Law School Podcaster

Timing can be everything – especially on the LSAT.  Running out of time to answer questions is one of the most frustrating – and universal – problems test-takers face. The test is designed to challenge your ability to pace yourself and allocate time efficiently. If you find the clock is wreaking havoc with your ability to answer all the questions and answer them accurately, then listen in as our guests outline a plan to put you on pace to get everything done within the allotted time and give you the tools you’ll need to maximize the number of points you earn.

Guests:

• Noah Teitelbaum, Manhattan LSAT, Executive Director, Academics
• Glen Stohr, Kaplan Test Prep, Senior Manager for Content Development
• Steve Schwartz, LSAT Tutor, Editor LSAT Blog
• John Fowler, LSAT test-taker and Columbia Law School student

The LSAT is a really hard test – even for native English-speakers. Can you imagine taking it in a foreign language?  Students who learn English as their second language (ESL) face a unique set of challenges, confronting dense reading passages, with subtle nuances in language, and time limits that can hinder performance.  If you’re looking to achieve a high LSAT score, and English isn’t your first language, hear what the LSAT test prep experts, and an ESL LSAT student, say can help you prepare for the test.

Guests:

• Noah Teitelbaum, Manhattan LSAT, Executive Director, Academics
• Steve Schwartz, LSAT Tutor, Editor LSAT Blog
• Milena Jurca, LSAT student, English as a Second Language (ESL)

It’s no exaggeration to say that the logical reasoning section is the most important part of the  LSAT.  Since two of the four scored sections consist of logical reasoning questions, it accounts for half your scaled score on the test.  So, mastering the questions in these sections is twice as important to as any other single portion of the test.  With that in mind, we asked our experts to break down the types of questions you’ll encounter, how best to prepare yourself and what you need to know on test day to achieve your highest possible score.

Guests:

• Noah Teitelbaum, Manhattan LSAT, Managing Director
• Glen Stohr, Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions, Senior Product Developer
• Matt Riley, Blueprint Test Prep, Founder & Instructor
• Ranika Morales, LSAT test-taker and student

Planning and getting through the law school application process can be a daunting task. Where should you start? How should you map out the next year so that everything gets done and gets done well? When should you take the LSAT? When should you make your list of schools? When should you actually fill out the application. Prelaw advisors, a top admissions consultant and a student give you solid advice on when to start your law school application process, addressing issues like research, how and when to tackle the application, the LSAT, managing recommenders and school visits. And they will help you plan your candidacy before you apply and throughout the process.

Guests:

• Sunitha Ramaiah, Co-founder and Executive Vice President,  jdMission
• Hilary Mantis, Prelaw Advisor & Career Consultant, Fordham University
• Rebecca Gill, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Prelaw Advisor at University of Nevada, Las Vegas
• Aminta Kilawan, 2L, Fordham University School of Law

You probably think you’re a pretty good “reader,” but the reading comprehension section of the LSAT catches many test-takers by surprise.   It’s easy to feel rushed when reading long passages on dry material and to struggle with answering complex questions with the correct answers.  And while these passages and question-types are similar to what you’ve seen and done before with other standardized tests, this familiarity may not translate into success on LSAT test day.  Our guests caution students who overlook this section in test prep that they may be leaving valuable points on the table.  Listen as our guests give you tips to help you maximize your speed and accuracy and increase your score. 

Guests:

• Noah Teitelbaum, Manhattan LSAT, Managing Director
• Glen Stohr,  Kaplan Test Prep & Admissions, Senior Product Developer
• Matt Riley,  Blueprint Test Prep, Founder & Instructor 
• Ranika Morales, LSAT test-taker and student

The legal specialty of sports and entertainment law sounds pretty glamorous. If you’re thinking about a career in this field, you may be drawn by the prospect of representing celebrities, athletes, authors, entertainers and their employers.  But what exactly is this practice area? What do sports and entertainment lawyers actually do?  How can law students pursue a career in this specialty?  We explore this topic and speak with lawyers who serve as outside and in-house counsel in some of the leading sports and entertainment organizations and firms and also with the director a program at a top law school with a special curriculum devoted to this exciting  area. Listen in to learn more.

