The Ten Commandments for Law Student Ethics and Professionalism

1. Be honest! You may be tempted to fib about your grades, your undergraduate years, or other experiences—but don’t. For starters, you may be disciplined for dishonesty by your law school. Plus, your professors – the same people who may be recommending you for externships and employment – can be quick to notice students who are dishonest. By being dishonest just once, you may jeopardize the very reputation you are trying to build for yourself.
2. Stay away from one of the most common reasons for academic discipline: cheating. Law school is difficult, and at times, you may face the temptation to cheat. Don’t! If you are caught cheating, the potential repercussions include academic discipline (possibly even expulsion) by your law school; having to disclose and explain that discipline to the bar examiners when you apply to take the exam, which may bar your admission to the bar; and potentially losing out on employment as a result.
3. Stay away from plagiarism. According to the Legal Writing Institute’s website, plagiarism is “[t]aking the literary property of another, passing it off as one’s own without appropriate attribution, and reaping from its use any benefit from an academic institution.” Conduct that constitutes plagiarism can range from blatantly taking someone else’s work to improperly quoting your source. Familiarize yourself with your law school’s definitions of and policies on plagiarism – and for that matter, other causes for discipline – which should be spelled out in your school’s student handbook. This conduct may also bar your admission to practice law.
4. Avoid criminal conduct and any behavior that can get you involved in it. In addition to the obvious potential criminal repercussions you can face, getting involved in crimes can come back to haunt you when you apply for bar membership: the bar examiners will ask about your criminal background and conduct a character and fitness check. In some states that check your credit when you apply to take the exam, even financial issues may present problems. Keep the big picture in mind before you get involved in criminal conduct—is it worth risking your career before you even start out?
5. Start building your professional network early. Meet and interact with many lawyers, talk to them about their careers, and don’t be afraid to ask them for career advice. Change the way you think about networking: it’s not just about having banal conversations at cocktail parties, but rather about meeting, talking to and building relationships with other professionals. Some good places to meet lawyers include continuing legal education seminars, alumni events at your school, and opportunities for practical experience, such as externships.
6. Build long-lasting relationships with your fellow students and professors. Think of your classmates as your first set of colleagues, and your professors as the first lawyers with whom you can network. Professors will notice how you treat your classmates. Plus, your law school experience will be greatly enhanced by camaraderie with your classmates, so get together to study and share tips and stories, and engage only in healthy competition.
7. Aim to project a professional image, even as a law student. Today’s professor, mock trial judge, or supervising attorney at that summer associate position could be tomorrow’s potential employer. Your conduct, speech, dress, correspondence, and overall presence should reflect the same image that you would want to convey to a potential employer during an interview.
8. Aim to project a professional image online. Your professional presence extends to the computer: from social networking sites to blogs to email, how you present yourself online can leave an impression with professors and potential employers alike; in fact, law schools and legal employers are increasingly checking on applicants’ online history. A blog about radical political views may turn off potential employers, as may a blog about your stressed-out life or crazy parties. Be mindful of the ideas you post online, as well as the way you present those ideas. An email address like “bigstud2360 @ coolmail.com” may have some attraction as a teenager, but won’t impress potential employers as a professional depiction of your online image.
9. Avoid substance abuse and the misuse of alcohol and drugs. According to various studies and professional sources, legal professionals experience higher levels of substance abuse, depression, stress, and suicide than professionals in most other fields. Seek help at the first sign of struggle with substance abuse, stress, or depression: seek out a mental health professional, a hotline for students or legal professionals, or a trusted mentor at your school.
10. Don’t take shortcuts in school. In recommendations, referrals, and hiring, professors and employers look for students who are hard-working and successful. As you must know by now, the practice of law requires diligence, drive, and determination—get a head start by working hard as a student. 

  
The Ten Commandments for Academic Success in Law School:

