It’s Never Too Late For New Year’s Resolutions
The California Desert Trial Academy (CDTA) provides students with a distinctive educational platform that focuses on students learning to become competent and effective attorney-advocates. While CDTA emphasizes those crucial skills that can positively affect an attorney’s legal practice after graduation, many traditional law schools fail to provide a similar focus. The result? Students at some traditional schools fail to receive adequate instruction in skills necessary to practice law and serve clients effectively from day one.
It’s never too late for change. Although we’re well into 2020, there are still several months remaining in the spring semester and plenty of time for any changes to positively affect any law student’s studies going forward. The following are just some good, basic tips for maintaining focus . . . and resolve.
*Maintain focus like it’s the first day of law school
On the first day of law school, it’s a safe bet that most, if not all, first-year students have approached the beginning of their legal studies with unrivaled commitment and dedication. As the semester advances, this extreme focus may wane based on stress, fatigue, or any other factor that is the by-product of the effects of a new, unknown, immensely challenging experience. Approach the first day of each week as the first day of the first week of law school. Reaffirm this commitment regularly.
*Improve networking with fellow students
During the first semester, it’s not unusual for some students to forge relationships and networks to further their legal studies. There will always be students who are more outgoing than others. Some students form study groups before their first class while others keep to themselves and work alone for the entire semester. Regardless of any student’s reason for taking a solitary learning approach, it never hurts to develop some form of camaraderie with fellow students. After all, most law students will spend the great majority of their time with their fellow students throughout their law school tenure. A support group provides benefits that include the ability to discuss unclear or problematic legal concepts, and a way to retrieve or clarify notes from a missed class. Simply having a sounding board for any issues, those related to law school and otherwise, that arise during the semester is invaluable for relieving substantial stress.
*Make a practice of expending more than the minimum effort for any task
Regardless of the task undertaken, students should always aim to expend more than the minimum effort. This will develop good post-graduation habits whether practicing solo or with a firm. It’s easy to make an effort commensurate with the importance of the task. Instead, nothing less than a consistent effort should be an important characteristic of any task, even, and especially, if tasks are prioritized. After all, this is the expectation of any client of any attorney who works on the client’s behalf.
*Always stay positive
Like law school, practicing law is an enormous challenge. There is a lot to accomplish in what is seemingly a short time. Failure tends to loom just over the horizon, thus making it difficult to remain positive. When this happens, make a point of remembering all the hard work that was accomplished to reach law school. Remember the motivating reasons for attending law school and that hard work will continue to reap tangible benefits.
The California Desert Trial Academy opened its doors in 2012, featuring a more practical and modern approach to legal education. The California Desert Trial Academy is a 21st Century law school that moves students toward a successful legal career on the first day of class. We believe that practical experience in tandem with legal knowledge is the best road to a successful, rewarding, and prosperous legal career. Call us today at (760) 342-0900 or find out more online here.