I can’t emphasize the importance of having friends in law school enough. While it is always going to be a competitive atmosphere where you hope your grades make you stand out enough from your peers, you definitely can’t do it alone. Something as simple as having someone take notes for you when you’re not in class is so crucial, and if you’re not getting to know your future colleagues then it creates a great disadvantage.

 My closest circle of girlfriends and I have collectively gone through the following personal challenges in the past six months or so: two sets of parents getting divorced, loss of scholarship money, interviewing for jobs, not getting dream jobs, a spouse getting diagnosed with a serious illness, death of two grandparents, a parent getting laid off, and a parent nearly dying from a serious infection. While this is not the case for all students, almost everyone will go through a time where their ability to adapt and survive law school becomes a very difficult experience personally. Without my closest circle, with whom I study, socialize with, vent to, etc., I’m not sure what I would have done. The point to all of this is just a greater piece of advice- the people surrounding you in law school are the ones that will be working with you, recommending you for jobs to their employers, be opposing counsel in a future lawsuit, and even more throughout your professional career. How great is it if those people are not viewed as your perpetual adversaries, but instead as trusted friends? 

Hello, Blog Readers!  I hope you're ready for my next adventure because it starts TOMORROW, October 12th at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, MO.  I will be attending the UCM Fall Career Expo in the Multipurpose Building Arena from 1:00pm-4:00pm. 

I'm so excited to meet the students in this area, so I hope you will come out & stop by the Washburn Law table!  As always, bring those questions, or just stop by and chat with me about the law school experience at Washburn.

Hoping to see you there,

Maryam 

The past few weeks I have had the opportunity to travel to several nearby locations to recruit future students and represent Washburn at a regional conference. Going back to my favorite place on earth, Manhattan, Kansas for the law school fair was a great experience. I loved representing  the school and trying to get more students interested in coming for an in-person visit. I also loved the opportunity to meet other K-Staters and  to talk about my law school! We went back there later the next week also to have a more intimate dinner discussion about what our school has to offer and questions that the students had specifically for us as involved students and what to expect going into law school.

 The week after that I was able to attend the regional ABA conference with representatives from law schools across the Midwest in St. Louis. We quickly became friends with the other law students from Notre Dame, Southern Texas, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, UMKC and St. Louis University Law Schools to name a few. It was great to compare and contrast what each school offered their students. One of Washburn’s claims for the conference was that we are the only school of the attendees that provides free and unlimited printing! (That’s a big plus when you’re printing hundreds of pages of notes and papers.) We also had the opportunity to meet with a Federal Court of Appeals Judge, the senior partner of one of the largest law firms in St. Louis, and other non-profit and governmental lawyers from across the region. The opportunities for networking were incredible! It’s these kinds of experiences I was looking for in coming to law school, and I’m glad to have had the opportunity to take advantage of them particularly in my 2L year. 

ATTENTION BLOG READERS: TOMORROW, October 6th the Chicago Graduate & Professional School Fair will be held from 3:00pm-7:00pm at the University of Illinois-Chicago Forum.  This event is open to the public & admission is FREE!  (Who doesn't love free?) 

This event is a great chance to get all those burning questions answered, pick up some materials on our programs and opportunities, and to meet a Washburn Law Rep/Alum.  So come on out & stop by the Washburn Law table, and find out why Washburn is right for YOU!

Hope to see you all there,

Maryam

***A special thank you to all of you that attended the Northern Illinois Univ. Professional & Graduate School Fair yesterday, and the Chicago State Univ. Diversity Law Forum today; it was a pleasure meeting all of you!!***

Hello, dear blog readers!  Tomorrow, October 5, 2011 I will be at Chicago State University's 30th Annual Diversity Law Forum from 11:00am-2:00pm.  This event will be held in the Cordell Reed Student Union Building. 

This event is a great chance to meet with a Washburn Law rep (yours truly), a Washburn Law alum (again, yours truly), and to just get more information on the programs and opportunities available at Washburn Law! 