            1.    Show up and do the work! This may seem elementary, but 
                   it’s important nonetheless. Succeeding in law school means doing 
                   the reading, briefing, and studying that’s assigned.
            2.    Figure out what works for you—and stick to it. There isn’t 
                   necessarily a “right” or “wrong” way to study in law school, and 
                   different study methods work for different law students. Be it study 
                   groups or flash cards, experiment with various study methods and 
                   tools to find out what works best with your learning style. Be 
                   careful of relying too much on commercial study materials: use them 
                   as additional study tools, but don’t think they can replace studying 
                   the material on your own.
            3.        Learn to cull the most important information, put it into an 
                   organized format, and update regularly as you move through each 
                   semester. The cases are important because they illustrate how the 
                   black letter law plays out in different situations, but you must still 
                   learn the black letter law and how to apply it appropriately in order 
                   to succeed on your law school exams (and, ultimately, the bar 
                   exam.) Whether you use a traditional outline, flow charts, or some 
                   other method, you must learn to spot the information that’s 
                   important, create an organized method for putting that information 
                   together, and keep up with your work.
            4.      Hone the skills you’ll need for writing a successful law school exam. 
                  These include issue spotting skills, analytical skills, logical thinking 
                  skills, and writing skills. Learning the material is only the beginning; 
                  you must also be able to convey effectively what you’ve learned on 
                  your exams. To hone the skills you need, practice exam-taking 
                  under test conditions. Many professors post their past exams or put 
                  them on reserve at the law library; use those past exams to practice 
                  issue spotting, IRAC analysis, logical thinking, and essay writing. If 
                  your school doesn’t put past exams on reserve, then search online 
                  for sample law school examinations.
            5.      Develop effective and efficient study habits. At the beginning of each 
                  semester, come up with the amount of time you’ll need to spend on 
                  studying each week, then schedule in your study time, work 
                  schedule, and social activities and follow the schedule you set. 
                  Prepare for the program, the class, and the professor: different 
                  professors and different courses can require different methods of 
                  preparation, analysis, and writing. Learn to figure out what your 
                  professors expect from you (it never hurts to ask!) and prepare 
                  accordingly.
            6.      Take advantage of the resources that your school offers, including: 
                  writing labs; tutoring; practice exams; study sessions; guided study 
                  groups; academic workshops; and other academic and student 
                  support programs. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Make sure you 
                  seek out additional assistance at the first sign of academic difficulty: 
                  it’s best to address academic issues as early as possible.
            7.      Take advantage of opportunities for practical education and 
                  experience that your law school offers. Law school teaches you to 
                  think like a lawyer—but clinical and practical programs can show 
                  you what law practice is like, provide you with great experience, 
                  and offer you a way to stand out among other candidates for 
                  employment. Seek out law student clinics, externships or internships, 
                  and student activities that introduce you to law practice.
            8.      Participate in class and get involved in your law school community. 
                  Professors notice students who participate freely and intelligently, 
                  and you will get more out of your law school experience if you do. 
            9.      Beat law school burn-out. With a rigorous curriculum, grueling work 
                  schedule, and often competitive atmosphere, law school can afford 
                  few chances for work-life balance. But staying balanced is a must, 
                  in order to avoid burn-out. Learn to compartmentalize various 
                  responsibilities, be it studying, work, internships, or family time; 
                  then, prioritize and plan your schedule to handle all of your 
                  responsibilities. And make sure you make time for yourself: carve 
                  out some time for an activity that you enjoy.
            10.  Customize your legal education: explore various academic 
                  programs, opportunities for practical education, social and service 
                  activities, and other resources to help you find what you want to do. 
                  Following your passion is paramount. In the end, your law 
                  school experience – just like your legal career – should be about 
                  you.

The Ten Commandments for Ethics and Professionalism: Young Lawyers and Recent Law Graduates