Guests:

• Shelley Reid, Fox Television Studios, Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs
• Rupen Fofaria, Loeb & Loeb, Associate
• John Schulman, University of Southern California Law School, Executive Director of Entertainment Program; Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, Partner
• David Cohen, New York Mets, General Counsel
• Rajiv Dalal, Motion Picture Association of America, Managing Director, India

Law school is expensive and the choice of where to go is likely the biggest invesment decision that you have yet to face. Should you opt for a school near where you want to live and work or the school with a high ranking or big national name? How do you calculate the return on your investment? Will the regional schools get you where you want to go, or do you need a national law school to meet your career goals? In this show, representatives from different schools talk about the challenges – and the benefits – of getting your law degree locally or at a more national school, a consultant tells you what recruiters are thinking, and our guests give you tips for whichever path you choose to guide you to success.

Guests:

• Sari Zimmerman, Assistant Dean, Career & Professional Development, UC Hastings College of Law
• Fran V. Bouchoux, Associate Dean for Academic and Student Services, Rutgers School of Law, Newark
• Susan L. Krinsky, Associate Dean, Dean of Admissions, Financial Aid & Career Development, Tulane University Law School
• Andy Cornblatt, Dean of Admissions, Georgetown University Law Center
• Brian Dalton, Director, Research & Consulting, Vault.com

You’ve heard it before.  It’s not just what you know, it’s who you  know.  If you’re a law student, or if you’re just starting to think about law school, you’ll want to start building your network now.  Networking can not only help you find that coveted first job, but can also help you hone the skills you’ll need after you’re hired and throughout your legal career.  Our guests explain how to identify networking sources, initiate contacts, socialize with confidence, develop and nurture networking relationships, and continuously broaden your contacts so that you’ll develop relationships and make connections with people who will help you launch and enhance your career.

Guests:

• Jessie Kornberg, Executive Director, Ms. JD
• Frank Kimball, Owner, Kimball Professional Management
• Kimberly Encinas, Associate, Munger, Tolles & Olson, LLP Los Angeles
• Katherine Hayes, 3L Student, Northwestern University Law School

You’ve done your research and you’ve come up with the list of schools you’re applying to. Now you’re working on your applications and your resume. In this show, admissions deans and authors/consultants give you solid advice on putting together your law school application resume. This resume should be different from the resume you’ll use to apply for jobs. Our guests explain how they’re different, what admissions committees look for, what catches their eye and what is an immediate red flag.  They also address nuances in your resume such as writing style, format, what categories to include, and what not to include. Don’t send your resume without listening to this show!

Guests include:

• Bill Hoye, Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs, Duke Law School
• Rita Jones, Assistant Dean, Admissions & Financial Aid, Boston College Law School
• Richard Montauk, admissions consultant and author of How to Get Into the Top Law Schools
• Ann Levine, admissions consultant and author of The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert

Wouldn’t it be great if you could submit a perfect law school application?  There’s no such thing, say the experts, but one of the most significant challenges law school applicants face is the need to mitigate weaknesses or perceived weaknesses in an application.  In this show, we help you take a step back to critically evaluate your application for true weak spots, we delve into the problems that most frequently trip up candidates, and walk you through the steps that allow you to correct weaknesses and mitigate problems through other parts of your application. Listen as we help you present your weaknesses in the best light possible.

Guests include:

• Ann Richard, Associate Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid, George Washington University Law School
• Rita Jones, Assistant Dean, Admissions and Financial Aid, Boston College Law School
• Graham Richmond, Co-Founder and CEO of Clear Admit
• Anna Ivey, Admissions Consultant and author of The Ivey Guide to Law School Admissions

It’s amazing how many law school applicants make avoidable application mistakes. It’s unfortunate, but hardly surprising, that these avoidable mistakes can result in your application being immediately rejected. You have one chance to get it right. We interviewed 3 deans of admission from leading law schools and a top admissions consultant to help you avoid application pitfalls.

