What I Wish I Knew Before Switching Career Paths and Pursuing Law School
I graduated from Brooklyn College in 2010, cum laude, with a major in Film Production. I imagined that I would return to school eventually, but I had no commitments to what degree or when that would happen. My career began in brand promotions at a top media network, and I worked in multiple positions for the company, with the latest being an Operations and Media Manager.
By the sixth year of my career, I had no more excuses to prolong my desire to obtain a higher degree. I considered a master’s program in film production, however, acquiring an advanced degree was not necessary for the media production field and my then career trajectory. Specifically, I wanted to obtain a degree that could provide me with the opportunity to advance my education, environment, and career.
I confided in my Godmother and told her that if I had to choose my top three career choices that led to a degree or career away from film and television, they would be pharmacy, accounting, and the law. My Godmother was a pharmacist and provided me with the pros and cons of attending pharmacy school at a later age. As for accounting, my sister was an accountant, and she was able to provide me with invaluable insight on her career as well. Lastly, I reached out to my cousin who had graduated from law school and started his career at a top law firm. He shared his experience as a senior attorney, and he later became my mentor and career confidant. I was sold.
Although, I determined that a legal path was on my next career trajectory, I was not completely ready to abandon media. I also considered that I enjoy the arts and that there could be a way to incorporate a legal aspect. I began to read the biographies of my company’s executives and to my surprise, saw that most of them went to law school prior to taking on an executive role within the corporation. I observed the workflow within my company and witnessed firsthand how the Legal and Business departments collaborated to ensure compliance with copyright law and content guidelines for on-air, print, and digital platforms. This experience ultimately led to my interest in media and intellectual property law. I began to explore a career in law, and conducted extensive research, consulted with a number of attorneys in different practice areas; and subsequently applied for law school. Seeing that I was now seven years post-undergraduate, I realized that my fear of being older than my colleagues in law school was irrational. The best part about law school is that you can go in at any age.
The LSAT
I decided that I wanted to study for the LSAT immediately, however, there were no LSAT programs being offered at that moment. Usually, LSAT preparation companies start their programs 6-8 weeks before an LSAT exam. I took a diagnostic exam, received my low LSAT score, and wasted time (one or two months) waiting for one of the LSAT programs to begin. I recommend that anyone in limbo commences with 7sage LSAT prep or another reputable online LSAT program. 7sage is an online LSAT program, and you can start at any time. I worked full time while studying for the LSAT, so I had to make the commitment to wake up at 5 am to study before work or study during my lunch hour.
The LSAT Exam
I took the LSAT exam and received the highest LSAT score that I had ever received. It was 3 points higher than my last final LSAT practice exam. Believe in yourself. If you are well rested and motivated, you can surprise yourself and others.
Law School
While I can never go back and change my undergraduate major. I noticed that a lot of the students that seemed to do very well in the beginning of law school were Political Science majors or those that had lawyers as parents. In addition, a lot of the students were familiar with moot court or trial teams and had participated in them during their college years. Towards the end of the school year, you will notice that everything will eventually work out for all students regardless of your background. Here are three tips to consider as you begin your law journey:
1. Law school students are graded on a curve.
Although you may write an ‘A’ worthy paper, you may still receive an ‘A-’ paper. I wish that I knew this before entering law school so that during my first semester, I could focus completely on my studies without dwelling on the shock factor of the curve. This led me to compare myself to others and experience imposter syndrome.
2. Increase your reading speed and comprehension before your first day of law school.
Try to increase your reading speed and comprehension by looking up supreme court opinions online and practice summarizing them. The next day re-read your notes and see if you have understood the following: What were the facts of the cases, who was the plaintiff/defendant, what was the outcome of the case? This is important because a large part of law school involves reading court opinions and analyzing the law against current facts.
3. It is okay to be different.
I did not participate in moot court or trial team, and I was not a 1L rep for anything. In addition, I was about seven years older than most of my classmates, who had gone straight through to law school from their undergraduate studies. At the end of it all, I embraced who I was and went with that. I found that having work experience played to my advantage. I understood the consequences of not being in the top 10% of a law school class, but I also understood what it meant to be a team player in a corporate environment and that there were other serious factors to life, such as a death in the family or an unexpected health diagnosis.
The most important thing is that you do not lose yourself in the entire process of attending law school. I still write scripts, watch films and meet with my former colleagues during school breaks. By my second year of law school, I became a member of William & Mary’s Business Law Review, the Career Chair for the Black Law Students Association, and a Student Fellow with the Center for the Study of Law and Markets. Through my pre-law school diligence and exposure to law during my first year, I have developed an interest in compliance and corporate law, including mergers and acquisitions. You do not have to pick a Major or concentration in law school. All in all, do what works best for you and enjoy your time in law school. You are going to have your whole career to sit in an office, bill hours, and attend meetings. Attending law school is an amazing experience that you get to have, and you will find that the friendships you gain along the way are worth more than any of your defeats during law school.
Vanessa Bateau is a rising third-year law student at William & Mary Law School, where she is a member of the William & Mary Business Law Review and a participant in the Leadership Institute. Additionally at William & Mary, Vanessa is Career Chair for the Black Law Students Association and a Student Fellow with the Center for the Study of Law and Markets. She earned her B.A. in Film Production, cum laude, from the City University of New York, Brooklyn College. Prior to law school, Vanesa worked at MTV Networks in multiple positions including Spike Brand Creative Manager and TV Land Media Coordinator. Vanessa is a PracticePro Scholar (Class of 2020) and is currently a 2019 Summer Associate with Blank Rome.