Wondering what is law school like? The process of being in a law school in Kenya is definitely challenging, you will learn a lot about yourself and you
will see the world in a slightly different light (not better or worse,
just different).
Again what is law school like? Let’s start with what it is not
like… Law school does not train you to be a functioning lawyer, but
instead law school trains you to LEARN the law (does not really teach
you the law). Don’t expect to be able to try a case or close a major
business deal straight out of law school… you will learn how to
practice law through actual experience when you begin your first job out
of law school.
The first 1.5 years of law school are difficult
because this is the time you take your mandatory core classes. At most
law schools core classes
have a mandatory curve; thus a certain percentage of students must fail
the class… receive a certain number of D’s or F’s and you will be
asked to leave. The most difficult part of this time in law school is
that it will all be new to you. But fear not! You will adjust just
fine… you will not be tortured or killed, nothing bad is going to
happen to you.
What is law school like after you get over that
hump? The second half of law school is a lot like college. The
students are no longer intimated by Socratic Method,
they know how to study for the final exam, and are more concerned about
obtaining employment after graduation than anything else. This is also
a great time to network with your classmates, as the connections you
make can be just as important and valuable as your education. Moreover, this is the time where you should really discover your passion for a specific type of law.
Overall
what makes law school the most challenging is you… You probably have a
core set of beliefs about law school and becoming a lawyer coming into
the law school experience. This set of beliefs that you have about
becoming a lawyer was probably generated from rumors you heard, or from
TV/movies, and is not based in reality. Relax… there is no reason why
you can’t go to law school if that is the road you choose.
There
is nothing that you can’t do, so push all thought about whether or not
you can do it out of your mind. You can become a lawyer! That is not
up for debate… The real question is the following: Is a legal career
the best career choice for you? How do you know that you will have a
passion for legal work?
Don’t focus on any fear of the unknown
or fear of law school, Socratic method, etc… Stop focusing on what law
school is really like, and focus on learning as much as you can about
how to become a lawyer and what type of work lawyers actually do. If
you do as we advise you will most certainly be prepared to make an
educated decision about enrolling in law school.
Learn more… reading all of our website articles!