While there does not exist a uniform definition, the term "first-generation law student" typically refers to the first member of an immediate family attending law school. I was the first person to earn a JD not only in my immediate family, but in my extended family as well. Being sworn in as the first attorney in my family filled my heart with pride and I hope to set an example for my younger family members to follow. As exciting as being the first can be, it can also be intimidating and at times, lonely. I am here to discuss some of the challenges I faced as a first-generation lawyer. While studying for the LSAT and during my first year of law school, these concerns were overpowering and felt very real. After graduating law school and practicing law in the real world, I can tell you that these fears carried the most weight in my head. Law schools and law firms do not accidentally let you sneak in, they thought you were good enough too.
· Everyone else seemed to know what they were talking about. As I am sure you have heard, preparing for law school exams differs significantly from studying for college finals. At the beginning of 1L, it felt like my classmates had an innate ability to outline and a spidey sense for the best supplements to purchase. In reality, most students were just like me, they had no idea. Try to tune out the anxious buzz that boils over especially around finals time. Do your best to secure outlines from upperclassmen who have taken your professor in the past. You are free to make your own outlines but having an example per course will provide a solid starting point and the opportunity to develop your own style. You will see which aspects of the precedent outline work for you and what could be improved upon. As for supplements, see what your classmates bring to class, ask the professor or check out my post about some of the 1L supplements I found useful!
It also took me some time to figure out how professor’s lectures fit in with my course readings. I learned the most from referencing prior outlines, my case briefs, supplements and through refining my own outline. After finally understanding the black letter law from the aforementioned sources, I was able to piece together my professors’ high-level analyses. When a professor spends most of the class period focused on the big picture policy implications of a ruling or whether they agree with the court’s reasoning, it can be easy to forget that you need to know the black letter law for the exam as well.
· I Felt Broke: I, like most first-generation law students, funded my own legal education. When I got to law school, I was surprised by how many of my classmates received full or partial support from their families. While being broke for most of law school is no doubt unpleasant, it does not last forever. A JD provides job security and a good shot at earning at least six figures for the better part of your career. Your sacrifices will be worth it. Even though I developed prudent spending habits in law school out of necessity, those skills enabled me to avoid excessive spending once I finally had a consistent paycheck.
· No Friend and Family Connections in the Legal World: Finally, as on campus interviews rolled around, I felt as though everyone else had connections with a big firm, whether through friends or family. When I first got to Fordham Law, I did not know what “BigLaw” was, let alone those firms’ relative positioning to each other. As I mentioned above, try to tune out others’ posturing and focus only on bettering yourself. Like in any other field, some slots in summer associate programs will be filled by good old-fashioned nepotism. Don’t worry though, the vast majority are not and there is plenty of room for you at the table.
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