you. Trust your strengths first, then fill in the gaps with advice from trustworthy classmates who have skills you may not have. The point is, engaging with classmates can take forms other than traditional study groups.

One thing is absolutely certain about being a 1L, you need a plan of how to study. Whether that plan is to meet everyday with your friends to discuss the reading, or to read alone, or to swap notes via email, there’s no real “right way” to do it. I’ve definitely never felt any need to conform to a certain style of studying, or that there’s a sense that anyone is doing it “right” and anyone else is “wrong.” Loyola definitely fosters an individual sense of achievement that is refreshing. You can excel here being a complete loner or a social butterfly. If you’re rigorous, thorough, and put in the hours, you can figure out your own way to be a successful 1L.

During my first year, I recall seeing groups of high school students on campus. Since our campus is a law school only campus, naturally I was curious as to why they were there. I found out that they are participants in our Young Lawyers Program, where local high school students come to Loyola’s campus to prepare for a full mock trial.

This January, I finally had the availability to participate in Young Lawyers. The students come to campus once a week for twelve weeks, and the program will culminate in a trial that they will present before an actual judge. Every week, they complete homework assignments, like writing opening and closing statements, developing themes, and learning objections. Parents, friends, and the community attend the final trial to support the students and give them an opportunity to show off all their hard work.

Besides giving the students a chance to learn more about trial advocacy as high school students, the program also provides a mentoring aspect. We are broken up into smaller teams, where we work with the same students every week, developing relationships and providing one on one feedback.

I recently heard that there is a 1L student currently at Loyola who was a past program participant. With the continued efforts of our wonderful faculty, volunteering practitioners, and students, hopefully she is just the start.

I was under the impression that the first year of law school is the hardest and then it became easier the second year.  I was a little right, but more wrong, at least when it comes to my experience in the Hybrid Program at Loyola Law School.

I’ll start with the good news which is that nothing compares to how hard it is to start law school, really having no idea what to expect or what a professor wants on an exam. Last year, I’m not too proud to admit that I bombed my first law school midterm ever in Contracts.  I’m also not too humble to admit that I studied my butt off for the final exam and pulled it all together in a nice way—so know that’s possible to do.  What’s easier about 2nd year is that the unknowns are out of the way.  By 2nd year, you know what’s expected of you, how much time you really need to give your studies, and what a professor is going to want you to write on their exam.

What was I wrong about? That 2nd year would be easier course-wise.  I’m finding that the workload in the first semester of 2nd year Evening is significantly more intense than that of last semester.  Whereas last year I could take one weekend night off to go out with my friends, this semester is not like that.  I have no social life this time around, and can’t have one.  This isn’t the end of the world, however, as long as I keep telling myself the truth…that, “If I stick with this, it will all be worth it.” The end truly does justify the means here.

If you’re an Evening Program student, keep in mind that in the first semester of your second year, you’re mostly still working through the standard “core” curriculum of first year law students who are in the Day Program.  Be mentally prepared to stick it out through another half-year before you get to choose a nice set of courses you’re really interested in, notwithstanding any built-in interest you may have for the core I just mentioned. Oh and be prepared to use words like “Whereas” and “Notwithstanding” like I just did in this blog entry, without even realizing it.  Now that the lion’s share of my brain storage is filled with court opinions, I have no control over this behavior.

I started this fall in Loyola Law School’s Evening program which will take me from anywhere between 3.5 and 4 years to complete. This program is for people who work full time or, like me, run a business. Before I started, I attended the six week “Summer Institute” (SI) preparatory course the school offers, taught by Professors Archer, Bakhshian, and Craig. This preparation proved invaluable to me because I learned the basics of what it takes to survive in law school. Before SI, I admit to not knowing what IRAC meant, nor did I know what it meant to “brief a case,” never mind how to brief one. Never mind knowing how to read one with the eye of a lawyer. The list went on, but I truly felt like I was ahead of the game when the first day of class came. Not only did it help to know how to handle the first slew of reading assigned and to prepare for the first active class, but I felt more familiar with the purpose of law school in general. This helped my confidence, and I was able to shake off the normal disorientation most feel at the start of any program. Although SI helped me academically, my biggest challenge was yet to come: adjusting to how much time I would no longer have to do as I pleased.

