After I turned in the memo, I was surprised by how the supervising attorney’s positive feedback affected my self-esteem. In law school you are taught to go to class and take one test in which you hope that you regurgitated all of the case law correctly. Soon after I’ll receive a grade that I’m usually disappointed in, and never receive any constructive criticism to improve my performance. Since I was accustomed to that reality, I was surprised and thrilled when my supervising attorney appreciated all of my hard work and used my memo in court.
After my 1L year I carefully considered not going back to law school. I hated the competitive atmosphere, and law classes bored me to tears. At the end of my 1L year I promised myself that I would leave law school if I didn’t enjoy the practical application of the law during my clinical experience. Thankfully, I loved it! The most important thing that I realized this summer is that law school classes have nothing to do with actually practicing law. Sitting in the courtroom, interviewing clients, and researching case law that will impact how you draft a motion for a real life case makes all the difference in the world. I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed taking this class, and working with all of the attorneys at the clinic. This summer experience has truly reinvigorated my love for the law, which made me certain that I picked the right profession.