The Law School Toolbox Podcast: Tools for Law Students from 1L to the Bar Exam, and Beyond

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're excited to have ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, with us to discuss the most common questions we get about job interviewing as a law student. In this episode we discuss: The research you must do before any job interview and how to use it What to wear What to bring (and what not to bring) Special considerations for the virtual interview How to deal with the awkward interviewer Thank you notes – yes or no? How to get help if you struggle with interviewing Resources: CareerDicta (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta/) The Art of the Legal Job Interview (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/the-art-of-the-legal-job-interview/) Podcast Episode 173: FAQ’s about Resumes and Cover Letters (w/ Sadie Jones) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-173-frequently-asked-questions-about-resumes-and-cover-letters-w-sadie-jones/) Podcast Episode 120: Preparing for the 1L Job Hunt (w/ Sadie Jones) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-120-preparing-1l-job-hunt-ex-biglaw-recruiter-sadie-jones/) Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-175-top-interview-questions-with-sadie-jones/)   If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking with Nathan Fox, LSAT expert and founder of Fox LSAT, about some changes coming soon to the LSAT. In this episode we discuss: The upcoming changes to the LSAT in July and September of 2019 Why you should basically never cancel your LSAT score The economics of taking the LSAT What the changes mean for students studying for the LSAT right now Why every point in your LSAT score really matters Smart digital tools for LSAT prep Resources: Fox LSAT (https://www.foxlsat.com/) LSAC (https://www.lsac.org/) Thinking LSAT Podcast (http://www.thinkinglsat.com/blog/) LSAT Demon (https://www.lsatdemon.com/demon) Podcast Episode 97: The Future of the LSAT (with Nathan Fox) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-97-future-of-lsat-nathan-fox/) Podcast Episode 46: 4 Myths about the LSAT from Expert Nathan Fox (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-46-4-myths-about-the-lsat-from-expert-nathan-fox/) Don’t Go to Law School Just Because You’re Good at the LSAT (https://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/07/dont-go-to-law-school-just-because-youre-good-at-the-lsat/) Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/episode-174-lsat-updates-w-nathan-fox/) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!  Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're excited to have ex-recruiter Sadie Jones with us to answer the most common questions we've been getting about resumes and cover letters. In this episode we discuss: Why you should almost always stick to a one-page resume How and why it’s important to insert some personality into your resume What work experiences to include and which ones you can leave off your resume How to get help improving your resume  What goes in a cover letter, and why you really DO have to write one Where and how to address resume gaps, bad grades, and other common hiccups Resources: CareerDicta (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta) Resume and Cover Letter Basics (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-12-resume-cover-letter-basics/) Resumes and Cover Letters with an Ex-Biglaw Recruiter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-111-resumes-cover-letters-ex-biglaw-recruiter/) Avoid these Resume No-Gos (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-127-avoid-resume-no-gos/) Download Episode Transcript: https://lawschooltoolbox.com/lst-ep-173-faqs-about-resumes-and-cover-letters-w-sadie-jones/ If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode!   Thanks for listening!   Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today we're talking about some typical exam prep scenarios that you might find yourself tackling, so tune in and learn how to handle these common situations. In this episode we discuss: Common scenarios that law students face while preparing for exams What to do if you haven’t started preparing for exams (Don’t panic! It’s never too late!) Where to find the resources you need to prepare for exams How leaning in to what you are least comfortable with can help you succeed Why being confident is good, but being overconfident can be a trap How to handle balancing exam prep with family and friends Strategies and help for the all-too-common exam anxiety that strikes law students Resources: Law School Toolbox Tutoring (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/tutoring-for-law-school-success/) Past California Bar Questions (http://www.calbar.ca.gov/Admissions/Examinations/California-Bar-Examination/Past-Exams) Conquering Different Types of Law School Exams (Podcast) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-19-conquering-different-types-law-school-exams/) Calm Meditation App (https://www.calm.com/) Episode Transcript: Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/LST-Ep-172-Tackling-Common-Exam-Prep-Scenarios.pdf)  If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode! Thanks for listening!  Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today we're excited to be talking with Vikram Savkar, vice president and general manager of the education and training business for Wolters Kluwer Legal and Regulatory US, one of the largest publishers of legal casebooks, supplements, and other law related materials in the world, about how law school casebooks are changing in the digital era. In this episode, we discuss: How legal casebooks have evolved over the last several years and some of the key features that digital casebooks have introduced to law school learning What is the “Google Generation” and how are they learning differently than students did just 10 years ago? Given how much everyone is on their devices these days and how “distracted” folks already are, are digital casebooks really a good idea? What about reading comprehension – is reading on paper better for comprehension and retention? The newest features of Connected Casebook (Wolters Kluwer’s digital casebook platform) and what the future of law school learning looks like RESOURCES: Teaching the Google Generation (https://thenextweb.com/contributors/2017/07/26/teaching-google-generation/) Casebook Connect (https://www.casebookconnect.com) How to Outline with Help From Supplements (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/outline-help-supplements/) How to Use Technology