The Skinny on Journals: Write-On

One of the first things I did in my second year of law school was become President of the Evening Student Association. During my first year, there was an ESA, but it was comprised of two very busy, over-worked people who had no support. So, there were no events, no workshops, no information for that first year. Many of us felt like we were floundering that first year, so I took the organization on in an effort to make it a real resource for evening students. I had great help from the rest of the executive board, and there was a lot of support and enthusiasm from the whole class to get the ESA back off the ground.

Before the first general meeting, I polled the incoming students to find out what their concerns were. Not surprisingly, they rated Law Review, Study Groups, and Sleep as their main concerns. Sleep was easy to address - they wouldn't get any. Next topic, please.

Study groups were also pretty easy to address - it's a personal decision depending on your own study habits, and how you play in the sandbox with others. Generally, they're very good for first year students because they have no clue where to begin, so the safety net of the group can be a great help.

Law Review/Journals was harder to address, because at that time none of us on the executive board had been exposed to it. At Rutgers, and probably elsewhere, the journals aren't available until your second year (after you have had a legal writing class). But, the main concern among part-time students, and people who are thinking of going to law school part time, is whether they can be on a journal. The short answer is yes. The long answer is impolite.

Each school has its own set of policies about applying for a journal, and even with in schools the different journals may have different application procedures. Some schools give automatic journal spots based on GPA, at other schools its a combination of GPA and writing sample. At Rutgers, the larger journals have a Write-On. Here are some tips about Write-On competitions in general:

• Write-On Sucks: You pick up a packet of materials (from 500-600 pages). You sometimes have to pay a "copy fee" for these packets. You have one week to 10 days to read through the entire packet and write a note of 15-20 pages based on the materials. This occurs about a week after your spring finals. In our case, the write-on deadline overlapped with the start of summer classes. It sucked.
• Write-On is Unfair to Evening Students: Everyone gets the same amount of time to submit their note. That means from the time you pick up your packet, no matter when during the day that may be, it is due back at a specific date and time. For everyone. Evening students do not get extra time to complete this assignment, despite the fact that there are 40 hours during the week that we cannot read the materials or work on the note. Be prepared to take time off from work. I hadn't planned on taking any vacation for the write-on, but I wound up having to take 2 days off. Plan for it.
• Write-On is All-Consuming: No matter what else you have going on in your life, it will have to take a back seat if you want to finish the assignment on time. Best thing to do is warn your family that a) you will be a complete monster for those 10 days and b) you are commandeering the dining room table to spread out your materials, sticky notes and bluebook.
• Write-On is No Joke: Take it seriously if you want to be selected for a journal. Taking it seriously begins in your first year. Pay attention in your legal writing class. Learn the bluebook really well. Pace yourself and leave enough time to polish up your writing. The evaluation committees are very selective, and even great writers have been excluded from journals. It is highly competitive, maybe the most competitive activity in law school. Take it seriously.

It really was a grueling process, but I would do it again. It has been well worth it. The journal has been a great experience, and it allowed me to write an extensive note on a topic that I loved. Plus, it fulfilled my writing requirement so it killed a few birds with one stone.

Law school applications are on the rise again. No surprise given the state of the economy. Legal jobs are few and far between. Anything that you can do to give your legal resume a boost (especially if you're an evening student with a non-legal job), is well worth it. If your school has a write-on competition, just heed my advice and you will be fine.

1. Pay attention in Legal Research and Writing
2. Pick up your packet early
3. Take some time off from work
4. Pace Yourself (give enough time for reading and writing)
5. Follow the instructions in the packet!!!! (Yes, all of them!)

So yes, faithful reader, evening students can participate in write-on competitions. They probably shouldn't for their mental health, but if they're this far along in law school already, mental health has already taken a holiday.