Manhasset, New York

Manhasset, NY.  A place of privilege.

You may have heard of the town of Manhasset, New York by reading various blogs.  I have heard a lot of it, not only from blogs, but due to the fact that three of my professors live in this town.  I decided that it was worth checking out.

Now, I have never been there myself, but decided to do a little research on it.  You see, I wondered "what is so special about this town?"  It's just a suburb of New York, right?  Wrong.

It seems that Manhasset is a place of privilege.  It is a place of pedigree.  People from "good stock" come from Manhasset.  In fact, in my research I checked Wikipedia.org to learn a little more about this town.

"Manhasset is a hamlet (a census-designated place) and neighborhood in Nassau County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 8,080.
Manhasset is a Native American term that translates to "the island neighborhood". In 2005, a Wall Street Journal article ranked Manhasset as the best town for raising a family in the New York metropolitan area.
As with other unincorporated communities in New York, its local affairs are administered by the town in which it is located, the Town of North Hempstead, New York.
The Manhasset neighborhood is served by the Long Island Rail Road, which provides direct and convenient access to New York City at the Manhasset and Plandome stations."

It sounds like quite a place huh?  Manhasset is the kind of place that, if you are living there, you have no cause to complain. 

Yet, human beings will find a reason to complain about anything.  It's a town of tree lined streets and big homes.  Rich people live there.  Need I state that the professors who have told me that they live in Manhasset are multi-millionaires?  Manhasset is not just another suburb of New York.  It's the place to play for the people with big money.  It's either Manhattan or Manhasset for the rich.

For more information on Manhasset, check out the city data webpage.

Manhasset CDP income, earnings, and wages data

Estimated median house or condo value in 2009: $918,123 (it was $503,300 in 2000)

Manhasset:	$918,123
New York:	$306,000

Mean prices in 2009: All housing units: $893,764; Detached houses: $912,013; Townhouses or other attached units: $550,738; In 2-unit structures: $664,864; In 5-or-more-unit structures: $723,497

Median gross rent in 2009: $847.

Read more: http://www.city-data.com/city/Manhasset-New-York.html#ixzz2JTPYg6fi

Am I smart enough to go to law school?

Are you intelligent enough to go to law school?

Some people ask me if they are smart enough to go to law school.  Of course, there are varying levels of intelligence amongst law school students.  When I started law school, I happened to wonder if I was smart enough to be in there with the rest of the students.  Some of these kids seemed to be quite intelligent. 

One reader, who enjoys my blog, asked me the question, "how do I know if I am smart enough to go to law school." 

There are many ways that you can use to gauge your intelligence.  None of these is absolute, but these factors can be helpful in helping you figure out if you are smart enough for law school.  They are:

These first two are the big ones that schools tend to look for when admitting law students.  However, 1 and 2 are not conclusive by themselves.  For example, many people with low LSAT scores do amazing in law school, and those who did poorly in undergrad sometimes do great in law school. 

1.  Did you do well in undergrad?
2.  Did you do well on the LSAT?

The next factors are quite helpful in gauging how intelligent you are and if you will do in law school.

3.  You enjoy reading and/or writing.
5.  You are good at logical puzzles.
6.  You enjoy thinking for thinking's sake.
7.  You are creative.
8.  You are good with arguments.
9.  You noticed that I skipped from 3 to 5 above.
10.  You are good at multitasking.
11.  You have a desire to do something with your life.
12.  You enjoy situations that are complex and often change.
13.  You handle stress well.
14.  You are emotionally mature.
15.  You have a "strong sense of justice." 
16.  You take time to reflect and ask questions.

These are just a few things to think about if you are thinking about going to law school.  Don't let people tell you that you are not smart enough to go to law school if you know that you want to do law.  There are so many sources out there that say "don't go to law school" but these people are often greatly unsure as to about why they went to law school in the first place.  If you are going to law school for money alone, you will probably be upset in the end for it.  I can tell you right now that many of the people who are lamenting their decision to go to law school did it largely for financial reasons.  They expected to be wealthy upon graduating and many did not put in the kind of hard work that law school requires.  Law school is hard work.  Getting a job after law school can be a challenge.  But don't let that stop you from doing what you want with your life.  As a law student myself, I will say that it's a great intellectual challenge that will prepare you for many things in life.  The things I learn daily that don't even have to do with law have helped me come so far in life.  Even though I was down on myself and law school for a while after reading some of the negative press on law school, I must say that as I am nearing graduation, I am proud

Katie Holmes to go to Law School to be a Divorce Attorney!

Katie Holmes soon to become a law student!

The question is: do we need more divorce attorneys?

Katie Holmes to go to law school!

"She moved to New York City with Suri Cruise, and seemed to be on track when she landed a role in Dead Accounts. But the show closed quickly and she’s eying a new career! A source has confirmed that Katie is looking to follow in dad Martin Holmes’ footsteps, and pursue a career in law!"