Guests include:

• Kenneth Kleinrock, Assistant Dean for Admissions, New York University School of Law
• Jason Wu Trujillo, Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions, University of Virginia School of Law
• Sarah Zearfoss, Assistant Dean for Admissions and Special Counsel for Professional Strategies, University of Michigan Law School
• Linda Abraham, Accepted.com, President and Founder

You’re starting law school, and in case you haven’t heard, the first (or 1L) year, is not for the faint-hearted. It’s a long haul and it’s full of challenges, but there are strategies that will help you make it through successfully. We speak with professors who teach first year law students and with authors of some helpful guides to tackling your first year of law school – and beyond. We also check in with a student to hear what you should know before you go. They have some insider tips to help you with specific strategies for success and to manage your time, so you can hit the ground running in law school.

Guests include:

• James D. Gordon III, Marion B. and Rulon A. Earl Professor of Law, Brigham Young University Law School and author of Law School: A Survivor’s Guide
• Henry Noyes, Professor of Law at Chapman University School of Law, author of Acing Your First Year of Law School: The Ten Steps to Success You Won’t Learn in Class
• Don Macaulay, Founder of AdmissionsDean.com and Law Preview
• Nancy B. Rapoport, Gordon Silver Professor of Law, William S. Boyd School of Law, UNLV and author of Law School Survival Manual: From LSAT to Bar Exam
• Gary Young, Adjunct Professor of Law at University of Nebraska College of Law, Lincoln and author of Law School Ninja
• Ashley Brian, 2L Law Student, Indiana University School of Law, Indianapolis

Your LSAT score is one of the most important parts of your law school application and applicants worry, plan and strategize about how to tackle this dreaded standardized test. To help you overcome this challenge, we talk with some test prep experts to get study tips so you can learn how to improve from your first practice test, what to do the night before and the day of the exam. We hear from an undergraduate prelaw advisor who guides students throughout the admissions process, and we speak with a law school admissions dean to get some inside perspective to hear how the admissions committee evaluates your score.

Guests include:

• Richard Geiger, Associate Dean and Dean of Admissions, Cornell Law School
• Dr. Rebecca Wood Gill, Assistant Professor and Prelaw Advisor, UNLV
• Noah Teitelbaum, Managing Director, Atlas LSAT Test Prep
• Brad McIlquham, Director of Academics, Knewton LSAT Prep

Whether you are just starting to consider applying to law school or if you are just about ready to send off your application, you are probably going to have a lot of questions about the choices you have to make before you pick the right school for you. Where do you start? How does the application process work? What do the admissions committees look for in your application? How can you make your application stand out? In this show, we round up the top authors of the books that address the admissions process to help you tackle the process from start to finish. Hear their tips and get some insight into how their books can help you get into your chosen school.

Guests:

• Ann K. Levine, author of The Law School Admission Game: Play Like an Expert
• Anna Ivey, author of The Ivey Guide to Law School Admissions: Straight Advice on Essays, Resumes, Interviews, and More
• Paul Bodine, Senior Editor at Accepted.com and author of Perfect Phrases For Law School Acceptance: Hundreds of Ready-To-Use Phrases to Write A Winning Personal Statement, Ace The Interview, and Impress Admissions Officers and Great Personal Statements For Law School
• Richard Montauk, How To Get Into The Top Law Schools (Revised) 4th edition
• Joyce Putnam Curll, The Best Law Schools’ Admissions Secrets: The Essential Guide From Harvard’s Former Admissions Dean

Summer Associates, Legal Interns, Law Clerks. During the summer months, law students fan out across the nation to put the academic skills they’ve learned all year to the real test: doing the work of a lawyer. Whether you’re working in a law firm with a summer program, jumping into the trenches with a solo practitioner, joining a corporate counsel team or dedicating your summer to public interest work, you’ll need to make the most of your experience. We tackle topics like how to effectively obtain and complete assignments, how to build relationships with fellow summer associates, staff, and attorneys and how to enjoy firm-sponsored social events while maintaining professionalism. We also get tips on what not to do, to keep you on the best course for landing a job after graduation!

