To succeed in your law degree, it is important to follow the habits and behaviors of successful students. This article will discuss some of the key habits of competent lawyers to give you guiding steps to follow.
The importance of a law degree
Law is a crucial part of any society. A lawless society turns into a place where human rights are constantly ignored and violated. An important question often arises when discussing a law degree is, “What can you do with a law degree?” The simple answer is that you can do a lot with a law degree, especially one earned from a reputable institution such as Cleveland State University. The online Juris doctor degree earned with CSU can help you build your dream law career.
Jobs as an attorney may be both financially rewarding and personally satisfying. In May 2021, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the median annual pay for solicitors was $127,990, with the top 10% of earners making more than $208,000. These pay rates are substantially above the national average for all occupations ($45,760) and the average for other legal professions ($82,430).
According to a poll conducted by the American Bar Association in 2022, 74% of participants worked in private practice. Governments (8%) and businesses (7%) came in second place as the most frequent employers of attorneys.
Job opportunities with a Juris Doctor degree
With such a degree, you can open up a private practice by establishing your law firm. Legal firms employ lawyers to represent clients, including both individuals and corporations. These attorney positions are typically more stable than solo practices. Additionally, there are chances for progress and professional growth, which can result in greater pay. Moreover, JD degree holders can also step into the field of corporate law, as well as work in legal positions at local, state and governmental levels.
Top habits of successful law students
Plan, plan, plan
The first step to succeed in a law degree as well as any other type of degree is to start by planning. Any student who wishes to succeed in their studies should sit down and map out how they want to pursue their studies. This step allows students to organize their schedule and divide time for their studies, co-curricular activities and professional and personal life. The inability to do so can cause a disbalance in studies, work and private life, making it extremely challenging to manage everything at once.
Prepare in advance
Since law studies involve reading a wide range of law books, it is always advisable to read a few extra pages of your textbooks in advance so that you stay ahead of the coursework and are well aware of what is going to be discussed in an upcoming class. This habit of preparation is extremely beneficial because it allows students to increase their knowledge and actively participate in classroom discussions.
Create your own outlines
Successful law students are proactive in educating themselves on the law. Making outlines is essential to comprehending the vast amount of material you will encounter during your studies. It’s a good idea to break down and organize the content independently to determine what you know and what may require more practice or study. Using a bar preparation textbook or, worse still, another student’s old outline may help you save time in the near term, but it won’t enable you to properly understand the material in depth.
Work on memorization
Law syllabuses not only consist of a lot of reading but also require familiarity with various laws, regulations, articles, acts and more. As a result, law students need to keep up with what they study in class and memorize it daily so that they do not have to catch up later on. Students must make study and memorization of content a top priority every single week as the cornerstone of their legal education. Regularly memorizing things in manageable chunks can help you perform far better on tests than scrambling to learn everything at the last minute. Additionally, you’ll do better when asked to apply the information in court cases and real-world scenarios.
Participate in class discussions
If you don’t interact with your lecturers in order to benefit from their extensive aggregate expertise, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity that you might not find after graduation. Raise your hand if you have an inquiry since it’s likely that at least one of your classmates will also have the same question. Also, participate in class discussions to further boost your knowledge base. Plan a time to see your instructor during office hours if you are feeling a bit shy or if you have a question that isn’t related to the current lecture.
Practice and prepare
A common student quote is, “Proper preparation prevents poor performance.” It’s a mouthful, but the message is crucial. In terms of law school, preparation mostly entails practice. It takes a lot of practice to understand how to apply knowledge effectively; learning via study and acquisition of knowledge is one thing.
Prepare yourself with targeted questions that will aid in your thorough understanding of the material by practicing taking tests, crafting convincing arguments and even discussing pertinent subjects. You’ll become accustomed to the information more quickly, and developing the habit now will help you later in law school and your legal profession.
Use the free resources available.
Numerous departments and programs in law schools are designed to help you at every level of your legal career. You’re losing out if you’re not making use of them. Make it a practice to become aware of the various advantages of using those free services so that you feel comfortable asking for assistance when needed.