Hoping to see you there,

Maryam 

Hi Everyone,

This week will be a great one for Washburn Law starting out first at New Mexico State University's Graduate & Professional School Fair on October 4.  I will be in attendace to answer any questions prospective students may have.  I will also be speaking at Professor Seckler's LSAT Prep class on NMSU campus at 4:00pm.  Stop on by and learn why Washburn Law is your best choice! 

Vincent

 Hello, blog readers!!  The next adventure brings me to Dekalb, Illinois!  On October 4th I'll be attending the Northern Illinois University Graduate and Professional School Fair in the NIU Holmes Student Center Ballroom from 10:00am-2:00pm. 

This fair brings Washburn Law to YOU, so be sure to stop by the Washburn Law table to chat and get answers to your questions.  I look forward to meeting you!

Until next time…

~Maryam

Sorry about the week delay in posting, I’ve been taking advantage of our career opportunities the past few weeks for the fall On-Campus Interviews (OCI) with the hope of securing an internship position. While this process begins for the 1L’s in the spring, 2L’s and 3L’s go through several programs in predominately the fall to secure internships, fellowships, or jobs for the following year.

 The program that I was interviewing with was the PAIR program, which stands for Prosecuting Attorney Internship Program. Washburn brings in attorneys from several counties across the state to hire for internship positions. Participating this year were Shawnee, Douglas, Sedgwick, Johnson, and Wyandotte Counties. For a full week, the counties alternate days and we go through hours of preparation, laying out of suits, and research to get ready for these interviews. Certain counties will then request call-back interviews where you tour through their facilities and meet their staff. In the end we can only hope that an offer comes from this entire process. Even if it doesn’t, the opportunities for networking in this experience alone are more than your average day sitting in a law school classroom.

 I guess I bring this more in-depth description of my experiences the past few weeks to show how in two weeks I met a ton of attorneys and got to ask them questions about their jobs through this program.  Just another way for the law school to help us out in these difficult economic times when getting a job is always on the mind. Granted, I’m interested in criminal law and family law, but the same kinds of programs exist for big, medium, and small firms, as well as governmental programs and clerkships across the country. If you’re willing to work hard and put yourself out there, the resources will be ready to assist you.

 … and by the way, all that hard work paid off. I did get an offer, and I’m looking forward to my new future in a prosecutor’s office next year! 

 Hello, dear blog readers!  Ready for the next adventure?  Well…ready or not here I come, Springfield, MO!!  I'll be in Springfield for two days, so come on out and find out more about what makes Washburn Law so awesome! 

TOMORROW (9/28/11), I will have a table at the Missouri State University Fall Career Fair from 10:00am-2:00pm, at the MSU Plaster Student Union. 

My other stop in the Springfield area will be at Drury University in Burnham Hall room 301 on 9/29/11 at 11:00am. 

No matter which location you choose, be sure to come by and bring your questions.  I'll be glad to answer them, and happy to meet you! 

Tune in next time…same blog time, same blog channel!

~Maryam

Hello, blog readers!  I hope this message find you all well and ready for my next adventure!  I'm super excited to be in Nebraska for the next few days meeting with all of you.  

Here's where I'm headed next-feel free to come on out:   

Tomorrow (9/21/11), I'll be at the University of Nebraska-Omaha from 10:00am-2:00pm during the Fall Job Fair in the Milo Bail Student Center, 2nd Floor Ballroom.  So come on out to say hi, and bring your questions; answers are on the house.  Hope to see you there! 

For those in the Kearney, NE area, I will be stopping by the University of Nebraska-Kearney on 9/22/11 to meet individually with students from 10:00am-2:00pm at 2208 Founders Hall in the Lincoln Conference Room.  No appointments necessary, so feel free to come by and say hi! 

 I look forward to seeing you soon! 

 ~Maryam

 P.S.  A very special thank you goes out to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln students that came out today to the individual meetings and presentation.  It was really nice to meet all of you!!