To be honest, this is somewhat silly.  I can't help but wonder what school she will go to (my guess is Columbia or NYU will grab her fast).  That and, why?  I guess that's something for the scamblogs to muse over while I continue to ignore them.  In fact, since my vacation to the Caribbean I have yet to even look at a single scamblog.  It's all part of preparing myself for graduation and for the big job hunt.  A negative outlook on life will do me no good.

Getting a job after law school.

Getting a job out of law school can be quite a challenge.  Although I have yet to find a legal job, I realize that 3L especially is the time to start figuring out how I can get a law job.  Therefore, I realize that I must have a strategy in place in order to find a legal job.

I have found that those without a strategy will not find a job.  One can not expect a legal job to just fall into their lap.  The law profession is incredibly tight right now, and those who are serious about finding jobs are going to have a much better chance of getting a law job than those who don't try or who expect luck to get them a job.

If you are a graduating 3L, you need to start considering your job search strategy now.  There are a couple of good books that I recommend that will help you with this.  However, let me add that merely reading a few books will not find you that position you are looking for.  You must follow the strategies outlined in these books.  Many jobs will expect you to pass the bar exam.  If you have not passed the bar exam and are looking for some bar exam resources, check out this site.

If you are looking for some ways in which you can plan a job search strategy in order to get a job after law school, you may want to consider some of the books below.  Some are better than others, but they are all helpful for the student who needs legal employment.

This book made me realize that getting a job is really determined by how much effort you put into the job search, you can get the job you want! Of course, the content should be adapted to what is best for you individually--I did not use the interview responses word for word by any means, nor the cover letter samples--but I referred to this book a ton while looking for jobs! I am not the cookie-cutter big firm candidate. I am not even in the top half of my class. But I worked hard to network throughout 1L year and the summer and am getting interviews over the top 10% of my class! It's what you put into it, and this book has great tips for getting an "in" to get the job you want! (review)

***

 STARTING YOUR OWN LEGAL PRACTICE.

 

 "If you are graduating from law school, you MUST read this book. $olo is a fantastic resource for the new attorney considering starting their own practice right out of law school. It is chock full of practical tips and advice that no one bothered to teach you in law school. With humor and wit, Marc Garfinkle will take you through the essentials of being a solo practitioner. He even explains how to survive financially as you build your practice, a particularly important consideration for graduates with student loan payments looming on the horizon. $olo is a must-read for any 3rd year law student on the verge of graduation without a job offer. $olo will give you the confidence and know-how to survive and succeed as a solo practitioner" Maybe you want to hang your own shingle instead? Many law graduates are able to start their own business, even though it is hard. Here is a great resource for doing just that. Even if you are unsure of going this route, having this resource on hand is helpful if you want to open your own law office eventually.

 ***

 INTERVIEWING

 

 "As a mid-level associate at a large international law firm, I strongly recommend this book to anyone trying to get the law firm job you want, whether you are a prospective or current law student or a recent graduate. I did not attend a top 10 law school, nor was I at the top of my class when interviewing for a summer associate position. As a result, my prospects of getting the big law job I wanted boiled down to my ability to truly nail my job interview. In the end, I was fortunate enough to succeed, but only after I learned the hard way from all the interviewing mistakes I had made along the way. If I had had this book when I interviewed, I know I would have received a lot more offers than I ended up getting. It is an excellent toolkit for selling and distinguishing yourself in the best way possible, which these days will prove more important than ever -- Ivy League or not." (Amazon.com review) --- "Law job interviews ARE different from any other type of employment interview. I have been in the non-law work world for some time and have done plenty of successful interviews. Still, this book helped me tailor my style to match legal job interviewers expectations. The book has excellent and specific advice that your career services office may be too shy to tell you. The advice is practical; based on feedback from lawyers who regularly interview prospects from top law schools nationwide. As a law student, I found two chapters most helpful: 1) How to Research your Interviewer. One of the hardest questions to nail in a law job interview is, "What do you want to know about our firm?" To answer well, you have to have done your homework. The book gives you great advice on how to research the firm so you can ask intelligent questions and get meaningful answers. 2)On-campus Interviews. Understanding the OCI process--and what the interviewers have to endure--is critical to creating your interviewing strategy. The book gives give a look a the OCI process from the interviewers perspective, and gives you tactics you can use to make an impression on a tired, possibly disinterested interviewer. It is a quick read and well organized so you can easily find the specific info relevant to your situation. I highly recommend it to anyone with a law job interview in their future--regardless of experience." (Amazon.com review)

A LLM may be a good idea actually...

I have always felt different than my fellow law school students.  In fact, sometimes I feel like I don't belong with the rest of my class.  It's not that I feel like I'm better, and I sure don't think that I'm worse, it's just that I feel... different.

Like a law school misfit.

