How do I get into Law School?

Step 1: Don’t ask me

Harvard Law School Admissions

Step 2: Map what they want

Step 3: Kill the TOEFL

Step 4: Personalize your statements

“Kalimantan caught me by surprise. At 13 and having been brought up in metropolitan Jakarta, I was anticipating jungle tours and orangutans on the island of Borneo that boasted of rainforests to match the Amazon. The first sights I saw, however, were barren hills and desolate marshes. Meanwhile, the driver chatted to us amiably about the thriving logging and mining industries in Kalimantan. He also told us the marshes were in fact peat-lands. “What do you do with peat-lands?” I asked him. He said, “We don’t know. Maybe your generation will know what to do with them.”

A. OPEN WITH AN ANECDOTE

Personalize your statements

“At Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP, I worked on the largest case ever to be handled at the firm. This case, characterized by several state and federal investigations and a growing number of civil lawsuits, was an all-encompassing monster that demanded the cooperation of almost 100 attorneys and over 20 paralegals. By then, I had worked at the firm for almost 8 months, and during that time, I saw my responsibilities grow as I adapted flawlessly to the pace of work, hours and demands of the firm. I worked long hours, all-nighters, and “all-weekenders” in order to finish projects on time, and my experience provided me with a realistic picture of attorney life.”

B. EXAGGERATE BUT NEVER LIE

Personalize your statements

“I am interested in serving as general counsel for a corporation focused on advanced semiconductor technology. I am drawn to the challenges I will find at the intersection of intellectual property, product liability, and corporate law. At this juncture in my life, I seek more challenge and personal growth in a field that calls on my written skills, attention to detail, and love of technology. My interest in nano-technology will bring a unique perspective to the classroom and will make me extremely marketable upon graduation.”

C. ASPIRE TO MAKE AN IMPACT

Personalize your statements

“I can think of no better place to gather my resources than at Harvard. Harvard Law School’s leading programs such as the Environmental Law and Policy Clinic would offer valuable insight into the current regimes of carbon trading and clean energy regulation. Harvard Law School also convened conferences on climate change regulation and carbon trading regimes. The diversity of programs offered and the benefit of campus institutions such as the Harvard Center for the Environment and the Environmental Law Society altogether create a powerful magnet for people like me, who are in the thirst for that knowledge which accumulates at the intersection between environmental law and business.”

D. TARGET THE UNIVERSITY

Step 5: Get recommended

• Famous people? So what.

• Approach your employer and teacher

• Especially those who know you well

• Help them with suggestions

REMEMBER:

Get recommended

“I will never forget the day I met Jourdan. He showed up to my interview in a disturbing polka dot yellow tie and I was a little bit skeptical. I asked him, “You came from a big firm, so why are you interested in a small litigation firm? He replied “I’m not. I’m interested in clean litigation and I hear this firm upholds that principle.” I hired him and never regretted it. (He has since then adhered to the firm’s conservative dress code).”

Step 6: Find funding

• University

• Fulbright

• Employer / Law Firms

• Other Companies

• Last resort: deferral.

TRY EVERYTHING:

Aim High. Aim Plenty.