Guests include:

• Wendy Siegel, Director, Recruitment and Marketing, Office of Career Services, New York University School of Law
• Kara E. Nelson, National Director of Legal Recruiting, Foley & Lardner, LLP
• Elie Mystal, an editor of www.abovethelaw.com
• Sabina B. Clorfeine, co-author of The Summer Associate’s Guide to a Permanent Job Offer

Nontraditional law school applicants and students might look a little different on paper and in-person, but they still have to face the same daunting law school admissions process as those coming straight from undergraduate schools. As students, they will face the same rigorous academic curriculum and the same job search challenges as others, but they do so coming from a background and a perspective that may not always mirror that of their fellow law students. We explore this topic with law school admissions deans, a dean of career services, an admissions consultant and we talk with a non-traditional student who has traveled down this road.

Guests include:

• Johann Lee, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Northwestern University Law School
• Frank Motley, Assistant Dean for Admissions, Indiana University Maurer School of Law
• Heather Frattone, Associate Dean for Career Planning and Professionalism, University of Pennsylvania Law School
• Adam Hoff, Director of Admissions Consulting, Veritas Prep
• Jim Quattromani, J.D. Candidate, Class of 2010, Northwestern University School of Law

Law school rankings. Questioned, criticized, but rarely ignored. Whether rankings really say anything about the quality of legal education is an open question, but the fact is, they are used by students looking for the school that fits them best and by some employers deciding which law school grads to recruit. Some rankings rate full-time, part-time and international law programs, others rank schools based on their job placement rate, employer satisfaction, faculty and student diversity. You can also find rankings focusing on specialties such as intellectual property, environmental law, healthcare and tax law. We’ll dig into the rankings and find out which list is most appropriate for each set of criteria and what’s behind the numbers.Guests include:

• Robert Morse, Director of Data Research for U.S. News & World Report’s, Best Law Schools
• Robert Franek, Senior Vice President and Publisher, The Princeton Review’s The Best 172 Law Schools
• Brian Dalton, Managing Editor, Vault.com’s Top 25 Law Schools
• Don Macaulay, President and Founder, AdmissionsDean.com

When considering law school, one of the options you will weigh is whether to pursue the degree on a part-time or full-time basis. With rising tuition and an uncertain job market, prospective law students may have an incentive to keep working at their current jobs, if they are already employed or, to find a way to finance law school with a job that allows them to attend school at night. But do part-time law students give up something that is vital to their legal education? We interviewed experts from the admissions offices and career offices at law schools with part-time JD programs to help you understand the pros and cons of each program, to learn how admissions committees evaluate part-time applicants and to learn about career prospects for part-time law students. We also hear from a part-time law student who is working while attending school about how it all fits together. Listen to what they have to say.Guests include:

• Andy Cornblatt, Dean of Admissions, Georgetown University Law Center
• Stephen Brown, Dean of Enrollment Services, Fordham Law School
• Melissa Lennon, Assistant Dean for Career Planning, Temple University, Beasley School of Law
• Jannell Roberts, Assistant Dean of Admissions, Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
• Meghan Morris, Part-Time Law Student, Georgetown University Law Center

Law school applicants have had to face the LSAT since 1948. Now, it’s your turn. To help you prepare, we have interviewed the various test preparation companies to hear what they have to offer. They will discuss the different types of courses they offer, from traditional classroom courses, private tutoring and online courses. Each company will have the opportunity to explain how they are unique and what makes them stand out. Listen and learn what option is best for you.

