Finding Your Path Without Following the Crowd In Law School

Law school comes with a lot of pressure. Everyone seems to have a checklist: join law review, participate in certain clinics, and land a prestigious internship. But here’s the truth, something I learned as a 3L, —there’s no single “right” path. The real key is figuring out what kind of lawyer you want to be and then reverse-engineering the skills you’ll need to get there.

For example, if you want to be a litigator, the essential skills are legal writing, research, and oral advocacy. But how you build those skills is completely flexible. You don’t have to follow what everyone else is doing; you just need to make sure you’re actually gaining the abilities that will make you effective in your future practice.

In my own experience, I focused on courses and experiences that helped me grow as a litigator. I took Trial Advocacy, upper-level legal writing courses, and Evidence. I completed three internships: two at the U.S. Attorney’s Office and one with a district court judge at the District Court for the Southern District of New York to hone my legal writing and research skills. Peers often suggested I do journal, and I felt pressure to join a journal, but I realized I didn’t want to spend my time editing someone else’s work and bluebooking—it just wasn’t the right fit for me. I was looking for hands on experience in fast past litigation environments, and internships proved to be that fit for me.

I would also highly suggest talking to upperclassmen or graduates who are pursuing the same career path you’re interested in and asking them what they found helpful. Mentorship can save you a ton of time. I can’t tell you enough how many times an upperclassman prevented me from taking a course that wouldn’t have been useful or encouraged me to seize an opportunity I might have overlooked—their guidance was invaluable.

Here's the takeaway: don’t do something just because everyone else does it. Take advice from others, but focus on the skills you need and find the ways to build them that make sense for you. Law school is stressful enough—making choices that align with your goals will not only make it more manageable but also much more rewarding. There are tons of student organizations, independent projects, internships, clinics, courses, and other extra-curriculars to help you get to to where you want to be.

Your path may look different from your classmates’, and that’s okay. Don't let the pressure of "what everyone is doing" influence you.