Carolyn Elefant’s Post

Actively practicing as an attorney is where you want to be. To reach that point, you need to set aside what you learned in law school. While valuable, law school forms the foundational knowledge but isn't the end goal. When starting your first job, everything changes. Holding on to the law school mindset, which is passive, will only hold you back. Instead, adopt an active mindset to excel in your role. For more insights, check the link in the first comment. #LegalCareer #NewAttorney #LawSchool #ProfessionalDevelopment #Classroom2Courtroom #LegalPractice

Exploring law school? Come visit us and learn more about @Charleston_Law and it's remarkable faculty, experiential learning opportunities, and 20 years of Serving the Greater Good. Get started here: charlestonlaw.edu/visit/ #LawSchool #CharlestonLaw #SCLaw

I was recently asked if you can cut corners and still succeed in law school. Honest question. My initial thought was that there’s definitely a way to maximize your time and get the most out of the law school experience. And, some students legit don’t study and still do really well in law school--some study less than I’d be comfortable with and still pass the bar. And, of course we’re all constrained with what we can do in the limited time we have. But something got me about the words “cutting corners.” So, I reframed the question back. “If you stood to lose your life, liberty, money, or property, would you want to hire a lawyer who cut corners in representing you?” Great conversation flowed from there. Law school isn’t the practice, but we can develop the character of who we aspire to be once we get there, in law school. This quote by Jerry Seinfeld in an interview with Harvard Business Review furthers my thoughts on the question. #lawstudent #lawschool #prelaw #lawstudents

Just when you've mastered studying in law school, it's time to start over. Malcolm Gladwell's Outliers claims it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at anything. If you studied every day from 1L to 3L, you’d hit that 10,000 hour mark just after your bar exam. By the time you master your study skills, you no longer need them. Through this lens, the path to 10,000 hours isn’t really about pushing yourself to perfection every day, but about making the most of every step along the way. #lawschool #lawstudent #lawstudents

Everyone's journey to law school is unique. When you're bombarded with mixed advice, it's time for some self-reflection. Law school is a significant investment of time, energy, and money. Here's a rundown of the top four reasons students typically opt for a gap year! Click on the link below to read the full blog #LawSchool #GapYear #PreLaw

Prospective law students, Go out and get a look at the law. It can be done. And you will be better for it. I recently recommended a person to go to law school. Why? Because they have worked in the law, participated in trials, seen the day-in-day-out, and they get it. This person has an advantage. They understand what the practice looks like. Go out and see the practice for yourself. You'll be surprised at what you like, dislike, love, and hate. I am 100% convinced that those who know about the practice have a huge, huge, advantage. #lawstudents

What are law school graduates looking for in their first position out of college? Many are looking for opportunities that leave them feeling fulfilled, which is why plaintiff-side work is becoming increasingly popular amongst the next generation of lawyers. In a recent byline for The Legal Intelligencer, partner Lee Rudy with Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP discusses this generational shift. Read the full piece here: https://bit.ly/3PL6t1p #Plaintiff #ClientNews #LawFirm

Dear Law Student, I know so many law students and attorneys who hide who they are, their personal feelings, their religious beliefs, their political inclinations. Why? Because they're afraid. In law school, sometimes, they're afraid of other students, but mostly they're afraid that law school administrative bureaurcrats (e.g., professors, deans, etc.) will make it hard for them to find jobs. In law firms, they're afraid that partners and other attorneys will keep them from advancing, or speak poorly of them to others. You know what? Yes, that may well happen. Live out loud anyway. What's the realistic worst-case scenario? Some coward bureaurcrat will get mad at you and almost certainly do nothing about it, because he holds no actual power over your career? Or you decide to find another law firm with people who value you? Or maybe you open up your own firm and do what you want, say what you want, and act as you want? Those don't seem like bad scenarios to me. Live out loud.

Law students, these eight words could change your week. Tell one person in your class one of these today: “I am proud of what you are doing.” “I believe in your ability to succeed here.” “Your life is so important to me, friend.” “You inspire me to be a better person.” We don’t know the depths of what everyone is going through in law school. But we can say these 8 simple words to someone and be a light in their day. Make law school a better place. ❤️ What eight words do you need to say to someone or hear today? #lawschool #lawstudents #lawstudent

Dear Law School Class of 2027, I don’t remember my exact first day of law school, but I do remember the week. I probably remember it because it was nerve-wrecking and unlike anything I had experienced before. The Socratic Method, now a badge of honor, was ruthless – especially my contracts professor. One of my most vivid memories of that first week (besides my contracts professor) was something wholly unrelated to the actual law. My property professor started out his class by telling all of us, “If you read books, continue to read books. If you play basketball, play basketball. If you go to movies, then go to movies.” His point was to make sure we continued to be the people we were at that moment, and not let law school consume us. I don’t know why I still remember that small speech today, but I suspect it was because when I heard him say those words I wondered what in the world I was getting myself into. And while at the time it seemed a bit overkill, I think it means more to me now than it did then. It is easy to get swept up in the excitement and thrill of learning the law and entering the practice of law. There is always something to chase. To achieve. 𝘈𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴. You are entering a profession that has no shortage of bright shiny objects to go after. But hold onto those things that you do that make you, you. The law can be all consuming, but in order to have a satisfying career, the law needs to be one part of a larger tapesty of your life. (And for those of us who have been practicing a long time, it's never too late to do a check and see how we can tend to those other parts of our life we may have let get a little stale.) #lawschool #lawschooladvice #legallifestyle #lawyerlife #voiceofreason #newwayforward #wellbeing