Guests include:

• Andrew Brody, National Content Director for LSAT Programs, The Princeton Review
• Kristen Kennedy, Lead LSAT Instructor, Knewton
• Dave Killoran, CEO and Director of Course Development, PowerScore Test Preparation
• Noah Teitelbaum, Managing Director, Atlas LSAT Test Prep
• Trent Teti, Co-Founder and LSAT Instructor, Blueprint LSAT Preparation®
• Jeff Thomas, Director of Pre-Law Programs, Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions

Get ready to think hard, dig deep and do a little soul searching. It’s time to tackle your law school personal statement. The personal statement is the single most important part of your entire application which you can control. So put your LSAT scores and your GPA aside for a bit and think about how you can convince the admission committee that you deserve a spot in their entering 1st year law school class. Our guests will tell you where to begin, what to focus on and how to address any weaknesses in your application, such as a low LSAT score or a weak GPA. You will also learn how to prepare the people you chose to write your letters of recommendation so that your recommendations are consistent with your personal statement and help enhance the overall image you are building of yourself.

Guests include:

• Edward Tom, Dean of Admissions, UC Berkeley Law School- Boalt Hall
• G. Todd Morton, Assistant Dean for Admissions, Vanderbilt University Law School
• Adam Hoff, Director of Admissions Consulting and Research, Veritas Prep
• Linda Abraham, President and Founder, Accepted.com
• Paul Bodine, Author and Senior Editor, Accepted.com
• Rodia Vance, Assistant Director for Pre-Professional Services, Pre-law Advisor, Emory University
• Carissa Kranz, Law Student, UC Berkeley Law School – Boalt Hall

Waitlist purgatory. The place no law school applicant wants to end up. What should you do now? Some say you need to continually update the school with your recent developments, more letters of recommendation and maybe even take the LSAT again, but some schools tell you not to send anything unless there’s been a significant change in your application. We’ll explore where you should go from here and what you can do to help get you off the waitlist and onto the accepted list.

Guests include:

• Richard Geiger, Associate Dean, Cornell Law School
• William J. Hoye, Associate Dean, Admissions and Student Affairs, Duke University School of Law
• Ann Levine, Founder of Law School Expert.com and author
• Graham Richmond, Co-Founder and CEO of Clear Admit

You are considering a law school education, and you know it’s a good investment for your future. But, you may not be sure exactly how to finance the cost of a 3 year education that can top more than $40,000/year in expenses. Our experts explain the options available, and outline the financial aid process, including federal and private loans, grants and scholarships and how best to prepare financially to continue your studies. Listen to what law school deans who work with students at various stages of the financial aid process have to say; we talk with one dean who helps students put the financing together to pay for school and with a career services dean who helps place students in the jobs that will help them pay back their debt. We hear from experts with FinAid.org, Fastweb.com, and Sallie Mae, to get insight that will help you get started on your financial strategy to pay for law school. We also take a look at what changes in the federal student loan program might mean for law school applicants and students.

Guests:

• Mark Kantrowitz, Publisher of FinAid.org and Fastweb.org
• Stephen Brown, Assistant Dean for Enrollment Services, Fordham University School of Law
• Mike Spivey, Assistant Dean for Career Services, Strategy and Marketing, Washington University of St. Louis School of Law
• Patricia Nash Christel, Sallie Mae Specialist on Saving, Planning and Paying For School

Joint degree programs are proliferating and one of the most popular are the programs offering to join a graduate business degree (MBA) with a law degree (JD) for a joint JD/MBA. More and more schools are offering these combined programs in response to strong student demand driven by the potential for substantial savings of time and money. We talk to the experts to find out what the real value of these programs are, when a dual degree makes the most sense for a student, the procedures and standards for admission, what the academic challenges are, and we get the latest information about post-graduate career opportunities.

