I have been trying to mix it up with these blog posts, and give you new things to think about pursuing that won't take up daytime hours. A great option for evening students is to enter legal competitions. Two popular options for evening students are writing competitions and trial competitions. These are things that you can prepare for in your spare time (I know, "ha ha" you say), on weekends, and evenings when you are not in class. Writing competitions may be especially apt for evening students, because you could presumably find something to write about related to your work experience.
Related to my last post, bar associations are the best place to learn about these competitions. The ABA has a wide variety of them across all sections. (http://www.abanet.org/lsd/competitions/home.html). Check out this page for a long list of writing competitions by area of law: http://www.abanet.org/lsd/competitions/writing-contests/home.html. These contests are time consuming, to be sure, but even an honorable mention or other nominal prize is a great resume booster, and bragging rights go a long way. The best thing about writing competitions for evening students is that you write at your own pace (with an eye on the deadline, of course), but there is no daytime hour commitment.Be sure to check your local bar associations for their local competitions as well - there may be fewer entrants, which increases your odds of placing highly.
Trial competitions can also be a great idea for evening students. Granted, these competitions will take place during the day, but you can prepare for them during any available time you may have. These will usually involve compiling a team and working through a trial problem. They are a great way to gain experience, and are highly recommended if you want to be a litigator. (I have been involved in the Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity Mock Trial competition for the past 3 years, and it has been a great learning experience. In related news, if your school has a PAD chapter, you should join it).
Remember, every little bit helps. I'm not advocating that you overextend yourself too much, but if you pick a select few activities you may just discover more about what areas of law interest you most, and you can gain some great exposure and experience. One competition or activity per your 4 years of law school should be enough for most people to handle. Let's call that my rule of thumb. Below are some links to writing competition sites. Also, don't forget to check with your school's Career Service office. Now, go find the competition that interests you most, and enter it. Good luck, faithful reader!
Am I missing some important ones? Post them in the comments!
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