Three Organizations To Join To Ensure Success In Law School

There's a saying in the first week of law school that professors love to use: "Look to your left. Look to your right. One of you won't be here next year." It's meant to instill determination, competition and a sense of commitment in their students. And possibly a bit of fear, as well. For most students, it's a motto that drives them to succeed.

But drive alone is not enough. Based on the American Bar Association's tips for surviving law school, it would appear that networking is one of the biggest keys to success, and certain organizations will help in every aspect of the journey through law school and beyond, be it networking, debate skills, speaking, building cases, or just getting a feel for the courtroom itself.

Here are three organizations that will best build networking skills (and a resumé) during those formative years of law school and why you should join them:

Law Review

Think of a law review, or any law school publication for that matter, as the place to know what's going on in the legal world. Law reviews are basically journals that publish articles written by legal professionals, including professors. Although it may sound daunting, it is possible to publish in a law review as early as your second year of law school. Usually, there's a competition at the end of the first-year exams that allows students to write a brief or comment within a certain period of time. A test of editing skills may accompany this. Those who do well get to join the law review in their second year.

Why join?

For those who prefer reading and writing to speaking and public debate, this is a dream come true. It allows you to keep up-to-date on the latest trends and pertinent topics in the legal profession without the pressure of standing in front of people. Plus, as mentioned above, many professors publish in their school's law review, so it's also a great way to get to know your professors better and understand where their passions lie, which comes in handy with that whole networking thing.

Student Bar Association

Most schools have some form of a student bar association (SBA). It is basically the student government of the law school and acts as messenger and mediator between the students and faculty or administration. Sometimes they also plan special events for the school.

Why join?

Just as being in student government makes you look good coming out of high school, being a part of an SBA makes you look good coming fresh out of law school. You get to meet people at every level, from first-year students to the head honcho. Plus, the communication skills you build as a go-between for the students and administrators will come in handy when you leave school, enter the courtroom and have to convey the same information to a variety of people with different levels of understanding, including judges, clients, jurors and law enforcement agencies.

Moot Court

Moot court is a courtroom with training wheels, if you will. Students that take part in it are given a case and must research it thoroughly, write briefs, and argue their case in front of a judge. While these mock trials mostly take place at the school, some schools compete nationwide in mock trials. No, students do not get to be judges. That position is usually filled by professors or those already in the legal profession. Study hard, because the judges are allowed to ask questions during the proceedings, so you'd better know what you're talking about. 

Why join?

Why not? This is the perfect place to hone every single skill you will ever need as a lawyer. You won't get "Trial of the Century"-type cases to work on, but it's a great way to practice researching a case and presenting it before a judge while developing your strengths and fixing your weaknesses at the same time. Plus, law firms, like Piccin Law Firm, smile on those who take part in moot court because those students are already getting real-world training that they won't need to provide upon hire. You can even join moot court in your first year of law school, if you qualify.

The law school years are like nothing you have ever experienced before. Joining these organizations will not only help you stand out at school, they will also help you stand out in the sea of other job-seeking suits fresh out of law school. Best of luck.