I was 39 years old when law school started for me this fall and it had been 17 years since I had earned my Bachelor’s Degree from the Air Force Academy. I had been through 9 years of military service, and then another 8 more as an entrepreneur in the entertainment world. Now I run a start-up company and direct the activities of about ten other employees of the company. Although I can’t say that managing those careers and the one I have now weren’t/aren’t a challenge in time management, I had no idea of the discipline I’d actually need manage my time through this semester of law school.

As I write this, I have two weeks of classes left before the final reading period and exams begin, and I know that without a doubt my toughest challenge this semester was adjusting to honestly never having another truly “free” moment. In general, I’m a guy who is very used to planning my own schedule and making time for whatever I want to do and with whomever I want. I hang with a considerably motivated and successful group of friends but even they had trouble understanding how I could turn down their offers to hang out 3 times in a row on a given week. I like hanging with my friends, but I couldn’t any more if I wanted to keep up with the demands of work and school. There are other things I like to do also: cook meals, have 2-hour workouts at the gym, have a drink with someone after work… I quickly learned that I had to give up what I like to call those “luxuries for people with time.” Since I started law school, there is always something I could be doing. There is always another assignment to read and brief, and if I’ve moved far enough ahead on the syllabus, I should be working on my outline before midterms or final exams suddenly appear before me, as I now realize they do.

When I started SI, one of the professors mentioned that there are two degrees that take pretty much everything you have to complete. One is a medical degree and one is a law degree. I can vouch for what they say by personal experience. My advice to anyone starting law school is to be prepared to give it your all and to explain to those loved ones, co-workers, and acquaintances around you that you need their help in understanding that you’re about to take on something that will require a huge piece of your life. Let them know that for these four-month chunks, called semesters, you’re not going to appear to be yourself, and that although you’ll miss the good times, you simply can’t be there like you used to be. But also let them know that if they understand, they’re most likely going to find on the other end of graduation day a much happier and grateful you for all they did to support you.

This isn’t to say that it’s all just tough and miserable. You’ll know you’re in the right place when, like I do, you actually enjoy reading the cases and thinking critically about them, and you feel better when the professor calls on you in class and you know your stuff. You’ll meet great friends who are in the same boat as you, too. But the best part of all is that if you really focus and work hard, it all FLIES BY.

Like I said, I have two more weeks of class left and I can honestly say I don’t know where this semester went. Kind of nice, no? Yeah.

A few weekends ago, I volunteered to be a witness during an on-campus practice for the Byrne Trial Advocacy Team. They were preparing for the National Trial Competition’s Regional Tournament. I knew Loyola’s trial advocacy program was ranked fifth in the nation, but other than that, I really had no idea what to expect.

I walked into Robinson Courtroom (incidentally, which is where I have Torts class), to find team members wearing suits. After being briefed as the defendant’s expert witness, I took the stand and participated in questioning, cross-examination, and re-direct. The defendant was claiming insanity, and my job as his forensic psychiatrist was to present his test results and my professional opinion in a way that would convince the jury he was mentally ill. Honestly, I never thought I’d be learning about the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory test in law school, but when in Rome…

Overall, I was very impressed by the professionalism and skill of the team members. The questions were clear, straightforward, and expertly formed so that there was no room for ambiguity in my responses. Professor Levinson judged the trial, and she was no-nonsense and extremely thorough.

One of the reasons I chose Loyola was because I wanted practical and hands-on opportunities in school that would prepare me for a career in litigation. Between the Byrne Trial Advocacy Team, the Scott Moot Court Team, year-round externships, and the Hobbs District Attorney Clinic, I think I’ve found more than enough to keep my hands full.