in Your Law School Study Group (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/how-to-use-technology-in-your-law-school-study-group/) How Visual Learning Tools Can Help You in Law School: An Interview with Sketchy Law (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/how-visual-learning-tools-can-help-you-in-law-school-an-interview-with-sketchylaw/) Examples and Explanations (https://www.wklegaledu.com/study-aids/examples-explanations) Episode Transcript: Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/LST-Ep-171-Building-21st-Century-Casebook.pdf) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking about the Bluebook. You might be wondering, can there actually be an entire episode on this podcast just about the Bluebook? Oh, yes, there can be. In this episode, we discuss: What the Bluebook is and why proper citations matter How to cite a case – we walk through a case citation and talk about all the rules that are triggered Why you don't want to leave points on the table in your legal writing citation work Ways to get organized so that figuring out the right way to cite sources is faster and easier Why it is absolutely necessary to set aside time for figuring out all your citations and then more time for proofreading just citations Beware the short cites – in particular when re-arranging sections in your brief or memo RESOURCES: Why Citations are Important and Should Not be Ignored (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/why-citations-are-important-and-should-not-be-ignored/) Buying the Bluebook: Spiral-Bound or Online? (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/buying-the-bluebook-spiral-bound-or-online/) What Signals are Your Signals Sending? (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/what-signals-are-your-signals-sending/) The Anatomy of a Case Citation (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/the-anatomy-of-a-case-citation/) Warby Parker (https://www.warbyparker.com/lawschooltoolbox) Bluebook Oddities: 10 Unlikely Citations (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/bluebook-oddities-10-unlikely-citations/) How to Get Answers from the Bluebook (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-answers-bluebook/) Episode Transcript: Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LST-Ep-170-Lets-Talk-About-the-Bluebook.pdf) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today we’re talking about setting your priorities in law school when you're overwhelmed by your to-do list. This is the time in the semester when things get really busy and overwhelming, so tune in to find out how to tame your to-do list and get the most important stuff done. In this episode, we discuss: The two biggest mistakes law students make – prioritizing the urgent over the important and neglecting self-care What the difference is between urgent and important tasks on your to-do list and how to prioritize them (HINT: ROI – return on investment) Three don’ts – don’t skip class; don’t over-prioritize certain tasks; and don’t forget self-care Why it’s ok to leave something on the table; you might not finish 100% of your reading or brief every case, and that's okay Self-care – make sure you’re sleeping, eating well, spending some time with loved ones outside of law school, and exercising RESOURCES: Podcast Episode 88: Self-Care Tips for Keeping Your Mojo in Law School (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-88-self-care-tips-for-keeping-your-mojo-in-law-school/) Save Time by Book Briefing Your Cases (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/save-time-by-book-briefing-your-cases/) Podcast Episode 12: Resume and Cover Letter Basics (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-12-resume-cover-letter-basics/) Podcast Episode 167: Do You Have to Join a Study Group in Law School? (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-167-do-you-have-to-join-a-study-group-in-law-school/) Six Ways to Make Time to Exercise in Law School (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/6-ways-make-time-exercise-law-school/) HuffPost: Sacrificing Sleep for Study Time Doesn’t Make the Grade (https://www.huffpost.com/entry/students-sleep_b_1862002) Parenting in Law School: Surviving Your 1L Year While Raising a Family (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/law-school-kids-surviving-1l-year-raising-family/) How to Organize Your To Do List in Law School (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/how-to-organize-your-to-do-list-in-law-school/) Ahead of the Curve: Time Management – The Value of Valuable Work Throughout the Semester (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/ahead-of-the-curve-time-management-the-value-of-valuable-work-throughout-the-semester/) Podcast Episode 20: The Exam Countdown – One Month and Counting! (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-20-exam-countdown-one-month-counting/) Five Techniques for Using Deep Work to Excel in Law School (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/five-techniques-for-using-deep-work-to-excel-in-law-school/) NALP – National Association of Legal Professionals, Inc. (https://www.nalp.org) You are What You Eat! Eating Well in Law School (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/you-are-what-you-eat-eating-well-in-law-school/) Episode Transcript: Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LST-Ep-169-Setting-Priorities-in-Law-School.pdf) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking with ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, about ways to handle rejection in a professional manner. While some law students may not have already experienced rejection or failure, it will happen and that's ok - so tune in to learn how to respond professionally. In this episode, we discuss: Why this even matters and when you may face rejection in law school What NOT to do when reacting to a rejection from a job, law review position, or even a judge’s ruling (including a horror story or two) How to respond gracefully, even if you’re upset, surprised, or about to cry! The truth about why people get rejected – it's most often not personal – and how to salvage the relationship for the future (because the legal world is small) When is it ok to ask “why?” and how to respond to feedback (Note: whatever you do, do not get defensive or argue!) Best ways to make amends if you DO react badly or unprofessionally RESOURCES: CareerDicta: Strategies and Resources for Your Legal Career (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta/) Podcast Episode 159: The Secret Life of Law Firms (w/Sadie