1. First, be familiar with what your jurisdiction’s ethics rules require of you. You may have come a long way from your law school’s ethics class and those many interesting ethical conundrums, but knowing the requirements of legal ethics in the jurisdiction in which you’re practicing is essential—you can’t comport your conduct with the rules if you aren’t familiar with them.
2. Ask for help, training, and guidance whenever you need it, and seek it out from whomever will give it. One of the biggest mistakes you could make as a young lawyer – one that can result in negligent, unprofessional or unethical conduct – stems from performing a task that you don’t have the knowledge or competence to do. Learn to recognize when you need help, and seek that help freely from someone more experienced or knowledgeable.
3. Align yourself with some great mentors on and off the job. Even if your firm doesn’t have formal mentoring, you should seek out informal mentors who can guide you. In addition, many state, local and specialty bar associations offer formal mentoring programs.
4. Polish your professional image. This includes the way you dress, speak, write, and generally present yourself—whether it’s in person, online, or correspondence. Think about the image you’d like to project to clients, employers and others, and keep that image in mind as you conduct yourself.
5. Continue your education and professional development. Law school may have taught you to think like a lawyer, but chances are, your real training in the practice of law begins when you start to practice. Seek out continuing legal education opportunities, seminars, or web-based learning to help you hone your skills and continue learning about your chosen practice area.
6. Continue building your network. Whether you’re in your first job or your dream job, continuing to build professional relationships and meet new people in your field is important—networking will not only increase your chances of getting employment in the future, but also keep you connected and up-to-date with the profession. Take every chance to meet lawyers, whether by joining professional organizations, getting involved with your local young lawyers’ associations, or attending professional and social events.
7. Be mindful of your conduct, both at work and outside of the firm. Avoid unprofessional, unethical, and especially criminal conduct at all times, and don’t associate with people who engage in any of that: remember that such conduct, even when it’s after hours, can still get you in trouble with your state’s bar overseers or enforcers.
8. Be wary of burn-out. Despite many firms’ efforts to provide better flexibility, it’s no secret that many lawyers work long hours and struggle to find work-life balance. Lawyers are also more susceptible to substance abuse, depression and stress than most other professions, according to a recent study (Mike: which I’ll find and link to here.) Learn to recognize the signs of burn-out in yourself and cope with stress in healthy ways. Seek help for substance abuse and mental health issues immediately; many state bars and related organizations offer confidential help specifically for lawyers.
9. Don’t take shortcuts on the job. Do the work right the first time to avoid wasting time—not to mention looking unprofessional or lazy in front of your employers or clients. Hone your time management skills: learn to compartmentalize various tasks, prioritize, and plan ahead.
10. Look for a career path that’s the right fit. Assess your career goals, strengths and weaknesses and figure out what you’d like to do. Remember that few people start out in their dream jobs, and keep the big picture in mind when making career decisions. “Right fit” is an often overused and misunderstood expression. To us, it means getting paid reasonably well to do a job you love to do that provides enough downtime to enjoy your life outside the law. Most people live to work, not work to live. So, find what’s right for you. If the 100-hour a week job that pays outrageous money and has you traveling the country litigating cases makes you happy, then go for it. If you prefer the 40-hour a week associate’s position that pays you well and also leaves time to coach your daughter’s soccer team some afternoons, then you should find that job. The bottom line is, you’re making a serious decision of what to do with the rest of your life. Take some time to set your priorities, establish your goals, and figure out the right path for you.

The Ten Commandments for Bar Exam Success: 

1. Know your black letter law! Memorize the rules of law so you can quickly and routinely apply them during the exam. Use whatever tools work for you to study the black letter law, whether it’s mnemonics, flash cards, flow charts, audio presentations, or outlines.
2. Only start reviewing questions after you’ve built a solid foundation and have a thorough knowledge and understanding of the black letter law. Otherwise, you may run the risk of learning the wrong rule of law or variation, by relying on a question you may have gotten right but not understanding fully why you chose the right answer.
3. Know what’s tested by the National Conference of Bar Examiners—right down to the percentage of questions that you can expect on various sub-topics in each of the six major topics tested. You can find a detailed outline of what’s tested on the Multistate Bar Exam on the NCBEX website.
4. Also know what’s tested by your state on any essay, performance, or other exams that your state requires. You should be familiar not only with the format that your state uses, but also the substantive law it tests. In addition, you should familiarize yourself with your state’s exam instructions, and learn to heed those instructions as you practice and prepare for the bar.
5. Study proportionately in return to your investment. Understand which areas of the law are likely to be heavily tested, and study them diligently, spending less time on topics that come up less frequently. If the choice is between having a more thorough understanding of individual rights as opposed to mastering water rights, you should go with the heavily tested area of the former.
6. Learn to think and analyze critically. Also hone your writing skills. Practice, practice, practice: study your state’s old essay exams, practice outlining and writing out answers, and look for common patterns in the questions.
7. Learn to practice multiple choices strategically. Eliminate bad choices that are incorrect statements of law or answers that inaccurately depict the facts—this will improve your odds, statistically, for choosing the correct answer.
8. Move at a deliberate speed. You only have approximately 1.8 minutes to spend on each multiple choice question on the Multistate Bar Exam; on essay exams and performance tests, your time is likewise limited. Time yourself and limit yourself to the allotted time as you practice both multiple choice and essay questions to get into the habit of taking timed exams.
9. Take care of your well-being during bar preparation. Eating, sleeping, and exercise help your mental health, intellectual alertness, and stamina. The diet and schedule of a law student aren’t always conducive to physical and mental well-being, but staying in decent physical and mental shape is paramount to bar exam success.
10. Recognize that bar exam success starts on the first day of law school. Law school GPA directly correlates to the chances of passing the bar examination on the first try. If you haven’t done well in law school, recognize that you should start your bar preparation earlier and you will need to work harder than others who started their preparation on the first day of law school.