Guests include:

• David E. Van Zandt, Dean of Northwestern University School of Law
• Edward B. Rock, University of Pennsylvania Law School, The Saul A. Fox Distinguished Professor of Business Law and Co-Director of Institute for Law and Economics at Wharton
• Wendy Siegel, Director of Recruitment and Marketing, New York University School of Law, Office of Career Services
• Pamela Mittman, Assistant Dean of Career Services and Student Activities, New York University Stern School of Business
• John Amer, Client Partner, Legal, at Korn Ferry International
• Blair Ciesel, Recruiter at International Consulting Firm; JD/MBA Graduate from Northwestern University Law School/Kellogg School of Mangement.
• Rob Neal, Executive Director of Tournament Golf Foundation; JD/MBA Graduate from Emory University

It’s no surprise that, during a recession, the legal job market tightens and legal employment is harder to find. Big Law firms that once snapped up students and law school graduates are laying-off lawyers, reducing associate class size or deferring the start dates for students with accepted job offers. Legal employers are changing the ways they recruit lawyers and the way they do business. Meanwhile, the tough times are steering more applicants to law school. What does this mean to currently enrolled law students, law school applicants and freshly-minted law school graduates? We interviewed law school deans of admission, financial aid and career services, the Executive Director at NALP and the writer for the Wall Street Journal who covers notable trends in the legal market for the business community, to get their advice on what can be done to navigate one’s career and application during these challenging times.

Guests include:

• Jason Wu Trujillo, Senior Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid, The University of Virginia Law School
• Johann Lee, Assistant Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, Northwestern University Law School
• Kevin Donovan, Senior Assistant Dean for Career Services, The University of Virginia Law School
• Carole Montgomery, Director of the Career Development Office at The George Washington University Law School
• Jim Leipold, Executive Director at NALP, National Association for Law Placement
• Ashby Jones, The Law Blog at the Wall Street Journal

The LSAT® is the single most dreaded part of the law school application process. Everyone has heard the stories and the myths surrounding the exam. Listen in as we talk with law school deans of admission, and get some perspective about the test from a current law school dean who served on the Test Development Committee for the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Our experts dispel some of the popular notions about the exam, including the notion that the questions are designed to trick test-takers. The deans also weigh in on how important the LSAT® is relative to other factors when evaluating your application. Finally, we also hear from two test prep companies about how they can help prepare students to master the material on exam day.

With so many law schools, how do you decide which school is right for you? Part of your decision will be based on where you think you will get accepted, but there is more to consider than just LSAT scores and undergraduate GPAs, no matter where you plan to apply.  In this episode, we explore the various factors you should consider when deciding where to apply, including curriculum offerings and other activities such as law reviews/journals and clinical programs, opportunities for legal employment after graduation, and factors such as cost, accreditation and location. Our guests will give you specific recommendations on what you should look for in a school as you compile your list of potential law school programs.

In the competitive world of law school admissions, your goal is to build the best possible application package. This means covering all your bases. Have your written a personal statement that is full of details and free of errors? Did you make the most of opportunities to showcase your unique accomplishments? Did you properly address perceived weaknesses? In this show, we provide tips to help you create the killer law school application, one that will leave a lasting impression. You will hear directly from law school admissions deans about what they look for in a candidate and you’ll get several tips from an author whose book is about writing the best personal statement for law school and from a consultant who guides applicants through the law school application process.

For students thinking of applying to law school, it is never too early to start building a strong application. In this show, we interview top law school admissions deans, admission consultants, authors, and current law students to help illuminate the process by telling us what can be done now to help applicants get in next year. Find out when to start studying for the LSAT, how many times applicants should plan to take the exam, when the best time to visit schools is, how to narrow choices, and how to address weaknesses in an application, such as low grades or potentially low LSAT scores. Find out when the best time is to submit the application. We also examine how current economic conditions may affect the application process.

Guests include:

• Anne M. Richard, Associate Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, George Washington University Law School
• Robert L. Schwartz, Assistant Dean/Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid, UCLA School of Law
• Ben Teisch, Current 1st Year Law Student, George Washington University Law School
• Todd Holman, Current 1st Year JD/MBA Student, UCLA School of Law
• Richard Montauk, Author of “How To Get Into The Top Law Schools” and Law School Admission Consultant
• Adam Hoff, Director of Admissions Consulting and Research at Veritas Prep