Jones) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-159-the-secret-life-of-law-firms-w-sadie-jones/#more-18846) How to Handle Difficult Feedback (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/how-to-handle-difficult-feedback/) Podcast Episode 127: Avoid These Resume No-Gos (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-127-avoid-resume-no-gos/) The Balance Careers: Questions to Ask and Avoid in Legal Job Interviews (http://legalcareers.about.com/od/jobsearch/fl/Questions-to-Ask-and-Avoid-in-Legal-Job-Interviews.htm) Professionalism in the Legal Workplace (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/professionalism-in-the-legal-workplace/) Podcast Episode 1: Mindset – The Key to Success in Law School? (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-1-mindset-key-success-law-school/) Podcast Episode 110: Revisiting Mindset (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-110-revisiting-mindset/) Episode Transcript: Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LST-Ep-168-How-to-Handle-Rejection-w-Sadie.pdf) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, we're talking about law school study groups and how to make the most of them (or if it's okay to skip them entirely). This topic came from a listener question so don’t be shy. Send us your questions – they might end up being an episode! In this episode, we discuss: The law school mythology of the study group and why you don’t actually have to join one Some common pitfalls to study groups, such as group anxiety Why you shouldn't be afraid to leave a study group if it is not working for you and is a waste of your time Whether a study group is actually the best way to learn the material – after all law school exams are not a group test and the other people in your study group are just students who likely don’t know any more than you do! Things that your study group might be able to help with Useful tips for organizing a productive study group – including lots of technology tools that can help you collaborate more efficiently Alternatives to a full study group, to get some of the benefits without all the hassles! RESOURCES: The Girl’s Guide to Law School: Surviving 1L: Should You Join a Study Group? (https://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/10/surviving-1l-should-you-join-a-study-group/) Five Myths About the Law School Study Group (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/five-myths-about-the-law-school-study-group/) 5 Study Tips for Visual Learners (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/5-study-tips-for-visual-learners/) 5 Study Tips for Auditory Learners (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/5-study-tips-for-auditory-learners/) Meeting with Your Study Group Before Exams (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/meeting-with-your-study-group-before-exams/) The Girl’s Guide to Law School: How to Get Your Law School Study Group to Actually Study? (https://thegirlsguidetolawschool.com/10/how-to-get-your-law-school-study-group-to-actually-study/) Five Techniques for Using Deep Work to Excel in Law School (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/five-techniques-for-using-deep-work-to-excel-in-law-school/) How to be the Star of Your Study Group (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/how-to-be-the-star-of-your-study-group/) Active Vs. Passive Learning in Law School (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/active-vs-passive-learning-law-school/) Lessons From My 1L Year: Be Careful with Study Groups (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/lessons-from-my-1l-year-be-careful-with-study-groups/) Trello (https://trello.com/) Episode Transcript: Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/LST-Ep-167-Do-you-have-to-join-a-study-group.pdf) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee

Welcome back to the Law School Toolbox podcast! Today, ex-BigLaw recruiter, Sadie Jones, joins us to talk about how to frame your job search story. You may be thinking that you don’t have a story, but we all have a story! So we're exploring how to make sure your story makes sense. In this episode, we discuss: What do we mean by your “job search story”? Tips on how to make sure your materials are telling your potential employer the story you want to tell – one that’s relevant AND truthful Cover letters – and why they’re a golden opportunity to craft your story that you should never pass up How to deal with non-linear career paths Dos: get a LinkedIn profile, get feedback on your resume, proofread Don’ts: put a language you’re not truly fluent in, be defensive when getting feedback, make mistakes or typos in your materials RESOURCES: CareerDicta (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/careerdicta/) Building a Resume in Law School (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/building-a-resume-in-law-school/) Six Essential Cover Letter Tips for Law Students (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/six-essential-cover-letter-tips-for-law-students/) Podcast Episode 111: Resumes and Cover Letters (with an Ex-BigLaw recruiter) (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/podcast-episode-111-resumes-cover-letters-ex-biglaw-recruiter/) The Foundations of Marketing Yourself: The Mission Statement (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/the-foundations-of-marketing-yourself-the-mission-statement/) Ahead of the Curve: Setting up Your Social Media – Getting a Fresh, Professional Start to Law School (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/ahead-of-the-curve-setting-up-your-social-media-getting-a-fresh-professional-start-to-law-school/) Ahead of the Curve: Get a Head Start on Your Career (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/ahead-of-the-curve-get-a-head-start-on-your-career/) Episode Transcript: Download the Transcript (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/LST-Ep-166-Frame-Your-Job-Search-Story-w-Sadie.pdf) If you enjoy the podcast, we'd love a nice review and/or rating on Apple Podcasts (https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/law-school-toolbox-podcast/id1027603976) or your favorite listening app. And feel free to reach out to us directly. You can always reach us via the contact form on the Law School Toolbox website (http://lawschooltoolbox.com/contact). If you're concerned about the bar exam, check out our sister site, the Bar Exam Toolbox (http://barexamtoolbox.com/). You can also sign up for our weekly podcast newsletter (https://lawschooltoolbox.com/get-law-school-podcast-updates/) to make sure you never miss an episode! Thanks for listening! Alison & Lee