Author: Christi Evans

LinkedIn: Is it Worth it?

Today, especially from COVID and on, many people use online networking as a way to make connections and even obtain employment. Prior to undergrad and law school, most individuals have Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Once you “get older” you are told that you need to get a LinkedIn account. For me, I did this around sophomore year of college. Although you are always told to create this account, many have no idea what to do from there. Many people, including myself, would just post their resume and sporadic academic achievements, such as dean’s list.

During my second year at Widener, I decided to get serious about an internship in the field I wanted to be in, in the hopes that I would achieve post grad employment. Internships available through our school resources did not really seem to fit into my narrow specialty I wanted: a boutique firm that solely focused on family law. From this, I went and emailed probably ten to fifteen firms. No luck. Then, I began searching “family law attorney” all over LinkedIn. I found one attorney that caught my eye and sent a message saying something along the lines of I was really interested in her line of work and that I would love to talk to her about how she got to where she is at. I believe the best move that I could have made was that I did not ask for an interview or for a job. Instead, I tried to get to know the attorney prior to asking for job opportunities. The attorney responded to my message inviting me to a lunch and to discuss her career. 

Once I got to know this attorney in particular, I felt an immediate connection and I could not help but be proud of myself and the leap that I chose to make by randomly messaging her on LinkedIn. I was grateful that after our interaction she asked if I was looking for summer employment. Fast forward a few months, I loved every minute at this office and I was given a job offer for post grad. 

From this opportunity, I cannot rave enough about going off on your own and making attempts to network. Although it may sound scary, it is worth the uncomfortableness you may feel for a short period of time.

Finals: Myth or Fact

It’s no secret that finals are hard in general anywhere you go, but there are many thoughts about finals that may not always be true.

  1. Finals are impossible. MYTH! Finals are hard – but they are doable! At Widener, your professors give you everything you need in order to succeed on a final. My advise is to take diligent notes each class and listen to your professor. Many professors I have had give you a wink or say something more than once to indicate that it will likely be on a final. A common saying at Widener is that your professors are not trying to “hide the ball.” This means that as long as you come to class, read the assignments, and pay attention, you will be just fine!
  2. You have to stay up all night to get a good grade. MYTH! Overall, you know your study schedule the best, but I do not believe it is necessary to stay up all night before an exam. Instead, it’s in your best interest to get a full nights rest in order to perform to your best ability. Personally, I stop studying for my exams at 8 p.m. the night before. After 8, I take a shower and give myself an hour or two to relax and do something I like, such as watching an episode of Netflix or FaceTiming a friend. I believe that if I stay up all night that I will just get exhausted and then all the information I already know will get mixed up.
  3. You are going to have to work very hard. FACT! Law school is tough and challenging – there is no denying that! As long as you keep up with your work throughout the semester and study hard it is DOABLE!
  4. “Regardless I will be okay because the professor likes me.” MYTH! Professors at Widener adhere to anonymous grading. This means that when you start your final you put a five digit anonymous number at the top instead of your name. While grading, professors see this number instead of your name, so no matter how much they like you, they do not know whose paper they are looking at! This is the same for any paper due throughout the semester or multiple choice exams.
  5. “If I participate a lot I’ll get an A.” MYTH! Most of your 1L grades will be based solely on your final exam. Many professors say they have the discretion to award plusses and minuses for grades, but that is the extent that participation can do for you.
  6. You have to start studying for finals in August. MYTH! Focus on doing your work for each week and try to review before and/or after class. That is enough for the first few weeks. After about a month of classes, I suggest starting your outlines. Outlining is just a fancier term for taking your notes from class and condensing them into a word document to study for finals. After that, I update my outlines two to three times a month to stay on top of things. Most people start studying for finals in November!
  7. “I don’t have to remember the names of every case I ever read.” FACT! You do NOT need to remember every case you have read for a final. Most professors at Widener do not even care for you to put case names in finals. This is because you have 2-4 hours (which seems like a long time but isn’t) to write your exam. Your professors want to see that you can identify issues in a fact pattern and apply the relevant law to solve the issue.
  8. It is possible to not finish an exam and still receive a good grade. FACT! As stated above, you have 2-4 hours to complete your exam. Most professors give you a long fact pattern (around 4-7 pages) with a large amount of issues to be found. They do this because they want to see how many issues you can find in a short amount of time. This being said, many people are not able to finish. Law school exams are not based out of 100 points. Instead, you get points for what you do put on paper. Therefore, if you miss some things, it is not the worst case scenario. All you have to do is write as much as you can and wrack up the points where you can.

That being said, law school is hard and challenging – I would be lying if I said it wasn’t. BUT it is doable and one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever been a part of. If you decide on Widener, know that you are here because the school believes in you and that as long as you put your best foot forward you have done your best.

Good Luck!

What Great Staff Can Do

As many people say, law school is hard and challenging. ANY law school is hard and challenging, but there are many things that make this easier. One of the biggest pieces that makes law school easier is having a supportive and available staff. After touring many undergrad schools and law schools, I place Widener’s faculty above the rest. 

After finishing my first year, I have noticed that Widener Commonwealth Law professors are the most caring and giving professors that I have ever dealt with. With being online, they have separated themselves from the rest.

During the semesters, I could email any professor I had and I always got a response within an hour. These professors would answer questions in detail, offer to zoom, or even call me on their personal phones.

Further, the professors at Widener want to know you on more than just a teacher-student relationship. With over fifty students in each of their classes, they have come to learn everyone’s nickname, what level of law we want to do, and our favorite past times. These professors were available to discuss class hypotheticals, exam reviews, what nature trails to take, or even top notch bread and cookie recipes. With this type of connection, I felt like I knew my professors without actually ever meeting them face to face.

My favorite experience with Widener faculty was when I emailed my Torts professor that I was having an off day and was struggling. In law school, it is important to vent to people, and I felt comfortable enough to reach out to someone I trusted and who I knew has been in my shoes before. This professor went out of her way to ask me for my phone number, called me within ten minutes, and talked to me for an hour to tell me that how I was feeling was valid, that I was doing great, and that she was proud of me. When I heard those words I was relieved and ready to go back to studying. 

Beyond the professors, the support staff is the backbone of Widener Law. Although being on zoom has caused me to be somewhat more “techier,” I would not have made it through the semester without our faculty secretary and our media services director. These people have made themselves available 24/7 to help students tackle zoom law. The faculty secretary has been hard at work publishing each document for every class and handling all online quizzes and finals. Further, our media services director has been available at any time to help me get into my online account, to even showing me how to fix a printer (more times than I would like to admit). 

When deciding on attending a law school, know that when choosing Widener Commonwealth Law, you are accepting your admission, but you are also accepting a support system of professors and faculty that will be with you every step of the way, no matter how big or small. Good luck on your law school journey!