I have always felt different than my fellow law school students.  There is no denying that fact.  At first I thought I would be all smart and sour cream.  Then after I got a reality check in my second year.  Third year bop'd me on the head with average grades.  Average.  Yuck! 

So what's fourth year going to be like?  Wait, fourth year?  Well, I have been doing a little thinking lately and am wondering if an LLM might help me polish my resume a bit more before I find a job.  I really like school a lot.  In fact, I was sitting in class thinking to myself the other day and I came to the conclusion that federal financial aid is like welfare.  In fact, it's very similar.  It helps one to live without having to work, and as an added bonus (which other welfare does not provide) you get to feel smart.

The government is allowing you to go to school and is paying your way.  If you do IBR, the government actually forgives a huge part of your expense.  Plus, there are many government grants for undergrad.  After reading around one some websites, many poor people are opting to go to school because of the money they get. 

One girl actually stated that she is going to college because it is enough for her to live on.  This is a girl that otherwise claims that she steals and does illegal deeds to get by in life!  And there are others like her that are going to college!  In essence, going to college with government funding is a type of welfare! 

I like feeling smart.  I like improving myself.  And an LLM is one way in which one can improve themselves.  If you have a MOUNTAIN of debt, what do you have to lose by going for an LLM?  That's what I ask myself anyway.  It seems that if anything, one becomes more marketable, especially in an economy that is in a bad place at the moment.  If you have $200,000 worth of debt, and you have passed the bar but can't find a job, you may want to consider an LLM program and, at the same time, consider interning and increasing your experience in law.  What's the alternative?  Living in mother's basement?

Being Frugal during Law School.

I want to talk to my legions of readers about frugal living during law school.  This is an important topic for many reasons.  Law school is expensive.  In fact, law school is incredibly expensive.  After graduation you are going to find that you have less money than ever to spend and more debt than ever to juggle.  However, that should not make you feel bad.  If anything, you should see that as a challenge.  With IBR (income based repayment), and Public Service Loan forgiveness, it is easy to get rid of a huge loan debt.  That, however, does not mean that you should not be frugal.  There is something to be said about the student who does not live the Gucci lifestyle while in school.  I'm going to be frank, if you are wearing Gucci shoes during law school, you are doing it wrong.  If you are sporting a Louis Vuitton purse or laptop cover,  you should take cover.  If you are wrangling a new iPhone every time Apple burps one up, you should consider rethinking your strategy.  You are about to be a lawyer.  You are probably smarter than the ever consuming masses of people who are obsessed with material goods.

If you are still with me, then great!  There's still some work to be done.  First, you should consider learning how to budget your money.  Some people (like myself) are gifted at money management.  They have the skills that are needed to get by in life.  Others may not be so blessed.  They walk outside and immediately see something they feel they have to have.  There are temptations everywhere in the world.  Do you really need that new pair of sneekers?  Is your life going to be a void without that new Playstation 4?  Is a smartphone with a $60 a month plan really necessary?  I don't think so.  If you are paying $60 for a cell phone you may want to seriously take a long look in the mirror and even smack yourself along side the face.

In order to budget, you must look at your expenses and the money you have coming in.  If your only income is student loans (like many law students -- many of us are not paid to work), you will want to write this number down and keep track of it.  How much does your student loans give you per month to live off of?  Do you have any other way in which you can make money?

Once you have your income written down, write what you spend on expenses.  Rent, utilities, recurring payments/subscriptions, books, food, other necessities.  Do you travel?  Do you like to get sloshed on the weekend and spend your Monday morning puking it up?  Do you eat red meat (consider going vegan - it's cheaper and far better for your health).  In other words, write everything down and see what you have left.  Are you saving up for after graduation?  I know I am.

There are some places you will see that you can cut back.  Some things are not needed.  Maybe you have a subscription to some website or magazine that you don't really use.  Get rid of it.  Maybe you are paying too much for your phone.  Maybe you are purchasing more food than you can eat.  Are you shopping at Whole Foods?  If so consider going to a farmer's market instead.  Are you buying bottles of wine?  You're a law student, not a lawyer!  Give that stuff up!  In other words, think smart.  Are you drinking Starbucks every morning?  You may want to make your own and save that money.  I used to know law students who went to Dunkin Donuts every morning before class as if it was a religion.  Don't!

I will continue this in the next few days, giving suggestions for ways in which you can cut back on your expenses and really save some money during law school.

Not Gone, Just Been Busy

To all my readers:  I am not gone, but have been busy with law school starting up again.  Currently I am taking a few courses to prepare myself for graduation this Spring semester.  I am in NY Practice, Family Law, Professional Responsibility and a few others.

I recently went on a trip and am going to Africa this summer.  I must say that I had a great time on my last trip and I am really looking forward to going to Africa for the first time. 

I will post more later on, but wanted to let my readers know that I am still here.  I may include pictures from my last trip, so stay tuned!