Five things I wish I would’ve known four years ago

In September 2013, I started law school at what was then only known as UBC Law. Over the next four years, I completed law school and an articling year, and am now working as an associate in Vancouver. Everything worked out for me in the end, as I am confident it will for you, but not without experiencing my fair share of trepidation about starting a legal career.

Here are the five things I wish I would’ve known when I started law school four years ago:

  1. Almost everything they’ll tell you is true. And by “they”, I mean the professors and staff that you will hear speaking during O-Week. It wouldn’t be a true O-Week if you didn’t hear “building your professional reputation starts now” and “everyone will get a job” at least once. On your professional reputation, you’re about to become the new kid in a very small, talkative community. You are not anonymous, and I think that is by and large a very good thing. They’re right on the jobs too.  If it’s what you want, you will be a lawyer within about a year of graduating.
  2. Not everything they’ll tell you is true. And by “they”, now I largely mean other students and lawyers who you will meet at events. Other students will tell you a range of wacky advice including “don’t do the readings; they’re a waste of time”, “don’t go to class; it’s a waste of time”, “join ‘X’ extracurricular, it’s the only way to succeed” and “come to ‘X’ social event, or you will be a pariah for eternity”. Those students aren’t trying to lie to you, but they’re taking one thing that worked for them and applying it to a bunch of other students that they hardly know. Also, the saying, “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is”, applies here. Doing the readings and going to class is simply and plainly not a waste of time. Lawyers you meet will be almost as bad as students about giving advice. Try to remember that at all times (like now while you read these tips written by a very junior lawyer). The moral of the story is that most people will just tell you what worked for them, which may be helpful, but may not be. If you’re really looking for advice during law school, I’ve found it’s best to turn to someone like a professor or staff member who has at least seen a wide variety of students and can advise you beyond their particular experience.
  3. You are going to be good at something here. You were accepted to one of Canada’s best law schools. You are at least one of: (a) incredibly smart, (b) incredibly hardworking, or (c) incredibly lucky; and you are likely a combination of all three. Given that, you will find something during your 1L year that you have a knack for and that you love. And the better news is you can build a great career from whatever you are good at during law school, even if it’s something from outside the classroom.
  4. You are going to struggle with something here. The flipside of the fact that you are all smart, hardworking and lucky is that you are going to be worse than most of your classmates at something you try this year. For me, it was mooting and small talk. I did not enjoy my moot and I always felt inadequate at the events that involved mingling with lawyers. You will probably struggle with different aspects of law school than I did, but you will either overcome those struggles or create a professional life for yourself that does not involve the aspects of law that you do not enjoy. I happily talk to lawyers every day now, but as a solicitor I keep my practice out of the moot/real court.
  5. You are about to have a challenging year, but in 9 short months, it will all be downhill from there. If you are anything like me, 1L will not be the best year of your life. I found the unknowns of law school incredibly challenging. Right now you likely have no idea what kind of law will interest you, how well you will do in your classes and who you will become friends with over the next three years. You may have an idea of what you want to do with your law degree already (for me, I thought I wanted to be a family lawyer who spent her days arguing in court), but it may turn out to be entirely wrong (for me, a commercial real estate lawyer who very happily spends her days outside the courtroom, my preconceived idea very wrong). Not knowing you and not wanting to fall in the trap that I noted in my second piece of advice, here’s the only thing I can tell you that might give you some comfort: Most of you are here because you want to be a lawyer. And, lucky you! That is the only thing I can guarantee that you will become after you finish the next few years. The details are up to you.

See you on the other side – it will come quicker than you think.

Rachel